Anti-bullying Policy

Middlesex Cricket – Anti-Bully Policy

Download as PDF

Middlesex County Cricket Club (MCCC) and Middlesex in the Community (MITC) are committed to providing a caring, friendly, and safe space for everyone to experience cricket in a friendly, secure, and enjoyable environment.

Bullying of any kind is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by MCCC or MITC

If bullying does occur, the person subjected to the bullying should be able to report it with confidence that incidents will be dealt with promptly and effectively.

We encourage anyone who knows or suspects that bullying is happening to speak to our Club Safeguarding Officer.

• All club staff and volunteers should know our policy on bullying and follow it when bullying is reported
  
• All children and parents/carers should be aware of our policy on bullying and what they should do if bullying occurs
• We take bullying seriously. Children and parents/carers should be assured they will be supported when bullying is reported
• What is Bullying?

Bullying is intentional behaviour that hurts someone else. It includes name calling, hitting, pushing, spreading rumours, threatening, or undermining someone. It can happen anywhere, including at home, at cricket or online. It is usually a repeated behaviour and can hurt someone both emotionally and physically.

Bullying can be:

• Emotional: being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting (hiding kit, threatening gestures, commenting negatively on performance)
• Physical: pushing, kicking, hitting, punching, or any use of violence
• Discriminatory: relating to someone’s protected characteristics
• Sexual: unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments
• Verbal: name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing
• Online: via messages or social media.

Why is it Important to Respond to Bullying?

Bullying hurts. No one deserves to be a victim of bullying. Everybody has the right to be treated with respect. In situations where children are bullying other children, this should be addressed immediately, and their behaviour discussed with their parents.

All members of our club and the cricket clubs associated to the ECB have a responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to issues of bullying towards children.

Signs And Symptoms

A person may indicate they are being bullied by signs or behaviour. You should speak with our Club Safeguarding Officer if someone:

• Says they are being bullied
• Changes their usual routine
• Is unwilling to go to the club
• Becomes withdrawn, anxious, or lacking in confidence
• Comes home with clothes torn or belongings damaged
• Has possessions which are damaged or “go missing”
• Asks for money or starts stealing money (to pay the bully)
• Has unexplained cuts or bruises
• Is frightened to say what’s wrong
• Gives improbable excuses for any of the above.

In more extreme cases, a victim of bullying may:

• Display anxious behaviours
• Cry themselves to sleep or have nightmares
• Become uncharacteristically aggressive, disruptive, or unreasonable
• Bully other people or siblings
• Stop eating
• Self-harm
• Attempt or threaten suicide

Reporting and Responding

• Report any bullying incidents to our Club Safeguarding Officer straight away - Ken Palmer [email protected] or 07561 853999.
• The bullying behaviour or threats of bullying will be investigated thoroughly
• A plan will be implemented to support the victim whilst this investigation is ongoing. If the alleged bully is a child, consideration will be given to what support they might need
• In cases of serious bullying, the incident may be reported to the Safeguarding Team. The Club Safeguarding Officer will discuss this with the County Safeguarding Officer
• If the bullying relates to a child, then parents should be informed and will be asked to come to a meeting to discuss
• If necessary and appropriate, the police will be consulted
• An attempt will be made to help the bully understand and address their bullying behaviour and how it impacts others.
• In cases of serious bullying of children, the incidents will be reported to the ECB Safeguarding Team and if it involves an adult working with children the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) or Police if required.

In cases of adults reported to be bullying children, the County Safeguarding Officer will always be informed and will advise on the action to be taken.

Where allegations are made of adults bullying children (under the Child Act 2004 a child is a person under the age of 18 years), the ECB will always be informed and will advise on action to be taken.

Prevention

We will use KIDSCAPE methods to help children prevent bullying. As and when appropriate, these may include:

This policy is based on guidance provided to schools by KIDSCAPE, a voluntary organisation committed to helping prevent child bullying. Kidscape also have a Parent Advice Line.

Childline also offer advice on bullying and can be called for free on 0800 1111.

Ken Palmer – MCCC and MITC Safeguarding Officer & Dal Babu DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead).

Next review due: November 2024