Children look up to coaches – you guide their actions. It’s essential you are aware of and follow child safe practices.
As a coach, you play a key role in creating a safe, inclusive and supportive environment for children and young people.
Your role carries important responsibilities and it's essential that you uphold them with care and integrity.
Create a safe and respectful environment
- Treat all children and young people with respect.
- Make sure your sport environment is safe, welcoming and inclusive.
- Listen to children and involve them in decisions that affect them.
- Be a positive role model and promote a culture of safety and fairness.
Know and follow the rules
- Understand and follow your sport’s child safe practices and code of conduct.
- Comply with your state or territory’s laws, including mandatory reporting and Working with Children Check (WWCC) (or equivalent) requirements.
- Keep your coaching accreditation up to date and complete child safeguarding training.
Respond to concerns
- Report any concerns or suspicions of harm immediately.
- Speak up if you see inappropriate behaviour.
- Know your organisation’s reporting process and use it when needed.
What not to do
To protect children, coaches must never:
- ignore or exclude a child
- make a child train while injured
- use painful or harmful training methods
- push children beyond their physical limits
- touch a child inappropriately or in intimate areas
- pressure a child to perform or tie their worth to success
- use criticism, sarcasm, name-calling or racist language.
Your rights as a coach
You have the right to:
- feel safe in your role
- be supported and listened to
- receive a clear position description
- have your concerns addressed promptly and fairly
- get induction training about your organisation’s policies.
Coaches under 18
If you are a coach under 18 years of age you still have the rights of a child. You should follow the information on this page but also make sure:
- to remember you are now a role model because you are in a position of authority
- your sport gives you training so you understand your role and responsibilities
- your sport also assigns you an adult support person you can go to for help
- you don't take part in sexual conversations with anyone under 18 you are responsible for, including on social media
- if someone behaves in a way that seems inappropriate, tell a trusted adult in your organisation and write down what happened.
Understanding child abuse
Coaches of children have a trusted and influential role in sporting organisations. Due to the amount of time spent together, you may be the first to notice when a child needs help.
Child abuse is any action or lack of action that harms a child’s physical, emotional or psychological wellbeing. It includes:
- neglect
- sexual abuse
- physical abuse
- emotional or psychological abuse
- exposure to domestic or family violence.
Abuse can happen to any child, regardless of age, gender, background or ability. Even one incident can have a lasting impact.
Reporting and responding
If you see or suspect that a child is being harmed or is at risk, report it immediately. It's important you know your organisation’s reporting process and how to use it.
What to do if someone has experienced abuse in sport
You can support someone who opens up to you about their experience with abuse.
- Observe – take note of changes in behaviours in others.
- Listen – give your full attention and be patient.
- Reassure – let them know they are brave for speaking up and doing the right thing.
- Support – assure them it is not their fault.
- Believe – let them know you believe them and want to help them be safe.
- Explain – next steps, including accessing relevant support services and reporting.
Support for coaches
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Identifying healthy and unhealthy coach-athlete relationships
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Clean sport for coaches
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Communicating online and electronically with children and young people
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Children and Young People Safe Practices Do's and Don'ts