Cricket NSW acknowledges the role that cricket plays in building community and creating a connected, safe and positive environment for children.
To treat all of Australia’s children fairly, as a society we need to make sure every family and community has what children need to thrive and be healthy.
Here, you can find compliance information regarding Working With Children Checks and information for clubs and associations regarding NSW laws and how to apply for the Australian Cricket Grassroots Cricket Fund.
It’s important to remember that Cricket NSW has a new Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy that has been implemented as part of the changes made to the Integrity Framework. You can find a copy of that policy, together with all other Integrity Policies HERE
A sport that is fair, safe, inclusive and welcoming
Cricket NSW is committed to ensuring that every child or young person who plays are sport has the best experience possible. This includes making sure that we are providing safe environments where risks to achieving this experience are identified and managed appropriately.
We also need to ensure that when a child or young person, or their parent or guardian identifies an issue that requires attention that they know how and where to seek advice, guidance and support, or report a breach of our policies.
You can find more information on how Cricket NSW supports best practice in safeguarding children and young people HERE
Applying for AC Grassroots Cricket Fund
For the 2023-24 season, the process for applying for the Grassroots Cricket Fund (GCF) has changed. Each club and association must:
- Complete the Cricket NSW Fair Play Declaration [Download HERE]
- Upload and share the Fair Play Declaration and the Commitment Statement to your membership using your website or social media pages.
- If you do not have a website or social media page to promote the Child Safe Policies, please send the template email to all your registered participants and members provided on the CNSW website and copy your Cricket Manager to the email. (Note: You can obtain a copy of the template email from your Cricket Manager)
Working with Children Check in NSW
The WWCC is one very small part of overall good Child Safe practices. Clubs must not rely on whether volunteers do or do not have a valid WWCC but more importantly, ensure that every club member is taking child safety seriously.
Cricket NSW’s position on WWCCs is set out in its Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy, which is set out below:
In New South Wales, the relevant laws regarding Working with Children Checks are set out in the Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012 (NSW) and the Child Protection (Working with Children) Regulation 2013 (NSW).
In New South Wales, ‘child-related work’ is defined in the legislation to relevantly include work for, or in connection with, clubs, associations or other bodies (including bodies of a recreational or sporting nature) providing programs or services for children.
Cricket Organisations must:
(a) not employ or commence employing someone who will engage in child-related work if they do not hold a current Working with Children Check that authorises that work;
(b) obtain, verify and make a record of the worker’s full name and date of birth, and the Working with Children Check number and expiry date prior to commencing employment;
(c) update the information recorded pursuant to clause (b) above no later than 5 working days after the expiry date for each clearance of the worker;
(d) retain the information referred to in sub-clause (b) above for the period of employment and for 7 years after the worker ceases to engage in child-related work;
Contravention of these prohibitions is an offence, punishable by fines of up to $110,000.
Refer to section C.9 of Annexure C of the Australian Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children and Young People for further details on record-keeping requirements.
CNSW acknowledges that a person may be employed if there is a current application by the worker to the Office of the Children’s Guardian for a clearance of class applicable to the person’s work, however that this Policy requires the Working with Children Check be completed at the time the work commences.
A person must not work with Children (whether as an employee, volunteer or contractor) unless they have a current WWCC and are not prohibited from working with Children.
Please make sure to check the Office of the Children’s Guardian website for further information and updates.
Keeping track of WWCCs
Cricket NSW suggests that for all clubs or associations who have volunteers or paid employees who obtain WWCCs as required:
- Clubs must register as Employers so that they can ‘check’ the WWCC Checks of all people in their club that need one
- There must be a register kept of all WWCC numbers
Clubs e.g. the Child Safety Officer should ‘check’ reach check online and record this.
Being a Child Safe Organisation
The Working with Children Check is only one small component of ensuing children are safe in your environment. While a criminal record check can be an important tool in an organisation’s approach to being ‘child safe’, they can’t identify people who have not previously been caught or are yet to offend. Good child safe policies and practices are the best way to reduce potential environmental risks and keep kids safer. Implementing effective child safe policies and practices is the best way for an organisation to protect the children they are involved with.
A Child Safe organisation:
- Develops Child Safe policies
- Has a Child Safe code of conduct
- Ensures effective staff recruitment and training
- Understands privacy considerations
- Has a plan for managing risk
- Encourages children and young people to participate
- Effectively deals with concerns or complaints about behaviours towards a child
- Attends Child Safe Organisation training
National Redress Scheme
Cricket NSW has signalled its intention to join the National Redress Scheme and as at June 2023, has commenced the onboarding process. Any enquiries can be directed to the Head of Integrity.
Hannah Barnes | Head of Integrity, Risk & Legal | M: +61 426 681 271
Training and Resources
The following websites and webinars contain further information and resources to support Clubs and Associations.
Helpful Websites:
Play by the Rules – Child protection strategies, online training and support templates and resources for Clubs
Office of the Children’s Guardian – Child Safe Sports information, resources and courses
SMARTPLAY – Sport safety and injury prevention with guidelines for children
eSafetyCommissioner – An Australian Government website empowered Australians to have safer, more positive experience online with sections regarding children’s use of the internet.
Keep Them Safe – A NSW Government website dedicated to child safety
Australian Childhood Foundation – Advise on child protection and child abuse
Past Webinars:
Creating a Child Safe Organisation