Sports Coach UK - Good Practice & Child Protection course - details available from Sports Coach UK Website

or

Sports Coach UK

114 Cardigan Road

Headingley

Leeds

LS6 3BJ

Tel: 0113 274 4802

Fax: 0113 275 5019

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 As an athletics coach you are invited to adopt the following principles for best practice in athlete welfare.

1. Coaches will respect the rights, dignity and worth of every athlete and treat everyone equally, regardless of background or ability.
2. Coaches will place the welfare and safety of the athlete above the development of performance.
3. Coaches will develop appropriate working relationships with athletes (especially under 18's), based on mutual trust and respect. They will not exert undue influence to obtain personal benefit or reward.
4. Coaches will encourage and guide athletes to accept and take responsibility for their own behaviour and performance.
5. Coaches will be appropriately qualified and update their licence as and when required by U K Athletics.
6. Coaches will ensure that the activities they guide or advocate are appropriate for the age, maturity, experience and ability of the individual.
7. Coaches will, at the outset, clarify with athletes (and where appropriate their parents or carers) exactly what is expected of them and what athletes are entitled to expect from the coach.
8. Coaches will cooperate fully with other colleagues (e.g. other coaches, officials, team managers, sport scientists, doctors, physiotherapists and governing body staff) in the best interests of the athlete.
9. Coaches will consistently promote positive aspects of the sport (e.g. fair play) and never condone rule violations or the use of prohibited or age-inappropriate substances.
10. Coaches will consistently display high standards of behaviour and appearance.
11. An athlete or coach found to be guilty of a doping offence will no be accepted or allowed to be involved in the U K Athletics coaching programmes for the duration of the ban and will have their coach pass and licence removed.