Referee & Safeguarding
Access the course online for free
As a referee, you are an impartial figure, able to see how teams and clubs manage and keep under 18s safe. You have the opportunity to demonstrate best practice on and off the field and to recognise and refer concerns. As a role model to young players and referees, this is important.
Recognising the important role you play and the need to keep everyone up to date with safeguarding awareness, The FA is now requiring match officials to renew their safeguarding training every three years. This will ensure referees are in the same position as, for example, licensed coaches.
Who has to retake their safeguarding training?
Referees in youth football and observers, coaches and mentors operating below Supply Leagues
Referees who officiate in open age football only and observers, coaches and mentors who operate only in Supply Leagues or above will not be required to renew their safeguarding qualification.
What safeguarding training do match officials have to do?
This will depend on the type of training they last completed.
Referees who have only ever taken the online course for under 16s, the old DVD ‘The Guide’ or the Child Protection in Football course will need to take the face- to-face three hour Safeguarding Children Workshop when three years have expired.
Those who have previously attended a Safeguarding Children Workshop will be able to take the free online re-certification course.
You can now renew your FA Safeguarding Children certificate online. This interactive course is available free of charge for anyone in football who has previously completed the three hour face-to-face Safeguarding Children Workshop.
The course includes:
- The role of designated people in football
- Safer practice with under 18s
- Safer use of social media
- Safeguarding disabled children
- Listening to children
- Recognising and responding to poor practice and abuse
- How and when to report safeguarding concerns
The course uses case studies, interactive tasks and interviews to bring the material to life
On completion, records will automatically update with a new qualification and the learner can also print a certificate
Please note it may take up to seven days for a qualification to show on a learner’s records
Referee & Safeguarding
Yes, people can take the course in their own time and at their own pace. Please note all five modules must be completed before the certificate can be issued.
This depends on the user but usually around two hours
Similarly to a DBS, the online Safeguarding Children certificate will need to be renewed every 3 years.
Yes, the course should open on most devices including laptops and tablets. We would also advise the learner uses Google Chrome to access the course.
Referees in youth football and observers, coaches and mentors operating below Supply Leagues.
Referees who officiate in open age football only and observers, coaches and mentors who operate only in Supply Leagues or above will not be required to renew their safeguarding qualification.