Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility. If you are involved in a club or league, which involves anyone under the age of 18 or thinking of setting up one, you need to ensure you have the correct safeguards in place to protect yourself, the organisation and the individuals involved.

This video outlines why safeguarding is so important, and how you can play your part in safeguarding children.

Every affiliated club and league with youth teams must have in place a Safeguarding Children Policy and Procedure - you can download the FA template policy here:

FA-safeguarding-children-policy-template-for-clubs

You must also have a Welfare Officer who has an FA criminal records check (CRC) which must be renewed every 3 years. Please see the information at the bottom of this page. The Welfare Officer must also complete the Safeguarding Children Workshop and Welfare Officer Workshop.

There is also a requirement for specified club committee officers to complete the free online Safeguarding for Committee Members course. While mandatory for specified officers, the course is open to anyone to raise their awareness of potential situations and how to deal with them.

Report Your Concerns

Safeguarding children is everyone's responsibility. If you are worried about a child it is important that you report your concerns - no action is not an option.

If you are concerned about your child or another child in your club, you would normally contact your Club Welfare Officer (CWO) in the first instance. You should be given the contact details of the CWO at the start of the season.

If you do not know who your CWO is, speak to a coach in your club and ask for their details. The CWO will normally deal with cases of poor practice and behaviour within your club.

Please use the contact information supplied on this page to report any cases or concerns regarding safeguarding. And see the links below for more information and guidance on social media