Commit to Kids Child Protection Training

Commit to Kids is an online child protection training program developed by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. It provides practical knowledge and tools to help adults create safe, supportive environments for children in sport. 

This online training consists of eight separate modules that address the following: 

• child sexual abuse 

• the grooming process 

• handling disclosures of child sexual abuse 

• the impact of child sexual abuse 

• creating a Child Protection Code of Conduct for your organization 

• policies and procedures to use to protect children in your organization 

• the C2K program for child-serving organizations 

A certificate of completion will be issued upon completion of all modules and a successful knowledge validation test.

We all want kids to have the best possible experience in sport—where they feel safe, supported, and excited to participate.
Commit to Kids gives leaders the knowledge and confidence to help make this happen. 

Requiring the training ensures: 

• A shared foundation for safe participation 

• Better understanding of how to recognize and respond to concerns 

• Stronger, more transparent policies and culture 

This training helps organizations create conditions where children and youth can thrive. 

Under viaSport’s Annual Contribution Agreement, all Designated Sport Organizations (DSOs) must ensure the following people complete the full Commit to Kids course: 

• All Board Directors 

• Executive Director / CEO 

Those who have completed the training before do not need to retake it. 

Deadline:
New Board Directors and Executive Directors/CEOs must complete the training by March 31 of each year. 

Yes. An exemption can be issued by the Designated Sport Organization if someone is unable to complete the training due to: 

• Past trauma, or 

• Accessibility barriers 

Organizations must keep records of completed training and any exemptions. 

Even if leaders don’t work directly with kids, they help shape the systems that support safe participation for everyone. Safe recruitment practices that protect children also protect adults. 

This training helps board members: 

• Understand their safeguarding responsibilities 

• Make informed decisions about policy, staffing, and resources 

• Understand how past harm can affect participants of any age 

• Respond confidently if concerns arise 

Safe, informed leadership supports positive experiences for everyone. 

Yes.
Adults may disclose experiences of harm from earlier in their lives. Understanding how to respond safely and supportively benefits all people in sport, not just children. 

Safe environments support everyone. 

The Commit to Kids training covers: 

• Understanding child sexual abuse 

• The grooming process 

• Handling disclosures of child sexual abuse 

• The impact of child sexual abuse 

• How to create a Child Protection Code of Conduct 

• Policies and procedures to protect children in your organization 

• The Commit to Kids (C2K) program for child-serving organizations 

 Content is practical and can be applied right away in sport environments. 

The online course generally takes about 3 hours to complete. 
Participants can complete it at their own pace. 

viaSport covers the cost of licenses for: 

• Board Directors 

• Executive Director/CEO 

• Full-time staff (if requested) 

To request access: 

1. Submit a request via the online form:
   Commit to Kids Request Form 

1. viaSport compiles requests quarterly, and 

1. Sends them to the Canadian Centre for Child Protection 

1. Commit to Kids processes the requests 

1. Access codes are emailed directly to the organization 

Quarterly submission dates: 

• End of January 

• End of May 

• End of July 

• End of October 

Processing by Commit to Kids usually takes 1–3 weeks after each quarterly submission. 

Requests can be submitted at any time, including when new Board Directors or staff join. 

Yes.
Access codes can be requested for: 

• Temporary staff 

• Club representatives 

However, the organization is responsible for covering the cost of those licenses, at $7.50 per person, which is a discounted rate. 

Cost considerations 

viaSport pays for:
✔ Board Directors
✔ Executive Director/CEO
✔ Full-time staff (upon request) 

Organizations are responsible for: 

• Licenses for temporary staff 

• Licenses for club representatives 

Unused licenses will be charged back at $7.50 each at year-end. 

Licenses are valid for one year. After that, they expire and can no longer be used. 
Organizations are responsible for tracking licenses that are issued to them. 

viaSport submits requests quarterly (end of Jan/May/Jul/Oct).
Commit to Kids then processes the list and emails codes directly to the requesting sport leader. 

Processing typically takes 1–3 weeks after each quarterly submission. 

Each organization is responsible for tracking: 

• Who is required to complete the training 

• Who received a license 

• Who completed the training 

• Any exemptions granted 

Yes — the Commit to Kids for Coaches: Foundational Information for Safeguarding Children from Sexual Abuse is a free, shorter version offered by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection. 

• Duration: approximately 23 minutes. protectchildren.ca 

• Price: Free.  

• Content: Covers the scope of child sexual abuse, barriers to disclosure, grooming and boundary transgressions, and how adults in sport can help safeguard children.  

• Upon completion (and passing a short quiz at 100%), users receive a record of participation.  

• Note: It is designed as a foundational awareness course, not the full comprehensive training required for board directors/executive leadership. 

How to use it: 

• Recommend or require this foundational course for club volunteers, part-time staff, referees, or other supporting roles as part of your organization’s workforce. 

• Use it as a minimum standard of awareness training, while reserving the full-length version (≈3 hours) for Board, senior leadership and full-time staff. 

• Track who has completed it and consider it part of your broader safe-participation system — though it does not replace the full course in cases where the full version is mandated.