SAFE HANDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

2026 Season Message to all Club Safeguarding Officers

The Safe Hands Management System (SHMS) is an online Club Management Tool introduced by the ECB in 2021 to support clubs in proactively managing their safeguarding. 

All our clubs have been invited to onboard onto the SHMS, with many clubs pro-actively using the system to manage their safeguarding provision. SHMS is not about criticising non-compliance; it’s about working towards becoming compliant. The system allows clubs to demonstrate their commitment to safeguarding in the recreational game. 

As a SHMS Administrator or Club Safeguarding Officer (CSO) you should now be thinking ahead to the 2026 season and undertaking the following actions on the system: 

• Ensure all data on the SHMS is up to date prior to the start of the 2026 season and that your club portal is an accurate reflection of your volunteer workforce.

• Initiate any required DBS checks for volunteers in regulated activity roles. 

• Update & complete all sections on the portal that are relevant to your club even if this means you are not able to meet all requirements to achieve club compliance A ‘Ten steps to success with the SHMS’ guide can be found here:  Safe Hands Management System - Somerset Cricket Foundation    

Thanks to my colleague Brian Hoyle at the Somerset Cricket Foundation for this guide and resource.

Scroll down on the link above for the 10 steps for the new season, and refer any questions to the Sussex County Safeguarding Officer, Nick May   nick.may@sussexcricket.co.uk  (not to Somerset please!)

If there are any tasks to be completed that you need support with, please visit the SHMS Help Centre here:  https://safehands.zendesk.com/hc/en-us

If your club has not yet onboarded, get in touch and I’ll advise on the next steps – there are additional benefits such as free insurance too! 

Thank you for committing to the role of Club Safeguarding Officer or SHMS administrator and for making cricket a safer place for everyone involved:  https://sussexcricket.co.uk/sussex-cricket-foundation/safeguarding

Nick May

Sussex Cricket