The issue of child abuse is a complex problem that has an impact on all areas of society, including participation in sport and recreation activities.

The Wood Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service, led to increased community awareness of the significant number of child sexual assaults and incidents of abuse which occur. It also highlighted the need for the development and implementation of strategies to protect children from abusive situations.

Protecting children from abuse is a responsibility that we must all undertake. Through the implementation of strategies that assist in preventing child abuse from occurring, North Coast Football has taken a pro-active role in relation to child protection and intervention. These strategies will help to foster a safe and positive environment for children and young people to participate in physical activities.

In addition, development of Child Protection and Intervention Policy and Guidelines provides the Organisation with an excellent risk management tool for developing prevention strategies and for the effective management of child abuse issues within sport.

Information contained in this document will create a framework and provide direction for staff, officials, coaches, volunteers, members and parents of children and young people involved in North Coast Football, and affiliated regional and local clubs.  It will help deliver a consistent approach to child abuse prevention at all levels of the sport and recreation industry.

North Coast Football is committed to ensuring that the safety, welfare and wellbeing of children are maintained at all times during their participation in activities run by North Coast Football and its member bodies. North Coast Football aims to promote a safe environment for all children and to assist all staff, officials, coaches, members and volunteers to recognise child abuse and neglect and follow the appropriate notification procedures when reporting alleged abuse.

The focus of the policy and guidelines is the prevention of child abuse in the sporting environment.

This policy and guidelines promote the care and protection of children participating in North Coast Football and provide information and direction for employees, official, coaches, volunteers and members of the organisation. This policy and guidelines will assist North Coast Football in establishing coordinated strategies for dealing with the problem of child abuse and neglect in a responsible, effective and consistent manner.

Through the development of this policy North Coast Football objectives are to:

1.      Provide information to assist staff and volunteers in dealing with all forms of child abuse

2.      Provide comprehensive guidelines relating to risk minimisation and reporting/ notification procedures

3.      Provide direction to all staff and volunteers regarding their legal responsibilities under child protection legislation

4.      Promote and adopt Holiday Coast Soccer principles for child protection and intervention amongst staff, volunteers, coaches, members and parents of children participating in the organisation's programs and competitions.

Administrators, coaches, officials, members and volunteers often have a high level of contact with children in the sporting environment and play a major part in the successful operation of sporting activities.

Coaches and officials are often seen as role models. They have significant influence on the children they come into contact with and therefore have significant responsibilities.

North Coast Football expects that all administrators, coaches and officials whether paid or unpaid, who participate in organised sport under the banner of this Organisation will commit to implementing risk management strategies developed by North Coast Football for child protection and intervention.

The Child Protection Intervention Policy of North Coast Football are applicable to all management and staff (paid, voluntary, permanent or casual) of North Coast Football, and its affiliated regional/ local clubs.

In order to implement the child protection legislation North Coast Football will undertake to:

1.      Implement strategies and procedures that focus on the best interests of children and meet the requirements of child protection legislation

2.      Promote a safe and supportive environment for all children and young people participating in activities which come under the umbrella of Holiday Coast Soccer.

3.      Increase awareness and emphasise the importance of child protection issues in a sporting environment to all those involved with the activities of North Coast Football. This includes administrators, coaches, officials, athletes, parents and their children.

4.      Ensure that all staff of North Coast Football are aware of their responsibilities arising from recent child protection legislation, in particular, the requirement under the Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998, to inform their employers if they have been convicted of a serious sex offence.

North Coast Football Child Protection and Intervention Policy and Guidelines will be reviewed annually and updated in line with any legislative changes that have significant impact on the manner in which child protection and intervention issues are to be dealt with.

North Coast Football acknowledges that issues regarding child abuse and the reporting of allegations of child abuse is highly sensitive, and should be dealt with in a confidential manner.

North Coast Football has developed these notification procedures to ensure that confidentiality is maintained throughout the process and that consistent procedures for reporting are encouraged.

North Coast Football will be pro-active in its role to protect children and encourage an open environment that allows employees and members to be aware of their rights and responsibilities within the Organisation.

To deal appropriately with these issues and to ensure that the confidentiality of all parties involved is maintained, one person within North Coast Football will be designated as the child protection officer.

The child protection officer is responsible for reporting any allegations of child abuse that occur in North Coast Football to the local branch of the Department of Community Services (DoCS), and the NSW Police Service.  

If the child protection officer is not available then the most senior person within North Coast Football should be notified.

Child Protection Officer: Dean Evers Ph: 0419 683 056

Some incidents may seem minor; however, they may in fact reveal more serious concerns of misconduct or a pattern of behaviour that requires further scrutiny. All people associated with North Coast Football should be aware of the indicators for child abuse and sexual abuse so that they may make an informed decision on what to report.

If you have reasonable grounds to suspect that a child participating in any organised activities conducted by North Coast Football is at risk report the matter to the child protection officer.

Verbal notification of alleged child abuse must be followed up in writing within 24 hours to the local Department of Community Services. This is to be at the discretion of the Child Protection Officer

If an incident of child abuse occurs in North Coast Football it is not the responsibility of persons within North Coast Football to take it upon them-selves to determine whether the allegation is true or false. This responsibility belongs with the NSW Department of Community Service and the Judiciary.

Depending on the nature of the allegations and the extent of the situation, the NSW Department of Community Service will determine the manner in which the matter will be investigated. This may involve the NSW Police Service.

All matters regarding allegations of child abuse are to be treated as confidential.  The person designated as the child protection officer is the contact person for any incident involving allegations of child abuse. This is essential for confidentiality.  Confidentiality protects all individuals involved:

·      the alleged victim

·      the alleged offender, and

·       the person making the notification.

Under the Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998
North Coast Football is required to:

1.      Notify the Commission for Children and Young People of the name and other identifying details of any employee against whom relevant disciplinary proceedings have been completed by North Coast Football irrespective of the findings (except where the allegation has been proven to be vexatious, mischievous or false)

2.      Provide details of child abuse allegations/ convictions against employees to the Commission

3.      Notify the Commission of any applicants for child-related employment, rejected as a result of risks identified through employment screening processes

4.      Ensure that records of all information required to be submitted to the Commission for Children and Young People are retained by North Coast Football

Under the Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998 North Coast Football

1.      Will not commence employing a person in a child-related position without first  requiring them to disclose whether or not they are a 'prohibited person'

2.      Will not commence employing, or continue to employ, in child-related employment, a person that has been identified as a 'prohibited person'.