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Child and Youth Risk Management

Child and Youth Risk Management Strategy, Oxley Sailing Club Inc.

Introduction

This strategy has been prepared by the Oxley Sailing Club Management Committee to comply with its requirements under the:

  • Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000; and 

  • Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Regulation 2011.  

The Strategy covers Oxley Sailing Club (the “Club”) activities including racing, sail training and social events and applies to club members, spectators, parents, visitors, contractors, children and young people while on club premises or at any club activity.

Statement of commitment to the safety and well-being of children

Oxley Sailing Club is committed to providing an environment that is safe for participants and will not tolerate harm to children and young participants in any manner.

This child and youth risk management strategy provides a message to all involved both directly and indirectly with OSC that everybody has a responsibility to provide a safe environment to children and young participants.

Oxley Sailing Club is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment to children and young people where learning and skill development is encouraged and facilitated.

The Club will actively seek to prevent harm to children and young participants in their care, report suspected harm in accordance with this strategy.

The club believes that children and young people have the right to:

  •  feel safe  

  •  be listened to  

  •  be involved in decisions that affect them  

  •  have their cultural values respected  

  •  have their best interests considered  

  •  be respected  

  •  be free from harassment, bullying or abuse of any kind, and  

  • ask if they don’t understand something. 

Code of conduct for interaction with children and young people

Any person on the Club grounds or attending any Club function, Club members, spectators, parents, visitors on club grounds or at any activity associated with the club will:

  • Foster mutual respect between themselves and children and young people regardless of ability, cultural identity and cultural practices/behaviour  

  • Use appropriate language which is clear, non-threatening and non-sexual

  • Use physical contact only where it is completely necessary 

  • Openly listen to parent/child suggestions, feedback and complaints

  • •Take a preventative and participatory approach to child safety

Children and young people also have responsibilities. They should:

  • Have respect for others

  • Behave responsibly and act in a safe manner both on and off the water

  • Where possible report inappropriate behaviour and unsafe situations or harm

Requirements for volunteers working with children and young people

Anyone helping with sail training or otherwise assisting children must hold a current positive notice Blue Card unless they are in an exemption category

The Register of Blue Card holders will be held by the President or their delegate.

Procedures for handling disclosures or suspicions of harm

These procedures apply to disclosures of suspicions of harm to children and young people, irrespective of whether connected with the Club or whether the harm occurred internal or external to the Club.

Handling disclosures or suspicions of harm, including reporting guidelines

Harm is defined as ‘any detrimental effect of a significant nature on the child's physical, psychological or emotional wellbeing’. Harm can be caused by physical, psychological, or emotional abuse or neglect; or sexual abuse or exploitation (section 9 of the Child Protection Act 1999).

Considerations when forming a reasonable suspicion about harm to a child include:

  • Whether there are detrimental effects on the child’s body or the psychological state or emotional state that are evident to the person, or that the person considers are likely to become evident in the future, and  

  • In relation to any detrimental effects mentioned above, their nature and severity and the likelihood that they will continue, and 

  • The child’s age (section 13C of the Child Protection Act 1999)

Disclosure of harm occurs when someone, including a child, tells you about the harm that has happened, is happening, or is likely to happen to a child. It is important to act quickly and in the best interests of the child or young person after a disclosure of harm is received, irrespective of the alleged source of harm.

A suspicion of harm is when someone has a reasonable suspicion that a child has suffered, is suffering, or is at an unacceptable risk of suffering, significant harm. This includes circumstances which relate to an unborn child who may be in need of protection after he or she is born. A child who has been, or may be experiencing, abuse may show behavioural, emotional or physical signs of stress and abuse.

There may also be other circumstances where there is concern for a child’s welfare but it does not reach the threshold to be considered a disclosure or suspicion of harm. You have a duty of care to follow up any suspicions of harm or potential risk of harm to children and young people in your care. You can do this by observing and recording the actions of children who might be at risk and reporting your concerns to the relevant authority. You can suspect harm if:

  • A child or young person tells you they have been harmed  

  • Someone else, for example another child, a parent, or an employee, tells you that harm has occurred or is likely to occur  

  • A child or young person tells you they know someone who has been harmed (it is possible that they may be referring to themselves)  

  • You are concerned about significant changes in the behaviour of a child or young person, or the presence of new unexplained and suspicious injuries, or  

  • You see the harm happening

Reporting a disclosure or suspicion of harm

As soon as is convenient after disclosure, the recipient of the disclosure:

  • Should document the facts of the disclosure, in a non-judgemental and accurate manner. This should be done in an ‘incident report’. 

  • Apart from taking the facts of the disclosure, should not further probe or in any way seek out anyone for additional information. 

  • Should report the disclosure to the Department of Child Safety if the suspicion or allegation of harm occurred at home. 

  • Should report the disclosure to the Queensland Police Service if the suspicion or allegation of harm occurred outside the home. 

  • Should, if requested, give a copy of the incident report to the responsible police or child safety officer. 

  • Keep the original incident report in a safe place and not disclose the contents of the report other than to the Club President or their delegate, or as required by law. 

Managing breaches of the child protection risk management strategy.

A breach is any action or inaction by any Club member or visitor, including children, that fails to comply with this strategy.

Process for managing a breach

  • A breach will be reported to the Queensland Police Service when a child is at imminent risk of harm or has been the victim of a criminal offence. 

  • Unless the reported breach involves the President it will be managed by the President or the President's delegate. 

  • If the reported breach involves the President, it will be managed by the Secretary or the Secretary’s delegate. 

  • A member subject of the alleged breach will immediately be required to discontinue involvement in any Club activity requiring a positive blue card notice, until the alleged breach is resolved. 

  • All people involved in the alleged breach shall be advised of the process to the extent appropriate to their role in the matter. For example, it may be inappropriate to advise a mere witness of the name of a person alleged to have committed a breach. 

  • All people involved in the alleged breach shall be given the opportunity to provide facts relevant to the compiling of the incident report. This may include people other than the parties directly referred to. 

  • The person managing the alleged breach shall decide an appropriate outcome, and shall report the outcome to the Management Committee. 

Depending on the nature of the breach the outcome may include:

  • Dismissing the allegation

  • Emphasising the relevant component of the child protection risk management strategy

  • Further education and training

  • Mediation involving those in the incident 

  • Reviewing current procedures and policies 

  • Recommendation to the Management Committee that the member cease involvement with any Club activity requiring a positive blue card  

  • Recommendation to the Management Committee that the member be subject to disciplinary procedures as allowed by the Code of Conduct and Club rules 

  • Reporting the incident to the Police or Department of Child Safety

Photography

No photograph including a child or young person should be distributed or published on social media, newsletter or other accessible format unless you have written permission from the child's parent or carer.

Photographs

  • Should not be demeaning,  
  • Should not include faces or identifying information without the specific permission of the child and their parent or guardian,  
  • Should not be capable of being misused, and
  • Should be appropriate to the situation 

Think of how others might interpret the image and whether the image might put the child or young person at risk.

Strategies for communication and maintaining relevance

On recommendation from the President, the club management committee will appoint a member to take responsibility for this strategy and to maintain its relevance to Club operations and current laws. If a member is not appointed the Secretary will be responsible.

The member’s responsibilities are:

  • To manage regular policy review and review consequent upon any incident relating to child safety. The review(s) will consider all aspects of child protection relevant to Club (such as the impact of any change in the law) 

  • Liaise with members about the strategy (including giving all members the opportunity to contribute on things such as content and operational impact) 

  • Having considered all views, present an annual report and/or updated Strategy with recommendations to Club committee (regardless of whether any changes are recommended 

  • Move a motion at Club committee to approve the strategy and circulate the approved strategy (whether or not amended) to members 

  • Arrange for the strategy to be placed on the Club’s website 

  • Ensure a hard copy of the strategy is kept with Club records 

A review consequent upon an incident shall focus on areas of the Strategy related to the incident. The review should also consider:

  • Whether policies and procedures were effective and followed 

  • Any other relevant incident  

  • The frequency of training for the strategy 

(Revised 20/2/2021)