Safeguarding in UK Sport: The Complete Club Checklist

Last autumn, a club welfare officer in the West Midlands told me something that's stuck with me since. She'd been in the role for four years, handling safeguarding for a cricket club with 80 junior members. When she asked the committee to pay for her Level 3 safeguarding course - £120, one afternoon - they told her the budget wouldn't stretch. The same committee had spent £900 on a new set of covers for the square the previous month.

She wasn't angry about it. She was resigned. "Safeguarding is the thing everyone says matters most," she said, "and it's the first thing that gets deprioritised when there's something more visible to spend on."

That gap - between what clubs say about safeguarding and what they actually invest in it - is where harm happens. Not through malice. Through a slow accumulation of "we'll sort that next month" decisions that nobody tracks and nobody chases.

This article is the checklist. What you need, why you need it, where the frameworks come from, and how the requirements differ depending on which part of the UK your club operates in. If you're looking for the Australian equivalent, we've written a separate guide - safeguarding checklist for Australian sports clubs - because the regulatory landscape is entirely different.

Why safeguarding matters for every club, regardless of size

The word "safeguarding" appears so often in governance documents that it can start to feel like background noise. So let's make it concrete.

Safeguarding is about preventing harm to children and vulnerable adults within your club's activities. That's the core. But it's not the whole picture. A proper safeguarding framework also protects your volunteers - coaches, team managers, committee members - from false allegations. Without clear procedures and codes of conduct, a misunderstanding can escalate in ways that damage everyone involved. Good safeguarding protects the children and the adults who work with them.

Here's what most volunteer committees don't fully appreciate until something goes wrong: if an incident occurs and your club has no safeguarding arrangements in place, the liability doesn't stay abstract. It lands on named individuals. Committee members. Trustees. The people who gave up their evenings to help run Saturday sport could find themselves personally implicated because the club never put basic structures in place.

There are practical consequences well before that point, too. NGBs now require safeguarding compliance as a condition of affiliation. The FA's Respect programme, the ECB's Safe Hands policy, the RFU's safeguarding framework - these aren't suggestions. Lose your affiliation and your teams can't compete in sanctioned leagues, your members may lose insurance coverage, and your access to NGB coaching qualifications and funding evaporates.

Insurance matters too. Many policies won't cover incidents where no safeguarding arrangements existed. The insurer's position is straightforward: if you didn't take reasonable steps to prevent harm, why should they cover the consequences?

Geoff Wilson covers this principle well in his book on grassroots sports leadership - good governance protects volunteers, and clear policies mean nobody has to improvise during the worst moment of their volunteering life. We reviewed Geoff's book here. It's worth reading for any committee member who wants to understand what governance looks like in practice, not just on paper. Geoff chairs a Sport England advisory body and brings a Northern Ireland perspective that's particularly useful on devolved safeguarding differences.

The statutory framework

UK safeguarding law sits across several pieces of legislation, and the framework is devolved - which means the details differ between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

England. The Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004 provide the statutory framework. "Working Together to Safeguard Children" (2023 revision) is the government guidance that sets out how organisations should work together to protect children. For sport specifically, the NSPCC's Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) is the lead body.

Scotland. The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 is the primary legislation. The National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland (updated 2023) provides the operational framework. The PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) scheme, administered by Disclosure Scotland, replaces DBS checks north of the border.

Wales. The Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 is the statutory basis. Safeguarding procedures are set by the Wales Safeguarding Procedures framework. DBS checks apply as in England, but reporting procedures follow Welsh government guidance.

Northern Ireland. The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 provides the framework. AccessNI handles criminal record checks - the equivalent of DBS. The Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland (SBNI) is the multi-agency body overseeing child protection.

Why does this matter for your club? Because the safeguarding policy you download from the FA might reference legislation that doesn't apply in Scotland. And the reporting procedures in Northern Ireland are different from those in England. If your club is based near a border, or sends teams to compete across home nations, you need to know which framework applies and when.

DBS checks: who needs what

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) applies in England and Wales. Scotland uses the PVG scheme. Northern Ireland uses AccessNI. The principles are similar but the processes and terminology differ.

For England and Wales, there are three levels of DBS check:

Basic DBS check. Shows unspent convictions only. Available to anyone. Costs £18. Suitable for roles that involve some contact with children but don't meet the threshold for "regulated activity."

Standard DBS check. Shows spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, and final warnings. Not commonly used in sport - the jump to Enhanced is usually more appropriate.

Enhanced DBS check. Shows everything on a Standard check plus any additional information held by local police that's considered relevant. Required for anyone in "regulated activity" with children or vulnerable adults. This is the check most coaches, team managers, and welfare officers need.

Enhanced DBS check with Barred List check. The same as an Enhanced check, plus a check of the DBS barred lists - people who are banned from working with children or vulnerable adults. Required for roles involving regulated activity.

"Regulated activity" is the key concept. In the context of sport, it includes:

• Coaching, teaching, training, or instructing children on a regular basis
• Supervising children on a regular basis
• Providing personal care or healthcare to children
• Driving a vehicle solely for children (e.g., minibus to away matches)

"Regular" generally means once a week or more, or on four or more days in a 30-day period. One-off volunteers at a single event typically don't require an Enhanced DBS check - though your NGB's policy may set a higher standard than the legal minimum.

For Scotland: PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) scheme membership is a continuous checking system - rather than a one-off check, it places the individual on an ongoing register. Disclosure Scotland monitors for new convictions or relevant information. If your club operates in Scotland, PVG is your framework, not DBS.

For Northern Ireland: AccessNI provides Enhanced Disclosure checks. The process is broadly similar to DBS in England and Wales, but applications are processed through AccessNI specifically.

One practical note: a DBS check from England is not automatically valid in Scotland, and vice versa. If your club sends volunteers across borders, check whether their existing disclosure is recognised or whether a separate application is needed.

The NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit

The CPSU is one of the best resources in UK grassroots sport, and most clubs don't know it exists.

Run jointly by the NSPCC and the Sport and Recreation Alliance, the CPSU provides free safeguarding resources designed specifically for sporting organisations. Not generic child protection guidance adapted from schools or churches - resources built for the particular dynamics of sport: changing rooms, transport to away fixtures, coaching relationships, photography at events, online communication between coaches and young players.

Their resources include:

• Template safeguarding policies you can adapt for your club
• Standards for safeguarding in sport - a self-assessment framework
• Guidance on specific topics: social media, photography, transport, changing facilities, overnight stays
• Case studies that illustrate common safeguarding scenarios in sports clubs
• Links to NGB-specific safeguarding training - the FA's safeguarding course, the ECB's Safe Hands, the RFU's online modules

If your club's safeguarding arrangements were built from a generic template rather than sport-specific guidance, spend an hour on the CPSU website. It will almost certainly highlight gaps you didn't know you had.

The complete safeguarding checklist

Here's what your club needs to have in place. This isn't aspirational. This is the baseline.

1. Appoint a Club Welfare Officer (or Designated Safeguarding Officer)

A named individual. Not "the committee handles it." Not "whoever's available." A specific person whose name and contact details are known to every coach, volunteer, parent, and junior member. Different NGBs use different titles - Club Welfare Officer (FA, ECB), Safeguarding Lead, Designated Safeguarding Officer - but the role is the same. This person is the first point of contact for any safeguarding concern within the club.

They don't need to be a qualified social worker. They need to take the responsibility seriously, complete the appropriate training (Level 2 at minimum, Level 3 recommended), and know the reporting procedures well enough to follow them under pressure.

2. Adopt a safeguarding policy

Your NGB will have a template. Use it. The FA's safeguarding policy template, the ECB's Safe Hands policy, the RFU's safeguarding framework - these are written to meet both statutory requirements and NGB affiliation standards. Download the template, customise it for your club's specific activities and facilities, and formally adopt it at a committee meeting.

The policy should cover: the club's commitment to safeguarding, roles and responsibilities, DBS/PVG/AccessNI requirements, codes of conduct, reporting procedures, confidentiality, and review arrangements.

3. Ensure DBS checks (or PVG/AccessNI) are in place for all relevant roles

Every coach. Every team manager. Every volunteer in regular unsupervised contact with children or vulnerable adults. No exceptions. "She's been with the club for twenty years" is not a substitute for a current check. "He's a parent" is not an exemption.

For most NGB-affiliated clubs, the NGB acts as a registered body for DBS applications - meaning your club processes checks through the NGB's system. Contact your county or regional body to find out the process.

4. Maintain a register of all disclosure checks and expiry dates

You need to know, at any moment, which of your volunteers hold a current check and when those checks are due for renewal. DBS checks in England and Wales don't technically expire, but most NGBs require renewal every three years. PVG membership in Scotland is continuous but should still be monitored.

A spreadsheet works. A purpose-built system works better. What doesn't work is relying on memory or assuming everyone's check is still current because they got one in 2021.

5. Implement codes of conduct for adults working with children

Separate from your club's general code of conduct. This covers: appropriate and inappropriate physical contact, one-on-one situations with juniors, communication with junior members via phone, text, or social media, photography and image sharing, changing room supervision, and transport arrangements.

Every coach and volunteer working with children should sign it. Keep the signed copies on file.

6. Complete safeguarding training

Your NGB will have specific training requirements. The FA requires all coaches working with children to complete their online Safeguarding Children workshop. The ECB's Safe Hands course is mandatory for relevant roles. The RFU has an online safeguarding module. England Netball, England Hockey, British Cycling - all have equivalent requirements.

Beyond NGB-specific training, the CPSU provides additional resources and the Ann Craft Trust offers training focused on safeguarding adults at risk in sport.

Everyone working with children at your club should have completed, at minimum, the relevant NGB safeguarding course. It typically takes two to three hours. Refresher training is usually required every three years.

7. Establish clear reporting procedures

If a child tells a coach they're being hurt - at the club or at home - what happens next? Your policy needs to answer that question with precision. The coach contacts the Club Welfare Officer. The Welfare Officer follows the reporting procedure - which includes contacting the NGB's safeguarding team and, where appropriate, the local authority designated officer (LADO) in England, or the equivalent in Scotland (local authority child protection team), Wales (local authority safeguarding team), or Northern Ireland (Health and Social Care Trust gateway team). Where there's an immediate risk, the police are called directly.

What gets documented? Everything. When? Immediately. On a standard incident report form - your NGB will provide one.

8. Display safeguarding information at your venue

A poster in the clubhouse. Contact details for your Club Welfare Officer. The NSPCC helpline number (0808 800 5000). The number for Childline (0800 1111). Making safeguarding visible signals to parents that you take it seriously. It also signals to anyone who might cause harm that the club is actively watching.

9. Review annually

Safeguarding isn't a set-and-forget exercise. Legislation changes. NGB requirements evolve. Your club's activities change. Your Welfare Officer might step down mid-season. Set a review date - the first committee meeting after the AGM works - and check that everything is current: named contacts, DBS register, training records, policy content.

10. Know your reporting obligations

In England, there's no blanket mandatory reporting law for sports coaches - but "Working Together" guidance creates a strong expectation that anyone working with children will report concerns. The FA, ECB, and most NGBs make reporting a condition of coaching qualifications. In practice, if you have a concern and don't report it, you face NGB sanctions, potential insurance issues, and - if it later emerges that you were aware - serious personal liability.

In Scotland, the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 created a Named Person service (though its implementation has been complex). In Northern Ireland, specific professional groups are mandatory reporters under the Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995.

The safest position for any UK sports club: treat all adults working with children as having a duty to report concerns. Train them accordingly.

How TidyHQ helps

We built TidyHQ for clubs like yours, and we understand that safeguarding compliance is only useful if it's manageable for volunteers who already have a dozen other jobs on their plate.

You can store DBS check numbers, PVG membership details, and AccessNI disclosure references directly against member and volunteer profiles. Set expiry date reminders so you're notified before a check lapses - not after. Keep your safeguarding policy, codes of conduct, and reporting procedures in a central location that your entire committee can access, rather than in one person's email inbox or on a USB stick in the clubhouse. And when it's time for your annual review, your membership records make it straightforward to confirm which volunteers are current and which need to renew.

Frequently asked questions

Does my club need safeguarding arrangements if we only have a handful of juniors?

Yes. There is no minimum number. If your club has one junior member, you need a safeguarding policy, a welfare officer, and DBS checks for adults in relevant roles. The size of your junior section doesn't change the obligation - or the risk. A small club with three juniors still has coaches, still has changing facilities, still has situations where adults and children interact. The arrangements can be proportionate to your size, but they must exist.

What's the difference between a DBS check and PVG scheme membership?

A DBS check (England and Wales) is a point-in-time check - it tells you what was on the person's record on the date the check was processed. A PVG scheme membership (Scotland) is a continuous monitoring system - once registered, the person is continuously checked, and their employer or voluntary organisation is notified if new relevant information comes to light. Both serve the same fundamental purpose, but PVG provides ongoing assurance rather than a snapshot. If your club operates in Scotland, PVG is your framework. If you operate across the Scotland-England border, you may need both.

What should I do if a child discloses something to me?

Listen. Don't ask leading questions - let them tell you in their own words. Don't promise to keep it secret (you can't). Reassure them that they've done the right thing by telling you. As soon as practically possible, write down what they said - their words, not your interpretation. Then contact your Club Welfare Officer immediately. If you believe the child is in immediate danger, call the police on 999. Don't investigate. Don't confront the alleged perpetrator. Don't tell other people at the club. Report it through the proper channels and let trained professionals take it from there.

Safeguarding isn't a document you file and forget. It's a culture you maintain - one check, one training session, one review at a time. The checklist above is the structure. Your commitment to following it is what actually protects the children in your care. Get the basics in place. Then get back to running Saturday sport.

References

• NSPCC CPSU - Child Protection in Sport Unit: safeguarding standards, templates, and training for UK sports clubs
• Sport England - Safeguarding requirements for funded organisations and Club Matters guidance
• UK Sport - National safeguarding framework and governance standards
• Sport Integrity Australia - Comparative safeguarding frameworks (Australian context)
• NCVO - DBS check guidance and safeguarding policies for voluntary organisations