Safeguarding course for coaches
As announced in November, UKA have introduced a new safeguarding course for coaches to ensure they have the essential skills they need in this area.
The training will help ensure all children, young people and adults at risk within the sport are protected, as well as giving coaches increased skills to ensure that they have good practice in place and deal with safeguarding situations that do arise.
Coaches coming up to the time to renew their licence (done each three years) will need to take the online safeguarding module as well as updating their DBS check to be issued with their new licence.
UKA and the Home Country Athletics Federations, are working with EduCare – an independent and industry-leading provider – to develop the bespoke online safeguarding course which meets the blended training requirements within the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) annual NGB assessment process.
The online nature of the training allows coaches to complete it in their own time and choice of location. The course, which is subsidised, costs £10 to access. It has been devised specifically for athletics using UKA’s existing welfare policies and procedures, so all examples are relevant to the sport. Coaches are provided with relevant, practical and manageable safeguarding training.
England Athletics Head of Coach and Athlete Development, Martin Rush said, “We support the introduction of this course, not only is it essential to providing good safeguarding within the sport, particularly for athletes, we also strongly believe that we need to help our coaches ensure they have good safeguarding skills. It is important for our coaches that they can access the training that they need, and the information on the processes that are in place within the sport to help them. These are provided through this online training and the downloadable resources that come with it.”
The safeguarding course for coaches also comes with supporting downloadable resources, and all the content is specific to people coaching in athletics and running. As well as supporting the online training the downloadable resources can be referred to by coaches whenever needed in the future.
The course comes in two parts, each of which is followed by a 10-question multiple choice assessment. Each assessment has questions related to subjects that have been fully covered in the training that has been provided, and that are also covered by the downloadable resources. There is a 70% pass mark for each section and people are able to retake the assessment, with candidates able to retake a stage if necessary.
The course and information are available at https://www.uka.org.uk/coaching/coaching-qualifications/additional-learning/