England table tennis removes supervision exemption: defensive lessons in child safeguarding

A webinar on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, from 6pm to 7pm UK time will not feature a single rally, but it may change the way table tennis operates in England. Kyhl Daly, Table Tennis England’s Designated Safeguarding Officer, will outline changes to DBS requirements and explain what the removal of the supervision exemption really means. Until now, some volunteers and coaches who worked with children under supervision did not need a Disclosure and Barring Service check. From 1 September 2026, the Crime and Policing Act 2026 removed the 'supervision exemption' from the legal definition of Regulated Activity. Supervised and unsupervised roles are now treated in the same way. This is a defensive revolution, not an administrative footnote. The law now says that being watched by another adult does not make a person safe enough to work with children. The webinar is aimed at Club Welfare Officers, club and league committees, and regular volunteers who work with children. Crucially, it will also discuss why DBS checks matter and how to build safeguarding into the culture of a table tennis club. DBS is not a magic shield; it only reveals known criminal records. Still, the change is necessary. It closes a loophole that let unvetted people stay in regular contact with children, as long as an adult was present. From a Vietnamese perspective, the bigger lesson is structural. Child safeguarding in sport cannot depend on a single supervisor or a well-meaning volunteer. It demands transparent recruitment, clear codes of conduct and reporting procedures. The new law in England is an invitation for clubs worldwide, including Vietnam, to inspect their own blind spots: Are coaches checked? Are changing rooms and after-hours sessions covered? Is supervision monitored or merely assumed? There will be no goals scored in the webinar on 29 September 2026. Yet in the long run, it may prove to be one of the most important matches of the season. The bus has stopped; every passenger who wants to sit near a child must show they carry no dangerous luggage. Vietnam should not wait for a tragedy before asking the same question.