The FA Safeguarding Strategy 2024-28
The FA have announced a new four-year safeguarding strategy for football
The new strategy titled An Ever-Safer Culture sets out a strong commitment to continuously improving levels of delivery, as well as tackling ongoing and new challenges, putting the support and protection of children and adults at risk at its heart.
Building on the 2021-24 strategy, this new and comprehensive long-term strategy focuses on three key priorities:
1. Governance and Standards: Ensuring we have strong leadership, effective governance oversight and robust standards driving continuous improvement.
2. Education and Empowerment: Educating to empower and help create an ever-safer culture.
3. Managing Concerns: Enabling reporting and handling safeguarding referrals in a safe and effective way.
Through this, The FA will drive enhancements to safeguarding requirements and standards at all levels, including with the England teams and talent pathway activity. Technology will be used to help safeguard digital channels, as well as harnessing technology to save time for those who carry out ID checks as part of the essential DBS vetting processes.
Over the next four years, The FA will promote FLAG IT, a new initiative to help everyone remain vigilant, and be empowered to recognise and overcome bystander behaviours, break the silence and raise and report concerns.
The strategy also commits to a re-envisioned course programme offer via England Football Learning by 2028, and reaching 80,000 more parents/carers through the free, online ‘Safeguarding Awareness for Parents/Carers’ course.
Sue Ravenlaw, Head of Safeguarding at The FA said:
“Football is made up of many different parts, with each playing a critical role in safeguarding. This strategy speaks to the commitment that is shared across all these bodies to continue to do all we can to create and maintain football environments where children and adults at risk are safe and can flourish. Our thanks go to everyone playing a part in safeguarding and the delivery of this strategy.”
The FA Survivor Support and Safeguarding Advisory Group said:
“Having a clear strategy and action plan is vital if everyone in football is to help play their part in creating an ever-safer environment within our game. We’re proud that our extensive experience in this area has helped to inform and shape our new strategy – and frame the safeguarding policies, procedures and best practice throughout football. The challenge to make the game as safe as possible for everyone will never go away, and this new strategy defines a collective purpose, and we are confident that football’s heading in the right direction.”
For further information on safeguarding and how to report concerns, please visit our safeguarding pages or the safeguarding section of TheFA.com.