Highvale Netball Club (including the committee, coaches, players and volunteers) has a strong commitment to child safety and have provided an outline of the policies and practices we have developed to keep everyone safe from any harm, including abuse. This policy should be read in conjunction with Netball Victoria Child Safety Policy, available on their website.
Commitment to child safety
All children who come to Highvale Netball Club have a right to feel and be safe. The welfare of the children in our care will always be our first priority and we have a zero tolerance to child abuse.
Child Abuse
Child abuse can take a broad range of forms including physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse and neglect. People to whom this policy applies need to be aware that child abuse can occur whenever there is actual or potential harm to a child, and these are circumstances that the Club is committed to reducing the risk of occurrence.
This policy was developed by the Highvale Netball Club Committee. It applies to all committee members, coaches, volunteers, children and individuals involved in our organisation.
We aim to create a child safe and child friendly environment where children feel safe and have fun.
Children’s rights to safety and participation
Highvale Netball Club committee members, coaches and volunteers encourage children to express their views. We listen to their suggestions, especially on matters that directly affect them. We actively encourage all children who use our services to ‘have a say’ about things that are important to them. We listen to and act on any concerns children, or their parents, raise with us.
Valuing diversity
We value diversity and do not tolerate any discriminatory practices. To achieve this, we will:
- support the participation and empowerment of Aboriginal children and their families
- support the participation and empowerment of children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and their families
- welcome and support children with a disability and their families
- support involvement of players/parents/carers from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Recruiting volunteers
Highvale Netball Club applies the best practice standards in the involvement of committee members, coaches, players and volunteers. We require Working with Children Checks for any adult (18 years and older) who holds a position of responsibility or authority and/or who works with children under 18 years of age. This includes any volunteers, including parents, working with groups which include their own child. We provide support and supervision, so people feel valued, respected and fairly treated.
We have developed a Code of Conduct to provide guidance to our committee, coaches and volunteers, all of whom receive orientation to the requirements of the Code. A copy of the Code of Conduct will be provided, read and signed by all new committee members, coaches and volunteers annually.
Reporting a child safety concern or complaint
The Highvale Netball Club Executive will have the specific responsibility for responding to any complaints made by committee members, coaches, volunteers, parents or children, or other organisations as per the Constitution and Netball Victoria Child Safety Policy. Our complaints processes are outlined in Appendix A.
Risk Management
We recognise the importance of a risk management approach to minimising the potential for child abuse or harm to occur and use this to inform our policy, procedures and activity planning. In addition to general occupational health and safety risks, we proactively manage risks of abuse to our children.
Reviewing this policy
This policy will be reviewed every two years .
Last review
This policy was reviewed in March 2020.