What coaching and supervision ratios does the ECB set?

Q: What coaching and supervision ratios does the ECB set?

ECB Safe Hands guidance (April 2025) sets coaching ratios, to be used together with the Rule of Two: Activity Coach to children Net coaching 1 : 8 Group coaching, hard ball 1 : 16 Group coaching, soft ball 1 : 24 For supervising children aged 8 and under, the guidance gives 1 adult to 8 children. The Rule of Two means interactions with children are always open, observable and justifiable, with more than one adult present (the exception is an emergency). Good practice includes: adults are never alone or out of sight with a participant without another DBS-checked coach or adult volunteer present; coaching and playing areas are open to observation; where an under-18 is scoring with an adult, the scoring area is risk assessed, open and visible, and the Rule of Two applies.

Question

Accepted Answer

ECB Safe Hands guidance (April 2025) sets coaching ratios, to be used together with the Rule of Two:

Activity	Coach to children
Net coaching	1 : 8
Group coaching, hard ball	1 : 16
Group coaching, soft ball	1 : 24

For supervising children aged 8 and under, the guidance gives 1 adult to 8 children.

The Rule of Two means interactions with children are always open, observable and justifiable, with more than one adult present (the exception is an emergency). Good practice includes:

adults are never alone or out of sight with a participant without another DBS-checked coach or adult volunteer present;
coaching and playing areas are open to observation;
where an under-18 is scoring with an adult, the scoring area is risk assessed, open and visible, and the Rule of Two applies.