This report summarises the NSPCC’s 25/26 impact across safeguarding in sport in the UK. It brings together delivery data, website and social media statistics and partner feedback. It highlights what we did, what impact it had and what we learned.
Download the year in review report (PDF)
Our year in review
Over the past year, we have strengthened our role as a trusted safeguarding partner to the sport and physical activity sector, while responding to fast-changing risks, rising demand and growing expectations around accountability.
Strengthening safeguarding through system change
We continued to embed a more proportionate and risk-based approach to safeguarding assurance across England. Working closely with Sport England and system partners, the team focused support where safeguarding risk was greatest while keeping clear standards and assurance.
Our assurance approach increasingly combined desktop reviews, targeted conversations, and responsive support. This helped sports organisations focus on meaningful safeguarding improvements rather than just compliance and enabled the team to prioritise capacity where it mattered most.
We strengthened our role as a trusted safeguarding expert by securing a contract with the England Football Association to support its Safeguarding 365 approach. Delivered by our specialist consultancy team, this work combines independent assurance and tailored support to help clubs embed safeguarding into everyday practice and leadership decision-making.
Supporting parents to play their part
The Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport campaign stayed a flagship programme, reinforcing the vital role parents and carers play in creating positive, safe sporting experiences for children. Campaign delivery was supported by strong partnerships across the sport system. Our monitoring shows thousands of parents accessed advice, tools and conversation prompts to help them support their children and speak up when something doesn’t look right.
Responding to online and emerging risks
Demand for online safety guidance continued to grow as sport increasingly operates in digital spaces. Use of our online safety content increased significantly, reflecting heightened concern about online abuse, harmful behaviour, and inappropriate contact.
In response, we published new and updated guidance addressing:
- online abuse and harmful behaviour in sport
- safe use of digital platforms and apps
- responsible use of artificial intelligence in youth sport
This work positions us at the forefront of emerging safeguarding challenges, supporting organisations to keep children safe both on and off the field of play.
Building confidence through training and advice
Across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, we delivered training, advice, and support to a wide range of sport, physical activity, and leisure organisations. Training feedback consistently showed high satisfaction levels, with participants reporting increased confidence in spotting concerns, responding appropriately, and embedding safeguarding into leadership and governance.
In Northern Ireland, we responded to a high volume of safeguarding enquiries, with the majority handled promptly. This reflects our role as a trusted source of expert advice.
Download the year in review (PDF)You might also like
To read more detail about our work, we've selected some of our blogs and new stories from the past year:
- Keeping athletes safe for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics
- Working with Sport England system partners to strengthen safeguarding in sport
- National Safeguarding in Wales Week
- Reflecting on the Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport 2025 campaign
- 2025-10 Safeguarding Lead Support Forum for Wales
- Free training about proposed law on reporting child sexual abuse
- Behind the scenes: building a campaign that puts children first
- Understanding unconscious bias in sport
- Helping young people speak up with the Premier League