Safeguarding Matters with the Ann Craft Trust (Ann-Craft-Trust)

Nicola chats with Denise Richards from The CPSU following an online conference focused on creating safer cultures in sport and activity.

The conference took place over two mornings on 19 and 20 January 2022.

From Learning Lessons to Taking Action, the conference challenged attendees to create a safer place for all children and adults in your organisation, whatever their role.

The conference explored:

• How you ensure that your organisation is operating a safer culture for participants of all ages, abilities, race, cultures, sexuality, sex, and gender
• Protecting and safeguarding the wellbeing of those taking part
• How you ensure that everyone feels able to share any concerns at an early stage
• How you ensure that everyone feels confident to interrupt or question poor practice or behaviour.

The keynote presentations and workshops addressed:

• The learning from recent reviews about safeguarding and welfare concerns in sport and other settings
• New strategies from government and sports councils
• Initiatives to embed best practice in safeguarding
• The response to the voices of those with lived experience within sport and physical activity
• How we can develop safer cultures in our organisations

In this podcast, Nicola and Denise reflect on the conference’s themes. They also discuss some of the key messages from the presentations and workshops.

Catherine Sykes talks to David Rose, Deputy CEO of The Football Supporters' Association (FSA).

David talks about how the FSA is working to develop policies and procedures to safeguard adults in their organisation.

He discusses how important it is to listen to the voices of people who use services, as this helps clubs and organisations truly meet their needs.

David also shares some of his methods for engaging with FSA members. He stresses that supporters are the lifeblood of football, so it's vital that we create a culture of trust in which nobody's ever afraid to speak out.

It can be too easy to ignore problems. So the trick is to make it even easier to act on problems.

Finally, David shares some advice for any sport and activity organisations starting on safeguarding journey: Don't fear it! Because if you start worrying, you might put it off, and it might never happen.

David concludes that safeguarding is not as daunting or complicated as it seems, and there's loads of help out there if you need it.

Outgoing Safeguarding Adults in Sport Manager (Wales) Ruth Ingram reflects on her time at The Ann Craft Trust.

Ruth joined The Ann Craft Trust in January 2020. Just a few weeks later, the UK went into lockdown.

In this farewell podcast, Ruth talks about the challenges of joining a new team on a remote basis, as well as some of the other challenges she faced in her role. But she also talks about her achievements, and on the general state of safeguarding adults in Wales.

Joane Pell chats with Paul Stephenson, a Senior Consultant at the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU).

In May 2022, Paul hosted an online seminar as part of The Ann Craft Trust #SaferCultureSaferSport campaign: "From Recommendations to Action - Embedding Safeguarding Learning Into Practice."

The seminar focused on two main areas. First, it explored how we can recognise safeguarding lessons in our organsiations. Next, it discussed how we can take these lessons one step further, and embed them into everyday practice.

In this podcast, Joanne and Pell talk about the key takeaways from this seminar. And though Paul's background is in safeguarding children and young people, these lessons are just as relevant if you're working with adults.

Nicola Dean talks to Emma Gibson about her new role as Head of Safeguarding Adults in Sport at the Ann Craft Trust.

Emma talks about her background in sport, and how it motivated her to work towards making sport and activity safe and accessible for everyone.

The two then discuss some of the current challenges in safeguarding adults in sport, and how we're working together to meet these challenges.

Nicola Dean and Kimberley Walsh reflect on how the #SaferCultureSaferSport campaign has progressed since its launch.

Their discussion focuses on a recent seminar The Ann Craft Trust ran with Penny Briscoe OBE and Claire Cunningham of British Paralympic Association. In this seminar, they revealed how they embedded a values-based culture to make sport more accessible for everyone.

Nicola and Kimberley talk about some of the key themes raised in the British Paralympic Association seminar, and explore just what it means to create a safer culture in sport.

Peer support networks can make a huge difference in helping organisations achieve safeguarding best practice.

In this edition of Safeguarding Matters, Nicola Dean talks to  Cassi Wright, Head of Safeguarding at Crystal Palace FC, and Ashlee Byrne, Senior Safeguarding Officer for the British Horseracing Authority. 

They discuss the importance of peer support in safeguarding. They also offer some tips for anyone looking to set up their own peer support network. In short - reach out to people! You'll find that most people are happy to help.

They also talk about the upcoming Ann Craft Trust Safeguarding Conference in Nottingham.

University of Nottingham student Bridget Tunney is currently volunteering to help The Ann Craft Trust promote Safeguarding Adults Week.

In this podcast, she introduces herself and discusses Rugby Minds, a University of Nottingham safeguarding in sport campaign.

Rugby Minds aims to improve the welfare and culture in the university men’s and women’s rugby teams. Bridget and Nicola discuss this campaign, its aims, and its parallels with The Ann Craft Trust's #SaferCultureSaferSport campaign.

On Monday 20 March I had the exciting job of visiting the world famous Trent Bridge Cricket Ground in Nottinghamshire to speak to Nottinghamshire Men’s Fast Bowler Luke Fletcher and coach Paul Franks, with one of the Ann Craft Trust Safeguarding in Sport Managers, Nicola Dean.

As a cricket fan living in Nottingham, it’s hard not to know the history of Trent Bridge, one of the oldest cricket grounds in the world, or about the success of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club.  Nicola and I were interested to hear and see how culture, good or bad, plays its part in the success of one of England’s top sports clubs.

As you'll hear in the podcast, Nottinghamshire Cricket Club places a lot of emphasis on building a positive culture. As soon as Nicola and I stepped through the gates at Trent Bridge, you could feel and see that staff were happy in their work. The person working on the gate gave Nicola a brief history of the ground, and we could tell that he enjoyed coming to work.

This continued as Luke came to greet us with a box of new kit, excited about his new stash for the upcoming season.  After 15 years, ‘Fletch’ could be forgiven for taking his stunning work surroundings for granted. But you can still see the excitement as he walked down the steps of the pavilion and took us out to the pitch. He stopped briefly to see how the ground staff were before talking us through what a good cricket pitch looks and feels like.

The impromptu tour continued to the kitchens, where Fletch and the chef had a light-hearted exchange about what was on the lunch menu for the upcoming pre-season friendly. We could sense a culture based on mutual respect, where everyone was comfortable and appeared happy in their work. 


As we discuss in the podcast, a good culture means encouraging everyone to be the best version of themselves and to have fun in their work. But, if anyone sees, hears, or feels anything isn't right, they call out the poor practice early so that it doesn't become "the norm".  

Thanks to Luke, Paul and Nottinghamshire Cricket Club for their wonderful welcome and openness to sharing with us what a safe culture means for them. Good luck for the season ahead!


- Stuart Sale, CEO, Ann Craft Trust

Nicola talks to Stuart Gallagher a Senior Lecturer at The University of Worcester, about a course he runs: a Post Graduate Certificate in Leading Culture Change in Safeguarding.

She also chats with two students who have taken this course: Victoria Wiegleb from The English Cricket Board, and Kath Bennett from The Rugby Football Union.

Stuart describes the course as "a course for people who are short on time. It's a flexible course for really busy safeguarding leaders. It respects your time, and your work/life balance."

The course allows participants to learn not about safeguarding, but around the subject. It encourages participants to thinks about safeguarding in a different way. How can we change what is, particularly in sport, quite a well-defined process?

Throughout, Stuart, Victoria and Kate refer to The Munro Review. This was an independent review into child protection in England, which called for "a move from a compliance to a learning culture." The three consider how much the safeguarding community has taken onboard this report's lessons: How do you do things right, and do the right thing? It's not an either/or choice. You need to do both!

They also discuss the idea of being a positive "rebel at work". This is a campaign that encourages people to improve and innovate in the work place through asking: What are you doing to make things better? You can learn more about Rebels at Work here.

If you want to learn more about Stuart's Leading Culture Change in Safeguarding post graduate certificate, head to The University of Worcester's site.

Nicola chats with Robbie Jacques, who plays for Nottingham Lions FC, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire’s only LGBTQ+ football team.

The two discuss the rising acceptance of LGBTQ+ identities in professional and grassroots football.

Robbie's recently received a nomination for the Positive Role Model Award for LGBT as part of the National Diversity Awards.

"I believe everyone should be comfortable doing what they love without fear of discrimination and abuse. I believe we have the potential to change attitudes now more than ever. LGBTQ+ friendly clubs can play a significant role in providing a safe and supportive space for players and supporters, irrespective of sexual orientation, gender identity, race and religion."

Learn more about Nottinghamshire Lions FC here.

Robbie also recommends The Gay Football Supporters' Alliance, as a great resource for anyone who wants to know more about LGBTQ+ friendly clubs. 

Host Nicola Dean talks to ACT CEO Deborah Kitson about Ann Craft, her legacy, the history of ACT, and our plans for the future.

The Safeguarding Adults in Sport Framework is an audit tool. It's designed to enable sports organisations to have their safeguarding policy and practices assessed against a national safeguarding standards framework.

In this episode of Safeguarding Matters, Nicola Dean talks to Damien and Robin from North Yorkshire Sport, Nicola from Kent Sport, Emma Gibson from Badminton England and Alison Howard from Rounders England. All of these organisations took part in the pilot stage of the Framework project. We used their feedback to make the Framework as clear and accessible as possible.

The guys talk about their experience in completing the Framework. They explore what safeguarding means to them, and they have some great advice for any sports organisations looking to complete the Framework in the future.

Jodi Evans talks to former International Rugby Player Rhys Thomas about his life journey and the lessons he has learnt along the way.

In the early 2000s, Rhys had a thriving international sports career as a capped Welsh rugby player. But in 2012, aged just 29, he suffered a massive heart attack during training, which would change his life forever. 

Rhys is now on a mission to share his unique life experiences to create positive change. He strives to help others reach their full potential through greater self-awareness, perspective and choice.

On Tuesday 2 July 2019 we held the fourth annual Safeguarding Adults in Sport and Activity Seminar. 

Some 50 delegates came from across the UK to hear all about the very latest in safeguarding adults in sport and activity. As well as updates from ACT and Sport England, topics covered included DBS checks, the adult participation group, and far right radicalisation in sport.

After an invigorating day, the ACT safeguarding adults team came together to reflect on a very successful seminar. We also took this opportunity to welcome Laura Thorpe, our brand new Safeguarding Adults in Sport and Activity Manager!

• Nicola Dean (Host) - Safeguarding Adults in Sport and Activity Manager
• Ieuan Watkins - Safeguarding Adults in Sport and Activity Manager, Wales
• Lisa Curtis - Safeguarding Adults Manager
• Laura Thorpe - Safeguarding Adults in Sport and Activity Manager

The Mental Capacity Act (MCA) is designed to protect and empower people who may lack the mental capacity to make their own decisions about their care and treatment. It applies to people aged 16 and over.

It covers decisions about day-to-day things, like what to wear or what to buy for the weekly shop, or serious life-changing decisions.

In this episode of Safeguarding Matters, Laura Thorpe talks to ACT's safeguarding adults lead Lisa Curtis about the MCA. They talk about the key principles of the act, and who it applies to. They also discuss more detailed aspects of the MCA, such as lasting powers of attorney and the need for the "least restrictive" option in every decision.

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) are an aspect of the Mental Capacity Act (MCA). 

In certain cases, the restrictions placed upon a person who lacks capacity may amount to "deprivation of liberty". This must be judged on a case-by-case basis.

Where it appears a deprivation of liberty might happen, the provider of care (usually a hospital or a care home) has to apply to their local authority.

They'll then arrange an assessment of the person's care and treatment to decide if the deprivation of liberty is in the best interests of the individual concerned.

If it is, the local authority will grant a legal authorisation. If it isn't, the care and treatment package must be changed – otherwise, an unlawful deprivation of liberty will occur. This system is known as the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

In this episode of Safeguarding Matters, Laura Thorpe talks to ACT's adult safeguarding lead Lisa Curtis about DoLS. They talk about situations that could constitute DoLS, and the sort of factors to consider when making a decision.

Safeguarding must take into account the individual choices and requirements of everyone involved.

We must operate on this abiding principle:

"Nothing about me, without me."

Making Safeguarding Personal means ensuring that adults are more involved in the safeguarding process. When making decisions, we must take into account their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs.

In this episode of Safeguarding Matters, Laura Thorpe talks to ACT's adult safeguarding lead Lisa Curtis about Making Safeguarding Personal. They explore the thinking behind the concept, and talk about how these principles might work in practice.

Forced Marriage is a marriage without the consent of one or both parties, and where duress is a factor. 

Forced marriage is:

• An abuse of human rights.
• A form of domestic violence.
• A form of violence against men and women.
• Against the law.

Forced marriage of people with learning disabilities often concerns the ability, or capacity, to consent. It also concerns the willingness to consent.

Research indicates that forced marriage of people with learning disabilities is likely to be vastly under reported. The motivators and consequences are also likely to be different from how forced marriage would usually present itself.

In this episode of Safeguarding Matters, Nicola talks to associate professor Rachel Clawson about the forced marriage of people with learning disabilities. They discuss why forced marriage might happen, and why people with learning disabilities are particularly at risk.

Laura Thorpe, Safeguarding Adults Manager at The Ann Craft Trust, talks to Daniela Smith and Jessica Johnson from Our Dementia Choir.

Our Dementia Choir uses music to bring happiness, connection, and comfort to people affected by dementia. The choir performs throughout the country and offers support and resources to raise awareness and funds.

Laura, Daniela, and Jessica discuss the work of the choir, the importance of person-centred support, and the amazing power of music to bring people together. They also offer some tips on how listeners can use music to transform their own worlds.

Ann Craft Trust Safeguarding Adults in Sport for Wales Manager Jodi Evans talks to Mhairi Maclennan – Co founder and CEO of Kyniska Advocacy.

Kyniska Advocacy work with UK sporting communities to influence change in welfare and wellbeing policies for women in sport.

Jodi and Mhairi discuss the work of Kyniska Advocacy, and how working in partnership can help prevent abuse in sport.
 
Among other things, they cover what we mean when we talk about "participant voice", and explore how sport organisations can effectively listen and respond to their participants to create a safer and more inclusive environment for all.

Disabled children face up to four times more risk of harm than non-disabled children. All children and young people have a right to a happy childhood and a life that's free from abuse, fear, and harm. So safeguarding disabled children and young people is a shared responsibility that we must all take very seriously indeed.

In this episode of Safeguarding Matters, your host Nicola talks to Sarah Goff, the safeguarding young people lead at the Ann Craft Trust.

Sarah has worked in child protection for 30 years, and has been with ACT for seven years. In this podcast, she argues that we must pay attention to young people's voices, views and experience when shaping safeguarding policies.

It's up to us to learn how to communicate. Disabled children and young people already communicate. We need to learn to understand.

Sarah also talks about some of the projects she's currently leading at ACT, including the recently-launched We Matter Too report on domestic abuse and disabled young people.

ACT Safeguarding Adults in Sport Manager Nicola Dean chats with Anne Patterson and Tina Thordal about Safeguarding Adults in Sport Participation Groups.

What's a Safeguarding Adults in Sport Participation Group?

It's a move to bridge the gap between safeguarding specialists and those who actually need safeguarding - in this case, sports participants, and the staff, coaches, and volunteers who make their sport possible.

In a sport participation group, one of our trainers will meet with a group of participants. Over the course of three hours (or so), they'll discuss a number of issues relating to safeguarding.

This is all about raising awareness of what people understand by "safeguarding". It's about coming to understand what sports participants feel they need to keep themselves safe within their sports.

"It's not a crime to be different. But it is a crime to be targeted and victimised."

In this episode of Safeguarding Matters, ACT Safeguarding Adults Lead Lisa Curtis talks to Buse Ucanlar, a University of Nottingham Politics and International Relations student, about disability hate crimes.

They touch upon the definition of a hate crime, explore why someone might become a target of hate crimes, and discuss what UK law and legislation has to say about the issue.

They also discuss the unfortunate phenomenon of "mate crime" - where someone works to establish an adult at risk's trust before abusing this trust to exploit them.

Finally, they offer some advice on what members of the public can do to help tackle the issue of disability hate crime.

The Care Act outlines six principles of adult safeguarding. But how can these be applied in a sports and activity setting?

In this episode of Safeguarding Matters, Nicola Dean and Laura Thorpe explore The Care Act in a sport and activity context.

What are the six principles of adult safeguarding? How can those involved in sport and activity apply these principles to help make sport more inclusive for everyone?

Complete our online questionnaires to help us develop our understanding of safeguarding adults in sport

The Safeguarding Adults in Sport and Activity project is funded by Sport England to help National Governing Bodies, Active Sports Partnerships, regional partnerships and sport and activity organisations to develop best practice in safeguarding adults at risk.

As part of this project we have been holding discussion forums (focus groups) with sports participants and staff to develop shared understandings of what safeguarding means and what individuals, clubs and organisations can do to keep people safe.  Amongst other things we discuss possible safeguarding risks, whose responsibility it is to keep people safe and explore good practices for ensuring this happens.

We are still running discussion forums all over the country with all sorts of sporting groups. We would like to hear from anyone interested in hosting a forum.

To organise a forum in your area, please contact Nicola Dean: n.dean@nottingham.ac.uk

Don’t have time for a full participation group? We are also launching a survey during National Safeguarding Adults Week. These will be available online, as paper copies, and in an easy-read format too. These will be available at the ACT conference on the 21st November, or we can arrange to send them out to you if you let Nicola know your address.

There are two surveys.

For Sport Participants: Find it here

For Sport Staff and Volunteers: Find it here.

The Safeguarding Adults in Sport and Activity project is funded by Sport England to help National Governing Bodies, Active Sports Partnerships, regional partnerships and sport and activity organisations to develop best practice in safeguarding adults at risk.

As part of this project we have been holding discussion forums (focus groups) with sports participants and staff to develop shared understandings of what safeguarding means and what individuals, clubs and organisations can do to keep people safe.  Amongst other things we discuss possible safeguarding risks, whose responsibility it is to keep people safe and explore good practices for ensuring this happens.

The data we collect from these discussions is being collated in order to provide the evidence base that will inform and support the development of effective policies and procedures to ensure all of those involved in sport are empowered to keep themselves and others safe.

We are still running discussion forums all over the country with all sorts of sporting groups. We would like to hear from anyone interested in hosting a forum.

We Matter Too! is a project that addresses the needs of disabled young people facing domestic abuse.

The project was funded by the Lloyds Bank Foundation as part of a series of projects looking at domestic violence.

It explored gaps in domestic abuse service provisions and awareness of practitioners working with disabled young people, as identified by SafeLives and Women’s Aid. ACT, in partnership with Anita Franklin at Coventry University, carried out work that specifically addresses the needs of young disabled people.

We Matter Too – National Launch Event

To officially launch the We Matter Too project, we’re hosting an open event. Our event is for anyone working with young people and disabled people. It’s also aimed at anyone working in police, healthcare, and social care to support young people, disabled young people, and adults at risk – both in the statutory and voluntary sectors.

Date: 09 December 2019

Time: 10:30am – 4:30pm

There are 60 free places at this event.

We’ll provide lunch and refreshments.

What to Expect From Your Day

This is a great opportunity to network, and to reflect on numerous challenging areas of practice. We’ll discuss the best ways to reach out to young people facing abuse and harm in relationships.

The agenda includes:

• Feedback and presentations exploring how disabled young people and adults experience domestic abuse,
• Why do disabled young people face higher risks of domestic abuse?
• The challenges of practice: How do young people understand domestic abuse? How do practitioners understand domestic abuse? Do practitioners fully understand learning disabilities and ASC?
• What role can we play in making a difference? How can we make a difference in practice?

Book Your Place

Nicola Dean talks to our new Safeguarding Adults in Sport Manager Kimberley Walsh - who's here to focus on safeguarding elite athletes in sport.

As a former elite athlete herself, Kimberley is well-placed to lead this new project. In this podcast, she talks to Nicola about her background, her plans for her role, and the difference between Sport England and UK Sport.

Nicola chats with Nick Slinn from the CPSU, and ACT CEO Deborah Kitson about a long and fruitful partnership.

ACT and the CPSU have been working together for some years now to help spread awareness and best practice about safeguarding adults in sport. Here they talk about how the partnership came to be, before exploring why the work they're doing is so important. 

ACT CEO Deborah Kitson offers a message of support and solidarity during Covid-19 lockdown.

These times are unprecedented, and challenging for all of us. It's been great to see how organisations across the UK have continued to prioritise safeguarding, even during lockdown. 

Deborah also reflects on resilience and recovery, while praising our key workers for their tireless commitment to helping others.

Winter Olympian Charlotte Gilmartin talks to Nicola Dean about the considerable pressures of performing at an elite level.

"Just because you're successful in sport, it doesn't mean you're happy."

Charlotte Gilmartin is a 2x Winter Olympian GB short-track speed skater. Since she retired after the last Olympics, she's dedicated herself to championing safeguarding adults in sport.

Charlotte has first-hand experience of just how fraught and intense life can be for elite athletes. A talent scout recognised her skills at a birthday party, and just three years later she was on the GB speed skating team. By this point she was just 15 years old; still a child, but suddenly she was expected to deal with the sort of pressures that could try even the most experienced of athletes.

Charlotte talks about how the "hunger" of being an elite athlete makes happiness and contentment effectively impossible. The constant pressure to be your best is not conducive to mental and physical wellbeing. Often, attempts to be your very best can directly contradict the six principles of adult safeguarding.

If you want to hear more from Charlotte, she's taking part in our Safeguarding Adults in Sport Participation Forums. This is your chance to help us develop best practice in safeguarding adults in sport!

Lisa Curtis talks to Daphne Franks, Communication Skills Teacher at Leeds Medical School, about Predatory Marriage.

Daphne's mother, Joan, was 91 with severe dementia and terminal cancer. After her death in March 2016, Daphne found that a much younger man, age 68, had secretly married her five months previously.

Joan never knew that she was married. And after she died, Daphne found that she and her family had been completely cut out of her mother's will. They lost everything.

In this episode of Safeguarding Matters, Lisa and Daphne discuss the definition of Predatory Marriage - a term that may be unfamiliar to many. Daphne then tells her story, and offers some advice for anyone who might suspect that one of their relatives has become a victim of Predatory Marriage.

Finally, they explore some of the legal and systemic changes that could help to prevent this form of abuse.

You can learn more about Daphne's story on the Justice for Joan website, which also features a lot more information and advice about Predatory Marriage. 

How are services reaching out, adapting and making a difference to children, young people and families during Covid-19?

Nicola Dean talks to ACT Safeguarding Young People lead Sarah Goff about how children and young people with disabilities, and their families, have managed during lockdown.

Joanne Pell talks to Nicola Dean about her first five years as ACT's Safeguarding Adults in Sport Manager

Nicola talks about some of the highlights from her first five years, as well as some of the challenges - not just for her, but for the sports sector as a whole. Safeguarding legislation for example, with all of its acronyms, can be confusing for some.

But Nicola also talks about how wonderful it is to work in such an important sector - how sports brings communities together, and how it can have a positive impact on anyone's life. 

Flyerz Hockey - A warm and safe environment where everyone can smile, be happy and benefit.

In this episode of Safeguarding Matters, Nicola talks to Francis Bridgend, the head of Tumbridge Wells Flyerz.

This is a hockey club for people with physical or learning disabilities or difficulties. Francis first launched the club in 2017. Five or six people turned up to the first session. Now around 25 people are involved, and the whole thing feels like a close-knit family.

Francis reflects on the club's history, and talks about the challenges of keeping things going during lockdown. His methods include Basil Brush, The Spice Girls, and "housework workouts." 

Nicola chats to Linda Owen, the resident "agony aunt" from the Sibs charity.

Sibs supports siblings who have a brother or sister with a disability, SEND or long-term health condition.

They recently released a report - "Comin Second" - about life in lockdown for siblings of disabled children.

In this podcast, Linda discusses the report, explaining the particular challenges siblings have experienced during lockdown. But she also makes it clear that life with a disabled brother or sister can be as wonderful as it's challenging. We must give siblings all the support they need to keep doing the amazing work they do.

How Do People Feel Sports & Activity Organisations are Responding to Lockdown?

Nicola talks to Abra Millar, an independent consultant who helped ACT study how the sport and activity sector reacted to lockdown restrictions.

Abra designed two surveys. One was for sports and activity organisations, the other was for sports and activity participants. She surveyed 82 sport and activity organisations and 504 participants. She asked many questions: Have they changed their priorities? Have they amended their safeguarding policies, for example?

Abra's surveys also helped us see just what participants want from their sport and activity organisations during lockdown. What are sports and activity organisations doing well? And what sort of needs are they currently failing to meet?

In this podcast, Abra talks about her methodology, and discusses what her findings reveal about the UK sport and activity community. Even as the country comes out of lockdown, there are still many invaluable lessons here!

Nicola talks to Katie and Andrea from the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) about their approach to safeguarding adults and young people.

The RYA is a national governing body that oversees all sorts of sailing sports and activities. They're aiming to embed safeguarding at every level of their organisation, from the board to their volunteers.

Katie and Andrea discuss the challenges of designing and implementing safeguarding policies and procedures. They also discuss some of their plans for making safeguarding more relatable for people involved in sailing sports and activities, including their new online "What To Do If You're Worried" resource.

ACT CEO Deborah Kitson talks to Anna-Maria Poku about the right to a family life.

Article 8 of the Human Rights Act protects the rights of private and family life. Everyone has the right to live privately without government interference. Because of Article 8, the government cannot interfere with any individual's private lifestyle. The same article protects the right to enjoy family life without government interference. 

Lockdown has obviously interfered with Article 8 of the Human Rights Act. The government would argue that they've compromised individuals' human rights for the right reasons. But who makes these decisions?

Through lockdown, the government has prioritised the nation's physical health over the nation's mental health. In the interests of public health, they've overruled many aspects of the Human Rights Act. In this podcast, Deborah and Anna-Maria discuss whether the government was justified in acting this way. They also explore whether anyone should have the right to appeal against these infringements to their rights to private and family life.

Please note - since we recorded this podcast, the government has changed the rules once again. They're no longer talking in terms of a tier system. They're now considering another national lockdown. 

Nicola chats to ACT's Safeguarding Elite Athletes lead Kimberley Walsh about the new Safeguarding Elite Athletes Guidance

Elite athletes might not always meet the criteria for being an adult risk. But that doesn't mean they won't find themselves in situations that could put them at risk.

Elements of the elite athlete lifestyle can increase the risk of harm. That's why ACT recently published new guidance: The Vulnerability of Elite Athletes. 

In this episode of Safeguarding Matters, Nicola and Kimberley discuss this new guidance, and explore why too many in sport might overlook safeguarding elite athletes.

ACT Deputy CEO and Safeguarding Adults Lead Lisa Curtis talks to Bethany's Dad about his daughter's experience of organisational abuse.

"People kept trying to drag me into their world. Instead, they moved into mine."

Bethany was locked in a hospital for three years with no treatment. Bethany's Dad talks to ACT's Lisa Curtis about this awful story of organisational abuse. In telling Bethany's story, they explore what best practice is, and offer advice for anyone who wants call out poor practice where they see it.

This is a harrowing story that some might find upsetting. It has a happy ending, but Bethany's Dad continues to call out organisational abuse. You can follow him on Twitter, or read his blog for more.

Nicola chats to Kev Murphy from The National Working Group (NWG) and Denise Richards from The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU).

They discuss the many unexpected side-effects of enforced government lockdowns, including a rise in certain forms of abuse, such as domestic abuse and online abuse. They also explore how the lockdown affected sports and activity clubs in particular, and talk about ways in which organisations can help their members return to play as we prepare to move out of lockdown once again.

Nicola talks to Lucy Cave, Head of Communications for Progress Wrestling and Nona Morena, a Safeguarding Officer within British Professional Wrestling.

They discuss the specific safeguarding concerns that exist within the world of professional wrestling. They also talk about the #SpeakingOut campaign, addressing allegations of sexual misconduct in British wrestling.

Nicola chats to Sally Ann Bolton, Safeguarding Consultant at The Premier League, and Lisa Carter, Head of Safeguarding at Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club.

They discuss how the six principles of safeguarding work at Premier League level. The Premier League is a regulating body, and their safeguarding team is there to ensure that anyone who plays football at any level can enjoy the sport in a safe and healthy way. 

Nicola, Sally and Lisa also talk about the role football plays in our lives - how it brings communities together and gives meaning to people. They talk about the challenges of delivering the benefits of football during lockdown, while sharing some of the ways they've overcome these challenges.

Nicola talks to social worker and safeguarding consultant Ann Marie Christian about the risks of adult grooming, and the importance of hearing untold stories.

Online groomers have done it so often that they now exactly who to target, and how and when to target them. They also know how soon they can expect a response.

But when you know what's happening, the whole grooming process seems straightforward. So get to know the warning signs.

Ann Marie stresses how important it is that we learn to understand social media and the risks of online harm. People essentially have constant access to the internet. So abusers have more opportunity than ever before to target, groom and abuse at-risk individuals. During lockdown, when more people are online, but also more people are bored and lonely, the risk of abuse is only going to grow.

We also need to better understand what grooming is, how it works, and how it feels, during and after. There are lots of untold stories out there. People need to feel comfortable in talking about this issue, in sharing their stories. 

The more stories we hear, the more we'll empower others to tell their stories, to recognise that they shouldn't feel ashamed, or embarrassed, but that they've been targeted and abused by someone who knew exactly what they were doing. 

But for some people, sharing or not sharing can be life or limb. We should normalise talking about these issues, but until we can, we must anonymise things, so that people might feel comfortable in coming forward.

There are people out there who have a lot to say, but they don't feel able to share their stories. So are we ready to listen?

Sarah Goff talks to safeguarding specialist and author Catherine Lawler about domestic abuse and coercive control. 

Catherine talks about her mothers' long experience of domestic abuse, and how this abuse affects the physical and mental health of the whole family. While her story is harrowing, she has lots of invaluable advice for any other families or individuals suffering from domestic abuse and coercive control. 

Catherine also talks about her Floss and Boss books, which she wrote to help children learn about domestic abuse and coercive control.

ACT's Sarah Goff talks to Jess Phillips MP about the Domestic Abuse Bill.

Thanks to years of determination, Jess has finally got the new Domestic Abuse Bill passed. She talks to Sarah about the challenges she's faced along the way, and about the many "names written in invisible ink" throughout the bill.

Jess also talks about how lockdown may have made many of us rethink our attitudes towards domestic abuse and safety. It forced many to reflect:  what if I wasn't safe in my own home? What if I was forced to stay in a place where I was at constant risk of abuse?

Though there are no doubt some areas where the new bill falls short, Jess talks about the power of data in telling untold stories and in holding the government to account.

Nicola chats with the ACT Safeguarding Adults in Sport team about the Safer Cultures, Safer Sport Campaign.

The team discuss what we mean when we talk about "safer cultures", and how such a culture can help prevent abuse.

They also talk about the three Ls that will help anyone embed a safer culture in their organisation:

• Listen
• Learn 
• Lead

The Ann Craft Trust has launched a new campaign for sport and activity organisations to create safer cultures.

The campaign aims to support the sport and activity sector to develop their safeguarding practice. This will involve learning from poor practice while recognising and celebrating successes.

ACT CEO Dr. Deborah Kitson recorded this short introduction to the campaign. She explains what we're doing it, why we're doing it, and what we hope to achieve. 

Nicola chats with Active Cumbria about their mission to help the people of Cumbria become more physically active in their daily lives.

They discuss the vital roles active partnerships can play in bringing communities together. They also talk about how organisations like Active Cumbria can help Sport England achieve their 10 year "Uniting the Movement" strategy.

Throughout, they explore how lockdown's widened inequalities, and discuss ways we might reach out to certain communities to communicate the benefits of exercise. Finally, they talk about how we can embed safeguarding across organisations to ensure safe participation for everyone.

Nicola chats to Catherine Sykes, ACT's new Safeguarding Adults in Unregulated Sport Officer.

What is unregulated sport? Some might say that technically all sport is unregulated. So Catherine begins by explaining just what we mean when we say "unregulated sport and activity". She also explains what we mean by "unaffiliated".

Essentially, Catherine is here to support grassroots sports clubs, as well as sport and activity organisations in fields such as eSports and wrestling. 

Catherine explains the sort of support she can offer to such sport and activity organisations, and outlines what she intends to achieve in her new role.

ACT's Sarah Goff talks to Sarah Martin-Denham, a senior lecturer at the University of Sunderland, about her life and work.

Sarah has led numerous research projects on school exclusion and children's social care. She's worked closely with neurodiverse children, and those with special education needs and disabilities. She feels that the educational system can often misunderstand these children, and as a result they can face criticism for their behaviour. 

Sarah asks - what makes children behave in ways we might find problematic? Why does the education system struggle to understand these children, and their complex needs? Having spoke to more than 200 parents and children, she's found that many people are trying to do their best for these children. But there are lots of barriers making it difficult to safeguard these childrens' welfare. Plus, there's a lot the data doesn't tell us.

Sarah also talks about the use of isolation booths and other restrictive practices, and how these can have a devastating impact on children's mental health and wellbeing. Reports don't reveal how children and young people really feel about these issues - and how they continue to be affected by their negative experiences long after. She argues that we need to move away from such practices, and instead work together to overcome communication breakdown.

To be disregarded and labelled as "a problem" is going to take its toll. These children cannot always articulate their needs and emotions, and we cannot expect them to either. We must work together to work out what they want and need, and how best to help them.

ACT and The Marie Collins Foundation have collaborated to produce a resource to help parents and children understand various online risks.

Deborah Kitson chats with Rhiannon McDonald from the Marie Collins Foundation, and ACT's Sarah Goff. They talk about the challenges they faced when producing this resource - mainly, how can we make such a broad and complex issue as accessible as possible?

How new sports bring new safeguarding challenges.

Cath Sykes, ACT's Safeguarding in Unregulated Sport officer, chats with Fnatic's Andy Cook about safeguarding in Esports.

Fnatics is one of the most successful Esports teams in the world, and Esports is the fastest growing sport in the world. It sees very young people engaging in very high pressure tournaments for very large amounts of money. And much of the scouting and competing takes place online.

This situation brings a host of new safeguarding challenges. In this podcast, Andy discusses how we can meet these challenges in a sector that's still growing, where the mindset is largely anti-authoritarian and naturally suspicious of rules and regulations. 

Nicola chats to ACT Deputy CEO and Safeguarding Adults Lead Lisa Curtis.

Lisa shares her tips for creating a safer culture in sport and activity clubs and groups, and in other organisations.

Lisa chats with Samyak Jain about his 84SilenceNoMore project, which addresses male suicide rates.

Samyak helped set up the 84SilenceNoMore project while still at secondary school. Having learned that 84 men a week lose their lives to suicide, Samyak and his friends decided to do something.

The result was 84SilenceNoMore. The mission is to raise awareness of mental health issues, and to raise money for CALM with a sponsored run and other activities.

In this podcast he talks to ACT's Deputy CEO Lisa Curtis about the project, while sharing some of the things he's learned about safeguarding your own mental health while looking out for your friends.

Nicola talks to ACT Patron Sir Roger Singleton CBE about his career in safeguarding.

Roger Singleton has a background in education, children’s services, management, mediation and safeguarding. He is a former chief executive of Barnardo’s. Since leaving in 2005 he has been an independent consultant specialising in safeguarding and interim management. He is a consultant to charities and organisations on their safeguarding policies and practices; he trains board members and senior staff in safeguarding; and he carries out statutory and in-house reviews and investigations into child and adult protection issues.

From 2007-20012 he chaired the Independent Safeguarding Authority prior to its merger with the Criminal Records Bureau to form the Disclosure and Barring Service. He has been the Government’s Chief Adviser on the Safety of Children; interim chief executive of the children’s charity, Lumos; and the interim Director of Safeguarding at the Church of England.

Speaking about Safeguarding Adults Week, Sir Roger said:

"The safety and well-being of people, especially those with very special needs, continues to give rise to serious concern.    Do take the opportunity of Adult Safeguarding Week  to update your knowledge of the signs of abuse and neglect and what can be done to create safer cultures.   Each day of the week focuses on a different aspect of safeguarding and free resources to support the week are available from ACT."

Joanne talks with DBS and RFU about how safer recruitment can help create safer cultures.

Guests on this Safeguarding Matters podcast include Cathy Taylor, engagement advisor at DBS, and Cath Bennet, safeguarding case manager at rugby football union.

Cathy discusses how DBS supports national organisations with anything they'd like to know about safer recruitment:

"We are the people you can contact for help and support, and we will try our best to help and support you."

Nicola and Ruth chat with Rosalind Porter, Director of Women and Girls Cricket at Oxford Cricket Club, and her two daughters, Jenny and Eloise.

The podcast looks at domestic abuse and coercive control. If you've been affected by any of the issues we discuss, please remember that help and support is there if you need it.

Rosalind, Jenny and Eloise's lives have been shaped by their involvement in cricket.

Rosalind's ex-husband was passionate about cricket, and the whole family immersed themselves in it. Cricket offered them a chance to do things as a family that they would not normally be able to do due to the domestic abuse and coercive control they experienced.

Cricket also provided a safe space for Rosalind, who found friendship with someone who was later able to give some support. 

This is an exploration of how sport clubs and organisations can support people who are experiencing domestic abuse and coercive control - whether they're children or adults.

ACT's Safeguarding Children and Young People lead Sarah Goff talks to Nadine Tilbury about working with parents with learning disabilities.

Nadine Tilbury is the Policy Officer at the Working Together for Parents Network, which is housed within the University of Bristol. Her work involves trying to influence what happens to parents with learning disabilities who are involved with children's service because there are concerns about how they parent their children.

In this podcast, Sarah and Nadine discuss the new Good Practice Guidance for Working With Parents With a Learning Disability.

As part of the #SaferCultureSaferSport campaign, Nicola and Ruth talk with Fiona and Nathan from Disability Sport Wales about creating more inclusive cultures in sport and activity.

Nicola chats with Jayne Wilson, Training and Development Coordinator and Lead Safeguarding Officer for Active Lancashire. 

Jayne shares lots of tips for NGBs and Active Partnerships on how they can effectively work with their local safeguarding adults board.

The two also discuss the importance of accessible language in safeguarding. Jayne mentions how, initially, she found the amount of jargon and acronyms hard to understand.

Finally, they talk about how safeguarding should not be a box-ticking exercise. It must be focused on and tailored to the individual. When working with individuals, we should always ask: "What outcome do they want?"