Coach's Guide to Netball Scotland Junior Netball Under 9 to Under 17 2026/27

Yes, but under the Netball Scotland Coach Framework, a responsible adult must be present whenever a coach under 18 is working. That adult is responsible for both the young coach and the participants.

Separately, Netball Scotland's ratio guidance says every session should be planned with at least two session leaders aged 18 or over.

Yes. It's a legal requirement that anyone regularly working with under-18s is a member of the PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) scheme. Netball Scotland also requires them to complete the Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport (CWPS) module.

The law tightened in 2025 under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act:

• From 1 April 2025, PVG membership became a legal requirement for regulated roles.
• From 1 July 2025, it's a criminal offence for anyone to do a regulated role without being a PVG member. It's also an offence for an organisation to offer a regulated role to someone who isn't a member.
• The penalty is up to 5 years' imprisonment, a fine up to the statutory maximum, or both. Disclosure Scotland reports suspected offences to the police.

In practice, your club must make sure you have your PVG before you start coaching.

Anyone in a regulated role with children or protected adults, paid or unpaid. Netball Scotland's examples of regulated roles in affiliated clubs:

• Under 18s coach
• Under 18s team manager
• Wellbeing and Protection Officer
• Volunteer helpers
• Physiotherapists and first aiders (at both junior and senior clubs)
• Board and committee members, even with no direct contact with children, because holding a position of responsibility in an organisation that provides benefits to children is itself a regulated role

There's no definitive list. Netball Scotland's five-question test is:

1. Is it work (paid or unpaid, but not a private arrangement between parents and carers)?
2. Is it with under-18s or protected adults?
3. Does it involve a regulated activity (for example teaching, training or supervising children, or having responsibility for their safety)?
4. Is it part of the person's normal duties?
5. Is there an exception because the contact is only incidental to their normal duties? Netball Scotland's example is an under-18 player playing for an adult team.

From Netball Scotland's PVG Guidance (August 2025):

• Apply through your club: your application is countersigned by the club's Wellbeing and Protection Officer, who decides whether your role is a regulated role. The WPO must also make sure you are a PVG member before you start.
• Already a member for this type of work (for example, already a PVG member for regulated work with children)? Apply for a PVG Scheme Record Update. By countersigning, the club becomes an "interested party" and will be told if you become unsuitable.
• A member for a different group only (for example, protected adults but not children)? Apply to add the group your new role needs.
• Renewal: PVG membership must be renewed after 5 years.
• While you're a member, Disclosure Scotland monitors your record continuously.
• Membership for work with children and with protected adults is separate. A child is anyone under 18.
• Disclosure Scotland's online tool at mygov.scot ("check if a role needs PVG scheme membership") gives a guide, but the club's WPO makes the decision.

Netball Scotland's session ratio guidance (Wellbeing and Protection Policy, Appendix A4):

• Plan every activity with at least two session leaders aged 18 or over.
• At least one must be a suitably trained, PVG-checked coach qualified to the minimum level for that age group.
• To manage a larger group, other adults (18+) without coaching qualifications can help as helpers, provided the club has inducted them and they have a satisfactory PVG.
• Decide how many adults you need by considering: group size, individual needs and any additional support needs, the range of ability, behaviour history, the experience and qualifications of the leaders, the venue layout, first aid cover, the length and type of activity, and any particular hazards.

First aid: under the Netball Scotland Coach Framework, clubs must have suitable first aid provision at every session.

Netball Scotland endorses the Scottish Sports Concussion Guidance (2024) for grassroots netball. The key message is "If in doubt, sit them out."

• Remove anyone with a suspected concussion from play.
• After an initial 24-48 hours of relative rest, light physical activity helps recovery.
• The graduated return to activity and sport programme is now the same for all ages, although children and adolescents may take longer to move through it.
• No return to competition before 21 days from the injury.
• Anyone who still has symptoms after 28 days should see their GP.

Netball Scotland encourages all coaches, umpires and officials to complete sportscotland's free "If in doubt, sit them out" concussion e-learning, which takes about 30 minutes. Elite netball instead follows World Netball's concussion policy.

Raise it with your club's Wellbeing and Protection Officer in line with your club's policy. Netball Scotland advises clubs to adopt its Wellbeing and Child Protection Policy, Adult Protection Policy, Anti-Bullying Policy and Communications Policy.

For an urgent child or adult protection matter, contact Netball Scotland's Wellbeing and Protection Officer: wp@netballscotland.com, 07944 842523.

If it's an emergency and you can't reach anyone at Netball Scotland:

• Police: 999 (emergency) or 101 (non-emergency)
• Safeguarding in Sport enquiry line (Children 1st): 0141 419 1156, safeguardinginsport@children1st.org.uk
• NSPCC: 0808 800 5000