If you are worried about a child, stay calm and report it. Doing nothing is not an option.

If a child shares a worry such as being mistreated, harmed, or receiving unwanted/inappropriate attention, reassure them they’ve done the right thing, explain you must involve others to help, and do not promise confidentiality or outcomes.

What about Safeguarding Adults at Risk?

For concerns about an adult at risk, see Section 10 on The FA Safeguarding website for what to do and how to report.

Who should you report your concern about a child to and how?

If it’s an emergency and a child is at immediate risk of harm, contact the Police or Children’s Social Care in your area.

Football’s safeguarding network includes designated people in clubs, leagues, venues and County FAs, as well as The FA. Trained individuals across this network work together to manage concerns effectively.

Safeguarding concerns vary in nature and risk. Every concern needs an appropriate response led by the right people. The chart below will help ensure your concern gets to the most appropriate person to respond to it:

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CLICK HERE for a list of County FA Designated Safeguarding Contacts, as detailed above.

Whistleblowing

In safeguarding, whistleblowing means raising concerns about misconduct or malpractice when usual procedures fail. It helps identify and address safeguarding risks.

Concerns of such nature can be reported to The FA Safeguarding Team on 0800 169 1863 (leave a message) or by email at Safeguarding@TheFA.com

You can also report concerns to:

• The local Police or Children’s Social Care services; or
• NSPCC Sport at sport@nspcc.org.uk or
• The NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email: help@nspcc.org.uk

Worried About Something Online?

If you are worried about something that has taken place online you can report this directly to the Police. The following organisations can also help:

• You can anonymously report suspected child sexual abuse images or videos to the Internet Watch Foundation 

• The CEOP Safety Centre is part of the National Crime Agency and provides support to children and young people worried about online sexual abuse. If you are a child and someone you met online makes you feel uncomfortable or pressures you into sexual activity, you can report it to CEOP. If the concern relates to football, tell a trusted adult and ask them to contact your County FA Designated Safeguarding Officer or The FA Safeguarding Team via Safeguarding@TheFA.com.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Inaction is not an option.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Non-Safeguarding Concerns 
 
Not all concerns involving children are safeguarding matters. The FA, like other organisations, is seeing more non-safeguarding complaints presented as safeguarding issues, when these matters should be dealt with under club, league, session provider or County FA complaints or disciplinary procedures, including where someone is unhappy with the outcome.
 
Issues such as player registration, team selection and playing time are club operational matters, not safeguarding concerns in and of themselves. They should usually be addressed with the club directly following the appropriate procedures. 

Complaints 

The contact channels detailed on this page are for reporting concerns, not complaints. If you wish to raise a complaint about how a safeguarding concern was handled, please follow the relevant bodies complaints process (e.g. club, league, session or venue), which must be exhausted before escalation to a higher football authority such as The FA. See Football’s Safeguarding Children Policy (Appendix 4).