NSPCC Scotland calls for review of child protection scheme amid football abuse probe

By The Press Association27th January 2017News ScotlandChild Abuse, Government / Politics, News Scotland, Non-Recent / Historic Abuse, Sexual Abuse

A charity has called for a review of the system that registers people who work with children amid allegations of historical child abuse in football.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has urged the Scottish Government to strengthen protection for children and young people in sport and beyond.

Last week it was revealed Police Scotland is investigating 130 reports of child sexual abuse in football, with two arrests made.

The NSPCC said the scandal highlighted gaps in child protection which could make young people vulnerable to being abused.

It is campaigning for a review of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) system in Scotland, which registers people who work with children and vulnerable adults, to ensure it is effective.
The charity said some organisations were not seeking PVG checks in circumstances where individuals would be supervised in their contact with children and emphasised everyone working with minors should be members of the scheme.

The NSPCC wants position-of-trust laws, which make it illegal for professionals such as teachers and social workers to have sex with 16 and 17-year-old children in their care, to be extended to cover sports coaches and youth workers.

It has also urged ministers to introduce local authority-designated officers, who are responsible for overseeing allegations of abuse concerning adults who work with children in other parts of the UK.

Matt Forde, national head of service for NSPCC Scotland, said: “The PVG system has been operational for five years and so we want to make sure that it is operating effectively and consistently, that organisations are clear when checks are necessary and that adults who work with children are members of the scheme.

“It is remarkable that the roles like sports coaches are not considered to be a position of trust by law, given the significant amount of responsibility, influence and authority that an individual in this role can hold in a young person’s life.

“Sadly, we know that this trust can be abused and it is therefore vital that this legal definition is widened to include sports coaches and other youth workers, bolstering protection for teenagers at risk of grooming once they pass the age of consent.

“We also think there is more we could do to co-ordinate our response to allegations and support organisations who may be unsure of how best to manage situations where there are concerns about an individual.”