Safeguarding policy

Procedures for engaging online with under-18s for coaches/managers [English Football Association]

The FA encourages the appropriate use of social media to help run your teams and leagues, communicate with players (via their parents/carers when under-16), and appoint referees, log results and much more.

Whatever way we communicate with children the safeguarding principles remain the same. Retaining boundaries is just as important online as it is offline.

If you have a role in football then always make sure communications to children are relevant to your role – focus on the football, don’t share personal info or comments.

Template: Child safeguarding policy for national associations [UEFA]

This template Child safeguarding policy forms part of the Child safeguarding toolkit for UEFA member associations, in our efforts to support UEFA member associations in actions to safeguarding children. The policy outlines the guiding principles, minimum requirements and procedures to follow, in order to provide a safe environment for children.

In Romania and Greece, Terre des hommes creates a safe environment for children in sports

To "keep children safe in sports" means to prevent and respond to any form by which the child can be negatively affected – emotionally, verbally or physically – during physical training or when they practice performance or recreational sports. Terre des hommes (Tdh) has launched in October 2019 a unique European project, aimed to promote child safeguarding policies in sports settings in Romania and Greece, as a means to protect and safeguard children.

Child safeguarding toolkit for UEFA member associations (FULL)

The child safeguarding toolkit for European football has been developed by UEFA and Terre des hommes to help national associations take measures to protect and safeguard children from abuse and respond to any concerns. The toolkit recognises that many national associations have already introduced good policies, procedures and training, and builds on extensive consultation with national associations and experts.

Six months into the "Keeping children safe in sports" project, carried out by Terre des hommes in Romania and Greece

In October 2019, Terre des hommes (Tdh) launched a unique European project, aimed at promoting child safeguarding policies in sports settings in Romania and Greece, as a means to protect and safeguard children. Through this project, Tdh has committed to make sure that children and young people benefit from special safeguarding policies when practicing various sports. This is how the project activities began and how they evolved. 

Criminal record check for those working with children [English Football Association]

As part of the FA safeguarding children strategy, The FA requires those working in eligible roles with children and young people to pass a criminal records check. This is in line with legislation and government guidance and is standard practice.  

The FA provides the framework and guidance for Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks in football and the leagues and clubs then have to implement this to ensure that those who are required to have checks done, do so.  

More on the link below.

Child safeguarding policies and procedures [English Football Association]

A collection of documents that constitute the FA safeguarding policies and procedures, including:

  • Affiliated Football's Safeguarding Policy and Procedures
  • Grassroots Safeguarding Children Policy and Procedures
  • Template - Clun Safeguarding Children Policy Procedures
  • The FA Anti-Bullying Policy for Cluns
  • County Witnesses Guide to Personal Hearings
  • Match Officials Guide to Personal Hearings
  • Player and Club Guide to Personal Hearings