Safeguarding requirements to affiliate youth teams are updating next season

Ensuring children have a fun, safe and inclusive football experience should be the priority for everyone working with U18s – especially coaches and managers (including assistants), who are in a position of trust. This includes being up to date with safeguarding training which provides guidance on how to create safe football environments and prevent abuse.

The FA Safeguarding Children Course has been a requirement for anyone completing coaching qualifications since 2000, but there are some coaches who haven’t undertaken coaching qualifications, and therefore haven’t done safeguarding training.

For Teams to affiliate for the 2023/2024 season, all managers and coaches of youth teams (U18) are now required to complete The FA’s online Safeguarding Children Course and ensure this qualification remains in-date by doing the re-certification course every 2 years. The Safeguarding Children Course costs £30 and lasts two years, with a free re-certification to last a further two years.

The importance of coaches being safeguarding trained was reinforced by The Sheldon Report published in 2021, following a lengthy review of non-recent child abuse in the game. To support this new mandatory requirement, The FA is offering a 50% reduction for their coaches taking the Safeguarding Children Course bringing the cost down to £15 during the months of May, June, July and August.

Your coaches have until August 31st to complete the course at 50% off!

With the season quickly approaching, The FA have extended the discount code offer for your coaches to complete their Safeguarding Children Course meaning your teams can get affiliated in plenty of time before the season kicks off!

The course will return to full price in September so don’t delay and book on today!

Wiltshire FA Discount Code

The discount code is SGC0523GR

Accessing the Course

All The FA’s safeguarding courses can be accessed through the new England Football Learning website

Access the course

How to book

It's easy to claim your discounted place and book onto our Safeguarding Children Course.

All you need to do is follow the link below, select the SIGN IN TO START COURSE button, sign in using your FAN username and password, then follow the booking instructions on-screen.

When you reach the checkout page, make sure you enter your discount code.

There will be a £15 charge when you reach the checkout page after entering your code. The Safeguarding Children Course lasts two years, with a free re-certification to last a further two years.

For more information

For more information, please contact Safeguarding@WiltshireFA.com