Contents
- Complaints
- Supervision and General Guidelines
2.1 Transport
2.2 General Supervision
- Safety
- Insurance
- Registration, Drop Out and Club Transfers
- Discipline in Children’s Sport
6.1 The Use of Sanctions
- Use of photographic and mobile equipment
- Bullying
8.1 Combatting Bullying
This Procedures Manual is based on the following documents
- Cricket Ireland Child Safeguarding Policy and Guide
- Cricket Ireland Code of Ethics & Good Practice
- Code Of Ethics and Good Practice for Children’s Sport
- Complaints
Gorey Cricket Club will operate on the basis of good practice and hence has a complaints/appeals procedures as followings:
• a code of conduct reflecting a child centred ethos has been drawn-up and has been distributed to all members.
• On receiving a complaint, Gorey Cricket Club will appoint a disciplinary committee to resolve
Problems relating to the conduct of its members. This includes bullying. The complaint should be
In writing to the secretary or Children’s Officer and should be responded to within 5 working days.
The committee should consist of a representative from the Management Committee, the Children’s Officer and ordinary registered members of the club.
• If the complaint involves suspected abuse or a criminal offence the children’s officer/designated person should be consulted and the disciplinary committee disbanded. The statutory authorities will then be informed
• the disciplinary committee should review any relevant paper work and hold any necessary meetings with all parties to proceed with complaints into any incident of suspected misconduct that does not relate to child abuse. It should, as soon as possible, inform the Management Committee of the progress of the disciplinary process. This should be done within 10 working days
• The disciplinary committee should furnish the individual with the nature of the complaint being made against him/her and afford him/her the opportunity of providing a response either verbally or in writing, but usually at a meeting with the disciplinary committee
• Written confidential records of all complaints should be safely and confidentially kept and club procedures should be defined for the possession of such records in the event of election of new officers
• Where it is established that an incident of misconduct has taken place, the disciplinary committee should notify the member of any sanction being imposed. The notification should be made in writing, setting out the reasons for the sanction. If the member is under 18 years of age, correspondence should be addressed to the parents/guardians
• If the member against whom the complaint was made is unhappy with the decision of the disciplinary committee s/he should have the right to appeal the decision to an appeals committee (independent of a disciplinary committee). Any appeal should be made in writing within 10 days of the decision of the disciplinary committee. The chairperson of the appeals committee should be a member of the Management Committee. The appeals committee should consult with the Children’s Officer in relation to issues of child welfare and codes of conduct
• The appeals committee should have the power to confirm, set aside or change any sanction imposed by the disciplinary committee
• If any party is not satisfied with the outcome the matter can be referred to the Cricket Leinster. However efforts to resolve the issue at local level should be exhausted before the Cricket Leinster is engaged in attempts to resolve the matter
- SUPERVISION AND GENERAL GUIDELINES
2.1 Transport
There is an extra responsibility on adults and leaders when they transport young people to events. Adults should
• Ensure there is adequate insurance on their car and that they follow the rules of the road, including the legal use of seat belts
• Ensure they do not carry more than the permitted number of passengers
• Avoid being alone with one passenger, put passengers in the back seat, have central drop off locations or seek parental permission when transporting on a regular basis. Parents should check with young people about the plans, listen to what the young people are saying, and be sure they are happy with the transport arrangements.
2.2 General Supervision
• Ensure adequate Adult: Child ratios. Good practice dictates that a leader should try to ensure that more than one adult is present. This will help to ensure the safety of the children as well as protect adults
• Adult: Child ratios will depend on the nature of the activity, the age of the participants and any special needs of the group, a general guide is 1:15 for under 12 years of age and 1:15 for over 12 years of age
• There should be at least one adult of each gender with mixed parties
• Away trips will need higher rates of supervision and these should be checked out with the governing body or organiser, children and young people should be supervised at all times.
• Avoid adults being left alone with young participants, if a leader needs to talk separately to a participant this should be done in an open environment, in view of others
• Respect the privacy of young people while changing, leaders may only need to enter changing rooms where the participants are very young or require special assistance. When necessary, leaders should supervise in pairs or seek assistance, it is the safety and welfare of the participants that is of paramount importance
• Leaders should not be left alone with young people at the end of a training session. Clearly state times for start and finish of training and/or competitions. If late collections occur leaders should remain in pairs until participants have left. It is the responsibility of parents/guardians to make arrangements for collection of young people, it should be made clear that the club is responsible for only club activities
• If a child suffers an injury or accident the parents/guardians should be informed. See sample accident form on www.irishsportscouncil.ie
- SAFETY
Gorey Cricket Club acknowledges that there are risks of injury in playing cricket as with most sports. All Governing Bodies of Sport and sports clubs should ensure that a clear statement of specific and potential risks attached to their particular sport is widely publicised to all members.
The following specific procedures are in place for safeguarding against such risks. We endeavour to follow the following practices in order to promote safety:
• Activities being undertaken should be suitable for the ability, age, and experience of the participants
• Equipment and facilities should meet the highest possible standards and be appropriate to the maturity of the participants
• Where protective equipment is deemed necessary it should be used
• First Aid should be available for all-training sessions and events. There should be a proper First Aid Kit.
First Aid information should be a basic element of a coaching leadership course
• Injuries should be recorded, with a note of the action taken in relation to each one. The club maintain an accident book with a specific incident form for completion by Sports Leaders, with due regard for confidentiality. If you have concerns in relation to the welfare of the child see section 5.12
• Parents/guardians should be notified, by the Sports Leader, of injuries/illness which children incur while participating in a sporting activity
• All clubs should have a simple and widely known emergency plan to ensure safety procedures
• Umpires and referees should ensure that the conduct of the games conform to the standards set by Cricket Ireland
• children are taught the rules of the game and are encouraged to abide by them, keeping in mind that many rules are there for safety
• It is important that before children participate in a sporting activity, they have learned and agreed personal safety rules. If Sports Leaders take children into potentially dangerous situations they should hold the appropriate qualification required by the Governing Body
• Parents/guardians should know, and abide by, the starting and finishing times of sessions and events
- INSURANCE
All clubs and organisations should ensure that appropriate insurance cover is in place to cover the activities of the club, Sports Leaders and participants. Away trips should be included in such cover. For away trips parents/guardians should be made aware of the need for comprehensive insurance to cover their child, e.g. health /medical insurance etc.
Adults transporting children in their cars should be aware of the extent and limits of their motor insurance cover, particularly in relation to acceptable numbers and liability.
- REGISTRATION, DROPOUT AND CLUB TRANSFERS
Loss of club members, including adult transfers, should be monitored. Any unusual or unexpected dropout or club transfer of children or Sports Leaders should be checked out by the Club Children’s Officer and/or the governing body. If any concerns regarding a child or children’s welfare are raised the matter should be handled in accordance with procedures outlined in section 5.12 of this Code.
- DISCIPLINE IN CHILDREN’S SPORT
Discipline in sport should always be positive in focus, providing the structure and rules that allow participants to learn to set their own goals and strive for them. It should encourage young people to become more responsible for themselves and therefore more independent.
Children should be helped to become responsible about the decisions and choices they make within sport, particularly when they are likely to make a difference between playing fairly and unfairly. There should be no place for fighting, over-aggressive or dangerous behaviour in sport.
- THE USE OF SANCTIONS
The use of sanctions is an important element in the maintenance of discipline. The age and developmental stage of the child should be taken into consideration when using sanctions. Sanctions should be fair and consistent and in the case of persistent offence, should be progressively applied. They should never be used to retaliate or to make a Sports Leader feel better. The following steps are suggested and should always be used in conjunction with the code of conduct for young people:
• Rules should be stated clearly and agreed
• A warning should be given if a rule is broken
• A sanction (for example, use of time out) should be applied if a rule is broken for a second time. The use of green, yellow and red cards are encouraged, irrespective of the sport
• If a rule is broken for the third time the child should be spoken to, and if necessary, the parents/guardians may be involved
• Sanctions should not be applied if a Sports Leader is not comfortable with them. If an appropriate action cannot be devised right away, the child should be told that the matter will be dealt with later, at a specified time and as soon as possible
• A child should not be sanctioned for making errors when s/he is playing
• Physical activity (e.g. running laps or doing push-ups) should not be used as a sanction. To do so only causes a child to resent physical activity, something that s/he should learn to enjoy throughout his/her life
• Sanctions should be used sparingly. Constant sanctioning and criticism can cause a child to turn away from sport
• Once sanctions have been imposed, it is important to make the young person feel s/he is a valued member of the group again
• Where relevant some sanctions may need to be recorded and parents informed
- USE OF PHOTOGRAPHIC AND MOBILE EQUIPMENT
Each club should adopt a policy in relation to the use of images of athletes on their websites and other publications, as there have been concerns about the risks posed directly and indirectly to children and young people. Adults and sports leaders need to work together to prevent those wishing to cause such harm to young people. Remember having photographic and filming guidelines is not about preventing parents from taking pictures, it is to ensure that only those who have a right to take photographs do so.
Anyone concerned about photography taking place at events or training sessions can contact the children’s officer/ designated person and ask them to deal with the matter.
The purpose is to reduce the risk of inappropriate, unsolicited attention from people within and outside the sport. Group photographs where the club is identified rather than individuals are good for publicity without creating a risk to those in the photographs. As a guide try to remember the following:-
• If the athlete is named, avoid using their photograph.
• If a photograph is used, avoid naming the athlete.
• Ask for the athlete’s permission to use their image to ensure that they are aware of the way the image is to be used to represent the sport.
• Ask for parental permission to use the athlete’s image to ensure that parents are aware of the way the image is to be used to represent the sport. A permission form could be used or make an announcement at the start of an event.
• To reduce the risk of inappropriate use, only use images of athletes in suitable dress. The content of the photograph should focus on the activity not on a particular child
• Talk to children’s officer/designated person if you are worried about use of images Amateur photographers/film/video operators wishing to record an event or practice session should seek accreditation with the children’s officer, event organiser or leader of session. Permission forms should be available on site.
To ensure spectators and participants are informed of the policy, the club/event/organisation should display the following information prior to the start of an event and where possible make an announcement over a tanoy.
“In line with the recommendation in the Gorey Cricket Club’s Code of Conduct, the promoters of this event request that any person wishing to engage in any video, zoom or close range photography should register their details with the organisers. It is not advisable that children are photographed or filmed without their permission and/or the permission of their parent/guardian”.
Working in Partnership to protect young people
Photographs, when used with personal information, can be used as a means of identifying children. This practice can make a child vulnerable to an individual who may wish to “groom” that child for abuse.
Furthermore the content of the photo can be used or adapted for inappropriate use. There is evidence of this adapted material finding its way onto child pornography sites. Adults and sports leaders need to work together to prevent those wishing to cause such harm to young people.
Mobile Phones
Mobile phones are often given to children for security, enabling parents to keep in touch and make sure they are safe. Young people value their phones highly as it offers them a sense of independence. In addition mobile phones allow quick and easy contact, which can make a safe and efficient way to carry out club business. However such technology has also allowed an increase in direct personal contact with young people, in some cases used to cross personal boundaries and cause harm to young people. Within clubs there is a need to encourage responsible and secure use of mobile phones by adults and young people.
As a young person remember
• If you receive an offensive photo, email or message, do not reply, save it, make a note of times and dates and tell a parent or children’s officer/designated person within the club.
• Be careful about who you give your phone number to and don’t respond to unfamiliar numbers
• Change your phone number in cases of bullying or harassment
• Don’t use the phone in certain locations; inappropriate use of your camera phone may cause upset or offence to another person, e.g. changing rooms
• Treat you phone as you would any other valuable item so that you guard against theft
As a Leader remember
• Use group texts for communication among athletes and teams and inform parents of this at the start of the season
• It is not appropriate to have constant communication with individual athletes
• Don’t use the phone in certain locations; inappropriate use of your camera phone may cause upset or offence to another person, e.g. changing rooms
- BULLYING
Bullying can be defined as repeated aggression be it verbal, psychological or physical conducted by an individual or group against others.
It is behaviour that is intentionally aggravating and intimidating and occurs mainly in social environments such as schools, clubs and other organisations working with children and young people.
- Combating Bullying
The anti-bullying policy of Cricket Ireland includes the following measures:
Ensures that all members follow the Code of Conduct, which promotes the rights and dignity of each member Raises awareness of bullying as an unacceptable form of behaviour
Complaints procedure used if bullying occurs
Provides comprehensive supervision at all games and during the course of tours
Provides a supportive environment for victims of bullying
Obtains co-operation of parents / guardians to combat bullying
Monday, 02 January 2023
Alphonsus FitzGerald-Chairperson-Gorey Cricket Club