Crime and Policing Act 2026 – Guidance for Affiliated Clubs, Surf Schools and Coaches

The Crime and Policing Act 2026 introduces a number of important changes to safeguarding legislation that will affect organisations working with children and young people across England and Wales, including sport and recreation.

As the National Governing Body for surfing in England, Surfing England is committed to supporting affiliated clubs, surf schools, coaches and volunteers in understanding what these changes mean in practice.

To support the sector, we have produced a Companion Guidance Document which explains the legislation in a surfing context and provides practical advice for clubs, welfare officers, coaches and volunteers.

Download the Surfing England Companion Guidance

Companion document to Crime And Policing Act 2026

 

What does the Act include?

The legislation introduces a number of safeguarding and governance measures, including:

• mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse for those undertaking regulated activity with children;
• a new criminal offence of obstructing someone from making a safeguarding report;
• changes to eligibility for certain DBS checks;
• a new offence of child criminal exploitation;
• grooming becoming an aggravating factor in sentencing for child sexual offences;
• new offences relating to AI-generated intimate images and other online harms;
• strengthened corporate criminal liability for incorporated organisations.

Affiliated clubs will already have safeguarding procedures that reflect good practice. The legislation reinforces the importance of ensuring safeguarding concerns are recognised, recorded, escalated appropriately and, where necessary, referred to the relevant statutory agencies.

Implementation

The Act received Royal Assent in 2026; however, not all provisions come into force at the same time.

Some measures are already in force, while others—including changes to DBS eligibility for certain supervised volunteer roles—will be implemented following further government guidance and commencement arrangements. The government has confirmed that additional operational guidance will be published before these measures take effect.

Surfing England will continue to monitor developments and will provide further updates, resources and guidance as additional information becomes available.

What should clubs do now?

We recommend that affiliated organisations:

• read the Surfing England Companion Guidance;
• familiarise themselves with the government guidance;
• review existing safeguarding procedures and reporting arrangements;
• ensure coaches, volunteers and welfare officers are aware of the forthcoming changes;
• continue following current safeguarding procedures while preparing for future implementation.

Further Information

The following government resources provide further information on the legislation:

Crime and Policing Act 2026 – Government Collection
Crime and Policing Act 2026 Collection

Mandatory Reporting Factsheet
Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse Recommendations Factsheet

Further safeguarding guidance for sport is also available from:

Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU)
CPSU – Updates to Reporting Sexual Abuse and DBS Checks

Supporting Our Clubs

Surfing England recognises that volunteers, coaches and welfare officers are at the heart of grassroots surfing. These legislative changes are intended to strengthen safeguarding and improve protection for children and young people—not to discourage volunteering or create unnecessary barriers to participation.

We remain committed to supporting our affiliated clubs and surf schools throughout the implementation of these changes. If you have any questions about safeguarding or require advice, please contact the Surfing England Safeguarding Team.