Parents/guardians should:

Get involved with your club

• Get to know your child’s coach and maintain open and honest communication with them about things that might concern you.
• Speak out when you hear language, behaviour or attitudes that contribute to a negative or unsafe environment.
• Attend games and practices whenever you can.
• Volunteer to be involved in your child’s club. Clubs depend on the involvement of parents/guardians and volunteers.

Be a good role model

• Don't be the 'angry/ugly parent' at games: this behaviour is not what you want to model for your children. 
• Be supportive of coaches and others, and expect your child to do the same.
• Focus on your child's efforts and performance: never ridicule or put your child down for making a mistake or losing.

If you have a concern about how your child is being treated - for example, your child has not been selected in a team that you thought they should be in - make sure you deal with the issue appropriately:

• Ask yourself if this is an issue for my child or if it is my issue.
• Don't make a fuss in front of the child, other team members and parents.
• Coaches need to make decisions about who is in a team. Find a time to talk privately with the coach, and ask for their reasons if they have left your child out of the team.
• Check your club's policy on team selection and junior sport policy about participation.

Make sure your child is aware of personal safety

• Talk to your child about keeping safe. Encourage them to tell you straight away if they feel uncomfortable or have worries about an adult's behaviour, whether during sport or recreation activities or any other situation.
• Tell your child that he or she always has the right to say 'no' if an adult is trying to persuade them to do something they feel is wrong, or which makes them feel frightened or uncomfortable, and that you will support them through this.
• Make sure your child understands their rights to privacy and respect of their body, in order to recognise what is acceptable touching by an adult and what is not.
• Develop an emergency plan for your child to follow in situations where they may be at risk of harm - for example, when going on overnight or away trips.

Be aware of possible danger signs

Be wary of a club where staff or volunteers:

• run private, closed practices on a regular basis, and operate independently of the club
• spend time with your child beyond the training session and shows favouritism
• discourage parents from watching or becoming involved in training or other activities
• practice rough play, sexual innuendo or humiliating punishments
• allow inappropriate physical contact, excessive discipline and rough language
• invite children to spend time alone with them outside of scheduled sport or recreation activities
• have poor communication with parents and discourage parental involvement.

Also be concerned if one or more children drop out of their sport or recreation activities for no apparent reason.

You should consider reporting your concerns to:

• your club's Member Protection Information Officer or someone in authority
• your sport's State association
• your State's/Territory's child protection or anti-discrimination authorities.

(Information in Parents' Roles and Responsibilities is adapted from the Child Protection In Sport Unit, UK.)