The announcement of the strategy follows the publication of the new 2024-28 FA strategy, ‘Inspiring Positive Change Through Football’, to take English football forward, with a clear focus on the biggest opportunities and challenges that need to be addressed.

An Ever-Safer Culture sets out The FA's strong commitment to continuously improving our levels of delivery, as well as tackling ongoing and new challenges, putting the support and protection of children and adults at risk at its heart.

Building on the 2021-24 strategy, this new and comprehensive long-term strategy focuses on three key priorities: 

• Governance and Standards: Ensuring we have strong leadership, effective governance oversight and robust standards driving continuous improvement.
• Education and Empowerment: Educating to empower and help create an ever-safer culture.
• Managing Concerns: Enabling reporting and handling safeguarding referrals in a safe and effective way.

Through this, The FA will drive enhancements to safeguarding requirements and standards at all levels, including with the England teams and talent pathway activity. Technology will be used to help safeguard digital channels, as well harness technology to save time for those who carry out ID checks as part of the essential DBS vetting processes. 

Over the next four years, The FA will promote FLAG IT, a new initiative to help everyone remain vigilant, and be empowered to recognise and overcome bystander behaviours, break the silence and raise and report concerns. 

The strategy also commits to a re-envisioned course programme offer via England Football Learning by 2028, and reaching 80,000 more parents/carers through the free, online ‘Safeguarding Awareness for Parents/Carers’ course. The FA will also continue to raise awareness of ways of reporting and a new Case Management System (CMS) is being adopted across County FAs, English Schools’ FA and Independent Schools FA.

Our strategy takes a purposeful and person-centred approach, ensuring that children’s and adults’ wellbeing is at the heart of what we do, and leading a shared intention at all levels of the game to safeguard Everyone, Everywhere, Every Time. 

An Ever-Safer Culture will be delivered collaboratively across the game, including key football authorities, our network of 50 County FAs throughout England and our Leagues, Government and other organisations inside and outside the sports sector.