ECB has introduced a new Safe Hands Management System and alongside that there have been a few changes in regards to Clubmark and Safeguarding.
Below we have summarised everything clubs need to know.
Safe Hands Management System Rollout
ECB has introduced a new Safe Hands Management System to Clubmark accredited clubs, designed to help clubs track compliance with safeguarding standards, assisting clubs in ensuring all individuals involved in the running of the club have valid qualifications for their roles.
The single central record brings together IT systems from across the game, sharing information on DBS and Safe Hands Qualifications to start with and further qualifications to be added at a later date.
The Safe Hands Management System will help the whole game evaluate any gaps in safeguarding requirements and in doing so protect the future of the game by ensuring that cricket is a safe sport for everyone to enjoy.
The system is already being rolled out and some clubs would have already received details on how to access the system. The details are being sent to individuals that clubs have nominated as their Safe Hands Management System Admins.
Insurance
ECB’s new game wide insurance offer starts on the 1st February and more details of the scheme can be found HERE.
Clubs will be able to apply for the insurance via the Safe Hands Management System by completing the Risk Assessment section. For clubs, whose insurance renewal date falls between the 1st February – 1st March alternative arrangements have been made to allow them to take up this offer. These details have already been communicated to your Safe Hands Management System Admin.
Only current Clubmark accredited clubs can claim the insurance offer, but non-accredited clubs will be able to qualify via the Risk Assessment once they have access to the Safe Hands Management System.
Clubmark
In order for currently accredited clubs to retain their ECB Clubmark accreditation, they will need to be showing as “Compliant” on the Safe Hands Management System on the 31st July 2021.
Any club not showing as compliant will lose their accreditation status but will be able to look to regain it when the revised scheme launches. We recommend you take sometime to ensure Safe Hands qualifications and DBS vetting for required officials are up to date.
For any club that is wanting to obtain accreditation in 2021, the option will be available via the existing process when it is deemed safe to undertake site visits. ECB will communicate this out when the suspension is lifted.
Title Change for Welfare Officers
The title for League Welfare Officer/Club Welfare Officer has been changed to League/Club Safeguarding Officer.
This change will provide consistency in all areas of cricket and will align with external practices. The change will also include our County Welfare Officers who will be known as County Safeguarding Officers.
We recognise that this will take some time to achieve. Amendments will be required to various policy and guidance documents. For example, Safe Hands documentation currently refers to the role of a welfare officer. There may be a period of transition where both terms, welfare and safeguarding, crossover, we hope this will not hinder the work you are doing in anyway. Please start by reviewing your policies and guidance and updating any references to League/Club Welfare Officer.
Safe Hands Webinar - Change in Validity
The original validity period for the Safe Hands webinar was 12 months, however due to the ongoing uncertainty around national restrictions due to COVID, ECB has taken the decision to extend the period to 24 months.
This means that your certificate will remain valid for two years from the date that you completed the webinar. For example, if you completed the Safe Hands webinar in June 2020, you do not need to undertake the Safe Hands course again until June 2022. This also applies to Club Safeguarding (Welfare) Officers undertaking the webinar going forward.
You do not need to take any action, ECB is in the process of updating its records to reflect this change.
New Safeguarding Officers
Under normal circumstances, Club Safeguarding Officers are required to complete both a Safeguarding and Protecting Children course and a Safe Hands course every three years. In the current circumstances, new Safeguarding Officers can attend an online Safe Hands course in place of the face-to-face Safe Hands course and the online Safeguarding Young Cricketers course in place of Safeguarding and Protecting Children.
Safeguarding Young Cricketers
This is a free online course, which takes approximately one hour to complete, and you can save your progress at any time. Please complete this online course if you have not completed the Safeguarding and Protecting Children course in the last three years. You will receive an email with joining instructions approx. 24 hours after you have booked your place on the Safe Hands webinar. If you have already completed the Safeguarding Young Cricketers online course in the last three years, there is no need to repeat the course.
Safe Hands Webinar
ECB has created an online Safe Hands webinar in place of the face-to-face course.
Please click HERE to book a place on the Safe Hands webinar (after you register, you will also receive a separate email with a link to the Safeguarding Young Cricketers course).
All the webinars available are suitable for both refreshing and new Club Safeguarding Officers.
Please register using your full name, as it appears on your DBS certificate and ensure you register using an email address that is unique to you.
Amendments to Working Together to Safeguard Children
In December 2020, The Department for Education made updates to England’s statutory guidance for anyone working with children – Working together to safeguard children.
The update includes changes to information sharing, the homelessness duty and domestic abuse.
Click the button below to access a document highlighting the key provisions of the guidance as well as the updates from December 2020.