Recruiting chaperones

If you're hosting an event, competition or trip, you should recruit enough adults to meet your supervision ratios at all times. Often this will mean recruiting chaperones.

The particular roles and responsibilities of a chaperone may vary, depending on the child being supervised, the sport, and the training or event that they're taking part in. Check with your national governing body (NGB) for further guidance on this.

Generally, a chaperone’s role is to act as the child’s champion, making sure that the child’s health, wellbeing, and education are always a priority. If a chaperone recognises that these are being compromised or if they have any other concerns, they should act on behalf of the child in raising a concern.

For more information about the role of the chaperone, take a look at our chaperone role description designed to help organisations inform chaperones of their role and responsibilities.

Note: The terms ‘child’ and ‘young person’ describe any person under the age of 18. 

Recruitment

Essential requirements

Before a chaperone is recruited to supervise children at an event,  make sure they have met the safer recruitment requirements. Chaperones must also have:

• relevant safeguarding training – a minimum of basic level, for example, the UK Coaching Safeguarding and Protecting Children workshop
• a strong understanding of the core safeguarding principles
• a valid Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate, Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) check, or Access NI check, depending on location. This should be relevant and appropriate to the level of contact with children. See our guidance on safer recruitment for more information

A chaperone is an independent role which should be held by an adult who has been recruited based on their suitability and experience of looking after children in sport. The chaperone’s role is to make sure the safety, welfare and wellbeing needs of the child/ren are met. They should not be an older member of the sports team who is also competing as an athlete in that event .

Skills and abilities

Chaperoning can mean different things in different sports and levels of competition, but they should all have the following skills and abilities:

• good listener and communicator
• approachable
• empathetic
• remains calm in a crisis
• confident to raise concerns and challenge inappropriate behaviour
• decision-maker who takes initiative
• problem solver
• works well as part of a team
• discrete approach to dealing with situations, understanding confidentiality
• organised

Additional Considerations

Additional qualifications and courses

There may be some situations where it is beneficial or a requirement for chaperones to have additional skills and training when taking young people away for training or competitions. This could include:

• first aid training
• basic training to support young people’s mental health, such as Mental Health First Aid 

You should check with your NGB if there any specific additional requirements that they expect their chaperones to have.

Chaperoning elite and talent pathway athletes

When chaperoning in the elite and talent pathway environment there may be additional things for a chaperone to consider. For example:

• providing additional support to elite and talent pathway athletes who are vulnerable due to the pressurised environment 
• acting as a trusted individual and voice for the young person in this adult environment 
• considering any additional risks to the athlete’s health, wellbeing or education. 

Chaperoning in disability sport

Chaperoning d/Deaf and disabled young athletes may require some additional considerations, duties, and responsibilities. The sports organisation should approach this on a case-by-case basis and take the child’s voice into consideration. They may set up a meeting between a chaperone, the child, parents and carers and other relevant personnel. 

Gender representation

You should consider the gender of the chaperones that you are recruiting in relation to the children who will be attending the event. A mixed gender group  will require male and female staff. This is particularly important for supervising in single-gender spaces, such as toilets, changing rooms and sleeping facilities.

Equipping chaperones

Key documents and procedures

You should provide all the information that your chaperones need in order to fulfil their role. Chaperones should be given time to familiarise themselves with key documents and guidance, including:

• information on how to raise a concern
• the organisation’s safeguarding policies and procedures
• codes of conduct for coaches, chaperones, volunteers, parents and carers, and children
• drop off and collection procedures
• the organisation’s whistleblowing policy
• missing child policy
• risk assessment for the event or activity
• incident reporting form

Emergency, contact and health details

Make sure that key information and contact details are provided for the chaperones, and that these are quickly accessible. This should include contact details for:

• the child’s parents or carers
• the child’s other emergency contacts
• relevant personnel from the child’s club or organisation, such as their welfare officer, coordinator, coach, etc.
• any relevant sporting authority involved in the child’s progress, or in the event
  named individuals who have received consent to collect the child (if different from the parents or carers)
• the child’s relevant medical history, allergies, intolerances, and any medication they may need to take, and consent to administer this if needed
• details of the closest emergency medical facility, such as the local GP and hospital with 24-hour children’s A&E service.

Details of the trip

Chaperones should be familiar with details of the trip, including:

• travel plans
• itinerary
• time and location of drop-off and collection of athletes 
• venue details
• competition details   
• kit list

Download the checklist (PDF)