Table Tennis England is supporting Parents in Sport Week 2019 to encourage all parents to get involved and make sure their child has a safe and enjoyable experience of sport.

National charity the NSPCC, through its Child Protection in Sport Unit, is urging parents to become more informed about their children’s sport during the week, which runs from October 7 to 13 and celebrates positive parental involvement in youth sport.

This year, the charity has introduced the Sports Parents Promise, which offers parents helpful guidance on what makes a safe sports club, how to respond if they have any worries or concerns, and how to show positive behaviour from the sidelines when attending games and tournaments.

When they sign up, parents are committing that:

• I promise to make sure the club we choose together is safe and fun 
• I promise to listen to you if you have any concerns about your sport 
• I promise to make sure that I always support you and your teammates in a positive way

It follows research by the NSPCC which found that more than 30 per cent of parents with children active in sport would not know who to turn to if they had safeguarding concerns.

Nick Slinn, director of the CPSU, said: “Sport forms a huge part of childhood for many young people, and at the NSPCC we believe that children should be free to enjoy their time at clubs and activities in a safe environment where they can achieve to the best of their ability.

“It is clear from our research that parents do not always know how to address any concerns they have.

“We introduced the Sports Parents Promise because it is essential for everyone to play their part in protecting children, and making every sporting experience a positive one. We want to make it easier for parents to know how they can support a safer sports environment and give them confidence to act when needed.”

Table Tennis England’s Safeguarding Manager, Judy Roger, said: “Ensuring that children can enjoy their sport in a safe environment is of fundamental importance to us and we wholeheartedly support the NSPCC’s initiative, not only during Parents in Sport Week 2019 but at all times.

“I would urge all parents and carers to ask questions listed below of their table tennis club.”

The NSPCC’s CPSU website has detailed guidance on what to look for in a sports club, and questions to ask, including:

• Are the club’s policies and procedures available for parents to read, including how they deal with concerns over poor practice and abuse?
• Does the club have a welfare or safeguarding officer as a contact for any concerns?
• Do they have written standards for good practice, such as a code of conduct?
• Has the club asked for essential medical and emergency contact information?
• Has the club asked for parental consent for a child to participate?
• What has the club done to ensure their staff are safe to work with children?

Anyone with safeguarding concerns within table tennis can call our Child Protection Helpline number on 07507 860034 or visit the safeguarding section of our website.

The NSPCC also offers support and guidance through the helpline, on 0808 800 5000 or on email at [email protected]

In 2014, Table Tennis England contributed to a film called My Magic Sports Kit, which covered parental support for young sports players – you can watch the film below.