Player CARE Charter Criteria
PLAYER CARE CRITERIA 2026-2027
Six areas, three levels, one question: are the right arrangements in place?
| Area | What it asks |
|---|---|
| Accountability | Is someone responsible for player welfare, and does everyone know who? |
| Capability | Can people in player-facing roles recognise distress and respond appropriately? |
| Response pathways | Does a player in difficulty know where to go, and does the person they tell know what to do? |
| Online environment | Are your Discord servers, team channels and competitive spaces governed? |
| Continuity | Will your arrangements survive the next committee handover? |
| Review | Do you check whether any of this is working? |
Bronze is achievable in one term by a society with no budget. Silver asks that arrangements are embedded, including a written plan for electing and training the incoming welfare lead, checked at renewal. Gold asks for institutional involvement and evidence of review.
Training can come from any acceptable route: Play Aid's free psychological first aid, Mental Health First Aid, an equivalent programme, or an institutional programme meeting our published conditions.
WHAT THE CHARTER CERTIFIES
The Player CARE Charter recognises that an organisation has arrangements in place to support the wellbeing of its players and members.
It does not certify that players are safe, that welfare outcomes are assured, or that any individual is competent to manage a crisis. Holding the Charter does not transfer responsibility for player welfare to Play Aid CIC, and does not replace the duties of the host institution or employer.
HAVE YOUR SAY
The draft criteria are open for comment until 15 November 2026.
We want the Charter to work for the people who will use it. Before we publish the final criteria and open applications on 1 December 2026, we're asking societies, teams, degree programmes and institutions to tell us what works and what doesn't.
We'd especially like to hear:
Is Bronze achievable for your organisation this term? If not, what's in the way?
Is anything in the criteria missing from, or irrelevant to, esports?
Does the Continuity area reflect your experience of committee handover?
Who in your institution would need to be involved for you to reach Silver?
What have we missed?
Every organisation that responds will be named as a contributor to the first edition of the criteria, unless you'd prefer not to be.
October and November are when most societies set their rules, so now is the right time to build towards an award. Applications for the first cycle open on 1 December 2026 and close on 31 January 2027.
Please email comments to team@playaid.net