World Summit follow-upFebruary 2003
| World Summit follow-up | No.37 February 2003 |
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Code of Ethics and Practice Guide for Physical Education The Code of Ethics and Good Practice Guide for Physical
Education was published by EUPEA in May 2002. The text is re-printed here in
its entirety with permission of EUPEA. For an copy of the official booklet (ISBN:
90-70870-47-9) please contact the EUPEA secretariat at the contact details at
the end of this article.
Foreword The European Physical Education Association (EUPEA)
is an umbrella organisation of professional physical education (PE) associations
in Europe. It was founded in Brussels in 1991 in order to promote more and better
PE all over Europe. Its first official statement, the Declaration of Madrid,
was published in the same year and pointed out the need to promote and defend
physical education as a core subject in the school curriculum - 'No education
without physical education.’ EUPEA promotes and defends PE by collaborating
with other professional associations involved in PE and with appropriate governmental
and non-governmental organisations. The Association considers Physical Education
as one of the basic tasks of the school system, because the development of movement
competence and the promotion of life-long sport and physical activity participation
are of vital interest in our modern society.
Since its foundation in 1991 EUPEA has intervened on
behalf of a number of associations in different countries to protect the place
of the subject in the curriculum or to prevent reductions in time allocation.
However, in recent years it has become apparent that there are a number of important
issues in PE for which clarification and guidance are necessary in the interests
of maintaining high quality and ensuring good practice. Significant amongst
these was the need for an agreed code of behaviour when working with pupils
in PE.
Dr. Chris Laws (University College Chichester/Physical
Education Association of the UK) initiated and led the development of this Code
of Ethics and Good Practice on behalf of EUPEA, assisted by the representatives
of the member associations. It is offered as a contribution to the development
and maintenance of high quality PE programmes by providing guidance to ensure
that children are able to participate in all forms of school physical education
and can do so safely with their best interests being of paramount importance.
Dr. Richard Fisher Hon. President of EUPEA
Rose Marie RepondPresident of EUPEA
Acknowledgement
This document is the culmination of a lengthy and broadly
based consultative process.
EUPEA wishes to acknowledge the assistance and comments
from its member countries and all the individuals, government agencies, national
bodies and subject associations that have contributed to this document
Members of EUPEA are: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom Introduction
This Code aims to provide teachers, administrators and all involved in physical
education and school sport with guidelines and standards to be used when dealing
with school children in physical education. The Code is designed to cover physical
education in schools involving children and young people and is underpinned
by the following principles:
Children, young people and their families should have every
confidence that they are treated with respect and understanding when they take
part in physical education and school sport. It is essential that this document
is representative of a process of continual improvement in the area of ethics
and good practice within school physical education. It is for all adults to
promote good practice and procedures, whilst being ever vigilant and aware of
their responsibilities towards the children in their care. The Code is divided
into three sections:
A: Key Principles in Physical Education
B: Good Practice in Physical Education
C: Potential Stress, Burn-out and Abuse in
Physical Education
Terms used in this code:
Teacher of physical education: includes all who teach
physical education but must have qualified teacher status.
Physical Education curriculum: this is a planned course
of study offered during the school day and implemented in accordance with the
relevant guidelines for the respective country.
Section A - Key Principles in Physical Education
The organisation of physical education in schools should
be guided by a set of key principles, which provide the foundation for all practice.
1. Needs of the child and benefits of physical education
All children’s physical education and related contexts
must be guided by what is best for them. This means that teachers and other
adults must understand the emotional, social, physical and personal needs of
young people. The stages of development of children should guide the types of
activity provided and teachers should have the ability to respond positively
to the individual needs of each child. Teachers should have a sound understanding
of the importance of enhancing self-esteem for young people and should seek
to develop positive and healthy relationships with and between the children
in their care.
Children have a lot to gain from physical education. Their
natural sense of fun and spontaneity can blossom in positive physical activity
environments, which promote progress in a child centred way. School physical
education provides an excellent medium in which children can learn new skills,
become more confident and maximise their own unique potential. These benefits
will accrue through a positive and progressive approach to the involvement of
children in physical activity, which places the needs of the child first and
winning and competition second. A child centred and progressive approach to
children’s physical education and activity will return many benefits in
terms of their future health and well being as adults.
2. Integrity in relationships
Teachers and other adults interacting with children in
physical education and physical activity should do so with integrity and respect
for the child. There is a danger that activity contexts can be used to exploit
or undermine children. All adult actions should be guided by what is best for
the child in the context of quality, open working relationships. Verbal, physical,
emotional or sexual abuses of any kind are unacceptable within physical education.
Teacher - child relationships in physical education should be:
3. Child to child relationships
Interaction between children should be conducted in a
spirit of mutual respect and fair play. Adults who create an environment in
which quality and open relationships are modelled and valued and where the integrity
of each individual is respected can promote such interaction.
4. Fair play
The context for children’s physical education and
physical activity should be one where there is an atmosphere of fair play. The
European Sports Charter and Code of Ethics (1993), defines fair play as:
Much more than playing within the rules. It incorporates
the concepts of friendship, respect for others and always playing within the
right spirit. Fair play is defined as a way of thinking, not just a way of behaving.
It incorporates issues concerned with the elimination of cheating, gamesmanship,
doping, violence (both physical and verbal) exploitation, unequal opportunities
excessive commercialisation and corruption.
5. Quality atmosphere and ethos
Children’s physical education and physical activity
should be conducted in a safe, positive and encouraging atmosphere. A child
centred ethos will help to ensure that competition and specialisation are kept
in their appropriate place. Too often competitive demands are placed on children
too early in physical education, which can result in excessive levels of pressure
and may persuade them not to follow a future active, healthy lifestyle.
6. Equality
All children should be treated in an equable and fair
manner regardless of age, ability, sex, religion, social and ethnic background
or political persuasion. Children with disability should be involved in physical
activities in an integrated way, thus allowing them to participate to their
potential alongside other children.
7. The necessity for education and training
Given the wide and diverse range of physical activities
that can comprise a school physical education programme it is essential that
suitable and appropriate teacher education programmes are available. Such education
programmes should be specific, formally recognised teaching qualifications.
Physical education exposes children to new challenges, some of which occur in
environments with certain risks. Teachers who take responsibility for children
in physical education have a duty to ensure that they are competent to provide
safe and rewarding experiences for those in their care. Appropriate training
and educational opportunities need to be developed for all teachers and they
should seek ways of regularly improving their personal and professional development.
8. Self-awareness
Teachers of physical education should have a realistic
understanding of their level of competence in relevant practical areas and should
confine themselves to those elements for which their training is recognised
and formally verifiable.
Section B - Good Practice in Physical Education
Teachers of physical education should strive to create a positive environment
for the children in their care and they have an overall responsibility to take
the steps necessary to ensure that positive and healthy experiences are provided.
Teachers of physical education should:
Children should not be treated as mini-adults and their
needs should be recognised at all stages. At times the teacher of physical education
can be in a unique position of trust and this position must be maintained with
integrity at all times. There are a number of principles, which underpin good
practice in physical education.
1. The preparation and supervision
of sessions
The teacher of physical education should:
2. Behaviour of physical education teachers and
personal standards
The behaviour of teachers of physical education should
be informed by a number of key principles.
3. A balanced approach to winning
A physical education teacher should be primarily concerned
with the well being, health and future of the child and only secondarily with
winning if the context is a competitive one. The teacher should stress the importance
of sincere effort and enjoying the physical activity rather than winning at
all costs.
4. The context for the conduct of physical activity
Physical activity is central to physical education and it is important that
teachers establish the right context within which it takes place.
5. Physical activity qualifications
It is a fundamental principle of EUPEA that teachers of physical education
should carry an appropriate level of qualification, both in a general professional
sense and, where necessary, in relation to specific areas of activity.
6. Discipline and the creation of a positive environment
7. Sanctions
Sanctions are an important element in maintaining discipline and teachers
should have a clear understanding of where and when particular sanctions are
appropriate.
8. Safety
All activities being undertaken should be suitable for the age, experience
and ability of participants. Where protective equipment is deemed necessary
it should be used.
9. Insurance
Section C - Potential Stress, Burn-out and Abuse in Physical
Education
Physical education can be a very positive experience for
children and young people but teachers should recognise situations that may
have adverse affects for young people.
1. Stress and Burn-out
Stress is often associated with a mismatch between the
demands of a task or situation and the individual's ability to respond. As far
as children and young people are concerned it can be a stimulus to achieve if
it is structured carefully and used sparingly, but it can also be a very damaging
to a child if it is excessive or occurs too frequently. Burn-out may be defined
as a process resulting from an activity that was once a source of fun and personal
satisfaction but has become associated with progressive physical and psychological
distress. Burn-out is a loss of energy and enthusiasm for physical activity
and is characterised by anxiety and stress. The child no longer has fun and
becomes overwhelmed by the demands of the activity.
Psychological stress within the physical education context can be caused
by a number of things:
Within a physical education context the following practices are injurious
to children’s health and welfare and should be avoided.
2. Abuse
Parents/guardians, carers (i.e. persons who while not parents/guardians
have actual responsibility for a child) or others can harm children either by
direct acts, or by a failure to provide proper care, or both. Such acts include
physical injuries, severe neglect, and sexual or emotional abuse.
2.1 Children’s Rights
Children have a right to be protected from abuse. Within school physical
activity the following children’s rights should be upheld:
2.2 Protection from abuse
The protection of children from any form of abuse must be a priority for
all those involved in children’s physical activity. If children are at
risk of harm it is the duty of those in a position of responsibility to take
immediate steps to remove the risk and to ensure that all necessary procedures
are undertaken in accordance with statutory guidelines. The detection and prevention
of child abuse depends on the collaborative effort of everyone concerned. Central
to the success of this effort are the following:
2.3 Sources of abuse
The source of abuse of a child participating in physical activity may be
within or outside of the school, and could include one or more of the following:
2.4 Categories of abuse
Child abuse is generally divided into four categories[1],
which have been outlined by as follows:
Physical abuse:
Physical injury to a child, including poisoning, where it is known or suspected that the injury was deliberately inflicted. Child neglect:
The persistent or severe neglect of a child, whether wilful or unintentional, which results in serious psychological impairment of the child’s health, development or welfare. Emotional abuse:
The adverse effect on the behaviour and emotional development of a child caused by persistent or severe emotional ill treatment or rejection, or exposure to ongoing domestic violence. Sexual abuse: The use of children by others for sexual gratification. This can take many forms and includes rape and other sexual assaults, allowing children to view sexual acts or be exposed to, or involved in, pornography, exhibitionism and other perverse activities. 2.5 Signs of Abuse
There are certain signs of abuse, which are apparent both
in the child’s behaviour and appearance that should alert teachers to
the possibility of abuse. Some of these are common to all types of abuse. Others
are more specific to certain forms of abuse. Knowing the indicators of abuse
is essential for recognising a potential or real problem. However, any one sign
in itself can occur in the absence of abuse, and conversely, a child who is
being abused may show none of the more typical signs, or show conflicting, confusing
signs. Such cases make it difficult to decide which course of action to take,
but all concerns or suspicions should be acted upon according to established
guidelines. It is important to note, however, that indicators can occur in other
situations where abuse has not been a factor and that the following list is
not exhaustive.
Behavioural signs of Abuse:
Signs of Physical Abuse
Signs of Child neglect
Signs of Psychological/Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse occurs when an individual suffers harm
as a result of being intimidated, emotionally exploited, exposed to constant
denigration, ridicule, rejection or verbal attack for their supposed shortcomings.
This is the least recognised form of harm done to children, yet the long-term
psychological consequences may be more traumatic than in the case of simple
physical injury. Signs of Child Sexual Abuse
Confidentiality
Confidentiality must be maintained in respect of all issues
and people involved in concerns about abuse. A guarantee cannot be given to
a person providing information relating to concerns about or knowledge of abuse
that the information received will be kept absolutely confidential. However,
all information should be treated in a careful and sensitive manner and should
be discussed only with those who need to know.
Conclusion
This document outlines some of the key issues that need
to be addressed if physical education in schools is to be taught to the highest
standards and respect for the needs and dignity of children. Responsibility
lies with professional associations and education agencies to act on recommendations
here and to work co-operatively in helping to make physical education in schools
a happy and rewarding experience for all children.
European Physical Education Association: Secretariat, BVLO, Waterkluiskaai, 16, B-9040 Sint Amandsberg/Gent, Belgium. Telephone: (+) 32.9.218.91.20 Fax: (+) 32.9.229.31.20 info@bvlo.be Website: http://www.bvlo.be/eupea/ © European Physical Education Association (EUPEA) 2002-05-01 ISBN: 90-70870-47-9 
http://www.icsspe.org/portal/texte/area/bulletin/ Code of Ethics and Practice Guide for Physical Education
EUPEA
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