Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week, October 2025

By GM Moving | 22 September 2025 | TAGS: Welfare, Safeguarding, "sport", "salford", "parents"

The Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week campaign reminds us that creating safe, positive experiences for children in sport and physical activity takes everyone working together. This includes parents, carers, clubs, coaches, and system partners.

“Parents are the ultimate role models. What we deem as important, what we value, how we manage disappointment and conflict - the stories we tell our children are in many ways helping shape how they see the sporting world.”  
- Gordan MacLelland, Working With Parents in Sport 

At GM Moving, we know safe, inclusive environments are key to giving every child a positive start in movement. This year’s campaign theme, Play Your Part, aligns perfectly with our work to embed safeguarding across Greater Manchester. 

How parents can play their part 

NSPCC's Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) is calling on parents to have conversations with their children about what support means to them. Here are their four top tips to share with parents in your network: 

• Listen to your child– do they play sport for fun, for friendship or because they enjoy the competition? And how do they want you to support them? Some children love loud cheers of encouragement, while others prefer a quieter show of support like a hand signal or a smile.
  
  
• Keep sport fun– make children feel good by praising effort and progress as well as performance. Help them cope with difficult situations like team selections and competitions with encouragement and constructive feedback. 
  
  
• Respect everyone– show what great sportsmanship looks like by cheering on the whole team, and respecting the coach and officials (even if you disagree with their decisions).
  
  
• See something, say something– are adults shouting insults, criticising mistakes or challenging official decisions? Raise any issues with your club’s welfare officer or match day official.

We spoke to parents in Manchester, who had their own practical tips to share.

"Check your attitude when watching your child train or compete. Keep positive body language, and do not attempt to coach your child from the sidelines - that's what their coach is for. Encourage always; celebrate when things go well, and positively reinforce the great work they've done when things don't go to plan."
- Jo, Club Welfare Officer & Parent, MAC Dive Team, Manchester 

Amanda, Club Welfare Officer at Agecroft Rowing Club in Salford shares why these conversations are so vital. 

“As both Welfare Officer and a parent of young athletes, I know how important it is for children to feel safe and supported. When parents encourage open conversations and celebrate effort as much as results, it helps young people to thrive and enjoy their sport.” 
- Amanda, Club Welfare Officer at Agecroft Rowing Club, Salford 

How our work enables parental engagement 

Our upcoming workshops delivered by Working with Parents in Sport help clubs, coaches, and partners engage parents positively and create safe, inclusive sporting environments throughout the year. 

“Parents and carers tend to be the most influential people around their young person. Many provide a huge amount of tangible and emotional support which allows their young people to participate in sporting programmes. Without this support, we would have no-one to coach.

Bringing them in on the journey and working with them closely to help their young people fulfil their potential both in and out of their sport is so important.”
- Gordan MacLelland, CEO, Working with Parents in Sport 

Get Involved 

 The CPSU has resources for your sports club or organisation, including:

• A guide for parents: How to have supportive conversations with your child about sport 

• A guide for sports volunteers and professionals: Building positive parent behaviour in children’s sports and physical activity 

• Social media posts, videos and more. 

Download resources from CPSU

Book on to our workshops “Building a Positive Parent Culture in Sport” (6 October) and “Building Positive Relationships with Younger Athletes' Parents” (17 November) 

Book upcoming training and events

Contact our Sport & Physical Activity Welfare Leads to find out how we can support you with involving parents and keeping children safe in your club or group.

Contact Sport & Physical Activity Welfare Leads

If you need further support, visit our Safeguarding page and Sport Welfare Network page. 

Together, we can make sure every child’s movement experience is positive, safe, and enjoyable.