ICSSPE Contributes to Council of Europe Dialogue on Safer and Healthier Sport for Children

On 3 November 2026, preparations began in Monaco for the 19th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Sport, including a meeting of the EPAS Consultative Committee.

The conference focuses on safer and healthier sport for all children and young people, bringing together discussions on protection from violence and abuse with the conditions needed to support positive, inclusive and meaningful participation in sport.

Turning Policy Commitments into Practice

A central question is how commitments to children’s safety and well-being can be translated into everyday practice across sport systems and organisations.

This requires more than the existence of policies and safeguarding frameworks. It also depends on whether protection measures are effective in practice, whether those responsible for implementing them receive sufficient support, and whether evidence is used to guide decisions.

ICSSPE Brings an Evidence-Based Perspective

As a member of the EPAS Consultative Committee, ICSSPE contributes expertise from sport science, education and sport practice to the discussion.

ICSSPE’s contribution focuses particularly on the role of evidence in strengthening safe and healthy sport. This includes examining whether protection measures achieve their intended outcomes, supporting those responsible for implementation, and connecting research findings with policy and decision-making.

Through its participation, ICSSPE continues to promote approaches that place the safety, well-being and positive participation of children and young people at the centre of sport policy and practice.

The conference also provides an important opportunity to exchange perspectives with governments, fellow Consultative Committee members and the wider sport community on how safer and healthier sporting environments can be strengthened in practice.