Exploring Child Protection Policies in Sports

Essay by EssaySwap ContributorUniversity, Bachelor's February 2008

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Abstract The emergence of several child abuse cases in sport in the last two decades has highlighted the need for policy development with the regards of safeguarding children in sport. ?Sport organizations have, in general, continued to act if such things (Sexual abuse) could not occur in the pristine world of sport? (Donnelly & Sparks, 1997).

The adoption of such naïve views has in the past hindered attempts by child protection groups to develop such polices. Through the researching publications such as those of NSPCC and CPSU it is possible to develop an interview measuring qualitative data, in order to measure the state of present policy implementation in schools and sport complex?s.

Although recently, since cases such as these involving Thomas Hamilton (1996) and Mike Drew (2001) the acceptance by governing bodies, of the need for policy development has arose, but the proper implementation of such policies appear incomplete. The initial research indicates both the necessities of educating those involved in the sport of the importance of safeguarding children in sport and of the responsibility, that they, as an adult have to children to implement the policies.

Introduction Recent cases of child abuse has pushed those involved in sport to stand up and accept that children are being exploited and harmed in sport by a minority, by those trusted to look after the welfare and development of our children - coaches, teachers, social workers.

In June 2001 Mike Drew, former president of the British Swimming Association and one of the leading coaches in the UK, was sentenced to eight years for ten offences of indecent assault on swimmers.

There has, for a long time, been a reluctance by sporting organisations to accept that many of the eight million children that play sport every week (statistics adapted from www.cpsu.co.uk 25/11/03) are...