Safeguarding: a young person's guide

Is someone bullying you, hurting you, or doing something to you that you want to stop. You don't have to put up with it. You have a right to be safe from abuse. There are ways of getting support.

Keeping safe

• Listen to your instincts about the people you meet
• Avoid being out of sight of other people when with a grown up
• Avoid traveling in someone else's car by yourself
• Avoid going to the home of a grown up by yourself
• Tell someone you trust where you’re going
• Carry a mobile phone, phone card or enough money in change to be able to make a phone call from a public telephone

Is something wrong?
Something is wrong if someone:

• Constantly teases you, puts you down, belittles you, shouts at you or calls you names
• Threatens, hits, kicks or punches you
• Touches you inappropriately or does anything that makes you feel uncomfortable
• Makes suggestive remarks or tries to pressurize you into sexual activity, taking drugs or consuming alcohol
• Sends you texts or emails that are inappropriate
• Damages or steals your belongings
• Tells you to train when you have a serious injury
• Does anything that makes you feel lonely, upset, embarrassed, worried, unsafe, hurt, dependent, manipulated or controlled

If any of the above happens to you take action to stop it. You have rights – don’t be bullied or abused.

What to do
If you are being bullied or abused, it is not your fault. Try to:

• Be firm and tell the person to stop. Say "No!" firmly
• If that doesn't work try making a lot of noise to attract attention.
• Get away from the situation quickly, go to a public place to find help.
• Tell your parents/carers or an adult you can trust as soon as possible, so they can help you.
• If you're at a climbing wall tell their staff.
• If you’re in a club tell the Youth Officer or Welfare Officer.
• If you have access to email, email the BMC Safeguarding Manager Helen Murphy helen.murphy@thebmc.co.uk
• If you don't feel you can tell any of these people call Childline 0800 1111 (this is entirely confidential), or NSPCC 0800 800500. You can also call the police (999). The police and social services have trained staff to support people who are being, or have been, bullied or abused. Keep trying if you can't get through straight away.
• If possible, keep a note of the date, time and place, what happened, how you felt and the name of anyone who may have seen what happened
  

Don't give up until someone helps you. There is more information about safeguarding on the BMC website

You can also contact the BMC Officer responsible for Safeguarding Helen Murphy.  Email helen.murphy@thebmc.co.uk

Helpful links

Childline 
An entirely confidential helpline
Phone 0800 1111   Web www.childline.org.uk

NSPCC:
Phone 0808 800 500  Email help@nspcc.org.uk

Child Protection in Sport Unit 
Phone 0116 366 5590 Web www.thecpsu.org.uk  Email cpsu@nspcc.org.uk

View the BMC Child Safeguarding Policy