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. These standards are: 

1. Information Sharing
2. Adopt the Scottish FA's Child Wellbeing & Protection Policy templates
3. Have a Club Child Wellbeing & Protection Officer (CWPO) 
4. Appointment and Selection
5. Education & Training for those working with Children and Young People 
6. Set the Standards, Behaviours, Expectations and Requirements

For more information on how to adopt and embed these 6 wellbeing & protection standards through out your club, including templates and guidance on each section, please click here. Your clubs Affiliated National Association will also be able to help you and provide advice on putting these standards in place.

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.