Safeguarding culture: towards a new approach to preventing child maltreatment in sport

Abstract

There is now undeniable evidence of child maltreatment in sport. This has provoked the gradual proliferation of safeguarding research aimed at protecting children from harm in sport. Such research recognises the need for a comprehensive and holistic approach that addresses individual, interpersonal and systemic contributors to child maltreatment in sport. This study sought to provide such an approach by applying the wellresearched concept of safety culture to safeguarding children in sport. The aim of this study was to conceptualise safety culture from a child safeguarding in sport perspective (i.e., safeguarding culture). To achieve this, 77 participants from five globally representative organisations took part in 45 Interviews and 7 focus groups. This produced 52 units of qualitative data which were analysed using thematic analysis.Findings suggested that safeguarding culture represents a holistic and integrated approach to prevent child maltreatment which comprises three first order themes; safety management systems, committed leadership and stakeholder engagement. These themes have dynamic and reciprocal relationships, with their ideal formation and application dependent on internal and external contextual factors. Based on these findings, the Safeguarding Culture in Sport Model is presented before practical implications, limitations and directions for future research are offered. By presenting a new approach and model to safeguarding children in sport, this study represents an important advancement of knowledge around safeguarding children in sport.

Comparing the strategies used to maintain the coach-athlete relationship in Japan and the United Kingdom

“…Overall, this research serves to illustrate that there are indeed cross-cultural variations and hence cultural factors merit consideration. This supports recent theoretical perspectives which have advocated for the importance of contextual influences when analysing coach-athlete [12,13]. Furthermore, strong associations were found between maintenance strategies and satisfaction in both the UK and Japan.…”

“…One social factor that has received less attention is the country and culture within which the coach-athlete interact [12,13]. One study examined the coach-athlete relationship in seven countries.…”

“…The effectiveness of this relationship is shaped by a range of intrapersonal, interpersonal and contextual factors [12]. There remains a need to explore the influence of cultural factors in shaping how relationship quality can be maintained and the impact of this on key outcomes [13]. The present study will address this need by exploring relationship maintenance and athlete satisfaction amongst university rowers in the United Kingdom (UK) and Japan.…”

Canadian Academy of Sport and Exercise Medicine Position Paper: The Clinician’s Role in Addressing and Preventing Maltreatment in Sport—10-year Anniversary

“…12,14,48,49 Given the relational dynamics and systemic features of sport and society that permit maltreatment, scholars have suggested that all stakeholders who are invested in and derive value from sport must share in the responsibility to effectively safeguard athletes. 7,50 Moreover, given their responsibility to facilitate safe and healthy performance environments, 47,49,50 sport medicine practitioners' role in safeguarding will be discussed with a clinical focus in the final sections of this paper.…”

Mental Toughness Development via Military-Style Training in the NCAA: A Three-Phase, Mixed-Method Study of the Perspectives of Strength and Conditioning Coaches

“…Lastly, SCCs confirm the presence of a potential ethical blurring [76] and appear mindful of the existence of inexperienced and/or uneducated peers. As a result, they ask for accountability, education [48], and the development of best practices based on a holistic approach [77].…”