As Children First Awareness Week, continues, the IABA is highlighting provison of Safeguarding learning to coaches and non-coaching volunteers and parents.
These workshops educate participants on the implementation of best practice in safeguarding the welfare of children involved in our sport, and are a requirement for all coaches, and non-coaching volunteers who interact with children in a club setting.
Children First Awareness Week runs from September 15th to 21st and the theme is ” We were all children once, now we are Children First“
Safeguarding Workshops
In 2024, IABA delivered 16 Safeguarding 1 and 2 workshops, and to date in 2025, has delivered 13 online workshops and half a dozen in-person workshops.
IABA is open, on request, to providing Safeguarding One and/or Safeguarding Two learning in person, at a county board or provincial unit level. County Boards and Provinical Units who wish to commission in-person delivery of this learning are invited to make contact with IABA National Safeguarding Manager, Stephen Flynn, via stephen@iaba.ie
Safeguarding One
All adults – coaches, committee members & non-coaching volunteers – in every club who have contact with children are required to have undertaken Safeguarding 1.
In keeping with Sport Ireland best practice in Safeguarding training, workshops will be limited to 16 participants. In keeping with norms across the sporting community, the cost for this workshop is E20.
We have three online workshops remaining this year, and you can register here https://shout.com/s/5tP2AMoB
| Month | Date/Time | Delivery |
| October | Wednesday 22nd 18.30-21.30 | online |
| November | Tuesday 18th 18.30-21.30 | online |
| December | Wednesday 4th 18.30-21.30 | online |
Safeguarding Two
The aim of this workshop is to help the Club Children’s Officer to carry out their role and support the implementation of best practice in the club. Participants will also receive a Club Children’s Officer Action Planning document as part of the training.
In keeping with Sport Ireland best practice in Safeguarding training, workshops will be limited to 16 participants. In keeping with norms across the sporting community, the cost for this workshop is E20.
Register here: https://shout.com/s/o3NuYG4s
| Quarter | Date/Time | Delivery |
| Quarter 1-Feburary: Completed | 12TH 18.30-21.230 | online |
| Quarter 2-May: Completed | 22ND 18.30-21.30 | online |
| Quarter 2- August: Completed | 18TH 18.30-21.30 | online |
| Quarter 2- December | 11TH 18.30-21.30 | online |
Online Learning Resources
Tusla has worked with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the HSE to develop a universal e-learning programme called ‘Introduction to Children First’. The programme has been written to support people of all backgrounds and experience in recognising concerns about children and reporting such concerns if they arise. This eLearning is available HERE
Sport Ireland offers an online Safeguarding One eLearning refresher, which you can access HERE
The NSPCC provides Safeguarding learning in Northern Ireland, which you can access HERE
Additional Resources
Sport Ireland has made a suite of additional resoures available on a range of topics which align with Safeguarding: