Every affiliated football club that involves under-18s must ensure appropriate safeguards are in place

The Club management committee has a collective responsibility to manage these safeguards and take the following actions:

1) Identify which teams have or are likely to have 16/17-year-old players.

If they are registered with your team then safeguards must be in place, even if they have not played yet.

2) Identify the coach/manager for each team (including any assistant coaches/managers).

Someone must be identified in this role; they do not have to have any coaching qualifications to be named as the coach/team manager.

List them on The FA’s Whole Game System/Customer Management system alongside the registered team. This can be done by the club secretary, assistant secretary or if you have youth teams by the club welfare officer (Youth Teams).

If the coach/manager changes you must update this information.

Please visit the GFA website for more information on safeguarding under-18s in open age football: https://www.gloucestershirefa.com/news/2021/dec/15/safeguarding---a-guide-for-clubs-with-16-17-year-old-players