Everyone has the right to be treated fairly, with respect, and to be free from harm when taking part in sport and active recreation.
It’s everyone’s responsibility to keep sport and recreation safe and fair for all participants. Whether you are a player, spectator, volunteer, official or parent we all have a role to uphold a culture of integrity, and call out behaviour that undermines or threatens safe and fair participation in sport and recreation.
We all play a part in keeping everyone safe from abuse and harm.
This means acting with integrity to create an environment where everyone:
can take part in a safe environment free from any kind of abuse and harm
is respected for who they are and where they come from
can trust each other, their organisations and the Commission to behave with integrity
is confident that harmful behaviour is taken seriously, and people are held to account
is confident concerns and complaints are fairly resolved by clubs, organisations, or the Commission.
Participant protection ensures the safety and fair treatment of everyone involved in sport and recreation. It means safeguarding them against any form of abuse, violence, harassment or discrimination.
We support everyone to understand, identify and act on behaviour that causes harm. This section provides guidance and tips for dealing with different types of harmful behaviour.
Everyone has the right to be treated fairly, with respect, and to be free from harm when taking part in sport and active recreation.
It’s everyone’s responsibility to keep sport and recreation safe and fair for all participants. Whether you are a player, spectator, volunteer, official or parent we all have a role to uphold a culture of integrity, and call out behaviour that undermines or threatens safe and fair participation in sport and recreation.
We all play a part in keeping everyone safe from abuse and harm.
This means acting with integrity to create an environment where everyone:
can take part in a safe environment free from any kind of abuse and harm
is respected for who they are and where they come from
can trust each other, their organisations and the Commission to behave with integrity
is confident that harmful behaviour is taken seriously, and people are held to account
is confident concerns and complaints are fairly resolved by clubs, organisations, or the Commission.
Participant protection ensures the safety and fair treatment of everyone involved in sport and recreation. It means safeguarding them against any form of abuse, violence, harassment or discrimination.
We support everyone to understand, identify and act on behaviour that causes harm. This section provides guidance and tips for dealing with different types of harmful behaviour.
Identifying and responding to abuse and harm
Identifying and responding to abuse and harm
Harmful behaviour can happen in sport and recreation because of:
poor culture at the organisation or club
inadequate policies and processes or not enough support to apply the policies
a power imbalance between people in authority and participants
a lack of awareness, understanding and skill to identify and properly address harmful behaviour.
Understanding and identifying abuse and harm will help keep everyone safer and help create a culture of integrity. It will keep you safer too.
Types of harm and abuse
Harmful behaviour
There is no place for bullying, violence, abuse, intimidation or harassment in sport and recreation. Recognising this behaviour and understanding the harm it causes will help put a stop to it.
Racism and other forms of unlawful discrimination are not allowed in any area of sport and recreation. Find out what discrimination looks like, and the exceptions to being excluded from an activity or competition.
Harmful behaviour can happen in sport and recreation because of:
poor culture at the organisation or club
inadequate policies and processes or not enough support to apply the policies
a power imbalance between people in authority and participants
a lack of awareness, understanding and skill to identify and properly address harmful behaviour.
Understanding and identifying abuse and harm will help keep everyone safer and help create a culture of integrity. It will keep you safer too.
Types of harm and abuse
Harmful behaviour
There is no place for bullying, violence, abuse, intimidation or harassment in sport and recreation. Recognising this behaviour and understanding the harm it causes will help put a stop to it.
Racism and other forms of unlawful discrimination are not allowed in any area of sport and recreation. Find out what discrimination looks like, and the exceptions to being excluded from an activity or competition.
If you think someone is being harmed or abused, speak up and report it. It can be a difficult subject to raise.
You may be unsure harm is happening, and you might feel uncomfortable, but speaking out might identify part of a larger pattern of behaviour. You may only be seeing a piece of the puzzle. Something that may appear to be one-off or insignificant may show a much bigger issue when all the pieces are put together.
Staying silent or doing nothing means the behaviour is unlikely to stop and may get worse. It can damage the culture, making it potentially unsafe for everyone.
It’s not your responsibility to investigate whether someone has been abused or harmed. You just need to know how to identify and report your concerns appropriately and safely. There is help available and you’re not alone.
If you or someone else is in danger, call the police on 111.
Act on it
Where possible, support the person to leave the situation if they are at risk. Make sure this doesn’t put you or them at further risk.
Find out the details, who is involved, and how long it’s been happening. If they don’t want to give further detail, don’t push them, but use the information you do have.
Ask them what action they would like to take, and how you can best support them to work through the complaints process.
If they are not comfortable with you reporting it, ask them why calmly and without judgement, and listen to their concerns. They may be afraid or worried they’ll be disadvantaged by speaking up. Explain the policies that protect them from this and that they have your support.
Tell them what you will do, and what they should expect to happen.
Report it as soon as possible to your club or organisation and follow their reporting process. This can include raising your concern or complaint with the person responsible for safeguarding participants — they are sometimes called a safeguarding or welfare officer.
Your club should confirm when it’s received your report. If not, follow up to see why you didn’t hear back.
You can report it to the Commission, the police or another agency such as the Human Rights Commission.
When you make a complaint or report a concern about harmful behaviour, it can be to more than one person or place.
Record it
Take a record of the details:
what you experienced, saw, heard or were told
who you reported it to and when
what actions were taken to resolve the concern or complaint.
Follow up
Follow up with your club or organisation about what action they will take. If you don’t think your concerns have been dealt with or progressed enough, raise it with the club. If you need to, escalate it to the police.
Check back with the person who might have been harmed. You could also give them a list of services they can contact for support.
If you think someone is being harmed or abused, speak up and report it. It can be a difficult subject to raise.
You may be unsure harm is happening, and you might feel uncomfortable, but speaking out might identify part of a larger pattern of behaviour. You may only be seeing a piece of the puzzle. Something that may appear to be one-off or insignificant may show a much bigger issue when all the pieces are put together.
Staying silent or doing nothing means the behaviour is unlikely to stop and may get worse. It can damage the culture, making it potentially unsafe for everyone.
It’s not your responsibility to investigate whether someone has been abused or harmed. You just need to know how to identify and report your concerns appropriately and safely. There is help available and you’re not alone.
If you or someone else is in danger, call the police on 111.
Act on it
Where possible, support the person to leave the situation if they are at risk. Make sure this doesn’t put you or them at further risk.
Find out the details, who is involved, and how long it’s been happening. If they don’t want to give further detail, don’t push them, but use the information you do have.
Ask them what action they would like to take, and how you can best support them to work through the complaints process.
If they are not comfortable with you reporting it, ask them why calmly and without judgement, and listen to their concerns. They may be afraid or worried they’ll be disadvantaged by speaking up. Explain the policies that protect them from this and that they have your support.
Tell them what you will do, and what they should expect to happen.
Report it as soon as possible to your club or organisation and follow their reporting process. This can include raising your concern or complaint with the person responsible for safeguarding participants — they are sometimes called a safeguarding or welfare officer.
Your club should confirm when it’s received your report. If not, follow up to see why you didn’t hear back.
You can report it to the Commission, the police or another agency such as the Human Rights Commission.
When you make a complaint or report a concern about harmful behaviour, it can be to more than one person or place.
Record it
Take a record of the details:
what you experienced, saw, heard or were told
who you reported it to and when
what actions were taken to resolve the concern or complaint.
Follow up
Follow up with your club or organisation about what action they will take. If you don’t think your concerns have been dealt with or progressed enough, raise it with the club. If you need to, escalate it to the police.
Check back with the person who might have been harmed. You could also give them a list of services they can contact for support.
Receiving and recording a disclosure about abuse or harm
Receiving and recording a disclosure about abuse or harm
It can be difficult for someone to tell you they have experienced harm. Listen quietly, carefully and patiently. Show you support the person. Their safety and wellbeing comes first.
Listen
Stay calm. Don’t panic. Do not appear shocked.
Accept what they’re saying without any judgement. Do not interrogate them. Limit the discussion to finding out generally what happened.
Don’t make assumptions, offer alternative explanations, or diminish the seriousness of the behaviour or alleged incidents.
Protect
Check if the person is safe and whether the harm is still happening.
Look after yourself and get support if you need it. Hearing about harm or abuse can weigh heavily on you.
Reassure
Reassure them that telling someone was the right thing to do.
Assure them that it is not their fault.
Assure them you will do your best to help.
Record
Write down what the person says in their own words, including slang or swear words.
Ask open questions and don’t put words in their mouth.
Record the date, time and place and how they spoke and seemed to you.
Make certain you distinguish between what the person said and your opinions and assumptions. Accuracy and sticking to the facts is really important.
Unless it’s for the safety of the person, yourself or others, seek help only after the person has finished telling you.
Inform
Let them know you need to tell someone else, and you won’t keep secrets. And the person you are telling is someone whose job it is to protect them. It could be the club’s safeguarding or welfare officer, the Commission, or police.
Let them know what you are going to do next and that you will let them know what happens.
It can be difficult for someone to tell you they have experienced harm. Listen quietly, carefully and patiently. Show you support the person. Their safety and wellbeing comes first.
Listen
Stay calm. Don’t panic. Do not appear shocked.
Accept what they’re saying without any judgement. Do not interrogate them. Limit the discussion to finding out generally what happened.
Don’t make assumptions, offer alternative explanations, or diminish the seriousness of the behaviour or alleged incidents.
Protect
Check if the person is safe and whether the harm is still happening.
Look after yourself and get support if you need it. Hearing about harm or abuse can weigh heavily on you.
Reassure
Reassure them that telling someone was the right thing to do.
Assure them that it is not their fault.
Assure them you will do your best to help.
Record
Write down what the person says in their own words, including slang or swear words.
Ask open questions and don’t put words in their mouth.
Record the date, time and place and how they spoke and seemed to you.
Make certain you distinguish between what the person said and your opinions and assumptions. Accuracy and sticking to the facts is really important.
Unless it’s for the safety of the person, yourself or others, seek help only after the person has finished telling you.
Inform
Let them know you need to tell someone else, and you won’t keep secrets. And the person you are telling is someone whose job it is to protect them. It could be the club’s safeguarding or welfare officer, the Commission, or police.
Let them know what you are going to do next and that you will let them know what happens.
What clubs and organisations can do
What clubs and organisations can do
Understand safeguarding and protection
Gain knowledge and understanding of the behaviour and situations that can lead to abuse and harm.
Assess and identify the risks that are specific to your club or organisation.
Develop and implement robust policies, processes and guidance
Develop and implement policies, processes and a code of conduct, which prohibits harmful behaviour.
Have easy-to-use guides that align to your policies. Staff, volunteers, families and participants need to know how to:
understand and recognise the risk areas to prevent and respond to abuse and harm
raise a concern and who to tell or report concerns to, for example, a safeguarding or welfare officer in your club or organisation.
Communicate your expectations and provide good guidance
Make sure everyone understands and knows:
what is (and is not) acceptable behaviour
steps to take to prevent and recognise harmful behaviour
how to report an incident or concern, and make a complaint.
Make it easy for people to speak up
Make sure everyone knows how to report an incident or make a complaint. Include where, who, and how they can report harmful behaviour. Make it clear that it is safe to report concerns, no matter how minor they might seem.
Appoint a safeguarding officer who is responsible for managing complaints and concerns. They are sometimes known as the ‘welfare officer’ or ‘safeguarding advisor’. They could also be responsible for child safeguarding.
Have a clear complaints and investigation process
Make sure everyone in the club or organisation knows all complaints and concerns will be handled fairly and taken seriously.
Have clear lines of reporting and actions for when people speak up.
Have a clear process to follow up complaints and concerns.
Learn how to safely listen to and document concerns.
Respond to all concerns and complaints. Take them seriously, no matter how minor they might seem.
Know how to pass information on to trained people and protection services – so it can be investigated by someone skilled in this area.
Provide support and prevent further harm from happening
Support everyone affected so healing and recovery can happen.
Make sure those who have harmed or behaved unethically can no longer be a risk in the future, and that the organisation trains and develops its people, so they have the skills to prevent future harm.
Minimise the opportunities for future harm by identifying how it happened. Look for any gaps or issues with your policies, procedures and training. Think about the environment and culture at the club or organisation.
Regularly review your policies to make sure they are fit for purpose to prevent and respond to harm and abuse.
Support services
You may be upset or worried about harmful behaviour or a serious incident you have seen or experienced. Access these services if you or someone else needs support or advice.
Gain knowledge and understanding of the behaviour and situations that can lead to abuse and harm.
Assess and identify the risks that are specific to your club or organisation.
Develop and implement robust policies, processes and guidance
Develop and implement policies, processes and a code of conduct, which prohibits harmful behaviour.
Have easy-to-use guides that align to your policies. Staff, volunteers, families and participants need to know how to:
understand and recognise the risk areas to prevent and respond to abuse and harm
raise a concern and who to tell or report concerns to, for example, a safeguarding or welfare officer in your club or organisation.
Communicate your expectations and provide good guidance
Make sure everyone understands and knows:
what is (and is not) acceptable behaviour
steps to take to prevent and recognise harmful behaviour
how to report an incident or concern, and make a complaint.
Make it easy for people to speak up
Make sure everyone knows how to report an incident or make a complaint. Include where, who, and how they can report harmful behaviour. Make it clear that it is safe to report concerns, no matter how minor they might seem.
Appoint a safeguarding officer who is responsible for managing complaints and concerns. They are sometimes known as the ‘welfare officer’ or ‘safeguarding advisor’. They could also be responsible for child safeguarding.
Have a clear complaints and investigation process
Make sure everyone in the club or organisation knows all complaints and concerns will be handled fairly and taken seriously.
Have clear lines of reporting and actions for when people speak up.
Have a clear process to follow up complaints and concerns.
Learn how to safely listen to and document concerns.
Respond to all concerns and complaints. Take them seriously, no matter how minor they might seem.
Know how to pass information on to trained people and protection services – so it can be investigated by someone skilled in this area.
Provide support and prevent further harm from happening
Support everyone affected so healing and recovery can happen.
Make sure those who have harmed or behaved unethically can no longer be a risk in the future, and that the organisation trains and develops its people, so they have the skills to prevent future harm.
Minimise the opportunities for future harm by identifying how it happened. Look for any gaps or issues with your policies, procedures and training. Think about the environment and culture at the club or organisation.
Regularly review your policies to make sure they are fit for purpose to prevent and respond to harm and abuse.
Support services
You may be upset or worried about harmful behaviour or a serious incident you have seen or experienced. Access these services if you or someone else needs support or advice.
