It is the RFL’s vision to: -

• Ensure that all relevant individuals within the game, including, but not limited to, Coaches, Players, Match Officials and Club Welfare Officers, have confidence in their ability to protect and safeguard the welfare of every child within Rugby League.
• Ensure all adults within the game are able to recognise poor practice or intent and know how to report their concerns.
• Create a generation of Players who are confident to report poor practice or intent.
• Empower Rugby League Clubs to be competent and confident that they are contributing positively to children’s lives.
• Achieve a greater level of awareness of Safeguarding and Protecting Children issues throughout the game.

The RFL aim to realise this vision through various activities which are specified in the RFL’s Safeguarding and Protecting Children Education Strategy which is available for download below.

Click here to download the Safeguarding Education Strategy

Safeguarding & Protecting Children Courses

It is vitally important that individuals at clubs have the necessary skills, confidence and knowledge to enable them to feel confident to safeguard and protect children under their supervision. In order to facilitate this, the RFL have organised some Safeguarding and Protecting Children courses at clubs throughout the country. This course is recommended for all involved with coaching children and is a foundation course for CWOs before the Time To Listen course

The Course is free for registered CWOs and costs £15 for junior coaches etc. CWOs will be given priority for places on these courses.

1) The RFL organise some courses. These are publicised by email distribution and are displayed on the RFL Website. For further information or to book a place please email safeguarding@rfl.uk.com or phone 0844 477 7113.

2) County Sport Partnerships organise Safeguarding and Protecting Children courses for non sport specific groups.

3) If there are sufficient numbers within your club (12-20) the RFL will arrange a session just for your club. Please complete the Education Request Form (click here for form) and email it to safeguarding@rfl.uk.com to arrange a session

In addition if you want to host a course at your club for your junior coaches and can get 20 people together – perhaps you could run a shared course with a neighbouring club - then please contact us to discuss arrangements. These will cost £15 per person.

You can also source local courses in your area via the Sports Coach UK website – www.sportscoachuk.org click onto the Quick Locate Workshops and click onto your area. Then click on the workshops for a list of Safeguarding & Protecting Workshops in your area.

Time to Listen

This is a course primarily for Club Welfare Officers and goes into more detail regarding policies and procedures than the SPC course. Candidates must have completed SPC prior to attending TTL, unless they have prior experience or qualifications that match the learning outcomes of SPC - this has to be discussed with Colette Eden, the Safeguarding Manager - colette.eden@rfl.uk.com This Course is free for registered CWOs.

Planned SPC & TTL Courses 

To book a place on a course listed above, please complete the booking form (available here) and return by email to safeguarding@rfl.uk.com

Please note that CWOs must have attended a Safeguarding & Protecting Children course prior to attending the Time To Listen course.

Club Education

You may wish to deliver some education within your club to coaches, volunteers and parents. The RFL can support your club by providing resources. Please visit the Downloads section to downlaod resources or complete the Resource Requisition Form (available here) and email it to safeguarding@rfl.uk.com to order hard copies of resources.

The RFL has taken every care to ensure that the content of this website is current and correct and it has been produced in good faith. However, the RFL cannot guarantee the correctness and completeness of the content and no responsibility is taken for any omissions or errors.

The information on these pages is only a short guide to the information available and does not constitute business, medical or other professional advice.