Extracts taken from the SafeguardingSPORT online training
Designed and Developed by Paul M. Critchlow © 2025,
“The Safeguarding Blueprint – Coach Programme”, released 2 Dec 2025.
Boundaries in sport are not about restricting coaches. They are about protecting them.
Many coaches are unaware that simple, everyday actions—giving a player a lift home, sending a private WhatsApp message, offering one-on-one training—can place them at professional and legal risk.
SafeguardingSPORT helps coaches understand where the safe line is, and how to stay on the right side of it.
The course explores topics such as:
How to maintain professional distance while still being supportive
When communication becomes a safeguarding concern
How to design training and matchday routines that protect adult credibility
How to avoid the subtle signs of boundary drift
A major insight delivered in the course is this:
Boundaries protect children from harm, and coaches from allegations.
Without these boundaries, things can go wrong quickly. Misunderstandings escalate. Parents sense discomfort. Children become confused about what is appropriate. And coaches—often unintentionally—place themselves in vulnerable situations.
The consequences for organisations that ignore safeguarding boundaries are severe:
Loss of trust from families
Damage to the club’s reputation
Increased risk of scandals
Possible legal consequences
SafeguardingSPORT offers a structured approach to eliminating these risks. Delegates learn exactly how to build clear behavioural expectations, communication protocols, and boundaries that keep everyone safe.
If you work with children in sport, you need more than goodwill. You need boundaries. And this course shows you how to implement them effectively.
#CoachingStandards #SafeSportBoundaries #ProtectingCoaches #ChildSafeEnvironments