European Sport for Development and

Peace International Working Group

8th December 2010

Anne Tiivas

Director

NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit

Aims

Describe background context to work in the UK

Describe policy and practice framework for safeguarding

and protecting children in and through sport in the UK

Describe the CPSUs role in supporting sport to

safeguard children and young people

Outline challenges and successes

Outline drivers and recommendations for addressing

violence against children and young people in sports

contexts internationally

Child protection in sport

Children have the right to have fun and be safe in sport

Child protection is about best practice in sport

Sport provides easy access to someone who wants to

harm children

Close proximity of coaches, intense and competitive

atmosphere places children and adults in vulnerable

situations

Sport is uniquely placed to contribute to safeguarding the

welfare of children

Background to work in the UK to protect

children from violence in sports contexts

1990s high profile cases - criminal convictions of

sports coaches for offences of sexual and physical

violence against children

Paul Hickson 17 year sentence for abuse of young

swimmers caused media outrage, loss of confidence by

parents and loss of 1million sponsorship

Swimming, football, yachting approached National

Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children for help to

develop preventative measures as case numbers

increased

Background to work continued

Launch of Child Protection in Sport Unit in England and

Northern Ireland 2001 followed by Wales, joint funded by

sports councils and NSPCC, and in Scotland ( Children

1st host)

Sport England audit, Towards a Standard for

Safeguarding Children in Sport, identifies serious gaps

in systems, processes despite most governing bodies

reporting dealing with child protection cases

Background to work continued

Action plans put in place to support capacity of sport to

protect children

2002 Launch of Standards for Safeguarding and

Protecting Children in Sport in England mandatory for

funded sports and sports partnerships followed by

standards in place in all home countries

The Kubler Ross Change Curve

SHOCKDENIAL

INTEGRATION

DECISIONS

FRUSTRATION

DEPRESSION

EXPERIMENTS

The Kubler Ross change curve - case study:

The Amateur Swimming Association

1995-6 Bad press, loss of 1m sponsorship, negative

reactions from public

Frustration

1995 Sentence passed media frenzy. Hickson

described as a one off by CEO

Denial

1993 Hickson arrested, charged and convictedShock

Description of eventsStage of

Change

The Kubler Ross change curve - case study:

The Amateur Swimming Association

June 1996 New code of practice and materials

launched, subsequently revamped every 3 years

criminal record checks. Constitutional changes,

retrospective police checks and implementation of

new procedures.

Integration

1996 Agreement secured for systemic changesDecisions

1995-6 Constitutional changes and educational

materials discussed

Experimentation

1995-6 Ongoing negativity inside and outside the

sport

Depression

Safeguarding children in context

2002

Criminal Records Bureau provides access to criminal

records for voluntary and community sectors follows

high profile cases e.g. Dunblane shootings

2003

Inquiry report into the death of Victoria Climbi highlights

continued failures of organisations to protect children

Safeguarding children in context

2004

Every Child Matters : Change for Children government

strategy to improve outcomes for all children

underpinned by changes in law, government guidance

and plans for all organisations working with children

including sport

2006

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act aims to improve

safeguards in selection of staff and volunteers

Government guidance -Working Together to Safeguard

Children recognises the role sport has to play

Safeguarding children in context

2009

Child death inquiries lead to reviews of national systems

and structures

2010

Working Together to Safeguard Children revised

sports role re-iterated

Recruitment and selection requirements subject to

review

National Framework for Safeguarding &

Protecting Children

LEGISLATION

GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE

NATIONAL PROFESSIONAL

STANDARDS, POLICY,

PROCEDURES AND GUIDANCE

LOCAL SPORTS POLICY,

PROCEDURE AND

GUIDANCE

LOCAL STATUTORY AGENCY-

POLICY,

PROCEDURES AND GUIDANCE

All organisations providing services for children, parents or

families, or working with children, should have in place:

Safeguarding & Promoting

Childrens Welfare

Culture of listening

to and consulting with

children

Whistle blowing

procedures and culture

Procedures for dealing

with allegations against

staff / volunteers

Effective recruitment,

selection & contractual procedures

including

safeguarding checks

Clear lines of accountability

Senior management

commitment to

safeguarding

Arrangements to work with

other organisations

including information sharing

Arrangements for staff /

volunteer training

Safeguarding policies

including CP policy and

complaints procedures in line

with LSCB arrangements

Priorities in strategic

policy documents &

commissioning strategies

Understand how to work

together to address

online/new technology

risks

Working Together to Safeguard

Children (2010) Section 2.11

Child Protection in Sport Unit

Mission:

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

harm.

Role of CPSU

Lead voice/champion/pioneer for safeguarding and

protecting children in sport

Enabler/facilitator/advisor to sports organisations

Coordinator/influencer - promoting messages and

influencing policy

Independent expert - anticipating and interpreting

national safeguarding developments

Standards for Safeguarding

and Protecting Children in

Sport

Safeguarding base-line for sports organisations

Reflect governments statutory safeguarding

requirements and good practice

Standards for Safeguarding

and Protecting Children in

Sport

Condition of Sport England funding for governing bodies

and sports partnerships

Adopted voluntarily by many other sports organisations

and local authorities

Procedures

& SystemsEducation

& Training

Access to

Advice &

Support

Prevention

Equity

Codes of

Practice &

Behaviour

Communication

Policy Implementation

& Monitoring

Influencing

Key achievements

Joint commitment across sport to work together to

protect children -from government to local level, from

participation to elite

Recognition in government strategy, guidance and plans

Standards achievements enable sport to meet statutory

requirements

Establishment of network of trained designated persons

for child protection - national to club level

Key achievements continued

Development and roll out of national training

programmes especially for coaches

Establishment of effective systems for reporting and

responding to concerns about childrens welfare and

protection

Closer working relationships between sport and statutory

agencies

Development of research network

Improved quality of sport for children and young people

New Sector Safeguarding Strategy:

Call to Action 2010

Developed in consultation with Sport England, UK Sport,

Youth Sport Trust Government departments, national

governing bodies of sport and other key sports

stakeholders

Articulates an updated and revitalised vision for the

sports sector

Builds on progress made since CPSU inception in 2001

New Sector Safeguarding Strategy:

Call to Action 2010

Updates the Strategy for Safeguarding and Protecting

Children and Young People in Sport (2006)

Outlines safeguarding principles

Identifies key actions for organisations (sports, statutory

and others) to take individually and collectively to 2015

Challenges and barriers

Lack of ownership by senior managers in some

organisations

Acceptance of practices/cultures in sport which would

not be tolerated in other childrens settings

Lack of involvement of children in sport on matters which

concern them

False myths e.g. abuse only happens in sports where

little clothing is worn

Challenges and barriers