2 minute read
Safeguarding & Duty of Care
Carl Williams Safeguarding & Compliance Officer
Strategic Aim: Unite “Ensure robust safeguarding practices are being implemented across the sport.”
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Following on from the UKA Safeguarding review by Mr Christopher Quinlan in 2020, Welsh Athletics have ensured that the following new or updated policies are all in place and being implemented across the sport:
• Safeguarding and Protecting Children, • Adult Safeguarding policies, • Codes of Conduct
Awareness and sign up to these are being enforced as an integral part of the club affiliation process, as are the mandatory Club Welfare Officer requirement. All CWO’s must now complete the following:
• Time to Listen course • Safeguarding in Athletics module • DBS check
Since the Safeguarding requirements changed from July, we have run 11 online Time to Listen courses via the Welsh Sports Association for Club Welfare officers (CWOs) to attend, with a further 8 planned for October 2022. To date 85 Club Welfare officers have been trained in Time to Listen. Remaining CWOs will receive training throughout 2022 / 2023 ahead of re-affiliation in April 2023. There will be a new ‘Adults at Risk’ course in 2023. We will continue to work closely with the CPSU (Child Protection in Sport unit), Ann Craft Trust, UKA and the HCAFS to ensure that our clubs have the current accredited relevant training available and good practice is being shared. All staff attended a training session in June delivered by our Safeguarding and Compliance Officer.
The safeguarding lead officer forms part of the UKA Case management group to manage active UK cases. Also working closely with the UKA Safeguarding team to manage local safeguarding and disciplinary cases. Since January 2022, 25 cases passed to Welsh Athletics regarding Safeguarding, Codes of conduct and discipline matters. The My concern & My confide recording systems are both now in use by Welsh Athletics to ensure all matters are linked with UKA and the HCAF’s.
We are working as a team to ensure that the set mandatory safeguarding club requirements are in place, and have started sending a quarterly Safeguarding Newsletter to all clubs with the latest updates - for example the new Position of Trust legislation that was implemented in June 2022 for England and Wales. Webinars are also being planned by the team for CWOs and clubs to help them understand changes in requirements.
