A scoping review of parental toolkits to support children’s sport participation: implications for gender-responsive resource development

Abstract

Purpose: Parents play a critical role in shaping their children’s early sport experiences. While toolkits have emerged as practical resources to assist parents in navigating youth sport, the scope, content, and accessibility of existing toolkits remain unclear, particularly with respect to supporting girls’ sport participation. To address this gap, this scoping review aims to identify and synthesize toolkits designed to support parents in making informed decisions about their child’s sport involvement.Design: Following Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review framework (2005), and guided by the PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines, we conducted a comprehensive search across five databases, grey literature, and organization websites.Findings: Fourteen toolkits met the inclusion criteria. Five key themes emerged: (1) supporting sport selection; (2) safety and risk awareness; (3) positive parental involvement; (4) inclusive participation: disability and health considerations; and (5) educational and interactive formats.Practical Implications: These findings will guide the development of a new toolkit to help parents support their daughters’ sport journeys.Research Contribution: While current toolkits provide valuable support in areas such as safety, significant gaps remain. There is a clear need for resources that are gender-responsive, culturally inclusive, and digitally accessible.Originality/Value: Our scoping review is the first to synthesize toolkits that focus on supporting parental decision-making regarding children’s participation in sports.

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