Recognising Abuse and Poor Practice
The Oxfordshire Sports Partnership Safeguarding Children and Adults Policy sets
out our commitment to protecting all children and adults from harm an recognises
that children adults at risk and adults in certain situations can be more vulnerable to
abuse. Safeguarding is about taking appropriate measures protect people from
harm.
‘Harm' means ill-treatment or impairment of health and development. Ill-treatment
includes sexual abuse, physical abuse and forms of ill-treatment which are not
physical. 'Health' includes both physical and mental health, and 'development'
includes physical, intellectual, emotional, social and behavioural development.
Definitions
 A child is recognised as being any person under the age of 18 years
(Children Act 1989 definition).
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An adult at risk is someone aged 18 or over; who is, or may be, in need of
community services due to age, illness or a mental or physical disability and
who is, or may be, unable to take care of himself/herself, or unable to protect
himself/herself against significant harm or exploitation.
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The particular situations where an adult is at greater risk of harm are defined
as ‘Regulated Activity’ (Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006,
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012).
It is not your responsibility to decide whether
or not someone is being abused
But it is your responsibility to act if you
have any concerns by reporting it
Any suspicion of abuse must be recorded and reported in line with the Oxfordshire
Sports Partnership Reporting Procedure
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or
scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child or
vulnerable adult. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer
fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child or adult.
e.g. In sport or play situations where the nature or intensity of the training or activity
exceeds the capacity of the child/ body or the child/adult is forced to take part in any
activity against their will.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child or adult such as
to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child/ adult’s emotional
development.
It may involve conveying that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued
only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving
them opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’
of what they say or how they communicate.
It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on
children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child or adult’s
developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and
learning, or preventing the child or adult participating in normal social interaction.
It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious
bullying (including cyberbullying), causing them frequently to feel frightened or in
danger. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a
child or adult at risk, though it may occur alone.
e.g. In sport or physical activity situations where a child or adult is subjected to
unrealistic pressure; where a child or adult’s self-esteem is undermined; where a
child or adult’s right to privacy is ignored; denial or access to facilities
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or adult to take part in sexual
activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child
or adult is aware of what is happening.
The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for
example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing,
rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact
activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual
images, watching sexual activities, encouraging a child or adult at risk to behave in
sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child or adult in preparation for abuse
(including via the internet).
Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts
of sexual abuse, as can other children or adults at risk.
e.g. In sport or physical activity situations, where a child or adult requires intimate or
personal care which might be open to abuse; inappropriate videoing, photography
etc.
Neglect
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child or adult at risk’s basic physical and/or
psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of their health or
development.
Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse.
Neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:
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Provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from
home or abandonment)
Protect a child or adult at risk from physical and emotional harm or danger
Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers)
or
Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment
It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child or adult at
risk’s basic emotional needs.
e.g. In a sport or physical activity situations where a child or adult at risk’s personal
needs are ignored; where a child or adult at risk is left alone in a dangerous situation
or where basic needs are withdrawn as a form of punishment. Alternatively, another
example could be where adults are in a position of trust, for example a sports coach,
who can create an environment where this trust can be misused
Bullying
Bullying is a deliberately hurtful behaviour, usually repeated over a period of time,
where it is difficult for those bullied to defend themselves.
Bullies come from all walks of life, they bully for a variety of reasons and may even
have been abused. Typically bullies can have low self-esteem, be excitable,
aggressive and jealous. Crucially they have learned how to gain power over others
and there is increasing evidence to suggest that this abuse of power can lead to
crime.
The competitive nature of sport makes it an ideal environment for the bully. The bully
in sport can include:
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A parent who pushes too hard
A coach who adopts a win-at-all costs philosophy
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A player who intimidates inappropriately
An official who places unfair pressure on a person.
Bullying takes many forms but can include:
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Physical: e.g. hitting, kicking and theft
Verbal: e.g. name-calling, constant teasing, sarcasm, racist or homophobic
taunts, threats, graffiti and gestures
Emotional: e.g. tormenting, ridiculing, humiliating and ignoring
Sexual: e.g. unwanted physical contact or abusive comments.
The damage inflicted by bullying can frequently be underestimated. It can cause
considerable distress to children or adults, to the extent that it affects their health and
development or, at the extreme, causes them significant harm (including self-harm).
There are a number of signs that may indicate that a child or adult at risk is being
bullied:
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Behavioural changes such as reduced concentration and/or becoming
withdrawn, clingy, depressed, tearful, emotionally up and down, reluctance
to go to school, training or sports club
A drop off in performance at school or standard of play
Physical signs such as stomach-aches, headaches, difficulty in sleeping,
bed-wetting, scratching and bruising, damaged clothes and bingeing for
example on food, cigarettes or alcohol
A shortage of money or frequent loss of possessions.
Financial Abuse
Financial or material abuse is particularly relevant to adults at risk and includes theft,
fraud, exploitation, pressure in connection with wills, property or inheritance or
financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or
benefits.
Indicators of financial abuse may be
 Unexplained sudden inability to pay for bills or maintain lifestyle;
 Person lacks belongings or services they can clearly afford;
 Recent acquaintances expressing sudden or disproportionate affection for a
person with money or property;
 Lack of records and accounting of where money spent;
 Unusual or suspicious bank account activity;
 Withholding money without legal reason;
 Person managing financial affairs is evasive or uncooperative; and
 Selling or offering to sell possessions of an adult at risk who does not have
the capacity to consent or know the full value of those possessions.
Peer Abuse
A significant portion of abuse is carried out by peers of the victim. It is essential to be
alert to this and to recognise that in such situations the abuser may also be
vulnerable and their welfare must also be considered.
Some young people may display problematic or harmful sexual behaviour. These
behaviours may:
 Not be age appropriate
 Include elements of planning, secrecy, force or coercion
 Involve power differentials and peer pressure
 Cause others to feel fear, anxiety or discomfort
Early intervention is essential to protect others and the person exhibiting potentially
harmful behaviour. The person exhibiting harmful sexual behaviour may have
additional support needs such as a learning disability.
Suspecting Abuse
When abuse is suspected there are a number of ways in which this suspicion may
arise:
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An allegation or concern is raised by a child or adult about someone else
A child or adult makes an allegation/disclosure relating to themself
A member of staff observes change in child or adult’s behaviour
A member of staff notices physical injury to the child or adult
A child demonstrates inappropriate sexual knowledge for their age
A member of staff suspects the child or adult at risk is being neglected
Any suspicion of abuse must be recorded and reported in line with the Oxfordshire
Sports Partnership Reporting Procedure