South Yarra Soccer Club

Child Safety Policy & Code of Conduct

Child Safety Policy

Introduction

All FFV football clubs are required to implement the Child Safe Standards and the mandatory reporting guidelines from the Victorian Government’s amendment to the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) (“CYFA”) and the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) (“Crimes Act”). 

South Yarra Soccer Club (SYSC) is committed to promoting and protecting the safety and wellbeing of all children. We have zero tolerance for child abuse. Everyone involved at SYSC is responsible for the care and protection of children and reporting information about child abuse. 

Purpose

The purpose of this Policy is to:

• work towards a Club culture of child safety;

• ensure that all persons are aware of their responsibilities for identifying possible occasions for child abuse and for establishing procedures for preventing such abuse and/or detecting such abuse when it occurs;

• provide guidance on responding where a person suspects any child abuse within all Club Environments;

• provide a clear statement to players, committee members, volunteers, employees and contractors forbidding any such abuse; and

• provide assurance that any and all suspected abuse will be investigated.

• The FFV Child Protection Guidelines, available on the FFV website, has more detailed information on each of these areas.  SYSC will use all reasonable endeavours to adopt and comply with those Guidelines in its recruitment practices.

In addition to this Policy, the FFV has produced Child Protection Guidelines which are available on the FFV website.  SYSC will comply with those Guidelines to aid and supplement this policy.

Scope 

This Policy, and the attached Code of Conduct, applies to all players, committee members, volunteers, coaches, team managers, assistants, employees and parents of players of SYSC, whether registered via MFC or otherwise registered with our club. Non-registered individuals who otherwise participate in activities with or for our club are also bound to this policy by virtue of their participation in our club’s activities. 

Breaches of this Policy or the Code of Conduct may be investigated by SYSC and/or FFV, and may be processed by SYSC as it sees fit, or in the alternative by FFV as Misconduct in accordance with the FFV GDT.

Guiding principles

This Policy is based on the following principles:

1. SYSC has zero tolerance for child abuse;

2. the best interests of the child are paramount;

3. child protection is a shared responsibility;

4. all children have a right to feel safe and be safe when they play football, and have equal rights to protection from abuse;

5. SYSC will consider the opinions of players and use their opinions to develop child protection policies and procedures;

6. SYSC is committed to the diversity and cultural safety of all children, including (but not limited to) the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, minors from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, minors with disabilities, and make reasonable efforts to accommodate these matters; and

7. everyone covered by the Policy must comply with, and is bound to, SYSC’s Child Safety Code of Conduct at all times .

Role of Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO) and the Committee

SYSC’s Committee is responsible for ensuring that policies are reviewed and updated and that training exists for committee members, volunteers, coaches, team managers, assistants and employees on child protection matters. The Committee is also responsible for identifying and managing risk in relation to child safety. 

MPIOs are available to listen, discuss and clarify issues confronting individuals in our Club.  Players, members, employees, volunteers and committee members can all speak with a MPIO if they have concerns in relation to child abuse. The MPIO will make reports on behalf of SYSC and ensure that adequate records are maintained. The SYSC’s MPIO will be listed on our club website and identified to all children and parents at the club.

Recognising child abuse

Child abuse includes:

1. any act committed against a child involving

   • a sexual offence; or

   • an offence under section 498(2) of the Crimes Act (grooming); or

2. the infliction, on a child, of

   • physical violence; or

   • serious emotional or psychological harm; or

3. serious neglect of a child.

For the purposes of this policy “Child” (or minor) means a person who participates at SYSC under the age of 18 years, unless otherwise stated under the law applicable to the child.

Reporting obligations

Mandatory reporting

1. Under the Crimes Act, all persons have a legal obligation to inform police as soon as practicable where they have a reasonable belief that a sexual offence has been committed in Victoria against a child (under the age of 16 years) by another person (of or over the age of 18 years).

2. This legal obligation above is subject to a person having a reasonable excuse for not reporting. A person will have a “reasonable excuse” to not report if that person:

• fears for the safety of any person (other than the alleged perpetrator of the offence) if they were to disclose the information to police, or 

• believes on reasonable grounds that the information has already been disclosed to police and they have no further information.

3. SYSC supports and encourages committee members, employees or volunteers, coaches or team managers to make a report to the police if they form a belief on reasonable grounds that a child is in need of protection, or they are concerned about the safety, health or wellbeing of a child. Where a report is made to the police or DHHS, we ask the individual to also advise the Club via email.

4. Any committee member, employee or volunteer, coach or team manager that makes a report in good faith in accordance with their reporting obligations will be supported by SYSC and will not be penalised. 

5. If a committee member, employee or volunteer, coach or team manager is uncertain as to whether they should make a report to an external authority in relation to the safety of a child, they must speak to the MPIO (or FFV) for guidance and information. Ultimately, it is a personal decision of the committee member, employee or volunteer employee or coach or team manager whether they choose to make a report to an external authority or not. 

6. If an allegation is made against a committee member, employee or volunteer, coach or team manager, the MPIO will follow the reporting procedure and take all steps to ensure that safety of the child is paramount. 

Voluntary reporting 

In addition to the mandatory reporting obligations above, any person who believes on reasonable grounds that a child is in need of protection from child abuse, may disclose that information to the police.  SYSC encourages all persons to speak with the MPIO (or FFV) for guidance or support with addressing such concerns.

What are “Reasonable grounds for belief”?

You have “reasonable grounds” to notify when:

1. a minor tells you that he/she has been physically or sexually abused;

2. a minor states that they know someone who has been physically or sexually abused (sometimes the minor may be talking about themselves);

3. someone else, such as a relative, friend, acquaintance or sibling of the minor, tells you that a child has been abused;

4. your observations of the minor’s behaviour or knowledge of children lead you to believe that the child has been abused; or

5. you observe physical signs or indicators of abuse (e.g. bruises, cuts etc.).

SYSC encourages reporting where you hold a concern about the safety of a minor.

Prevention

Risk Management

SYSC will ensure that child safety is a part of its overall risk management approach. 

As part of its risk management strategy and practices, SYSC will monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the implementation of its risk controls. SYSC will ensure that appropriate training is conducted for:

• Committee members

• Coaches, team managers and volunteers; and

• Employees.

Information will be provided to players (or for players such as Miniroos and Junior teams) to their parents/carers, about child safety. 

SYSC will also ensure that all committee members, volunteers, coaches, team managers, and employees are provided with ongoing supervision and support such that their performance is developed and enhanced to promote the establishment and maintenance of a child-safe environment.

Communication

SYSC is pro-active in the area of prevention and will communicate the Child Protection Policy, Procedure and Code of Conduct in the manner below.

Recruitment

SYSC is proactive in its recruitment of individuals to the club, including committee members, volunteers and employees, coaches and team managers, in the area of Child Safety. SYSC will:

1. Implement a recruitment process for coaches, assistant coaches, team managers, etc, for all the teams of our club. 

2. Ensure all coaches, volunteers, etc read and understand SYSC’s Code of Conduct and other policies.

3. Screen for inappropriate people and conduct interviews, reference checks and online background searches to satisfy ourselves about people coming into positions of responsibility at our club.

4. Conduct all necessary Working with Children Checks (WWCC).

5. Include child safety issues in induction training.

The FFV Child Protection Guidelines, available on the FFV website, has more detailed information on each of these areas.  SYSC will use all reasonable endeavours to adopt and comply with those Guidelines in its recruitment practices.

Further steps we will take as a Club:

1. Unless unavoidable, no adult will have access to an unaccompanied minor without prior permission form the minor’s parents or guardian.

2. We will ensure all new coaches, team managers, etc to our club have a WWCC check.

3. We will ensure appropriate training and education sessions into child safety are available to all new coaches, team managers.

4. We will communicate our Child Safety Policy and Code of Conduct to our stakeholders, and follow it.

5. We will set guidelines and rules for the appropriate levels of communication between coaches, team managers and players who are minors on social media.

6. We will take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety.

7. We value and empower minors to participate in decisions which affect them.

8. We will foster a culture of openness that supports disclosure of incidents.

9. We will respect diversity in cultures and child rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount.

10. Ensure minors know who to talk with if they are worried or are feeling unsafe, and that they are comfortable to do so.

11. Report suspected abuse, neglect or mistreatment promptly to the appropriate authorities; and

12. Share information appropriately and lawfully with other organisations where the safety and wellbeing of children is at risk.

Responding to an allegation

In the case of an allegation being made against a committee member, coach, team manager, employee, volunteer and/or contractor at SYSC, the MPIO will follow this Child Protection Procedure. At all times the safety of the child is paramount. 

Withdraw the individual

The first step is to consider withdrawal of the accused person from active duty, which could entail standing down (with pay, where applicable), re-assignment to other duties that do not have direct contact with children, or to work under increased supervision while the matter is being investigated. During the investigation process, it may be necessary for a person to be stood down from their usual duties at SYSC or suspended from all activities at SYSC.

Investigations

In the event of a child disclosing an incident of abuse to someone they trust it is essential that it is dealt with sensitively and professionally:

SYSC will appropriately investigate all allegations relating to an incident of abuse in accordance with its obligations. In some circumstances, it may be necessary for the Club to conduct an investigation in addition to any investigation conducted by authorities (e.g. the police). 

The MPIO will conduct an independent investigation, or will appoint an appropriate person to do so, into the allegation to the extent that it will not interfere with investigations by the police, and will co-operate with authorities as required. In some circumstances, it may be appropriate for SYSC to engage a person from outside the club to conduct an independent investigation in relation to allegations.

All people covered by this Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct must co-operate fully with any investigation by DHHS, the police or SYSC.

The MPIO will make every effort to keep any such investigation confidential; however, from time to time other committee members, employees, volunteers may need to be consulted in conjunction with the investigation (e.g. to provide witness statements).

An investigation conducted by SYSC will be conducted in accordance with procedural fairness to protect the integrity of the investigation and the interests of all the participants involved in the investigation. SYSC will also handle the allegations in a confidential manner to the greatest extent possible. 

The outcome will depend on the findings of the investigation, but may include withdrawal from active duty, re-assignment to duties with no contact with children, increased supervision, disciplinary action, dismissal or criminal prosecutions. 

SYSC shall notify FFV of the outcome of any investigation that results in suspension of an individual from the club for abuse related matters.

1. Record keeping

All reports of alleged abuse or harm, or risk thereof, must be recorded by the MPIO. Places, times, dates, names of people, observable behaviours or evidence of harm are to be recorded. Reports must be securely stored by the MPIO or club administrator.

2. Privacy and confidentiality

SYSC will collect, use, disclose and hold personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and FFV’s Privacy Policy. 

There are two guiding principles in respect to a child’s privacy.

1. First, SYSC will operate on the best interest’s principle. All committee members, employees, volunteers and contractors will do what they believe to be in the best interest of the child. This principle supersedes all others.

2. Second, SYSC will respect a child’s confidentiality except in situations where it conflicts with the best interest’s principle.

Those who make reports, and those about whom accusations are being made, are entitled to confidentiality. Where there is suspected abuse or misconduct, committee members, employees or volunteers must not disclose or make use of the information in a manner that breaches confidentiality, other than to report and act consistent with this Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct, and relevant statutory requirements.

At all times, the Child Safe Standards must be observed and acted upon.

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SYSC Child Protection Procedure

Step 1  REPORTING: Any person (aged 18 or over) that forms a belief, on reasonable grounds, that a sexual offence has been committed in Victoria against a child (under the age of 16 years) by another person (aged 18 or older), must make a report to the police as soon as practicable, unless the exception above applies. Committee members, employee, volunteers, or of-age players of SYSC should discuss these observations and concerns with the Member Protection Information Officer (MPIO), who can assist the person to make the report to the police as required.  FFV can also assist. Any person (of any age) that forms a belief on reasonable grounds that a child is in need of protection from child abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, psychological or neglect), may disclose that information to the police or the Department of Health and Human Services (“DHHS”). SYSC encourages all persons with concerns to raise this directly with the SYSC’s MPIO.

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Child Safety – Code of Conduct

Introduction

The purpose of this Code of Conduct is to promote child safety within all Club environments.

Any form of abusive, derogatory, discriminatory, offensive or intimidating behaviour or language by adults towards minors, or minors towards other minors, is not acceptable.

Any action that may be hurtful or risk being interpreted by a reasonable observer as grooming behaviour is unacceptable. Comments or actions that are negatively and unreasonably critical of a person’s culture, ethnicity, language, gender identity, disability, sexuality or age, are unacceptable.

SYSC Committee members, volunteers, employees, coaches, managers, players and parents/guardians of players at SYSC are bound by, and required to abide by, this Code.

Unacceptable behaviour

The following matters are derived from the Victorian Government’s Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority.

These actions are prohibited and may, depending on the specific circumstances, constitute Misconduct in accordance with the FFV GDT:

1. ignore or disregard any suspected or disclosed child abuse;

2. put a minor at risk of abuse;

3. speak to a minor in a way that is or could be construed by any observer as overly harsh, threatening, intimidating, shaming, derogatory, demeaning, or humiliating. Some examples are offensive swearing in the presence of a minor, or intimidatory language and gestures directed at a minor.

4. express inappropriate personal views on cultures, race or sexuality in the presence of a minor (unless the minor is a member of your family);

5. discuss sexual activities with a minor(unless it is a specific job requirement and the person is trained to discuss these matters, or the minor is a member of your family), or engaging in any sexually-oriented conversations with a minor;

6. have contact with a minor outside of Club activities or events without the Club’s knowledge and/or consent;

7. have any online contact with a minor (including by social media, email, instant messaging etc) or their family without the Club or Team’s knowledge and/or consent;

8. exchange personal contact details such as phone number, social networking sites or email addresses with a minor (unless the minor is a member of your family)without the Club or Team’s knowledge and/or consent;

9. using, possessing, or being under the influence of illegal drugs while in the presence of a minor;

10. using, possessing, or being under the influence of alcohol while supervising a minor (unless the minor is a member of your family or your contact with the minor is accidental/incidental and you are not performing your professional obligations);

11. providing or allowing a minor to consume illegal drugs;

12. discriminate against any minor, including because of age, gender, race, culture, vulnerability, sexuality, ethnicity or disability;

13. engage in rough physical games (outside of what is reasonably considered appropriate in a Club training session), hold, massage, kiss, cuddle or touch a minor in an inappropriate and or/culturally insensitive way (unless the minor is a member of your family and you comply with all relevant legislation);

14. take a minor to their home or encourage meetings outside Club activities or events (unless the child is a member of your family or parental permission has been provided)without the Club or Team’s knowledge and/or consent;

15. photograph or video a minor inappropriately, or in circumstances where you have been requested to cease;

16. being naked in the presence of a minor (unless the minor is a member of your family);

17. possess sexually oriented or morally inappropriate printed materials (magazines, cards, videos, films, messages, clothing, etc.) in the presence of a minor;

18. sleep in the same bed, sleeping bag or tent with a minor (unless the minor is a member of your family); and/or

19. engage in sexual contact with a minor. 

Any violation of this Code of Conduct by a committee member, volunteer, employee, coach, manager, player, parent or guardian or other Club Associate at SYSC may be dealt with as a disciplinary matter by SYSC, or may be referred to the FFV as Misconduct under the FFV GDT provisions.

Physical contact / touching

Committee members, volunteers, employees, coaches, managers and players are prohibited from using physical discipline in any way for behaviour management of minors. This prohibition includes spanking, slapping, pinching, hitting, or any other physical force as retaliation or correction for inappropriate behaviours by minors.

Physical contact may be required in an emergency situation to remove minors quickly from danger or threat of danger.

Appropriate contact between committee members, volunteers, employees, coaches, managers and players and minors is part of normal human relationships. Some considerations and guidelines include the following: 

1. consider the minor’s age, developmental level, maturity and level of care required, for example, touching a minor to gain their attention, guiding or comforting a distressed minor;

2. work in an open environment; for example, in one-to-one discussions indoors the door should be open with visual access;

3. be alert to cues from minors about how comfortable they are in your proximity and respect their need for personal space;

4. be sensitive when interacting with minors who may misinterpret your actions, such as those who may have been traumatised by abuse or adolescents seeking attention from a member of the opposite sex;

5. be aware of cultural norms that may influence the interpretation of your behaviour;

6. be cautious about physical contact in training or during matches. If you need to make physical contact for demonstrations, explain the activity and what you will do, maintain a safe and appropriate distance;

7. physical contact should be made in a way that makes minors feel comfortable, for example, shaking hands, a congratulatory pat on the back or rub on the side of their arm for reassurance. Massaging a minor if you are not trained to do so or allowing a child to massage you is inappropriate physical contact.

Transportation and off-site events

Other than in an emergency or other abnormal situation where no other option could be reasonably foreseen, it is unwise to transport children without permission of their parent, carer or guardian.

It is prohibited to have unnecessary and/or inappropriate physical contact with minors while in vehicles.  Minors should be transported directly to their destination. No stops should be made other than those that are reasonably scheduled for meals or comfort stops.

It is prohibited to have minors spend the night at the residence of a committee member, volunteer, employee, or contractor without parental/guardian prior approval.

Changing and showering facilities or arrangements for adults must be separate from facilities or arrangements for children (unless the child is a member of your family).

Confidentiality

Disclosing information to committee members and MPIO

The privacy of the child should be respected at all times. When considering breaching the privacy who and how many people are told should be based on what is believed to be in the best interests of the child.

Information in relation to abuse or suspected abuse of a minor should be disclosed to a committee member or MPIO of SYSC only, in order to limit the potential dissemination of confidential information.

Disclosing information to people external to the organisation

Committee members, volunteers, employees, coaches, managers and players should not discuss confidential matters about children with people outside the organisation in a way that identifies that child except when they have the express permission of the child or it complies with the Club’s Child Protection Policy and Code of Conduct. In circumstances where committee members, volunteers, employees, coaches, managers and players believe that there is not enough knowledge within the club to provide the best possible assistance to a child, they are able to seek expertise external to the club. When communicating with people outside SYSC the child’s identity should be protected.

Informing children 

It is the responsibility of SYSC to communicate the limits of confidentiality in the Club to children who are likely to have an ongoing relationship with SYSC. These guidelines should be published in an accessible place for children.

Related legislation

1. Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic);

2. Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic); and

3. Crimes Act 1958 (Vic)

Child Protection Crisis Line – 24 Hours, seven days a week. Telephone: 13 12 78