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Child abuse and child protection in sport

Published research

Research into child abuse in sport has a relatively short history, dating back to the mid 1980s.  The focus has mostly been on sexual abuse, with a bias towards abuse in elite competitive sport and non-disabled sport.

Our latest research, launched at the CPSU's 10-year anniversary conference is the first detailed, systematic examination of the nature of risk faced by children in sports settings:

The Experiences of Children Participating in Organised Sport in the UK.

The aims of the study were to

  • address the gap in knowledge about the nature and extent of child abuse in sport
  • explore the positives and negatives of participating in sport
  • provide accurate and comprehensive information about child abuse in sport to those involved in developing policy
  • provide accurate and comprehensive information to sports governing bodies about the nature and extent of abuse of children and young people in organised sport (club level and above), enabling them to more effectively target policy, resources, training and support.


The principal investigator on the project was Dr Anne Stafford, who has extensive knowledge of child protection policy, the child protection system and experience of conducting qualitative research with children.

Headline findings

  • Overall, participating in organised sport is a positive experience for most children and young people. However a negative sporting culture exists, is accepted as ‘the norm’ and is perpetrated by peers, coaches and other adults.

  • Young people in the study reported widespread emotionally harmful treatment (75%) and unacceptable levels of sexual harassment (29%).

  • Clothing and body image are key issues within sport contexts particularly around puberty and warrant further attention.


  • Self-harm was reported equally by both boys and girls (10%). Reports of sexual harm featured at a low level (3%).

  • Peers were the most common perpetrators of all forms of harm reported in the research, with coaches sometimes failing to challenges it effectively.

  • Coaches were the second most common perpetrators of harm with their role in harm increasing as young athletes advanced through competitive ranks.

Although sport has achieved a huge amount over the past 10 years in terms of safeguarding children there is still clearly a great deal of work to be done.

key messages from the research


Sport should focus more on a child’s right approach to sport participation; and greater attention should be paid to creating a positive sporting ethos where children and young people are respected, where their voices are heard and used to shape sporting experience, welfare and performance.

Sport should build on what children and young people value about sport participation. This includes the social aspects of sport such as making friends and being part of a team.

Sport should take steps to promote a more positive sporting and coaching ethos, at all levels of participation in sport.

Sports bodies should put in place policies, procedures, training and practices which enable sport practitioners to systematically tackle harm occurring between peers.

Sports bodies should use the findings and messages from the research to shape an examination of the culture in their own sport and address short-comings.

A full report and summary are available to download:
The Experiences of Children Participating in Organised Sport in the UK.


Other research

In addition to information within sport literature, you can find research on child abuse in sport in social work, counselling, clinical psychology and psychiatry literature. It also appears in journals on criminology, gender studies and child care.

Most research on child abuse is not sports-related, but is based on studies inside the family. Abuse in sport takes place outside the family but shares some similarities with abuse in the family setting. So you may find research material that is not sports-related useful as well.

Further information:
Child protection in sport - a selection of books, articles and web resources

Are you looking for published research on child protection, child abuse or related topics? Please contact us via our online Enquiry service

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