“Safeguarding Adults Week runs from Monday 18th November to Friday 22nd November, led by the Ann Craft Trust with the core theme of ‘Working in Partnership.’
This initiative highlights the importance of protecting vulnerable adults and creating a safer culture within sporting communities. As a Sport Welfare Manager at Rise, I’m here to support clubs and organisations in achieving this goal.
It is important to remember that safeguarding is not just about protecting young people, but also about making sure that vulnerable adults, who are dependent on others for their wellbeing, are also safe and protected from abuse or neglect.
Safeguarding adults brings unique challenges and responsibilities, involving specific laws and addressing a wider range of harm types, including physical abuse, psychological abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, and even modern slavery.
As Sport Welfare Officers, Sarah and I work with local clubs to support their safeguarding practices and create welcoming, safe environments for all participants. In line with the Ann Craft Trust’s guidance, here are some simple ways sports clubs and organisations can get involved with adult safeguarding this week:
• Download the Safeguarding Adults Road Map as a foundational guide.
• Sign up for free resources from the Ann Craft Trust to boost your knowledge.
• Access free e-learning courses to deepen your understanding of adult safeguarding.
• Use the Adult Safeguarding Assessment Tool to evaluate your current practices.
Remember, Safeguarding adults is everyone’s responsibility in sport or physical activity. If we can get this right, then this will allow ‘all’ to access sport in a safe manner, keep people involved and potentially increase participation levels
Finally, as your local Sport Welfare Officers, Sarah and I are here to support sport clubs, organisations or physical activity providers. If you need any advice or assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us:
Sarah Baylis (North of Tyne): [email protected]
Richard Steele (South of Tyne): [email protected]
Together, we can help make sport safe for adults across Northumberland and Tyne & Wear.”