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