For the most part, that trust is well placed. However unfortunately there may be occasions where an incident arises, and in such circumstances it is important for our Centre to have the right processes in place.
Government inquiries into child safety in Australia have prompted changes to the law to provide children with greater protections. In Victoria, the Child Wellbeing and Safety Amendment Act 2015 requires organisations to meet Child Safe Standards.
Coburg Little Athletics Centre is required to comply with these obligations in addition to our existing culture of fair play and child safety and an effective leadership structure. In compliance with the Act, Coburg Little Athletics Centre has adopted Little Athletic Victoria's Child Protection Policy and have a Code of Behaviour which is available in our Handbook.
Child Safety Officers
Our Child Safety Officers for season 2023/24 - Iona Baker and Natalie Vom. Each Club also has a CSO.
The CSO should be the first point of contact for members who have concerns about a child or young person within the Centre and they may provide advice and support to assist the member with making a report, which came be done using a Child Safety Incident Report Form
Any issues will be reported to the Centre Executive/Committee for further action.
The Child Safety Officer is essentially an education role to promote awareness at the Centre, and to be a voice for the children/young people where required. During the season they will speak to groups of our athletes to promote the the Be Kind - respect and support each other; Be Safe - keep hands and feet to your self; and Speak Up - talk to a parent or child safety officer if there is a problem.
Our child safety values
We have zero tolerance for child abuse and base our policies and procedures on the following values:
+ The best interests of the child are paramount
+ Child protection is a shared responsibility
+ All children have a right to feel safe and be safe when they participate in Little Athletics, and have equal rights to protection from any form of abuse
+ We will consider the opinions of our little athletes and use their opinions to develop child protection policies and procedures
+ We are committed to the diversity and cultural safety of all children, including (but not limited to) the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and children with disabilities, and make reasonable efforts to accommodate all children
+ Everyone covered by the Policy must comply with, and is bound to, the Coburg Little Athletics Centre Child Safety Policy and Code of Behaviour/Conduct at all times.