NCJ Number
244392
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 22 Issue: 2 Dated: March-April 2013 Pages: 127-141
Date Published
April 2013
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study considered ballet teachers' and administrators' views of child protection (CP) and the experiences of teachers and students regarding their participation in ballet.
Abstract
Over the past 15 years, there has been a growing concern regarding child protection (CP) in the sport context yet there remains a lack of research into how key stakeholders view related CP policies. The present exploratory case study of a UK ballet organization focuses on the following research questions: (1) What are the key elements of good practice for CP in ballet? and (2) Which discourses are adopted by ballet stakeholders when discussing CP-related experiences? Semi-structured interviews and self-report semi-structured questionnaires were conducted with 13 stakeholders drawn from ballet teachers, students and administrators. Inductive analysis revealed five welfare discourses: positive, neutral, negative, contradictory and rationalizing. A tendency to normalize negative experiences in ballet was also identified. The CP-related policy knowledge of teachers and administrators was generally satisfactory with some gaps being highlighted. Recommendations for implementation of CP policy in ballet are outlined. Abstract published by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons.