Safeguarding in sports associations: how online auditing can make all the difference
Everyone involved in organised sport must ensure they provide a safe environment for children and young people, and that they are protected from harm. Sports associations must assure that they are doing all they can to safeguard children, and auditing their safeguarding procedures is key to this.
Auditing aims to ensure that sports associations are meeting their obligations when it comes to safeguarding, but also that they follow best practice and challenge poor practice, that they have the right training, risk assessments and compliance, and that they promote safeguarding awareness and a positive culture within each club.
It can be challenging to carry out these audits, especially if there are many clubs within one association, that are geographically spread, are run by volunteers and have limited resource. There can be inconsistency in auditing processes, difficulties with sharing data and varying degrees of digital abilities within those running the clubs.
Audits are often carried out annually and may use basic systems such as Excel or an inhouse system. This can make auditing very time-consuming, and involve a lot of manual processes. Data may be omitted and it can difficult to track where audits are missing.
In addition, spreadsheets can make it difficult to gather the insight and knowledge required when it comes to reporting and monitoring safeguarding.
By digitising the audit process, associations can not only save time, money and resource, they can also promote high standards of safeguarding, help share knowledge, and foster a culture of learning and improvement.
The Phew Audit System is the only flexible online platform that delivers an increased volume of collated, actionable response data to custom questions, unlike time-consuming spreadsheets and online survey tools.
It reduces manual processes, simplifies and standardises data entry, and enabling fast access to information. It also allows clubs and associations to track audits, send reminders, prioritise tasks, produce reports and identify areas for improvement.
“The Phew Audit System has revolutionised our approach to safeguarding and governance oversight. Thanks to this streamlined solution, we’ve centralised our auditing operations, which has, in turn, made data processing efficient and reduced administrative burdens.
“The system is incredibly accessible and its user-friendly interface has been well-received. Having access to standardised data enables us to track progress and make informed decisions.”
Jon Needham, Director of Safeguarding at Oasis Community Learning
The Phew Audit System empowers sports associations to meet their safeguarding needs and ensure children are protected during their activities with the clubs.
Would you like to find out more about the Phew Audit System? We can provide a free demonstration at your convenience. Please get in touch at hello@phew.org.uk or telephone 01234 779050.