Child Safety Policy

Update 01/08/2022: https://vicsport.com.au/child-safe-sport  Updated Policy Template below

Many of you will be aware of the Child Safe Standards (the Standards).

These provide compulsory minimum standards for all organizations that provide services to children, including Victorian Table Tennis Affiliates. The aim of the Standards is to ensure organizations are well prepared to protect children from abuse and neglect. It is recognized that many Affiliates will have existing policies and procedures that aim to keep children safe, and we congratulate these Affiliates for their proactive approach.

As the governing body for the sport in this State, Table Tennis Victoria (TTV) has responsibility for ensuring compliance with the Child Safe Standards by its Affiliates.

To assist with this, we have worked in conjunction with VicSport to develop a template for Affiliates’ own use.

Please find attached the following documents:

• A Briefing Note outlining the importance of an effective Child Safe Policy, and some background to the development of the initiative;
• A template Child Safe Policy for your Affiliate to consider implementing.

It is important to understand that this initiative forms part of TTV’s Club Enhancement Initiative, EPIC.TT, during the life cycle of the current TTV Strategic Plan, ‘Our Future Together’.

Steps to achieve the EPIC.TT "CSP Badge"

Step 1:

Download the Child Safe Policy template and Briefing Note below and make sure each of your committee members has a copy (or knows where to download it from)

Step 2:

Have a committee meeting and at the meeting follow these steps:

• Read through the Policy with your committee so that everyone understands it
• Discuss with your committee if you feel that your Club/Association is operating within the Policy and if there are any areas that need improving
• Discuss and appoint a Child Safe Officer

Step 3:

Edit the template so that it becomes a specific policy for your Club/Association

Step 4:

Formally adopt the new Child Safe Policy at the next committee meeting

Step 5:

Publish the Policy on your website and around the club.

Step 6:

Send a copy of the addopted policy to the TTV office

Step 7:

Notify your members of the Child Safe Policy and host a general members meeting. This is where the members can ask questions about the policy and Standards and get buy-in from the members regarding the culture shift in regards to ongoing Child Safetly

Step 8:

Add to your committee meeting agenda Child Safe Standards and touch on the topic each meeting so ensure that your Club/Association is abiding by the Policy. This is the best way to ensure an ongoing culture of child protection and respect and where there is a regular 'spot check' on any issues that could have arisen. The Child Safe Officer should lead this discussion each meeting.