County Coaching Policy in Essex

Coaches Registration with Essex Bowls Coaches Association (EBCA).

Following receipt of an enquiry from a Club within the County of Essex regarding Registration of Coaches the Board of the Essex Bowls Coaches Association have carried out a review of the existing policy before responding to the enquiry.

During a review of the policy, the Board concluded that there are issues which warrant further consideration. I outline our thoughts as follows: Currently, as per the Policy approved by the County ALL Coaches are required to comply with the following procedures:

1. All Coaches must ensure that their Registration with their respective Bowling Association (i.e. Coach Bowls or English Bowls Coaches Society) is kept in date along with their Insurance Certificate to Coach.

2. ALL Coaches MUST have a CURRENT ENHANCED DISCLOSURE AND BARRING SERVICE CERTIFICATE (DBS). This is National Policy.

3. All Coaches whether trained under the Coach Bowls or English Bowls Coaches Society Manual, must Register with the County of Essex. - Trevor Hackett is the coordinator trevorhackett01@yahoo.co.uk

4. All Coaches must ensure that they provide and keep their information updated on the County Register.

5. With effect from the 1st April 2023, it became National Policy that all Coaches must have attended a Safeguarding Course. New Coaches have a further 12 months from certification to attend a Safeguarding Course.

6. It has now also been agreed that existing Coaches in Essex will also have 12 months to complete their Safeguarding Course as per 5 above. Certification to be obtained by 1st April 2025.

In addition, the Club Secretaries are required to certify on the County Affiliation Forms every year that ALL their coaches have complied with the policy. In practice this means that every coach must take personal responsibility for ensuring that they are compliant with the County Policy & clubs have a responsibility for ensuring that coaches are compliant with the policy also.

What are the consequences for Individual Coaches or Clubs if they are not compliant with County Policy?

Currently, individual coaches who are not compliant are precluded from several Coaching Benefits as follows:

• They are not able to apply for either of the two Major Coaching Roles in the County i.e. Head Coach and Development Officer

• They are precluded from attending any Course held by the EBCA.

• They would not receive any support from the EBCA or County in the event they encountered problems whilst coaching.

• They forfeit the ongoing support from a Coaching/Administrative perspective provided to All Registered Coaches by the EBCA.

Currently Clubs who do not provide the necessary Certification on the Affiliation Form, (regarding Coaches who have not complied with County Policy) are also held to account in the following way:

• They are also unable to access the various Courses provided for Clubs by the EBCA or utilise other support which can be provided by the EBCA or County.

BOTH OF THESE CURRENT CONSEQUENCES ARE IN THE BOARDS VIEW REASONABLE AS BOTH INDIVIDUALS AND CLUBS HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE CHOICES AND WHERE THEY CHOOSE NOT TO COMPLY WITH COUNTY POLICY THEN THEY ARE AWARE OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS.

However, there is a third factor to be considered which we feel warrants mention within the Policy Document. This is in relation to those coaches who also undertake coaching in clubs where the club itself does not abide by the policy then the coach may be precluded from accessing the EBCA courses and resources which are available to an individual coach. This policy on reflection appears UNREASONABLE as they are individually compliant but are unable to affect (apart through dialogue with others in the club which may be unsuccessful) the actions of others. We therefore propose the following addition to the policy. Additional Policy  - Individual Coaches who are compliant within a Club where an Individual Coach or Coaches or the Club itself are non-compliant with the policy should still be able to access all benefits available to those Coaches compliant with the Policy. Such a change in Policy will also preclude a situation whereby existing Coaches who are compliant find themselves in a Club which subsequently becomes non-compliant either because of an Individual or Clubs non-compliance and they are no longer able to access the support previously provided by the EBCA. It will also ensure that the County retain the expertise of Individual Coaches, and we continue to support them in their Development. Conclusion We appreciate some of the County Executive Membership may be concerned that we are amending the Policy, and this may appear we have not given this due diligence. In practice this is not the case, and ongoing review of policies is good practice and as a consequence may raise issues which on occasions require emendation. Ensuring we have the best policy for the Clubs & Coaches within the County is more important. We now ask that ALL The Executive Bodies approve this change in Policy and then if approved this document should be sent to All County Officers and Club Secretaries for the attention of Coaches and the general information of All Bowlers.