Introduction
Play, leisure, and recreation are fundamental rights for all children. Sport is a key channel through which children engage in play and recreation, contributing positively to their physical health, motor and cognitive development, and socio-emotional growth. Despite its benefits, sport can also expose children to harmful experiences. Excessive competitiveness and pressure can lead to sports injuries, burnout, and mental health issues, while normalized interpersonal violence remains a persistent concern.
Purpose
This presentation introduces PSIDE, a sport psychology intervention program aimed at fostering a culture of protection and safeguarding for children and adolescents within football clubs. The program targets all key stakeholders—board members, technical staff, coaches, athletes, and families—with the goal of promoting the wellbeing of young athletes through safe and supportive sports practices.
Method
The implementation of PSIDE was evaluated through interviews with participants from all stakeholder groups and by monitoring the delivery of the program by sport psychologists. This approach allowed for an assessment of the program's acceptance and integration within soccer clubs across Spain.
Results
Although recent legislative developments in Spain mandate the active promotion of child safeguarding in sports, and awareness among sports federations and society is steadily increasing, a significant gap still remains in the cultural practices of many clubs and community sports associations. This highlights the need for structured interventions like PSIDE to bridge the divide between performance and wellbeing.