Olympians, national sports teams, and leading organisations celebrate NSPCC sports safeguarding campaign

The year-round campaign aims to raise awareness of safeguarding in sports and activity clubs to create safer sporting environments for children across the country, and a week of action from October 7 saw a flurry of support from sports and activity clubs across the UK.

This year’s week of action kicked off with footballer turned presenter Alan Shearer sharing a video lending his voice to the campaign, and an event in Manchester with panels featuring NSPCC CEO Sir Peter Wanless, Team Jamaica weightlifting Olympian Chloe Whylie, Team GB and Jamaica swimmer Michael Gunning, star of the BBC’s The Traitors and former Olympic basketball player Fay Greaves and NSPCC lived-experience advocate David Lean, who was abused by former football coach Barry Bennell.

Members of the NSPCC’s Young People’s Board For Change also spoke on the panels, which looked at how things had changed over the years and explored what could be done to further improve safeguarding in youth sport.

Alexandra Moore, Head of Welfare and Safeguarding for Sport England, was at the Manchester event, and said: “The more we can make it the norm to talk about welfare in sport, the better and safer the experience of sport and activity will be for all young people. Hearing David speak about his experience of abuse was hugely affecting and he is a powerful advocate for young people. It was a privilege to see the NSPCC’s Young People’s Board For Change speak too – their passion and focus will help create change.

“Positive experiences for children and young people in sport and physical activity are central to Sport England’s Uniting the Movement strategy – and robust safeguarding and the highest standards of welfare are an essential part of that commitment.”

Last year (2023/24), more than 400 concerns were raised by adults to the NSPCC Helpline about children in sports settings. Over a fifth of these were about sexual abuse and exploitation (22%) and one in seven about emotional abuse (14%).

Through the Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport campaign, the NSPCC's Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) aims to empower parents and carers to feel confident in their role in keeping children safe, while helping clubs and teams understand how they can foster a protective and inclusive environment.

Katie Thompson, Sports and Physical Activity Welfare Lead with local organisation GM Moving, said topics raised at the launch event in Manchester would be relevant to sports groups across the country.

She said: “We work with grassroots clubs across the region to improve welfare and encourage people to speak up and report anything that doesn’t feel right, and it’s important everyone knows how to report any safeguarding concerns.

“Hearing from these speakers has reinforced the importance of consistent messaging in safeguarding, not just at the occasional training session but all year round. If everyone can deliver the same messages and parents and carers get on board, there can be a really positive movement around keeping children safe in sport.”

NSPCC CEO Sir Peter Wanless said: “Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport is a vital campaign and gets stronger each year, and the support shown across the country this year has been wonderful to see.

“Everyone can play a role in keeping children safe, and this campaign is a great opportunity to reflect on how clubs and organisations, professionals, parents and carers can all work together to ensure that every child can participate in sports and activities in a supportive, safe environment.”

As part of this year’s campaign, clubs, coaches, and parents across the country are being urged to host a Team Huddle event — a fun and informal gathering that brings people together to raise awareness and create meaningful discussions around safeguarding.

Free Team Huddle event packs are available from the CPSU website which include a variety of resources to help spark conversations about safeguarding, including a quiz and other activities as well as suggestions on how clubs can design their own events to encourage connection, conversation and community.

Michelle North, Head of the Child Protection in Sport Unit, said: “The safety and wellbeing of young athletes should be everyone’s top priority, and this campaign is a great reminder that safeguarding children in sport is a shared responsibility.

“By encouraging parents and carers as well as clubs and organisations to get involved in Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport campaign, together we can create a culture where safeguarding is embedded in every aspect of the sporting experience.”

To find out more about how to get involved with the campaign, visit thecpsu.org.uk/safeinsport