ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the research project that informed the development, implementation and evaluation of the International Safeguards for Children in Sport. It outlines the rationales for safeguarding in sport. These include the empirical evidence of the prevalence of abuse in sport, the protection of children’s rights, morality and arguments of self-interest. The contribution of this book in terms of reporting the first study to apply a systems approach to safeguarding with a global sample of organisations is explained. An overview of the structure of the book is then presented with the purpose of each chapter being highlighted. The relevance of the material for post-graduate students, researchers, academics and undergraduate students are then highlighted.
