As the governing body for grassroots football in Nottinghamshire, nothing is more important to Nottinghamshire FA than the safety and wellbeing of those involved in football.

Every club should meet The FA’s safeguarding standards which includes:
  

• Welfare Officer

This is the person with primary responsibility for the reporting and management of poor practice and safeguarding concerns, and for implementing procedures to safeguard children at the venue. This person should be appropriately trained.  

• Criminal record checks

Relevant roles working with children, young people or adults at risk, whether employees or volunteers, need to pass a criminal record check. All team members working directly with under 18s must hold a criminal record check, accepted by the Club that they work for.  
Read more: SAFER RECRUITMENT AND DBS CHECKS

• Risk assessment

Safeguarding risk assessments must be carried out aiming to minimise the risk to all, encourage enjoyment, and maximise opportunities for young people and adults at risk to participate to the best of their ability. 

• Equality and diversity

Club officials should ensure that no individual receives more or less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, sex, gender, disability, race, parental or marital status, pregnancy, religion or belief, sexual orientation and gender reassignment. 

Report any concerns 

If you have a concern about the welfare of a child, young person or adult at risk, or the behaviour of an adult towards a child, young person or adult at risk, you must report it as soon as possible.  

Speak to your club’s Welfare Officer in the first instance, or contact Nottinghamshire FA's Safeguarding Team. Please visit: Safeguarding & Welfare - Nottinghamshire FA

Be alert to poor practice

We would not expect clubs to:

·       Discourage parents and carers from staying to watch

·       Have coaches, officials or volunteers showing favouritism or personally rewarding specific children

·       Accept inappropriate physical contact between coaches, officials or volunteers and children

·       Adopt a “win at all costs” attitude that impacts a child's wellbeing

·       Have coaches, officials or volunteers who invite children to spend time alone with them, or to visit or stay in their home

·       Post, text, email, or communicate anything online or offline that may be deemed as offensive, abusive, racist, or threatening by way of comments, language, or behaviours.

If you think any of these behaviours are happening, please contact your child's Welfare Officer or the Nottinghamshire FA Safeguarding Team.

Further information

The Nottinghamshire FA Safeguarding Team are here to support and safeguard children in football. There are also other organisations that can provide advice, particularly on specific topics such as cyberbullying, sexting, gaming, video chats. Advice on these topics and more can be found via the following websites:

·       Childline

·       CEOP Education (thinkuknow.co.uk)

·       NSPCC (Online Safety for Children – Tips & Guides)

·       Childnet

·       Activity Alliance

·       Sporting Equals

·       TAC Access – Connecting children and young people with qualified therapists

·       Young Minds