Ice Sports Victoria’s Statement of Commitment to Child Safety
Our Commitment is to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children involved in ice sports by implementing and complying with the Victorian Child Safe Standards to help protect children and young people under the age of 18 from child abuse and neglect. In Victoria, Child Safe Standards aim to protect children and young people from abuse in organisations, including physical violence, sexual offences, serious emotional or psychological abuse and/or neglect.
As part of these standards, we commit to:
preventing the abuse of children and young people in our care, by identifying risks early and removing and reducing these risks;
complying with all legal requirements, including reporting suspicions of abuse to police and/or child protection;
promoting the cultural safety, participation and empowerment of children of all backgrounds and abilities through listening and responding to the views and concerns of children;
if an allegation of child abuse is made, ensure we have an environment in which children and their parents or guardians feel confident in communicating any allegations of child abuse or safety concerns, which are responded to consistently, in line with our policies and procedures;
ensure best practice standards such as Children Checks for all identified roles engaged in child related activities are utilised when ice sports are delivered; and
treating everyone with respect.
We celebrate diversity across our organisation. In particular, we promote the equal participation and cultural, emotional and physical safety of children and young people. It is the shared responsibility of everyone Ice Sports Victoria comes into contact with to protect children and prevent child abuse and neglect.
Ice Sports Victoria, in addition to the above, also take reasonable steps to promote the cultural safety of Aboriginal Children and Children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds as well as promoting the safety of Children with a disability.
CHILD SAFE STANDARDS
ICE SPORTS VICTORIA’S CHILD SAFETY AND WELLBEING POLICY
Introduction and Acknowledgement of Country
Ice Sports Victoria acknowledges the Boon Wurrung People and the Wurundjeri People as the Traditional Owners of the land on which Ice sports Victoria is located. We acknowledge and respect their contributions, experience and knowledge as First Nations people. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and future.
The following policy is split into two distinct parts. Part 1 - introductory material including the title, purpose and parameters of the policy; and key links to relevant policies and legislation. Part 2 - Ice Sports Victoria and its Affiliates approach to implementing the eleven Victorian Government Child Safety Standards (July 2022).
This Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy was approved by the Ice Sports Victoria Board on 4th July 2022. It demonstrates the strong commitment of management, staff and volunteers to child safety and wellbeing, and how Ice Sports Victoria, and its Affiliates, keeps children safe from harm, including child abuse.
Part 1
Ice Sports Victoria, and its Affiliates’, Commitment to Child Safety
All children who come to activities connected to Ice Sports Victoria, and its Affiliates [Ice Hockey Victoria, Ice Skating Victoria, Victorian Curling Association, Victorian Ice Racing Association) have a right to feel and be safe. The welfare of the children in our care will always be our priority and we have a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse and harm.
Ice Sports Victoria, and its Affiliates, remain committed to delivering a child safe and child friendly environment where children feel safe and have fun while enjoying learning ice sports.
Purpose
This Policy outlines how Ice Sports Victoria, and its Affiliates, prioritises the safety and wellbeing of children and what steps it will take to do this.
Scope
This policy applies to Ice Sports Victoria, its Affiliates, staff, volunteers, Management Committee members, children and other individuals involved in and with Ice Sports Victoria. This policy applies to all activities – classes, coaching, events and competitions – conducted by Ice Sports Victoria and its Affiliates.
Definitions
Ice Sports Victoria Board (as this policy’s Management Committee) means the Chair, CEO, and Representatives of Ice Sports Victorias’ Affiliates, and all appointed/ elected Board members.
Child abuse means:
• a sexual offence committed against a child
• an offence committed against a child under section 49M(1) of the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic), such as grooming
• physical violence against a child
• causing serious emotional or psychological harm to a child
• serious neglect of a child.
Harm is damage to the health, safety or wellbeing of a child or young person, including as a result of child abuse by adults or the conduct of other children. It includes physical, emotional, sexual and psychological harm. Harm can arise from a single act or event and can also be cumulative, that is, arising as a result of a series of acts or events over a period of time.
Child/Children means a person who is under the age of 18 years.
Please click HERE for the full Ice Sports Victoria Child Safety and Well being Policy. Further Ice Sport Victoria polices, relating to child safety and well being, can be found below.
ISV Child Safe Code of Conduct V2
Ice Sports Victoria Child Saftey and Well Being Policy
Ice Sports Victoria Child Safe Code of Conduct Declaration Form
Ice Sports Victoria Child Safe Complaint Handling Guidelines
Ice Sports Victoria Child Safe Incident Reporting System
Ice Sports Victoria Child Safe Recruitment Guidelines