• Preamble
• Article 1. Article 2. Article 3. Article 4. Article 5. Article 6. Article 7. Article 8. Article 9.
• Glossary
  • Adolescents Children Chronic Illness Communities Disability Elite Elite Sport Exercise Fit Fitness Health Professionals Incidental Activity Infants Movement Participation Physical Activity Sport Youth

Charter of Physical Activity and Sport
For Children and Youth

An Initiative of The New Children’s Hospital, Westmead - January 2000

Preamble

Regular participation in physical activity and sport by children and youth is essential for their optimum health, growth, well being and self-esteem. The right to be physically active and play sport should be recognised as a fundamental aspect of education and cultural life for all children and youth in Australia. Physical activity and sport should be acknowledged as an essential part of daily living. Equality of access and opportunity to participate in physical activity should be made available to all, including those with disabilities and chronic illness. Increased participation is more likely to occur when children and youth receive a consistent message that it is enjoyable, safe and beneficial to growth, health and well being. The successful promotion of this message can be achieved through partnerships between parents, governments, non-profit organisations, recreation and commercial providers of physical activity, sporting organisations, the media and schools.

Article 1.

All Australian children and youth have a fundamental right to be physically active and to play sport.

• 1.1 Every child and youth has a right to access physical activity and sport, which are essential for optimal development.
• 1.2 Every child and youth must have the opportunity to participate in physical activity and sport in accordance with their socio-cultural and geographic background.
• 1.3 Access and opportunity to participate in affordable physical activity and sport must be made available to all children and youth of all ages and abilities.
• 1.4 Policy makers and legislators must take into consideration the implications their decisions could have on the access and opportunity for children and youth to be physically active and to play sport.

Article 2.

Physical activity and sport form an essential element of growth, lifelong education, personal development and socialisation.

• 2.1 Physical activity and sport should be encouraged to enhance personal development in self-confidence, self-image, self-esteem and social and co-operative group skills in children and youth.
• 2.2 The value of incidental and planned physical activity and sport for children and youth should be recognised and acknowledged, particularly within the context of cultural and group diversity. As physical activity and sport are essential dimensions of education and cultural life, a balance of these activities in day to day life is important.
• 2.3 When promoting participation in physical activity and sport, emphasis must be placed on variety, enjoyment, fair play, safety, the encouragement of positive attitudes and the need to accommodate individual differences.

Article 3.

Parents, sporting organisations, local government, clubs, schools and commercial facilities should work together to provide opportunities for children and youth to participate in safe physical activity and sport.

• 3.1 Parents, sporting organisations, clubs, recreation and commercial facilities should cooperate to ensure balance in the promotion of organised sport and non-organised physical activity.
• 3.2 Sporting organisations, clubs and recreation and commercial facilities responsible for the organisation and conduct of physical activity and sport for children and youth should adopt risk management and safety guidelines to minimise acute and chronic injuries.
• 3.3 Personnel instructing children in physical activity and sport must ensure the use of correct technique, the appropriate use of all equipment, and the adherence to the rules of fair play in order to reduce the incidence of acute and chronic injury.
• 3.4 Parents must take primary responsibility in exerting a positive influence on participation in physical activity and sport by children and youth. The promotion of physical activity within the family context should be conducted in ways that provide fun and enjoyment, and an opportunity for continuing participation.

Article 4.

Education systems must assume shared responsibility for the provision of appropriate physical activity and sport for children and youth in safe, healthy and secure environments.

• 4.1 Personnel undertaking the instruction of physical activity and sport for children and youth must be suitably trained, and fully appreciate and apply the principles of child growth and development.
• 4.2 Physical activity and sport must be assigned a prominent place in the school curriculum.
• 4.3 The school curriculum must emphasise the positive benefits and value of being physically active and playing sport and the integrated nature of physical activity, sport, health, society and culture.
• 4.4 Physical activity and sport must be designed to ensure the development of age-appropriate motor skills, and a repertoire of enjoyable movement options.
• 4.5 Physical activity and sport should be designed to ensure that children and youth gain confidence, and experience a sense of personal achievement while developing age-appropriate motor skills.

Article 5.

Communities must provide appropriate infrastructure and safe access, facilities, equipment and, where appropriate, transport for children and youth to be physically active and participate in sport.

• 5.1 Governments, schools and commercial facilities must liaise and co-operate to provide and maximise the use of available physical activity and sports facilities, installations, equipment and personnel for children and youth.
• 5.2 Rural and urban planning should include provision for installations, facilities and equipment for incidental and planned physical activity and sport, taking into account the opportunities offered by the natural environment. Self-powered transport, such as walking and bicycle use, should be considered in this planning.
• 5.3 It is essential that climate and the natural environment be considered in the provisions of safe physical activity and sport-related facilities and equipment for children and youth.
• 5.4 Sporting organisations, clubs, schools and commercial facilities must ensure that adaptations to rules and regulations, equipment and venues, are appropriate to the developmental age and ability of children and youth.
• 5.5 Local Government must ensure that adaptations to equipment and venues are appropriate to the developmental age and ability of children and youth.

Article 6.

To maximise the short and long-term health benefit outcomes for all children and youth, including those with special needs, physical activity and sport should be designed to improve physical fitness, mediate against chronic disease risk factors and facilitate psychological well being and cognitive functioning.

• 6.1 The provision of first aid facilities and personnel with current recognised first aid training must be considered a priority by parents, sporting organisations, local government, clubs, schools and commercial facilities in order to reduce the consequences of injury to children and youth.
• 6.2 An increase in participation rates in physical activities and sport should be advocated to reduce the prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity, and to promote overall health in children and youth.
• 6.3 The beneficial outcomes of being physically active and playing sport should be promoted for its positive benefits to psychological well being, moral and social development, and improvement in chronic disease risk factors in children and youth.
• 6.4 Health professionals should promote physical activity and sport as an essential part of living for all children and youth, including those with special needs.

Article 7.

The protection of children and youth, including those participating in elite physical activity and sport, is essential.

• 7.1 Children and youth, at all levels, must be protected against physical and psychological abuse, and excessive and inappropriate training techniques and practices.
• 7.2 Children and youth involved in physical activity and sport must be safeguarded from the use of performance enhancing drugs and inappropriate use of prescribed drugs.
• 7.3 Children and youth involved in higher level or elite physical activity and sport must be safeguarded from over-commitment and exploitation for political, commercial or financial gain.
• 7.4 Children and youth involved in higher level or elite physical activity and sport must have their legal rights clarified and safeguarded by governments, government bodies and sporting organisations.
• 7.5 Children and youth involved in higher level or elite physical activity and sport must be informed of their legal rights by the appropriate organisations or sporting bodies.
• 7.6 Children and youth involved in elite physical activity and sport should have access to mediation and independent counselling for conflicts that may arise between coach, child and/or parent.

Article 8.

The mass media should exert a positive influence on participation by children and youth in physical activity and sport.

• 8.1 The mass media should be fully conscious of its responsibility in promoting the social importance, humanistic purpose, moral values and health benefits of participation in physical activity and sport by children and youth.
• 8.2 The mass media should be used to promote physical activity as an essential part of healthy daily living and discourage the over-use of inactive leisure in children and youth.

Article 9.

Research and evaluation are essential components for the practice and development of appropriate physical activity and sport for children and youth.

• 9.1 Research and evaluation into physical activity and sport should aim to:
  • 9.1.1 Promote safe, effective and enjoyable physical activity and sport for children and youth
  • 9.1.2 Develop appropriate physical and sporting activities for special needs groups, such as the chronically ill and those with long term disabilities
  • 9.1.3 Bring about an improvement in the overall health and safety of children and youth
  • 9.1.4 Include research into sports injuries in children and youth
  • 9.1.5 Improve understanding of training and coaching methods to reduce the incidence of physical and psychological injury to children and youth
  • 9.1.6 Improve understanding of organisational risk management procedures to reduce the incidence of injury to children and youth
  • 9.1.7 Develop appropriate and effective guidelines for physical activity and sport at all levels among children and youth
  • 9.1.8 Determine the benefits and detriment of participation in sport and physical activity by children and youth
  • 9.1.9 Improve the understanding of the contribution of incidental activity to the daily activity levels of children and youth and develop strategies to encourage incidental activities
  • 9.1.10 Understand the participation and attrition patterns in physical activity and sport, in children and youth particularly:
    • * Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander children and youth
    • * Girls, particularly those in the adolescent years
    • * Children and youth with a disability
    • * Children and youth with chronic illness
    • * Children and youth from a culturally diverse background
    • * Children and youth from rural and isolated communities
  • 9.1.11 Develop appropriate and effective guidelines for organisations to regularly review and maintain standards in coaching and instruction, method and content.
• 9.2 Research findings and outcomes related to child and youth participation in physical activity and sport must be circulated throughout the community to enable the development of appropriate strategies arising from those findings.

During the development of this Charter, The New Children’s Hospital Charter Working Party has referred to many documents, the more salient including:

1. AIESEP. (1999) The Indispensability of Physical Education. World Conference on Physical Education; Berlin.
2. Australian Coaching Council. (1997) Coaching Athletes With A Disability. Australian Coaching Council; Canberra.
3. Australian Coaching Council. (1998) Coaches Code of Ethics. Australian Coaching Council; Canberra.
4. Australian Sports Commission. (1993) Sportstart. Developing Your Kids Skills At Home. Aussie Sport. Australian Sports Commission; Canberra.
5. Australian Sports Commission. (1995) Willing & Able. P.E. & Sport for Young People with Disabilities. Aussie Able Program and Aussie Sport. Australian Sports Commission; Canberra.
6. Australian Sports Commission. (1997) Modified Sport. A Quality Junior Sport Approach. Aussie Sport. Australian Sports Commission; Canberra.
7. Australian Sports Commission. (1997) National Junior Sport Policy: A Framework for Developing Junior Sport in Australia. Australian Sports Commission; Canberra.
8. Australian Sports Commission. (1997) Sport It. Towards 2000. Teacher Resource Manual, Aussie Sport. Australian Sports Commission; Canberra.
9. Australian Sports Commission. (1997) Sportsafe Australia. A National Sport Safety Framework. Australian Sports Commission; Canberra.
10. Australian Sports Commission. (1998) Codes of Behaviour. Aussie Sport. Australia Sports Commission; Canberra.
11. Australian Sports Commission. (1998) Developing Active Young Australians. Aussie Sport. Australian Sports Commission; Canberra.
12. Caspersen, CJ., Powell, KE. and Christenson, GM. (1985) Physical activity, exercise, and physical fitness: Definitions and distinctions for health-related research. Public Health Reports. (100): 126-130.
13. Council of Europe. (1992) Code of Sports Ethics. Committee of Ministers, Council of Europe.
14. Department of Women (NSW). (1998) Issues of Importance to Women in NSW. NSW Government; Sydney.
15. Egger, G., Donovan, R., Corti, B., Bush, F. and Swinburn, B. (1999) National Physical Activity Guidelines; Scientific Background Report. Commonwealth Department of Health Population Studies Group; Canberra.
16. Council of Europe. (1995) European Manifesto on Young People and Sport. The European Ministers for Sport 8^th Conference, 7 – 18 May.
17. Council of Europe. (1992) European Sports Charter: Committee of Ministers, Council of Europe.
18. Gerrard, DF. and Farquhar, SJ. (1994) Children in Sport. New Zealand Federation of Sports Medicine. Hillary Commission for Sport, Fitness and Leisure; New Zealand.
19. Hammond, J. (1998) National Junior Sport Policy: A Bibliographic Analysis. Participation Division, Australian Sports Commission; Canberra.
20. Health Education Authority. (1998) Young and Active: Policy Framework for Young People and Health Enhancing Physical Activity. Health Education Authority; London.
21. NSW Department of Education and Training. (1998) Fitness and Physical Activity: A Resource to Support School Communities. NSW Department of Education and Training; Sydney.
22. NSW Physical Activity Taskforce. (1998) Simply Active Every Day: A Plan To Promote Physical Activity in NSW 1998 – 2002. NSW Health Department, Public Health Division; Sydney.
23. Sallis, JF. and Patrick, K. (1994) Physical activity guidelines for adolescents: Consensus statement. Paediatric Exercise Science (6): 302-314.
24. Sports Medicine Australia. (1997) Safety Guidelines for Children in Sport and Recreation. Aussie Sport. Australian Coaching Council. Sports Medicine Australia; Canberra.
25. Sports Medicine Australia. (1998) Guidelines for Developing and Implementing A Sport Safety Plan. How to Become a Sport Safe Club. Sports Medicine Australia; Canberra.
26. UNESCO. (1978) International Charter of Physical Education and Sport. Geneva; Switzerland.
27. United Nations High Commission for Human Rights. (1959) Declaration of the Rights of the Child. General Assembly Resolution 1386 (XIV). Geneva; Switzerland.

Glossary

Adolescents

Those between 10 years and 19 years of age. (World Health Organisation)

Children

Those between one year and 10 years of age. (World Health Organisation)

Chronic Illness

An illness persisting for a long time. (Oxford)

Communities

All the people living and/or working in a specific locality. (The New Children’s Hospital)

Disability

Partial or complete impairment of physical, psychological, social or cognitive functions that limit a person’s ability. (The New Children's Hospital)

Elite

The best part of a larger body or group. (Oxford)

Elite Sport

Sport that is performed at the State, National or International level. (The New Children’s Hospital)

Exercise

Planned, structured and repetitive bodily movements usually performed to improve one or more components of physical fitness. (Caspersen, C. et al., 1985)

Fit

In good health or athletic condition. (Oxford)

Fitness

The capacity of the heart and lungs to pump blood to the working muscles to use oxygen to carry out work. (Egger, G. et al., 1999)

Health Professionals

Those engaged in the health and well being of others. (The New Children’s Hospital)

Incidental Activity

Any movement that is performed freely and spontaneously. (The New Children’s Hospital)

Infants

Those under 12 months of age. (The New Children’s Hospital)

Movement

Any musculo-skeletal activity performed by a person. (Caspersen, C. et al., 1985)

Participation

Share or take part in. (Oxford)

Physical Activity

Bodily movement that is produced by the action of skeletal muscle, which substantially increases energy expenditure. (Caspersen, C. et al., 1985)

Sport

A human activity capable of achieving a result requiring physical exertion and/or physical skill which, by its nature and organisation, is competitive and is generally accepted as being a sport. (Australian Coaching Council)

Youth

Those between 12 years and 24 years of age. (World Health Organisation)