A safe place for every child to play sport
Our projects focus on children and young people aged between 5 and 16. Anyone who works with them bears a great responsibility. This policy sets out how we protect children, what we expect from everyone, and what to do if you have any concerns. It applies to our own team in the UK and on site, to our partner organisations, and to every intern, volunteer and participant on a sports trip.
Based on a recognised international guideline
Our policy follows the International Child Safeguarding Standards set out in *Keeping Children Safe*. These are the international guidelines for organisations working with children, based on four standards: a documented policy; carefully selected and trained staff; clear procedures; and accountability for how the policy is implemented.
We also base our approach on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. In the UK, we follow the Reporting Code on Domestic Violence and Child Abuse and adhere to the guidelines set out by the Centre for Safe Sport in the UK regarding inappropriate behaviour in sport.
The four standards
- Policy: this document, which is public and available for anyone to read
- People: screening, code of conduct and prior explanation
- Procedures: a set process for every concern or report
- Accountability: we review and improve our work every year
This is how we select and prepare our staff
Anyone who joins us has an initial interview first. During this, we discuss your motivation, your experience and how you get on with children. If it’s not a good fit, we’ll be honest about it.
You agree to our terms and conditions and code of conduct. These set out the agreements below, and what happens if someone fails to comply with them.
We’ll go through this policy during the induction, and it’s included in your welcome pack. On arrival, the local coordinator will give you an introduction to how things work on your project.
Our guidelines for interacting with children
- You are never alone with a child out of sight of others. There is always a second adult or the group nearby.
- You will always work alongside and under the guidance of the local team.
- You never use physical force or humiliating punishments, and you address children respectfully.
- You must not take children to your accommodation or to your home, and you must not visit children at home without their parents or a member of the local team.
- You do not have any private contact with children via the telephone, WhatsApp or social media.
- You should not give money or personal gifts to individual children. If you wish to give something, please do so through the project.
- You must only take photographs and videos with the project’s permission, and never of children in a vulnerable or humiliating situation.
- Do not post any photos in which a child is recognisable, together with their name, school or place of residence.
- You must not drink alcohol or take drugs before or during activities with children.
- You should report any concerns you have about a child’s safety, even if you’re not sure whether the matter is serious enough.
Our volunteers and trainees work on sports programmes in schools, neighbourhoods and clubs. We do not place anyone in orphanages or other children’s care homes.
Are you worried about a child?
Have you seen or heard anything that doesn’t seem right, or has a child told you something that worries you? Stay calm, listen, don’t promise to keep it a secret, and don’t try to investigate it yourself. Write down what you have seen or heard, including the date and time, and report it on the same day.
Who should you report it to?
- Contact the local coordinator for your project
- Contact your mentor in the UK, or in an emergency, call our 24/7 emergency number on
- Alternatively, if you’d prefer to speak to someone outside the organisation, you can contact one of our two independent confidential advisers. Their contact details are in your welcome pack.
You can also register by email at mike@thepowerofsports.org, even if you are not a participant.
Every report follows the same route
If a child is in immediate danger, we work with the local team to ensure their safety first. Where necessary, we call in the local emergency services.
The report is forwarded to the management of The Power of Sports and the partner organisation. We record the details of the report and decide on the next steps together.
Anyone suspected of inappropriate behaviour will no longer work with children whilst the case is ongoing. In the event of a criminal offence, we report it to the local authorities and, where possible, to the authorities in the UK.
We ensure that the child and the person making the report receive support. We treat all reports confidentially, and no one will suffer any adverse consequences as a result of a report made in good faith.
Together with our partners, reviewed year on year
Partner organisations
Each partner operates in accordance with this policy and has a designated point of contact for child protection. We discuss the policy with the partner at the start of the collaboration and then every year thereafter.
Photos and stories
On our websites and social media, we show children as they really are: playing sport and laughing. Never as pitiable or in need of help, and never with any details that could be used to trace them.
Evaluation
We review this policy every year, and always following a report. We incorporate what we learn into the intake process, the welcome packs and our agreements with our partners.
October 2026 version. The provisions set out in this policy are also included in our terms and conditions and code of conduct. Do you have any questions about this policy? Please feel free to contact us.