The National Principles for Child Safe Organisations offer a consistent national framework for building organisational cultures that prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children.
The National Principles serve as a key mechanism for implementing the recommendations from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (external site) (external site) . They also extend beyond the prevention of child sexual abuse to address a wider range of potential risks and harms to children and young people.
Further information regarding the National Principles and how your organisation can implement them: National Principles for Child Safe Organisations | Australian Human Rights Commission (external site) (external site).
Child Safeguarding Policy
Organisations that provide a service to children must have a Child Safeguarding Policy in place.
If your organisation is affiliated with a national sporting organisation that has signed up to Sport Integrity Australia’s National Integrity Framework (external site) (external site) (NIF), a Child Safeguarding Policy will already be in place by them and apply to you. Check here (external site) (external site) to find out if your affiliated national organisation is signed up to the NIF.
If your local club or association is affiliated with a state sporting organisation that is not affiliated at the national level, but who have their own Child Safeguarding Policy in place, this policy should be adopted to align across your sport.
For non-affiliated organisations, the Department of Human Services (DHS) has information on their website, including templates for use available here (external site) (external site). The policy your organisation adopts must reflect the 10 National Principles.
Learn more about Safeguard in in Sport (external site) (external site).
Child Safe Environments Compliance Statement
Sport and active recreation organisations must also lodge a child safe environments compliance statement directly with the Department of Human Services.
Your organisation will be required to answer a range of questions about your child safeguarding policy and practices and upload your policy for assessment.
Further information about compliance statements and a link for online lodgement with DHS:
Child Safe Environment Compliance Statements | DHS (external site) (external site)
Working With Children Checks (WWCC)
Sport and active recreation organisations must meet their working with children requirements. It is an offence to work or volunteer with children without a current WWCC. For organisations with membership or involvement of children (e.g. have at least one youth team, run school holiday programs/clinics, have child and/or youth participants), all volunteers and paid staff need a WWCC regardless of whether they have direct contact with children.
WWCCs are free for volunteers. They are valid for five years.
Individuals who need to renew their WWCC can apply for a new one within six months of the expiry date of their current WWCC.
Further information about WWCCs and how to apply with DHS:
Working With Children Checks | DHS (external site) (external site)
As the agency responsible for child protection in South Australia, the Department for Child Protection outlines which individuals are considered mandated reporters (external site) (external site) of child abuse, reasonable suspicion of harm or risk of harm.
Sport and active recreation organisations’ volunteers and staff may be classified as mandated reporters if:
- They provide the organisation’s services directly to children or young people, or
- They hold a management position which include duties of direct responsibility or direct supervision of the provision of those services to children or young people.
Mandated reporters can report a reasonable suspicion of harm or risk of harm by:
- Phoning the 24/7 Child Abuse Report Line (CARL), or
- Submitting a report via the online reporting system (e-CARL).
CARL Reporting line: 13 14 78
If the situation is an emergency call 000 immediately.
Learn more about the responsibilities of your organisation’s mandated reporters:
Having a designated Child Safe Officer within your organisation helps reinforce the message that child safety is a key responsibility for your organisation.
Every sport and active recreation organisation must actively work to reduce risks to children and young people, and the Child Safe Officer plays a key role in ensuring all members understand your organisation’s policies and procedures, and are equipped to respond appropriately to any concerns or incidents.
Sport SA provides Training for Child Safe Officer in the form of a 3-hour online session.
Find out when the next Child Safe Officer Training sessions, as well as other related training opportunities, are available through Sport SA here (external site) (external site).
The Office for Recreation, Sport and Racing encourages all sport and active recreation organisations that work with children to provide training and development opportunities in this space for their staff and volunteers.
National Redress Scheme
The National Redress Scheme is for people who have experienced institutional child sexual abuse. Under the scheme, sporting activities (organisations/associations/clubs) are considered an institution.
The National redress Scheme:
- Acknowledges the widespread sexual abuse of children in Australian institutions
- Recognises the suffering endured by survivors
- Holds institutions accountable for the abuse
- Helps people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse gain access to counselling, a direct personal response, and a redress payment.
For more information about the scheme, including how to apply for redress or for an organisation/club to sign up to the scheme phone 1800 737 377 or visit the website: National Redress Scheme (external site) (external site)
