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Safeguarding Guide for Open Aged Football Next Season

New rules are coming into place for Open Aged Clubs, these are clubs with 16- and 17-year-olds playing for them.

To affiliate for the 2023-2024 season, Open Aged clubs must have the following in place:

  • A Club Welfare Officer (Adult) named on the Whole Game System, who has all the correct qualifications:

- An in-date FA DBS

- Player Welfare Course

Safeguarding Compliance during the Season

At time of affiliation, we are aware that clubs may not have any Open Aged players registered, but this may change during the season.  We will inform these clubs and give them 1 month to appoint a Club Welfare Officer and to get the qualifications in place.  Failure to do so, will see CLUBS being SUSPENDED until this matter has been resolved.

If a DBS for a Club Welfare Officer expires during the season, clubs will be emailed 3 months prior to renewal and then every month after, until two weeks prior when the CWO/Secretary will be called.  If the DBS expires, CLUBS will be SUSPENDED until this matter has been resolved.

DBS’s can be done through Clubs or Devon FA.

Player Welfare Course will be free and on-line, currently it has not been made live. We will provide a link when we have more information available.