Table Tennis England Tightens Child Safeguarding: Supervised Coaches Must Undergo DBS Check from September 2026

On September 29, Table Tennis England will host a special online webinar to explain important changes to DBS requirements in English table tennis. The one-hour event, from 18:00 to 19:00, will be presented by Kyhl Daly, the organization's Designated Safeguarding Officer. This is not a dry administrative meeting; it is a clear signal of how English sport is drawing new boundaries for those who work with children. From September 1, 2026, the Crime and Policing Act 2026 removes the 'supervision exemption' from the legal definition of Regulated Activity. Previously, many volunteers and coaches working with children under supervision were not required to have a DBS check. The new regulation abolishes this exemption. This means anyone operating in an environment with children, whether supervised or not, must undergo a DBS background check. The scope extends to every club, academy, and league involving under-18s. As someone who has spent years coaching and analyzing sport in China, I see this move as more than an internal document. DBS – Disclosure and Barring Service – is not an ordinary identity check. It is a filter preventing those with a history of child-related offenses from entering the sporting environment. Removing the 'supervision exemption' signals a new philosophy: in children's environments, there is no concept of 'just assisting' or 'just helping'. Anyone standing near the table, holding a racket to guide technique, or simply being present in a changing room can create risk. Therefore, the level of scrutiny must be the same. The September 29 webinar is specifically aimed at Club Welfare Officers, members of club or league committees, and those who regularly volunteer with children. They will be told in detail who needs a new DBS, how to submit paperwork, what deadlines apply, and why the check is important to English table tennis child protection strategy. Kyhl Daly is not just covering procedure; he will talk about each individual's responsibility when standing in a sports space that is assumed to be safe. This change is not arbitrary. England has witnessed numerous child abuse scandals in sport, prompting the government to tighten many regulations. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 is part of that process. The previous definition of 'Regulated Activity' had a gap: if a coach worked under the supervision of someone with a valid DBS, they themselves did not need to be checked. This gap created a legal loophole, because supervision is not always constant or effective. A training session may have three assistants, but the lead supervisor has only two eyes. In a few seconds of distraction, the worst can happen. The new regulation closes that gap by requiring everyone to have a DBS, regardless of their supervisory role. In many years of tactical analysis, I have always believed in reading regulations as carefully as reading team formations. When data is static, I start to read the space between the numbers. Here, the gap is the large number of volunteers operating without a DBS, simply because they do not think they are 'important enough'. Table Tennis England – a country with a very strong club system – faces a reality: thousands of adults come into regular contact with children every week. Many work at small clubs without a professional HR department. A mandatory DBS creates extra administrative burden, but that cost is much smaller than a child being permanently harmed. Interestingly, Table Tennis England has chosen an online webinar to deliver this message. Instead of publishing a long document, they offer an opportunity for clubs to ask direct questions. This is a very practical training method. A system works well only when the pieces inside it are not cracked. A new regulation, if not explained carefully, can lead to confusion and silent resistance. But when club officers understand the human purpose behind the rule, they become its best advocates. Kyhl Daly directly answering questions – with his practical knowledge of the process – is a way of building trust. I am certain that many clubs in Vietnam ask similar questions: when will we need to perform background checks on coaches? In Vietnam, children's participation in sport relies primarily on personal trust, not a national screening system. Table Tennis England is not just issuing a new rule; they are establishing a cultural standard. That culture says children are not the property of a club but individuals who need the highest level of protection. A coach may be tactically gifted, but if they cannot pass a safety check, they do not deserve to stand on the training floor. During the webinar, attendees will also learn deeper about Table Tennis England's DBS process: which channel is used, average waiting times, common application mistakes, and how to check a person's DBS status if they already have one. This helps volunteers avoid starting from scratch. Importantly, they will stress the need for periodic DBS updates, because a clean certificate today does not mean forever clean. The new act also holds employers and organizations accountable for ensuring all their staff meet the requirements. Numbers do not lie, but they keep silent about the most important part. A 60-minute webinar cannot turn everyone into child protection experts, but it can initiate a process of awareness. After September 29, clubs will return to daily operations, but this time they will look at their volunteer lists differently. They will ask themselves: 'Does this person have a DBS yet?' – a question they would not have asked a few years ago. That is real change. For those wondering whether they should attend, Table Tennis England is clear: if you are a welfare officer, committee member, or regularly volunteer with children, you should not miss it. Even if you already have a DBS, understanding the context of the new regulation helps you support colleagues and build a safer environment. Registering through the button on the Table Tennis England website is the first step. Attendees will walk away with clear understanding of when, how, and why they need to act. Looking back at the development of sport, I see a rule: strong table tennis nations are not only strong on the table professionally, but also in the operational system outside it. Table Tennis England may not be a global powerhouse in results, but they are moving in the right direction by protecting young people – the long-term foundation of the sport. In Vietnam, if we truly want a sustainable table tennis ecosystem, we need to learn not only table exercises but also youth protection processes like this. After all, an injured child will leave the sport. A protected child will carry the love of table tennis for life.