Missing child policy

If a child whom Hambledon Cricket Club has responsibility for goes missing we will:

• Ensure other children in our care are looked after appropriately whilst we organize a search for the child concerned.
• Inform the child‘s parents, if they are present at the event, or nominate an appropriate person to telephone them and advise of the concern.  We will do all we can to locate the child.
• We will organise all available responsible adults by area to be searched fully.
• All areas in which the child has gone missing will be searched including changing rooms, toilets, public and private areas including the club‘s grounds.
• A nominated person will remain at the reference point and make a note of events, including a detailed physical description of the child. This will include height, build, hair and eye colour as well as the clothing the child was wearing and where and when they were last seen. The police will be contacted if required.
• A report would go to the police no later than 20 minutes after the child‘s disappearance is noted, even if the search is not complete.
• If the police recommend further action before they get involved, we will follow their guidance.
• We will always be guided by the police in any further actions to take.
• At any stage when the child is located we will inform all adults involved, including the parents, searchers and the police, if by then, they are involved.
• All missing child incidents MUST BE notified at the very earliest opportunity to the Club Welfare Officer, who would immediately notify the County Welfare Officer who in turn would notify the ECB Child Protection Team.