Child Safety

Our Club's Commitment

Our club involves activities for children and young people (CYP) between the ages of 5 and 18 years.

We take seriously our responsibility to deliver a sporting environment that is caring, nurturing and safe.

We promote equity and respect diversity by:

• actively anticipating CYP’s diverse circumstances and responding effectively to those with additional vulnerabilities
• by giving all CYP access to information, support and complaints processes, and
• paying attention to the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander CYP, CYP with disabilities and CYP from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

The club board approves and endorses the club's commitment to keeping CYP free from abuse and neglect.
It is the responsibility of all at Heads of State Ultimate, including board members, coaches and volunteers, to:

• protect CYP from all forms of abuse, bullying and exploitation by our people;
• be alert to incidents of child abuse and neglect occurring outside of our sport that may have an impact on the CYP we interact with; and
• create and maintain a child-safe culture that is understood, endorsed and put into action by all individuals who volunteer for our club and those who access our programs and services.

We expect all within our sport, regardless of their role or level of responsibility, to act to keep CYP safe from such harm by:

• adopting the practices and behaviour we have set as our standard when carrying out their roles
• reporting any abuse or neglect of which they become aware to our management and/or to external authorities responsible for child protection or to police, regardless of whether that abuse is being perpetrated by staff and volunteers within our sport, or by those outside our sport including those from the child’s family, extended family, their family’s extended network or strangers.

Ultimate Victoria Child Safety Policy (PDF)

Ultimate Victoria Child Safety Code of Conduct (PDF)

Information for Parents & Guardians

Information for Participants

Guide to Responding to and Reporting Child Safety Concerns (DOC)

Our Club's Practices

• Our youth coaches are accredited Level 1 coaches through Ultimate Australia
• Our youth coaches and volunteers connected with youth ultimate have registered a copy of their Working With Children Check with Ultimate Victoria
• No one from the club will provide unauthorised transportation to youth players
• No one from the club will involve themselves in youth player's private and/or family matters, unless they reasonably believe or suspect the players are at risk of harm, and only after seeking advice from the club's board
• All written communication from the club and coaches will be sent to parents as well as participants via either email or through our Slack messaging platform
• We will ensure our club is a positive environment for children and young people to engage with our sport
• We will ensure that our activities are run in a safe environment, protected from external threats
• Physical contact with children and young people is only used where appropriate to the delivery of our sport (e.g., to adjust grip position when learning a throw) and based on the needs of the children (i.e. to comfort if distressed).
• We will ensure that will ensure that no form of sexual behaviour is to occur between, with or in the presence of children, even if they are above the legal age of consent in Victoria.
• Our coaches ensure that youth players are given clear direction in any activities.
• Our coaches ensure that youth players are given an opportunity to redirect their misbehaviour in a positive way.
• Behaviour management strategies are fair, respectful and appropriate to the child’s developmental stage.
• Under no circumstances physical punishment is used, nor any other treatment that could be considered as degrading, cruel, frightening, humiliating or discriminatory.
• We will only take photos or video footage of children and young people if
  i. prior approval has been granted by their parent(s)/guardian(s); and
     ii. the context of the photo/footage is directly related to flying disc sports;
     iii. children are appropriately dressed and posed; and
     iv. the image/footage is taken in presence of other club members
• We will ensure that overnight stays (eg: training camps, tournaments) are to only occur with the prior written authorisation of parents/guardians and the club board.
• We will ensure that children are supervised while using change rooms whilst balancing their right for privacy.
• Coaches and senior players will not leave any training session or match until all children have been collected by their parents/guardians.