Policy and Procedures

Maintaining clear professional boundaries is essential to ensuring that interactions with Children and Young People remain safe, appropriate, and respectful. 

1. Maintain Professional Relationships:
   • Adults in a Position of Authority must keep interactions with Children and Young people strictly professional, both in‑person and online.
   • Relationships must never become personal, harmful, or exploitative toward the Child, Young Person, or their family.
2. Avoid Activities Outside Your Role:
   • Unless approved by parents / guardians, a Person in a Position of Authority must not:
   • Provide personal support outside their role (e.g., money, babysitting, accommodation).
   • Use personal devices to take photos/videos without written approval.
   • Show favouritism towards any Child or Young person.  
   • Transport Children except where appropriate / permitted.
   • Give personal gifts (only formal awards are acceptable).
   • Have one‑on‑one contact outside official activities (in person, phone, or online).
   • Attend private social events at the request of the family, or Child/Young Person.  
3. Managing Concerns Outside Role Responsibilities
   • If a Person becomes aware that a Child or Young Person needs support beyond what their role permits, they must take immediate steps to ensure the appropriate assistance is provided:
     • Refer the matter and Child or Young Person to an appropriate support agency.
     • Contact the parent or guardian.
     • Seek advice from a Relevant Body.  

Creating a safe and positive environment starts with using behaviour and language that uplifts and protects Children and Young People.

Respectful and Supportive Communication

• Behaviour, language, and tone used around Children and Young People must always be respectful, encouraging, and clear.
• Nothing said or done should be harmful or cause emotional distress.

Prohibited Language and Behaviour

A person must not use language or behaviour that is:

• Inappropriate, abusive, offensive, insulting, belittling, or intended to humiliate.
• Discriminatory, culturally inappropriate, or vilifying.
• Threatening, or unreasonably / unnecessarily frightening.
• Profane or sexual in nature.

Prohibited Physical or Sexual Conduct

A person must never:

• Make inappropriate or intimate physical contact that is sexual, painful, or makes a child uncomfortable.
• Engage in any form of sexual behaviour with or in the presence of a child or young person.
• Display behaviour that could reasonably be seen as sexual or suggestive.
• Make sexual comments or discuss sexual/adult topics with or around children or young people (in person or online).
• Use technology (phones, computers, cameras, social media) to harass, exploit, or access child exploitation material.

Additional Prohibited Conduct to for those in a Position of Authority:

• Completing personal tasks for Children or Young People, that they can do themselves.
• Forcing kids to train or compete when sick or injured.
• Use harmful training methods, including physical punishment or overtraining.
• Place excessive focus on appearance, weight, or muscularity, including:  
  • Encouraging restrictive eating or extreme dieting.
  • Using excessive weigh‑ins or body composition testing tied to punishment.
  • Promoting unsafe practices such as dehydration or restrictive eating to meet appearance or weight demands without proper medical supervision. 

Any physical contact with Children or Young People must always be safe, necessary, and appropriate for the activity.  

Appropriate Contact  

Physical contact must only be used when needed for the activity, or the Child’s specific needs.  

For example:

• Helping with equipment
• Correcting technique.
• Treatment by a health practitioner.
• Medical treatment (first aid).

Contact to Avoid  

A Person must not engage with physical contact that:  

• Involves touching private areas (unless essential for medical care).
• Causes pain, distress, or functions as punishment.
• Is unnecessary or unrelated to the activity (e.g., tickling, rough play).
• Helps with tasks the Child can safely do themselves.
• Occurs against the child’s wishes, except when needed to prevent serious physical harm.

If restraint is required to prevent serious harm:  

• It must be used only as a last resort.
• Only the minimum force necessary should be applied.
• The incident must be reported to the Relevant Body as soon as possible.

Any sexualised or inappropriate physical contact initiated by a Child or Young Person must be reported to the Relevant Body as soon as possible, to ensure everyone’s safety. 

The below outlines the expectations for providing fair, respectful, and developmentally appropriate guidance and discipline to all Children and Young People.

Creating Clear Expectations

• Kids should be told what behaviour is expected of them.
• Adults should help create a positive, supportive environment.
• All actions should prioritise the safety and wellbeing of Children and Young People.

Encouraging Positive Behaviour  

• All Children and Young People must receive clear instructions.
• They should be given the chance to correct their behaviour in a positive, and respectful way.

Safe & Respectful Discipline  

• Adults must never use physical punishment.
• Discipline must not include anything degrading, cruel, frightening, or humiliating — including harsh or harmful verbal behaviour. 

The Relevant Body must ensure that children and young people are adequately supervised, during all activities.  

Supervision must be:

• Active, constant and attentive.  
• Where possible, a Person should be able to visually observe each Child or Young Person.  

If Direct Supervision isn’t Possible:

• A Person must know where each child or young person is, at all times.  
• They must be able to respond quickly to individual needs and intervene immediately if required 

Communication with Children and Young People must always be transparent, appropriate, and conducted in a way that protects their safety and wellbeing.

1. One‑to‑One Communication Restrictions

• A Person in a Position of Authority must not communicate one‑to‑one with a Child or Young Person through electronic, online, or phone communication unless:  
  • They are an Approved Person, or
  • An adult representative of the Club/Controlling Body and/or the Child’s parent or guardian is included in the communication.

2. Standards for Communication Content

When communicating with Children and Young People, content must be:

• Directly related to an approved activity.
• Clear and concise, with any personal or social elements limited to polite and friendly phrasing needed to deliver the message.
• Free from any sexualised, offensive, or inappropriate language.
• Not used to encourage or promote unauthorised social interactions or activities. 

Any use of photographs or video, involving Children or Young People, must follow strict standards to protect their privacy, safety, and wellbeing.

Requirements  

• Obtain written consent from the parent or guardian (and from the child where appropriate).
• Consider those who are protected by court orders.
• Use a photographer/videographer who has a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC).
• Ensure the photographer is supervised at all times.
• Images must relate only to participation in the sport, with all Children and Young People appropriately dressed and posed.
• Do not share images outside the organisation without parent/carer knowledge and approval.

Storing & Publishing  

• Images must be stored securely to prevent unauthorised access and deleted when no longer needed.
• Images cannot be published or identify a Child—online or in print—without written parental or guardian consent (where appropriate and possible, from the Child/Young Person themself).
• Organisations must ensure any official photographer follows all requirements. 

Clear and safe drop‑off and pick‑up procedures help ensure that Children and Young People are accounted for, supported, and collected responsibly.

1. Set expectations: Clearly inform parents/guardians about the required drop‑off and pick‑up procedures for the activity.
2. Keep contacts accessible: Maintain an up‑to‑date list of emergency contact numbers and have a working phone available.
3. Manage late pickups: If a parent or carer is late, make reasonable attempts to contact them.
4. No transport responsibility: The person in a Position of Authority is not responsible for transporting children home if parents/carers are late for pick up.  

To keep Children and Young people safe, transport should only happen when it is directly connected to an approved activity (e.g., training, games, programs, events).

Only People in Positions of Authority can transport Children and Young People and only when:

1. Parent/Guardian Permission Is Given

• Except in an emergency, you must have written approval from the Child’s parent or guardian.
• If you’re not an Approved Person, you must not transport a Child without that written approval.

2. The Organisation Has Approved It

• You must get permission from the Relevant Body (club, league, program manager, etc.) before transporting any Children or Young People.

3. Safe & Responsible Driving

• You must:
  • Drive safely and responsibly.
  • Not be affected by alcohol or any other substance.
  • Hold an unrestricted driver’s licence.
  • Avoid being alone in the car with a Child where practicable.

4. Safe Vehicle Standards

• Transport must be in a roadworthy vehicle.
• The vehicle must:
  • Not exceed the manufacturer’s seating capacity.
  • Have working seatbelts for all passengers.
  • Use child restraints where required by law. 

All overnight stays must be conducted in a safe, respectful manner that places the wellbeing of Children and Young People above all else.

1. Approval and Management

• Overnight stays involving Children and Young People must be approved and managed by the Relevant Body, unless the stay is with an Approved Person.

2. Required Consent

• Written parent or guardian consent (including email or SMS) is required before any overnight stay.
• Where appropriate and possible, Children and Young People should also be asked for their consent.

3. Expected Behaviour

• All Persons involved must follow the same standards of behaviour expected during any other activity.

4. Conduct Standards During Overnight Stays

Privacy and Appropriate Behaviour

• Children and young people must have privacy when bathing, toileting, and dressing.
• Adults must maintain appropriate dress standards, with no nudity in front of Children or Young People.
• Children and Young People must not be exposed to pornographic material (e.g., movies, TV, internet, magazines).

Supervision

• Children and Young People must not be left with unauthorised supervisors, such as accommodation staff or other peers.

Sleeping Arrangements

• Sleeping arrangements must always prioritize safety:  
  • An adult must not sleep alone in the same room as children or young people unless they are the parent or hold parental responsibility.
  • Children and Young People must never share a bed with an adult or with another Child or Young Person.

Communication Rights

• Children and Young People must be able to contact their parents or an Approved Person if they feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or distressed.
• Parents/guardians must also be allowed to contact their Child when required. 

Change rooms must be managed in a way that keeps Children and Young People safe, appropriately supervised, and supported, while still respecting their need for privacy.

Supervision Requirements

• Children and Young People must always be supervised in change rooms when used for official Club or Controlling Body activities.
• Supervision must also allow for and respect their right to privacy.

Responsibilities of Persons in Positions of Authority

• They must not shower or change at the same time as the kids they supervise.
• They must not be alone with a Child or Young Person in a change room.
• They must ensure appropriate supervision in public change rooms to prevent:  
  • Abuse from the public or adult users
  • Misbehaviour
  • While still respecting privacy

Use of Recording Devices

• No cameras or recording devices of any kind are allowed in change rooms used for:  
  • Changing clothes
  • Showering
  • Toileting
  • Medical or personal care

Definition of Recording Devices

Any device capable of taking photos or videos, including:

• Mobile phones
• Smartwatches
• Cameras
• Tablets
• Computers
• Camera glasses 

Ensuring the safety and wellbeing of Children and Young People requires that adults supervising them remain sober, unimpaired, and responsible at all times.

Prohibited Conduct for Persons in Positions of Authority

A Person in a Position of Authority must never:

• Use, possess, or be under the influence of illegal drugs in the presence of Children or Young People.
• Consume or be under the influence of alcohol while supervising Children or Young People during any activity.
• Be impaired by legal drugs (including prescribed or over‑the‑counter medication) when around Children or Young People.
• Provide alcohol, drugs, or tobacco to any Child or Young person.

Medicine – When It Can Be Supplied or Administered

Medicines may only be given to a Child or Young Person if:

• It is necessary for lifesaving treatment, and the person reasonably believes this.
• It is permitted by law.
• There is parent/guardian/carer consent, and:  
  • The medicine has a valid prescription for that specific Child or Young Person, and
  • It is administered at the prescribed dosage. 

Clear expectations are set for how parents and guardians should be involved in key decisions and oversight of a Child or Young Person’s participation in activities including:

• They must be involved in all significant decisions regarding their Child’s participation in an activity including signing any documentation related to the Child’s involvement.
• They must not be restricted from accessing their Child when required.
• They must be informed about the expected standard of behaviour when watching their Child during an activity and must be made aware that inappropriate conduct can lead to remedial actions.