SHCV CHILD SAFE CODE OF CONDUCT
February 2018
INTRODUCTION
Under the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005, Victoria introduced compulsory minimum standards for organisations that provide services for children to help ensure the safety of children. As from 1 January 2017, Phase 2 of in scope organisations included those that provide cultural, sport or recreation services for children, charities and not-for-profit organisations providing services to children, and coaching or tuition services for children. As these services are provided to children by the Show Horse Council of Victoria Inc. (SHCV), the SHCV has developed a Child Safe Code of Conduct for volunteers, instructors, judges and executive members
The SHCV is committed to building an environment where children feel respected, valued and encouraged to reach their full potential by embedding a culture of child safety throughout the organisation.
The Code of Conduct informs parents, carers, legal guardians and other persons associated with the SHCV ofwhat behaviour they can expect from the SHCV volunteers, instructors, judges and executive members.
CHILD SAFE CODE OF CONDUCT
All volunteers, instructors, judges and executive members of the SHCV are required to observe child safe principles and expectations for appropriate behaviour towards and in the company of children.
All members of the SHCV are responsible for supporting the safety, participation, wellbeing and empowerment of children by:
• Adhering to the SHCV Child Safe Policy at all times
• Taking all reasonable steps to protect children from abuse
• Treating everyone with respect
• Listening and responding to the views and concerns of children, particularly if they are telling you that they or another child has been abused and/or worried about their safety or the safety of another
• Promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of Aboriginal children
• Promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of children with culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds
• Promoting the safety, participation and empowerment of children with a disability
• Ensuring as far as practicable that adults are not left alone with child
• Reporting an allegation of child abuse to the SHCV Executive and ensure that any allegation is reported to the police or child protection
• Reporting any child safety concerns to the SHCV Executive
• If an allegation of child abuse is made, ensure as quickly as possible that the child is safe
• Encouraging children to ‘have a say’ and participate in all relevant organisational activities where possible, especially on issues that are important to them
Volunteers, instructors, judges and executive members must not:
• Develop any ‘special’ relationships with children that could be seen as favouritism
• Exhibit behaviour with children which may be construed as unnecessarily physical
• Put children at risk of abuse. E.g. Locking doors
• Do things of a personal nature that a child can do for themselves, such as toileting or changing clothes
• Engage in open discussion of a mature or adult nature in the presence of children (for example, personal social activities)
• Use inappropriate language in the presence of children
• Express personal views on cultures, race or sexuality in the presence of children
• Discriminate against any child, including because of culture, race, ethnicity or disability
• Have contact with a child outside our organisation without the consent of the child’s parent or legal guardian. Accidental contact, such as seeing someone in the street, is appropriate.
• Have online contact with a child outside our organisation without the consent of the child’s parent or legal guardian
• Ignore or disregard any suspected or disclosed child abuse
• In the presence of children, a judge assigned to officiate is to be supervised by a steward, ringmaster, a member of the SHCV Executive or a person assigned by the SHCV Executive
• In the presence of children, an instructor is to be supervised by a parent, a member of the SHCV Executive or a person assigned by the SHCV Executive.
• In the presence of children, a volunteer is to be supervised by a parent, steward, ringmaster, a member of the SHCV Executive or a person assigned by the SHCV Executive
By observing these standards, you acknowledge your responsibility to immediately report any breach of this Code to the SHCV Executive.
I agree to adhere to this Code of Conduct.
Name ………………………………………………………………….
Signature ………………………………………………………………….
Date ………………………………………………………………….
SHCV CHILD SAFE STANDARD POLICY
February 2018
CHILD SAFE STANDARDS
Working with children can be rewarding; however, it brings with it additional responsibilities.
Under the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005, Victoria introduced compulsory minimum standards for organisations that provide services for children to help ensure the safety of children. As from 1 January 2017, Phase 2 of ‘in scope’ organisations included those that providecultural, sport or recreation services for children, charities and not-for-profit organisations providing services to children, and coaching or tuition services for children. As these services are provided to children by the Show Horse Council of Victoria Inc. (SHCV), the SHCV has developed a Child Safe Standard Policy and Code of Conduct.
Child Safe Standards cover child sexual abuse, physical abuse, serious emotional and psychological abuse and serious neglect.
The SHCV is committed to building an environment where children feel respected, valued and encouraged to reach their full potential by embedding a culture of child safety throughout the organisation.
OUR COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY
This policy is intended to empower children who are vital and active participants in our organisation.
The SHCV will involve them when making decisions, especially about matters that directly affect them. The SHCV will listen to their views and respect what they have to say.
The SHCV promotes diversity and tolerance in our organisation, and people from all walks of life and cultural backgrounds are welcome
The SHCV is committed to promoting children’s wellbeing and protecting children from abuse.
The SHCV wants children to be safe, happy and empowered. We support and respect all children, as well as our fellow members and volunteers
The SHCV has a zero tolerance of child abuse, and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously and consistently with our policies and procedures.
The SHCV has a legal and moral obligation to contact authorities when it is worried about a child’s safety, which we will follow rigorously
The SHCV is committed to preventing child abuse and identifying risks early, and removing and reducing these risks
The SHCV is committed to regularly training and educating its volunteers, instructors, judges, and executive members on child abuse risks
The SHCV is committed to cultural safety for Aboriginal children, cultural safety for children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and providing a safe environment for children with a disability.
EXECUTIVE, MEMBERS AND VOLUNTEERS
This policy guides SHCV members, instructors, volunteers and its Executive on how to behave with children in our organisation.
SHCV volunteers, instructors, judges and executive members must agree to abide by the SHCV Child Safe Code of Conduct which specifies the standard of conduct required when working with children.
All volunteers, instructors, judges and SHCV Executive, as well as children and their families, are invited to contribute to the development of the SHCV Child Safe Policy and Code of Conduct
TRAINING AND SUPERVISION
Training and education is important to ensure that everyone in our organisation understands that child safety is everyone’s responsibility.
Each SHCV Executive member is required to hold a valid and current Victorian Working with Children Check.
All volunteers andinstructorsengaged by the SHCV are required to hold a valid and current Victorian Working with Children Check.
All persons on the SHCV List of Judges is required to hold a valid and current Victorian Working with Children Check.
FAIR PROCEDURES
The safety and wellbeing of children is our primary concern. The decisions the SHCV makes when engaging volunteers, assessing incidents, and reporting matters to the SHCA Disciplinary and Disputes Committee and/or government agencies will always be thorough, transparent and based on evidence.
The SHCV will record all allegations of abuse and safety concern using our incident reporting form, including investigation updates. All matters recorded will be securely stored.
If an allegation of abuse or a safety concern is raised, the nominated SHCV or SHCA Representative will provide updates to children and families on progress and of any action the organisation takes.
PRIVACY
Unless there is a risk to safety, all information considered or recorded will respect the privacy of individuals involved, whether they be Executive, members or volunteers, parents or children. We have safeguards and practices in place to ensure any personal information is protected. Everyone is entitled to know how this information is recorded, what will be done with it, and who will access it.
LEGISTLATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
The SHCV takes its legal responsibilities seriously, including:
• Failure to Disclose: reporting child sexual abuse is a community-wide responsibility. All adults in Victoria who have a reasonable belief that an adult has committed a sexual offence against a child under 16 have an obligation to report that information to police.
• Failure to Protect: people of authorityin our organisation will commit an offence if they know of a substantial risk of child abuse and have the power or responsibility to reduce or remove the risk, or negligently fail to do so
RISK MANAGEMENT
In Victoria, organisations are required to protect children when risk is identified. In addition to general occupational health and safety risks, the SHCV proactively manages risk of abuse to our children.
REVIEWS
A review will be undertaken every two years and following any significant issues should they occur.
ALLEGATIONS, CONCERNS AND COMPLAINTS
The SHCV takes all allegations seriously and has an escalation process in place to investigate any such allegation thoroughly and quickly. The SHCV understands how to with deal with allegations appropriately.
The SHCV will work to ensure that all children, families and volunteers know wat to do and who to tell if they observe abuse or a victim, and if they notice inappropriate behaviour.
The SHCV has a responsibility to report an allegation of abuse if it has a reasonable belief that an incident took place.
If an adult has a reasonable belief that an incident has occurred then they must report the incident. Factors contributing to a reasonable belief are:
• A child states they or someone they know has been abused
• Behaviour is consistent with that of an abuse victim observed
• Someone else has raised a suspicion of abused but is unwilling to report it
• Observing suspicious behaviour.