safeguarding

The PFA takes a pro-active approach to safeguarding the welfare of every child/young person, young player or adult at risk. In order to meet our social, moral and legal responsibilities, we follow guidelines set by the Government and The FA.

Support

The protection and safety of young players is everyone's responsibility. The entire PFA team are committed to making training, playing and learning environments safe and secure.

In partnership with other agencies, we provide appropriate support and care for young players who disclose abuse. We take our role very seriously, and our support includes:

identifying behaviour that may indicate abuse
responding appropriately to concerns about possible abuse
reporting concerns to the appropriate channels
maintaining confidentiality where possible

Reporting

If you suspect there is a serious safeguarding risk in football, we urge you to report your concerns to the police, social services or NSPCC immediately.

You should also report this to The FA via safeguarding@thefa.com as The FA is the only governing body in football who can intervene to mitigate risk across the game, including issuing suspensions from football.

If you are a survivor of abuse, you can access support via the PFA Charity’s Survivor Support Advocate.

View the Government’s ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ guidelines.

View the FA's safeguarding strategy 'Building an Ever-Safer Culture'

View The Premier League’s advice on Safeguarding

View The English Football League’s advice on Safeguarding