Softball Victoria is a child-safe sport supporter that is committed to providing a fun, inclusive and safe environment to participate and view softball in Victoria.

All key stakeholders of softball are responsible for ensuring that children are protected and furthermore empowered within the sport at all levels.

If you even have a concern regarding the welfare or safety of a child, please follow the instructions at the Softball Australia website.

NATIONAL INTEGRITY FRAMEWORK

Sport Integrity, Child Safety & Managing Complaints

Softball Australia and Softball Victoria have adopted Sports Integrity Australia’s (SIA) National Integrity Framework which takes a proactive approach to mitigate integrity threats to sports and provide a safe, fair, and healthy environment for participants at all levels of the sport. In conjunction with the new policies we have also adopted a new independent complaint-handling process run by Sports Integrity Australia. This means that all members can raise any integrity and child safety concerns directly to Sports Integrity Australia.

The suite of policies and further information can be found on Softball Australia’s Sports Integrity web page - Sport Integrity Australia - Softball Australia

Resources

VicSport

VicSport are leaders in this space and have an outstanding suite of resources for associations and clubs to access that will help. Click on the link below for more information!

https://vicsport.com.au/child-safe-sport

Play by the Rules

PLAY BY THE RULES is an interactive education and information website on discrimination, harassment and child protection in sport. Over the years, as more agencies have seen the need to promote Play by the Rules, they have joined as partners and helped by contributing funds, content and in-kind support.

Play by the Rules provides information, resources, tools and free online training to increase the capacity and capability of administrators, coaches, officials, players and spectators to assist them in preventing and dealing with discrimination, harassment, child safety and integrity issues in sport.

Softball Victoria’s Statement on Child Safety

Softball Victoria is a Child Safe Child Friendly Organisation and as such we have a zero tolerance of child abuse. Our sport promotes the safety of all children and we are inclusive of children from culturally and linguistically diverse background, children with a disability and we promote the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and young people.

Our commitment is reflected in the Child Safe Standards which under Victorian law we adhere to, to ensure that all children are safe and happy in our sport.

Member Protection Policy

Softball Victoria’s Member Protection Policy is in place to provide guidance to all softball participants, including instances of child safe breaches. To access contact details for Softball Victoria Member Protection Information Officers (MPIO) please scroll to the end of the document

Member Protection Policy – Softball Victoria

Changes to Working with Children Act

The Victorian Government has announced that the new Standards will commence on 1 July 2022, giving organisations time to plan, prepare and comply. 

The eleven new Standards will replace Victoria’s current 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.

There will be some unique features in the new Standards. A new standard focuses on cultural safety for Aboriginal children and young people and was recommended by Justin Mohamed, Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People, after undertaking an Aboriginal-led development process.

‘Creating organisations that properly include Aboriginal children, young people and their families, and that acknowledge and appreciate the strengths of Aboriginal culture, can make such a difference. Organisations will have requirements to ensure racism within the organisation is identified, confronted and not tolerated. We know that if Aboriginal children and young people feel safe to be themselves in an organisation, this better protects them from child abuse’ reflected Justin Mohamed, Commissioner for Aboriginal Children and Young People.

The new Standards provide greater clarity for organisations on actions required to meet minimum standards. Victoria has over five years’ experience of mandatory Child Safe Standards, so many organisations will have well developed child safety frameworks.

Organisations will need to get to know the new Standards, identify what changes they need to make and plan to comply by 1 July 2022. Until then, organisations will need to continue complying with the current Standards.

CLICK HERE to view all the changes, including supporting documentation.

CLICK HERE to visit the Victorian Government’s Working With Children Check website.

Child Safe Standards

It takes many components to build an organisation with a culture of child safety. The Standards should act as a starting point from which your organisation can take action. The Child Safe Standards incorporate:

1. Strategies to embed an organisational culture of child safety, including through effective leadership arrangements
2. A child safe policy or statement of commitment to child safety
3. A code of conduct that establishes clear expectations for appropriate behaviour with children
4. Screening, supervision, training and other human resources practices that reduce the risk of child abuse by new and existing personnel
5. Processes for responding to and reporting suspected child abuse
6. Strategies to identify and reduce or remove risks of child abuse
7. Strategies to promote the participation and empowerment of children

For more information on Child Safe Standards click here.