Our priority at Harpenden Colts is to ensure the game is a safe, positive, and enjoyable experience for our young players and the adults who regularly watch, coach, referee and volunteer.
We are supporting The FA’s Play Safe campaign – see below for the Players video, and right for the Parents & Carers video.
We promote FA Respect Campaign, practice safer recruitment, process DBS checks and renewals and raise awareness through appropriate safeguarding education to create a fun, safe football environment.
We ensure that any concerns are investigated promptly and dealt with in accordance with the Club’s policies and relevant rules.
We make the reporting of concerns as easy as possible.
Club Welfare Officer
Anna took over as Club Welfare Officer in 2022, and represents the welfare function on the Football Management Committee.
She has also been a coach for her daughter’s squad since she joined the club in 2020.
Anna can be contacted at
Asst Welfare Officer – Boys’ Section
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Asst Welfare Officer – Girls’ Section
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If you have any question about safeguarding in football at Harpenden Colts or want to report a concern, please contact Anna Hamilton-Watson.
Alternatively, you can get in touch directly with Herts FA’s Safeguarding department.
Online, entry-level football coaching course.
This free course is perfect for anyone interested in taking a more active role in grassroots football. There are five modules covering coaching, medical modules and safeguarding and you do not need any previous football experience or qualifications before signing up.
The FA’s new ‘Introduction to Coaching Football’ course will replace the old ‘FA Level 1 in Coaching Football’ qualification. The new course will be online and is designed to provide learners with an introduction to coaching the game. It will be complemented by practical and face to face learning experiences delivered locally as part of FA’s ongoing coach development offer. More details to follow as the course is rolled out.
The Club requires all squad leads to take this course prior to, or shortly after appointment.
For those who want to take their coaching journey to the next level, the FA’s Level 2 course comprises 10 days’ of in-person training spread over three different blocks of learning. It has been extensively designed and recently re-shaped to better reflect what is required to coach specifically within youth football. It combines content from the previous ‘FA Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Football’ course, with elements of The FA Youth Award Modules 1 & 2.
The club will consider requests from coaches to meet the cost of taking this course.
The FA offer the Safeguarding Children Course as an online training module to complete at a time that suits participants. This course will replace the Safeguarding Children Workshop.
Coaches who have attended a FA Safeguarding course in the past (including as part of the Level 1 course) need to recertify periodically (usually every three years). The FA provides an online recertification course which can be found at the following link:
Introduction to First Aid in Football is an online course suitable for anyone looking to develop their knowledge and understanding of medical care for players of all ages.
As part of the club’s philosophy, we are committed to providing coaches and volunteers with appropriate training and CPD. We actively encourage completion of FA Playmaker, other relevant online and face to face courses and pay for Introduction to Coaching Football (Level 1) and Level 2 courses which form the core of the FA’s coaching pathway. See link below for FA Boot room to view all training opportunities and CPD.
From time-to-time we rely on our parents or careers to officiate games as referees or assistant referees. We recommend a new, free and online FA guide for unqualified volunteer referees to further understand the laws of the game or as pre-learning for enrolment on the FA referee course. For advice on how to qualify as a referee or to receive support to complete trainee referee qualifying games, please contact Anna Hamilton-Watson
The club has a suite of policies and guidance relating to player welfare and safeguarding.
