British Cycling were among those who actively took part in the NSPCC’s Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week which launched on Monday 7 October.
The all-year-round campaign aims to raise awareness of safeguarding in sports and activity clubs to create safer sporting environments for children across the country.
A week of action was launched in Manchester last Monday, where NSPCC CEO Sir Peter Wanless discussed safeguarding in sport with panels including Team Jamaica weightlifting Olympian Chloe Whylie, the BAFTA winning and former NBA basketball star Fay Greaves and NSPCC lived-experience volunteer David Lean, who was abused by former football coach Barry Bennell. British Cycling CEO, Jon Dutton OBE opened proceedings at the event.
Last year (2023/24), more than 400 concerns were raised by adults to the NSPCC Helpline about children in sports settings. Over a fifth of these were about sexual abuse and exploitation (22%) and one in seven about emotional abuse (14%).
Through the Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport campaign, the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) aims to empower parents and carers to feel confident in their role in keeping children safe, while helping clubs and teams understand how they can foster a protective and inclusive environment. As part of this year’s campaign, clubs, coaches, and parents across the country are being urged to host a Team Huddle event — a fun and informal gathering that brings people together to raise awareness and create meaningful discussions around safeguarding.
British Cycling CEO, Jon Dutton OBE, said: “At British Cycling, we are proud to stand alongside the NSPCC in supporting ‘Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport’ Week. Ensuring that children are safe, supported, and protected in every sporting environment is an absolute priority for us.
“There should be no barriers to reporting abuse or harm within sports clubs, and we take this responsibility very seriously. It’s encouraging to see the NSPCC’s Childline and Helpline empowering people of all ages to speak up, but we know there is still more work to do. Our event today is just the beginning—we hope it sparks not only a positive week of awareness but a year-round commitment to action across all sports. Every child deserves to enjoy their sporting experience in a safe and secure environment.”
To find out more about how to get involved with the campaign, visit thecpsu.org.uk/safeinsport