Safeguarding Children Policy Statement.

Meanwood Cricket Club is committed to ensuring that all Children (i.e. all persons under the age of 18) participating in cricket have a safe and positive experience.

We do this by:

1. Putting things in place

2. Having the Right People in Place

3. What do you do if you have a concern?

4. Cricket Specific Guidance

Putting things in place

• We recognise that all children participating in cricket (regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, ability or disability) have the right to have fun and be protected from harm in a safe environment.

• We ensure individuals working within cricket at, or for, our club provide a welcoming, safe, and fun experience for children.

• We provide 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 Club Safeguarding Officer.

• We adopt and implement the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Safe Hands – Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children.

• We ensure all individuals working within cricket at, or for, the club are recruited and appointed in accordance with ECB guidelines and relevant legislation.

Having the right people in place

• Appointing a Club Safeguarding Officer and ensuring they attend training modules required by the ECB.

• Our Club Safeguarding Officers’ contact details are below:

  Name: Jamie Chapman
  Email: Jamie.chapman13@icloud.com
  Phone: 07869 529727

Name: Alexandra Shaw
Email: arose.shaw24@gmail.com
Phone: 07748 964348

Club Safeguarding Officers’ Role:

• 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 members.

• As the main point of contact within the club for the ECB County Safeguarding Officer and the ECB Safeguarding Team.

• As the main point of contact within the club for relevant external agencies in connection with child safeguarding. Ensuring correct and comprehensive reporting procedures exist for raising and managing child safeguarding concerns.

What to do if you have a concern

• We ensure all suspicions, concerns and allegations are taken seriously and dealt with swiftly and appropriately.

• We ensure access to confidential information relating to child safeguarding matters, is restricted to those who need to know, in order to safeguard children – including the Club Safeguarding Officer and the appropriate external authorities, such as the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), as specified within ECB child safeguarding procedures.

Cricket Specific Advice

• We ensure all individuals working within cricket at, or for, the club are provided with support, through education and training, so they are aware of, and can adhere to, good practice and Code of Conduct guidelines defined by the ECB, and the club.

• We ensure all people who work in cricket at, or for, our club (such as staff, officials, volunteers, team managers, coaches and so on) understand how the “Safe Hands Policy” applies to them.

• We adhere to the following ECB guidance:

  • Supervising children at cricket sessions

  • Guidelines for junior players in open age cricket

  • Guidelines on girls playing in boys age group leagues and competitions

  • Concussion in Cricket

Source https://resources.ecb.co.uk/ecb/document/2020/04/16/1ee8ce83-5d6c- 49af-a468-597a728be7de/ECB_Template_Safeguarding_Children_Policy.pdf