The safety and security of all children and vulnerable adults involved in the game of football in Surrey is very high on the Surrey County FA’s agenda. We are continually working closely with The FA to ensure that all of the latest Safeguarding Children policies and practices are being adopted by all of our youth clubs and youth leagues throughout the county and that football in Surrey is the safest and most enjoyable across the UK.
As you are aware all Youth Clubs and Youth Leagues are required to have an appointed Club or League Welfare Officer from the start of the 2008/09 season. This is just the beginning of our continued efforts to rid football in Surrey of all forms of child abuse, whether it is through bullying, physical, emotional, sexual abuse, or neglect. From the start of the 2008/09 season the FA will be introducing The RESPECT campaign as part of our plan for the development of grassroots football in Surrey over the next four years.
The Surrey County FA will continue to provide extensive training opportunities for Club & League Welfare Officers through our Coach Education programme, including the compulsory Safeguarding Children and Welfare Officer Workshops, and we will seek to make available as many learning resources as we can onto this section of our site, to help educate all of our football workforce on the recommended best practices and guidelines set out by The FA for working with children, so please do take the time to explore all of the materials that are accessible on here.
On top of everything else, we will be ensuring that Surrey is constantly kept up-to-date with the latest national initiatives that target the Safeguarding of Children and Young Persons involved in the game of football.
Mark Walter, Surrey County FA Welfare Officer
e-mail mark.walter@surreyfa.com