Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding and Protecting Children Policy Statement
This is a “live” document, which will be regularly reviewed and updated as and when necessary.

1. Definitions
In this Policy the following terms/expressions shall mean

• The Club – means Galleywood Cricket Club
• The ECB – means England and Wales Cricket Board
• Children - should be taken to mean all persons under the age of 18
• Safe Hands - means the ECB’s cricket policies and procedures for safeguarding children within cricket - and any future versions of the policy.
• Date of Creation of Policy - means April 2019

2. Policy Statement
2.1 We acknowledge the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and are committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and the ECB requirements to ensure that all children participating in Cricket have a safe, positive and fun experience, whatever their level of involvement

2.2 The welfare of children is paramount.

3. Purpose
3.1 This policy explains how we will endeavour to create and provide a framework for the safeguarding of children which is consistent with and complementary to the policies and procedures set out in ‘Safe Hands’.

3.2 We will do this by:

• Recognising that all Children participating in cricket (regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, ability or disability) have a right to have fun and be protected from harm in a safe environment.
• Ensuring that individuals working within cricket at or for The Club provide a safe, positive and fun cricketing experience for children.
• Adopting and implementing the ECB ‘Safe Hands-Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children’ and any future versions of this.
• Appointing a County Welfare Officer and ensuring that they attend all current and future training modules required by the ECB, so that they have the necessary skills to be able to undertake their role effectively.
• Ensuring that all people who work in cricket at or for The Club, (such as staff, officials, volunteers, team managers, and coaches and so on) have a responsibility for safeguarding children, and understand how the Safe Hands Policy applies to them according to their level of contact with children in cricket.
• Ensuring that all individuals working within cricket at or for The Club are recruited and appointed in accordance with ECB guidelines and relevant legislation.
• Ensuring all individuals working within cricket at, or for, The Club are provided with support, through education and training so that they are aware of and can adhere to good practice and code of conduct guidelines defined by both the ECB, and The Club.
• Ensuring that the name & contact details for the Club Welfare Officer is available:
  • As the first point of contact for parents, children and volunteers/staff within the club
  • As a local source of procedural advice for the club, its committee and its members
  • As the main point of contact within the club for the ECB County Welfare Officer and the ECB Child Protection Team
  • As the main point of contact within the club for relevant external agencies in connection with child safeguarding
• Ensuring that correct and comprehensive reporting procedures exist for raising and managing child safeguarding concerns.
  • Providing an environment where the views of children, parents and volunteers are sought and welcomed on a range of issues. This will help us create an environment where people have the opportunity to voice any concerns (about possible suspected child abuse/neglect, and or about poor practice) to the County Welfare Officer* *Details of the ECB Safeguarding Team will be made available, in case the Club Welfare officer is unavailable or the concern relates to the County Welfare Officer
  • Ensuring that all suspicions concerns and allegations are taken seriously and dealt with swiftly and appropriately.
  • Ensuring access to confidential information relating to child safeguarding matters is restricted to those who need to know in order to safeguard children – Including the County Welfare Officer and the appropriate external authorities, such as the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO),as specified within ECB child safeguarding procedures.

4. Monitoring
The policy will be reviewed every three years from the Date of Creation, or in the following circumstances;

• Changes in legislation and/or government guidance
• As required by the Local Safeguarding Board, UK Sport and the ECB
• As a result of any other significant change or event

(The above policy has been developed from ‘ECB” Safeguarding Policy Statement for cricket from the Club “Safe Hands” Crickets Policy for Safeguarding Children and from the CPSU guidance notes for policies and procedures for safeguarding children in sport).