Need to report a safeguarding risk?
If you believe that a crime has been committed and there is an immediate risk of danger, call the police on 999.
To report a concern that a child or adult may be a victim of neglect, abuse or cruelty call:
Children’s safeguarding: 01522 782 111 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm)
Adults safeguarding: 01522 782 155 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm) or 01522 782 333 (outside office hours).
Meet Richard Bell, our Sports Welfare Manager.
Every resource on this page is hand-picked by Richard to bring our Safeguarding & Welfare Guide to life, in addition to sharing other valuable resources. Open any toggle to read why each resource is included. Start with the guide, then explore the sections most relevant to you, your team, or those you support.
Active Lincolnshire Safeguarding & Welfare Guide
Our Safeguarding & Welfare Guide, provides a comprehensive resource to help you create safe, inclusive, and enjoyable environments in sports clubs and physical activity settings.
Whether you are a club welfare officer, a club committee member, a volunteer, a coach or a private instructor/coach, this user-friendly guide can help you make sense of the terminology and provides guidance to help you further safeguard the wellbeing of everyone involved in your club or activity. This guide provides the support and information you need to help when you are drafting or reviewing your policies, addressing a safeguarding concern or requiring the help of an additional service. It also includes a useful checklist for you to see if you have the necessary policies, procedures, insurance and training in place to meet the essentials of safeguarding.
Free to access.
Foundational Safeguarding Learning Resources
A comprehensive resource hub providing practical guidance and tools for sports and physical activity organisations to establish safe environments. It covers essential topics ranging from relevant legislation and policy requirements to determining necessary Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks and using self-declaration procedures to simplify safe recruitment. Free to access.
An informational guide and resource hub explaining the fundamental principles of child protection within athletic and recreational contexts. It defines what safeguarding means in a sports environment, outlines the legal and ethical responsibilities of clubs and coaches, details how to identify different forms of abuse or maltreatment, and provides best practices for creating a proactive safety culture across all sporting activities. Free to access.
A comprehensive knowledge hub providing practical toolkits, policy templates, guidance documents, and podcasts dedicated to adult safeguarding. It helps organisations and practitioners understand legal frameworks, implement safer recruitment practices, establish effective reporting procedures, and create safe environments to protect adults at risk. Free to access.
A comprehensive support hub built on the principle that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Designed to empower every stakeholder across the sports community – from parents, coaches, and activity providers to clubs, governing bodies, and senior leaders – this framework provides the clear tools, expert guidance, and confidence needed to keep both children and adults at risk safe, recognise warning signs, and respond effectively to any welfare concern. Free to access.
Foundational Safeguarding Training
A digital learning hub and resource suite that allows coaches to earn a recognised digital badge by demonstrating their commitment to welfare and safety. It equips coaches with the knowledge to protect participants, support their own well-being, and foster a positive sports culture through videos, tools, and knowledge checks organized around six core pillars: Diversity, Inclusion, Mental Health & Well-being, Physical Well-being, Safeguarding, and Safe to Practice.
A specialised training course designed to help coaches, sports leaders, volunteers, and club officials protect children from abuse and neglect. It equips people working in sport and physical activity with the knowledge to recognise signs of harm, create safe sporting environments, establish clear reporting procedures, and handle child protection concerns effectively in a sports setting. Paid qualification (fees apply).
Safeguarding Adults Training
A 90-minute online course created in partnership with the Ann Craft Trust to equip coaches, staff, and volunteers with the knowledge and confidence to promote adult welfare. Designed for anyone interacting with adults in sport and physical activity, the interactive eLearning features a core safeguarding module alongside targeted topical options, preparing participants to effectively recognise, respond to, and report concerns about adults at risk. Paid qualification (fees apply)
A progressive suite of training courses designed to embed adult safeguarding at every level of an organisation delivering sport or physical activity. The offering ranges from introductory awareness for general staff and volunteers to specialised training for Club Welfare Officers, advanced strategic modules for Lead Officers, executive briefings for Board Members, and specialised Continuing Professional Development sessions for experienced practitioners. Paid qualifications (fees apply).
Safeguarding Children and Young People
A practical guidance resource outlining the essential legal, moral, and operational requirements for keeping under-18s safe in sport and physical activity. It equips organisations, clubs, and providers with actionable top tips, best practice strategies, and key resources to promote youth welfare, establish safe activity environments, and handle reporting procedures appropriately.
A 3-hour online workshop designed to raise awareness of the telltale signs of child abuse and build coaches’ confidence to handle issues sensitively and effectively. With real-life NSPCC disclosure scenarios, the tutor-led course helps participants identify good coaching practice, explore values regarding child protection, learn appropriate actions to take when concerns arise, and gain practical insights from experienced safeguarding professionals. Paid qualification (fees apply).
A professional knowledge and training bank designed to equip individuals and organisations working with young people, including young carers and children at risk of abuse, exploitation, or neglect, with evidence-based practices. By sharing expert research, practical toolkits, and specialist training modules, it helps practitioners, leaders, and volunteers spot warning signs early, adopt best practices, and build safe, supportive environments for vulnerable youth.
A specialised portal and knowledge hub dedicated to tackling abuse, harm, and exploitation including complex issues like child sexual exploitation and human trafficking, within sport and leisure settings. It provides sports providers, clubs, and coaches with resources, international media tracking, regular forums, and training to embed a proactive safeguarding culture across all physical activity environments.
A comprehensive suite of online courses designed for anyone working with children and young people to help them effectively prevent, identify, and address bullying. Featuring specialised modules on targeted areas, including cyberbullying, SEN/disability, mental health, appearance-based harm, and distinguishing banter from bullying, it equips practitioners with the knowledge to manage complex bullying behaviours in diverse environments.
Policies and Procedures
A practical governance hub that helps sports clubs and physical activity groups create, maintain, and manage their essential operational paperwork. It provides step-by-step support on writing governing documents (such as constitutions and codes of conduct), understanding legal and safety obligations (including health, safety, and insurance), and developing core policies on areas like safe recruitment, social media, anti-doping, and venue licensing. Free to access.
A comprehensive suite of templates and expert guidance designed to help sports and activity organisations build, implement, and maintain effective adult safeguarding frameworks. It provides customisable policy and procedure templates alongside practical advice on key operational steps (including recording, reporting, and referral workflows, photography guidelines, adult-specific vs. child-specific policy distinctions, and governance best practices) to ensure welfare policies are clearly communicated and actively maintained. Free to access.
A free, adaptable library of template documents designed to help sports clubs and activity providers establish clear child protection standards. It provides customisable safeguarding policy statements, reporting protocols, and codes of conduct for adults, children, and parents to define expected behaviours, streamline safe operations, and ensure compliance with statutory guidance. Free to access.
Terminology and Acronyms
A short glossary highlighting key definitions and terminology surrounding safeguarding adults at risk.
A clear reference guide defining the key shorthand acronyms used across adult safeguarding in the sport and physical activity sector.
Categories of Harm
An essential educational reference detailing the various forms of abuse, harm, and exploitation that can affect adults at risk. Spanning the 10 statutory categories recognised under the Care Act (such as physical, financial, and organisational abuse, and modern slavery) alongside 4 additional modern threats including cyberbullying, forced marriage, mate crime, and radicalisation, it equips sports and activity providers with the knowledge to recognise subtle warning signs, understand specific risk indicators, and take appropriate action when welfare concerns arise.
Safer Recruitment
A practical operational guide designed to help sports and activity providers establish robust, safe hiring processes for staff and volunteers working with adults. It breaks down essential vetting protocols to help organisations recruit safely, deter unsuitable applicants, and embed protection standards right from the hiring stage. Free to access.
A practical framework outlining how sports clubs and activity providers can implement safe recruitment and selection processes for all paid staff and volunteers working with children. It helps organisations establish clear role definitions, spot red flags like employment gaps, screen out unsuitable applicants, and reassure parents by maintaining a safe, trusted workforce. Free to access.
Official statutory guidance detailing how the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) supports sports clubs, activity providers, and employers in making safer recruitment decisions to prevent unsuitable individuals from working with children and adults at risk. It outlines the role of the DBS, eligibility criteria for different disclosure levels, and statutory referral duties for reporting safeguarding concerns. Free to access. Note: if your organisation is affiliated with a National Governing Body, you must follow your specific NGB’s DBS requirements and sector-specific vetting policies.
Not found what you’re looking for?
If you need further advice or can’t find a specific resource, our team is here to help. Get in touch to let us know what you are searching for, and we will do our best to help or guide you toward the right support.
