New qualifications guidance has been issued by The FA for the forthcoming season 2022/2023.

Please note that there are new requirements and guidance.

 Qualifications open age and disability 22 23 final

Qualifications youth 22-23 final

Referees: 
 
Registered referee you will be required to, from the beginning of season 2022-2023:

• Have completed The FA’s Referee Course
• Completed as a minimum Safeguarding For All (this course is FREE and is the minimum requirement)

This includes referees who only officiate open age football, because 16/17-year-old players may be registered for competition. Although these players are participating in open-aged football they are under the age of 18 and therefore children. We all have a collective responsibility to keep young participants safe whilst playing the game. Although this won't be mandated until 22/23, we would advise you to complete these as soon as possible.

If you also officiate in youth football then the safeguarding regulations for youth football supersede these regulations.
 
Team officials for open age teams: Again, any teams that have  16/17-year-old players registered for competition will be subject to a range of safeguarding regulations. These will be monitored from the beginning of season 2022-2023 and mandated from season 2023-2024 for those clubs/teams with 16/17-year-old players registered.
 
As a team official (manager/coach/physio/medic and all assistants to these roles) you will be required to:

• Hold an in-date FA DBS check
• Complete either Safeguarding For All (this course is FREE and is the minimum requirement) OR Safeguarding Children Course (this course is £30.00 and is best practice for your role(s)). If you have already completed the Safeguarding Children Course you can recertify for FREE here.

Welfare officers for open age clubs and leagues: As above, any teams that have  16/17-year-old players registered for competition will be subject to a range of safeguarding regulations. These will be monitored from the beginning of season 2022-2023 and mandated from season 2023-2024 for those clubs/teams with 16/17-year-old players registered.
 
Open aged adult clubs & leagues with 16/17-year-old players registered will be requested to appoint a club/league welfare officer with the following qualifications:

• Hold an in-date FA DBS check
• In date Safeguarding Children Course (this course is £30.00 and is best practice for your role(s)). If you have already completed the Safeguarding Children Course you can recertify for FREE here.
• Completed The FA’s Welfare Officer Workshop

Open age disability teams: A range of safeguarding regulations will be monitored from the beginning of season 2022-2023 and mandated from season 2023-2024 for those clubs/teams with open aged disability provision.

 
Clubs with open aged disability provision will be requested to appoint a club/league welfare officer with the following qualifications:

• Hold an in-date FA DBS check
• In date Safeguarding Adults Course which can be completed for FREE here.
• Completed The FA’s Welfare Officer Workshop

 
We would urge you to complete these processes as soon as possible – this is to ensure on your organisation is working to best practice in the interest of participants within the game.