Safeguarding: a young person's guide

Posted by Nick Colton on 05/07/2023

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 here

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

Also, Check out the BMC's Quick Guide to Safeguarding here

Helpful links are:

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

Youth Outdoor Climbing Courses

Whether you want to make the leap from indoor climbing into Sport or Trad climbing outdoors, we run many courses across the country and throughout the year that are specially for 11-17 year olds.

BOOK: Youth Trad Climbing Course

BOOK: Youth Sport Climbing Course

Subsidised Youth Course Places

There are a large number of free places on courses for families who may struggle to afford it. Any families who live in rented accommodation and who receive income support or universal credit may contact the instructor of a course or Alex West for a place.