We aim to highlight and give you access to important safeguarding and child protection practice and development.

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The GuardSport Project is a resource that supports best practice in Safeguarding and child protection in Sport. Sport specific safeguarding consideration is essential for the development of effective Safeguarding cultures within your club or institution.

Moving your club from a safeguarding policy towards a safeguarding culture:

The coaching relationship is different to one between a teacher or parent and child.

The relationships built through coaching are unique and come with an added layer of responsibility. Relational understanding is vital in developing a safeguarding culture.

Culture is the invisible attitude and organisational mind-set that influences the behaviour and interaction of a sport organisation.

The safeguarding in sport philosophy shapes the core safeguarding in sport values, beliefs, norms and expectations.

A quality safeguarding in sport culture creates an environment where any safeguarding cases, concerns and issues raised are dealt with in a precise, prompt, professional, proportional and procedural way, that meets the best safeguarding in sport practices and standards.

Project collaborators & supporters

  • Andy Martin: Andy is a specialist teacher(SEND), writer and coach (performance & Rugby) with 20 years’ experience in Education (SEND) and Sport. He is a practicing Sports Safeguarding Officer working from community to national level and is currently Head of Rugby, EYFS SENCO and a Designated Safeguarding Lead for a leading international school. M.Ed (spec & Incl) BA Ed (PE-Coaching), PGCSEN EY, CfPAC, Dip Yth Couns. ASIST.

  • Karen Velthuis OLY: Karen is an International Olympic Committee (IOC) qualified Safeguarding specialist and former international and Olympic diver (GB). She has competed all over the world and has a wealth of sports performance & management experience from community to elite level.

  • Alasdair Roy OAM: A consultant Psychologist and one of Australia's leading child rights specialists, with over 30 years of experience promoting and protecting the safety and wellbeing of children.