CREATING CHILD SAFE ENVIRONMENTS IN SPORT

A national approach to defining, developing and implementing child safe

environments throughout an organisation.

Our Journey

The YMCA and ACF partnership

Melinda Crole, Executive Manager, Development, YMCA Australia

Every YMCA branch had a commitment but policies varied greatly Understanding of staff and board members variedThere was no national supportPeople felt uncomfortable talking about child protection issues

Designed a template Safeguarding Children and young people policy

Encouraged a whole of organisation approach to protecting children and young people

Identified key strategies for building a safer organisation

Built knowledge about abuse and how to respond to incidents, disclosures and allegations

The Australian Childhood Foundation had developed what we were looking for We invested in a partnership and voluntary external accreditation with the ACF

Reviewed all our current policies

Implemented standards and an education

process

Searched for help How

Supporting a child safe

culture

Personnel induction and

training

Personnel roles and conduct

Commitment to Safeguarding

Children

Recruitment & Screening practices

Child abuse reports and allegations

Safeguarding ChildrenProgram

Involving children and

parents

• Community attitudes towards child abuse are reflected in organisational cultures and attitudes

• Lack of awareness and knowledge

• Lack of confidence

• Lack of knowing how and when to act

Community and organisational understandings of child abuse

• Safeguarding Children Program addresses organisational culture through

• Commitment• Policies and Procedures• Training and awareness• Responsiveness

• Achieved through compliance with 7 standards and independent review

Safeguarding Children Program

• It doesn't matter how big or small your organisation, a Safeguarding culture and practice is achievable

• Small community-based organisations and clubs with large volunteer base Eg Little Athletics

• Large not-for-profit organisations Eg UnitingCare

• Large federated national bodies Eg YMCA

• Internationally Eg AusAID Volunteer Program

Safeguarding Children in organisations is achievable

• Research shows organisational abuse takes a range of forms

• Safeguarding organisations make a commitment to the protection of children from all forms of harm

• Framework builds on existing strategies they already use to achieve the safe of children. Eg. Policies about bullying or internet communication, codes of conduct, recruitment processes

Organisational abuse is preventable

• Experience of the organisation/sport is more positive

• Increased rates of participation

• Increased parental confidence

• Increased likelihood of being believed and responded to appropriately

Benefits are multiple and measurable -Children

• Reduced insurance premiums and excess

• Decreased claims

• Increased confidence of management to ensure sound processes and procedures

• More than satisfies the test of 'reasonableness' re duty of care

• Sense of security that organisation is a safe place

Benefits are measurable and multiple -Organisations

• Critical incident management procedures are in place to provide immediate and ongoing support to the child, other children, families and staff

• Gives a framework for communicating with and engaging key stakeholders about an incident and the response plan - children, parents, police, media, funding bodies

• Platform for debriefing and support for all impacted by the incident

• Critical incident analysis - quality improvement cycle

Benefits are measurable and multiple - Organisations

Because there is a risk of those smiles being less bright if you

don't

Thank you