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Using photographs of children on websites

Help and advice from the Child Protection in Sport Unit

Photographs of children and young people on websites can pose direct or indirect risks to their subjects.

For example, images accompanied by personal information - 'this is X who likes to collect stamps' - could be used by an individual to learn more about a child prior to 'grooming' them for abuse. Or the content of the photo could be used or adapted for inappropriate use.

Sporting organisations and clubs need to develop a policy about the use of images of children on their websites. You need to make decisions about the type of images that represent your sport appropriately and to ensure parents support the policy.

Make sure that you take your audience and purpose into proper consideration when publishing any photographic/film material. When assessing risk, the most important factor is the potential for inappropriate use of the images. You should take the following steps to reduce the potential for misuse:

• Avoid using children's names (first name or surname) in photograph captions. If the child is named, avoid using his or her photograph. If a photograph is used, avoid naming the child.
  
  
• Use a Sample consent form for the use of photographs or video (parents and children) (Word, 20KB)  to request and record parental permission to use an image of their child. This ensures that parents know that an image of their child is being used to represent the sport.
  
  
• Ask for children's permission to use their image. This ensures that they are aware of the way their image is being used to represent the sport. An athletes permission form is one way of achieving this.
  
  
• Only use images of children in suitable dress to reduce the risk of inappropriate use. It is difficult to specify exactly what content is appropriate given the wide diversity of sports. However, certain sports activities - swimming, gymnastics and athletics, for example - present a much greater risk of potential misuse. Images of these sports should focus on the overall activity, not on a particular child, and should avoid full face and body shots. This means, for example, that photographs of children in a pool would be appropriate if shot poolside from waist or shoulder up. The age of children is another factor to considered when deciding what is appropriate.
  
  
• Create a recognised procedure for reporting the use of inappropriate images to help reduce the risks to athletes.
  
  
• Safety Gear. It is important that children are not featured wearing jewellery, body piercing or clothing that could cause safety issues. Also ensure that the photographer photographs the subject(s) in the appropriate safety equipment.
  
  

See also our guidance on photographing participants

Help for children & young people

ChildLine

0800 1111

Help for adults concerned about a child

Help and advice

0808 800 5000