Changes to Safeguarding Training Requirements

Information and actions for everyone who works with children, either as a coach or in another supervisory role, and for club welfare officers and other relevant committee members

What is the Safeguarding Training Requirement?

From 2 January 2024 onwards, everyone who works with children (anyone under the age of 18, which could include students), either as a coach or in another supervisory role must have:

• Completed UK Coaching’s Safeguarding and Protecting Children course within the last 3 years (so the course must be completed again after 3 years)
• Uploaded the certificate to their British Rowing membership profile (get instructions).

What has changed and why?

Previously, those working within educational establishments were exempt from taking the UK Coaching training provided they had completed other safeguarding training arranged by that establishment that meets the terms of the exemption. This exemption is being removed from the end of 2023. We have put in place a 3-month grace period for education-sector safeguarding training that meets the existing terms of the exemption (see Safeguarding Handbook 1 – section 6 for details). This means that training evidence that is submitted to British Rowing before 2 January 2024 will continue to be recognised for its full validity period of 3 years.

We have made this change after reviewing our safeguarding policies to ensure that they continue to reflect current good practice. The change also simplifies the requirements: everyone coaching or supervising children must complete the UK Coaching course.

NB There are no changes to the safeguarding training requirements for those coaching or supervising children in community clubs as this is already the requirement. However, we are sending you this email to remind you that everyone coaching or supervising children should ensure that they have met the requirement.

About UK Coaching’s Safeguarding and Protecting Children course

We are pleased to endorse UK Coaching’s Safeguarding and Protecting Children course, which has been developed in partnership with the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit and Sport England.

This course has a number of advantages, including:

• The content is sport related and developed, reviewed and updated by industry experts.
• It can be easily accessed either via tutor-led online classrooms or face-to-face workshops.
• Multiple courses are run every week.
• The training is recognised by most other sports national governing bodies in the UK and carries CIMSPA CPD points.

To access the course, visit the UK Coaching website.

Add your safeguarding training certificate to your membership profile

It is essential that the sport of rowing can demonstrate that those who work with children have completed safeguarding training. We are aware that a number of people have completed the training but we are unable to recognise this if the certificate has not been added to their British Rowing membership profile.

Please follow these instructions on how to do this.

If you have any questions about this update, please contact us at [email protected].