Safeguarding guidance and legislation for sport
The following safeguarding legislation and statutory guidance exists to protect children and young people from harm. This page outlines the relevant legislation and statutory guidance which applies to professionals working with children and young people, including through sport and physical activity.
Children and the law
There are many laws across the UK which aim to keep children safe and protect their rights. These laws make sure children’s voices are heard, as well as outlining the following:
- when they can take part in various activities
- make sure they have access to education
- provide for children having a safe home
- provide support for children who need to leave home
- make sure children are safe if they decide to get a job
NSPCC Learning has an overview of the key legislation in these areas, to help you if you work with children.
For further reading about children's rights, visit the NSPCC Library and Information Service and search using the keyword "children's rights".
Legislation and statutory guidance relevant for sport and physical activity
This guidance outlines the relevant reviews and reports for professionals working with children and young people in sport. Alongside these reviews are recommendations to support the work to make organisations as safe as possible for children and young people.
Independent review of the Disclosure and Barring Regime 2023 – an independent review carried out by Simon Bailey CBE, QPM. This review looked into the effectiveness of the disclosure and barring regime in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and made nine recommendations to improve and strengthen the regime.
Swimming: Review of three cases of complaints relating to Swim England 2023 – Sport England commissioned an independent review, carried out by barrister Louis Weston. The review looked into how Swim England dealt with allegations of abuse and bullying, safeguarding processes and the culture of organisations' complaints processes. It made nine recommendations.
Gymnastics: The Whyte Review 2022 – Sport England and UK Sport, co-commissioned an independent review into allegations of abuse in gymnastics. The Review was led by Anne Whyte QC and heard from individual gymnasts, parents and carers as well as coaches, British Gymnastics staff, former staff and any other organisations and individuals who wanted to provide information. For further information see our guidance on The key themes, learning and recommendations from the review.
Football: Sheldon report 2021 – the FA commissioned an independent report into the allegations of non-recent child sexual abuse allegations in football. The report was led by Clive Sheldon QC. For a summary and the learning from this report, see our Sheldon report guidance.
Athletics: UK Athletics independent safeguarding review 2021 – an independent review of historical safeguarding cases involving sexual activity or grooming with a child or adult at risk, where this did not result in a permanent ban for UK Athletics. The independent review of previous cases was commissioned by former UKA chief executive Joanna Coates and conducted by Christopher Quinlan QC.
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse 2020 – a report looking at the research findings in relation to experiences of child sexual abuse in sport from the 1950s to the 2010s. For a summary of this report, see our Report into child sexual abuse in sport.
Duty of care in sport review 2017 – This report, published in April 2017, followed a review of the Duty of Care that sport has towards participants. The review was led by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson. For a summary of this review, see our Duty of care in sport review.