A police investigation into allegations of child abuse within football received 130 referrals since it got under way in November.

In January, Police Scotland said two men - one from Aberdeen and one from Paisley - had been arrested and charged with sexual offences against children.

The referrals came via the charity NSPCC, the SFA and directly to police.

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Officers said it was the most complex investigation since the Police Scotland child abuse unit was set up in 2015.

• Football child sex abuse claim: What has happened so far

The unit, along with other experienced detectives, are in the midst of a major inquiry into allegations that children were abused in the sport following reports from several high profile players.

Det Ch Insp Sarah Taylor, who is heading the investigation, told BBC Scotland she expected the scale of the investigation to grow.

Labour MSP Neil Findlay asks if there has been a spike of people coming forward to Police Scotland

ACC John Hawkins with Police Scotland says over 130 referrals in relation to football since November, those are people with information about child abuse and those saying abuse has happened to them.

ACC Hawkins expresses concern that this has not happened in other sports.

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Lauren Bruce from COSLA says GIRFEC underpins the approach to this issue and runs through Children 1st training. 

MS Bruce says there is a need to recognise the widest protection that is available for children.

SNP MSP Clare Haughey asks about the use of "powerful and disturbing language" used by the children and young people's commissioner about the "control of children" by football clubs.

She asks if children's charities representatives have a view on this.

Mary Glasgow from Children 1st says children's rights must be considered by all organisations and children should be empowered to speak up.

Matt Forde from NSPCC Scotland says children's well being must be considered and they are wholly dependent on adults for their protection.

Image source, Children 1st

Children 1st uses its submission to highlight "the importance of continuing to focus on awareness and prevention across society in order to foster a culture that truly values children".

It also stresses "the need for greater trauma recovery support and justice for both adult survivors of child sexual abuse and for children experiencing child sexual abuse today".

The charity says there are 195,000 people who volunteer in sport in Scotland. 

Children 1st says: "According to Scottish Government Recorded Crime Statistics over 4,417 of the sexual crimes recorded by the police in 2015-2016 related to children under the age of 18."

The charity goes on to say: "Children 1st remain extremely concerned about the current operation of Scotland’s justice system which prevents children who have experienced abuse from giving the best evidence and can cause them further trauma."

Read more of Children 1st's submission to the Health and Sport Committee here, external.

Image source, Children 1st

Children 1st, external believe that we should build on the potential to mobilise this incredible community-wide resource to help protect children not only in sport, but within wider society so that they can: 

• promote children and young people’s safety and wellbeing in local communities
• help parents keep their children safe when participating in community activity
• raise the profile of available support and resources, such as Safeguarding in Sport, external
• raise awareness among children and young people about how to stay safe
• provide an avenue for children and young people to feed views/experiences into clubs and service 

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Mary Glasgow from Children 1st says the issue goes much broader than sport.

Ms Glasgow says there has been much progres made over the last 15 years but there is no complacency.

She points out the allegations in football are historic.

Ms Glasgow says this about everyone taking responsibility to be open and transparent when children raise issues.

She says there is a lack of support for survivors of child abuse. 

Image source, SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster said the current system "strikes the appropriate balance"

MSPs have voiced "serious concerns" over contracts and agents in Scotland's youth football system.  

Holyrood's public petitions committee questioned football chiefs over claims under-16 players had been paid £1 a week, and heard there were no background checks for player agents.

SPFL boss Neil Doncaster insisted the current system "strikes the appropriate balance" to protect clubs and players.

But MSPs said they were "horrified" and "seriously concerned" by the evidence.

The committee was examining a petition, external calling for an investigation into the "appropriateness" of professional football clubs entering into contracts with children under the age of 16, and charging compensation payments for their transfer between clubs.

MSPs questioned whether clubs were essentially treating children as commodities.

Read more here.

Children and Young People's Commissioner Tam Baillie says we have to change and improve on the value we place on children and young people.

Mr Baillie says, in terms of football, there needs to be external regulation.

This is needed to ensure children and young people are better valued by professional football clubs, says Mr Baillie.

SNP MSP Richard Lyle asks for an expansion on the opinion that external regulation is required for children in Scottish football.

Tam Baillie says self-regulation is always better but the SFA have so far refused to accept there is a problem in terms of the balance of interests.

Mr Baillie says he applauds the guidance and measures that they have put in place by the SFA but the power is still with the clubs.

"They have no intention of changing that balance because it would stop clubs from investing in youth football", he says. 

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Matt Forde with the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) Scotland says it is about changing the culture of sport and changing the culture of society.

Mr Forde says child sexual abuse is not historic it is happening today and there are children in our classrooms who are experiencing child sexual abuse.

He calls for more openness and no child should have to experience such abuse.

Mr Forde says we must seriously think about how we tackle child sexual abuse.

Anyone who may have been affected by abuse in football can contact Police Scotland or the specialist NSPCC helpline (0800 0232642)  

The National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland, external outlines that the safety of children and young persons is paramount and sport related services should be familiar with the National Strategy for Child Protection in Sport. 

Details of this strategy are contained within Children 1St Safeguarding in Sport Strategy, external that outlines guidance for organisations whose employees or volunteers have direct contact with children.

When employing staff or volunteers into positions of ‘regulated work’ with children each employer has a legal responsibility to ensure that prospective employees are suitable for this type of work. 

Image source, Thinkstock

Part V of the Police Act 1997 and the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 is the legislative framework in Scotland aimed to prevent unsuitable individuals from carrying out work with children, vulnerable/protected adults or both, in a paid and voluntary capacity. 

Currently individuals will be asked to become a Protection of Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme member and to make a self-declaration of any relevant convictions or investigations.   

In Scotland, Disclosure Scotland (DS) facilitates the application and disclosure process on behalf of Scottish ministers  

Read more of the Police Scotland submission here., external

Image source, BBC Sport

Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins with Police Scotland says sports clubs need to urgently review the steps they have in place.

ACC Hawkins says it would be naive to think legislation can be the "silver bullet" to stop child abuse.

He says people are appalled by child abuse reports in the media but do not necessarily like to think or talk about it.

He says the conversation needs to be widened beyond football and sport and people must talk openly about child abuse to tackle it. 

The prevention and detection of child abuse is a priority for Police Scotland and we are committed to working with our statutory and third sector partners to ensure those reporting abuse are listened to, are supported and their reports are thoroughly investigated regardless on when the abuse has occurred.   

Following the public disclosures of child sexual abuse by several former football players in England, the NSPCC set up a UK wide helpline with referrals being transmitted to all UK Police Forces and Operation Hydrant.

Since the 24th November 2016, Police Scotland has received a number of referrals from NSPCC or reports via other routes in relation to child sexual abuse in football. 

Image source, bbc

Police Scotland will continue to work with partners, including the National Police Chief’s Council through Operation Hydrant, the Scottish Football Association (SFA), the Professional Footballers Association Scotland (PFA Scotland) and the NSPCC to ensure a coordinated policing response is in place and an accurate record of all child abuse investigations is maintained.   

A notification process has been agreed with both the NSPCC and SFA whereby all referrals relating to Scotland are routed to a Single Point of Coordination within the Police Scotland’s National Child Abuse Investigation Unit (NCAIU). In addition, other avenues are available for members of the public to make a report, or provide information by attending at their local police station, or telephoning the Police Scotland contact number 101.   

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Assistant Chief Constable John Hawkins with Police Scotland says it is really important to recognise that sport is a force for good.

ACC Hawkins says there have been huge improvements over the years.

He says whether abuse as in football could happen again botherw him and sadly he thinks it could.

ACC Hawkins says there is a risk in society today and those wish to sexually abuse a child will try to navigate around the protections.

He asks if the environment around football still exists and again he says it does.

George Thomson from Volunteer Scotland says PVG became a blanket check that everyone who came into contact with children had to go through. 

Mr Thomson says there is "confusion and uncertainty" around who requires to go through this type of disclosure check.

He says "media coverage" adds to this confusion.