Case data collection research project

The case data collection tool is a piece of research coordinated between the CPSU and Loughborough University to capture data about safeguarding cases in sport. 

Development of the tool

The need to collect data about safeguarding issues in sport in a standardised way was identified in the 2017 Duty of Care in Sport – Independent Report to Government.

Following this, work began to develop the case data collection tool. The collaboration began with Dr Daniel Rhind, of Loughborough University, CPSU consultants and a small group of NGBs. The group worked together to create a common template to collect safeguarding case data.

The tool was piloted and further refined through 2017 and 2018. It has since been used by NGBs of varying size and structure.

This standardised data collected by the tool each year is anonymised and analysed to identify themes and trends. 

The threshold for cases to be included in the analysis was that the case was judged to be sufficiently serious to involve referral to, consultation with, or contact from the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), children’s services or the police. However following a pilot, the research is now also collecting information about lower level safeguarding adults' concerns.

The research is co-ordinated by a focus group that includes representatives from NGBs, as well as Dr Rhind, the CPSU, Sport England and Sport Wales.

Benefits of this research

The information gathered is vital to:

• identify safeguarding trends across the sector
• inform learning
• inform campaigns
• plan support services for sports organisations
• identify and address the sector’s case-management resource needs moving forward

Taking part in the research

For NGBs wishing to take part, written guidance on using the case data collection tool is provided, and members of the focus group are available to provide implementation support.

Participating NGBs are using the tool in the way that suits them best:

• some adopted the tool as a basis for their own case management system
• some integrated it within their existing system
• some operate the tool alongside their established system

NGBs are required to submit data to CPSU using the collection tool once a year.

If you work for an NGB and would like to contribute case data to this research, please email us at cpsu@nspcc.org.uk

Latest findings

Download the latest report

Each year the anonymised data is analysed and a report is produced to show the key findings. 

Safeguarding concerns inside and outside sport settings

The research showed that 55%, or 2,102, child safeguarding concerns raised were from outside sport. This refers to abuse that has taken place in a different context to the sporting environment, but which relates to an individual who is involved in sport.

The remaining 45% of child safeguarding concerns were reported from within a sporting environment, which totalled 1,721 cases.

Child-on-child abuse

In the last 12 months, there has been a significant increase in cases of child-on-child abuse. Non-contact sexual abuse is now involved in 25% of such cases. The annual average from 2018 to 2022 was 2%. There was also a rise in child-on-child sexual abuse. The annual average from 2018 to 2022 was 3%, and in 2022 to 2023 the rate was 27%.

Online safety

The analysis showed that 33% of cases involved online activity. In particular, 87% of non-contact sexual abuse cases occurred online.

Lower-level poor practice concerns

There have been proportionally more cases classified as poor practice in the last 12 months. Between 2018 and 2023, poor practice concerns have seen a 13% increase, from 11% to 24% of all cases.

Adult cases

In the latest 12 months of data, cases which only involved adults were included for the first time. This included adults as both the alleged perpetrator and the victim. There was a total of 98 adult safeguarding cases, recorded by five NGBs, with 48% concerning behaviour inside sport, and 52% outside sport.

Contact sexual abuse was the most reported form of adult concern at 32%. Physical abuse made up 24% of reports, and 13% were reports of general welfare concerns, such as mental health and self-harm concerns.

What do these results mean for CPSU and the sector?

CPSU welcome this research to provide further information to inform practice, learning and campaigning around safeguarding children and young people in sport and physical activity. In particular, CPSU will take forward the following areas in response to the findings:

• Providing more learning opportunities around harmful sexual behaviour by young people, for those working in safeguarding in sport.
• Working with NSPCC colleagues to strengthen our guidance around online safety. We will also signpost to organisations who specialise in the online safety space for specific training and guidance.
• Integrating findings from this research within training and presentations.
• Supporting organisations to consider and manage lower-level concerns, in anticipation of the expansion of this project to encompass this area.