British Cycling Committed to Child Protection

 

Story Posted: 24 Jan 2008

 

Child Protection was on the agenda earlier this week when representatives from a number of national governing bodies (NGBs) gathered at the National Cycling Centre, in Manchester with the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) for a day of meetings.

The meeting in full flow.

Amongst the governing bodies present were British Cycling, the RYA (Sailing), UK Athletics, British Triathlon Association, the ARA (Rowing), British Mountaineering, Canoeing, Orienteering and Snow Sports. When working with governing bodies, the CPSU groups them into similar bodies at the same stage in their child protection accreditation. This streamlines the process and often means that NGBs have common issues and experiences which they can share and tackle together.

Sport England oversees the whole process, but much of the direction for Child Protection in sport in this country comes from the CPSU, which is part of the NSPCC, and is run by professionals in Child Protection who have a specialist interest in and knowledge of the issues protecting young people in sport.

This group of governing bodies meets three or four times a year and the majority of NGBs in Manchester are close to achieving their 'advanced' level in child protection.

British Cycling's Compliance Officer, Brian Barton, said "It's all part of the ongoing commitment to child protection which now runs through sports' administration in this country. British Cycling's network of coaches and clubs, with their Club Welfare Officers, means that we make child protection a cornerstone of much of what we do, from grass-roots upwards."