Read the latest statistics and snapshots based on child welfare contacts to the NSPCC Helpline and Childline from 2024/25 where the location of concern was a sports setting or where the person contacting was a sports professional (coach, club staff, volunteer).
Download the interactive presentation (PowerPoint show auto-load)
NSPCC Helpline data period April 2024 - March 2025
In 2024/25, the NSPCC Helpline received 623 contacts from adults across the UK with concerns about a child’s welfare in a sports setting, up from 425 the previous year.
The most common concerns were about sexual abuse or exploitation, emotional abuse and physical abuse.
“My 14-year-old daughter has told me about a dance teacher at her school who has been engaging in relationships with other pupils that I believe are inappropriate. Apparently, this teacher communicates with some of the girls over text and meets up with them outside of class.” Parent/Carer - NSPCC Helpline
“I have deep concerns over the conduct of a certain athletics coach in my area. A child who attends this club has told me how the coach physically and psychologically abuses them and their fellow teammates on a regular basis. Apparently they’ve been told by the coach this is to make them better athletes, and that being shouted at or hit is better than losing at their sport. The child is terrified of this coach and is understandably concerned about how reporting this could affect their place on the team. That said, is it possible to continue with this complaint without him finding out who we are?” Adult member of the public, NSPCC Helpline
The Helpline also handled a total of 135 contacts from sports professionals, including coaches, club staff, and volunteers in 2024/25. This number was more than three times the number of contacts received the previous year.
Where details were shared with the Helpline, 61% of the concerns from sports professional’s related to the child’s parents or caregiver
A rugby coach who trains under-12s told the Helpline: “Tonight, I witnessed a parent push their child twice really hard in the chest. They then shouted at him aggressively, enough to make him cry.
“Even before this incident, this boy was silent throughout training which is not like him. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. As a person of trust, I have a duty of care to report this. I hope you can help.”
A gymnastics coach also told the Helpline: “I’m concerned for the welfare of a 9-year-old boy in my gymnastics class. His name is Dylan. Recently, I observed some heavy-handed pulling by Dylan’s grandmother, along with verbal threats such as ‘If you don’t behave I will smack you’. I have reported this to British Gymnastics already, but I wanted to send this to you in case any other concerns have been raised for this child or adult?”
NSPCC Childline data period April 2024 - March 2025
In 2024/25, Childline delivered 70 counselling sessions where the location of concern was a sports setting. This was a decrease of 18% compared to 2023/24, when there were 85 counselling sessions.
The most common concern was mental/emotional health, making up more than two fifths (41%) of counselling sessions. This was followed by bullying, friendship issues and sexual abuse/exploitation.
“Today at my gymnastics class when we were doing conditioning I got yelled at by the coaches and told I was lazy and wasn‘t trying hard enough. It’s frustrating cos I was trying just as hard as everyone else but clearly my best isn’t good enough – it feels like the coaches were picking on me for no reason.” Girl, 14, Childline
“I’m scared to go back to my swimming class after one of the girls kept staring at me in the shower and when I was trying to get changed. It really creeped me out so I told my mum about it but she didn’t believe me – she just said I was imagining things. The thought of going back again makes me sick, but mum says I have to. I don’t know what I’m meant to do about it if she doesn’t believe me.” Girl, 12, Childline
“My parents pay for me to go to a tennis academy which I have to travel to every weekend. I do appreciate what my parents do for me but at the same time they put so much pressure on me to win. They often get mad whenever I make a mistake on court or lose a match. This causes me to get anxious and negative about myself which makes me play even worse. I wish they would remember that I’m a child, not a superhuman and I’m not going to improve overnight.” Girl, 12, Childline
*Snapshots are based on real service users but are not necessarily direct quotes. All names and potentially identifying details have been changed to protect the identity of the child, young person or adult involved.
We report on data about Helpline child welfare contacts, rather than the number of adults who contact us, or the number of children in concern contacts. Concerned adults can contact us multiple times; multiple contacts may discuss the same child/ren, and contacts may discuss multiple children.
Childline counsellors can record the location of a child or young person’s concern, whenever this information is provided. Counsellors choose from a pre-defined list of options. One of these options is ‘Sports setting.’
Interactive presentation (PowerPoint show auto-load)Further information
For more research, data and statistics about concerns raised in relation to sport, take a look at the below reports: