Club Safeguarding Update
November 4, 2022Another season comes to an end and with plenty of Cricket being played we have encountered one or two issues throughout the season some of which I will share with you later. The main aim I hope whatever the results it was an enjoyable one for all especially those young person’s starting out within Cricket.
At the beginning of October Suffolk Cricket Safeguarding Processes and Policies were subject of an Audit by ECB Safeguarding team.
A big thank you to those that volunteered to assist and dialled in to give feedback it was much appreciated.
We have received a report back from ECB Safeguarding team. (attached). It was favourable and complementary in respect how we are imbedding Safeguarding across the county. There were some suggestions on how we can improve, and we will be working towards these with your assistance regarding the areas highlighted below. I have also included a few reminders of Clubs responsibilities.
Safeguarding Minimum Standards & your role
It is every club’s legal and moral responsibility to provide a duty of care to children within their structure.
The Suffolk Cricket Board Safeguarding Structure is designed to provide every club with help and support and to signpost you to all the information you need to make your club safe and welcoming to children within our game.
It is a mandatory condition that all clubs affiliated to The Suffolk Cricket Board follow the requirements detailed in the ECB Safe Hands document.
These expectations must be in place before anyone is given the opportunity to supervise children. The Suffolk Cricket Board will ALWAYS support clubs who have concerns about their status or progress toward achieving minimum standards.
The following minimum requirement already exist for specific roles within cricket and I have included those below in respect of your role:
Club Safeguarding Officer:
Safe Hands Course
On-line Safeguarding Young Cricketers course
DBS registered with ECB.
A reminder if any of you who are not already signed up to be a DBS initiator and verifier for your club, please make contact and I can start the process for you with ECB.
As the Safeguarding Officer you have a very important role within your club in being the first point of contact and if you feel you do not get the support needed then please let us know.
Safeguarding is the Clubs responsibility and all those involved in running the Club.
You should be an active member of the Committee; Safeguarding must be an agenda item at every meeting. You should ensure that the Clubs Safeguarding Polices are also being adhered to by club members and coaches. A good way is to introduce codes of conduct and get members and coaches to sign up to these.
Policies should be dated when adopted a renewal date preferable within 3 years and the version number.
Safeguarding Young Cricketer Course
This now forms part of the qualifications needed by Club Safeguarding Officers and without this your Club is not compliant. If you need assistance as to whether you are up to date or not, then please email me. The course is valid for 3 years
The ECB are in the process of adapting this course so it will meet the needs of Safeguarding training to other Club Official’s ie Chairperson, Captains, Scorers and Umpires. These all have a role in ensuring Safeguarding is adhered to during a match. The latest we have is that this course will be available later this year or early part of next year.
Engagement/Seminars
We are planning to arrange get togethers across the County and would like your feedback whether you would prefer one meeting with all present for an afternoon or regional get together for a couple of hours in the evening. Please let me know your preferences.
We are therefore looking at covering the following topics during these meetings obviously the main areas being promoted from ECB Safeguarding team.
Best practice on being proactive regarding Safeguarding.
Best practice listening to children and suggestions how we can collectively improve at Club and County level.
Low Level concerns and sharing information from club to County
ECB Safeguarding Adult Policy
The ECB have recently published the following Safeguarding for Adult policy (copy attached) Can you please make your committees aware of this and at present all we are recommending is for Clubs to adopt this.
We are in consultation as to whether Clubs will need to have their own Policy which would basically be putting your Clubs name and logo to the attached ECB policy.
Listening to Children
The emphasis is on being proactive rather than just reactive and thoughts and examples on how you can be more proactive especially in respect of Listening to Children would be most welcome. These can be shared so we can develop best practice.
I have attached some slides from this year’s National Conference in respect of listening to Children and I am sure that these will be useful to you and your committees in taking this forward.
Benefits of Listening to Children
For the child or young person
- Increases self – esteem
- Increases confidence
- Gives sense of belonging
- Supports emotional wellbeing
- Enables young people to support
their peers
For the club/organisation
- Creates a safer environment
- Encourages young people to remain in the sport
- Provides the next generation of cricketers
- Ensures that we meet the needs of young people in our sport
Thanks again for all your assistance and look forward to catching up with you all. If you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact myself or my Deputy Andy Northcote. email anorthcote@suffolkcricket.org.
Graham Moss
County Safeguarding Officer/Suffolk Cricket /07752415619
Email gmoss@suffolkcricket.org
ECB Adult at Risk -Policy-Statement-June-2022 (1)
Categorised in: Welfare