Changing Rooms & Showering Facilities

It is recognised that clubs will use different facilities throughout the country, some with toilets, changing and showering facilities and some without.

The following guidance advises clubs on best practice when using facilities shared by adults, children and young people.

We invite you to think about how your club can effectively meet the needs of all its members, taking into account the facilities that are available to them, the number of people accessing them and the activities they are undertaking.

Clubs may decide that players are encouraged to come to games already changed, wearing suitably warm clothing e.g. tracksuits and go home after games to shower. This guidance should be discussed at your club.

If you have any further queries in relation to this guidance please contact your County FA Designated Safeguarding Officer.

1. Separate facilities: Where facilities are used by both adults and children at the same time there must access to separate changing, showering and toilet areas.
2. Showering protocol: Adult staff/ volunteers must not change or shower at the same time as children and young people using the same facilities.
3. Mixed genders: For mixed gender activities, separate facilities must be available for boys and girls.
4. Supervision: When children use changing rooms, they should be supervised by two members of staff/ volunteers. Older teenagers may not require any supervision however a club may wish to have an appropriately recruited adult within the vicinity of the changing facilities to ensure their welfare is monitored.
5. Being sensitive: If a child feels uncomfortable changing or showering in public then no pressure should be placed on them to do so. Instead, they should be encouraged to do so at home.
6. Children with disabilities: If children with disabilities use your club, make sure they and their carers are involved in deciding how they should be assisted. Make sure the child or young person is able to consent to the assistance that is offered.
7. Mobiles phones/photography: The use of mobile phones and/or photographic equipment by club officials, members, parents and young people should be prohibited within areas where children and young people are changing/ showering.
8. No available facilities: Where no changing facilities are available children and young people, parents and travelling clubs should be made aware prior to the game and advised to make alternative arrangements and to take appropriate additional clothing e.g. Tracksuits etc.

The FA recognises that not all clubs have their own private facilities and may use those owned by the community/local authority/ schools/private business.

These facilities may already have their own policy on the use of changing and showering areas to which a club may have to adhere as part of a facilities usage agreement.

The FA wishes to acknowledge that it has incorporated guidance provided by the CPSU in developing this best-practice guidance.