SAFEGUARDING TRAINING

Requirements for Club Safeguarding Officers in Recreational Cricket

The Club Safeguarding Officer (CSO) is a vital member each club and should always be a committee member. Whilst safeguarding is a responsibility of everyone at the club, the CSO is key to creating a safe and welcoming environment for everyone to enjoy cricket.

Training for a Club Safeguarding Officer comprises of THREE elements:

A valid ECB DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service). Note that this must be an ECB check and other DBS checks through your professional life or other voluntary roles are not sufficient. If you require further information, then contact nick.may@sussexcricket.co.uk

Two ECB on-line courses:

Safeguarding for Specialist Roles
Safeguarding For Committee Members and CSO’s

To register for these courses, follow this link: https://booking.ecb.co.uk/d/6lqd2k/4W

An in-person “Safe Hands” course. These are delivered at cricket clubs around the county by Nick May, the County Safeguarding Officer, usually during the autumn and winter.

All THREE elements must all be in date at the same time for your club's CSO to be compliant.

All CSO's are also encouraged to monitor their clubs Safe Hands Management System. This will allow them to keep up to date with relevant personnel training and compliance status.

The following link may be helpful, but please contact Nick with any questions: https://safehands.zendesk.com/hc/en-us

Safeguarding for specialist roles (on-line)

We are pleased to launch ‘Safeguarding for Specialist Roles’, the ECB’s new online safeguarding course.

The new course, ‘Safeguarding for Specialist Roles’ replaces Safeguarding Young Cricketers and is designed to support individuals in cricket who are working with children and young people. ‘Safeguarding for Specialist Roles’ is made up of one 60-minute module, suitable for everybody, whatever their role in cricket and four shorter bolt-on modules:

Individuals in cricket are invited to complete the one-hour module, followed by the shorter module that best reflects their role. Individuals are welcome to complete all four bolt-on modules if they wish. Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility, and the new course aims to provide everyone in cricket with knowledge and advice to create a safe environment and respond appropriately to concerns.

Upcoming Safe Hands Courses

Ifield CC

Thursday 16th of November 2023 18:30 to 21:30

BOOK HERE

Sussex CCC

Monday 27th of November 2023 18:30 to 21:30

BOOK HERE

For 2023/24 we are maintaining our current position of not charging for Safe Hands courses in Sussex. We are aware that some other counties do charge an administration fee.

We do therefore ask that if you book a course that you ensure that you, or a replacement from your club, attends on the night.

We are also very grateful to the clubs around the county who offer their facilities for free. We would always be pleased to hear of other clubs who may be prepared to host a course. This ensures that we can keep the costs down and offer the courses at different locations across the county.

Please contact Nick May or your local Territory Manager if your club can help.

DBS Applications

What is a DBS?

DBS is short for the Disclosure & Barring Service which provides a vetting check on those working in a paid or voluntary role with children and vulnerable adults. Completing a DBS is part of the process ECB, County Boards and Clubs have in place to safeguard the young people within our care.

The system for completing a DBS check in cricket is now done online which has increased the efficiency of the process and time taken for clearance to come back.

Who must have a DBS check?

Anyone over the age of 16 holding any of the following positions in a club, league or other cricket organisation must have a valid and current (less than 3 years old) DBS certificate:

All Stars/Dynamo's Children’s Helper
All Stars Children’s/Dynamo's Activator
Captain / Vice Captain
Club Welfare Officer
Coach
Coach Support Worker
County Welfare Officer
First Aid Responder
Junior Supervisor
Junior / Colts Manager
League Welfare Officer
Physiotherapist
Safeguarding Recruiter
Scorer
Team Manager
Umpire
Volunteer Co-Ordinator Children
Academy Director
Children’s Cricket Talent Scout
Masseur
Medical Staff
Phycologist
Strength / Conditioning Coach

Roles which are NOT eligible for Vetting Checks

Chairman
Treasurer
Secretary (Membership or Fixtures-including Junior Membership secretary)
Bar Manager
Ground Staff
Administrator

How do I obtain a DBS check?

A new DBS check can only be initiated by your Club ID verifier if your club has one.

Alternatively you can request an application by completing our online form – CLICK HERE

Following the receipt of an email inviting you to complete your DBS application you will complete an online form with various personal details and once this is complete you can then arrange to meet an identity checker to confirm your ID.

Should you have any issues getting a DBS check initiated please contact Nick May

DBS Update Service

On 10th January 2023, following an internal review taking on board guidance from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) and our DBS provider (Atlantic Data) and additionally feedback from the cricket network, the ECB introduced some improvements to the way our DBS application system integrates with the Disclosure and Barring Service update Service.

The improvements will streamline the registration and annual check process for both volunteers and paid applicants and will ensure the ECB has the most up to date information regarding the roles people are undertaking in cricket and are complying with the DBS Code of Practice.

Please read the following to understand the changes in more detail:

https://safehands.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/10003405416733-DBS-Renewal-Update-Service-Changes-January-2023

For further information related to the DBS renewal process, please visit our DBS Renewal FAQ’s or if you have any queries regarding these changes, please contact the ECB Customer Support Team via the Help Centre.

Overseas Players Course

Overseas Professionals coming to play in the UK during 2023 on a Tier 5 Visa and have not already completed a UKCC Level 2 coaching course or equivalent need to complete the ECB Core Coach course.

NB: The attendee MUST register on the course with their own email address and make sure that their address MATCHES their VISA application address.