CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY
Bapchild Cricket Club – Safeguarding Policy
Bapchild Cricket Club (the Club) is committed to ensuring everyone involved in cricket can participate in an environment that is
safe, welcoming, inclusive and enjoyable. Safeguarding is a shared responsibility, and everyone connected to the club; players,
coaches, officials, administrators, staff, volunteers, spectators, parents and carers have a role to play. Our collective actions on
and off the field help to create a positive and inclusive safeguarding culture.
We will do this by:
• Having the right people in place
• Creating the right culture and environment
• Ensuring clear processes are in place for reporting and responding to safeguarding concerns
• Adopting and implementing the ECB’s Safe Hands Policy and Guidance
Having the Right People in Place
While safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, the Club appoints a Club Safeguarding Officer (CSO) who has completed the
ECB’s specialist Safe Hands training.
The Club Safeguarding Officer is:
• The first point of contact for all safeguarding matters involving children or adults including parents/carers volunteers, and
members at the Club
• Responsible for ensuring that those working with children at the Club are subject to appropriate safer recruitment
processes, in line with ECB safer recruitment guidance.
• Is a member of the club committee
• A source of safeguarding advice for the Club, its committee, and members
• The Club’s main point of contact for the County Safeguarding Officer, the Cricket Regulator Safeguarding Team and other
relevant safeguarding agencies
• The person responsible for ensuring clear and comprehensive reporting procedures exist for raising and managing
safeguarding concerns.
Creating the Right Culture and Environment
Everyone participating in cricket regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, ability or disability, has the right to
enjoy the game in an environment that is safe from abuse and harm. The Club recognises that safeguarding is not only about
responding to concerns it is about promoting a positive, safe, welcoming and inclusive culture which provides the best
environment for participants to enjoy themselves and the game of cricket.
All individuals in specialist roles at the Club (Captains and Team Managers, Coaches and Activators, Officials (Umpires and
Scorers) and Committee Members) are required to complete Safeguarding Training (Safeguarding Level 2 or hold the
Safeguarding for specialist roles)
The Club will:
• Encourage all our members to complete the ECB online Safeguarding Induction and to provide the necessary support
support through education, training to understand their safeguarding responsibilities.
• Follow ECB safer recruitment guidance to ensure that all individuals working at or for the Club are suitable for their roles.
• Promote a listening culture where the views of children, parents/carers, volunteers and other club
members are actively sought and acted upon. Creating an environment where people have the opportunity
and confidence to raise concerns, including concerns about poor practice, abuse and neglect.
• Build strong partnerships with parents/carers so that they know what to expect from us and what is expected of them• Ensuring that external organisations who are delivering services on behalf of the Club have safeguarding measures in place
which meet the requirements of ECB Safe Hands Policy.
Reporting and Responding to Safeguarding Concerns
We aim to ensure that everyone at the Club feels confident to raise a concern, no matter how small with the Club responding
quickly and effectively, which is central to a proactive safeguarding culture at the Club.
• All suspicions, concerns and allegations will be taken seriously.
• We will follow the 3R’s with every concern: Responding appropriately, Recording confidentiality and Reporting were
appropriately.
• The Club recognises that it is not the responsibility of club members to determine whether abuse has occurred, their role
is to act upon and report any concerns promptly.
• We ensure that confidential information relating to safeguarding matters is shared appropriately and only with those
who need to know. Information may need to be shared with local agencies with statutory responsibility for safeguarding.
Where required the club will seek advice from our County Safeguarding Officer or the Cricket Regulator.
Adopting the ECB’s Safe Hands Policy and Guidance
• The Club has formally adopted the ECB’s Safe Hands Policy and guidance as part of our constitution
• The Club works within the ECB Safeguarding Procedure for the management of safeguarding concerns and investigations
• We ensure that all individuals who work and volunteer at or for our Club understand how the requirement of ECB Safe
Hands policy applies to them.
Club Safeguarding Officer – Mel Hawkes
Email: meljhawkes@hotmail.co.uk
Tel: 07875047714
Deputy Safeguarding Officer – James Sutton
Email: suttonjames111649@gmail.com
Tel: 07789957685
If for any reason you cannot, or do not wish to report the matter to your Club Safeguarding Officer or Assistant Safeguarding Officer, you should refer to the KCB County Welfare Officer.
Kent County Safeguarding Officer – Bridget Owen
email: bridget.owen@kentcricket.co.uk
Tel: 07807 026247
If you cannot, or do not wish to, report the information to any of the above, then please contact the ECB Safeguarding Team
ECB Safeguarding Team
email: safeguarding@ecb.co.uk
Tel: 020 7432 1200.
Club Commitment
Bapchild Cricket Club are committed to this Safeguarding Policy Statement and will review it on an annual basis.
Date Completed: 14th March 2026
Signed by: M.Hawkes, Club Safeguarding Officer
C. Hunt, Chairman
Next Review Date: March 2027