As part of The FA’s role in aiming to do everything it can to support a safe and enjoyable framework for football, a new film has been made outlining the four key steps to safeguarding.

The film, featuring Wayne Rooney, Steph Houghton, Jack Rutter and Nathaniel Chalobah, explains how both parents and children can raise concerns they have about adults working in football and centred around how the 8,500 safeguarding officers working across England football take the following four steps:

1. Checked – to ensure adults are suitable to work with youngsters
2. Trained – from coaches to referees, all are given suitable safeguarding training
3. Hear – concerns from both children and adults will be listened to
4. Report – the importance of raising concerns about a child’s welfare

Following these simple but crucial steps means that there is a framework in place to ensure that, if standards ever fall short with poor practice or unacceptable behaviour, they can be addressed.

Anyone who has a concern about the welfare of a child or the behaviour of an adult towards a child or young person under 18 years of age in football, is required to refer it to The FA Safeguarding team. The team is staffed by professionals who are experienced in dealing with these concerns.

Referring a concern can be done via your club, league or County FA – all will have a designated safeguarding officer (DSO). Alternatively, you can email us directly via safeguarding@thefa.com.

If the matter is urgent and you cannot contact your club or County FA designated safeguarding officer, you can call The NSPCC 24-hour helpline on 0808 800 5000 – or if it is an emergency because a child or children are at immediate risk, then call the police or children’s social care in your area.

If you are concerned that someone may be behaving inappropriately or seeking to groom a child in an online environment, then please use the CEOP reporting button that will take you directly to the team at the National Crime Agency, as well as informing your County FA or The FA via safeguarding@thefa.com

• If you are a victim of historical sexual abuse in football please call 0800 023 2642

• If you are child or parent concerned about safeguarding children in the game today please call 0800 1111