The Gloucestershire FA is proud to support Anti-Bullying Week, making sure children and parents are equipped to recognise and deal with bullying in grassroots football.

The Anti-Bullying Alliance defines bullying as:

The repetitive, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group, where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying can be physical, verbal or psychological. It can happen face-to-face or online.

Banter or bullying? How can I tell if my child is being bullied? How can I help my child if they are being bullied?

For help with these questions and more, you can download the Anti-Bullying Week Parents Pack.

Choose Respect – Respect the Standard

This year’s theme is “Choose Respect”. Children are influenced by the home, community, and society they grow up in, by the things they see, read, and hear, and the people around them.

As adults, we all have a role to play in creating communities where children feel safe and valued: where we always choose respect, stand up to prejudice and are united against bullying. This includes on the football pitch, where children so often repeat the behaviour that they see on tv and in the stadium. If we choose to show respect on the sidelines, that will filter onto the pitch too.

Clubs can lead the way by adopting England Football’s new Standard for grassroots football. There are codes for both children and adults who are involved in youth football - including parents.

Click below to make sure all the members of your club know what is expected to help make football an enjoyable place for all participants.

Learn more about the Grassroots Code

Odd Socks Day

Odd Socks Day provides a chance for children and adults alike to celebrate Anti-Bullying Week in a positive way by asking everyone to wear odd socks to school, work or home.

The GFA would love to see loads of odd socks at our Girls and Boys Coaching Centres this Monday and Tuesday!