Safeguarding

Safeguarding

Keeping children and young people safe is everyone's responsibility.

Yarra Plenty Waves and Yarra Swim School are committed to providing a safe, respectful, inclusive and supportive environment for every child and young person. Every child should feel safe, heard, respected and able to enjoy being part of our swimming community.

We have zero tolerance for child abuse. We work to prevent harm, respond to concerns and support children and young people to speak up.

If You Have a Concern

If anyone is in immediate danger, call 000 first. Then tell our Child Safety and Governance Lead as soon as it is safe to do so.

You can raise a concern at any time. You can:

• use our online Report a Concern form

• speak to a coach, instructor or staff member

• contact our Child Safety and Governance Lead

• contact a Committee member

• email, call, write or speak to us in person

You can raise a concern formally or informally, and confidentially where appropriate.

Where to Start

Child safety, wellbeing or misconduct: Go directly to our Child Safety and Governance Lead.

Training or lessons: Speak with your coach or instructor first. If the matter isn't resolved, contact the Head Coach or Yarra Swim School Manager.

Other club or swim school concerns: Speak with the most relevant person. If the matter isn't resolved, contact the Committee.

What Happens Next?

We will listen to everyone involved and respond as early as possible. We aim for a fair and practical outcome and will keep information confidential where appropriate.

If a matter can't be resolved at first contact, it will be escalated for review. You will be supported and protected for speaking up.

How We Keep Children Safe

Our safeguarding approach includes:

• respecting and including every child, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and children from diverse cultural, linguistic and other backgrounds

• listening to children and young people and involving them in decisions that affect them

• putting child safety and wellbeing first in our programs, activities and everyday decisions

• supporting families and the wider community to understand and contribute to child safety

• ensuring people who work with children are appropriately screened, trained and supported

• providing safe ways to raise concerns and protecting people from victimisation for speaking up

• creating safe physical and online environments

• learning from concerns, incidents and feedback and continually improving our practices

Child Safety is Everyone's Responsibility

The Committee holds overall responsibility for child safety and appoints a Child Safety and Governance Lead each year to coordinate safeguarding.

Our Head Coach, Yarra Swim School Manager, coaches, instructors, staff, volunteers, swimmers and families all have a role to play in keeping children and young people safe.

Drop Off and Pick Up

Children must not be left alone before, during or after training or meets.

Please let your coach know if there is any change to who is collecting your child.

Photography and Consent

Photos from squad training and events may be used on our website and in promotional material. Parents and carers can opt out at any time.

Photos from Yarra Swim School Learn to Swim classes are only used where specific consent has been provided by a parent or carer.

Swimmer Safety and Wellbeing Survey

We regularly invite swimmers and families to share feedback about their experience.

The survey provides an opportunity to tell us what is going well and raise anything that has made a swimmer feel unsafe, uncomfortable or unsupported.

Our Safeguarding Policies

Our Safeguarding Document Suite covers areas including screening, training, conduct, complaints, photography, online safety and travel.

Key policies include:

• Code of Conduct

• Complaints and Participant Protection Policy

• Photography, Filming and Image Use Policy

• Onboarding, Screening and Training Procedure

Everyone Belongs Here

Yarra Plenty Waves and Yarra Swim School welcome everyone.

Our community includes people of different cultures, beliefs, abilities, bodies, sexualities, ages and genders. Every member should feel safe, respected and that they belong.

First Nations Commitment

Yarra Plenty Waves acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people as the Traditional Owners of the Country where we swim, train and learn.

We honour the history of the Yarra River, known as Birrarung, meaning River of Mists, and pay our respects to Elders past and present and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people connected with our club.