Table Tennis England tightens DBS rules: supervised roles also need checks from September 1, 2026

Table Tennis England has scheduled an online webinar for Tuesday, September 29, 2026, from 18:00 to 19:00 UK time. The session will be led by Kyhl Daly, the organisation’s Designated Safeguarding Officer. Its purpose is to explain changes to DBS requirements and how they affect clubs, leagues and volunteers who work with children. The webinar is aimed at Club Welfare Officers, club and league committee members, and regular volunteers working with children. Participants will learn about the updated regulations, Table Tennis England’s DBS process, and the role of DBS checks in safeguarding children in the sport. The background is legal rather than administrative. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 removed the “supervision exemption” from the legal definition of Regulated Activity. Before September 1, 2026, some volunteers and coaches who worked with children under supervision did not need a DBS check. From that date, this exemption no longer applies. Supervised roles are treated the same as unsupervised ones. For many table tennis clubs, this is a significant shift. Clubs have traditionally relied on parent helpers, young assistant coaches and volunteers who work alongside a more senior, DBS-checked coach. Under the new rules, clubs need to look carefully at each activity involving children and decide who actually needs a check. It is no longer enough to say that someone was always supervised. DBS stands for Disclosure and Barring Service, a UK agency that processes criminal record checks and barred list checks. In youth sport, a DBS check is a standard part of safe recruitment. It helps prevent people who are unsuitable from gaining access to children through sport. However, a DBS check is only one layer of safeguarding. It does not replace good coaching practice, clear boundaries or a club culture in which concerns can be raised. The webinar matters because many club volunteers are not legal experts. They need guidance, a clear process and a place to ask questions. Table Tennis England’s decision to hold this session early in the new season shows that safeguarding is being treated as an urgent priority, not as a paperwork issue to be solved later. The key takeaway from the new legislation is simple: the boundary between “supervised” and “unsupervised” work with children has changed. Anyone in a regulated role involving children, even when supervised, should now be covered by the new legal framework. Clubs should review their volunteer lists, identify anyone newly affected, update their safeguarding policies and begin the DBS process quickly. The webinar is free and open to those who work in club or league environments. More information can be found on Table Tennis England’s DBS page. The event on September 29, 2026, provides a clear starting point for clubs that want to stay compliant and, more importantly, keep children safe in table tennis.