Table Tennis England removes DBS supervision exemption from 1 September 2026 and sets webinar for 29 September

Table Tennis England has set an important date for clubs working with young players: an online webinar about changes to DBS requirements will take place from 6pm to 7pm on Tuesday, 29 September 2026. The session will be led by Kyhl Daly, Table Tennis England’s Designated Safeguarding Officer. It is aimed at Club Welfare Officers, members of club or league committees, and volunteers who regularly work with children. From 1 September 2026, the Crime and Policing Act 2026 removes the supervision exemption from the legal definition of Regulated Activity. Previously, some volunteers and coaches who worked with children under supervision did not need a DBS check. After that date, supervised roles are treated in the same way as unsupervised roles. This means a volunteer helping at a junior table tennis session can no longer rely on the fact that another person with a DBS check is present. The webinar will explain what the regulation change means for clubs, how the new rules affect volunteers, and how Table Tennis England processes DBS applications. It will also highlight the role of DBS checks in safeguarding children in table tennis. Disclosure and Barring Service checks help identify whether someone has a criminal record or is barred from working with children. For many roles in sport, an enhanced check is required when someone is regularly teaching, training, caring for or supervising children. Clubs must now review their volunteer lists and decide who is carrying out regulated activity with children. An assistant who helps during a junior session, leads a small group, or supports a coach while children are changing or waiting may need a DBS check. The law no longer allows clubs to assume that supervision by another checked adult is enough. The new rule is a chance for clubs to build stronger safeguarding systems. Rather than relying on one designated person to watch everything, every adult in a regulated role must be properly vetted. Clubs with small budgets may find this challenging, but delaying action could put sessions at risk. Table Tennis England invites everyone responsible for junior table tennis to join the online session on 29 September 2026, register through the official notice, review their current safeguarding records, and ask questions directly about the new DBS process.