Paddle Victoria Child Safe Code of Conduct

To formally register your agreement to abide by this Code of Conduct, please use the link below, fill in the details and submit your agreement.  A database of those who have agreed to the code will be kept at the Paddle Victoria office.

This Code of Conduct outlines the appropriate standards of behaviour by adults towards children and young people.

The Code of Conduct aims to protect children and reduce any opportunities for abuse or harm to occur. It also helps staff, volunteers and members by providing them with guidance on how to best support children and how to avoid or better manage difficult situations. This Code of Conduct applies to all people involved in Paddle Victoria activities, including coaches, officials, volunteers, and parents.

All Paddle Victoria staff, volunteers and members are responsible for promoting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people by:
• Adhering to our Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy, this Code of Conduct, Paddle Australia, and other Paddle Victoria policies.
• Child Safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance, and culture.
• Taking all reasonable steps to protect children from abuse and ensuring that people working with children are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.
• Treating everyone with respect and ensuring that equity is upheld, and diverse needs respected in policy and practice.
• Welcoming all children, their families and carers and ensuring that they are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.
• Establishing a culturally safe environment in which cultural, religious, and political differences are respected when interacting with Aboriginal children or those who are culturally or linguistically diverse and those with a disability.
• Staff and Volunteers are equipped with knowledge, skills, and awareness to keep children and young people safe through ongoing education and training.
• Listening to children and ensuring that they are empowered about their rights and participate in decisions affecting them.
• Reporting and acting on any breaches of this Code of Conduct, complaints or concerns appropriately and treating them seriously and with respect.
• Physical and online environments promote safety and wellbeing while minimising the opportunity for Children and young people to be harmed.
• Working with children in an open and transparent way – other adults should always know about the work you are doing with children.
• Respecting the privacy of children and their families, and only disclosing information to people who have a need to know.

Paddle Victoria staff, volunteers and members MUST NOT:
• Seek to use children in any way to meet the needs of adults.
• Ignore or disregard any concerns, suspicions, or disclosures of child abuse.
• Use prejudice, oppressive behaviour or language with children.
• Engage in rough physical games.
• Discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, culture, vulnerability or sexuality.
• Initiate unnecessary physical contact with children or do things of a personal nature that children can do for themselves, such as toileting or changing clothes.
• Develop ‘special’ relationships with specific children or show favouritism through the provision of gifts or inappropriate attention.
• Exchange personal contact details such as phone number, social networking site or email addresses with children.
• Have unauthorised contact with children and young people online or by phone.

By observing these standards you acknowledge your responsibility to immediately report any breach of this code to Paddle Victoria, Executive Officer – executive_officer@paddlevic.org.au/ 0430 312 252 or if you suspect child abuse report immediately to the police 000.

This Code of Conduct will be reviewed by Paddle Victoria annually

To formally register your agreement to abide by this Code of Conduct, please use the link below, fill in the details and submit your agreement.  A database of those who have agreed to the code will be kept at the Paddle Victoria office.
Child Safe Code of Conduct Agreement

Child Safe Policy

Paddle Victoria are committed to the safety of all children and young people and has zero tolerance for child abuse and anything that compromises the health and well being of children. We will ensure a child safe environment is maintained at all times with a commitment to children’s best interests and will actively work to listen to and empower the children.

Paddle Victoria policies and practices prioritize child safety and promote shared responsibility, not just at a leadership level, by outlining all staff and volunteer responsibilities. Paddle Victoria will encourage a culture exists where staff, volunteers, children and families feel comfortable and supported when talking about any child safety concerns.

Paddle Victoria Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy – Draft July 2022

Incident Report

To register an incident specifically regarding non compliance or concerns regarding the child safe code of behaviour, please use the PDF form linked below, complete all sections and email to executive_officer@paddlevic.org.au

If however, you feel that the child in question is in any danger or you feel abuse has occurred or they are at risk, please contact the police on 000

Child Protection Incident Report Form

On-line Training

VICSPORT’S CHILD SAFE ONLINE EDUCATION PROGRAM

Vicsport, with support from Sport and Recreation Victoria, Lander & Rogers and the Commission for Children and Young People, has developed an Online Education Program to assist the Victorian sporting community implement and understand the 11 Victorian Child Safe Standards (Standards).

The free and interactive program, powered by etrainu, is designed to guide sport administrators, volunteers, coaches and/or officials through the Standards.

What to expect from the Online Education Program:

• One Standard per module – so you can delve into the content.
• Practical, sport-based strategies and scenarios.
• Breakdown of compliance indicators, policies and procedures.
• Save as you go – work through the modules at your own pace!

Play by the Rules online training section is for everyone involved in sport and recreation organisations, including: coaches, staff, volunteers, players, parents and spectators.

Play by the Rules offer free courses on some of the most important topics in sport, including: child protection, harassment and discrimination and complaint handling. They also offer free online training for Member Protection Information Officers (MPIOs) for those members that would like to become an MPIO for their club.

By taking these courses you will upgrade your knowledge and skills, which will help to create safer, fairer and more inclusive environments for all people involved in sport.

The courses have been developed in consultation with sports experts who work in these areas. They are short, user-friendly and feature the latest interactive technology, including case studies, practical scenarios and a quiz. The modules may be done in part, or all at once.

​There is also a Let Kids be Kids online mini-course. The mini-course is an extension of the Let Kids be Kids campaign. To complete this short 30 minute course please click here.

http://www.playbytherules.net.au/online-courses

Working with Children Checks

If you are a volunteer or an employee with Paddle Victoria who is in contact with children under 18 you will need to have a Working with Children (WWC) Check.

In Victoria, the WWC Check is a mandatory minimum checking standard to protect children from people who may put them at risk.

There is no application fee for volunteers and the WWC Check card for volunteers only applies to volunteering roles. You will need to have a separate WWC Check if you are in a paid position where you work with children.

If you require a Working with Children Check below is the link for the application process

Working With Children Application process

Working with Children Checks

If you are a volunteer or an employee with Paddle Victoria who is in contact with children under 18 you will need to have a Working with Children (WWC) Check.

In Victoria, the WWC Check is a mandatory minimum checking standard to protect children from people who may put them at risk.

There is no application fee for volunteers and the WWC Check card for volunteers only applies to volunteering roles. You will need to have a separate WWC Check if you are in a paid position where you work with children.

If you require a Working with Children Check below is the link for the application process

Working With Children Application process

Club Resources

Below is a list of resources for clubs to utilize to ensure they are acting in a child safe manner. This information includes posters which can be hung around club rooms and bathrooms, flyers for specific issues of child safety and videos to demonstrate what is inappropriate behavior. It is recommended that each club has two child safety representatives who are not related to one another, they will be an activist for child safety and ensure the club is a safe environment to be in.