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Your role as a parent
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Competitions can be exciting times but it can be difficult as a parent to know how best to support your child. Should you be encouraging? Should you let them take the lead? Should you cheer?
Here are our top tips for supporting your child before, during and after martial arts or boxing competitions to support their wellbeing and help you all enjoy the event.
Before competitions
Be practical
- Update your parental consent forms so your child can take part, receive medical treatment if necessary and have their photograph taken (if you wish)
- Update your child’s medical and emergency contact information with the club or activity
- Confirm travel and transport arrangements to and from competitions, including who will be transporting your child and how long the journey will take, and check your child is comfortable with the plans
- If the competition is an away day trip, or there are overnight trips or international travel, check what safeguards are in place
- Read the competition code of conduct so everyone knows what behaviour is expected of them
- Talk to the competition organiser and club if your child becomes unwell or has suffered a recent injury, especially if it's a head injury
- Understand the competition rules and expectations for physical contact, weigh-ins or weapon use
Be supportive
- Talk to your child about how they feel and take their lead
- Avoid asking them too many questions or reflecting on previous wins or losses
- Listen to what they say but also watch their body language – this will help you understand if they're excited or nervous, so you know how to support them
If anything about their behaviour or arrangements for the competition seems off, contact your sport's national governing body or your club welfare officer for advice.
During competitions
How you support your child can look different for many parents. Depending on what your child likes or doesn't like, you could:
- Encourage from the side – stay positive
- Praise progression as well as performance
- Reassure them that however they feel, it is ok to feel how they do
- Respect the officials’ decisions and treat them with respect
- Respect all participants and other spectators
If you see any behaviour which could harm your child or damage your child's experiences, report it to the event welfare lead.
After competitions
After your child has taken part in a martial arts or boxing competition, there are some things that you can do to help them recover and celebrate.
- Post-combat recovery. Ask the club or competition organiser for guidance on what to look out for if your child has sustained any injuries, especially head injuries or concussion. They should be able to give you advice, including on when your child can return to training.
- Praise effort and progress, not just performance. Regardless of the outcome, praise effort and progress, not just the result. Read our tips on chatting after sport to support your child during and after losses or wins.
- Raise any concerns or worries as soon as possible with the competition organiser and/or your child’s sports club.
More ways to encourage your child
Continue to explore our tips on supporting your child in martial arts and boxing.
About this page
This information has been written, revised and edited by the NSPCC Sport team. It's been reviewed by expert safeguarding in sport professionals.
Date created: October 2026
Date for review: October 2028