A Young Athlete’s Guide to Child Protection

You have rights – Sport should be fun. You should feel safe and enjoy your sport. You can’t do this if you feel unhappy – if someone is bullying or abusing you.

When do you know if something is wrong?

Something is wrong if someone:

• Constantly teases you, shouts at you or calls you names
• Threatens, hits, kicks or punches you
• Touches you, or does anything in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable
• Makes suggestive remarks or tries to pressurize you into sexual activity
• Damages or steals your belongings
• Does anything that makes you feel lonely, worried, unsafe, hurt or embarrassed!

If you are being bullied or abused it is not your fault. If this is happening try to:

Be firm and tell the person to stop – make a lot of noise to attract attention

Get away from the situation quickly, go to a public place to find help or call the police (999)

Tell your parents / carers , Club Welfare Officer or an adult you can trust what has happened as soon as possible, so they can help you

Keep a record of the date, time and place, what happened, how you felt and the name of anyone who may have seen what happened

Call or email your Club Welfare Officer or use the 24 hr free telephone helplines

Childline 0800 1111 NSPCC 0800 800 5000 Keep trying if you can’t get through straight away

Keeping Safe

To keep safe always:

• Tell someone you can trust so they can help you
• Trust your instincts about the people you meet
• Avoid being alone or with just one other person
• Travel with a friend, avoid travelling in someone else’s car by yourself
• Avoid going to other people’s homes by yourself
• Carry a mobile phone, a phone card or some spare change

If any of the above happens to you, do not wait for it to happen again, act immediately