Safeguarding Announcement – 1st May 2020

Paddle UK and the National Associations are committed to helping everyone in paddlesport accept their responsibility to safeguard children and adults at risk from harm and abuse and ensure appropriate training and education for coaches, leaders and deployers.

It is commonly acknowledged in the sporting environment that it is best practice to keep coaches and leaders up to date with the latest developments in safeguarding children and adults at risk.  Safeguarding training raises an individual’s awareness of the tell-tale signs of abuse and gives coaches and leaders the tools and confidence they need to deal with any issue sensitively, appropriately and effectively, should the need ever arise. This will help to ensure that all paddlers enjoy their sport in a safe environment.  

 As part of our ongoing review process, we will be introducing changes to our safeguarding requirements for both coaches and leaders.

• From 30th September 2020, all coaches and leaders will need to engage in appropriate safeguarding training as a prerequisite to assessment.
• From 30th September 2020, all qualified leaders will need to engage in appropriate safeguarding training to keep their qualifications valid.
• From 30th September 2020, all coaches and leaders will need to refresh their safeguarding training every three years to keep their qualifications valid and meet Coach Update requirements.

 What training is required?

• Any coach or leader that has a role working with children or adults at risk are required to initially complete, as a minimum, a three-hour, face to face safeguarding course and then, every three years, refresh their training with an online training course.
• Any coach or leader whose main role does not involve working with children or adults at risk is required to initially complete, as a minimum, an online safeguarding course and then, every three years, refresh their training with an online training course.
• For Paddle UK Paddlesport Instructors, there is no need to complete safeguarding training as a prerequisite.  This responsibility lies with the deployer to determine and engage in an appropriate assessment of the level of safeguarding training required.

Paddle UK is very aware that many coaches and leaders already engage in appropriate and approved safeguarding training and this will continue to be recognised and recorded on an individual’s record.

As part of the changes that will be introduced, Paddle UK will be providing the following resources to aid coaches and leaders to access training and educational materials:

• Guidance on appropriate safeguarding training for coaches and leaders.
• A low-cost Paddlesport eLearning resource, which will replace the online Paddlesafe course (July 2020).
• Low-cost online renewal training resources for coaches and leaders to access, related to paddlesport (September 2020).
• Digital support systems within individual membership accounts to upload safeguarding training and remind individuals when their safeguarding training is due for renewal (September 2020).

If any coaches, leaders or deployers have any questions about the safeguarding changes, please contact your National Association.