The Cheshire FA offers a range of safeguarding services and training to help create a safe and enjoyable football experience for everyone. We ensure safeguarding requirements are met as a requirement of club affiliation and we support clubs to maintain these standards. This includes making unannounced safeguarding visits to clubs.

Here are details of the current safeguarding support services we offer: 

Forthcoming safeguarding courses and workshops

We offer a range of safeguarding services and training to help create a safe and enjoyable football experience for everyone. We ensure safeguarding requirements are met as a requirement of club affiliation and we support clubs to maintain these standards. This includes making unannounced safeguarding visits to clubs.

Obtaining a Criminal Record Check (CRC)

Coaches working within an affiliated youth football club must complete their Criminal Records Check (CRC) with their club. This can be carried out via the Club Welfare Officer.

The method for carrying this out is as follows:

Complete an online application via a link provided by the Cheshire FA - You can find the link in the Guidance Documents below.

CRC Online Application Guidance Notes

If you require your Criminal Records Check to be verified then a list role specific verifiers can be found here. The cost for this method is £10.

Please note: Anyone receiving a wage from football must pay the additional government charge of £44.

When attending a verification meeting please ensure that you bring along all of the correct documents which are detailed on the guidance notes provided.

The verifier has to sign a legal declaration that they have seen all the correct documents so the County FA cannot be held responsible for incomplete applications which result in the applicant having to attend another verification meeting.

Please see a useful video guide below to learn more about obtaining a CRC check.

FA CRC Applicants Step by Step Guide

FA CRC Verifiers Step by Step Guide

How we handle reported concerns

Concerns within your club

If you are concerned about your child or another child in your club, you would normally contact your Club Welfare Officer (CWO) in the first instance. You should be given the contact details of the CWO at the start of the season. If you do not know who your CWO is, speak to a coach in your club and ask for their details. The CWO will normally deal with cases of poor practice and behaviour within your club.

Cheshire FA Safeguarding Manager

For concerns of a serious nature or for advice and guidance contact Cheshire FA's Safeguarding Manager Nadine Crane on 01606 302028 or at Nadine.Crane@CheshireFA.com 

Support for Welfare Officers

As you know RESPECT is The FA's direct response to a clear message from the grassroots game. We must improve standards of behaviour - on and off the field.

Parental behaviour is one of the main reasons why young players drop out of the game. Poor behaviour by coaches, parents and players has also seen a number of officials drop out each season

The role of the Club Welfare Officer (CWO) is to deal with poor practice cases within their club, give advice and guidance as well as being the lead on CRC’s within the club.

CWOs should always report more serious welfare case to the FA via Cheshire FA's Safeguarding Manager Nadine Crane.