England Football Accreditation

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Youth Clubs

England Football Accreditation

England Football Accreditation is the new framework for Club and League accreditation and replaces FA Charter Standard. England Football Accreditation helps clubs and leagues create the experiences and environments where players, coaches, officials, referees, volunteers and spectators can thrive. Accreditation is a clear signal to your community that you value the importance of being an accessible, safe and sustainable club or league. England Football Accreditation is automatically awarded to all clubs and leagues that previously held FA Charter Standard.

GET IN TOUCH

Jemma Fairey

Football Development Officer (Clubs & Leagues)

Jemma.Fairey@LondonFA.com

View the criteria to gain an England Football Accreditation

1. Offer a minimum of one team at any age group for male or female or disability playing in an FA sanctioned competition.

2. Have an in-date FA Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Checks (DBS) for all relevant officials. Relevant officials can be found in the Club Portal Dashboard

3. Have a Designated Welfare Officer for Youth Clubs (male, female and disability).

4. Safeguarding Committee Members course (SCM) completed by Club committee members.

5. Evidence or adopt a set of Club rules and be a constituted Club.

6. Adopt the relevant Club safeguarding policies and Club equality policies on the Club Portal.

7. Have a bank account in the Club’s name recommended for all Clubs and mandatory for Clubs with three or more teams.

8. Provide evidence of last season’s accounts if in existence for more than one season.

9. Have a good disciplinary record within the Nationwide Respect disciplinary code (if in existence for more than one season).

10. Youth teams to have at least one coach or manager with the Introduction to Coaching Football (I2CF) or higher per team, with in date Introduction to First Aid in Football (IFAIF) and Safeguarding Children Course (SCC). A qualified coach or manager must be present at training and fixtures.

11. Have a coach:player ratio of 1:16 or less.

12. Complete the relevant Club development plan to support club development and sustainability.

13. Confirm Club meetings that take place and make sure they are recorded. Copies of minutes are available upon request. Demonstrate that decisions made by the Club are informed by, and communicated to, it’s members in meetings and minutes.

Start application now on the Club Portal Dashboard.

1 Star Club

Offer a minimum of one affiliated male or female or disability team at any age group playing within an FA sanctioned league competition.

2 Star Club

• Offer a complete accredited player pathway for either male or female or disability football, all playing within FA sanctioned League competitions.
• In addition, offer a minimum of one team at any age group from an alternative pathway.

3 Star Club

Offer the complete accredited player pathway for both male and female whilst offering a minimum of one disability team at any age group, all playing within FA sanctioned League competitions.

Development Plans

Club Development plans must be completed to demonstrate the club’s sustainability and allow the County FA to support your club further. Once complete, please upload to the Club Portal under My Club > Club Policies > Upload own document> Club Development Plan.

Benefits and Rewards

Newly England Football Accredited club will receive:

• 10x Nike Strike Footballs

• England Football Accredited Welcome Pack

• England Football Accredited Digital Asset Pack & Certificate

For existing accredited clubs, the rewards vary based on your star rating:

• All existing clubs will receive digital assets, welcome pack and certificate outlined above

• 1-star clubs receive £30 in Kitlocker vouchers and 4 x Nike Strike Footballs

• 2-star clubs receive £100 in Kitlocker vouchers and 7 x Nike Strike Footballs

• 3-star clubs receive £200 in Kitlocker vouchers, 16 x Nike Strike Footballs

Club Webinar page

Please view our recent England Football Accreditation Club Webinar for guidance on star ratings, developments plans and how to use the Club Portal Dashboard. The webinar can be found here.

England Football Accreditation Guides

Please view the helpful England Football Accreditation Club Portal Dashboard guides created by the FA. The guide can be viewed here.

FA Club Rules

The FA's suggested Club Rules guide can be downloaded here.

FA Respect Code of Conduct, Safeguarding policies and Football Leadership Diversity Code

FA documentation and templates to help your club adhere to Codes of Conduct, good safeguarding practice and the Football Leadership Diversity Code can be downloaded below.

FA Respect Codes of Conduct

Safeguarding Children Policy Template (Youth teams)

Safeguarding Children Policy Template (Adult teams with U18 players)

Football Leadership Diversity Code

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