Education

Building the foundations of safer sport through clear concussion guidance

We worked closely with the UK Government to help develop the first-ever national concussion guidelines for grassroots sport — establishing a minimum standard for anyone participating in sport across the UK. 

The “If in doubt, sit them out” guidelines (credit to Peter Robinson), created in partnership with DCMS and a multidisciplinary team of medical and sporting experts including LOTG advisors, provide clear, practical steps for recognising and managing concussion. 

They set out: 

• Early identification of suspected concussion  

• Assessment by a healthcare professional or NHS 111 within 24 hours  

• A minimum 24-hour rest period before any return to sport  

• A graduated, supervised return-to-play pathway  

Following their launch, Love of the Game has continued to raise awareness of these guidelines among parents, teachers, and coaches — ensuring they are understood and applied at the point of need, particularly as athletes return to school and training environments.

‘To preserve the immensity of sport we need to empower the players. What LOTG is doing in terms of protection from the risks of brain trauma is absolutely crucial and I support them wholeheartedly‘ – Jonny Wilkinson

You can download the full guidelines here. 

Continuing the Work: Education Partnership 

While national guidelines provide the foundation, effective concussion care depends on how well they are understood and applied in real-world sporting environments. 

To strengthen this, we work with our education partner, Concussion Toolkit, to translate guidance into practical behaviour change across sport. 

Together, we support organisations, athletes, and coaches with clear, evidence-based education that improves decision-making under pressure. 

Concussion Toolkit is a research-led social enterprise transforming how concussion is understood, managed, and recovered from. They deliver behaviour-change education workshops alongside a bespoke digital recovery platform designed to support athletes throughout their recovery journey. 

Their work bridges the gap between clinical guidance and real-world sport environments — where decisions are often made quickly, under pressure, and within team culture. 

Their Approach

Gender-Informed

Research shows women are more susceptible to sport-related concussion, often experience different symptom profiles, and may face longer recovery times. Despite this, many protocols remain based on male-dominated datasets. Concussion Toolkit integrates gender-informed research into both education and design, ensuring guidance reflects the realities of all athletes. 

User-Centred

Their approach is built around end users — athletes, coaches, and support staff. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all model, they co-design solutions that reflect the environments people actually operate in, making guidance more usable and more likely to be adopted.

Holistic

Concussion affects more than physical recovery. It can impact mental health, identity, academic/work performance, and social connection. Concussion Toolkit incorporates return-to-learn and return-to-work pathways, recognising recovery as a whole-life process rather than a purely physical one.

Impact

Concussion Toolkit’s programmes are designed to change behaviour, not just increase awareness. 

Unlike traditional awareness campaigns, their work focuses on real-world decision-making — where culture, pressure, and timing often determine whether concussion guidance is followed.

Why this Matters

Education only works when it changes behaviour in the environments where sport actually happens — on the pitch, in the changing room, and within team culture. 

Through national guidelines and the Concussion Toolkit partnership, Love of the Game is helping ensure concussion guidance is not only known, but applied.