1. Who do I contact with a concern or issue?
For general advice and enquiries your first point of contact should be your club welfare officer, who can then liaise with the county welfare officer.
Badminton England safeguarding contact details:
Email: safeguarding@badmintonengland.co.uk
Tel: 01908 268430 / 07738 890309 (Emma Gibson: Lead child protection officer)
For more urgent matters.
County Welfare officer: 07769 354 882 (Chris Eagleton)
Email: welfare@teamwiltshire.org.uk
Police: 101 or 999
MASH: 0300 456 0100
NSPCC: 0808 800 5000
2. We are a small club with a couple of juniors. What do we need to have in place?
Mandatory Training: They must complete the Badminton England Welfare Officer Workshop (Virtual Classroom).
DBS: An Enhanced DBS check through Badminton England is mandatory.
Renewal: Safeguarding education must be refreshed every 2 years.
Shared Roles: While small clubs can share a CWO, that person must be formally registered with Badminton England for both clubs to ensure they are covered by insurance and compliance protocols.
3. We have parents giving juniors lifts to matches. Do they need a DBS certificate?
The requirements depend on the frequency and nature of the transport:
Mandatory DBS: If a parent/volunteer is "regularly" transporting children (e.g., once a week or 4+ times in a 30-day period) and is unsupervised, an Enhanced DBS check is mandatory.
One-off lifts: For occasional lifts, a DBS is not strictly required, but the club must follow Safer Recruitment guidelines.
Best Practice: Adults should never be alone in a car with a child. If unavoidable, you must have written parental consent, and the child should sit in the back.
4. I am a tournament umpire / referee. What certification do I need?
Under the new "Sport that Cares" framework, officials are now expected to have a baseline of safeguarding knowledge:
Training: It is highly recommended (and often mandatory for high-level BE sanctioned events) to complete the "Introduction to Safeguarding" reading resource or the online Safeguarding Training via the BE website.
DBS: If you are officiating at junior-specific tournaments or in a role that involves "regulated activity" with minors, an Enhanced DBS is required.
5. I am one of the officers of a club that has juniors attending. What certification do I need?
Even if you don't coach, as an officer of a club with juniors, you hold a position of responsibility:
Training: You should complete the Badminton England Safeguarding Training (Online).
DBS: If your role involves handling junior data or frequent contact with youth members, an Enhanced DBS may be required. Check with your CWO to confirm your specific eligibility.
6. Parents / Helpers acting as team managers at junior matches. What certification do they need?
Because Team Managers are in a position of authority and "care" over juniors:
DBS: An Enhanced DBS check is mandatory if they are managing a junior team.
Training: They must complete the Badminton England Safeguarding Training (Online).
Policy: They must read and sign the club’s Codes of Conduct and the Safeguarding Best Practice Guidelines.