South Warrnambool Football Netball Club
Working with Children Policy
- POLICY STATEMENT
The Working with Children Check (WWCC) provides a mandatory minimum standard for assessing the suitability of people working with children and young people. The check aims to screen for people who may pose a risk to the safety of children and young people in either paid or volunteer work.
It applies to people who have regular direct contact with children where that contact is not directly supervised.
- PURPOSE
To minimise risk of harm to children by requiring staff and volunteers of South Warrnambool Football Netball Club to provide evidence that they have appropriate approvals to work with children in accordance with legislation and AFL Policy.
- IMPLEMENTATION
AFL Victoria expects that clubs with junior teams will, as a minimum requirement, have the following people with WWCC.
-All executive committee members as well as the canteen manager/supervisor
-Coach, Team manager & club trainer
-Any adult attending an overnight trip with children
-Other members of the club who are involved in regular contact with children who are not directly supervised by a person with WWCC.
It’s a good idea to have someone at the club who is responsible for WWC Check matters. This person can provide members with information; validate the WWC Check cards and record details. In the majority of instances this will be the Club Secretary. It is recommended that where exemptions apply, the Nominated Person of each Club, League or Association records this to ensure up-to-date records are maintained. Our club through our planning calendar and secretary commits to updating our register annually each Feb/March & include our expectations and policy in our club season guide and inductions of key personnel.
- EXEMPTIONS
AFL Victoria endorses the following exemptions from the legislation and it will recognise that Clubs and Associations shall not require the following individuals to apply for the WWCC (subject to appropriate proof being sighted):
>Persons aged under 18;
>Sworn Members of Victoria Police (who are not suspended from duty);
>Teachers registered with the Victorian Institute of Teaching; (clubs are required to sight the VIT registration)
Under the legislation, parents do not have to apply for a WWCC if their child is involved in the relevant activity. However, AFL Victoria does not endorse this exemption and it expressly requires that all parents that meet the criteria set out above apply for, and obtain a WWCC. AFL Victoria is one of a number of sports that have taken this view in order to maximise the protection of children involved in football.
