Wales Netball
February 3, 2023
In 2021, we launched our Concern Reporting platform, MyConcern, for our community and pathway Safeguarding Officers to log safeguarding concerns more effectively and efficiently. Since 2021, we have created an action and implementation plan for Safeguarding within netball and as part of that plan, we are pleased to announce the launch of our new Time to Listen courses for all Club and League Safeguarding Officers across Wales.
Time to Listen is a virtual, tutor-led course, developed by the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU), that will support our Club and League Safeguarding Officers, and help to further develop their understanding of child protection, adults at risk, and safeguarding within the netball environment. Club and League Safeguarding Officers will learn about their roles and responsibilities, strategies to use to give children and young people a voice, how to connect with key stakeholders, and important policies and procedures. These aspects are underpinned by the overarching aim of supporting CSOs and LSOs in ensuring a safe environment for all in netball.
There are currently no formal qualifications specifically for safeguarding children or adults at risk in sport. However, we have developed these Time to Listen courses to help Clubs and their members to keep children and adults safe. The courses cover netball specific scenarios that can occur and aims to give confidence to our Club and League Safeguarding Officers in recognising and reporting concerns. Whether you’re a beginner or a specialist, we can point you in the right direction – visit our Safeguarding page for further information.
Our Head of Operations and Designated Safeguarding Lead, Laura Milford said “Safeguarding those in our sport is of the upmost importance to us as an organisation, and being able to support our Safeguarding Officers across Wales is a fantastic step in the right direction. Every club is at a different stage of their Safeguarding journey, and we aim to bring all clubs to the same level over the coming 12 months, to ensure there is a standardised approach to safeguarding practices in Wales. We’re thrilled to launch Time to Listen courses that cover netball specific scenarios and are looking forward to supporting our CSOs and LSOs in becoming more confident in handling safeguarding concerns in their club environments.’
If you’re a Club or League Safeguarding Officer, we have dates for both Specialist Safeguarding and Time to Listen training over the coming months. You can find them on our Sport:80 platform and by clicking this link – https://walesnetball.sport80.com/events
