Part of the Dos and don'ts series – how to keep children and young people safe in sport.
Supervision is critical to keeping children and young people safe. A Person in a Position of Authority must be alert to risks, hazards and any potential for accidents or injury. This applies to training and competitions − and not just in their immediate area.
Watch the supervision video
Do
- Ensure supervision is constant, active, and diligent, prioritising the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. Where possible, ensure you are able to observe each child or young person.
- Know the location of each child or young person if direct supervision is not possible, and ensure you can respond to individual needs and immediately intervene if necessary.
- Ensure there are appropriate supervision ratios based on the sport, age and gender of the children and young people and the size of the group.
- Keep trainings/competitions/events open to observation by parents/carers – this creates an environment of transparency and safety.
- Ensure any treatment by a medical practitioner or health professional is performed under the supervision of an Approved Person or Relevant Person.
- Avoid one-to-one unsupervised contact with a child or young person, except in an emergency. If this occurs, immediately report it to your sporting club management within 24 hours of the incident occurring.
Don’t
- Leave children or young people unsupervised during official sport trainings/competitions/events.
- Engage in unnecessary conversations with another person that may distract from effective supervision of the group.
- Text, talk or browse on a mobile phone when supervising children and young people.
- Exclude parents/carers from attending training sessions.
