Policies and Rules

Junior club rules

Three Bridges Cricket Club is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the well being of all its members. The club believes that it is important that members, coaches, administrators and parents associated with the club should, at all times, show respect, be encouraged to be open at all times and to share any concerns with the Club Welfare Officer Jane Dunnell. As a member of Three Bridges Cricket Club you are expected to abide by the following junior club rules:

Junior members must respect opponents, play within the rules and respect officials and their decisions.
Junior Members should keep to the agreed times for training and competitions or inform their coach or team manager if they are going to be late.
Junior Members must wear suitable kit for training and match sessions, as agreed with the coach/ team manager. They must have their own abdominal protector and wear a helmet when batting.
Junior Members must pay any fees for training or events promptly.
Junior members are not allowed to smoke, consume alcohol or drugs of any kind on club premises or whilst representing the club at competitions.

Code of Conduct for parents/carers

Encourage your child to learn the rules and play within them.
Discourage unfair play and arguing with officials.
Help your child to recognise good performance, not just results.
Never force your child to take part in sport.
Set a good example by recognising fair play and applauding the good performances of all.
Never punish or belittle a child for losing or making mistakes.
Publicly accept officials’ judgements.
Support your child’s involvement and help them to enjoy their sport.
Use correct and proper language at all times.
Support your child by ensuring adequate and prompt payment of membership and training fees as required by the Club.

Equity policy statement

This club is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity:

Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.
The club respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/ economic status.
The Club is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from the threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.
All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.
The Club will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures.

Club Policy on transport to and from matches and training

Parents/Carers are responsible for safe delivery and collection of their child from matches or training.
The ECB recommends that only parents’ cars be used to transport juniors to away games. They may choose to drive themselves or may make arrangements to share driving duties with other parents. All drivers should remember their legal obligations when transporting young people.
Cars of coaching staff, umpires etc. should only be used as a last resort.

Policy on changing and showering for youths playing in adult teams

This policy applies to all players under 18 years of age who play in adult games. This will normally only involve junior members U13 and above. ECB guidelines state that there should be separate changing facilities for youths playing in adult games. However the ECB recognises that not all clubs have facilities for this. The Three Bridges policy is therefore:

If youth players are to change with adults we will request parental permission for them to share the changing facility.
If any youth player is uncomfortable with changing or showering with adults at the club, no pressure will be placed on them to do so and they will be encouraged to do this at home.
Adults will try to change at separate times to children during matches i.e. when padding up.
Mobile phones must not be used in changing rooms.

Missing children guidelines

If a child who is the responsibility of the club goes missing the procedures below should be followed:

Ensure all other children in the group are looked after appropriately whilst a search is organized for the child.
Inform the child’s parents as the child may contact their parents directly. Reassure them that everything possible is being done to locate their child.
Organise all available responsible adults by areas to be searched. Tell them to report back to a nominated adult at a specific point. A note of events and a description of the child should be made.
If the search is unsuccessful then the a report should be made to the police no later than 20 minutes after the child’s disappearance is noted, even if the search is not complete.
If the police recommend further action before they get involved then follow their guidance.
If the child is located ALL adults involved must be informed.
All missing child incidents must be reported to the Club Welfare Officer as soon as possible.

Anti-bullying policy

Three Bridges is committed to providing a caring friendly and safe environment for all of our junior members so that they can train and play in a relaxed and secure atmosphere.

Bullying of any kind (including cyber bullying) is unacceptable at our club.
If bullying does occur then all children should be able to tell and know that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively.
Anyone who knows that bullying is happening is expected to tell the staff and officials and report any incidents to the Club Welfare Officer.

Photography and Video Policy

At Three Bridges Cricket Club as part of our commitment to ensure the safety of our junior members.

We will not permit any images of juniors to be taken or used without the consent of the parent/carer and the junior member.
The Club will follow the guidance for the use of images of junior members in accordance with ECB policy and will take steps to ensure these images are used solely for the purposes they are intended.
If you become aware that these images are being used inappropriately, you should inform the Club Welfare Officer immediately.

Videoing as a Coaching Aid

Club Coaches using video equipment as a legitimate coaching aid will make the Young Person/Parent/Carer aware of this intention and any Parent/Carer offered the right to remain present whilst this is carried out.
Any video footage will be stored securely.

Policy on Junior Cricketers playing in Senior Matches

Three Bridges Cricket Club follows ECB guidance covering the participation of young cricketers in senior matches and has a duty of care towards all young players aged under 18 who are representing the club, which should be interpreted in the following ways:

Not to place a young player in a position that involves an unreasonable risk to that young player, taking account of the circumstances of the match and the relative skills of the player.
Not to create a situation that places members of the opposing side in a position whereby they cannot play cricket as they would normally do against adult players.
Three Bridges also recognises the positive experience that young players should have in open age cricket by providing an opportunity for players to show their talents in an appropriate way so that they experience the game fully.

In addition the following specific requirements apply to young players in adult matches:

All young players who have not reached their 18th birthday must wear a helmet with a faceguard when batting and when standing up to the stumps when keeping wicket or wicketkeeper face protector. Parental consent not to wear a helmet should not be accepted in senior matches. A young player acting as a runner must also wear a helmet even if the player he is running for is not doing so.
The current ECB fielding regulations must be adhered to and enforced by the umpires and captain.
The umpires and the opposing captain must be notified of the age group of all players participating in a senior match who are in the Under 19 age group or younger.
Under 13 age group players and above can play in open age group competitive cricket.
Junior players will need prior explicit written parental consent to play.
The Club recommends that ideally a family member or friend should also play in the side if a player in the Under 13 age group plays in a senior match as they will often feel more comfortable and able to perform.

Guidelines on Managing children away from the Club

This guidance is to be followed for all fixtures away from Three Bridges Cricket Club. Each team manager/captain should do the following:

Tell parents timings, meeting points, destination, contact details for person in charge, kit/ equipment requirements, any costs and if necessary arrangements for food and drink.
Ensure they have a written copy of the relevant emergency contact details and any medical information with them during the away trip, for all children who are taking part in the trip for whom they have a duty of care.

The ‘Club Home Contact’ in case of emergency will be Jane Dunnell contact details can be found in the handbook or at the club.

In the event of the club arranging a trip which includes an overnight stay, the club will follow the guidelines set down in the ECB Safe Hands Policy.

e-safety guidelines

Three Bridges Cricket Club is keen to promote the safe and responsible use of communication and interactive technologies within cricket and have designed the following e-safety acceptable use policy to achieve this. This policy applies to ALL members and guests.

Members should take responsibility for their own use of communication and interactive technologies, making sure they use them safely, responsibly and legally within the context of cricket.
Members should not use any communication device or service, to bring the club, its members or cricket into disrepute.
Members should not use any communication device or service, for inappropriate behaviour online within the context of cricket e.g. to bully or harass others in any way, using incorrect language or the uploading of unsuitable material.
Members should report any known misuses within the context of cricket to the welfare officer who will then take the matter to the management committee where it will be investigated and where necessary sanctions may be enforced.
In addition club officers and volunteers should not ask for e-mail addresses, mobile phone numbers or social networking profiles of junior members (under 18) or search for junior members on social networking services without prior consent of parents unless there is an emergency situation.