Safer Recruitment Policy
Bapchild Cricket Club – Safer Recruitment Policy
It is Bapchild Cricket Club policy that all staff and volunteers in cricket must go through an appropriate vetting process prior to appointment to establish their suitability to work with children.
Staff and volunteers working with children in sport may be defined as working in “Regulated Activity”. Clubs who appoint individuals, whether paid or unpaid, into Regulated Activity are subject to legal obligations: specifically, the ‘Regulated Activity Provider’ (Bapchild Cricket Club) has a legal duty to ensure that a person it engages to undertake regulated activity is not barred from doing so. Bapchild Cricket Club will achieve this by following the ECB Guidance on Roles in Cricket that require a Vetting Check.
The Club Safeguarding Officer/Deputy Safeguarding Officer
Bapchild Cricket Club has appointed, a Club Safeguarding Officer/Deputy Safeguarding officer who are responsible for advising the Club on current best practice as well as leading the implementation and maintenance of the various elements of “Safe Hands”.
The Club Safeguarding Officer/Deputy Safeguarding Officer position exists to help clubs create a welcoming and child-centred environment at the club.
The Club Safeguarding Officer/Deputy Safeguarding Officer is required to attend two separate training modules, to support and equip them for their role.
The Club Safeguarding Officer/Deputy Safeguarding Officer advise the Club on which roles within the Club require the post holder to undertake the ECB vetting process as part of the recruitment and appointment process.
The ECB Guidance on Vetting Checks gives details of posts which require vetting checks. The Club Safeguarding Officer/Deputy Safeguarding Officer have a significant role within the process for recruiting volunteers and staff to Club, working closely with the Chairman.
Guidelines on recruitment and selection of volunteers working with children.
The safety of all children should be paramount in all activities and these guidelines are designed to help Bapchild Cricket Club in this.
Bapchild Cricket Club is committed to providing a welcoming, child-friendly and safe environment for children. By adopting the points outlined here Bapchild Cricket Club will be putting in place the current best practice to safeguard children whenever a volunteer is sought to work with them.
Most of those working with children in cricket only have the best possible intentions. However, Bapchild Cricket Club recognises it has a responsibility to safeguard children and understands that sound recruitment and selection procedures can help deter or screen out those who are not suitable.
The Club must take all reasonable steps to ensure unsuitable people are prevented from working with children. In addition, the volunteer selection processes used by Bapchild Cricket Club, must be consistent and fair at all times.
Planning
The first stage of any recruitment process involves planning. Bapchild Cricket Club will draw up a profile, which highlights the main areas of an identified role. The Club will decide on the skills and experience needed to fulfil the requirements of the role and draw up a ‘person specification’.
A recruitment process should be developed in such a way as to ensure every applicant is treated in a fair and consistent manner.
Application Forms
Bapchild Cricket Club will use application forms to collect information on each applicant. These will be stored and retained in a consistent way.
More than one person will look at the application forms to ensure a fair and equitable scrutiny is completed.
Bapchild Cricket Club will also ask to see identification documents to confirm the identity of the applicant (e.g. passport or driving licence).
Meeting/interview
Bapchild Cricket club committee members will meet with all applicants prior to any recruitment decisions being made and will ensure that more than one committee member is present. The meeting/interview will enable the club to explore information provided in the application form in further detail. Bapchild Cricket Club will prepare questions to ask the applicant in advance and ensure the applicant has an opportunity to recount previous experiences and give examples of how they have handled, or would handle, situations.
Although it is important to gain information about an applicant’s relevant technical capabilities, it is also necessary to explore attitudes and commitment to child safeguarding.
Listed below are some sample questions which Bapchild Cricket club will use to discover this information:
• Tell us about your previous experiences of working with children.
• The applicant will be given a child-related scenario, such as: ‘It is a winter evening, the training session has finished and a parent has not arrived to pick up their child’. The applicant would then be asked what they would do in that situation.
• Is there anything we should know that could affect your suitability to work with children? Have you ever been refused work with children?
References
Good practice in safe recruitment for positions involving work with children is to seek at least two references from individuals not related to the applicant. One reference should be associated with the applicant’s place of work and, if possible, one that demonstrates the individual’s previous involvement in sport, particularly children’s cricket. Both references should contain a statement relating to the referee’s awareness of the responsibilities the post applied for requires. References should be followed up prior to any offer of appointment being made. If the references raise concerns, Bapchild Cricket Club will contact the ECB Safeguarding Team for advice and guidance using the ECB approved referral form.
Vetting Procedures including DBS checks
The vetting process is very important in determining if someone is suitable to work with children. Bapchild Cricket Club will follow the ECB Guidance on Roles in Cricket that require a Vetting Check.
If an applicant is from outside the UK or has lived outside the UK within the last five years, then alternative vetting procedures will be required as detailed later in this policy.
Volunteers and others in cricket need be assured that Bapchild Cricket Club will take into account the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and only consider offences relevant to the care, supervision and training of children.
The ECB is not allowed to tell Bapchild Cricket Club about the actual offending history (unless it needs to share information to safeguard children), so applicants are assured of confidentiality.
The ECB will, however, tell Bapchild Cricket Club whether or not the person is considered suitable to work with children.
All applications for vetting should be co-ordinated by the Club Safeguarding Officer.
Bapchild Cricket Club recognise that asking an individual to complete a DBS application form is the first stage of the ECB vetting process.
The outcome of the application must be sought from the County Cricket Development Manager, County Safeguarding Officer or the ECB Safeguarding Team. It is possible for the vetting process to take several weeks. Bapchild Cricket Club will ask the individual to complete a DBS application form as soon as possible and advise them that they should not start the post/job until an outcome of the application is confirmed by the County Cricket Board or the ECB Safeguarding Team.
If an applicant claims to be ECB Vetted, Bapchild Cricket Club will seek confirmation of this from the County Cricket Board Development Manager, the County Welfare Officer or the ECB SafeguardingTeam.
Recruitment decisions
Bapchild Cricket Club will consider all the information they receive via the application form, confirmation of identity, the references and the outcome of the ECB Vetting process. This information will also be considered alongside the outcome of the meeting/interview before making a decision as to whether or not to accept the applicant into the role.
Post recruitment
It is important that once a new volunteer has been recruited follow up action is taken, for example, so Bapchild Cricket Club will ensure:
• That any qualifications will be substantiated, for example, obtain photocopies of coaching certificates
• New volunteers will be made aware of, and sign up to, the Club’s child safeguarding policy and procedures, best practice guidelines and codes of conduct
• That any training needs are established and any action taken to put these into place
• A statement detailing the roles and responsibilities of the new volunteer is prepared
• That the new volunteer will have a period of supervision/observation or mentoring to support
Umpires and scorers
When Bapchild Cricket Club is appointing an umpire and/or scorer for games involving children, the club will check to ensure that the umpire/scorer:
• Is covered by relevant current insurance
• Is a member of the ECB Association of Cricket Officials (ACO)
• Has been through the vetting process with the ECB to check his/her suitability to work with children in cricket
• Agrees to abide by the ECB Code of Conduct for Members and Guests at all times, especially when umpiring/scoring
Non-UK vetting
The legal situation regarding Regulated Activity is no different if the individual is not from the UK. Vetting checks need to be undertaken on post holders regardless of nationality. Different countries operate varying methods for providing background checks and not all countries are able to provide this service.
Individuals will need to provide a police certificate or similar Certificate of Good conduct which covers their time in the overseas country, to the ECB Safeguarding Team. Bapchild Cricket Club will contact the ECB safeguarding team on safeguarding@ecb.co.uk for advice and assistance on overseas checking.
It is easier if NonUK vetting checks are organised before the individual arrives in the UK, as they are able to visit the police station etc. in person. Background checks are undertaken on any individual who works, either in a paid or volunteer capacity, with children. It is important to note non-UK vetting checks are only done for the role being undertaken by the individual.
All visitors to the UK coming through the Tier 5 cricket route of immigration must be vetted as part of the process.
If a visitor to the UK has come through an alternative immigration route but intends to offer coaching services (if allowed by their visa or Home Office rules), they must also complete the vetting process.
Bapchild Cricket Club is aware the laws relating to Regulated Activity apply even if the individual is not from the UK and that Non-UK vetting must also be undertaken on British passport holders who have lived abroad in the past five years.
Roles within Bapchild Cricket Club that require a ECB DBS (Vetting Check)
In order for cricket to remain safe and welcoming for children, appropriate checks must be made for all roles which involve significant contact with children.
The following roles require an ECB DBS (Vetting) check. These are roles that are considered regulated activity with children in cricket.
All Stars & Dynamo Children Helper
All Stars Children Activator
Captain / Vice captain
Club Safeguarding Officer/Deputy Safeguarding Officer
Coach
First Aid Responder
Juniors / Colts Team Manager
Scorer
Umpire
Applications for ECB DBS checks are made online and will be initiated by Bapchild Cricket Club Safeguarding Officer who will speak to the applicant prior about the role they wish to undertake in cricket.
NO individual can take on a role connected to Bapchild Cricket Club unless and until their ECB DBS (Vetting) check is confirmed by ECB as ‘Completed’.
The online application is simple and straightforward. If the check is clear, applicants will receive an email confirming they may proceed with their role within the club.
What if the DBS certificate is not clear?
If the DBS certificate has content, the applicant receives an email, followed by several reminders, asking them to send the DBS certificate to the ECB Safeguarding Team for review.
FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN A TEMPORARY SUSPENSION FROM ALL CRICKET
Any information present on the DBS certificate will be reviewed by the ECB Safeguarding Team for relevancy regarding child safeguarding and or the individual’s suitability to work (or volunteer) with children. The existence of previous conviction(s) or caution(s) or other information will not necessarily prevent an individual from taking on the role for which they have applied. For further information ECB has a policy statement on the recruitment of ex-offenders on their website.
Roles which are NOT eligible for ECB DBS (Vetting) checks
Roles that do not involve significant contact with children are not eligible for DBS checks. This is because they do not meet the eligibility criteria. The criteria are set by legislation and guidance, not by the ECB:
Chairman
Treasurer
Secretary (Membership or Fixtures)
Bar manager
Ground staff
Administrator
HOWEVER – where people within these roles perform other roles with significant contact with children, Bapchild Cricket Club will ensure that they obtain an ECB DBS check in-line with Bapchild Cricket Club Safeguarding Policy.
The DBS Online Update Service
All volunteers are automatically registered with the DBS Online Update service when they apply for an ECB DBS check (unless they opt out). All checks will be renewed annually; the volunteer will not need to do any further applications unless information held by on the DBS check changes. This option is not available for paid staff / those not deemed by HMRC to be volunteers.
DBS checks from other organisations
Bapchild Cricket Club and the ECB does not accept DBS checks from other organisations. An ECB DBS check must be made.
Date completed – 18th March 2023
Review Date – 18th March 2024
Completed by – Mel Hawkes/Club Safeguarding Officer