Department for Culture Media and Sport

child protection in sport

As well as working with key organisations like the NSPCC, we helped establish the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) in 2001 to improve child protection in sport.

The unit has already worked to:

  • Put in place child protection policies in all funded sports in England
  • Ensure that qualified coaches working with children in all sports National Governing Bodies have Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks
  • Helped to institute CRB checks for all officials and coaches working with children
  • Guide all organisations, in the private and public sectors, who provide activities for children

The CPSU helps sports and other organisations to:

  • Recognise their responsibility to protect children and young people left in their care
  • Develop strategies and standards to protect children and young people
  • Identify and respond to adults who are a threat to children and young people
  • Develop child protection knowledge and skills among all staff and volunteers

What can you do?
Everyone, especially parents, can check that any sports club they come into contact with is safeguarding the welfare and well-being of children and young people.

The CPSU website provides a list of questions that you can ask to satisfy yourself that the club is fit for children. 

In conjunction with DCSF, DCMS has also  produced a guidance leaflet for parents and carers which provides advice to help them ask the right questions about important child protection measures that sports providers should have in place, wherever and whatever their child participates in: "Helping keep your child safe in sport" leaflet. 

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The consultation on the scope and implementation of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in relation to sports coaches

Following analysis of the consultation responses and follow-up meetings with the sports National Governing Bodies(NGBs) , the joint conclusion of DCMS and Home Officials was that there was insufficient evidence  to extend the legislation to sports coaches.

In reaching that decision, DCMS, working closely with the Home Office listened carefully to the views of the respondents, particularly those of the NGBs and charities with an interest in sport and leisure.

Other aspects considered as part of this work were the potential implications of the Departments for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and Health’s work on Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups(SVG).

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006)

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 lays the foundation for a new scheme which aims to help avoid harm, or risk of harm, to children and vulnerable adults. The scheme will aim to do this by preventing those who are deemed unsuitable to work with children and vulnerable adults from gaining access to them through their work. This will be done by:

  • Providing employers with a more effective and streamlined vetting service for potential employees
  • Barring unsuitable individuals from working, or seeking to work, with children and vulnerable adults at the earliest opportunity

The new scheme will be phased in from autumn 2008.

The responsibility for taking barring decisions under the new arrangements (previously referred to as the Vetting and Barring Scheme) will lie with a new Independent Safeguarding Authority (previously referred to as the Independent Barring Board), which will be an independent statutory body. The application processes for decisions will be run by the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).

For further information on the new legislation and the role of the new Independent Safeguarding Authority please visit: www.everychildmatters.gov.uk.

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