Safeguarding

Goalball UK works closely with the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU), National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), and Act Craft Trust (ACT) to ensure we have comprehensive policies and procedures in place to safeguard children, young people, and adults.

Click here to download Goalball UK’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

Goalball UK is working closely with The Ann Craft Trust, a leading authority in safeguarding adults and young people at risk

Click here to download Goalball UK’s Safeguarding Adults Policy

How to share a concern

If you have any concerns about a child or adult at risk, or the behaviour of an adult towards them, it is important to share these immediately. Feeling anxious about reporting a safeguarding concern is natural, but remember, it is not your responsibility to determine if abuse or neglect has occurred. However, you do have a duty of care to share any concerns you have.

There are a number of ways to report a concern:

To your Club Welfare Officer, please find out from your club who this person is.
To Goalball UK directly, you can do this by calling Lead Safeguarding Officer, Steve Cox, 07706 286 584 or emailing at safeguarding@goalballuk.com
To CareLine, details further down the page.
If urgent and you cannot contact your club or the Goalball UK Safeguarding Officer, you should call the NSPCC 24-hour helpline on 0808 800 5000.
If it is an emergency and someone is at immediate risk, then call the Police or Children’s Social Care in your area.

Self Reporting

Do you have a concern or need to report an incident involving yourself (however trivial). Use this online form to Self Report a concern or incident.

Receiving concerns

When someone shares a concern with you (whatever the level of the concern), whether this is about something that has happened to them or someone else, it is important to:

stay calm, but don’t delay
if a child or adult at risk has disclosed to you directly, re-assure them that they are not to blame
do not make any promises of confidentiality or outcome. It is almost certain that you will have to share this information with someone
keep questions to a minimum and try not to interrupt the child or adult
make brief notes, as accurately as you can, at the earliest opportunity and then complete the Goalball UK Safeguarding concern / Incident form (links below)

Click here to access the Microsoft Forms version of the Goalball UK Safeguarding Concern / incident form

Click here to download the Word version of the Goalball UK Safeguarding Concern / incident form

Remember!

Recognise – go with your gut feelings, if it doesn’t feel right- talk to your Club Welfare Officer or the Goalball UK Lead Safeguarding Officer.
Respond to the needs of the person at risk or something they have told you – talk to your Club Welfare Officer or the Goalball UK Lead Safeguarding Officer.
Report – if someone is in immediate danger or risk, call emergency services on 999. Report all concerns to your Club Welfare Officer or the Goalball UK Lead Safeguarding Officer.
Record – pass to the Goalball UK Lead Safeguarding Officer. And we will save in our case management system.

Goalball UK Independent CareLine

Goalball UK are proud to have established a Goalball UK Independent CareLine. For more information on this service click https://goalballuk.com/safeguarding/careline/

Goalball UK has a requirement as the recognised national governing body for the sport to provide a user friendly and transparent approach to safeguarding (adult and child), child protection, welfare and equality for all.

Essential Contacts:

Goalball UK, www.goalballuk.com

Lead Safeguarding Officer, Steve Cox, 07706 286 584 or steve.cox@goalballuk.com

Goalball UK Independent CareLine, 07999 968 376, CareLine Webpage

For local contacts please consult phone directories or internet to find the appropriate information:

Children’s Social Care and Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) – available through Local Authorities

Police – in emergency dial 999 or consult local directories

Other Useful Resourses:

Childline (www.childline.org.uk), for children and young people 0800 1111

NSPCC (www.nspcc.org.uk), for adults concerned about a child or young person 0808 800 5000

CPSU (www.thecpsu.org.uk), for enquiries or advice on safeguarding children in sport 0116 366 5580

Ann Craft Trust (https://www.anncrafttrust.org/), for enquiries or advice on safeguarding adults in sport 0115 951 5400

Thinkuknow (Thinkuknow.co.uk), Online site with information for young people and adults, including how to report concerns

Kidscape (www.kidscape.org.uk), Charity established to protect children and prevent bullying

Please be aware, all discussions are dealt with confidentially and in accordance with UK government laws.

Safeguarding Awareness and Training

Ensure all those who have direct contact with young people in your club have completed basic Safeguarding Awareness training. UK Coaching offer Safeguarding and Protecting Children courses regularly and locally. You will find details on these on our Safeguarding Training Page

This approach will see Goalball UK staff, volunteers, players, officials, non-playing members, spectators, families of those involved and external partners understand the process and regulations in place.
Goalball UK has named a designated Lead Safeguarding Officer.
Goalball UK Lead Safeguarding Officer and Directors are working closely with the relevant organisations including the NSPCC, Ann Craft Trust, and Sport England to build a portfolio of resources that address the serious nature of safeguarding involved in the sport.
These resources will be made available for all through our central database of appendices held at the Head Office with the administrative team and the Lead Officer. All Goalball UK staff will be given copies and made aware of the contents relevance. The full safeguarding portfolio will also be available online.