National Children Officers

Each Governing Body of Sport should appoint a National Children's Officer. The National Children's Officer should be a member of the Executive Committee, or have access to the committee and its accompanying documents, to ensure that children's interests are kept on, and influence the decisions of, the agenda of the Governing Body.

The role of the National Children's Officer involves:

• Familiarisation with Children First and Our Duty to Care to ensure they can act as an information source to other members of the organisation

• Commitment to attendance at appropriate training as required in order to act as a resource to members in relation to children's needs

• Co-ordination of training for others

• The promotion of the values, attitudes and structures which make sport enjoyable for children

• Circulation of all relevant information and resource materials, on children's sport to clubs and affiliates of the sports organisations

• Communication with Club Children's Officers to ensure the distribution of the Code and the promotion of related education programmes, materials events and governing body related codes

• Liaison with all clubs to examine the rules, regulations and structures to ensure that they are child centred, e.g. equal playing time, appropriate competition structures, modified equipment to allow sense of achievement and success, use of protective gear, bullying policy etc.

• Liaison with clubs, to ensure drop-out rates and transfers are monitored so that unusual developments or trends can be addressed, including transfer of sports leaders

• Assisting in the development of a system of record keeping which maintains confidentiality while allowing for appropriate information to be passed to relevant authorities where necessary

• Ensuring that the Governing Body develops an appropriate sport specific code, which includes a policy statement, codes of conduct, disciplinary procedures, bullying policy, safety statement, recruitment and selection policy and reporting procedures.