Cornwall FA offers a wide range of safeguarding training and support to our clubs and leagues to help create a safe and enjoyable football experience for everyone. We ensure safeguarding requirements are met before a club can affiliate at the start of the season and we support clubs to maintain these standards. We also make unannounced safeguarding validation visits to youth club training sessions/matches to ensure that any individual working with children has the relevant qualifications and DBS check in place.

Club Welfare Officers

At the beginning of each season, all clubs need to name a Club Welfare Officer (CWO). We recognise that without volunteer CWOs, clubs wouldn't have as many safeguards in place. Although their hard work is not always noticed when things are going well, you can be sure everyone will be asking questions if they go wrong! All CWO’s are DBS checked (CRC), and attend both a safeguarding workshop and Welfare Officer Workshop to give them the skills to identify and raise any concerns affecting young people.  One of the roles of the CWO is to ensure that anyone working with children within the club hold the correct safeguarding qualifications.  The details of your club’s CWO should be available in your club material. As well as a CWOs, the league also has a League Welfare Officer and their details should be on their social media pages and website. 

DBS CHECKS (Formally CRC)

Anyone actively working with U18 year olds, including coaches and referees are required to have an FA enhanced DBS check.  If you are looking to get involved with a club in Cornwall or you are an existing coach then please contact the Club Welfare Officer who will be able to support you through this process.
If you are Club Welfare Officer looking to renew your existing FA DBS check then please contact 
Claire Summers Evans (Cornwall FA Designated Safeguarding Officer) via email - claire.summers-evans@cornwallfa.com

Any referee officiating in youth football looking to renew or needing support with the DBS process can contact either the Designated Safeguarding Officer or Lee Swabey ~(Cornwall FA Referee Development Officer) via email - lee.swabey@cornwallfa.com 

Respect and Poor Practice

Most children and young people have a fantastic experience when taking part in football – but sadly, some don't. This might be down to over-competitive parents and coaches shouting and constantly criticising them from the sidelines – the kind of behaviour that the Respect programme is designed to address, or it could be that a young player is not given equal playing time by his coach.

The Respect Code of Conducts and Equal Playing time guidance is available for all players, coaches, spectators and referees, to help ensure the safety and enjoyment of all children is paramount.