Safeguarding, Beyond a Policy – Part 1

Safeguarding should be part of an organisation’s culture, not just a document sat on a website. It is about what happens on the training pitch, in the changing rooms, during travel, competitions, online communication and social media use.

Safeguarding should be visible in everyday behaviours, decision making and interactions, not just referenced when something goes wrong. Historically, a safeguarding policy has been seen as the final step in sports safeguarding, with many organisations still taking this view. However, for effective safeguarding, a policy has to be seen as just the first step.

Good practice starts at the top of an organisation as the most critical element of effective safeguarding, is leadership. Those in positions of authority, such as board members, senior managers and head coaches, play a pivotal role in demonstrating safe, respectful and inclusive behaviours. When leaders prioritise safeguarding, speak openly about it, and respond appropriately and sincerely to concerns, it sets expectations across the entire organisation. 

Education and training are equally essential. One‑off safeguarding courses are rarely sufficient in a fast‑moving sporting environment. Ongoing training allows individuals to refresh knowledge, recognise changing risks, and gain confidence in responding to concerns. It should be role‑specific, practical and relevant, equipping coaches, volunteers, officials and staff with the skills to apply safeguarding principles in practical situations. Importantly, training should also encourage reflection on power dynamics in sport, boundaries and professional conduct, helping individuals understand how well-established coaching practices and a win-at-all-costs attitude in sport can perpetuate a cycle of harm within your sport. 

Another critical aspect of embedding a culture of safeguarding in your organisation is listening to lived experience and learning from incidents that have occurred, to foster continuous improvement. This creates an environment where children, young people and adults at risk must feel safe to speak up and confident that their concerns will be taken seriously. Adopting a trauma informed approach is key to achieving this. Trauma‑informed practice recognises that past experiences of harm can shape behaviour, trust and communication. It focuses on understanding impact rather than asking what is wrong, prioritising emotional safety, empathy and choice. In a sporting environment, being trauma‑informed helps coaches, staff and volunteers respond appropriately to concerns, avoid re‑traumatisation, and create supportive spaces where children, young people and adults at risk feel able to speak up, be believed and remain engaged with sport.

Sport also presents unique safeguarding challenges, such as physical contact, changing facilities, travel, selection pressures and the increasing use of digital platforms. These risks require thoughtful planning, clear guidance and an awareness of the individual safeguarding challenges that your sport presents. Training, codes of conduct and clear boundaries help shape a positive safeguarding culture, setting shared expectations for behaviour and reinforcing respect, accountability and consistency. 

Ultimately, safeguarding in sport is about creating environments where people feel safe, respected and able to thrive. It requires continuous learning, humility and a willingness to adapt from everyone within an organisation. When safeguarding is truly embedded as a shared responsibility, owned by everyone, every day, sport becomes not only a place for performance and enjoyment, but also a positive and protective space for all involved.