On 1 September 2026, changes to the definition of regulated activity with children come into force across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The change is designed to strengthen safeguards for children, including those taking part in sport and physical activity.
The changes explained
Before September 2026, some people who regularly taught, coached, trained, cared for or supervised children were not considered to be carrying out regulated activity if they were supervised by someone already in regulated activity.
The supervision exemption has been removed, meaning some roles that were previously outside regulated activity will now fall within it, even when supervised.
For sports clubs, activity providers and governing bodies, this could affect which roles require Enhanced DBS checks with Barred List in England and Wales, or Enhanced AccessNI checks in Northern Ireland.
What sport organisations should do from 1 September
Sports organisations should review roles involving regular contact with children where people teach, train, instruct, care for or supervise children often or overnight, this could include:
- assistant coaches
- volunteer coaches
- team managers
- parent helpers
- activity leaders
- volunteers on camps, tours and residential trips
Check what this means for the roles in your organisation and learn more about the definition of regulated activity.
The Disclosure and Barring Service specifically highlights both assistant sports coaches supervised by a head coach and an activity instructor being visited by school groups, as examples of roles that may now be considered regulated activity.
Decide if any of your staff or volunteers now need a higher-level check as part of your safer recruitment procedures.
Organisations should also update safer recruitment and safeguarding procedures and communicate any changes to staff and volunteers.
Safer adults for safer sport
Good safeguarding helps children feel safe, supported and able to enjoy sport.
The changes will help organisations apply more consistent safeguarding standards and strengthen their ability to deter or name people who are barred from working with children.
Louise Exton, Head of NSPCC Sport, says: "Every child deserves to be safe when taking part in sport. That's why we welcome this change, which better reflects the reality of how adults work with children across sport and physical activity settings. By bringing more regularly supervised coaching and activity roles into regulated activity, organisations will be better equipped to prevent unsuitable people from working with children.
"Checks alone do not keep children safe, but they are a vital part of a wider safeguarding culture. We urge sports organisations and physical activity settings to use this opportunity to strengthen their overall approach to safeguarding."
Learn more by visiting the government website on changes to the definition of regulated activity with children from 1 September 2026.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What is regulated activity?
Regulated activity is certain work with children that has a higher safeguarding responsibility.
In sport, this can include regularly coaching, teaching, training, instructing, caring for or supervising children. People who are barred from working with children must not carry out regulated activity.
Visit the government website for a full definition of Regulated activity with children in England and Wales or the Department of Justice website for Northern Ireland.
Do all sports volunteers and staff need an Enhanced DBS or AccessNI check?
No. Organisations should assess each role individually based on the activities being carried out, their frequency and whether the role meets the definition of regulated activity.
Can all sports staff and volunteers have a basic or standard DBS check?
It's good practice to request a basic check for all adults who work with children, sometimes called a basic disclosure. You can also use the government's DBS checking tool to work out what type of check is needed if you're not sure.
Does this change affect regulated activity with adults at risk?
No. The September 2026 changes apply to regulated activity with children only.