Marlow Cricket Club – Safeguarding Policy Statement

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

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 our club provide a safe, positive and fun cricketing experience for children.
Adopting and implementing the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) “Safe Hands – Children’s Policy for Safeguarding Children” and any future versions of the policy.
Appointing a Club Welfare Officer and ensuring that they attend all current and future training modules required by the ECB and the NSPCC 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 our club, (such as Staff, Officials, Volunteers, Team Managers, Coaches, etc) understand that 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.
Ensuring that 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 and contact details of 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, and
As the main point of contact within the club for relevant external agencies in connection with child welfare,
Ensuring that correct and comprehensive reporting procedures exist for raising and managing safeguarding and child protection concerns. Such procedures recognise the responsibility of the statutory agencies and are in accordance with pre-defined safeguarding and child protection procedures as defined by the ECB, Statutory agencies, and Local Safeguarding Children Board LSCB guidelines and policies.
-Providing everyone connected with the club (including parents, children, and volunteers) with the opportunity to voice any concerns they have (about possible suspected child abuse, and/or about poor practice) to the Club Welfare Officer.
-Ensuring that all suspicions, concerns, and allegations are taken seriously and dealt with swiftly and appropriately.
-Ensuring that access to confidential information relating to child welfare matters is restricted to the Club Welfare Officer and the appropriate external authorities as specified within ECB Safeguarding and child protection procedures.

Changing / Showering Policy

These guidelines apply to adults and children sharing changing facilities

Adults must not change or shower at the same time using the same facility as children
Adults should try to change at separate times to children during matches i.e. when padding up
If adults and children need to share a changing facility, the Club must have the consent from the Parents that their child(ren) can share a changing room with adults in the club
If children play for adult teams, they and their Parents must be informed of the club’s policy on changing arrangements
Mixed gender teams must have access to separate male and female changing rooms
Mobile phones must not be used in changing rooms

Please note that if children are uncomfortable changing or showering at the club, no pressure should be placed on them to do so. Encourage them to do this at home.

Transport Policy

Parents / Carers are responsible for the safe delivery and collection of their child for matches or training. It is not the responsibility of the Coach or Team Manager to transport or arrange to transport, the children to and from the club or match.

Pick up and Drop off Policy

No child should be dropped off and left at the club before a Coach or Team Manager is present.

In the unlikely event to you are delayed in collecting your child, you must arrange for another appropriate adult to collect your child and contact the Coach or Team Manager to confirm collection arrangements.

Missing Child Policy

In the unlikely event that a child goes missing, we will follow the following guidelines set out by the ECB:

Ensure the other children in our care are looked after appropriately while we organise a search for the child concerned
Inform the child’s parents if they are present at the event, or nominate an appropriate person to telephone them and advise them of the concern. Reassure them that we are doing all we can to locate their child
Organise all available responsible adults by areas to be searched. It is best to take a short time to organise the search properly so that all places are searched fully.
Search the area in which the child has gone missing including changing rooms, toilets, public and private areas, and the club grounds
Request all those searching reports back to a nominated adult at a specific point
This nominated person should remain at this specific reference point and must be making a note of the events, including detailing a physical description of the child including approx height, build, hair, and eye colour as well as clothing the child was wearing where / when they were last seen, as this will be required by the police. If the search is unsuccessful we will then report the concern to the police
A report should go to the police no later than 20 minutes after the child’s disappearance is noted, even if the search is not complete
If the police recommend further action before they get involved, we will follow their guidance
If the police act upon the concern we will be guided by them in any further actions to take
At any stage when the child is located, we will ensure we inform all adults involved including the parents, searchers, and police if they are by then involved
All missing child incidents MUST BE notified at the very earliest opportunity to the Club Welfare Officer, who must immediately notify the County Welfare Officer, and they must then notify the ECB Child Protection Team.

Photography and Video Policy

We wish to ensure that photography and video footage used within cricket is undertaken appropriately

Parents should not be prevented from taking pictures of or filming their own children. These are normal family practices and help mark milestones in a child’s life. Please let a Coach or Team Manager know if you are intending to use photographic or video equipment during a training session or match.

If you have any concerns regarding inappropriate or intrusive photography, it should be reported to the Club Welfare Officer and recorded in the same manner as any other child protection concern.

There may be occasions when we photograph / video cricket sessions for the use of Marlow Sports Club for publicity purposes. Please let your child’s Coach or Team Manager know if you wish footage of your child not to be used for these purposes.

David Coombs is the club's welfare officer he can be contacted on 07341 339 287 or via email davidacoombs@hotmail.com

Updated 23rd March 2023