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.
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Relevant legislation and statutory guidance
England
Working Together to Safeguard Children Act 2023 - Statutory guidance outlining how all those working with children should be working together, including multi-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Data Protection Act 2018 - This Act updates the data protection laws in the UK implementing the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which governs your personal data rights, and the way companies handle your data.
Children and Social Work Act 2017 -This is a law that aims to improve support for looked after children and care leavers, promote the welfare and safeguarding of children, and make provisions about the regulation of social workers. The law also creates new duties for police, health and the local authority to work together to protect and help children in their area.
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 - This Act covers various topics related to freedom of information, biometric data, surveillance, vehicles, criminal records, and human trafficking as well as the establishment of the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
Children Act 2004 - A development from the 1989 Act, it reinforces that all people and organisations working with children have a responsibility to help safeguard children and promote the safety and welfare of children across the UK.
Sexual Offences Act 2003 - This Act defines and regulates sexual offences, including the protection of children from harm from sexual acts and from those in positions of trust.
Human Rights Act 1998 - The Human Rights act sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that everyone in the UK is entitled to.
Children Act 1989 - This Act aims to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It gives duties and responsibilities to local authorities, courts, parents, and other agencies to protect children from harm and to meet their developmental needs. It is based on the idea that children are best cared for within their own families, but also allows for intervention when necessary.
Wales
Working together to safeguard people: code of safeguarding practice 2022 - this is the Welsh Government's expectations in relation to safeguarding arrangements.
Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020 - This Act helps protect children’s rights by prohibiting the physical punishment of children. This means physically punishing children is no longer acceptable in Wales for parents, carers and anyone acting in loco parentis in any setting in Wales.
Wales Safeguarding Procedures and Practice Guides 2019 - These guides detail the essential roles and responsibilities for practitioners to ensure that they safeguard children and adults who are at risk of abuse and neglect.
Data Protection Act 2018 - This Act updates the data protection laws in the UK implementing the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which governs your personal data rights, and the way companies handle your data.
Children and Social Work Act 2017 - This is a law that aims to improve support for looked after children and care leavers, promote the welfare and safeguarding of children, and make provisions about the regulation of social workers. The law also creates new duties for police, health and the local authority to work together to protect and help children in their area.
Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 - This provides the legal framework for improving the well-being of people who need care and support, carers who need support, and for transforming social services in Wales.
Rights of Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011 - This measure underlines Wales' commitment to children’s rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The measure places a duty on Ministers to have due regard to the UNCRC when developing or reviewing legislation and policy.
Children Act 2004 - A development from the 1989 Act, it reinforces that all people and organisations working with children have a responsibility to help safeguard children and promote the safety and welfare of children across the UK.
Human Rights Act 1998 - The Human Rights act sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that everyone in the UK is entitled to.
Children Act 1989 - This Act aims to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It gives duties and responsibilities to local authorities, courts, parents, and other agencies to protect children from harm and to meet their developmental needs. It is based on the idea that children are best cared for within their own families, but also allows for intervention when necessary.
Northern Ireland
Data Protection Act 2018 - This Act updates the data protection laws in the UK implementing the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which governs your personal data rights, and the way companies handle your data.
Cooperating to Safeguard Children and Young People 2017 (NI) - This policy replaces the ‘Co-operating to Safeguard Children’ guidance issued in 2003. It provides the overarching policy framework for safeguarding children and young people in the statutory, private, independent, community, voluntary and faith sectors.
Children and Social Work Act 2017 - This is a law that aims to improve support for looked after children and care leavers, promote the welfare and safeguarding of children, and make provisions about the regulation of social workers. The law also creates new duties for police, health and the local authority to work together to protect and help children in their area.
Children Act 2004 - A development from the 1989 Act, it reinforces that all people and organisations working with children have a responsibility to help safeguard children and promote the safety and welfare of children across the UK.
Human Rights Act 1998 - The Human Rights act sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that everyone in the UK is entitled to.
Children Act 1989 - This Act aims to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It gives duties and responsibilities to local authorities, courts, parents, and other agencies to protect children from harm and to meet their developmental needs. It is based on the idea that children are best cared for within their own families, but also allows for intervention when necessary.
Scotland
Data Protection Act 2018 - This Act updates the data protection laws in the UK implementing the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which governs your personal data rights, and the way companies handle your data.
Children and Social Work Act 2017 – This is a law that aims to improve support for looked after children and care leavers, promote the welfare and safeguarding of children, and make provisions about the regulation of social workers. The law also creates new duties for police, health and the local authority to work together to protect and help children in their area.
Children Act 2004 - A development from the 1989 Act, it reinforces that all people and organisations working with children have a responsibility to help safeguard children and promote the safety and welfare of children across the UK.
Human Rights Act 1998 - The Human Rights act sets out the fundamental rights and freedoms that everyone in the UK is entitled to.
Children Act 1989 - This Act aims to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. It gives duties and responsibilities to local authorities, courts, parents, and other agencies to protect children from harm and to meet their developmental needs. It is based on the idea that children are best cared for within their own families, but also allows for intervention when necessary.
Relevant guidance and reports
This guidance outlines the relevant reviews and reports for professionals working with children and young people in sport. Alongside these reviews, recommendation have been developed 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 which makes some important recommendations to improve and strengthen the disclosure and barring regime.
The Whyte Review 2022 - Sport England and UK Sport, co-commissioned a fully independent review into allegations of abuse in gymnastics. The Review was led by Anne Whyte QC and it 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.
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.
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 - The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has published a report looking at the research findings in relation to experiences of child sexual abuse in sport between the 1950s and 2010s. For a summary of this report, see our Report in to 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.