Can we identify risks before something bad happens?
Is identifying different risks key to safeguarding?
An important part of safeguarding is to identify risks before they happen. Once you know the risks, you can then plan how they can be prevented and managed.
Living conditions at a youth training camp
To explore identifying and preventing risks a little more, let's watch another video scenario.
While you watch the video, think about these two questions:
- What three risks to the athletes or players at the youth training camp can you identify?
- How might these harm the athletes or players?
Trigger warning: The following animation contains content related to abuse in sport which some viewers may find difficult or distressing.
You may have identified many types of risks and harm that could arise at the youth training camp. Some of the risks include, but are not limited to:
Missed Education
Unsafe water and sanitation facilities
Lack of adult supervision and poor sleeping arrangements
These are all forms of what is called ‘neglect’ of the children in the sports club.
What comes next if I identify risks?
Once the safeguarding risks have been identified, the next step is to plan how they can be prevented or managed.
The whole process is known as a safeguarding risk assessment. We will explore risk assessment in more detail later in the course.
Working through the first part of this course might have raised some concerns for you. If you have any concerns, report them straight away to your local sports Safeguarding Lead or to your local police and child protection agencies. This topic will be covered in more detail in the final part of the course.
Well done, you've almost completed the first part of this course.