Safeguarding in Gloucestershire
creating a safe and enjoyable football experience for all
The Gloucestershire FA offers a range of safeguarding services and training to help create a safe and enjoyable football experience for everyone. We ensure safeguarding requirements are met as a requirement of club affiliation and we support clubs to maintain these standards. This includes making unannounced safeguarding visits to clubs.
Below we have created a support documents for Club Welfare Officers and teams with 16/17 year olds playing open-aged (adult) football. You can download both documents below. If you need further support and would like to get in touch with our DSO to discuss how we can help you, please contact Safeguarding@GloucestershireFA.com.
Unsure what qualifications you need?
online safeguarding recertification course
This FREE online course is available to anyone who has previously completed it before or The FA Safeguarding Children Workshop and needs to renew their safeguarding children training.
It offers latest guidance on safer practice with under 18s, safer use of social media, safeguarding disabled children, listening to children, recognising and responding to poor practice and abuse and how and when to report safeguarding concerns.
If you're an FA licensed coach or a coach in an England Football Accredited youth team, you must update your safeguarding training every two years. All coaches and managers and others working with under 18s are strongly recommended to re-certificate. Referees will be expected to have in-date certificate to register for the upcoming season.
Obtaining a Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS)
If you are a Referee, then contact our Referee Development Officer Roger Vaughan at Support@GloucestershireFA.com and he will provide you with the login details you need as well as the best way to get your check verified.
Follow this FA guide if you are unsure about anything or Contact us at the GFA
how we handle reported concerns
This is done on a case by case basis, depending on the individual curcismtances.
If it is relating to a disclosure or an allegation of any kind of abuse, the Gloucestershire Football Association works closely with The Football Association’s Case Management Team, helping to safeguard football by working closely with local statutory agencies as well as supporting our Clubs in enforcing suspensions when they are issued.
When relating to cases of poor practice (unacceptable behaviour either on or beside the field of play) we first go through The FA’s nationally agreed Disciplinary Procedures, once this is completed then it is within our remit to impose additional constraints or requirements on Clubs, Teams, Officials, Parents/Carers and Players.
FA Guide for reporting concerns
Support for Welfare Officers
Candidates are nominated by their League or Club and have to complete both the FA’s Safeguarding Children and Welfare Officer Workshops, as well as completing an Enhanced FA Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS Check).
Once in place, both League and Club Welfare Officers can get support and guidance with whatever issue they are presented with by contacting Laura Faulkner via Support@GloucestershireFA.com. This will be offered in a number of ways, by email, phone or in person, The Gloucestershire Football Association aims to be as flexible as possible when supporting our volunteers.
Each Youth League Welfare Officer are invited to a regular information sharing evening which we aim to put on every quarter, where issues are raised, addressed and good practice shared. We are also currently developing a training evening for qualified CWOs using either online webex or/and in-person depending on COVID circumstances.
Sharing Good Practice
If you feel your Club is running an initiative that the rest of the County needs to hear about or you want to shout about what your Club is doing well, then please contact Laura Faulkner via Support@GloucestershireFA.com.
get in touch
Gemma Szakacs
Designated Safeguarding Officer
Emergency Out of Hours : 07960 500 130
