Safeguard to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm

  • 6 minutes

Safeguarding includes:

  • Protecting children from abuse and maltreatment
  • Preventing harm to children’s health or development
  • Ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care
  • Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes

Child protection is part of the safeguarding process. It focuses on protecting individual children identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. This includes child protection procedures which detail how to respond to concerns about a child.

Safeguarding and online safety are critically important when organizing and running esports in schools.

Laws / regulations / guidelines will vary from country/region to country/region, however, as teachers, it's our duty to keep young people safe, therefore we must all priorities all aspects of safeguarding in our esports work.

Focus areas

  • Risk assessment
  • Staff & staff checks – especially any external adults
  • Third party operators (if you choose to use any)
  • Avenues of communication
  • Practice & competitive play
  • Training
  • What happens if? Do you have procedures in place?
  • Discord and other programs (Twitch Chat)

Examples of safeguarding practices

  • Safeguarding policies and procedures developed in collaboration with the NSPCC based on best practice from traditional sports
  • Designated Safeguarding Officer
  • Clear procedures to follow in the event of a report / incident / disclosure.
  • All staff and volunteers are DBS checked (criminal record check) and complete basic, statutory annual safeguarding training.
  • Clear guidelines around communication, especially between adults and students, especially via online channels.
  • Clear codes of conduct, behavior expectations and rule sets.
  • Closed games via private lobbies.
  • Clear guidance to all about what we can (and do) control and what we can't, helping to manage expectations of all concerned.
  • Clear signposting to a range of additional resources and training around safeguarding and online safety.

Activity

Review the Esports Parent & Careers Guide 2021

After reviewing the guide, consider the existing safeguarding / child protection expectations surrounding any traditional sporting / musical / dramatic activities in your school. What happens with these activities? Your esports expectations should be line with these existing structures and safeguards.