Sport participants, irrespective of age, represent a diverse spectrum of backgrounds, united by their shared passion for the activity. For some, sport offers a refuge from personal trauma; for others, sport itself can be a source of distress. Sports organisations, who facilitate access to and participation in, appoint a Safeguarding Officer, whose role is to implement best practice for the safety and welfare of participants.
Any trauma experienced by an athlete is distressing and often incapacitating; however, the Safeguarding Officer holds a professional responsibility to respond to the athlete appropriately, often coordinating with law enforcement, social services, or other specialised support agencies. Although not directly experiencing the trauma, the Safeguarding Officer is often exposed to distressful and sensitive information whilst it is imperative that the athlete is approached empathetically and with belief, in order to provide effective available support.
The aim of this presentation is to examine the impacts on a Safeguarding Lead when managing trauma cases and begins by defining vicarious trauma and sets out the requirements of a Safeguarding Lead. The Safeguarding Lead is usually the first to listen and act to ensure information is passed to those who can provide specialised support and/or investigation, often with minimal access to professional support for themselves.
The presentation will pose questions, using two hypothetical cases based on the author’s extensive experiences, to highlight that vicarious trauma exists even when protocols are clear and how ambiguous cases may be more demanding. Uncertainty, ethical tensions and cognitive load often carry more responsibility, relying on the judgement of the Safeguarding Lead. The cost of ambiguity increases the lack of clarity, and the emotional and psychological burden. The cumulative cost of this can affect the ability to make good decisions and remain effective in the role.
Organisational culture determines whether the Safeguarding Lead walks in the shadows, isolated and left with the burden of trauma or is situated within the light of the ecosystem as a part of the safe harbour of organisational awareness. The goal in providing support for Safeguarding Leads is for the process to support the highest potential for all involved.
| Ticket Type | Price | Cart |
|---|---|---|
| Standard - Safeguarding in Sport SIG - Vicarious Trauma of Safeguarding Leads in Sports Organisations - Dr Kate Hills | £15.00 | |
| Member - Safeguarding in Sport SIG - Vicarious Trauma of Safeguarding Leads in Sports Organisations - Dr Kate Hills | £0.00 |
Dr. Kate Hills has worked as Head of Safeguarding with Swim Ireland for 20 years, overseeing changes to legislation and safeguarding practices to ensure safeguarding policies are up-to-date and relevant for aquatic sport. In this time Dr. Hills has gained extensive experience in managing recent and non-recent safeguarding cases within the sport. Widely renowned for their best practice policies for sport in Ireland, Swim Ireland’s Safeguarding Policy documents are up to date and reflective of safeguarding practices for aquatic sports.
Dr. Hills holds a Master’s Degree in Child Protection & Welfare from Trinity College, Dublin and a Professional Doctorate in Childhood Studies from Queen’s University, Belfast. Dr. Hills also sits on strategic groups for safeguarding children in sport in Ireland and Northern Ireland and maintains an interest in researching the impact of sport for young people.
Dr Suzanne Everley is Head of Sport Social Science and a Reader in the Sociology of Physical Education, Activity and Health at the University of Chichester. Her research of over 20 years focuses on understanding the experiences of children and young people.
Suzanne has published in academic papers and texts and has written a book on the use of creative arts-based research methodologies. She has conducted investigations for the Youth Sport Trust, the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit and the FA. Following recommendations of Clive Sheldon’s Independent Review into Child Sexual Abuse in Football 1970-2005, she is currently lead researcher on a project seeking to understand how children’s voices are heard in the sport and where this might be improved to create more child centred cultures, preventing abuse.
It has improved my knowledge and understanding about the range of harms caused to children and their impact as I have been able to network with a wide range of experts from the UK and beyond. There is no other multidisciplinary association for child protection professionals focused on learning to support and improve practice and policy
