At the same time we were developing close links with the Football Association and this led to the development and launch of the FA Child Protection policy and procedures in May 2000 with the concurrent development of a Procedures Handbook, to be launched in September 2000. The numbers of children who are actively involved in sport is approximately 8 million. So sport provides easy access to someone who wants to harm children. The nature of some sporting activities, the close proximity of coaches and others, the intense and competitive atmosphere generated, particularly at competition level, places children in potentially vulnerable situations. On the other hand, the close relationships forged with coaches and others, mean that sport is in a unique position to play a part in the protection of children who may be being harmed at home and need a safe and trusting adult to confide in.
Children have the right to have fun and be safe in the activities they are involved in.
This means that child protection in sport is about good practice and a growing awareness that sport needs to take its responsibility to children seriously. To provide advice and support to Governing bodies and umbrella organisations 2. To influence the development of a cross sport strategy culminating in the creation of a Child Protection in Sport Unit 3. We are working with a wide range of individual sporting organisations and a list of these is attached separately. Tom Narducci, National Consultancy Services Manager, has also been involved with the FA and is currently engaged in writing the new procedures handbook which will cover all parts of football, at all levels.