Child Safe Sport

The Victorian Child Safe Standards have come into effect to better protect children and young people from abuse. From 1 July 2022, the Victorian Government brought in eleven new Standards that replaced Victoria’s original seven standards and principles.

Key changes include new requirements:

• To involve families and communities in organisations’ efforts to keep children and young people safe
• For a greater focus on safety for Aboriginal children and young people
• To manage the risk of child abuse in online environments
• For greater clarity on the governance, systems and processes to keep children and young people safe.

Changes have been made to support greater national consistency, reflecting the National Principles for a Child Safe Organisation developed following the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Please note, the Victorian standards have some differences to the National Standards. This page focuses on the Victorian Standards.

The following resources from the Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP) provide further information and details about the Victorian Child Safe Standards:

• What’s New? – An overview of the Child Safe Standards
• What’s Changing? – A comparison of current and new Child Safe Standards
• Further information from CCYP

Vicsport has also compiled a Change Management Guidance resource to assist organisations implementing a change process, utilising a combination of elements from various theoretical change models.

Why do we have The Standards?

In 2012-2013, a Victorian Government inquiry investigated the handling of child abuse by religious and non-government organisations. The inquiry’s final report, Betrayal of Trust, made several recommendations that have been acted on by the Victorian Government. The creation of Child Safe Standards (the Standards) was one of the key recommendations.

Child abuse is a current issue in Victoria, affecting 1 in 5 children across a range of locations and settings, including sport and recreation. Across the state, in 2019-20 there were 122,179 reports made to child protection authorities, and in 15% of these cases the allegations of abuse were substantiated.

What are the Standards?

From 1 July 2022, there are eleven Standards which apply to all organisations who provide a service to children. This includes sporting organisations, leagues, clubs and associations. The Standards detail how your organisation will protect children from all forms of abuse through policies and procedures, and develop a culture of child safety and wellbeing, including the safety of children with a disability, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children with diverse genders and sexualities, and children from calturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds.

Click the button below to review each of the eleven Child Safe Standards and what they mean for your organisation:

The Child Safe Standards

Who do they apply to?

The Standards apply to all personnel in your organisation, regardless of the number of children involved in your organisation. This includes:

• Board of Management / Committee Members.
• All paid staff (CEO, Executive, Employees).
• All Volunteers (Coaches, officials, administrators, scorers etc).
• All students on placement.
• Any contractors you engage.

It also includes (but is not limited to):

• Clubs, associations and leagues.
• Regional sport assemblies.
• State sporting organisations.
• National sporting organisations based in Victoria.
• Other sporting organisations delivering services to children.

What is Child Abuse?
Child abuse is defined as:

• Sexual abuse (including grooming, with the intent to sexually harm a child).
• Physical abuse or violence.
• Serious psychological or emotional abuse.
• Serious neglect.

Who implements the Standards?
The Standards are implemented by the Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP). They are an independent statutory body that promotes improvement in policies and practices affecting the safety and wellbeing of Victorian children and young people, with a particular focus on vulnerable children and young people.

Are the Standards Victorian Legislation?
Yes, the Standards are mandated in the Child, Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005. Since 1 January 2017, the Standards have applied to sporting organisations that operate and provide sporting services to children (defined as persons under 18) within Victoria.

This includes (but is not limited to):

• Clubs, associations and leagues.
• Regional sport assemblies.
• State sporting organisations.
• National sporting organisations based in Victoria.
• Other sporting organisations delivering services to children.

Are some children more at risk than others?
The Standards apply to the safety and wellbeing of all children who are involved in your sport. Research shows that children from some population groups are at a higher risk of abuse than others.

As such, each of the Standards must also be understood and applied in the context of:

• The cultural safety of Aboriginal children.
• The cultural safety of children from a culturally and/or linguistically diverse.
• The cultural safety of children with diverse genders, sexualities and sex characteristics. 
• The safety of children with a disability and/or impairment.

Who do I call to make a report?
If you have a child safety matter to report:

• If the situation is life threatening or dangerous, call police on 000.
• If you have concerns that a child is at risk of significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect, contact the relevant Department of Health and Human Services child protection contact.
• You can also speak to your relevant state or national sport organisation contacts and follow any reporting policies or procedure your organisation has adopted. 

Vicsport’s child safe resources are designed for use by clubs, associations, leagues, state sport associations, regional sports assemblies, local governments and other sport or recreation organisations.

The three new documents to help you create a plan have been developed for use by Victorian sporting organisations of all sizes that are getting started on their child safe sport journey. It is important to remember that completing this checklist does not guarantee compliance with the child safe standards (the Standards). Ongoing action and attention to child safe practices will be required.

Additional Child Safe Sport resources can be found at:

• Play by the Rules
• Commission for Children and Young People
• Sport and Recreation Victoria Fair Play Code
• Clearinghouse for Sport
• Department of Health and Human Services – Child Protection

A series of webinars run by Vicsport prepared the sport and recreation industry for the new Victorian Child Safe Standards which commenced on 1 July 2022 and provided further understanding of how clubs, leagues and associations can meet the Standards.

Ahead of the Standards coming into effect on 1 July 2022, Michelle Bonardi, Frances Blair and Pam Boag from the Commission for Children & Young People joined Vicsport to outline the requirements sport organisations needed to meet.

A webinar then focused on Standards 3 & 4 – Engaging children, youth, families & communities with Body Safety Australia CEO Deanne Carson.

Rob Hyatt (Manager, Education and Visitor experience at Koorie Heritage Trust) and Georgia Bamblett - Senior Program Manager, Community Services at Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Limited (VACSAL) joined Vicsport to answer questions surrounding Standard 1 – Establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal Children and Young People are respected and valued.

A webinar aimed at clubs was then facilitated by Laura Johnston which focused on key considerations when creating child safe environments. The session included an overview of the 11 Victorian Child Safe Standards, an outline of what is required by clubs to meet the Standards and key support services and resources to assist clubs.

One-on-One Support
Vicsport operates a child safe ‘help desk’ during normal business hours. Our expert staff can provide guidance and advice on all matters regarding child safety in sport and recreation. We offer:

• Advice by phone, online or email.
• Face to face meetings.
• Document reviews.
• Presentations to club development forums.

The help desk is open to Vicsport members, including the affiliate clubs, leagues and associations of our state sport association and regional sports assembly member organisations.

Child Safe Sport Community of Practice
With the support of Sport & Recreation Victoria, Vicsport leads a child safe sport community of practice. This opportunity is available to key staff and child safe leads from all Victorian State Sport Associations, Regional Sport Assemblies and State Sport & Recreation Bodies, and meets quarterly. Contact us if you would like to be added to the invite list via admin@vicsport.com.au

Consultancy Services
Vicsport can conduct comprehensive child safe reviews for sport organisations. Our expert staff can lead you through the process of becoming a child safe organisation, assisting with stakeholder consultation, policy and process development, child safe culture development and action planning to develop and maintain child safe sport environments.

"The online modules are an extremely helpful guide and are very practical. They are great for child safe officers and will potentially provide a real education foundation for the entire sports industry."
Child Safe Online Modules Launch - 20/03/23

"These webinars are important for small clubs like ours made up of volunteers. it's good support for us and will help us to implement the necessary changes."
Child Safe Webinar - 12/11/22

"The workshop was very comprehensive and well explained. I will now be able to start the conversation on creating a safe culture at committee level within our club."
Child Safe Workshop - 28/03/22

"As a child safety officer of a soccer club with over 500 members, 100+ volunteers & 50 teams from age 7 to adults, it can be overwhelming to see an increase in the 7 standards & workout what is NEW and what you need to do. Today's webinar was re-assuring that there is support for community clubs and resources that we can tap into."
Online Safety for Child Safe Sport Webinar - 24/03/22

"The [Vicsport] presenter was very knowledgeable and passionate about the topic of Child Safety within sport. I like that we were encouraged to just make a start and begin the conversation and we received good advice on how to go about it."
Mallee Sports Assembly Webinar - 01/09/21

"The benefit out of these sessions is the practical strategies we can implement within our sports and then share with our communities. This was a great session to draw out these practical ideas!"
Child Safe Sport Community of Practice - 04/08/21

“I cannot recommend these events highly enough. The content last year was super and this year built on that. The networking opportunities are fabulous as well.”
Child Safe Sport Forum - 04/12/19

The Working with Children Check (WWCC) is a screening process for assessing or re-assessing people who work with or care for children in Victoria. WWCC Vic take a detailed look at the criminal history and relevant professional conduct findings of applicants to ensure children are protected from sexual or physical harm.

Information for Individuals
If you are doing or intending to do child-related work and do not qualify for an exemption, you need a Check. To help you decide if you are doing child-related work, check here.

More information for individuals can be found here.

Information for Organisations
The Check is just one of an organisation’s responsibilities in creating and maintaining a child-safe environment. It does not assess a person’s suitability to work with or care for children in a particular role. It is the responsibility of organisations to assess if a person is suitable to work with children and to continue monitoring their workers' behaviour around children. Organisations should be vigilant at all times by doing thorough reference checks and establishing sound, ongoing supervision practices so that children are safe from harm.

Organisations need to:

• Determine which paid and volunteer workers require a Check
• Ensure workers have a valid Check
• Ensure new starters apply for a Check before commencing child-related work.

More information for Organisations can be found here.

Guidance on Working with Children Checks for interstate staff and volunteers 

WWCC & the Child Safe Standards
Ensuring your staff and volunteers have a valid and relevant WWCC does not mean your organisation meets the Standards, it is one component that your organisation can utilise to develop a child safe environment.

Organisations must comply with the Child Safe Standards that have been introduced as part of the Victorian Government's response to the Betrayal of Trust Inquiry. These are compulsory minimum standards under the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 that apply to organisations that provide services for children.

Further information about Working with Children Checks can be accessed via:
Phone: 1300 652 879
Enquiries: https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/enquiries-0
Website: https://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/contact-us

This information was sourced from the Working with Children Check website.

The Victorian Reportable Conduct Scheme seeks to improve organisations’ responses to allegations of child abuse and neglect by their workers and volunteers. The scheme was established by the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (the Act).

The Commission for Children and Young People is responsible for administering the scheme. Their role includes:

• Supporting and guiding organisations that receive allegations in order to promote fair, effective, timely and appropriate responses
• Independently overseeing, monitoring and, where appropriate, making recommendations to improve the responses of those organisations

The Reportable Conduct Scheme has been designed to ensure that the Commission will be aware of every allegation of certain types of misconduct involving children in relevant organisations that exercise care, supervision and authority over children. The Commission will also be able to share information where appropriate, including with the Working with Children Check Unit, relevant regulators and Victoria Police, to better prevent and protect children from abuse. Importantly, a finding that a person has engaged in reportable conduct can trigger an assessment of whether that person is suitable to continue to work or volunteer with children. In turn, this may lead the Working with Children Check Unit to revoke a person’s Working with Children Check card.

The Reportable Conduct Scheme is focused on worker and volunteer conduct and how organisations investigate and respond to suspected child abuse. The scheme aims to improve organisational responses to suspected child abuse and to facilitate the identification of individuals who pose a risk of harm to children, but do not have a criminal record. The scheme applies to some organisations required to meet the Child Safe Standards – those with a high level of responsibility for children – and sets out specific obligations for the heads of these organisations.

The head of the organisation must ensure that there are systems in place that:

• Prevent reportable conduct from being committed
• Enable reportable allegations to the made to the head of the organisation
• Enable reportable allegations that involve the head of the organisation to reported to the Commission

How Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme work together

In 2012, the Victorian Government initiated an inquiry into the handling of child abuse allegations within religious and other non-government organisations. The Betrayal of Trust Report, which detailed the inquiry findings, was tabled in parliament in 2013.

The Betrayal of Trust Report made a range of recommendations, including the need to better protect children from child abuse when they access services provided by organisations. Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme are part of the Victorian Government’s commitment to implementing these recommendations.

Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme create distinct sets of responsibilities for organisations but have been designed to complement one another. Together, Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme strengthen the capacity of organisations to prevent and respond properly to allegations of child abuse.