"Children have a right to say what they think should happen when adults are making decisions that affect them and to have their opinions taken into account”. 
United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 12.

Ensuring children participate in decisions affecting them has many positive benefits for clubs and associations. It helps create a safer, enjoyable experience, fosters positive connections and relationships, and may help retain teenagers, many of whom struggle to stay engaged club sports. Children and young people can also bring different perspectives and generate new and creative ways to connect in and make a difference with the peers.

To help create safe and inclusive environments for children and young people, clubs and association should:

  • Ask children and young people about what would make them feel safe.
  • Act on children and young people’s views and adequately address their concerns.
  • Have a child friendly complaints process – make it easy for children, or their parents or guardians, to raise concerns.
  • Consult children and young people before important decisions that involve them are made. Tell them how the information they provide will be used.
  • Demonstrate how their input has had effect. 

Here are some practical ways to involve children and young people in safe sport: 

  • Set up a child or youth advisory group. Get regular input from the group on a range of club matters, including safety. 
  • Provide child-friendly ways for children and young people to give feedback or raise concerns e.g. suggestions box, surveys or nominated points of contact like Member Protection Information Officers.  
  • Run small group face-to-face chats with children and young people, to talk about ways the club or association can provide an enjoyable, safe, inclusive experience for them. 
  • Use child-friendly communication, e.g. venue signs with pictures and simple instructions.
  • Add child safeguarding as a standing agenda item at committee meeting and invite a nominated child or youth leader to speak, if they would like to. 
     

Resources