Contents...

• CqE U18s Licensed Coaches
• U18s Coaching Assistants
• Introducing Children to Croquet
• Supervision
• Age-Appropriate and Engaging Instruction
• Croquet England Safeguarding Policies and Training
• The Sexual Offences Act 2003
• Annex A: How to Become a U18s Licensed Coach
• Annex B: Application for U18s Coaching Licence Form
• Annex C: U18s Coaching Assistants
  • A U18s Coaching Assistant
  • Safeguarding

Croquet England aims to encourage children to play croquet in a fun and supportive environment, while ensuring they can do so safely, by implementing both statutory and best practice safeguarding requirements. Any person under the age of 18 (U18) is legally considered a child.

CqE U18s Licensed Coaches

CqE requires all coaches who lead coaching sessions with children to be CqE U18s Licensed Coaches. This applies whether the coaching takes places at a club, a school, or elsewhere.

CqE U18s Licensed Coaches hold a current Enhanced DBS Certificate with Child Barred List check, registered with the Update Service, and have completed certified safeguarding training. They have agreed to abide by the Child Safeguarding Code of Conduct. In addition, their club welfare/safeguarding officer and club chair have signed to say they know of no reason why an applicant for an U18s Coach licence is not suitable for such a role.

Annex A defines how to become a CqE U18s Licensed Coach and Annex B provides the appropriate Application Form.

In due course, CqE U18s Licensed Coaches will have completed training in how to engage constructively with different age groups (currently in development).

U18s Coaching Assistants

To enable groups of children larger than 4 to be coached by an U18s Licensed Coach, clubs may appoint Coaching Assistants. These can be either players without coaching qualifications, or qualified coaches without U18s Coaching Licence.

See Annex C for more details concerning Coaching Assistants.

Introducing Children to Croquet

Guiding U18 first-timers on some of the basics of croquet does not require a CqE U18s Licensed Coach. The aim of such activities is to make children aware of and excited about the sport of croquet, rather than to teach them any specific croquet skills. Examples include club open days, Next Generation events at schools, taster sessions at clubs or schools, etc.

Clubs must follow the National Safeguarding Officer's guidance in respect of these activities.

In contrast, any structured programme of instruction of one or more sessions with the aim of imparting croquet skills and knowledge is Coaching and must therefore be supervised by a CqE U18s Licensed Coach.

Supervision

At any coaching session involving one or more children at least two adults must be present and actively engaged to safeguard both the children and the coaches. The recommended adult to child ratio is 1:4 and a maximum of 16 children per U18s Licenced Coach is advised.

No child must ever be left without adult supervision, even if at the end of a session a parent is known to be on the way.

No adult must be alone with a child. If there is a need for the coach to speak to the child privately then a parent or other adult must be present as a chaperone.

A CqE U18s Licensed Coach supervising U18s Coaching Assistants must be alert to the safeguarding requirements for both the children and the Coach/Coaching Assistants. The Coaching Committee is developing guidance in respect of adequate supervision with which CqE U18s Licensed Coaches must familiarise themselves.

Age-Appropriate and Engaging Instruction

Croquet instruction for children needs to be tailored to the children's ages and engage them in a fun and supportive environment. The CqE Coaching Committee is developing training material on how to teach the skills, knowledge, behaviour management techniques and activities required for working with both primary age children and teenagers. This material will be made available to both CqE U18s Licensed Coaches and anyone else interested in working with children.

Croquet England Safeguarding Policies and Training

All coaches and players and U18s Licensed Coaches working with children, at whatever frequency, must familiarise themselves with CqE's safeguarding policies and guidance available at Welfare Policies - Croquet England and they must follow the Child Safeguarding Code of Conduct. It is also recommended that anyone working with children, in whatever capacity, completes the CqE recommended certified online safeguarding training.

The Sexual Offences Act 2003

All coaches and players working with children are in a 'position of trust' when working with children and are hence subject to the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

Annex A: How to Become a U18s Licensed Coach

1. The applicant must be aged 18 years or older.
2. Applicant completes the certified online safeguarding training and receives, via email, a Training e-Certificate.
3. Applicant attends child-specific training course (when developed).
4. If not already held, applicant applies to Club Welfare / Safeguarding Officer to intiate application for an Enhanced DBS check with Child Barred List Check.
5. On receipt of Enhanced DBS Certificate, applicant registers it with DBS Update Service within 28 days of certificate's date.
6. Applicant registers DBS Certificate with CqE Office and confirms their date of birth and that the DBS Certificate is registered with DBS Update Service.
7. Applicant completes a CqE U18s Coaching Licence Application Form downloadable here.
8. Applicant gains approval from Club's Safeguarding Officer and Club Chair to coach U18s.
9. Club Chair forwards Application Form with copy of Safeguarding Training e-Certificate to Chair of Coaching Committee.
10. Chair of Coaching Committee validates application and agrees to the award of an U18s Coaching Licence, notifying CqE Office, coach and coach's Club Chair.
11. CqE Office issues licence and records that coach now holds a CqE U18s Coaching Licence in a register available to all subscribers via CqE website.

Annex B: Application for U18s Coaching Licence Form

To apply for a CqE U18s Coaching Licence, coaches should use the form downloadable here.

Annex C: U18s Coaching Assistants

A U18s Coaching Assistant

1. Wishes to introduce new U18 players to croquet.
2. Is able to demonstrate basic elements of croquet such as swing, hoop running, how a hoop point is gained, and the format of a game.
3. Can introduce up to two beginners at a time to the game (either AC or GC), without supervision.
4. Can coach up to four beginners, under the supervision of a U18s Licensed Coach.
5. Is willing to provide support regularly (more than 3 times a month).
6. Is able to inform beginners how they will be able to continue to play croquet within their club.

Safeguarding

To enable U18s Coaching Assistants to work with children regularly (i.e. on more than 3 days in a 30-day period) and to occasionally work unsupervised, U18s Coaching Assistants must have an Enhanced DBS check with Child Barred List check. The DBS Certificate must be registered with the Update Service, to avoid the need for checks every three years.

U18s Coaching Assistants are expected to familiarise themselves with Croquet England's Welfare Policy.

Croquet England Coaching Committee

Mar 2025