top of page

🛡️ Safeguarding Children in Football



“Every child deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported.”

When it comes to youth football, creating a safe and nurturing environment is just as important as teaching passing, shooting, or defending. The FA's Safeguarding Children Course equips coaches, volunteers, and support staff with the vital knowledge to protect young players, promote welfare, and act appropriately when concerns arise.


This course is a non-negotiable foundation for anyone working with children in the footballing world.


👶 Why Safeguarding Children Is So Important


  • Children are among the most vulnerable participants in sport

  • Coaches and club staff are in a position of trust and authority

  • Mistakes or negligence can have serious, lasting impacts

  • Safeguarding ensures that football remains a positive experience for all


“We’re not just coaching kids — we’re shaping lives.”

📚 Course Overview: What You’ll Learn


🧠 1. Understanding Safeguarding and Your Responsibility


  • What safeguarding really means

  • Legal and moral obligations in youth football

  • Recognising that everyone has a role to play


💡 You don’t have to be a safeguarding expert — just someone who acts when it counts.


👀 2. Recognising Abuse and Neglect


  • Physical, emotional, sexual abuse, and neglect

  • Signs, symptoms, and behavioural indicators in children

  • Understanding the difference between discipline and abuse


🧠 “Children won’t always tell you something’s wrong — you have to be alert enough to notice.”

🧾 3. Responding to Concerns and Disclosures


  • What to do if a child confides in you

  • The importance of listening without judgment

  • How to report to your Club Welfare Officer or statutory bodies

  • Maintaining confidentiality without compromising safety


📞 “You’re not investigating — you’re safeguarding.”

🏟️ 4. Creating a Safe Football Environment


  • Codes of conduct for coaches, players, and parents

  • Safer recruitment practices

  • Managing boundaries, behaviour, and discipline

  • Making training environments inclusive and safe


🏳️‍🌈 Safe spaces include respect for background, gender, ethnicity, and ability.


🧑‍🏫 How the Course Is Delivered


  • 💻 Online, flexible e-learning

  • 🕒 Takes approximately 90 minutes to complete

  • 🎯 Includes real-life scenarios and interactive assessments

  • 🧾 Certificate valid for three years


📌 Required for all coaches working with players under 18 in affiliated football.


⚽ Why It’s More Than Just a Qualification


Completing this course shows that you’re:


✔ Committed to safeguarding as part of your coaching identity

✔ Able to recognise and respond to child welfare concerns

✔ A trusted adult that young players can rely on

✔ A role model who builds positive, respectful relationships

“The most powerful thing a child can feel on the pitch is safe.”

🛡️ Linking Safeguarding to Coaching Excellence


Great coaching doesn’t exist without great safeguarding. This course strengthens your overall approach by ensuring:


  • Stronger communication with players and parents

  • Confidence in managing challenging situations

  • Trust and professionalism in your role as a coach or mentor


🧬 Safeguarding is not a sideline — it’s part of the game plan.

🏁 In Summary


The FA’s Safeguarding Children Course empowers you with the tools, awareness, and responsibility to protect the most important participants in football — our young players. Every coach should consider this course an essential part of their development and duty of care.


🌍 Creating Safe Pathways for Young Players


Steve Halls is an FA qualified football coach offering consultancy, talent identification, mentoring and player representation in Cheshunt and the surrounding areas. In today’s connected world, Steve can offer his services to players, clubs, and organisations across the globe. Safeguarding, player development, and ethical leadership are central to Steve’s mission to build a better future through football.










🚑 Introduction to First Aid in Football (IFAiF)



"Be the calm when it matters most."

In football, moments of magic happen on the pitch — but so can moments of crisis. The Introduction to First Aid in Football (IFAiF) course gives coaches, volunteers, and support staff the confidence and knowledge to respond quickly, safely, and effectively when injury or illness strikes.

This is more than a qualification — it’s a critical life skill for anyone involved in the game.


⚽ Why First Aid Training Matters in Football


  • Football is a dynamic and physical sport — injuries happen

  • Immediate, confident response can prevent long-term harm

  • Coaches are often first responders before emergency services arrive

  • Protecting players is as important as developing them


“Being ready for emergencies shows that you care — on and off the pitch.”

📚 Course Overview: What You’ll Learn


🧠 1. The Role of the First Aider in Football


  • Understanding the responsibilities and limits of a first aider

  • Staying calm under pressure

  • Following the correct procedures in line with FA and emergency guidance


🎯 “Your number one job is to preserve life and prevent worsening.”

❤️ 2. How to Recognise and Respond to Medical Emergencies


  • Sudden cardiac arrest and CPR (including AED use)

  • Concussion management and the "If in doubt, sit them out" protocol

  • Asthma attacks, allergic reactions, seizures, and diabetic emergencies

  • Heatstroke, hypothermia, and serious injuries


🧯 “Preparation beats panic every time.”

🦵 3. Common Football-Related Injuries and Treatment


  • Sprains, strains, fractures, dislocations

  • Cuts, grazes, nosebleeds, bruises

  • How to apply basic wound care, immobilisation, and cold therapy


🏥 You’ll learn to assess, treat, and refer appropriately.


🧾 4. The Emergency Action Plan (EAP)


  • Why every club and coach should have a clear, rehearsed EAP

  • How to access emergency help quickly

  • The importance of accurate record-keeping and reporting


📞 “Know what to do, who to call, and how to communicate.”

🧑‍🏫 Course Format & Delivery


  • 🏫 Usually delivered in-person over 3 hours

  • 📍 Practical, hands-on training with football-specific context

  • ✅ Includes CPR demonstrations and real-scenario practice

  • 🧾 Certificate valid for 3 years


📣 This is not just a box-ticking course — it can save lives.


🧠 Skills That Stay With You


Completing the IFAiF course means you're:


✔ Confident in dealing with football emergencies

✔ Aware of risks and how to reduce them

✔ Able to keep calm and act quickly under pressure

✔ Trusted by parents, players, and peers


“First aid doesn’t make you a medic — it makes you a leader in moments that matter.”

🛡️ Welfare and Duty of Care


The IFAiF is aligned with the FA’s wider safeguarding framework, ensuring coaches contribute to safe, professional, and player-first environments. Your knowledge will:


  • Strengthen your safeguarding responsibility

  • Support your Emergency Action Plan

  • Build trust and accountability in your coaching role


🙌 “Great coaches don’t just teach technique — they protect wellbeing.”

🏁 In Summary


The Introduction to First Aid in Football (IFAiF) course is a must-have for any coach, parent, or volunteer involved in the game. It gives you the tools to respond when every second counts, promoting safety, confidence, and care across your team and club.


🌍 Empowering Coaches to Lead and Care


Steve Halls is an FA qualified football coach offering consultancy, talent identification, mentoring and player representation in Cheshunt and the surrounding areas. In today’s connected world, Steve can offer his services to players, clubs, and organisations across the globe. With safeguarding, first aid, and development at the heart of his coaching ethos, Steve builds environments where players feel safe, supported, and ready to thrive — on and off the pitch.










🛡️ Safeguarding Adults in Football



“Respect. Protect. Empower.”

In today’s game, safeguarding isn’t just about children — it’s about every person in football, at every level. The FA / England Football Learning "Safeguarding Adults" course ensures coaches and club staff understand how to create safe, inclusive environments for all adults — particularly those who may be at risk of harm, exploitation, or neglect.


Whether you're working in grassroots, disability, or mental health football, this course is a crucial step in being a truly responsible and respectful coach.


🧠 Why Safeguarding Adults Matters


  • Many adult players face vulnerabilities (e.g., disabilities, mental health issues, or learning difficulties)

  • Coaches and club staff are often trusted figures — with that trust comes duty of care

  • A strong safeguarding culture protects both participants and staff


“Being a great coach starts with being a great human being.”

📚 Course Overview: What You’ll Learn


🧭 1. Understanding Safeguarding in the Adult Context


  • What safeguarding means for adult players

  • Who is considered an "adult at risk"

  • Common misconceptions about autonomy and consent


💡 Not all safeguarding is about protection — it's often about empowerment and respect.

🧩 2. Recognising Signs of Abuse and Neglect


  • Physical, emotional, psychological, financial, and sexual abuse

  • Discrimination, domestic abuse, institutional abuse

  • How to spot patterns and red flags without overstepping


🧠 “You don’t need to diagnose — you need to care enough to act.”

🔄 3. The Importance of Mental Capacity and Consent


  • Adults have a legal right to make their own decisions

  • Understanding mental capacity assessments

  • How to ask questions respectfully and involve the right people


⚖️ Balancing independence and intervention is key.

🗣️ 4. How to Respond and Report Safely


  • What to do if someone shares a concern

  • How to respond without causing distress or panic

  • Knowing when and how to report to safeguarding officers or authorities

  • Confidentiality vs. safety — understanding boundaries


📞 “You don’t have to fix it — but you do have to report it.”

🧑‍🏫 5. Creating an Inclusive and Safe Environment


  • Establishing clear codes of conduct

  • Encouraging open communication in your team

  • Ensuring accessibility and understanding for all players

  • Treating players as individuals, not just footballers


🏳️‍🌈 Inclusion isn’t an add-on. It’s part of your culture.

✅ Course Format & Delivery


  • 💻 Online delivery (self-paced)

  • 🕓 Takes around 45–60 minutes

  • ✅ Includes real-life scenarios and case studies

  • 🧾 Certification provided upon completion


This is not just a qualification — it's a responsibility every coach should take seriously.

🔑 Why This Qualification Sets You Apart


Having this certification means you're:


✔ Aware of the unique safeguarding needs of adult participants

✔ Equipped to take early, appropriate action

✔ Committed to building an inclusive football culture

✔ Trusted by players, clubs, and the wider footballing community


“The best coaches build environments where every adult feels safe, valued, and respected.”

⚽ Safeguarding in Practice: What It Looks Like


🗣️ Listening actively and checking in on players

📋 Making sure club policies include adult-specific safeguarding

👥 Working closely with Welfare Officers or Safeguarding Leads

🚪 Creating safe spaces on and off the pitch


It’s not about ticking a box — it’s about making a difference.

🏁 In Summary


The FA Safeguarding Adults course provides essential knowledge for all who work with adult participants. It helps ensure that football remains inclusive, safe, and enjoyable — no matter a player’s age, ability, or circumstance.


🌍 Putting People First in the Modern Game


Steve Halls is an FA qualified football coach offering consultancy, talent identification, mentoring and player representation in Cheshunt and the surrounding areas. In today’s connected world, Steve can offer his services to players, clubs, and organisations across the globe. With safeguarding and player welfare at the heart of his approach, Steve builds coaching environments that empower and protect — not just train.











bottom of page