New Research Reveals Children’s Positive Attitudes Towards Participating in Scottish Football

The study, Getting it Right for Every Child in Scottish Football – Young Players Have Their Say, was designed using a children’s rights approach to provide a safe space for children and young people to share their views and experiences about participating in football, empowering them to construct their own narrative on their experiences.

The data from the study, which was commissioned by the Scottish FA, was compiled through a combination of more than 100 in-person conversations with children and young people aged between eight and 18 years old at clubs across Scotland that the researchers conducted through creative workshops, alongside a national survey that received more than 1500 responses from children and young people across Scotland.

Some of the key results of the study include:

• 94%bof respondents have fun when they play football.
• 96% feel safe when playing football.
• 90% believe football makes them feel better about themselves, improves their overall health, and builds friendships.
• 94% feel looked after by their club when they are training or playing football.
• 80% of those surveyed can identify a trusted adult with whom to share worries or problems.

The survey also identified areas in which young people indicated concerns, including access to facilities and equipment, negative behaviours from adults on the touchline such as pressure to win, concerns about equality, and age categorisation.