Child Safety At The Upper Ferntree Gully Football Club

Everyone who participates in our Club’s activities is entitled to do so in an enjoyable and safe environment. Upper Ferntree Gully Football Club (UFGFC) has a legal and moral obligation to ensure that, when given responsibility for children and young people, coaches, officials, volunteers, staff members and parents provide them with the highest possible standard of care. UFGFC is committed to devising and implementing policies so that everyone in our sport accepts their responsibilities to safeguard children from harm and abuse. This means following policies and procedures to protect children and reporting concerns about their safety and/or welfare to appropriate authorities.

The policy aims to promote good practice, provide children and young people with appropriate safety and protection whilst in the care of the Club and to allow staff and volunteers to make informed and confident responses to specific child safety issues. This policy guides how all our staff and volunteers behave with children in our organisation. The policy applies to all people associated with the UFGFC including committee members, management, coaches, team managers, parents of players, and players. This policy document sets out how the UFGFC recognises the importance of child safety and how we work to ensure our Club creates and maintains an environment where all children are safe.

Our Commitment To Child Safety

At the UFGJFC, we want children to be safe, happy and empowered. We support and respect all children, as well as our staff and volunteers. Our organisation is committed to child safety and We are committed to the safety, participation and empowerment of all children. We have zero tolerance for child abuse, and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously and consistently with our robust policies and procedures. We have legal and moral obligations to contact authorities when we are worried about a child’s safety, which we follow rigorously.

• Our organisation is committed to preventing child abuse and identifying risks early, and removing and reducing these risks.
• We support and respect all children, as well as our staff and volunteers. We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children, the cultural safety of children from a culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and to providing a safe environment for children with a disability.
• If you believe a child is at immediate risk of abuse phone 000.
• If you have any issues or questions relating to keeping our kids safe, please call our Child Safety Officer on 0478 872 772 or the President on 419 377 588.

Child Safety in Victoria

The Victorian Child Safe Standards, introduced in January 2016, aim to protect children from abuse in organisations, including physical violence, sexual offences, serious emotional or psychological abuse and neglect. The child safety standards require organisations that provide services for children to have a child-safe policy and a statement of commitment to child safety. Changes have been made to make the standards even stronger, these changes come into effect on 1 July 2022. All child-based organisations need to be compliant with the standards.

The Victorian Child Safe Standards, introduced in January 2016, aim to protect children from abuse in organisations, including physical violence, sexual offences, serious emotional or psychological abuse and neglect. The child safe standards require organisations that provide services for children to have a child-safe policy and a statement of commitment to child safety. Changes have been made to make the standards even stronger, these changes come into effect on 1 July 2022. All child-based organisations need to be compliant with the standards.

To create and maintain a child-safe organisation, the UFGFC must ensure:

• we have a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.

• child safety and wellbeing are embedded in organisational leadership, governance, and culture.

• children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously.

• families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.

• equity is upheld, and diverse needs are respected in policy and practice.

• people working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and well-being values in practice.

• processes for complaints and concerns are child-focused.

• the committee and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.

• physical and online environments promote safety and well-being while minimizing the opportunity for children and young people to be harmed.

• implementation of the Child Safe Standards is regularly reviewed and improved.

• policies and procedures that document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.

Last updated: 20th May 2024