Child Safety Policy.

Emerald 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 harm, including abuse.

Commitment to child safety

All children who attend ENC have a right to feel 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, sexual, emotional or psychological abuse and neglect. 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 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

Emerald Netball Club committee members, coaches and volunteers encourage children to express their views. We listen to their suggestions and we actively encourage all children to ‘have a say’ about things that are important to them. We listen to and act on any concerns children or 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

Emerald Netball Club apply the best practice standards in the involvement of committee members, coaches, players and volunteers. We require Working with Children Checks for any adult 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. A copy of the Code of Conduct will be provided to all new committee members, coaches and volunteers.

Reporting a child safety concern or complaint

The Emerald Netball Club Child Safety Officer 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 Australia Child Safety Policy.

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.

Child Safety Standards

The Netball Child Safeguarding framework sets out the responsibilities that all associations, clubs and participants within netball have, to keep our children safe.

To see all the resources available, click on the ‘Child Safeguarding Resources Hub’ tab below.

External Resources: