Safeguarding & Protecting Children training 

How to access safeguarding training.

There are a number of different ways to access safeguarding training:

• Attend one of the open Safeguarding and Protecting Children (SPC) workshops organised by the RYA. These are normally held in the winter.
• If you would like to hold an SPC workshop at your club/centre for a larger group (between 10 and 20), this can be arranged at a subsidised fixed price of £300 plus VAT, which will include the tutor’s fee and travel expenses and a workbook for every participant.  Please contact Jackie Reid, RYA Safeguarding and Equality Manager, on 023 8060 4104 or e-mail jackie.reid@rya.org.uk to discuss this option.
• Book a place at an open multi-sport SPC workshop in your area - click on the link to the SportsCoach UK website on the right for more information.
• Safe + Fun, the RYA's online safeguarding course, is available via RYA training centres. For more information click on the link on the right.  This course is a pre-requisite for all new Instructor or Senior Instructor candidates, to be followed up with further training during their instructor training course.  The online course provides a basic level of knowledge and awareness of safeguarding and is suitable as an introduction for anyone volunteering or working with children and young people.  Those with specific responsibilities, such as Club Welfare Officers, Centre Managers, Youth Co-ordinators etc, are also advised to attend a training course where they can discuss scenarios, ask questions and exchange ideas with other participants.
• A further online module for Club and Centre Welfare Officers is now available.  For more information click on the link under 'See Also' on the right hand side of this page.

The SportsCoach UK 3 hour Safeguarding and Protecting Children workshop is suitable for volunteers and instructors/coaches who work with children. By the end of the workshop, you should be able to:

• Protect yourself, the young people you are working with and your club/centre by understanding and following good practice and promoting a positive relationship with children
• Explore your values and feelings in relation to child abuse, and recognise their potential impact on your response
• Understand what is meant by neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse
• Recognise the signs and symptoms that might indicate that a young person is being bullied, mistreated or abused, whether it's happening at the club/centre, at home or elsewhere
• Feel more confident that you would know what to do or who to contact if you were concerned about a young person’s welfare or about the conduct of another adult.