Safeguarding doesn’t start when something goes wrong, but is shaped by what adults do every single day. The small habits. The quick observations. The decisions made in busy sports halls, courts and changing rooms.
But in fast‑moving environments, where no two sessions look the same, it can be difficult to notice and remember everything, especially when signs of concern are subtle, gradual or easy to miss.
As part of a safeguarding framework, checklists can be an essential tool for coaches, welfare officers, and club leaders to manage their duty of care effectively, especially when things get busy.
Why use checklists in safeguarding
Safeguarding is complex, and in high-pressure sporting environments, important details can sometimes be overlooked. Checklists can help:
- promote consistency. They provide a standard framework so that every session, event, or process meets the same high standards, regardless of who is in charge.
- reduce human error. By acting as simple prompts, checklists help coaches track critical safety factors like first aid accessibility, and safe participant ratios as well as inclusive practice like language choice and new family inductions.
- create an audit trail. A dated checklist provides evidence that your organisation is proactive and compliant with legal regulations for health and safety, contract services, and offers a way to check what done in cases of incidents.
- empower staff and volunteers. Clear checklists give everyone "permission" to act or challenge poor practice or speak up about safety issues by following objective standards.
While checklists can be powerful and provide structure, they shouldn’t limit your awareness. Use safeguarding checklists as a prompt — not a tunnel.
Moving beyond "tick-box" compliance
While checklists are powerful, they must be part of a broader safeguarding culture. To use them effectively, you should also use:
- professional judgment first. A checklist supports actions and decision-making; it does not replace your knowledge of your sport and families, or the professional curiosity needed to spot subtle behavioural changes in children and young people.
- regular reviews. Safeguarding plans and checklists should be reviewed regularly to stay in line with the latest best practice, recommendations or legal requirements.
- athlete voice. Not every person or situation will fit neatly into a pre-determined box. Make sure checklists are informed by the views of your participants and staff know when it’s appropriate to deviate from a checklist.
Essential safeguarding checklists for 2026
These essential safeguarding checklists can help you with your day-to-day safeguarding practice, as well as when incidents happen.
- Day-to-day safeguarding checklist
- Holiday checklist - for use by parents during holiday activity clubs
- New starter checklist - everything a new starter needs to know
- Away day trip checklist - preparing for an away day
- Overnight trip checklist - organising an overnight trip
- Event safeguarding checklist - for use when you’re running an event
- Leisure sector checklist - to support the leisure and facilities industry
- Check and Challenge Tool - when using external providers
Checklists don’t replace professional judgment, they strengthen it. They can increase confidence, reduce ambiguity, and help make sure every child is given the same opportunity to take part and enjoy safe sport.
If you need any other checklists, get in touch as we are always creating new resources to help strengthen safeguarding in sport. Email cpsu@nspcc.org.uk