10. Transport and Managing Children Away from the Club Policy

Transport Policy

All parents/carers are responsible for the safe delivery and collection of their child for matches or training.
All fixtures are provided to parents through the club website and/or WhatsApp/email via the Team Managers and/or the Chairman.
Coaches and club staff will be responsible for children in their care when on the club premises or on arrival at opponents’ cricket grounds.
It is not the responsibility of the coach or team manager to transport, or arrange to transport, the children to and from the club or match.
The club will ensure permission from parents/carers is given for children to participate in all competitions and away fixtures/events.
For all training & matches parents/carers must report to the head coach or team manager to ensure they are aware their child has been dropped off and to be briefed as to collection time as this may vary.

Policy on Managing Children Away from the Club

In any given season, as many as 50 per cent of matches can be played away from the club and that’s without tours and festivals or similar events. For a club to be able to demonstrate its duty of care to the children in its team/s a robust generic protocol needs to be able to fit all occasions.
This policy covers children being taken away from the club’s normal base location and/or home ground, and provides guidance to effectively manage children while in the club’s care.
Where trips involve an overnight stay the Committee should be consulted together with additional guidance in the ECB Safe Hands manual. This policy also applies to open age group teams where one or more players are under the age of 18.
Parents/carers must give the coach written permission (email acceptable) for their child (under 18) to leave the club or a match on their own.

In addition to the details in this section the club will also:
Follow ECB recruitment guidelines for team managers/coaches and volunteer appointments
Undertake risk assessments of venues and facilities
Follow ECB supervision guidance for cricket activities involving children
Have an agreed transport policy in place at the club
Ensure the team has agreed to act within the appropriate ECB and/or Club Code of Conducts
Guidance for managing children away from the club including trips involving an overnight stay. A Team Manager should be appointed with clear roles and responsibilities including: Establish and communicate the following information to parent(s):

• Why the trip is planned and what is its reason or purpose
• When the trip will take place – date, time of departure and estimated time of return
• Where the trip is to, including the destination and venue
• Where the meeting points will be, at home and at the away venue
• Team managers/coaching arrangements, including the name and contact details of the Team
• Manager responsible for the trip
Kit and equipment requirementsDetails of cost implications, including the competition fee, any spending or pocket money needed and the transport costsName and contact number of the person acting as the ‘Club Home Contact’Arrangements for appropriate food and drink for the safety and well-being of each childBe in possession of a written copy of relevant emergency contact details and any medical information for all children taking partDetermine appropriate team managers/coaching and their training arrangements

Wherever possible, a club should appoint a Head Coach and Team (tour) Manager, with the Head Coach and coaches taking responsibility for training and competition management of the team and the Tour Manager (and any other team managers/coaches) taking responsibility for any other necessary support roles, such as chaperones
All members of staff need to have a clear knowledge of their role and responsibility for the team
All team managers/coaches must go through an induction programme ensuring they understand the ECB “Safe Hands Policy”
Ensure there is a ‘Club Home Contact’ – a member of the club who is not travelling away, who will act as a contact point in an emergency. Ensure the Club Home Contact is provided with the following information to enable them to fulfil their role should they need to:

• Names of players and team managers/coaches on the trip
• Emergency contact names and phone numbers for each of the above
• Details of any medical or physical needs these persons may have
• Contact numbers for team managers/coaches which can be used while the team managers/coaches are on the trip
• Telephone numbers for the local police to the home club
• The Club Home Contact should be a member of the club who has been appropriately vetted.

Please note:
Additional guidance for trips involving an overnight stay
The appointed team manager will need to carry out detailed planning in line with the ECB Safe Hands guidelines.