Safeguarding Children in Sports and Activities: What Parents Need to Know

Why Safeguarding in Organised Activities Matters

Sports clubs, dance schools, music groups, martial arts academies, and other organised activities for children provide enormous benefits: skill development, discipline, friendship, physical fitness, and a sense of achievement. They are also environments that, without proper safeguarding in place, can expose children to risk from adults in positions of trust and authority.

High-profile cases around the world have demonstrated that sporting and activity environments can be exploited by those who wish to harm children. Research indicates that children with high levels of engagement in intensive activities, particularly those that involve one-to-one coaching, physical contact, travel, or overnight stays, are at elevated risk if safeguarding arrangements are inadequate.

This does not mean parents should fear their child involvement in activities. Most coaches, instructors, and volunteers who work with children are dedicated, professional, and committed to child welfare. The goal is to know what good safeguarding looks like so you can identify and raise concerns when it is absent.

What Good Safeguarding in an Organisation Looks Like

Well-run organisations that work with children will have:

• A designated safeguarding lead. There should be a named person responsible for safeguarding, whose details are clearly communicated to parents and children.
• Background check requirements. In most countries, adults working with children in regulated activities must pass criminal background checks (DBS in the UK, Working With Children checks in Australia, and equivalents elsewhere). Ask whether all coaches and volunteers have been checked.
• A written safeguarding policy. The organisation should have a clear, accessible policy describing their safeguarding approach and procedures.
• Safe recruitment practices. Staff and volunteers should be properly vetted, interviewed, and trained.
• Clear codes of conduct. There should be written rules governing appropriate behaviour between adults and children, including rules about communication, physical contact, and one-to-one situations.
• Open-door practices. Coaching and instruction should generally take place in visible, open environments. Closed sessions with no adult oversight are a concern.
• Transparency with parents. Good organisations welcome parental involvement and are open about their procedures.

Red Flags to Watch For

The following are warning signs that an organisation or individual may not have adequate safeguarding or may pose a risk to children:

• Coaching sessions that consistently take place behind closed doors or in locations inaccessible to other adults or parents
• A coach or instructor who seeks to develop a special relationship with a particular child, offering gifts, special treatment, or additional one-to-one time
• Dismissal or discouragement of parental involvement or observation
• A culture where questioning adults or raising concerns is discouraged
• Communication between coaches and children that bypasses parents, particularly via personal phone numbers, social media, or private messaging
• Physical contact that seems excessive, unnecessary, or inappropriate for the activity
• A coach who makes derogatory, sexual, or humiliating comments, even framed as motivation or humour
• An organisation that cannot tell you clearly who their safeguarding lead is or what their procedures are

Communicating With Your Child About Their Activities

Maintaining open communication with your child about their experiences in activities is the most powerful safeguarding tool available to parents. Make it a habit to ask open questions regularly: what did you do today? Is there anyone in the club who makes you feel uncomfortable? Did anything happen that you did not like? These conversations, kept relaxed and routine rather than interrogatory, build the trust that makes your child more likely to tell you if something is wrong.

Pay attention to your child attitude toward their activity. A child who previously loved going and is now reluctant, anxious, or evasive about attending may be telling you something important without being able to say it directly.

How to Check an Organisation Safeguarding

Before enrolling your child in any organised activity, it is reasonable to ask:

• Do you have a safeguarding policy I can read?
• Who is your safeguarding lead and how would I contact them?
• Are all coaches and volunteers subject to criminal background checks?
• What is your policy on one-to-one communication between coaches and children?
• Can parents observe sessions?

A well-run organisation will welcome these questions. Evasive or dismissive responses should be a concern.

How to Raise a Safeguarding Concern

If your child tells you something that concerns you, or you observe something that worries you, act on it. Do not wait to see if it gets worse. The first step is usually to contact the organisation safeguarding lead. If your concern is about the safeguarding lead themselves, or if you are not satisfied with the response, contact your national sports governing body, local authority safeguarding team, or police directly depending on the seriousness of the concern.

If you believe a child is in immediate danger, contact emergency services without delay. It is always better to raise a concern that turns out to be unfounded than to fail to raise one that results in a child being harmed.