New school sports concussion awareness programme launched

A campaign to raise awareness about sports concussion in schools has been launched by Scotland’s sport minister Maree Todd.

The pilot programme, with the core message “If in doubt, sit them out”, will be a mixture of in person and remote learning which will identify the best approach for rolling concussion education out across the country.

The launch marks the 10-year anniversary of the Scottish Sports Concussion Guidance, which was hailed as a world first when it was published in 2015, and brought together experts, parents, the Scottish Government and sportscotland to produce a single set of advice for all grassroots sports for the first time.

It is estimated that 50% of sports concussions go unreported and young people aged between 10 and 19 are said to be the most affected by such incidents.

Those involved in the programme, which will be trialled through Active Schools, hope that educating teachers and staff about how to identify and manage suspected concussion appropriately will be a major step forward.

The sessions will be delivered by Dr Stephanie Adams, founder of ConcussED, who is an educator contracted by sportscotland to deliver concussion education.

She said: “Concussion education is a life skill – in and outside of sport. We need to start learning about this critical topic from a young age.

“That’s where we can begin to truly shift the culture to respect and protect the brain but also encourage safe, lifelong, sport and exercise participation.”

Dr Adams is also co-chairwoman of the Scottish Sports Concussion Advisory Group alongside Dr Katy Stewart.

The programme will be trialled during the current school year, initially starting in West Lothian at Deans Community High School and Winchburgh Academy with the aim of rolling it out over the coming years across the Active Schools network which includes all 32 local authority areas.

Ms Todd joined a session with pupils at Winchburgh Academy on Friday to speak to teachers and pupils and see the programme in action.

She said: “As we mark the 10-year anniversary of our world-first ‘If in doubt, sit them out’ guidance, I’m pleased that we continue to lead the way in helping everyone involved in sport to recognise and respond to concussion.

“This new programme, delivered through the Active Schools network, is a vital step forward in raising awareness among those most affected by sports-related concussion.”

The Scottish Sports Concussion Guidance was updated last year, with key changes reflecting the latest research advances in sports concussion and its management.

It details the latest recommendations for managing concussion in grassroots sports, from awareness of possible concussion symptoms through to the graduated return to activity and sport.

Dr Jonathan Hanson, of the sportscotland institute of sport, said: “Significant steps have been taken to build concussion awareness across the sporting sector in the 10 years since the guidance was first published.

“Concussion can have very serious consequences if it is not identified and managed properly.

“The safety and wellbeing of everyone who takes part in sport is paramount.

“As our understanding of this serious issue continues to evolve, we will continue to work with partners, in sport and beyond, to ensure that more and more people become confident in recognising and managing a concussion in sport.”