Policy statement
Meopham Cricket Club (MCC) is committed to prioritising the well-being of all children and adults, promoting safeguarding in our club at all times, including all programmes and events we run.
This Policy strives to minimise risk, deliver a positive sporting and/or social experience for everyone and respond appropriately to all safeguarding concerns and disclosures.
Scope
This Policy is applicable to all staff, volunteers, coaches, members and parents and all other users and visitors at our venue. It is in line with national legislation.
MCC seeks to comply with and apply the Safeguarding policies and procedures laid out in England & Wales Cricket Board’s Safe Hands and any Time To Listen policy adopted by other sports national governing bodies.
Advice, guidance and support is available from the MCC Safeguarding Officer. [see end for photo and contact details]
Responsibility for the implementation of the Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct and Reporting Procedure
SAFEGUARDING IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY: NOT RESPONDING TO A SAFEGUARDING CONCERN IS NOT AN OPTION
• The MCC full committee have overall accountability for this Policy and its implementation, with the Youth committee responsible for the application in the youth set up.
• Our Safeguarding Officer is responsible for updating this Policy in line with legislative and club developments
• All individuals involved in/present at our club are required to adhere to this Policy
• The Kent Cricket County Welfare Officer offer support to help cricket clubs proactively safeguard.
Where there is a safeguarding concern/disclosure:
• The individual who is told about, hears, or is made aware of the concern/disclosure is responsible for following the Reporting a Safeguarding Concern Procedure shown in the flowchart at the beginning of this policy. Unless someone is in immediate danger, they should inform our Safeguarding Officer.
• The Safeguarding Officer is responsible for reporting safeguarding concerns to Kent Cricket County Welfare Officer team
• Kent Cricket County Welfare Officer team are responsible for assessing all safeguarding concern/disclosures that are reported to them and working with the Safeguarding Officer to follow up as appropriate on a case-by-case basis, prioritising the well-being of the child/ adult at risk at all times.
• Dependent on the concern/disclosure, a referral may be made to:
• The police in an emergency (999);
• Local Authority Children’s Services
• Local Authority Adult Services
• Designated Officer for concerns/disclosures about a member of staff, consultant, coach, official or volunteer
Breaches of the Safeguarding Policy, Code of Conduct and Reporting Procedure
• Breaches of this Policy and/or failure to comply with the outlined responsibilities may result in the following:
• Disciplinary action leading to possible exclusion from the company’s programmes, dismissal and/or legal action
• Termination of current and future roles within the company and roles in other clubs, county and national sports governing bodies
• Actions taken by players, parents or carers, staff, consultants, volunteers, officials, coaches inside or outside of the club that are seen to contradict this Policy may be considered a violation of this Policy.
Whistleblowing
• Safeguarding children and adults at risk requires everyone to be committed to the highest possible standards of openness, integrity and accountability. As a Club, we are committed to encouraging and maintaining a culture where people feel able to raise a genuine safeguarding concern and are confident that it will be taken seriously.
What is whistle blowing?
• In the context of safeguarding, “whistle blowing” is when someone raises a concern about the well-being of a child or an adult at risk. A whistle blower may be:
• a player;
• a volunteer;
• a coach;
• other member of staff;
• an official;
• a parent;
• any other user or visitor to a venue;
• a member of the public.
How to raise a concern about a child or an adult at risk at the Club
• If a child or an adult at risk is in immediate danger or risk of harm, the police should be contacted by calling 999.
• Where a child or an adult at risk is not in immediate danger, any concerns about their well-being should be made without delay to the Safeguarding Officer directly. The Safeguarding Officer will pass the details of the concern on to the venue safeguarding officer who will contact the Kent Cricket County Safeguarding Officer at the earliest opportunity and the relevant local authority and the police will be contacted, where appropriate.
• If, however, the whistle blower does not feel comfortable raising a concern with the Safeguarding Officer the whistle blower should contact the Kent Cricket County Welfare Officer directly.
• The individual venue safeguarding officer’s contact details are made available on notices in the changing rooms, Club noticeboards and other Club media.
Information to include when raising a concern
• The whistleblower should provide as much information as possible regarding the incident or circumstance which has given rise to the concern, including:
• their name and contact details (unless they wish to remain anonymous);
• names of individuals involved;
• date, time and location of incident/circumstance; and
• whether any witnesses were present.
Contact details

MCC Safeguarding Officer Clare Collings 07710 452000 clare.e.collings@gmail.com
Kent County Welfare Officer (ECB) Bridget Owen 07807 026247 bridget.owen@kentcricket.co.uk
NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000
Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) – KCC 03000 41 08 88 kscb@kent.gov.uk