Managing safeguarding concerns in sports clubs

All sports clubs have a duty of care to those who take part in their sport, including children and vulnerable adults. Many organisations have a safeguarding policy but are often unsure how to respond, who to contact and how to manage the situation appropriately.

Having a safeguarding policy is the first step, but the real test comes when a concern is raised. This guide breaks down the essential steps to help you respond effectively.

Listen

First and foremost, listen to what the person disclosing the concern is saying. Whether the concern is about them or someone else, listen without judgement and reassure them. Avoid interrupting and ask open, non-leading questions when you need to clarify. Don’t promise confidentiality if information must be shared with appropriate people.

Immediate safety

Consider the immediate risk of harm: do you need to contact emergency services? If you wait, are people at risk? Always prioritise safety.

Record

Keep a contemporaneous record of the disclosure to show what was said, where and when, actions taken and who was involved. Record any observations, including behaviours, body language and injuries. Remember, your role at this stage is to record the concern, not investigate it yourself.

Thresholds and reporting lines

An effective response means understanding the severity of the concern and the correct reporting line. Your club should set clear thresholds to determine the right action for different types of concerns. For example, lower-level poor practice might be managed by the club safeguarding officer, whereas suspected abuse or a criminal offence must be escalated to your national governing body or statutory agencies.

Know when to refer

A critical decision is whether a concern can be managed internally or must be referred to an external agency. Referrals may need to go to social services, the police (if a crime is suspected), the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) or a Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH). Even when a concern does not meet the threshold for statutory intervention, it must still be addressed internally through your club’s own safeguarding and disciplinary procedures.

Information sharing

Sharing information with other agencies, such as the police, LADO, social services and MASH, may be necessary to protect individuals. This is why taking the account carefully, keeping contemporaneous records and reporting concerns correctly is so important.

Consent is not required to share information where there is a reasonable belief that someone is at risk of significant harm or that a crime may have been committed. However, you should still consider the person’s wishes and, for a child, involve parents or guardians unless doing so would increase the risk. All information sharing must follow your club’s safeguarding and data protection policies.

Practical tips

Effectively managing safeguarding concerns is not just about following a policy. By ensuring key personnel are familiar with these steps – from listening and recording to reporting and referring – your club can move beyond off-the-shelf policies to a culture of preparedness and protection.

Regular training and reviewing your procedures are critical to making sure everyone knows their role in keeping people safe.