A comparison between 2024 and 2026 Framework submissions shows how sport organisations are working to embed adult safeguarding best practice.
Following the previous report in August, we have now taken a look at the Framework data over a two-year time period to see how things have changed.
For the previous report we studied all the data we held at the time. So, every Framework submission we’d received from 2022 to the present day. Perhaps we need to look to see how things are developing across the adult safeguarding environment?
A direct comparison between ratings for organisations completing the Framework in 2024 and those completing in 2026 makes for encouraging reading. It shows how adult safeguarding confidence levels have improved across the sporting world over the last two years.
The table below includes Framework data from NGBs funded by Sport England, Sport Wales, and UK Sport. The data also includes Active Partnerships and National System partners funded through Sport England’s Uniting the Movement funding.
Why 2024?
While we have data on Framework submissions from as far back as 2022, we are now actively archiving some old submissions where people have requested we do so.
In addition, prior to 2024, we were providing feedback per section only and not, as we do now, per criteria. This therefore makes direct comparisons with some of our older reports less reliable.
In 2024 there were 19 completed submissions through the online portal.
As of September 2026, so far we have supported 28 sporting organisations to work through the Framework process this year.
It’s worth noting that the 2026 data also includes a small number of organisations who have chosen to go through the process for a second time.
See the data below. Those marked with an ⇑ are showing a statistical improvement in 2026.
A comparison between 2024 and 2026 Framework submissions
| Essential criteria | Description | Organisations being reviewed as Met or Conditionally Met | |
| 2024 (19 completions) | 2026 (28) | ||
| 1.2 | The board or management committee monitors safeguarding activity against an annual action/implementation plan and receives regular updates. | 89% | 96% ⇑ |
| 1.3 | The organisation has a Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures in place which is reviewed and updated at least every 3 years and approved by the board. | 99% | 85% |
| 2.7 | Safeguarding adult policy, procedures and resources are known and visible. | 99% | 89% |
| 2.8 | An action plan is developed and implemented that identifies the organisation’s approach and strategy to safeguard adults with clear tasks and timescales. This needs to be agreed, sanctioned, and signed off by the board. | 89% | 97% ⇑ |
| 3.1 | There is an organisational training plan that ensures all roles receive the right level of safeguarding adult training, appropriate to their role and responsibilities. | 95% | 93% |
| 4.1 | The organisation sets out safe recruitment procedures and ensures these are implemented throughout the sport/organisation. | 95% | 100% ⇑ |
| 4.5 | There is a commitment to the legal requirement to referring a person to DBS (or other agency) barred list in relevant circumstances. | 84% | 82% |
| 5.2 | All those involved in sport and activity understand their Code of Conduct and have declared to uphold it. | 85% | 96% ⇑ |
| 6.1 | There is a process in place for managing safeguarding adult cases and queries. | 85% | 93% ⇑ |
| 6.5 | The organisation ensures they use all available safeguarding information, including learning from managed cases, to monitor and evaluate themes and inform the review and development of all relevant policies, procedures and processes. | 57% | 86% ⇑ |
So what does this tell us?
There have been significant improvements in some key areas. Organisations are clearly getting to grips with their action plans and codes of conduct, and they’re clearly learning from cases. In fact, the learning from cases is showing the highest rate of movement across all measurable criteria.
It’s perhaps just as interesting to note where the data has stayed relatively consistent, or even slightly dropped over time. These areas largely concern safeguarding policies and their visibility. It could be that our guidance on what a policy should contain has become more refined. Or maybe as confidence levels are growing across the sector, our reviewing team is expecting more from sporting organisations in how they communicate their policies and procedures?
We are also now welcoming more organisations through the process, some of which might have less experience in the adult safeguarding sphere. Plus, new system partners are now working through the Framework in addition to our longer established relationships with NGBs and Active Partnerships.
Overall though, it is clear that safeguarding adults knowledge and expertise is improving. Sporting organisations are engaging with us on the adult safeguarding journey. Framework reviews are showing that organisations working through the process are in a stronger position than they were in 2024.
Is this all down to the Framework?
We would not dare to suggest so! The improvement is important to consider alongside many other factors.
Our Safeguarding Adults in Sport offering is constantly evolving. Many organisations are benefitting from the funded board and lead officer training. They’re attending sport forums with our partners NSPCC Sport and NWG Network, and many are subscribed to our monthly Sport Update. More recently, we’ve created an additional newsletter specifically for board champions.
Plus, we regularly publish blogs and other updates, and we often cover sporting topics on our Safeguarding Matters Podcast. And of course, every year we put on a full week of free events for Safeguarding Adults Week.
We also believe that funding from our partners, and the increased importance they’re placing on safeguarding adults in sport, is contributing to the growing prevalence of adult safeguarding across the sector.
Partnership working is key. Many factors have contributing to an increased urgency around what safeguarding is, and what it should be, across sport. In recent years we’ve seen a lot of direct action, such as the Whyte Review action plan, along with the creation of the Sport Welfare Officer Network.
Finally, we’d like to say a massive thank you to everyone who’s doing such great work in this space, whether you’re part of an NGB or an AP, or you’re a safeguarding lead in sport. As the data shows, your hard work is truly making a difference. So thank you.
About the Safeguarding Adults in Sport Framework
The Safeguarding Adults in Sport Framework is an online assessment tool that supports sport and physical activity organisations, including National Governing Bodies, National Specialist Partners and Active Partnerships funded by Sport England and UK Sport, to implement best practice in safeguarding adults.
Learn More About the Safeguarding Adults in Sport Framework