The Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) has launched a new initiative, aimed at protecting children playing golf from abuse and discrimination.

The child protection policy, developed in association with the Golf Foundation and the NSPCC, sets out guidelines to any adult involved in the game on coaching, recognition of abuse and its effects, as well as examining children's needs and general welfare.

Sports Minister Richard Caborn has welcomed the initiative, the first to be implemented since the opening of the NSPCC and Sport England's Child Protection in Sport Unit last October, which aims to raise awareness and advise sports governing bodies on child protection: I hope that other governing bodies will quickly follow in the footsteps of golf, he said.

The policy has taken over 12 months to develop, and coincides with the publication of 20,000 Children in Golf booklets. They include information about all forms of child abuse, and what steps to take to prevent it, and are being distributed to clubs, organisations and anyone involved with developing the grass roots of the game.