Consult on the participation of U18 and Adults at Risk in the highest levels of senior international high-performance sport, and the options available to policy makers to ensure a safe environment is provided.

Award outcome

Description

The purpose of this consultation is to examine the breadth and experience of youth participation in the highest levels of elite international sport, and to make policy recommendations to ensure their safeguarding and welfare remains paramount. reas for consultation should include: • The breadth of athletes for which competing in senior top level international sport as a minor, is commonplace. • For the purposes of this project, we are looking to explore athlete's experiences at, but not limited to, Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, Commonwealth Games, World Cups/Championships, European Championships, overseas training camps. • The current measures in place to support and protect these individuals as they engage with such experiences. • Identification of key risks • Recommendations for risk mitigation and potential levels of support which should be put in place. • The level of time commitment to training to compete at international competition and for participation on their World Class Programme. Methodology Whilst there is not a fixed view on the methodology which should be used, a solely quantitative approach is unlikely to provide the richness of insight required. Therefore, we would expect qualitative methods to be deployed either solely or as part of a mixed methods approach. We welcome suggestions on the optimal approach to this project. Sample We anticipate the research will explore the experiences of those competing whilst U18 (both current and retired), their families and support staff, with a focus on early specialisation sports (e.g. Aquatics, Gymnastics, Ski & Snowboard, Skateboarding). Areas to consider: • Differences across Olympic and Paralympic sports • Any circumstances which may increase an athlete's risk e.g. family circumstances. • Any differences within demographics • Experience at international competitions • Are experiences at competition with anti-doping as expected and sufficiently supported? • Cost implications of widening this research to U25s. • Alignment with UK Sport's Safe Sport Project - undertaken by an independent project lead, to consult partners and set out recommendations on how we - as a system- could fundamentally reshape the culture, functions and services underpinning the provision of safe sport in the future. The selected supplier will be expected to align with the findings from this work to ensure no duplication of work and to understand the landscape of work which has taken place. Risks: Appointed supplier needs to have demonstrable experience in interviewing young people and dealing with sensitive topics with a clear understanding that the safeguarding of the research participants is top priority. Athlete recruitment: we welcome innovative suggestions on how we may engage with our athletes to ensure the optimum breadth of insight, especially those who may not engage with traditional survey methods. Key Deliverables: • Establish a relevant body of evidence, taking into consideration the professional sporting landscape alongside Olympic and Paralympic sports. • Identify key source information required and stakeholder groups for consultation • Design and deliver an appropriate consultation process, with the youth athlete voice at the heart and detail of the optimal engagement strategy for this cohort. • Deliver a report of findings with policy recommendations. Timeframe This research is related to the Whyte Review recommendations and therefore is a priority piece of work.

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