Individuals who have experienced abuse frequently face complex systems, unclear reporting pathways, and organisations that lack the expertise to respond in trauma-informed ways. At the same time, many sporting environments still struggle to address the cultural and structural factors that allow harm to occur in the first place.

Our Approach
We partnered with Children First to develop an approach that combines reactive and preventative advocacy in sport. Together, we work to ensure that individuals who experience harm receive direct, trauma-informed support, while also addressing the systemic issues that enable abuse to occur.

Through this partnership, we provide direct support through case management and trauma-informed guidance, helping individuals navigate safeguarding concerns, reporting processes, and complex investigations. Alongside this reactive support, we deliver proactive work focused on education, policy development, and culture change within sporting organisations.

Our collaboration spans multiple areas, including co-developing board training, delivering trauma-informed communications education, strengthening key safeguarding policies, and consulting on investigations and disciplinary processes. 

So far, we have: 

• worked with 6 sports/organisations

• direct support to 5 athletes 

• delivered education to over 100 people 

By combining Kyniska’s lived experience- and athlete-led expertise with Children First’s long-standing experience in child protection and wellbeing, the partnership supports organisations to both respond to safeguarding concerns and strengthen their prevention approaches.

Impact
This partnership has supported countless individuals with lived experience of harm in sport, ensuring they receive informed, compassionate guidance through complex and often challenging processes. Alongside this direct advocacy, the partnership has contributed to the creation of practical safeguarding resources and guidance designed to help sporting organisations better understand risk, respond appropriately to concerns, and create safer environments for athletes.

Read more about our partnership with Children First.

If your team or organisation is interested in accessing similar support, we’d love to hear from you.