Scottish FA Child Wellbeing courses incorporated into education of thousands of learners on coaching pathway

Coaches across Scotland have seen their coaching journey enhanced by specialist education in child wellbeing best practice, thanks to child wellbeing courses becoming embedded within the coaching pathway.

The Scottish FA Wellbeing Department has delivered child wellbeing education to several thousand participants through remote learning sessions in recent years, in addition to six different face-to-face courses delivered to 660 participants.

The Children’s Wellbeing in Scottish Football e-learning course is a prerequisite for anyone now looking to begin their coaching pathway, thus helping to ensure that child wellbeing is at the heart of all coaching education across the nation.

Other learning modules now offered have also helped to significantly boost the skills and confidence of adults working with children and young people in clubs across Scotland, with research indicating that 98 percent of CWPOs have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities – an increase from 83 percent from 2019 – while 96 percent feel confident about their role.

In addition, another innovative e-learning course aimed at club board and committee members was recently launched, providing them with the skills and knowledge to lead child wellbeing and protection within their club.

The significant impact of the learning courses is one of the highlights contained within the Child Wellbeing and Protection 2023 Annual Review.

Other achievements over the course of 2023 include the launch of a new induction process for club CWPOs, the intake of a new cohort of the Scottish FA Youth Ambassador Programme, and the completion of an in-depth national research project, conducted in partnership with the Children’s Parliament, that shows that the vast majority of children enjoy and feel safe within Scottish football.

Scottish FA Head of Wellbeing Alan Stewart: “A flexible approach to learning and education is at the heart of the Scottish FA Wellbeing Department’s initiatives, with the learning framework that we have put in place in recent years helping to ensure that everyone in Scottish football is well equipped with the knowledge to ensure children’s welfare is at the heart of our national game.

“As we approach the end of Scottish football’s five-year Child Wellbeing Strategy, we believe that Scottish football is in a strong position thanks to the collaborative efforts of the volunteers, staff and Child Wellbeing and Protection Officers across the country who help children participate in our wonderful game.

“With the forthcoming implementation of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in Scotland legislation this year, the work undertaken by the Scottish FA and by all those working at clubs across the country will ensure that we continue to incorporate and promote Children’s Rights in all aspects of our work.

“We remain cognisant of the fact that this is an ongoing journey to ensure that our approach to embedding children’s rights in Scottish football is always equipped to deal with the needs and challenges of an ever-evolving society."

For more information on courses offered by the Scottish FA Wellbeing and Protection Department, visit Football Clubs | Children's Rights and Wellbeing | Scottish FA