An Introduction From David Collier
ECB Chief Executive
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) produced the original version of “Safe Hands” in the autumn of 2003. That document was prefaced by the ECB giving its firm and enthusiastic commitment to ensuring cricket provides a safe, friendly and enjoyable experience for children.
As the ECB’s Chief Executive I give a continuing commitment to that pledge.
“Safe Hands” is reviewed and updated annually.
Adopting and implementing “Safe Hands” remains a requirement of affiliation to the ECB, and the “Safe Hands” Safeguarding Programme continues to provide a core theme of the ECB club accreditation programme, ECB Clubmark.
As the National Governing Body for cricket we take our responsibility for the well-being of the game extremely seriously. We want the millions of people throughout England and Wales who enjoy our national summer sport, across all ages and from a hugely diverse range of backgrounds, to have a positive experience, whatever their involvement. We also want to play our part in helping children achieve the best possible outcomes and we are confident of the important role sport can play in helping children be safe, healthy and involved in their communities. This Safeguarding Policy provides our sport with tools to ensure the whole game takes up the challenge of continuously improving the participation conditions for children. By participation, we mean not just playing the game, but being involved in their clubs, having their views listened to and being encouraged to take responsibility, with the help of the adults around them, for their own development as cricketers and as people.
In addition, and of equally vital importance, “Safe Hands” helps us ensure the many thousands of volunteers integral to our game are supported.
A vibrant and healthy club cricket infrastructure is important to the ECB and as such, on behalf of the ECB, I would like to thank you for playing your part in helping us deliver our Vision to inspire the nation to choose cricket.

David Collier
ECB Chief Executive

Section 1 – An Introduction From David Collier – 2013

NSPCC Endorsement of the ECB’s Safeguarding Policy

‘All children and young people have the right to participate in their sport in a safe and enjoyable environment. National governing bodies of sport need to provide support, which includes up to date user friendly guidance, to help staff and volunteers working with children to fulfil their duty of care towards their participants. The ECB’s revised Safe Hands manual builds on the previous resources and reflects current best practice in safeguarding. Everyone involved in delivering cricket to children and young people has a role to play in creating the best possible environment for them. The emphasis in this updated version of
Safe Hands is on providing a welcoming and inclusive club, where the views of children and their parents are actively sought and considered. The ‘kit bag’ provides the resources that cricket clubs need to create an environment where children will feel safe and where they can have confidence in sharing any concerns they may have. Implementation through staff and volunteers across cricket who are ‘professional’ and approachable will help children feel safe and will encourage good practice.
We are living in a world where developments in technology move rapidly. It is essential that adults are aware of both the benefits and the hazards associated with social media and electronic communications in order to ensure young people’s safety is prioritised. The guidance for clubs on the use of social media, texting and email is helpful and provides the clear and straightforward guidance that Sports clubs are asking for.
The NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit is pleased to endorse this revised version of Safe
Hands and the wider work that the ECB is undertaking in relation to safeguarding children involved in cricket.’ Anne Tiivas
Director NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit

Section 1 – NSPCC Endorsement of the ECB’s Safeguarding Policy – 2013

ECB Guidance Concerning the Use of this
“Safe Hands” Manual
This “Safe Hands” manual has altered over time as it becomes a source of policy statements relating to safeguarding and a practical guide, and reference document, for cricket clubs and all those involved with cricket.
The main users of this manual are likely to be Club Welfare Officers, as they guide their club committee to plan, prioritise and implement the various safeguarding activities necessary to protect children, and volunteers, within cricket. However, this manual, and the policy statements, guidance notes and practical advice contained within it, is meant for use by all within cricket including parents, children and young people, coaches, officials, and other volunteers. This manual takes into account relevant legislation at the time of publication, but it does not intend to make the reader an expert on the legal framework, or subject, of safeguarding.
Instead it offers practical guidance for those involved in providing cricket activities for children, aiming to increase general awareness of both mandatory requirements and good practice.
The “Safe Hands” Safeguarding Policy operates on both a national and local level, and is written to be applicable to all levels of the game across all areas of the country. “Safe Hands” must be adopted and implemented by every cricket club affiliated to the ECB.
The guidance in this manual is reviewed every year by the ECB to ensure it remains current and relevant for cricket clubs.

Section 1 – ECB Guidance Concerning the Use of this “Safe Hands” Manual – June 2013

Key Definitions and Concepts

The key definitions and concepts shown below are taken from “Working Together to
Safeguard Children, 2013”. This is Government guidance for agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
“Child”

A child is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. ‘Children’ means ‘children and young people’ throughout.
The word child/children will be used throughout this publication to denote all persons under the age of 18.

“Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children”

This is defined in government guidance (Working Together to Safeguard
Children 2013) as:
- protecting children from maltreatment
- preventing impairment of children’s health and development
-  ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care and
- taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

Key Concept –
Who is responsible for safeguarding?

Working Together 2013 states that “safeguarding children – the action we take to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm
– is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play.”
AND
“If at any time it is considered that the child may be...in need…or that the child has suffered significant harm or is likely to do so, a referral should be made immediately to local authority Children’s Social Care.”

Key Concept –
A child-centred approach Working Together 2013 states that “effective safeguarding systems are child centred”
AND
“Children want to be respected, their views to be heard, to have stable relationships with professionals built on trust and for consistent support provided for their individual needs. This should guide the behaviour of professionals”. We understand this to mean all adults with positions of responsibility for children and all those responsible for the management and governance of the game.

Key Concept –
“Early Help”

Working Together 2013 encourages all agencies to provide ‘Early help’ – “Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges…from the foundation years through to the teenage years.” It follows that we must act on any concerns about a child without delay, whether the child is in need of help or in need of protection, and it is not for us to assess which.

Section 1 – Key Definitions and Concepts – June 2013

Key Definitions and Concepts

Key Concept “Child Protection”

Child protection is one part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. It refers to the activity undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of maltreatment.
Effective child protection is essential as part of the wider work to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. However, all agencies and individuals should proactively aim to safeguard and promote the welfare of children so that the need for action to protect children from harm is reduced.

“Abuse”

For definitions of the different types of abuse, and common indicators of abuse please see Section 2.

Section 1 – Key Definitions and Concepts – June 2013

Glossary of Other Terms

Children’s Social Care The services formerly known as Social Services, (however the name may vary around the country)
CPSU

Child Protection in Sport Unit

CRB

The former Criminal Records Bureau (who provided ‘CRB’ checks until December 2012.) Now part of the DBS.

DBS

Disclosure and Barring Service (Organisation formed in 2012 by the merger of the former Criminal Records Bureau and Independent
Safeguarding Authority)

ECB

England and Wales Cricket Board Limited

ECB ACO

England and Wales Cricket Board Association of Cricket Officials

ECBCA

England and Wales Cricket Board Coaches Association

ISA

The former Independent Safeguarding Authority. Now part of the
DBS.

LADO

Local Authority Designated Officer (in England only)

LSCB

Local Safeguarding Children Board

NSPCC

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children

Staff/Volunteer/
Official/Team
Manager and so on

A variety of titles have been used within this document to describe people working in cricket, such as ‘staff’, ‘official’, ‘volunteer’, ‘team manager’ and so on. This policy applies either directly, or indirectly, to all individuals working within cricket according to their level of contact with children in cricket. If you have any doubt as to its relevance to your role please contact the ECB Safeguarding Team

Match Official

Umpires and scorers (whether members of the ECB Association of
Cricket Officials or not) who are appointed by the relevant authority

Regulated Activity

Regulated Activity involves training, teaching, instructing, supervising or caring for a child on a frequent or intensive basis in an unsupervised capacity. See ECB Guidance ‘How To Determine Which Roles Are
‘Regulated Activity With Children In Cricket’

Regulated Activity
Provider (RAP)

The cricket organisation (such as County Boards, leagues, panels and clubs) that appoints people to roles that undertake regulated activity Supervision

For an individual deemed to be carrying out ‘Regulated Activity’ to be considered to be supervised, another individual, also carrying out Regulated Activity AND who has been ECB vetted, must be able to see and hear the interactions between the individual and the child/ren AT ALL TIMES IN ALL SESSIONS. Two equal status people cannot supervise each other.

Section 1 – Glossary of Other Terms – June 2013

Acknowledgements

The ECB has had help and assistance from many individuals and organisations during the production of “Safe Hands” and would like to thank them for their support and, in particular, when listed below their kind permission for use and adaptation of materials:
• Amateur Swimming Association

• Kidscape

• British Canoe Union

• Lawn Tennis Association

• British Triathlon

• Rugby Football Union

• British Weight Lifting Association

• sports coach UK

• England Netball Association

• The Football Association

• Federation of Artistic Roller Skating
We would also like to thank the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit for all their support.

Section 1 – Acknowledgements – June 2013

Section 1 – June 2013