Policy and procedures
As part of creating a safe environment for children, your organisation should adopt a child protection policy.
Here are two sample templates that your organisation can use or adapt when you're implementing a child protection and intervention strategy.
Child Protection checklist
The following checklist is a guide to assist sport and recreation organisations with the implementation of the requirements of child protection legislation.
Refer to this checklist, in conjunction with Guidelines for Sporting Organisations to understand your child protection responsibilities.
What do you need to do as an organisation?
- Establish a Child Protection Policy (use the template provided below)
- Ensure all employees and members are aware of your policy and procedures
- Identify child related employment positions (paid and unpaid)
- Decide on record keeping procedures associated with the Working With Children Check
- Report any relevant completed disciplinary proceedings against an employee in the course of their employment to the Commission for Children and Young People. Relevant disciplinary proceedings involve child abuse, sexual misconduct involving children or acts of violence directed at children or occurring in the presence of children. (NB. this doesn't include allegations proven to be false, misconceived or vexatious).
- Nominate a Child Protection Officer
- Run child protection awareness sessions for your staff
What do you need to do administratively?
- Register with NSW Sport and Recreation to get an Employer ID Number
- Always keep records secure and treat information as highly sensitive
What do you do for current staff (paid or unpaid) in child related employment?
- All staff must sign a Prohibited Employment Declaration
What do you do about new staff in child related employment?
- Add information to recruitment packages for identified paid child related positions
- Prospective staff need to sign Prohibited Employment Declarations and Working with Children Check Consent forms
- Screen the preferred applicant for new paid employment
- Conduct structured referee checks on the preferred applicant
- If you decide not to employ someone based on the Working with Children Check, inform the person involved and the Commission for Children and Young People
Useful links
Downloads
Related sections
Other websites
- NSW Commission for Children and Young People - The CCYP is concerned with children's safety, welfare and wellbeing, and is responsible for administering the Working With Children Check.
- NSW Department of Community Services - Protecting the welfare of children is one of DoCS' most important tasks. If you're concerned for the safety, welfare and wellbeing of a child or young person you can make a report to the DoCS Helpline (phone 132 111).
- NSW Interagency Guidelines for Child Protection Intervention 2006 - These guidelines provide practical guidance for agencies to work together effectively to help children, young people and their families.
- National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse & Neglect - This volunteer organisation's web site has comprehensive information and resources on preventing child abuse and neglect.
- Department of Family and Community Services - This Federal Government department manages a range of family and community services. They have funded Choose with Care, a child protection education and training program designed to help deter, minimise and remove opportunities for abuse in organisations and programs that work with children.
- NSW Ombudsman - The NSW Ombudsman is now responsible for overseeing and monitoring the handling of child abuse allegations and convictions against employees of certain government and non-government agencies.