Safeguarding children in sport: a view from Rugby League - the policy process, participative cultures and local relationships

The national governing bodies of sport in the UK are now heavily involved in developing and delivering child protection policies. Research in this area is in its infancy. The impact that such policies have on sport and its participants is important to explore. This paper is based on the findings of the first phase of a research project which is evaluating the UK Rugby League’s child protection policy. The article identifies the current ‘state of play’ concerning child protection policy in sport and advocates for a clear policy process for individual sports clubs; the development of a participative culture which ‘voices’ children within sports clubs and organizations; and the development of identifiable relationships between statutory authorities and sports bodies.