The Child Protection in Sport Unit have been providing information on their website on how to keep young people safe online.

Online technology continues to advance and change the way people communicate and interact on a daily basis.

Sports organisations, coaches and others involved in providing activities for children and young people are increasingly using the internet and social media to promote sport and communicate with them. 

These forms of digital media and communication can provide great benefits. However, they can also pose potential safeguarding risks to children and young people. 

Potential risks for young people

Online safety risks for young people can include, but are not limited to:

• posting personal information that can identify and locate a child offline

• potential for inappropriate relationships between adults in positions of trust and the young people they work with

• sexual grooming, luring, exploitation and abuse, or unwanted contact

• exposure to inappropriate content, including pornography, racist or hate material or violent behaviour

• glorifying activities such as drug taking or excessive drinking

Take a look at their online safety section to find out how you can help keep the children in your sport safe online: https://thecpsu.org.uk/help-advice/topics/online-safety/