Child Welfare Policy 

Harrow Town Cricket Club is committed to ensuring that all Children* participating in cricket have a safe and positive experience.  (*The word “Children” should be taken to mean all persons under the age of 18.)

• Recognising that all Children participating in cricket (regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, ability or disability) have a right to have fun and be protected from harm in a safe environment.
• Ensuring that individuals working within cricket at or for our club provide a safe, positive and fun cricketing experience for children.
• Adopting and implementing the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) “Safe Hands – Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children” and any future versions of the policy.
• Appointing a Club Welfare Officer and ensuring that they attend all current and future training modules required by the ECB & the NSPCC, so that they have the necessary skills to be able to undertake their role effectively.
• Ensuring that all people who work in cricket at or for our club, (such as Staff, Officials, Volunteers, Team Managers, Coaches etc.) understand that the Safe Hands Policy applies to them according to their level of contact with children in cricket.
• Ensuring that all individuals working within cricket at or for the club are recruited and appointed in accordance with ECB guidelines.
• Ensuring that all individuals working within cricket at or for the club are provided with support through education and training so that they are aware of and can adhere to good practice and code of conduct guidelines defined by both the ECB, and by the club.
• Ensuring that the name & contact details for the Club Welfare Officer is available
  • as the first point of contact for parents, children & volunteers / staff within the club,
  • as a local source of procedural advice for the club, its committee & its members,
  • as the main point of contact within the club for the ECB County Welfare Officer and the ECB Child Protection Team, and
  • as the main point of contact within the club for relevant external agencies in connection with child welfare,
• Ensuring that correct and comprehensive reporting procedures exist for raising and managing safeguarding and child protection concerns. Such procedures recognising the responsibility of the statutory agencies and in accordance with pre-defined safeguarding and child protection procedures as defined by the ECB, Statutory agencies and Local Safeguarding Children Board LSCB guidelines and policies.
• Providing everyone connected with the club (including parents, children and volunteers) with the opportunity to voice any concerns which they have (about possible suspected child abuse, and/or about poor practice) to the Club Welfare Officer.
• Ensuring that all suspicions, concerns and allegations are taken seriously and dealt with swiftly and appropriately.
• Ensuring that access to confidential information relating to child welfare matters is restricted to the Club Welfare Officer and the appropriate external authorities as specified within ECB Safeguarding and child protection procedures.