Safeguarding

At British Orienteering, we want all our of clubs, members and participants to feel as though they can practice the sport in a safe environment. That is why we believe that everyone should operate within an accepted ethical framework and demonstrate exemplary behaviour to both safeguard children, adults at risk and protect all personnel from allegations of abuse or poor practice. 

Our policies

Click on the links below to access British Orienteering's policies on Safeguarding which provide more insight into key principles and what to be aware of when it comes to protecting those partaking in our sport. You can also find more guidance in our membership terms and conditions. 

Responding to a Safeguarding Concern advice

Watch this short video, which explains the basic steps you should follow should a safeguarding concern be reported to you.

How we implement Safeguarding 

There are many ways we help implement Safeguarding practices into our sport. But there are also ways that you can get involved and help us make orienteering a safe sport for all.

When you bring your children orienteering we will help you to ensure their welfare and safety by ensuring that;

• The people who run the sport are safe to be with.
• They are not likely to be injured but if they are there are people and procedures in place to look after them.
• The challenges set will be manageable so that your children are able to find their way around the course.
• They are not likely to be injured but if they are there are people and procedures in place to look after them.
• Your children’s individual needs will be considered as far as possible within the nature of the sport.

The people who run the sport are safe to be with

• Our coaches and officials who have unsupervised regular contact with children and adults at risk have satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service checks (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or Disclosure Scotland checks.
• Our clubs have welfare officers who act as the first point of contact for any person in orienteering at club level who has a concern about safeguarding the welfare of children and at-risk adults. They will assist the club in developing and promoting an environment inclusive of, and friendly to children.

We take all reasonable steps to ensure that your children will be safe from other participants and from strangers

• Organisers of events and activities carry out risk assessments and have procedures for managing safety in public places.
• We have had no reported incidents of children coming to any harm from strangers in public places whilst orienteering.

The challenges set will be manageable so that your children are able to find their way back, the ground they cross is not too rough for their experience/strength

• Planners of courses and activities follow rules and guidelines to provide courses or activities with different levels of challenge to meet different needs.
• We keep track of every individual at every event or activity to ensure that they are accounted for. We will give you information so that you understand the level of challenge on courses offered.
• We expect you to follow our guidelines about which course is appropriate for you or your children to complete. In order to meet our safeguarding and insurance responsibilities, we may refuse to let you do a course if we consider you are taking undue risk.

They are not likely to be injured but if they are, there are people and procedures in place to look after them

• Officials organising events and activities carry out risk assessments.
• They have procedures for finding and looking after lost children and for providing first aid.
• Your children’s individual needs will be taken care of as far as possible within the nature of the sport:
• At events, we will explain what physical and navigational skills are needed to complete a course and how we can help with an individual need.
• At activities led by coaches if you tell us about any special needs we will tell you what adaptations can be made to make our activities accessible.