Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that (a) children, (b) young people and (c) vulnerable adults are safeguarded while participating in (i) regulated and (ii) unregulated (A) grassroots sports, (B) civil society groups and (C) religious groups.

The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone is vitally important. In sport, National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm, including through adherence to statutory safeguarding guidance. Our Arm’s Length Body Sport England funds the Child Protection in Sport Unit and Ann Craft Trust to provide guidance and support for the sector regarding safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.

For civil society groups, The Charity Commission provides clear guidance on the safeguarding responsibilities of registered charities, and the Government works in partnership with charities and regulators to raise awareness about safeguarding.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) also provides guidance to all voluntary organisations, including religious groups, on their legal safeguarding responsibilities when working with children, young people, and vulnerable adults.