MSP | MSP Policy: Safeguarding & Welfare in Sport (2022-2027)

MSP Policy: Safeguarding & Welfare in Sport (2022-2027)

MSP recognises the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children^[1], young people & adults at risk of harm^[2] is without exception our primary concern. We are committed to ensuring that regardless of age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief or sexual identity they have the right to be safeguarded and protected from any forms of abuse, harm, mistreatment or neglect.

Not only are MSP committed to ensuring that children, young people & adults at risk of harm have the right to be safeguarded and protected, we are equally committed to ensuring they have the fundamental right to be respected, to be listened to, have their views heard and to ensure that they are taken seriously^[3], at all times.

MSP recognise that it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure any concerns which relate to the safety, welfare and wellbeing of all our children, young people and adults at risk of harm should be highlighted, challenged and addressed. All incidents of suspicious or poor practice, allegations of abuse or mistreatment raised, or issues where the wellbeing of a child, young person or adult is in anyway perceived to be put at risk, will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately^[4].

Furthermore, we are committed to ensuring that every effort is made across our network of partners and stakeholders, and the wider community, towards the adoption of best practice in relation to respecting, safeguarding, and protecting children, young people & adults at risk of harm in Merseyside.

MSP – THROUGH ITS BOARD AND TEAM – WILL:

Accept the moral and legal responsibility to implement policies and procedures^[5] to provide a duty of care for children, young people & adults at risk of harm, safeguard their wellbeing and protect them from any form of abuse, harm, mistreatment or neglect.
Respect and promote the rights, wishes and feelings of children, young people & adults at risk of harm, at all times.
Ensure that children, young people & adults at risk have the right to be listened to and have their views heard, at all times.
Promote and enable adequate training and up skilling around safeguarding to meet the needs of Board and Team Members, stakeholders and partners and the wider community.
Promote understanding and recognition that children, young people and adults from particular groups^[6] may be more vulnerable to abuse, harm, mistreatment or neglect. Work to ensure that where appropriate safeguards are implemented these recognised the additional vulnerability which may arise.
In-line with our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy and in recognition of the particular challenges which children, young people and adults at risk of harm face – from specific groups or communities ^[7] – work with partners at a local, regional or national level to address barriers that may exist to ensure equality of access to sporting and physical activity opportunities for all.
Ensuring that policies and procedures for safeguarding, protecting, promoting and recognising the needs of children, young people and adults at risk of harm are integral to and embedded within the realisation of all our Strategic Outcomes^[8].
Take responsibility for actively promoting across our network of stakeholders, partners and the wider community, the overriding principal that the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children, young people & adults at risk of harm is, without exception, paramount.
Actively work to support our partners and other organisations, recognise and understand their own moral and legal responsibilities in relation to all aspects concerning respecting, safeguarding and protecting^[9]. To advocate and encourage the adoption of best practice in terms their own policies, procedures and practices relating to children, young people & adults at risk of harm.
Take responsibility for advocating across our network of stakeholders, partners and wider community, the fundamental right that children, young people & adults at risk of harm should be respected, have their views taken seriously and acted upon. To advocate and work with partners and other organisations to encourage the adoption of best practice in relation to ensuring that children, young people & adults at risk of harm are listened to and have their views heard.
Identify and detail specific development priorities within MSPs Respecting, Safeguarding & Protecting Children and Young People Action & Implementation Plan.

Ensure appropriate resources are committed to enable Team Members to specifically support the realisation of the development priorities identified within the Action & Implementation Plan.
Provide information and assistance to partners and other organisations in order to identify and access appropriate support and resources – local, regional or national – in order to contribute to realising this policy commitment across our networks.
Recruit, train and supervise Team Members and volunteers to adopt best practice to safeguard and protect children, young people & adults at risk from any form of abuse, harm or mistreatment and themselves against false allegations^[10].
Ensure that all Board and Team Members and any volunteers who directly support MSP adopt and abide by the commitments outlined in this statement and procedures which underpin this, at all times.
Respond to any allegations, concerns or issues raised appropriately and as a matter of priority. Implement the appropriate procedure for handling the specific allegation or issue, and ensure that actions are taken to address and resolve it to the satisfaction of all concerned as quickly as possible^[11].
Implement, maintain and continue to embed nationally recognised standards, specific guidance and practice – as advocated by the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit, Ann Craft Trust and Sport England – for respecting, safeguarding, protecting and promoting the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children, young people & adults at risk of harm.
Engage with the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit and Ann Craft Trust to support both organisations to realise their objectives.
Respond to requests from partners and relevant agencies to join their formal local arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, in- line with statutory guidance ^[12] and legislation^[13].
- Present this policy statement for review and endorsement annually by the MSP Board. Proposed amendments to ensure this policy reflects current legislation or policy relating to children, young people or adults at risk will be presented for review by the Board – as and when specific changes are required or as part of the annual review, whichever comes first.
- Conduct a progress review of MSPs Safeguarding & Protection Children and Young People Action & Implementation, on a six-month basis. Review to be undertaken by the Compliance, Scrutiny & Nominations Group and the Executive Director. The plan will be updated by the Lead Child Protection Officer, in advance of the review.
- Review supporting procedures on a six-month basis to ensure they remain fit for purpose.
- Ensure the policy statement, action and implementation plans and supporting procedures are integral to and embedded within MSPs Governance Framework 2022-2027^[14] and will remain in force until amended, replaced or withdrawn.

This commitment to respecting, safeguarding, protecting children, young people & adults at risk of harm is fully supported and endorsed on behalf of the MSP Board.

[1] A child is anyone who has not yet reached their 18^th birthday. ‘Children’ therefore means ‘children and young people’ throughout. The fact that a child has reached 16 years of age, is living independently or is in further education, is a member of the armed forced, is in hospital or in custody in the secure estate for children and young does not change his / her status or entitlement to services or protection’. (Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2018 – Chapter 1, Footnote Page 5 and Glossary Page 102).

[2] MSP adopts the definition of adults at risk of harm as outlined by the Ann Craft Trust: https://www.anncrafttrust.org/resources/safeguarding-adults-at-risk-definitions/

[3] In making this commitment we are specifically adopting the fundamental principles of “A Child-Centred Approach” – as outlined in Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2018. (Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2018, Introduction, Paragraphs 14-15, Pages 8-10).

In respect of adults, we are committed to the working towards ensuring the six principles of adult safeguarding – as embedded within the Care Act 2014 – are fundamental in the development of our activities:

https://www.anncrafttrust.org/resources/six-principles-adult-safeguarding/

[4] MSP will specifically refer any concern to the appropriate local statutory agencies responsible for providing children’s or adult services for review and action. In addition, guidance and advice may also be sought from national partners. Where a concern or allegation relates to the specific actions or behaviour of an adult, such as a coach, MSP will ensure that the matter is both referred to the appropriate statutory agency and to the respective employing body. This referral mechanism is set out within MSPs Safeguarding & Protecting Children, Young People and Adults at Risk, Policy and Procedures, Update: September 2019.

[5] These procedures not only cover the events, activities or programmes which are directly delivered by MSP they are also designed to provide a framework to enable the organisation to appropriately handle any concerns, allegations or issues, raised by young people, their parents, carers, guardians or those providing sport or physical activity opportunities at any time. This policy commitment and procedures is based on the requirements for inter-agency working originally embedded within Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2006 and the Care Act 2014. Reference: MSP Safeguarding & Protecting Children, Young People and Adults at Risk, Policy and Procedures, Update: October 2019.

[6] Some groups of children and young people may be particularly vulnerable due to specific circumstances or background: these are defined within Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2018 – Identifying Children and Families Who Would Benefit From Additional Help Chapter 1, Paragraphs 4-6, Pages 12-13.

[7] In addition to the protected characteristics – as detailed in the Equality Act 2010 (age; disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation), MSP recognises that specific groups or communities may also be disadvantaged due to their economic or social circumstances or offending history. This additional recognition is aligned to the Equality and Diversity Policy Statement of Liverpool City Council.

https://liverpool.gov.uk/council/strategies-plans-and-policies/equality-diversity-and-cohesion

[8]MSP Strategic Framework 2022-2027:

https://merseysidesport.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Appendix-4-MSP-Strategy-2022-25-Digital-Version.pdf

[9] Statutory guidance as specified in Working Together to Safeguard Children – A Guide To Inter-Agency Working to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children, July 2018.

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 – detailing the specific requirement of sports organisations to join formal local arrangements for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children as requested.

[10] It is MSPs aspiration to not only ensure compliance with statutory requirements but to promote the adoption of best practice relating to respecting, safeguarding and protecting not only across our network of stakeholders and partners but within the wider community. In addition, it is important to note that MSP Team Members must adhere to all the policies, procedures and code of conduct of Liverpool City Council, at all times.

[11] At all times where an issue or concern is initially raised directly with the MSP Core Team these will be referred to the statutory agencies in Merseyside and other external organisations to ensure a swift and appropriate resolution. Reference: MSP, Safeguarding & Protecting Children, Young People and Adults at Risk of Harm, Policy and Procedures, Update: September 2019.

[12] As detailed in Working Together to Safeguard Children – A Guide To Inter-Agency Working to Safeguard and Promote the Welfare of Children, July 2018.