Active Sussex champions NSPCC’s ‘Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport’ campaign

Active Sussex proudly supported this year’s NSPCC Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week.

The week was a chance to spotlight the important role that parents, carers, and clubs play in helping children enjoy safe, positive sporting experiences.

To mark the campaign, the Sport Welfare team hosted two online workshops on October 8 for clubs and activity providers across Sussex, exploring the theme ‘Play Your Part’ – a call to action for everyone involved in sport to help create safe and supportive environments for children and young people.

Active Sussex Sport Welfare Officer Angela Nilmadhub-Watson said: “Keeping children safe in sport is everyone’s responsibility, from coaches and club staff to parents and carers.” 

“When we all play our part, we create the kind of environment where young people can thrive, have fun and feel valued.”

Clubs and activity groups representing a wide range of sports took part in the sessions, including swimming, climbing, rugby, running, skateboarding, tennis, and badminton.

During the workshops, attendees were introduced to a variety of resources and tools to help strengthen safeguarding practices. 

This included a powerful conversation video highlighting the importance of parental support before, during and after sport, as well as a practical guide for professionals and volunteers with top tips for encouraging positive parental involvement.

Participants also shared how they communicate safeguarding messages with parents and carers, from posters on club noticeboards and newsletters, to emails, WhatsApp and Spond updates, and face-to-face conversations.

Many clubs reported strong outcomes from building better relationships with parents.

One club said: “We make a point of speaking to parents on a personal level, to welcome them and make them feel safe.”

Another club shared that training volunteers as Youth Mental Health First Aiders has helped parents feel reassured that children have trusted adults they can talk to if they’re struggling.

Other great examples of engagement included parent liaison officers, information evenings, awards nights and social events, all helping to foster trust and communication between clubs and families.

One club’s introduction of a parent liaison officer has made a real difference, with parents feeling more heard and the number of out-of-hours calls to coaches dropping significantly.

While the initial campaign ran for the week, the message still continues, with clubs encouraged to make full use of the NSPCC’s resources and share the key messages – “See something, say something” and “Play your part” – to help ensure every child enjoys a positive and safe experience in sport and physical activity.