Pontefract Collieries is lending its full support to Play Safe – a national FA-led campaign to raise
awareness of the importance of safeguarding in football.
Play Safe is being run in partnership with the NSPCC and has the full backing of the Premier League,
EFL, Barclays FA Women’s Super League and the FA Women’s Championship. It’s also supported and
being run across every other level of the game.
The main element of Play Safe is a series of short films which emphasise the importance of clubs
such as ours having safeguarding as an everyday reality. The films also explain to parents/carers and
children themselves know what to do if they feel unsafe or worried, because nothing matters more
than making sure football is safe for everyone, especially children and young people. You can see
these films on our club website and we’ve also broadcast them on our social media channels.
“As a youth team coach, I will be working with my club to ensure we support the Play Safe
messaging,” says FA Chief Executive Mark Bullingham. “I am also pleased that the campaign has the
support of the former footballers with lived experience of abuse in football, who are on our Survivor
Support and Safeguarding Advisory Group. The Group has collectively said:
“Learning from the past is crucial, so that we can prevent the horrific experiences that happened to
us and so many others in football, from happening again.
“As a group of survivors, we fully support the ethos and important messages that Play Safe conveys –
whether to club officials, parents/carers and or vitally, children and young people themselves. Equally
important is that Play Safe is not a one-off campaign – it will be used at key points in the football
calendar to remind everyone in football, that children’s welfare and keeping them safe, should be at
the heart of all that we do.”
As the Survivor Group points out, you’ll see Play Safe appearing at various points throughout the
season to keep safeguarding front of mind in football. Together, we want to do everything we can so
everyone – particularly children and young people – has a consistently positive experience of our
great game.
For more visit the FA’s website https://www.thefa.com/PlaySafe where you can find video clips aimed at Children, Club Officials and Parents/Carers.