Changes to the Safeguarding Requirements for Referee Registration for the 2020/21 Season

The Coronavirus has impacted on our ability to implement certain safeguarding requirements linked with the club affiliation, referee registration and coach licensing administrative processes.

These processes have been impacted since the start of the Government’s implementation of the lockdown and social distancing requirements and will potentially still be impacted when grassroots football restarts in the 2020-21 season.

Below you will find The FA’s changes to its safeguarding requirements for referee registration, as a result of us not being able to:

• Carry out new Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks due to a lack of face to face ID verification
• Deliver our face-to-face Safeguarding Children Workshops (SCW)
• Deliver the Referee qualification, which requires the SCW as part of the qualification

The project team at The FA which oversees the Safeguarding Operating Standard for Cheshire FA has reviewed the risks, mitigation's and opportunities to ensure that when football restarts our safeguards are managed effectively.

Whilst FA Safeguarding policies and regulations remain the same, we are amending some administrative processes and timelines for Safeguarding requirements to be met.

The FA is continually monitoring the Government’s position on lockdown and social distancing and will identify the earliest possible date to restart face-to-face ID verification for DBS checks and safeguarding, coaching and refereeing workshops.

Temporary Changes for 2020/21