CARLOW CRICKET CLUB
Child Safeguarding Statement & Risk assessment
2022

Carlow Cricket Club in accordance with Cricket Ireland and Cricket Leinster Code of Behaviour (Underage) and our legislative requirements have agreed this Child Safeguarding Statement which is binding on all members and units of our Club.

The basic aims of the Club include fostering and developing Cricket and the spirit of cricket and sport in general among young people and children.

These games and related activities are organised and promoted by dedicated volunteers at Club, County, Provincial and National levels with the cooperation and support of an equally dedicated cohort of staff all of whom are committed to the safeguarding of children in our Club as we seek to create a safe environment for young people in which to grow and develop.

We have completed an assessment of the potential for harm to children when they are participating in our games and attending our activities under the following headings: Club and Coaching Practices; Complaints & Discipline; Reporting Procedures; Use of Facilities; Recruitment; Communications and a further heading of General Risk of Harm.

In addition to our Risk Assessment document described above, the following procedures support our intention to safeguard children availing of our services:

Code of Behaviour (Underage) which includes:

• Recruitment policy for those working with children
• Child safeguarding training requirements
• Anti-Bullying statement
• Social Media policy
• Guidance for Dealing and Reporting Allegations or Concerns of Abuse by staff or volunteers
• Appointing Designated Liaison Persons at Club, County and national levels
• Appointing Children’s Officers at Club, County and national levels who shall be the Association’s relevant persons or first point of contact in respect of this statement
• Covid 19 pandemic national public health safety protocols

We are committed to the implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement and the procedures contained therein that outline our intentions to keep children safe from harm.

Our Child Safeguarding Statement has been prepared in accordance with the legislature requirements contained in the Children First Act 2015 and the Children (NI) Order 1995 and as required by our Association rules and will be reviewed annually.

Signed: Lorraine O’ Brien Children’s Officer & agreed at CCC committee meeting on 15/03/2022

1.     CCC Child Safeguarding Risk Management Plan 2022

What is safeguarding? Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm. While protecting children from abuse is one part of safeguarding, children and young people also need safeguarding in order for them to grow, develop and achieve their full potential.3Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm. While protecting children from abuse is one part of safeguarding, children and young people also need safeguarding in order for them to grow, develop and achieve their full potential.   Carlow Cricket Club Safeguarding statement is devised in accordance with:   ·       Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children ·       Guidance on Developing a Child Safeguarding Statement (www.tusla.ie) ·       Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice (www.tusla.ie)

1. Name of service being provided: Carlow Cricket Club, C/O St. Patrick’s College, Carlow.

2. Nature of service and principles to safeguard children from harm

Carlow Cricket Club is a sporting organisation that provides cricket training and facilitates away and home matches for children and young people (from aged 4 up).

We at Carlow Cricket Club are committed to good practice which protects children from harm. Staff and volunteers accept and recognise their responsibility to provide an environment which promotes the safety of the child at all times. To achieve this we will:

• Develop an awareness of the issues which may lead to children being harmed.
• Create an open environment by identifying a Club Children’s Officer to whom children and parents can turn to if they have any concerns regarding the Club.
• Adopt child centred and democratic coaching styles.
• Ensure good and safe playing practices.
• Adopt safeguarding guidelines through Codes of Conduct for members and all adults working at the club. Adult workers include coaches, parents and volunteers.
• Ensure careful selection and vetting procedures of coaches.
• Ensure complaints, grievance and disciplinary procedures are adopted and implemented in accordance with the Cricket Leinster national policies.
• Share information about concerns with children and parents and others who need to know.
• Provide information as required to the management committee.
• Keep Safeguarding Policies under regular review (every three years minimum).
• Implement and be aware of our procedures relating specifically to bullying, away trips, transport and use of photography that are set out in the Cricket Leinster national policies.
• Have an information document available for parents, coaches and children clearly outlining their rights and responsibilities.

3. Risk Assessment

We have carried out an assessment of any potential for harm to a child while availing of our services. Below is a list of the areas of risk identified and the list of procedures for managing these risks.

	Risk identified	Procedure in place to manage identified risk
1	Transporting children to matches	No child is to be given a lift on their own. Parents must be aware if a coach is bring their child to a match and there must be at least two other children in the car.
2	Being injured during training or a match that requires first aid or hospitalisation	Have at least one first aid trained person at each match/training session. Have a first aid box available at all times. If a child needs a doctor or hospital, firstly enquire if the parent can transport the child. Where this is not possible, get the parents consent by phone and ensure two people bring the child.
3	Appropriateness of coaches	All coaches will be carefully selected and must be Garda vetted and be of good character. All coaches must be approved by the committee.
4	Changing and toilet facilities	No adult can accompany a child to the toilet or be present on their own in the changing rooms when children are getting dressed. If children need to be supervised two coaches must be present.
5	Need for training and awareness of coaches of safeguarding practices	All coaches will be briefed annually by the children’s officer of best practice in relation to safeguarding children and young people. All coaches to complete safeguarding training and foundation coaching training.
6	Training and awareness of national Covid 19 pandemic public health safety protocols	The club to appoint a Covid 19 officer and ensure they attend the relevant training to support the position. All coaches to complete Covid 19 training. All coaches will be briefed by the Covid 19 officer of national health and safety protocols in relation to adherence to public health guidelines. All coaches to complete Covid 19 training.

4. Procedures

Our Child Safeguarding Statement has been developed in line with requirements under the Children First Act 2015, Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2017), and TUSLA’s Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice. In addition to the procedures listed in our risk assessment, the following procedures support our intention to safeguard children while they are availing of our service:

• Carlow Cricket Club Code of Conduct
• Procedure for the management of allegations of abuse or misconduct against workers/volunteers of a child availing of our service;
• Procedure for the safe recruitment and selection of workers and volunteers to work with children;
• Procedure for provision of and access to child safeguarding training and information, including the identification of the occurrence of harm;
• Procedure for the reporting of child protection or welfare concerns to Tusla;
• Procedure for maintaining a list of the persons (if any) in the relevant service who are mandated persons;
• Procedure for appointing a relevant person.

All procedures listed are available upon request.

 

5. Implementation

We recognise that implementation is an on-going process. Our Club is committed to the implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement and the procedures that support our intention to keep children safe from harm while availing of our Club.

This Child Safeguarding Statement will be reviewed in January 2023 or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers.

For queries, please contact Lorraine O’ Brien Children’s Officer 086 0202855 or Ben Parmeter Designated Liaison Person (DLP), Relevant Person under the Children First Act 2015 or contact us through our website.

Relevant person

Defined in the Children First Act 2015 as a person who is appointed by a provider of a relevant service to be the first point of contact in respect of the provider’s Child Safeguarding Statement.

Contact details for Tusla Child and Family Agency, Carlow Office 056 7784642
Contact details for Carlow Garda Station 9136620