How sports organisations can better safeguard children from diverse backgrounds: Lessons from the ‘It’s Silent’ report
In March 2025, the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel published its latest report: “It’s Silent”: Race, racism and safeguarding children[1]. The Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel is an independent panel that works with the UK Department for Education, commissioning reviews of serious child safeguarding cases focusing on improving learning, professional practice and outcomes for children. This report examines how race, ethnicity and culture are understood - or too often overlooked - within safeguarding responses to children.
Although focused on reviews from social care, education and health, its relevance for the sporting sector is clear. The report urges all safeguarding systems, including those in sport, to reflect on how racial identity and lived experience influence risk, well-being and the protection children receive. It is a reminder that silence on race is not neutral; it can be harmful.
In sport, where children from diverse backgrounds come together, the need for inclusive, responsive safeguarding is essential. Whether in grassroots clubs, elite academies or national governing bodies, failing to engage with issues of race and racism risks leaving some children invisible and unprotected.
The report complements existing safeguarding frameworks within the sporting sector. National governing bodies such as The Football Association[2], England and Wales Cricket Board[3] and British Gymnastics[4] have made public commitments to anti-discrimination and inclusivity. The report’s call to recognise and respond to racialised harm provides a timely reminder that these commitments must be operationalised through training, policy review and accountability mechanisms.
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Written by
Shehnal Amin
Shehnal is a Senior Associate at Farrer & Co. She advises both employers and senior executives in contentious and non-contentious employment matters. She assists clients in employment litigation and provides guidance in relation to workplace investigations such as complex grievances and disciplinaries.
Shehnal advises schools, universities, charities, businesses and individuals. She provides general day-to-day advice in relation to disciplinary and grievance procedures, policy reviews and regular reviews and drafting of employment contracts and settlement agreements and handbooks. She often advises individuals in relation to the terms of their settlement agreements.
Shehnal has experience in the education sector and advises clients on safeguarding issues, including handling safeguarding crises, parental complaints and special educational needs. She also has experience handling discrimination claims in the First Tier Tribunal. Shehnal has also advised clients involved in the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
Annisa Khan
Annisa is an Associate at Farrer & Co. She is an employment lawyer who advises both employers and senior employees. She works for clients in the education, sports and not-for-profit sectors, as well as businesses and trade unions.
Annisa advises on contentious, advisory and transactional employment matters. Her work focuses on employment litigation (including discrimination and whistleblowing claims), investigations, disciplinary and grievance matters, employment contracts, settlement agreements, policy reviews and TUPE advice.
Annisa is a member of the firm’s Safeguarding Unit and regularly provides child protection advice to schools, charities and sports organisations including responding to incidents, crisis management and general safeguarding advice. Annisa is also a member of the firm’s Racial Equality Taskforce, which focuses on race equality through the lens of safeguarding.
Annisa regularly writes for the firm’s WorkLife employment blog and volunteers as a pro bono legal adviser at the Mary Ward Legal Centre.
