Athletes, celebrities and safeguarding professionals are calling on sports and activity clubs, teams, parents and carers across the UK to take part in the NSPCC’s Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week.
This year, Active Partnerships, National Governing Bodies (NGBs), sports clubs and even footballer turned presenter Alan Shearer, are backing the campaign, which runs all year-round to raise awareness of safeguarding in sports and activity clubs to create safer sporting environments for children across the country.
A week of action launched today 07 October with a star-studded event held at British Cycling headquarters in Manchester, where NSPCC CEO Sir Peter Wanless discussed safeguarding in sport with panels including Team Jamaica weightlifting Olympian Chloe Whylie, the BAFTA winning and former NBA basketball star Fay Greaves and NSPCC lived-experience volunteer David Lean, who was abused by former football coach Barry Bennell.
Last year (2023/24), more than 400 concerns were raised by adults to the NSPCC Helpline about children in sports settings. Over a fifth of these were about sexual abuse and exploitation (22%) and one in seven about emotional abuse (14%).
Through the Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport campaign, the NSPCC's Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) aims to empower parents and carers to feel confident in their role in keeping children safe, while helping clubs and teams understand how they can foster a protective and inclusive environment. As part of this year’s campaign, clubs, coaches, and parents across the country are being urged to host a Team Huddle event — a fun and informal gathering that brings people together to raise awareness and create meaningful discussions around safeguarding.
Alan Shearer said:
“As a parent and someone who has spent a lifetime in sport, I understand the vital role sport plays in shaping young lives. That's why I'm proud to support the NSPCC's 'Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport' Week. Ensuring that our children can enjoy their sports in a safe, supportive environment is not just important, it's essential.
“Parents have a key role to play in protecting their children, and this campaign is all about raising awareness and empowering them to act. Sport should be a place where kids thrive, learn, and have fun, and every child deserves to feel safe while doing what they love."
The NSPCC's CEO, Sir Peter Wanless, said:
“By participating in this year's campaign, clubs are showing that they are serious about creating a safe, inclusive, and enjoyable sporting environment for young people.” Each year, Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week gets stronger and it provides an opportunity to reflect on how we can all work together to ensure that every child can participate in sport free from harm.”
British Cycling CEO, Jon Dutton OBE, continued:
"At British Cycling, we are proud to stand alongside the NSPCC in supporting 'Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport' Week. Ensuring that children are safe, supported, and protected in every sporting environment is an absolute priority for us.
“There should be no barriers to reporting abuse or harm within sports clubs, and we take this responsibility very seriously. It’s encouraging to see the NSPCC’s Childline and Helpline empowering people of all ages to speak up, but we know there is still more work to do. Our event today is just the beginning—we hope it sparks not only a positive week of awareness but a year-round commitment to action across all sports. Every child deserves to enjoy their sporting experience in a safe and secure environment."
Michelle North, Head of the CPSU, added:
“Safeguarding children in sport is a shared responsibility. This campaign gives us the opportunity to come together as a community to ensure that the safety and well-being of young athletes are always our top priority. By getting involved in this initiative, sports clubs, coaches, and parents can help create a culture where safeguarding is embedded in every aspect of the sporting experience. We think by hosting team huddles across the country, this can have an enormous impact and can help a positive change in attitudes.”
Any clubs taking part in Team Huddles can share their experiences on social media using the hashtag #SafeinSport and help spread the word about the importance of safeguarding practices and celebrate the efforts being made at the grassroots level to protect young athletes.