Matchday Safeguarding

If you are concerned about the safety or wellbeing of a child, young person, or vulnerable adult during a matchday, please act without delay. You can:

• Speak to a steward, a Yorkshire Cricket employee, or a member of our hospitality team, or

• Ask to speak with the Event Safeguarding Officer.

All concerns are logged centrally in the matchday control room to ensure they are properly recorded and addressed. If a concern is serious or of a potential criminal nature, the Police on site may be involved, or contacted for support.

You do not need proof to report a concern. If something doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts and report it

Safeguarding on matchdays is a shared responsibility.

Yorkshire County Cricket Club oversees safeguarding arrangements at Headingley and ensures a designated Event Safeguarding Officer is present during matches. Stewards, event staff and volunteers receive appropriate safeguarding awareness training for their roles, and the Club works in partnership with the ECB, West Yorkshire Police and other relevant agencies when necessary.

Parents and guardians remain ultimately responsible for the safeguarding of their children whilst attending Headingley.

Your safety and wellbeing are our top priority.

If at any time you feel unsafe, distressed or uncomfortable, please speak to a steward or Yorkshire Cricket employee. You can ask to be taken to a quiet or safe space or request to speak with our Event Safeguarding Officer. Children and young people can seek help from any uniformed staff member.

You can also approach our bar staff and ‘Ask for Angela‘; this code-phrase will indicate to staff that you require help with your situation and a trained member of staff will then look to support and assist you.

All concerns are treated seriously and handled with sensitivity. They are managed confidentially and in accordance with data protection and our safeguarding procedures.

Share a Safeguarding Concern  or  Report Discrimination

In line with our obligations, concerns raised which meet a referral threshold will be referred to the Cricket Regulator. Low-Level Concerns (LLCs) are managed locally but will be reported to the Cricket Regulator.

All matchday activations are designed to be fun, inclusive and safe for children and young people. We ask parents and carers to ensure their child is taking part in activities suitable for their age and ability. Some activations may require parental consent and/or active supervision. Parents and carers remain responsible for supervising their children at all times while attending matchday activations.

Baby Changing
There are several baby changing facilities within the stadium – please speak to a steward to locate your nearest facility. Be mindful of the Stadium Bag Policy when bringing your baby changing bag.

Baby Feeding
For parents and carers needing to breastfeed or bottle-feed their baby, please speak to a steward. They will be happy to help you access a private and comfortable space.

Buggies & Pushchairs
Prams and pushchairs can be stored at Headingley Stadium in the cycle racks at certain areas of the ground. Prams and pushchairs are left at the owners discretion.

Excessive Stimulation
Major events may involve prolonged exposure to high levels of stimulation that may not be suitable for babies and toddlers. This can include loud sounds, sudden noises, pyrotechnics and large crowds. Bringing younger children to these events may not be appropriate; however, for certain matches, access to indoor space in the Long Room is available.

Changing Places facilities are available for spectators with complex needs. These include hoists, changing benches, and accessible toilets. Please speak with a member of our team to locate your nearest changing facility.

Young people aged 14–17 may attend matches without an adult but are encouraged to stay in groups. Parents and carers are responsible for deciding whether their child should be accompanied by a responsible adult, considering their maturity and awareness of potential risks.

Ticket purchasers must ensure that children aged 14–17 are appropriately briefed before attending Headingley.

Alcohol must not be purchased or consumed by anyone under 18. Stewards and bar staff may challenge anyone appearing underage and request proof of age.

Yorkshire County Cricket Club is committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment in all hospitality areas. Parents and carers are responsible for supervising children at all times, including in our hospitality areas, ensuring they use appropriate facilities and remain seated.

All hospitality staff are trained in safeguarding and should be notified immediately of any concerns regarding the safety or wellbeing of a guest. Guests are expected to follow these guidelines to help ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.

The Club recognises that pop-up cricket around the ground enhances the matchday experience for children visiting Headingley. We also know the importance of regular movement breaks, and pop-up cricket provides a fun and active way for children to do this.

We kindly ask that pop-up cricket is only played during breaks in match play. Children taking part in these activities must be supervised at all times by a responsible adult, who remains responsible for their child’s safety and behaviour.

If you have any concerns about the safety or wellbeing of a child playing pop-up cricket, please speak immediately to a steward or Yorkshire Cricket employee. You may also ask to speak with the Event Safeguarding Officer.

To help keep everyone safe, bag or body searches may be carried out. If a child is involved, the search will be conducted respectfully and in line with our Searching Children Procedure, with a parent or guardian present. If aged 14-17 and unaccompanied, our Event Safeguarding Officer will be called to support the bag or body search.

We kindly ask that children remain in their allocated seats during match play. Standing on seats or in aisles is not permitted.

Block R – North East Stand
This alcohol-free stand offers some of our best-value tickets and is located directly beneath the North-East Scoreboard. It provides a calm, family-friendly environment for those wishing to enjoy the match in a safe and relaxed setting.

The East Stand
The East Stand is reserved for Members during Yorkshire fixtures and offers a side-on view opposite the Western Terrace. Ticket holders can also access the Long Room, where shelter and refreshments are available. The main activation area for major matchdays is located behind the East Stand, making this an ideal location for families to enjoy both the cricket and off-field activities.

Yorkshire CCC has a stand alone sensory room available for spectators with neurodiverse needs.

Further information on the room can be found here: Sensory Room

To ensure wellbeing and safety, all children under the age of 14 must always be accompanied and supervised by a responsible adult. A responsible adult is someone aged 18 or over, capable of making decisions in the child’s best interests, responsible for the child’s behaviour and providing active supervision.

For the safety and wellbeing of all children at Headingley, parents and carers are asked to accompany any child under 14 to the toilet. Children should use the facilities that correspond to their gender.

If you are of the opposite sex to your child, please wait outside their toilet while they use it. If you also need to use the facilities, please seat your child in a rest seat on the concourse and return immediately, notifying a nearby steward so they are aware.

These measures ensure that children are supervised appropriately and supported in a safe environment throughout their visit.

Children under 14 must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times. A responsible adult is someone aged 18 or over, capable of making decisions in the child’s best interests, responsible for the child’s behaviour and providing active supervision.

It is the ticket purchaser’s responsibility to ensure, before buying tickets, that they meet these age requirements.

It is a criminal offence to provide alcohol to anyone under 18 within the Stadium, and doing so may result in prosecution. This includes non-alcoholic beer. A strict Challenge 25 policy is in place, and any attempt to purchase alcohol for a minor may result in removal from the venue – this includes in our hospitality areas. Any child suspected of consuming alcohol will be referred to the Safeguarding team and/or Police.