Club Safeguarding Officers
Report a ConcernTraining for Club Safeguarding Officers
Club Safeguarding Officers (CSOs) are vital members of the club and key to making an environment safe, welcoming and friendly for children to enjoy the game of cricket.
CSOs need:
- Face-to-face Safe Hands Workshop, which is run by the Foundation and is valid for three years
- Online Safeguarding Level 2 – SGL2, which is valid for three years
- ECB DBS Certificate, which must be renewed yearly
* CSOs will not be able to renew their certificate by attending an online course more than a month before their existing qualification expires.
Safeguarding Level 1 – SGL1
This free course is available for everyone involved in cricket and anybody at your club or organisation can complete it online.
The training provides basic knowledge and advice in creating a safe cricket environment for everyone, recognising signs of abuse, what to do if you have any concerns or if you are approached by anyone with concerns that they may have. This training should take around 30 minutes to complete and is accessible on a laptop, tablet, or mobile phone.
Safeguarding Level 2 – SGL2
Safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility.
This course aims to provide everyone in cricket with knowledge and advice to create a safe environment and respond appropriately to concerns.
Safeguarding Level 2 – SGL2 is A 1-hour interactive online course with an assessment for everyone in a specialist role. It is valid for three years.
SGL2 is a requirement for all CSOs and Coaches.
If you experience issues accessing either course, please email ECB e-Learning.
Latest Safeguarding Updates
Read all the latest ECB and GCF Safeguarding updates here
ECB Safeguarding Kit Bag
Find all the policies, guidance, templates and ECB regulations a club needs to help create a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment.
Managing Club Volunteers
Safe Hands Management System (SHMS)
SHMS is an online Club Management Tool whereby the ECB will require all County Boards/ Foundations and Clubs to input the details of individuals in key regulated roles or those with responsibilities for the management and running of County and Club activities.
- All clubs with junior sections and any club playing under 18’s in open age cricket must meet safeguarding standards
- The club must adhere to the ECB Safe Hands Policy and Procedures
- Each club must have a trained and vetted Club Safeguarding Officer
- All adults who work with children at the club have must have a current ECB DBS check in place
- All adults who work with children in cricket must have undertaken the appropriate ECB training
Who Needs a DBS?
All Stars / Dynamos Children’s Activator
Coach
League Safeguarding Officer
Umpire
All Stars / Dynamos Children’s Helper
Club Safeguarding Officer
Junior Supervisor
Strength / Conditioning Coach
Volunteer Coordinator
Assistant Coach
First Aider
Physiotherapist
Team Manager
How do I get a DBS?
Applying for an ECB DBS check is straightforward, and the process is now all online – there are no paper applications involved.
Please note, DBS certificates obtained through other sporting, education and other professional bodies cannot be transferred. Therefore, volunteers must complete an ECB DBS Application.
For volunteers, the process is free, and there is an option to enrol on the Update Service. This means that if an individual’s details do not change, they may never have to do another DBS application in cricket provided they complete the annual status check and renew their subscription to the Update Service.
If you require an ECB DBS , please contact your Club Safeguarding Officer in the first instance to request that your application be initiated. If they are unsure how to do this, then Theresa Ellison can help them. Umpires can contact GACO for support.
Once your application is initiated, you will receive an email with easy-to-follow instructions to help you make your application. There is a helpdesk function within the system, but volunteers can also email – ECB Disclosures. When the DBS have concluded their checks, you will receive a paper copy of your certificate in the post.
FAQs can be found here.
Safe Hands Workshops
In-person workshops for Club Safeguarding Officers
| Course | Venue | Date | Time | Cost | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safe Hands | Gloucester CC | Tuesday 10 March 2026 | 18:30 - 21:30 | £30 | Book |
| Safe Hands | Hatherley & Reddings CC | Thursday 12 March 2026 | 18:30 - 21:30 | £30 | Book |
| Safe Hands | BAWA, Bristol | Monday 23 March 2026 | 18:30 - 21:30 | £30 | Book |
| Safe Hands | Stroud CC | Wednesday 8 April 2026 | 18:30 - 21:30 | £30 | Book |
| Safe Hands | BAWA, Bristol | Monday 20 April 2026 | 18:30 - 21:30 | £30 | Book |
Theresa Ellison / Administration Officer
- Helping to organise and set up the trials, winter nets programme and performance programme for the Girls and Boys Zonal squads
- Keeping club contact details up to date including checking that each club’s Safeguarding Officer has valid qualifications and initiate and verify DBS applications for club volunteers
- Administering online bookings including trials, winter nets programmes, Coach Development courses, holiday camps etc
- Helping with many financial activities by creating invoices, payment of bills, chasing outstanding debtors etc
- Help to create and run the office side of Coach Development
Theresa acts as the point of contact for many administrative parts of the Foundation.
Nicky Clarke / Workforce & Safeguarding Manager
Nicky joined GCF from Somerset Cricket Foundation, where she spent 4.5 years gaining valuable experience supporting clubs and leagues, in cricket operations, and with volunteer workforce development. At GCF, Nicky is responsible for supporting the development of the people who make recreational cricket happen, covering everything from grass to game!
Nicky has spent many years supporting the WEPL Board, providing expertise in using Play-Cricket, player registration, and managed migration to clubs across the West of England. She is also a qualified coach, umpire, and scorer who has been lucky enough to score at the county ground in Taunton on a few occasions, including England Lions v South Africa in 2022.
Nicky’s home club is Weston-super-Mare, where she is a long-standing volunteer and has been integral in rebuilding the women’s and girls’ section following Covid. On the rare occasions she’s not doing something cricket related, she has two boys who prefer the social side of cricket to the playing side, she likes to read, run (slowly), and is a half-marathon survivor.