The interests of all young cricketers under the age of 18 are of paramount importance, regardless of gender, ability, culture, language, racial origin or religious beliefs.

The Committee has approved this policy with a requirement that it is given high profile in terms of awareness. It covers the four forms of abuse; physical, neglect, emotional and sexual. Juniors who play in adult cricket are included in its terms. Volunteers (a description which includes team managers, coaches, other adult helpers and adult team captains) will be given guidance in respect of any allegations made against them.

All volunteers and club members are bound by this policy as a condition of membership. The principles adopted incorporate the England and Wales Cricket Board’s ‘Fast Bowling Directive’ and ‘Safety Guidance On The Wearing Of Cricket Helmets By Young Players’.

The Committee will appoint members of a Conduct and Child Protection Panel (‘Panel’) to consider all matters affecting conduct and child protection at the club, including:

a) The potential involvement of adults in junior cricket activities.
b) Complaints.

With responsibility for acting as a focal point and keeping volunteers aware of best practice, the Committee will also appoint a Child Protection Officer. This officer will be a member of the Panel and will act as secretary to meetings of Panel members. All information, including notes of conversations and decisions, will be confidential and will only be communicated on the basis of ‘need to know’.

CONDUCT

Stansted Hall Cricket Club expects high standards of conduct, both on and off the field, from all of its junior cricketers. Adult volunteers have an important role to play by setting high standards of conduct and leading by example. Parents and guardians are also expected to support the club and volunteers by displaying integrity in all aspects of their own conduct.

A condition of membership of the club is that Panel members have the right ( subject to appeal to the Committee) to suspend or terminate any junior or adult membership in the event of unacceptable behaviour, including drug abuse, bullying, verbal abuse ( including so called ‘sledging’) and any other form of bad sportsmanship or unfair play.

HEALTH

The club wishes to support the development of young people of all abilities- including,and wherever possible, those with health and learning difficulties. It is a requirement that any necessary and appropriate medical advice is first obtained; the club will rely on information from parents or guardians in this regard. It is a condition of membership that parents or guardians provide any relevant information on the club membership application form and report any changes.

First-aid equipment will always be available at the clubs premises and at away fixtures. An accident report book is provided in the first-aid kit. Parents or guardians must be informed of any injury or illness. Whenever there is potentially serious injury or illness, particularly if contagious illness is suspected, the Child Protection Officer or another member of the Panel should be immediately informed.

Wherever possible, more than one adult should be in attendance when administering first-aid to injuries. Volunteers will be encouraged to attend first-aid courses and obtain relevant certification.

PREMISES, COACHING AND PLAYING ENVIRONMENT

Wherever practicable, volunteers should avoid being alone with a junior in changing rooms and avoid working with a junior in completely unobserved areas.

Everyone involved in club activities has a responsibility towards safety. Coaching and playing areas will be made as safe as possible while recognising that accidents can happen.

Volunteers involved in coaching and team management will be encouraged to obtain recognised coaching qualifications.

No child will be allowed to play hard-ball cricket without appropriate adult supervision. Specifically, net practice can only be conducted with the authority of team managers or coaches, which is subject to a junior cricketer’s abilities. Otherwise, attendance in the net area by any junior is discouraged.

Appropriate protective clothing and kit must be worn. Volunteers have the right to prohibit any junior from playing or practising if they are not satisfied that this requirement is met. Junior members are encouraged to have their own kit. The club cannot accept responsibility for the loss of personal items of clothing and kit, which should be labelled with the owner’s name.

Where juniors require help in dressing, two adults should supervise wherever possible.

Notwithstanding the option (with parental authority) for juniors not to wear helmets, the club insists that helmets be worn in accordance with the England and Wales Cricket Board’s ‘Safety Guidance On The Wearing Of Cricket Helmets By Young Players’.

TRANSPORT

Parents or guardians are responsible for the transport arrangements of their children to the venue of matches and practice sessions. Parental consent is required whenever volunteers and other adults transport a junior. This will be way of a written authority (which is part of the club membership form). For children under 12, specific verbal approval for each journey must be given. Although volunteers may help in the arrangement of transport, neither they nor the club can be held liable for any accident that occurs during the journey. It is the responsibility of the parents and guardians of juniors to ensure that children are supervised both at the time of dropping-off and taking home- that is, when dropping off young children at the pavilion or other location, it is essential to ensure that the particular event (match/practice) has not been cancelled and that adult supervision has arrived. Children under 12 should not be left unsupervised in any location at any time.

In relation to the transportation of junior cricketers, volunteers and other adults should:

a) Where practicable, try to avoid giving a lift to a single child.
b) Ensure that vehicles are roadworthy and insured.
c) Ensure that children wear seatbelts and where possible sit in the back seat.

VOLUNTEER SELECTION PROCEDURES

Panel members will be responsible for advising the Youth Development Officer on the suitability of prospective volunteers within the context of this policy. They will be entitled to rely on the screening procedure described below and any other information in their possession.

Screening will be based on self-disclosure from volunteers who are regularly in close contact with junior members. This will be a mandatory requirement for team managers, coaches and members of the Panel. Their will be borderline cases, for example the many helpers whose involvement in coaching and team management is on an occasional basis: these adults are encouraged to provide the specific information referred below.

A volunteer covered by this requirement must be given a copy of this policy document and make a declaration in the prescribed form to the Child Protection Officer on certain information about criminal convictions, sanctions and Social Services Department listings. Volunteers will also be required to obtain an ‘enhanced’ certificate of criminal record checks from the Criminal Records Bureau, or any other suitable agency.

COMPLAINTS PROCEDURES

All complaints should be reported to the Child Protection Officer or another Panel member.

Adults or juniors who wish to make a complaint may prefer first to talk to a team manager who will pass on the information. Complaints must be considered by a minimum of two Panel members who will determine the appropriate action to be taken.

Where the Panel decides on disciplinary action, the Youth Development Officer must first be consulted. Members subject to disciplinary action have the right to appeal in writing to the Committee, who may cancel, increase or vary any penalty. Unless there are reasonable grounds to believe that a criminal offence may have been committed, appeals will be decided by the Committee.

Panel members are not responsible for determining whether abuse has taken place, but to consider the substance of complaints and decide the most appropriate response.

November 2016