Following an internal review British Fencing and England Fencing are making changes to the documentation we can accept from coaches wishing to get onto/remain on the Coach Register. This is aimed at raising the safety and safeguarding standards within our sport. These changes in include:
New Minimum requirements for First Aid
We will require coaches and potential coaches to attend a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recognised course. There are two courses that we will accept:
Emergency First Aid at Work (6 hours contact time)
First Aid at Work (18 hours contact time, or 12 hours contact time for renewals)
These courses are valid for 3 years.
Details of how to search for/book onto these courses will continue to be listed in the coaching section of the website as well as being emailed to coaches on the coach register. We would advise coaches to shop around for courses as prices can vary enormously.
We will not accept the 3hr courses that are on offer as standards are variable as is course contents. We will also not be accepting qualifications obtain through distance learning/eLearning/online/home study etc courses.
There are many suppliers of these courses across the country. Details of courses in your area can be obtained from a number of different sources including:
We will also still be accepting signed First Aid Declaration from those who they are applicable to. Should you have a First Aid qualification through your work we can accept these on a case by case basis at the discretion of the Equality and Safeguarding Manager.
New Minimum Standards for Child Protection Training
As has been common practice our preferred course is the Sports Coach UK Safeguarding and Protecting Children module (3hr workshop). For people who have done this before there is now an alternative Safeguarding and Protecting Children 2 – Reflecting on Practice course which is also acceptable.
We will not be accepting qualifications obtain through distance learning/eLearning/online/home study etc courses.
Details of how to search for/book onto these courses will continue to be listed in the coaching section of the website as well as being emailed to coaches in Red on the coach register.
These workshops are valid for three years.
Details of where courses are running can be found from:
Exemptions may be accepted if an individual can supply certificated evidence of attendance on a similar course or can provide evidence of comparable training within their practitioner role. These are on a case by case basis at the discretion of the Equality and Safeguarding Manager.
These changes will come into effect on the 1st April 2013.
If you have already booked yourself onto either a First Aid or Safeguarding and Protecting Children course which takes place after the 1st April 2013, we are able to accept this providing you can show a receipt/confirmation of your booking to [email protected] before the 1st April.
If you are a currently listed as registered coach we will continue to recognise your current qualification until which time it needs to be renewed, at which point you will need to follow the instructions above.
If you have already sent in a qualification obtained through a distance learning/eLearning/online/home study etc course we will hold this as valid for one year from date of completion at which point the coach will need to follow the instructions above.
Funding to attend these new courses may be available through your County Sport Partnership or your Local Authority. For a list of County Sport Partnerships contacts please go to http://www.britishfencing.com/courses/coach/funding_for_coaches.
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