Wellbeing & Protection Information for Clubs

In 2019, The Scottish FA published its 5 year strategy to transform child protection within the whole of Scottish Football, “Getting It Right for Every Child in Scottish Football”. The purpose of the strategy is to help everyone involved in Scottish Football, including clubs, bring about a bold and ambitious programme of transformational change in the culture across the game. This ambitious aim is reflected within the strategies vision and mission:

Underpinning everything we do will be the Wellbeing & Protection values. These set the tone of all our work:

In embedding the values set out above in everything that we do, along with implementing the Wellbeing & Protection Standards set out below, we will be able to make the transformational change needed to make Scottish Football as safe as possible for all children and young people involved.

Wellbeing & Protection Minimum Standards for Clubs

Scottish Football has minimum child wellbeing and protection standards that must be in place within all clubs that are working with children and young people. These standards are expected to be in place within clubs to ensure that the proper safeguards and processes are in place to protect the wellbeing of all children

1. Information Sharing

Clubs need to have formal information sharing processes in place for when there are concerns with regards to a child or the conduct of an adult and understand their role in sharing this information. When a concern about a child or the conduct of an adult becomes apparent within a club setting, this needs to be recorded & reported to the relevant football body that the club is affiliated too. This should take place even if the club has managed the concern and resolved it or reported it to the Police.

2. Adopt the Children’s Wellbeing in Scottish Football Policy templates

To create a consistent approach across Scottish Football to Wellbeing & Protection at all levels of the game, clubs must adopt and have in place the “Children’s Wellbeing in Scottish Football” policies, procedures and safeguards. This includes the policy statements; code of conduct; anti-bullying guidelines; responding to concerns procedures; reviewing the management of concerns and also the best practice guidelines.

Having these in place will help clubs respond to concerns and provide advice on how to best manage the wellbeing & protection of children and young people.

3. Have a Club Child Wellbeing & Protection Officer (CWPO)

Each club working with children and young people must have a Child Wellbeing & Protection Officer in place. The purpose of this role is to promote a safe environment for children and young people involved in Scottish Football by implementing the Child Wellbeing in Scottish Football policies, procedures and safeguards and to respond appropriately to concerns. They will also work with the Management/Committee/Board at the club to develop and continually improve the culture around wellbeing & protection.

This individual, to become a CWPO, must have undertaken the Scottish FA’s “Managing Children’s Wellbeing Course” or its equivalent, Children1st “Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport – Officer Training” course. These courses provide further information and practical skills on how to effectively conduct the role of CWPO in a club setting. To find the next Managing Children’s Wellbeing course please click here and to find the nearest Children 1^st course, please click here.

A role description detailing the responsibilities and person specifications required for the role of CWPO can be found here.

4. Appointment and Selection

Every club has a duty to make sure that any individual that they wish to recruit into regulated work with children and young people are suitable to do so. Those coaches and adults who are working or volunteering in regulated work with children and young people must have gone through the full appointment & selection procedure, set out in the Scottish FA’s Child Wellbeing & Protection Policy, before they are allowed to work or volunteer with children, even if that individual is supervised by someone who has already gone through to the full procedure themselves. Failing to do this can put the children and young people who attend your club at serious risk of harm.

One part of this procedure is the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme. The Scottish FA has prepared PVG guidance for clubs which can be found here. If you are unsure if your role falls under the category of regulated work you can consult this guidance, Disclosure Scotland or contact the relevant Affiliated National Association that your club registers with.

Furthermore, the club must seek two references for the individual and each individual needs to complete an annual self-declaration by the individual in ‘regulated work’, and a fair processing notice form. If your club is affiliated to a national Association then these are usually covered within the Affiliated National Association’s registration processes online.

5. Education & Training for those working with Children and Young People

The Scottish FA delivers a specific wellbeing and protection course for everyone who is working or volunteering with children and young people in Scottish football. This course is “Children's Wellbeing in Scottish Football" which helps to recognise, understand and promote children’s rights, raise awareness of safeguarding children’s wellbeing and recognise what needs to be done when a child needs help or support. The course is available to attend face to face or by completing an online module.

Upcoming dates and booking information for the face to face training can be found here.

To access the online module, please click here. For any enquiries regarding access to the e-learning, please contact cwsfonlinesupport@scottishfa.co.uk.

Sportscotland also provide a “Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport” course which can be attended if the above is not possible, information on the courses they run can be found here.

6. Code of Conduct for Safeguarding Children's Wellbeing 

Furthermore, any individual who will be working or volunteering with children and young people has a duty to agree to the “Code of Conduct for Safeguarding Children’s Wellbeing”. This details the standards and practice required, both verbally and non-verbally, when involved in activities with children and young people to create a positive football environment by displaying exemplary behaviour and implementing practices that make football a safe, fun and positive experience for all involved.

Sportscotland Standards for Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport

sportscotland announced in 2017 the introduction of its “Standards for Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport”. It has been developed to help create a culture in sport that promotes, supports and safeguards children’s wellbeing in Scotland. There are 8 standards to enable sports organisations to put measures in place that help them on a journey to progress and develop a child centred and rights-based approach in sport.

Clubs should be looking to embrace and adopt these 8 standards within their club to heighten their commitment to child wellbeing and protection. For more information on the standards, please click here.

Quality Mark

Quality Mark is the Scottish FA’s club accreditation scheme which aims to reward those clubs who have a desire to be the very best they can be. To gain one of our awards – Bronze (Standard), Silver (Development), Gold (Community) or Platinum (Legacy) - your club must achieve each of our related list of criteria. Aimed at improving or supporting management, development structures, administration, planning and welfare, these criteria help each club as they strive to improve.

To find out more when it comes to Quality Mark and how to get involved in the accreditation scheme, please click here

Useful Links

For more information on further national support services and resources for wellbeing & protection, please click here.