What is the Children’s Bill of Rights?
The Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports. What it is — and why it matters
Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports is designed to create a shared cultural understanding that all youth should have the opportunity to develop as people through sports.
Developed by the Aspen Institute through its Project Play initiative, with input from human rights experts, youth sports policy leaders, sport safety and ethics organizations and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports identifies eight rights:
1
To play sports:
Organizations should make every effort to accommodate children’s interests to participate, and to help them play with peers from diverse backgrounds.
2
To safe and healthy environments:
Children have the right to play in settings free from all forms of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual), hazing, violence, and neglect
3
To qualified program leaders:
Children have the right to play under the care of coaches and other adults who pass background checks and are trained in key competencies
4
To safe and healthy environments:
Children have a right to play at a level commensurate with their physical, mental and emotional maturity, and their emerging athletic ability. They should be treated as young people first, athletes second
5
To share in the planning and delivery of their activities:
Children have the right to share their viewpoints with coaches and for their insights to be incorporated into activities.
6
To an equal opportunity for personal growth:
Programs should invest equally in all child athletes, free of discrimination based on any personal or family characteristic.
7
To be treated with dignity:
Children have the right to participate in environments that promote the values of sportsmanship, of respect for opponents, officials, and the game.
8
To enjoy themselves:
Children have the right to participate in activities they consider fun, and which foster the development of friendships and social bonds.
The ASPEN Institute encourages leaders – from program operators to policymakers – to treat these rights as guardrails in the design of all sport activities involving youth.
Who supports and endorses the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports ?
Since its release, the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports has received broad national support, including:
Support Includes
Athletes & organizations
250+ professional and elite athletes, coordinated through Athletes for Hope
Cities, states, and public institutions
60+ national sport, nonprofit, and advocacy organizations
Endorsers
…NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors endorses the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors encourages U.S. mayors to adopt the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports as a guiding framework in their own cities, and to commit to creating the opportunity for all young people in their cities to develop as people through sports and other wellness opportunities…
UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF MAYORS
Organizations and institutions lending support
“I’m proud to continue working to ensure all youth have the opportunity to develop as individuals through sports. I firmly believe that access to sports and safe and healthy environments for children to play should be made available to every kid.”
Stephen Curry
“I want kids to feel like they belong in sports, to have the resources to be able to play sports from a young age and stay in sports as they grow up.”
Alex Morgan
“We need to start thinking about sports as not just a privilege, but a right — an opportunity that should be made available to every kid, regardless of zip code or ability. And when children are in the care of adults, the human rights they’re born with — that all of us are born with — are respected.”
Julie Foudy
Why this matters for New Jersey families?
The Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports offers a clear, widely endorsed framework — one that supports participation, enjoyment, safety, and long‑term physical literacy for all children, not just future elite athletes.
This framework:
Reinforces healthier, evidence‑based youth sports environments.
Helps shift systems toward child‑centered decision‑making.
Encourages programs that align with child development, not burnout.
What parents can do?
By supporting and endorsing the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports, parents can help ensure that youth sports policies reflect children’s best interests and sports programs are held accountable to clear, child‑centered standards.
Our Goal
Our goal is for New Jersey to formally endorse the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports at the state level and prioritizes safe, positive sports experiences — with support from parents, communities, and ultimately the Governor.
Add your voice. Support the Bill. Help protect the right of every child in New Jersey to enjoy sports the way they should.
The ASPEN Institutes Children Bill of Rights in Sports
Are you interested in enhancing the availability and quality of youth sports programs? Learn more here!
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