When a parent or guardian enrols a child as a member or participant in a sports organisation, they do so in the reasonable expectation that the sporting activity will be conducive to the child's health and welfare and that they will be safe.
It is a given that we expect sporting organisations to protect and care for the children who are in their charge. This means that organisations themselves as well as their employees and volunteers have a responsibility to ensure the safeguarding of all child members and participants.
However, as recent revelations about child abuse in youth football clubs and sports academies in the UK have taught us, serious breaches of the basic principle of duty of care have led to serious questions regarding the historical safeguarding and vetting processes that were in place in sporting organisations over the past fifty years.
These failures have had profound and long-term psychological effects on the children who suffered physical, sexual or emotional abuse. In fact, for many it is only now, with the very public discussions that have taken place alongside the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry and the child abuse in football scandal, that many have had the strength to come forward and disclose the abuse they suffered.
At Thompsons Solicitors in Scotland our specialist survivor claims team take a trauma-informed approach to ensure that you are supported throughout the claims process. If you would like to speak to Thompsons, in confidence and without obligation, contact us today.
Working for Survivors
Thompsons' Life Impact Team is committed to ensuring that those responsible for protecting children who suffered emotional, physical or sexual abuse while under the care of sports clubs are held to account.
We have worked with many sports organisations to secure financial compensation for those who have suffered abuse, whether at the hands of staff, volunteers or other associated parties. Sports clubs can include but are not limited to the following:
- Football clubs
- Sporting academies
- Tennis clubs
- Swimming clubs
- Rugby clubs
- Gymnastic clubs
- Athletics clubs
- Boxing and martial arts clubs
- Gyms and sports centres
Child Abuse in Football Clubs
Thompsons continues to act for many survivors who experienced abuse in football. The Scottish Football Association produced an interim report which highlighted the many gaps and failings in the organisation's system that have left children at risk.
Historically, the Scottish FA has failed children by neglecting to allocate adequate funds and resources into tackling the issue. Furthermore, the report found that individual football clubs must also accept greater responsibility, particularly in regard to safeguarding processes for their affiliated youth clubs.
Thompsons Solicitors' specialist Life Impact Team has called on the Scottish Football Association to treat abuse claims more seriously and to ensure prompt settlement wherever possible.
Contact Thompsons Today
Thompsons Solicitors have continually led the way in helping survivors of historical sexual and physical abuse in Scotland claim compensation for their suffering. For example, we lobbied extensively to change the law so that survivors of abuse could pursue compensation from those responsible for historical abuse.
We work with the country's leading survivor charities to provide the most comprehensive support possible and our lawyers provide a confidential and sensitive service to ensure that the needs of the claimant are always put first.
We currently represent many survivors who suffered abuse in a variety of circumstances and sports club settings. For more information about how we may be able to help you, call us today. Even if the abuse happened years ago or the perpetrator is dead you could still be entitled to financial compensation.
Thompsons' Survivor Claims
Thompsons is acting for (or has acted for) clients who suffered historical abuse at the following organisations:
- Celtic Football Club – Glasgow
- Dundee United Football Club - Dundee
- Hibernian Football Club – Edinburgh
- Hutchison Vale Football Club – Edinburgh
- Partick Thistle Football Club – Glasgow
- Rangers Football Club – Glasgow
- Scottish Football Association – Glasgow
