Table Tennis England removes DBS supervision exemption from 1 Sept 2026: Kyhl Daly webinar helps clubs adapt

As the English table tennis season moved into September 2026, the old legal boundary between supervised and unsupervised work with children disappeared. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 removed 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. From 1 September 2026, that no longer applies; supervised roles are treated the same as unsupervised ones. Table Tennis England organised an online webinar on Tuesday 29 September 2026, from 6pm to 7pm UK time, led by Kyhl Daly, the Designated Safeguarding Officer. Aimed at Club Welfare Officers, club and league committee members, and regular volunteers with children, the session explained the new rules, DBS processes and the importance of safeguarding. DBS stands for Disclosure and Barring Service, a UK government system that helps organisations make safer recruitment decisions. Under the old rules, a person who helped with children while supervised by a checked adult could avoid a DBS check. That exemption created gaps in smaller clubs. By removing it, the 2026 law requires clubs to review every role involving children. The webinar helped clubs understand exactly who needs a check and how to manage the process. For English table tennis, this is not just paperwork. It is a cultural shift toward treating every adult in contact with children as equally responsible for safety. Clubs must track DBS certificates, know the difference between basic and enhanced checks, and ensure nobody slips through because they were only assisting in a supervised session. Parents also gain a stronger basis for asking clubs about child protection policies. The key message is clear: even in a sport like table tennis, safeguarding must be built on consistent, verifiable standards. From 1 September 2026, supervised and unsupervised roles carry the same duty.