Should you prefer you can download these FAQs in full in the document below:

Clubmark Frequently Asked Questions May 2008 (70 KB)

Section 1 - Duty of Care and Safeguarding Children

Does the Club Welfare Officer have to attend both the ‘Safeguarding and Protecting Children’ workshop and the 'Time to Listen’ course?

Yes. The Club Welfare Officer does have to attend both courses. The Safeguarding and Protecting Children workshop is not cricket specific. Representatives from cricket clubs can attend the workshop with other people from other sports / backgrounds. The Time to Listen course is cricket specific and will be organised through County Cricket Boards.
Criteria – 1.2 and 1.3 (Page 10)

Do Club Welfare Officers have to attend the Safeguarding and Protecting Children workshop even if they have a professional qualification e.g. if they are a social worker or police officer?

No. As long as the person can provide evidence of the ‘learning outcomes’ of the professional training they have completed. These learning outcomes must match the learning outcomes of the Safeguarding and Protecting Children workshop. All Club Welfare Officers must attend the cricket specific Time to Listen course however.
Criteria 1.3 (Page 10)

Should cricket clubs identify a ‘deputy’ Club Welfare Officer for when the Club Welfare Officer is unavailable or on holiday?

It is good practice for cricket clubs to identify a second Club Welfare Officer, to cover responsibilities when the Club Welfare Officer is unavailable. However, at present it is not part of the mandatory ECB Clubmark criteria.
Criteria – 1.2 and 1.3 (Page 10)

Does a Club Welfare Officer need to attend the ‘Time to Listen’ course every three years?

Yes. The ‘Time to Listen’ course expires every three years. At present Club Welfare Officers will need to repeat the same course but the ECB and other sporting national governing bodies are working with the Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) to develop a ‘refresher’ or continued learning course.
Criteria – 1.3 (Page 10)

How can qualified coaches and cricket clubs get a copy of the ECB Coaches Code of Conduct?

The ECB Coaches Code of Conduct is distributed on all ECB Coach Education Courses. It is currently only available in hard copy. You can request further copies from the ECB Coach Education Department on enquiries.coacheducation@ecb.co.uk. We are currently working with sports coach UK to access an electronic copy.
Criteria 1.4 (Page 10.1)

What should cricket clubs do with Self Declaration Forms until the Criminal Records Bureau form (CRB) gets returned?

Self Declaration Forms should be held by the Club Welfare Officer until CRB forms are returned.
Criteria 1.6 and 1.7 (Pages 10.1 and 10.2)

How long is the wait for CRB forms to be checked and returned by the ECB?

At present the ECB are advising between 1-3 months. The ECB are allowed to enquire to the Criminal Records Bureau regarding the status of CRB forms after 60 days.
Criteria 1.7 (Page 10.2)

Does every cricket club have to CRB check all individuals involved with junior cricket?

It is the decision of the cricket club’s own management committee based on the roles that individuals hold in relation to children. The ‘ECB Posts which require Criminal Record Bureau Checks’ document should be used by clubs to help their decision making process.
Criteria 1.7 (Page 10.2)

Can adults work with children before their CRB form is returned?

Yes, but only when they have completed and signed a Self Declaration Form.
Criteria 1.7 and 1.8 (Page 10.2)

Is there currently any system in place to track individuals that have been removed from the club/ game on CRB grounds?

There is currently no robust system in place to track individuals who have been removed from the game. We and other national governing bodies of sport rely on robust communication and reporting processes.
Criteria 1.7 (Page 10.2)

Is the term ‘volunteer’ acceptable on a CRB forms?

No. You must use a title or term that is representative of the volunteer’s role within junior cricket e.g. Under 13 Team Co-ordinator.
Criteria 1.8 (Page 10.2)

Is there an example of best practice for the storage of junior membership contact /medical details?

Each cricket club should clearly identify who on a 'need to know' basis should be informed of membership contact details and medical conditions. Cricket clubs may wish to pass on medical conditions to team coaches and managers. Passing on information in paper format is acceptable but there needs to be adequate provision for the safe storage of the documentation.
Criteria 1.11 (Page 10.3)

Whose responsibility is it to keep junior membership medical records updated?

It is the responsibility of parents and carers to inform club officials when any medical conditions change. It is then the cricket club’s responsibility to communicate this information appropriately.
Criteria 1.12 (Page 10.3)

Does the ECB provide guidance on the required contents of First Aid kits?

No. It is the cricket club’s responsibility to determine the contents of their own First Aid kits. Further information can be found on websites such as St John’s Ambulance or Red Cross Criteria 1.10 (Page 10.3)

How do cricket clubs ensure that away teams / clubs have adequate First Aid equipment with them?

Cricket clubs can not control away teams. Cricket clubs must ensure that adequate First Aid provision is available for the home cricket club/teams.
Criteria 1.10 (Page 10.3)

Section 2 - The Cricket Programme

Is there anyway that cricket clubs can check which coaches at their club are or are not members of the ECB CA?

Yes. You check this information via you County Cricket Development Manager (CDM). Or you can contact the ECB CA directly on 0121 440 4332 or coaches.association@ecb.co.uk. Each ECB CA member is provided with a membership number.
Criteria 2.1 (Page 11)

All qualified coaches need to have current ECB CA membership, a current First Aid qualification and current Safeguarding and Protecting Children qualification. Can all these requirements come under one single qualified Coach Licensing system?

This is not an ECB Clubmark issue. This is an area that the ECB Coach Education department continue to work on. For further details contact enquiries.coacheducation@ecb.co.uk
Criteria 2.1 (Page 11)

Many cricket clubs hire private schools, local authority facilities, first class county indoor schools. What should cricket clubs do in terms of Risk Assessment at these venues?

The majority of these venues will, by law, have to carry out a Risk Assessment. Cricket clubs can request a copy of the venues current Risk Assessment to put in their ECB Clubmark evidence file.
Criteria 2.3 (Page 11)

What period is recommended before crickets helmets are replaced for junior players?

Parents/carers and cricket clubs should always refer to the manufactures guidelines in relation to the replacement of cricket helmets.
Criteria 2.3 (Page 11)

There are a number of coaches within cricket clubs that have NCA (National Cricket Association) qualifications. Can these coaches complete a conversion course to bring them up to date with UKCC (United Kingdom Coaching Certificate) standards?

Yes. You should speak to either your CDM or County Coaches Association. More details can be found at ECB Coaching Pathway
Criteria 2.1 and 2.4 (Pages 11 and 11.1)

A number of cricket clubs do not have a dedicated junior section but do have junior members. Can such cricket clubs work towards and achieve ECB Clubmark?

Cricket clubs must have a dedicated junior section to be eligible to work towards and achieve ECB Clubmark. A junior section is defined as a cricket club that offers appropriate coaching and competition under the age of 18
years old. However where cricket clubs show a commitment to develop a new junior section ECB Clubmark should be used as the development tool to do this. Cricket clubs that have junior players in adult cricket should adopt the recently published guidance ‘ECB Junior Cricketers Playing Adult Matches’
Criteria 2.5 (Page 11.1)

What is the minimum number of qualified coaches needed by a cricket club to be present at a junior session?

The absolute minimum requirement and the mandatory criteria within ECB Clubmark is one qualified coach to 24 young players. If a cricket club reduces this ratio further, this can be used as an example of best practice.
Criteria 2.7 (Page 11.1)

We don’t want to become a baby-sitting service. Can we ask/demand that parents and carers of the younger children remain at the cricket club while the junior training sessions takes place?

It is a matter of individual cricket clubs’ choice. If a cricket club wants to deploy this process they should make it very clear to parents/carers through the junior Membership Form, ‘Code of Conduct for Cricket Clubs Members and Guests’ and verbal commutation
Criteria 2.8 (Page 11.1)

Does there have to be two responsible adults present at every junior session?

Yes.
Criteria 2.8 (Page 11.1|)

From a girl’s team perspective, what are the supervision requirements?

A responsible female adult has to be present.
Criteria 2.8 (Page 11.1)

Can a qualified coach be classed as a responsible adult?

Yes. But the qualified coach cannot perform both roles of qualified coach and supervisory adult at the same time. It must be one or the other.
Criteria 2.8 (Page 11.1)

Why are the supervisory ratios different at for young people aged eight and under?

It has been identified by the statutory agencies that more adults are needed to supervise younger children effectively.
Criteria 2.8 (Page 11.1)

How do you define a responsible adult being present at a junior session?

The supervisory adults(s) should be out on the training ground / pitch with the children, not just at the ground or in the bar. They must be able to see/oversee the whole group of young people. Effective group management is essential from a safety perspective.
Criteria 2.7 and 2.8 (Page 11.1)

Do cricket clubs have to adhere to both sets of ratios in criteria 2.7 and 2.8? How do these two criterion work hand in hand?

Yes. Cricket clubs must be able to demonstrate the difference between the technical development of young cricketers (coach:player ratio) and the supervision and management of groups of young people safely and effectively (supervision ratios)
Criteria 2.7 and 2.8 (Page 11.1)

Section 3 - Sports Equity and Ethics

In our County, there any many single ethnic minority cricket leagues and cricket clubs. Can single ethnic minority cricket clubs work towards ECB Clubmark?

Positive action is allowed. Cultural leagues and cricket clubs can exist as long as there is no other environment for them to play cricket in.
Criteria 3.1 (Page 12)

What’s the content of the Running Sports workshop ‘A Club for All’?

This workshop identifies the benefits of opening up your cricket club to attract a wider membership base - meaning more coaches, players, officials and increased revenue. The workshop explores alternative ways to market and promote your club to your local community so your club reflects the demographics of local community. The workshop must be repeated every three years. For more details go to {error}
Criteria 3.2 (Page 12)

Does every qualified coach in cricket clubs have to attend the sports coach UK ‘Equity in your Coaching’ workshop?

No. One qualified coach has to attend; the workshop is designed to introduce new practices and theories. The workshop must be repeated every three years. For more details go to {error}
Criteria 3.3 (page 12)

Why do both the ‘A Club for All’ workshop and the ‘Equity on Your Coaching’ workshop have to be repeated every three years?

The ECB does not administer either the ‘A Club for All’ or the ‘Equity in your Coaching’ workshop and therefore do not decide the validation period of the workshops. The workshops are repeated every three years to keep up to date with changing legislation. The ECB continues to work with Running Sports and sports coach UK to develop ‘refresher’ or continued learning workshops.
Criteria 3.2 and 3.3 (Page 12)

Why haven’t the ‘Code of Conduct for Cricket Club Members and Guests’ and the ‘Code of Conduct/set of rules for young people’ been combined?

The ‘Code of Conduct/set of rules for young people’ is a separate document to encourage young people to be responsible for the development of their own set of rules and hence be responsible for their own behaviour within the cricket clubs environment. Research from the NSPCC shows that when young people develop their own set of rules, they are often more stringent than those created by adults. Young people are also more likely to
abide by a set of rules they have created themselves.
Criteria 3.5 (Page 12.1)

Are licensing procedures affected by an ‘open’ or ‘closed’ Constitution?

The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) states that having a fully open and non-discriminatory Constitution does not affect licensing procedures.
Criteria 3.6 (Page 12.1)

Is a set of rules acceptable as a Constitution?

No. A cricket club must have a clearly defined Constitution.
Criteria 3.6 (Page 12.1)

Does the ECB model Constitution template advise what happens in a multisports club environment?

No. The ECB model Constitution template has been specifically written for cricket clubs but can be adapted to suit cricket sections within multisports clubs.
Criteria 3.6 (Page 12.1)

What should happen to any remaining assets of a cricket once any liabilities have been paid?

The dissolution clause of ECB Clubmark accredited clubs must meet ECB guidelines as per the ECB model Constitution template.
Criteria 3.6 (Page 12.1)

Do automatic parent/carer membership rights prevent cricket clubs from charging parents and carers to be members?

No. Parents are required to get automatic non-voting rights; they can however apply for further membership on top of this automatic right if the cricket club has such membership procedures in place.
Criteria 3.7 (Page 12.1)

If a cricket club has made the decision to exclude a member / parent or carer of a junior member, should a process be in place for an appeal?

Yes. Cricket clubs must be able to demonstrate a process whereby the club can evidence any refusal of membership or ban/and how the person in questions can appeal. Such procedures are usually found in a cricket club’s Constitution or Equity Policy/Statement.
Criteria 3.7 (Page 12.1)

If cricket clubs don’t want to take onboard any part of criteria 3.7 is there anyway they can still achieve ECB Clubmark?

No.
Criteria 3.7 (Page 12.1)

Cricket clubs can’t impose a membership on people – so how will this criteria work?

It is up to the individual how involved they become as a result of their automatic membership. There is nothing to stop cricket clubs offering social membership to parents and carers in addition. The rule allows the child to remain a member of the cricket club and thus continue their cricket despite any issues which might arise with their parent’s/carers behaviour. The rule has been introduced as a way of trying to find a method of dealing with disruptive parents/carers additional to the ‘Code of Conduct for Cricket Club Members and Guests’.
Criteria 3.7 (Page 12.1)

Can criteria 3.7 just apply to a cricket section only if part of a multisports club?

Yes
Criteria 3.7 (page 12.1)

Section 4 - Club Management

Does a cricket club have to be display their current insurance policy/certificate in the clubhouse?

Yes. A photocopy is fine.
Criteria 4.1 (Page 13)

Can cricket clubs have a folder containing key ECB Clubmark information in case there’s not enough space on walls/notice boards?

Yes. However there are certain mandatory pieces of evidence that do need displaying. These include Club Welfare Officer details, valid club insurance, bar licensing details and fire /safety procedures.
Criteria 4.1 and 4.2 (page 13)

Many cricket clubs don’t own all the cricket grounds they play on and can’t get permission to have a notice board and can’t display information in the club rooms. What should they do in this situation?

We want to see other evidence that they can communicate effectively to their target audience/membership through other means.
Criteria 4.2 (Page 13)

If a cricket club has two grounds on the same site with distance between the two grounds, does the cricket club need duplicate notice boards?

If junior cricket takes place on both grounds and the main notice board is not accessible to members and guests, there should be duplicate boards. If the main notice board is accessible and can be easily viewed, this is satisfactory.
Criteria 4.2 (Page 13)

What happens when, for example,the 3rd/4th XI teams play at a council ground in terms of displaying notices?

If there is available space, the information should be adequately displayed. Some cricket clubs have portable notice boards which they take to all their venues. This is especially important for wandering or nomadic cricket clubs.
Criteria 4.2 (Page 13)

Does there have to be evidence of school/club links in the ECB Clubmark Evidence File?

Yes. Evidence must include written agreements, posters, flyers, newsletters etc.

We are an affiliated club with a junior section and as yet, do not do any schools coaching. How can we evidence the schools that we have links with and our plans for the future?

Evidence the promotional information you provide to local school(s). Document what your planned intentions are using the ‘Building Partnerships between Cricket Clubs and the Community’ template.
Criteria 4.4 (Page 13.1)