Table Tennis England hosts DBS webinar: 2026 law removes supervision exemption for child safeguarding

Table Tennis England has confirmed an online webinar from 18:00 to 19:00 on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, led by Kyhl Daly, the governing body’s Designated Safeguarding Officer. The session focuses on changes to Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) requirements and what they mean for volunteers, coaches and clubs. From September 1, 2026, the Crime and Policing Act 2026 removes the “supervision exemption” from the legal definition of Regulated Activity. Previously, some volunteers and coaches working with children under supervision did not need a DBS check. That exemption no longer applies. Supervised roles are now treated the same as unsupervised ones. The webinar is aimed at Club Welfare Officers, members of club or league committees, and people who regularly volunteer with children. It will explain the new legal duties, the DBS processes used by Table Tennis England, and why checks matter for safeguarding children in sport. The change closes a significant gap in the old system: people who regularly worked near children while claiming to be supervised were often not checked. Clubs should now review every regular adult role around junior sessions, not just lead coaches. The hour-long session gives smaller clubs a chance to ask practical questions and update their safeguarding plans before the season moves forward. The message is clear: protecting children in table tennis is no longer something that can be left unexamined at the edges of a club’s responsibility.