Parents across the North urged to join NSPCC's call to play their part in keeping children safe in sport

THE NSPCC launches sports safety campaign backed by sports clubs across the North and Sir Bradley Wiggins as new poll reveals 14% of parents surveyed within the North of England are not confident they could spot the signs if their child was suffering sexual, physical or emotional abuse at their local sports club.

The research carried out by YouGov on behalf of the children's charity also found that 8% of parents surveyed across the North were not confident they knew how to raise concerns with their child's sports club about their child's safety. The NSPCC wants to ensure that all parents have the knowledge and confidence to raise safeguarding concerns. The figures are based on 226 parents of children aged 3 to 16 years old who attend sports clubs across the North.

Furthermore, new data has revealed the number of contacts to the NSPCC Helpline from adults from across the UK with safeguarding questions or concerns about children in a sports setting has almost doubled in the last 5 years.

The NSPCC's Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week campaign, backed by the Football Association (The FA) and abuse survivor Sir Bradley Wiggins, was launched on Monday, 3 October 2022. It offers advice and information to empower parents to play a key role in helping to keep their children safe in sport.

The campaign aims to provide parents and carers with the right knowledge and resources so they can make confident informed decisions when raising concerns with their child's sport club. Advice tools and supporting information are available from the NSPCC and its Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU).

Paul Stewart, a former Premiership and International footballer who played for Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool, was sexually abused by a football coach as a child, and now works to promote safety in sport. He said:- "It is absolutely vital that safeguarding is a top priority in children's sport. And the importance of campaigns such as the NSPCC's Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week, which raises awareness of the issue and empowers parents to play their part, cannot be understated. Strong safeguarding policies in sport clubs and good parental awareness of them make it much harder for abusers to target children in these environments. That is why it is so important that parents and carers know how to access safeguarding information for their child's club, are able to identify signs of abuse and have the confidence to speak out about any issues. Every child should be able to enjoy sport without the risk of abuse."

A free dedicated NSPCC helpline commissioned by British Cycling has been set up in response to a number of individuals speaking out about non-recent abuse, including former professional cyclist Sir Bradley Wiggins CBE, who revealed earlier this year he had been groomed by a former coach.

Sir Bradley said:- "I back the NSPCC's Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week campaign which strives to prevent abuse of any kind happening to children in sport. We must make sport safe for children, and make it easier for parents, and indeed all people in sport, to recognise and understand how they themselves can support a safer sports environment."

An adult who experienced abuse as a child in sport told an NSPCC Helpline practitioner:- "The gymnastics club I went to as a child was obsessed with diets and the weight of the gymnasts. The gymnasts were weighed twice a week. If they were considered overweight or fat, their weights were written on a whiteboard for everyone to read, the gymnasts were shouted at and humiliated by the coaches. As a result of their cruelty, I developed an eating disorder."

Sue Ravenlaw, FA Head of Safeguarding, said:- "We all have a part to play in keeping children safe in football, and indeed all sport, so we must ensure safeguarding and child protection is central to everything we do. Play Safe helps clubs and leagues to raise awareness of their safeguarding practice and, importantly this year, encourages parents and carers to complete The FA's free bespoke course. Play Safe naturally aligns with and shows our support for the NSPCC's Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week campaign."

As well as social media support from sporting clubs and figures across the country, virtual webinars for parents to promote safeguarding in youth sport will run throughout the week, including by the:- 'Premier League' and another by:- 'The Young Gamers' and 'Gamblers Education Trust (YGAM).'

Michelle North, Director of the NSPCC's Child Protection in Sport Unit, said:- "For many of us, it was playing at our local grassroots sports clubs as children where we 1st encountered a deep lifelong love and passion for sport. Every child and young person deserves to enjoy sport in an environment that is safe from abuse and harm and where they can play within a culture that advocates for their care and wellbeing. Parents and carers play a key role in keeping children safe in sport. This is why during the NSPCC's Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week campaign, we want to empower parents and carers with the knowledge, information and confidence needed to uphold child safeguarding."

For more information about the campaign and to gain access to the supporting resources please visit:- NSPCC.Org.UK/SafeInSport.
 

Merseyside charities celebrate share of £1million fund

Merseyside Care Workers Launch Campaign for Pay Rise