How can sport be a protective factor for children going through adversity, trauma or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)?
Approximately half of the English population have experienced one or more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) during childhood or adolescence (Institute of Health Equity) and 1 in 5 children in the UK have suffered abuse (NSPCC).
ACEs is a framework used to understand and raise awareness of how stress and adversity in childhood can affect children over time, but they are not diagnoses and should never be used to label individual children.
What matters most is how we support children who are living with stress and trauma. Safe, calm and consistent adults in sport and physical activity can act as powerful protective factors, helping children feel secure, valued and able to cope, even when their lives are difficult.
What do we mean by adversity?
Childhood adversity can include a variety of experiences that build-up stress and trauma. Some professionals refer to some of these experiences as ACEs. Some experiences involve harm and meet safeguarding thresholds (such as domestic abuse, physical or sexual abuse, and neglect). Other experiences may not meet thresholds but can still have a significant impact on a child's wellbeing and overall feeling of safety (such as parental mental ill-health, substance use, bereavement, or housing instability).
If you suspect abuse or neglect, you should always follow your organisation's safeguarding procedures.
How to support children
You don’t need to know the details of a child’s experience to act. You can give them a safe and protective space by:
- offering predictable routines, clear boundaries and a calm tone, which can help children feel safer
- noticing patterns over time, for example changes in their attendance, mood, behaviour, injuries, clothing, equipment, changes in who collects them
- talking supportively by using open questions, listening, and avoiding promises of secrecy
- reducing practical barriers where you can (discreet kit support schemes, flexible communication with carers) without taking on an investigative role
- recording concerns factually and sharing them with your safeguarding lead or local services if appropriate
- signposting appropriately (young carers services, bereavement support, family support) alongside safeguarding processes
Examples of adversity
When a parent goes to prison
Every year, around 192,000 children in England and Wales experience the imprisonment of a parent or carer (Government statistics). Many families go through this alone, because they fear stigma or judgement if they share this information.
Children may experience:
- sudden separation without explanation
- financial or housing instability
- feelings of shame, secrecy or loyalty conflicts
- emotional distress that is rarely shared or recognised
What can your sport do to help children with a parent in prison? Focus on stability, avoid assumptions and keep an eye out for any bullying or discrimination. Having a parent in prison is often a hidden trauma. Children carry it quietly into sport, school and other community spaces. If you suspect or are told a parent has been imprisoned, charities like Children Heard and Seen can help.
Being a young carer
There are approximately 120,000 children in England (Carers Trust) that provide care for a parent or family member affected by illness, disability, mental ill‑health, substance use or other needs. Many young carers don’t see themselves as carers and may never ask for help.
They may:
- be physically and emotionally exhausted
- miss activities or arrive late
- take on adult levels of responsibility
- struggle to focus or relax
What can your sport do to help young carers? For them, sport can be one of the only spaces where they get to just be a child. Let them enjoy themselves, reduce pressure and be open to signposting to local young carers support, which you can get from your local authority.
Changes to who a child lives with
Children may experience changes to where they live and who they live with, through foster or kinship care. Some experience multiple placements over time. There are approximately 107,000 children in care in the UK (NSPCC).
In sport settings, this can look like:
- frequent changes of club or team
- difficulty trusting adults
- strong reactions to boundaries or feedback
What can your sport do to help children in care? Offer routine, inclusion and consistency; this can make a real difference. Provide a warm welcome, especially after an absence, which can help create a sense of belonging. Keep safeguarding information up to date.
Losing a loved one
Around one child in every classroom has lost a parent or sibling and grief can affect children long after the death itself (Childhood Bereavement Network).
In sport, this may appear as:
- loss of confidence
- strong emotional responses
- withdrawal from teammates
What can your sport do to help bereaved children? Sport professionals can be among the first to notice a change, even when the loss happened months or years earlier. Respond to change with empathy and let them know however they feel is okay. It might be suitable to signpost the family to local bereavement services.
Parental substance use, mental ill‑health and instability
Some children live with ongoing stress due to parents struggling with alcohol or drug use, mental ill‑health, or instability. This can affect routines, emotional stability and safety.
These experiences can involve:
- inconsistent care or routines
- emotional neglect, even without intent
- children taking on caring or protective roles
- increased vulnerability inside and outside the home
What can your sport do to help children with ongoing stress? You don’t need to understand everything that is going on but you do need to notice patterns and respond calmly. If there are signs of neglect, criminal activity or other abuse, always follow safeguarding procedures.
What to do if something doesn’t feel right
There is no single sign that tells you what is happening at home. It’s also not your role to discover everything a child is going through. Patterns and change matter. How adults show up consistently matters.
You might notice any of the behaviour previously mentioned, or:
- sudden changes in behaviour or mood
- ongoing tiredness, hunger or lack of equipment
- fear or reluctance to go home or strong attachment to sessions
- heightened responses to raised voices or criticism
- withdrawal, anger or loss of confidence
- regular unexplained absences
If you’re worried about a child:
- notice and record what you see — facts, not assumptions
- respond calmly and supportively
- report concerns following your organisation’s safeguarding procedures
- signpost to local services that can help where appropriate
If a child is in immediate danger, contact emergency services. For advice on any worries about a child, contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000.
Safeguarding scenarios
We have developed safeguarding scenarios for sport that focus on harm and adversity in and around the home. These can be used as a guide for learning and reflective discussion, giving safeguarding leads more confidence in noticing concerns surrounding home environments and how to respond.
The scenarios are not designed to test knowledge or reach conclusions. They are about thinking together, noticing patterns and practising appropriate responses.
The powerpoint below includes suggestions on how to use them, discussion questions and key safeguarding framing for facilitators.
The scenarios have been made up using stock photos and AI voices. They are not based on real people.
Download safeguarding scenarios powerpoint