Child Safety Policy

1. Purpose

This policy outlines the commitment of the Highvale Netball Club (the Club) to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children involved in our activities. It provides guidance on our responsibilities, the standards we uphold, and the procedures we follow to protect children from harm, in alignment with the Victorian Child Safe Standards, the Working with Children Act 2005, and Netball Victoria’s Child Safety Framework.

2. Policy Statement

2.1 Commitment to Child Safety

Highvale Netball Club is committed to the safety, participation, and empowerment of all children. We have zero tolerance for child abuse and are dedicated to providing a child-safe and child-friendly environment where all children feel respected, valued, and supported to thrive. The welfare of children is always our highest priority.

3. Scope and Application

This policy applies to everyone involved with the Club, including:

• Committee members
• Coaches
• Team Managers
• Volunteers
• Players
• Parents and carers
• Spectators and visitors

This policy is communicated through our website, via email to volunteers and families, and discussed during pre-season briefings.

4. Child Safety Responsibilities

a) Understanding Child Abuse

Child abuse may include physical, sexual, emotional, or psychological abuse, as well as neglect or exposure to family violence. Anyone associated with the Club must understand the potential risks to children and actively work to prevent harm.

b) Listening to and Empowering Children

We promote open communication. Children are encouraged to speak up about their concerns and are supported to do so. They may speak to:

• A parent or carer
• Team Manager or Coach
• The Club’s Child Safety Officer

The Club takes all concerns seriously and responds in a timely, respectful, and lawful manner.

5. Valuing Diversity and Inclusion

Highvale Netball Club welcomes and celebrates diversity. We actively promote the safety and inclusion of:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children
• Children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
• Children with disability and their families
• Children of all gender identities and family structures

6. Support for Volunteers

We recognise the critical role our volunteers and staff play in keeping children safe. To support them:

• All volunteers receive information about their child safety responsibilities.
• The Club Code of Conduct is signed by players and parents each season.
• Coaches and Committee members also sign a separate Volunteer Code of Conduct.
• Behaviour is monitored and addressed, with serious concerns referred to the Club President and/or Child Safety Officer for appropriate action.

7. Reporting Child Safety Concerns

The Club has appointed a Child Safety Officer to respond to any concerns related to child safety.

The Child Safety Officer will:

• Support the child, their family, and the person reporting.
• Assess the nature of the concern and act in line with legal requirements.
• Contact Police or Child Protection if required.
• Implement measures to ensure the immediate safety of the child.
• Coordinate with the Committee and Netball Victoria as necessary.
• Support all parties involved, including the person subject to the allegation, where appropriate.
• Recommend updates to club policies and practices to prevent recurrence

Contact details for the Child Safety Officer are available on the Club’s website: [email protected]

8. Risk Management Practices

We proactively identify and reduce risks to children through:

• Avoiding unsupervised or one-on-one contact between adults and children.
• Ensuring appropriate supervision in changerooms, transport, and digital communications.
• Copying parents or team officials into any messages sent directly to children.
• Regular review of practices and environments to ensure safety.

9. Working with Children Checks

All volunteers aged 18 years and over must hold a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC).
The Club will:

• Maintain a register of current WWCCs.
• Ensure compliance with Netball Victoria and legal requirements.
• Follow up on expired or invalid WWCCs prior to volunteer participation. required by law to maintain a valid WWCC, must seek and maintain a valid WWCC.

10. Review and Evaluation

This policy is reviewed:

• Annually, before the start of each netball season
• When there are changes to relevant legislation or Netball Victoria guidelines
• After any significant child safety incident or concern

11. Related Policies

• Inclusion & Diversity Policy
• Values
• Netball Club Participant Code Of Conduct
• Anti-Bullying and Harassment Policy
• Breaches to the Code of Conduct Policy

REG NO. A0019001H