Children’s protection officer for swimming

SWIM Ireland yesterday became the second sporting organisation in the country to appoint a full-time National Children’s Officer to promote child protection and welfare.

The new officer is Kate Hills, who has been delivering Code of Ethics workshops through the Irish Sports Council since November 2002.

The appointment of a dedicated children’s officer is the latest step by Swim Ireland, renamed in 1998 in the wake of sex abuse scandals involving former coaches, to portray the sport as child-friendly.