Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy – overview

Safeguarding recognises the rights of children and young people to take part in sport in safe, positive and enjoyable environments.

It puts rules and processes in place that protect children and young people from all forms of abuse, harm and neglect.
 

Safeguarding:

• prioritises the safety, wellbeing and best interests of children and young people aged under 18
• minimises risks of harm, abuse and neglect
• helps children and young people, and the adults around them, understand their rights.
   

The Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy protects children and young people by setting clear rules and behavioural standards for everyone involved in sport.

The Policy also outlines reporting pathways for child safeguarding matters, including allegations of abuse.

What does this Policy mean for me?

All sports have a child safeguarding policy and so these rules apply to you.

For sports who have adopted the National Integrity Framework, the Policy covers every level of your sport, from community clubs to state and national member organisations. 

The Policy applies to all involved in the sport, regardless of their age.

This includes:

• athletes
• administrators and staff 
• coaches and officials
• volunteers
• contractors and support personnel (e.g. sports science and medical staff, team managers, agents)
• any individual or organisation required to agree to the Policy.

Banned behaviours (Prohibited Conduct)

The Policy details all the behaviours that are not allowed in your sport.

• It also outlines the actions you, and your sporting organisation, must take to provide a safe environment
• Refer to your sport’s national website for the full Policy, but here is a summary of banned behaviours.

For individuals (of any age)
 

Child abuse

• Any abuse of a child or young person
• This includes physical, emotional and sexual abuse, as well as neglect and exposure to domestic and family violence.
   

Abusive behaviour on the basis of disability

Any type of behaviour on the basis of a child or young person's disability that is: 

• degrading
• humiliating
• exploitative or: 
• denies human dignity or autonomy.
   

Harmful behaviour

Behaviour that's inappropriate for a child or young person's age or developmental stage and/or places them at harm.

This includes:

• harmful training methods, including physical punishment or overtraining which may cause harm
• excessive or unnecessary emphasis on appearance or weight
• degrading, cruel, frightening or humiliating disciplinary actions
• offensive comments directed at or about them
• monitoring or tracking their activities, communication or movements.
   

Bullying

• Repeated and intentional use of words or actions, or the inappropriate use of power, that causes distress and risks a child or young person’s wellbeing.
   

Harassment

• Any type of behaviour towards a child or young person that is unwanted and is offensive, belittling or threatening and likely to cause them harm.
   

Discrimination

• Treating a child or young person differently based on a protected characteristic (age, disability, race or ethnicity, sex or gender identity, family, relationship status, sexual orientation or religion)
• This can be either direct (e.g. not giving someone the same opportunity as others to participate in sport) or indirect (e.g. blanket rules, requirements or conditions that disadvantage a person or group, such as not making reasonable adjustments so that someone with disability can participate).
   

Grooming

• Behaviours that manipulate or control a child or young person with the intention of sexually abusing them.
   

Victimisation

• Excluding, disadvantaging or treating a person unfairly because they’ve made a complaint or intend to make one, or they’ve supported someone who has.
   

Vilification

• Behaving in a way publicly to make others ridicule, hate or direct violence towards a person or group due to a protected characteristic
• This includes in-person or online behaviours and can occur verbally, in writing or in publications like posters or flyers, or on social media
  • It can also involve physical abuse.
     

Failing to obtain or maintain the required Working with Children Check (WWCC) or equivalent

• You must hold a valid WWCC as required by your relevant state/territory.
   

Supplying drugs, alcohol or pornography

• This includes tobacco, e-cigarettes and vapes
• You must not expose a child or young person to pornography or sexually explicit material – this can be considered a form of sexual abuse.
   

Supplying medicine without the consent of a parent or carer

Medicine can only be supplied:

• by a parent or carer, or an adult involved in the sport (Relevant Person) who has the consent of a parent or carer 
• when it’s believed to be necessary for life-saving treatment
• when permitted by law.
   

Failing to properly supervise

• You are responsible for providing adequate supervision to any child or young person in your care
• When supervising children and young people, you must never be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
   

Transporting a child or young person without prior written approval from their parent/carer
 

Communicating privately with a child or young person

• You must not communicate 1-on-1 with a child or young person either in person or online (including phone calls) without the involvement of their parent/carer or another representative from your sport.
   

Inappropriate conduct in change rooms

• This includes being alone in change rooms with children and young people, showering or changing or providing personal or intimate care.
   

Failing to protect

• If you’re in a position of authority (e.g. a coach, team manager), you must take reasonable steps to protect children and young people from harm or notify someone in a position who can.
   

Failing to report

• You must report any actual or suspected banned behaviours to the relevant authority
  • Advice on reporting can be found below
• It is an offence in many states and territories to fail to report child harm or abuse to law enforcement
• Depending on where the harm or abuse occurred, your sport may also have obligations to report to state/territory regulators, under various WWCC and Child Safe Organisations legislation or Reportable Conduct Schemes.

Failing to appropriately screen staff and volunteers

• All staff and volunteers in child-related positions must hold a valid WWCC or equivalent, unless exempt
• Screening measures, such as reference checks, must be used when hiring personnel in child-related work.
   

Failing to adequately supervise, including during overnight stays

• Only suitably skilled adults should supervise children and young people
• Safe and appropriate accommodation must be provided during overnight sporting activities
• Safe transportation must be provided, and parents/carers must give prior written consent.
   

Failing to ensure safety when arranging photography, video or livestreaming

• Written consent is required from a parent/carer if a child or young person is involved in photography and filming
• Organisations are responsible for ensuring that any child or young person featured is appropriately posed and dressed in images/videos, and that the material isn’t stored on personal devices.
   

Failing to develop a child safe risk management plan

• Organisations must have a child safe risk management plan when it is a requirement of their state/territory legislation
• The plan should consider how children and young people are exposed to harm and abuse in your sport and what systems, policies and practices you have in place to prevent it.
   

Full definitions of Prohibited Conduct for each sport are available in the Policy which can be found on your sport’s national website.

Allegations are managed under your sport’s Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy.

Depending on the seriousness of the behaviour, possible sanctions may include:

• Formal warnings
• Education
• Fines
• Bans from sport, from short-term suspensions to lifetime bans.
   

Criminal conduct, such as child abuse, will be investigated by law enforcement and may result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment.