Child Protection Training For Coaches - Update
CHILD PROTECTION TRAINING FOR COACHES - UPDATE
The BCU are committed to ensuring that any young person participating in Paddlesport can do so free from harm of abuse and as part of this we have now achieved the Advanced Standard for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport. Training is a key element of the Standards and a requirement for this section is that staff and volunteers are provided with opportunities to learn how to recognise and respond to concerns about child abuse.
This requirement came into effect in 2007, however the BCU recognised that for existing coaches there was a need to phase this in over a realistic time scale and we therefore allowed 3 years for coaches to undertake the necessary training. We also appreciated that with the many demands on coaches’ time that a quick and easy way to do this was required and as a result have now introduced an on line child protection training course.
The BCU Child Protection Steering Group have recently reviewed the required training for coaches to include the new on line course and the following outlines what training existing coaches must undertake by 31st December 2010. There are many options for training – and whilst the sports specific is recommended we have included at the end of this what equivalent training is accepted.
Minimum Training Requirement
The minimum requirement is a basic awareness course which can be accessed through a distance learning scheme or web based learning. The BCU new Paddlesafe On line Child Protection Course is designed to support individuals to meet this requirement and reduce the cost involved. This can be accessed through your home nation website.
Who should do this? Existing Level 2 Coaches and above who do not work regularly or alone with children.
Basic Safeguarding Workshops
The most popular and widely delivered workshop is the sports coach UK ‘Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport’ (SPC) course. Another option is the SCA Child Protection workshop. Details of how to access these workshops will be on your Home Nation website – in England workshops can be accessed through your local County Sport Partnership and in 2010 we aim to run some workshops specifically for coaches. Some coaches may have already attended a Safeguarding course through your local authority. Whilst this is not usually specific to sport it may be recognized as an equivalent to the SPC course. (See Equivalent training below)
Who should do this? Coaches and volunteers working regularly or alone with children, BCU Coach Training Directors, BCU Regional and Local Coaching Organisers.
New coaches
Will now be required to have evidence of undertaking some form of child protection training in line with 1 or 2 above prior to their Level 2 Assessment.
EQUIVALENT CHILD PROTECTION TRAINING GUIDANCE
Minimum Training requirement
An equivalent to the BCU Paddlesafe on line resource is the NSPCC EduCare Child Protection Awareness programme – Keeping Children Safe in Sport. This offers basic introduction to safeguarding and child protection but is not a substitute for where direct delivery is required. For individuals are unable to access the Paddlesafe online course we recommend this as an alternative. It is the same programme currently used by Scouting UK. Unfortunately there is no BCU subsidy for this course which currently costs £27.50+ VAT. More details from http://www.educare.co.uk.
Individuals who work regularly or alone with children are required to attend the sports coach UK Safeguarding and Protecting Children workshop or a basic safeguarding workshop as described below.
Basic Safeguarding Workshops
We appreciate that individuals may have undertaken safeguarding courses through work or such like. The following indicates the requirements for a course to be recognized as an equivalent.
1. Courses must involve a minimum of 3 hours direct delivery.
2. A certificate from the course is available to prove attendance.
3. The course includes the following training outcomes so that coaches are able to:
- identify situations and practices that might constitute either poor practice or possible abuse
- identify ways of dealing with your own feelings about child abuse and state what constitutes neglect, physical, sexual and emotional abuse
- recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and appreciate why reporting it is often so difficult
- identity appropriate action if a child discloses he/she has been abused
- identity appropriate action if abuse is suspected and explain the role and responsibilities of other experts (e.g. police, social services)
- Describe appropriate practice that reduces the likelihood of abuse occurring.
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