RCM - Rule of Two
How the Rule of Two works - [Rule of Two]
Work as a team
A coach should have another coach or screened adult (parent or volunteer) present when interacting with participants.
Remain open to the public
Have a training environment that ensures all situations are open, observable and justifiable.
Plan transportation
Have at least two adults present when traveling with a participant(s), and refer to your club travel policy.
Be sensible
Be considerate of the gender of the participant(s) when selecting coaches or volunteers.
Transparent communication
Ensure that all communications are sent to the group and/or include parents or guardian, without one-to-one messaging.
Should there be a circumstance where a second screened and NCCP trained or certified coach is not available, a screened volunteer, parent, or adult can be recruited.
The Rule of Two in Virtual Settings
In addition to the recommended Guidelines on Electronic Communications and Social Media Use, virtual training sessions also entail the following:
Record each session
Meetings should be in a professional setting (i.e. not a bedroom).
Parental awareness
Obtain consent for virtual sessions, plus inform parents of activities that will occur.
Weekly debriefing
Encourage regular check-ins with parents, coaches, and participants about the virtual training.
This rule serves to protect minor athletes in potentially vulnerable situations by ensuring that more than one adult is present. Vulnerable situations can include closed doors meetings, travel, and training environments amongst others. Organizations must create and implement, policies and procedures, in a sustainable, phased and measurable process, that limit the instances where these situations are possible.
