Navigation menu list for sections above the current page

Home

NSPCC inform

Child Protection in Sport Unit

About us

Meet the team

Search

I am... Choose from list... worried about a child interested in donating a job seeker a volunteer a parent or guardian a teacher a childcare professional a fundraiser a campaigner a regular donor a company a journalist a policymaker a child or young person a researcher an adult abused in childhood

About the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU)

Working to keep children safe in sports

The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) is a partnership between the NSPCC, Sport England, Sport Northern Ireland and Sports Wales. In Scotland there is a similar partnership between Children 1st and sportscotland.

The Unit was founded in 2001 to work with UK Sports Councils, National Governing Bodies (NGBs), County Sports Partnerships (CSPs) and other organisations to help them minimise the risk of child abuse during sporting activities.This followed a series of high profile cases of abuse of young athletes by those in positions of trust such as coaches in the sports.

The CPSU works to help achieve the NSPCC mission to end child abuse.

Our mission

To build the capacity of sports to safeguard children and young people in and through sport and to enable sports organisations to lead the way in keeping children safe from harm.

We aim to achieve this by:

• being a lead voice, champion, pioneer UK wide and internationally
  
  
• providing expert safeguarding and child protection advice to sports organisations
  
  
• contributing safeguarding knowledge to their policies, procedures and programmes
  
  
• developing and delivering sports specific training, resources and guidance
  
  
• coordinating, lobbying and advocating on behalf of the sports sector in response to government consultations
  
  
• commissioning and supporting research into a range of issues, developing understanding and an evidence base
  
  
• consulting with children and young people
  
  
• working with international organisations to promote safeguarding work with other countries.

Our work with sports organisations

We play the lead role in helping sports organisations to develop and implement their responses, policies and procedures, systems and structures for safeguarding.

Since 2001, we have worked with sport and statutory agencies to ensure that all children, regardless of their level of participation in sport or where they participate, have a safe and enjoyable experience. We help organisations to:

• recognise their responsibility to protect children and young people left in their care
  
  
• recognise their responsibility to pass on any concerns about children’s welfare or protection in their families or communities to a statutory agency.
  
  
• 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 safeguarding knowledge and skills among all staff and volunteers.

Our key work areas

Call to Action
The Call to Action builds on the progress made over the past decade and has been developed in partnership with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Sport England, UK Sport and the Youth Sport Trust.

Achieving the Standards for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in and through Sport 
The CPSU helps Sports Council-funded sports organisations - NGBs, CSPs and other sport bodies -  meet an agreed framework of safeguarding criteria. We support organisations with evaluation and quality assurance of the implementation of the Safeguarding standards within their sport.

Maintaining the Standards and embedding safeguarding practice
We lead the development and implementation of the new Framework for Safeguarding Children in and through Sport in partnership with key stakeholders (NGBs and CSPs).

Education and training
The CPSU develops and delivers training, resources and guidance in response to identified gaps in knowledge and expertise for sports organisations.

The Sports Safeguarding Children Support Service, including:

• information and resource service
• designated person support 
• safe recruitment
• case management systems
• case advice
• UK and international dimension

  

---

For further information about our work, please contact the Child Protection in Sport Unit

---

---

Help for children & young people

ChildLine

0800 1111

Help for adults concerned about a child

Help and advice

0808 800 5000

Copyright © 2011 NSPCC - All rights reserved. National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Weston House, 42 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3NH. Incorporated by Royal Charter. Registered charity number 216401. NSPCC, charity registered in Scotland, charity number SC037717.