Parent Role

Child protection swimming club Portugal: what law requires

Child protection in a swimming club in Portugal requires annual criminal record checks and a trained, named protection person. You may ask who holds that role, how to reach them and where to read the club’s code of conduct.

September 21, 2026 · 3 min read

Idea in Brief

  • Portuguese law sets two duties. Clubs need current record checks and a trained protection person.
  • One duty has a named person. Parents and swimmers may ask who holds that role.
  • These are routine questions. A club can answer them as ordinary administration.

At an ordinary Tuesday practice, you leave your swimmer with the adults on deck. You may never have asked what safeguards sit behind that handover. The rules have names you can ask for, much like the sports medical exam. Asking about them is not an accusation.

First comes the certificado de registo criminal (criminal record certificate). At recruitment, a club must request one from anyone in regular contact with minors. That covers public, private and unpaid jobs, functions and activities. The club must weigh its contents when it judges suitability. It must repeat both steps every year. The certificate is marked for this work. It carries the convictions and court bans named by law. The club must keep that information private. Missing either check is a contraordenação (an administrative offence).

Sport bodies working with under-18s must appoint a responsável pela promoção dos direitos e proteção das crianças e jovens (the named person responsible for children’s rights and protection). This person must complete the IPDJ’s set training. Technical staff must know and follow the IPDJ manual. These rules have applied since 19 March 2024. Clubs linked to a federation with utilidade pública desportiva sit outside this regime’s register. That is where a federated swimmer’s club sits. The exemption covers registration, not the duties. The IPDJ says those clubs still need staff certificates and a trained protection person.

The IPDJ publishes the manual, which APAV wrote in December 2022. It gives a fair test for any sports setting. It names safety without pressure or exploitation, friendship and team spirit, and chances to feel capable and try new skills. Children should have a voice in plans with coaches and parents. They should be free to choose the sport and how much they do. Competition should be open to all, including the choice to compete. Training and racing should fit age, physical condition and development. The manual also covers identifying a concern, checking urgency, reporting and referral to support services.

Three questions fit in an ordinary email. “Who is the club’s protection person, and how can my swimmer or I reach them?” “Does the club hold a current criminal record certificate for the staff on deck?” “Is there a written code of conduct, and where can I read it?” For a specific situation, follow the manual’s route and stop here. Ordinary training friction belongs in a coach conversation. Pool deck etiquette explains the boundaries during a session.

Share it with your swimmer

Give them the name and the route in plain words:

  • Under 12 (you’re driving). “The club has a person who protects children’s rights. I can show you who.” A known name makes the route simple.
  • 12–15 (sharing the wheel). “You can speak to the club’s protection person, or ask me to come with you.” A clear choice gives them some control.
  • 16+ (they’re driving). “Here is the club’s protection contact. You can use it directly, or ask me to help.” This respects their growing independence.

Stay aligned with your coach

The club’s committee and protection person own the safeguarding system. The coach owns training, but can answer one route question: “Who is the club’s protection person, and how can we reach them?” Take the administrative questions to that person.

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