Child and Youth Safety Policy

Last updated: 5 Feburary 2026

1. Purpose

Athletica Australia is committed to creating and maintaining a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all children and young people who engage with our programs, platforms, services, and events. The purpose of this policy is to clearly outline Athletica Australia’s commitment to child and youth safety and to define the responsibilities, expectations, and standards of behaviour required of all people involved with the organisation.

This policy exists to protect children and young people from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect, and exploitation. It also provides guidance on how Athletica Australia prevents harm, identifies risks, responds to concerns, and meets its legal and moral obligations.

Athletica Australia has zero tolerance for any conduct that places a child or young person at risk.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all individuals and entities associated with Athletica Australia, regardless of their role or level of engagement.

It applies to:

* Employees, contractors, consultants, and volunteers

* Mentors, coaches, officials, and facilitators

* Directors, board members, and leadership personnel

* Third parties, partners, and service providers engaged by Athletica Australia

This policy covers all children and young people under the age of 18, as well as young people aged 18 to 25 where Athletica Australia has a duty of care, authority, or power imbalance through mentorship, development programs, or digital engagement.

The policy applies across all settings, including:

* In-person activities, meetings, and events

* Online and digital platforms, including apps, websites, messaging systems, and social media

* Training programs, competitions, education sessions, and community initiatives

3. Our Commitment to Child and Youth Safety

Athletica Australia is committed to embedding child and youth safety into all aspects of our operations, culture, and decision-making. We recognise that children and young people have the right to feel safe, be heard, and be treated with dignity and respect.

Our commitment includes:

* Promoting a culture where child and youth safety is everyone’s responsibility

* Creating environments that are physically, emotionally, and digitally safe

* Empowering children and young people to speak up without fear

* Listening to and valuing the views, experiences, and concerns of young people

* Acting quickly, appropriately, and transparently when concerns are raised

Athletica Australia complies with all relevant Australian child protection laws, standards, and regulations, including mandatory reporting obligations.

4. Definitions

For the purposes of this policy:

Child: A person under the age of 18
Young person: A person aged 18 to 25 who may still be vulnerable due to age, experience, power imbalance, or dependence on Athletica Australia services
Child abuse: Any act or omission that causes harm to a child or young person, including physical, emotional, psychological, sexual abuse, neglect, or exploitation
Grooming: Behaviours intended to establish trust or emotional connection with a child or young person for the purpose of abuse or exploitation
Essential Contact: A person authorised to communicate with a participant for legitimate operational, welfare, safety, or participation-related purposes within a club, team, or sporting environment.

5. Code of Conduct

All representatives of Athletica Australia are expected to uphold the highest standards of behaviour when interacting with children and young people. Professional boundaries must be maintained at all times.

Expected behaviours include:

Treating children and young people with respect, dignity, and fairness
Acting in the best interests of the child or young person at all times
Using positive, inclusive, and age-appropriate language
Maintaining appropriate physical and emotional boundaries
Following Athletica Australia policies, procedures, and approved communication channels

The following behaviours are strictly prohibited:

Any form of physical, emotional, sexual, or psychological abuse
Grooming behaviours or inappropriate familiarity
Discrimination, bullying, harassment, or intimidation
Being alone with a child or young person without appropriate oversight where avoidable
Private, secretive, or unapproved communication with minors
Sharing, requesting, or possessing inappropriate images, videos, or messages

Breaches of the Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action.

6. Online and Digital Safety

Athletica Australia recognises that many interactions with children and young people occur in digital spaces. We are committed to ensuring that our online environments are safe, respectful, and appropriate.

Athletica Australia will:

Use secure and moderated digital platforms where possible
Establish clear rules for online behaviour and communication
Limit one-to-one digital communication between adults who aren’t an essential contact (Section 8)
Maintain transparency in digital interactions
Respond promptly to inappropriate or concerning online behaviour

Children and young people are encouraged to report any online interactions that make them feel uncomfortable, unsafe, or pressured.

7. Recruitment, Screening, and Training

Athletica Australia takes reasonable and proactive steps to ensure that only suitable and qualified people work with children and young people.

This includes:

Requiring Working With Children Checks or equivalent where legally required
Conducting reference checks for relevant roles
Clearly defining child safety responsibilities within role descriptions
Providing induction and ongoing training on child and youth safety

All personnel are expected to understand their obligations under this policy.

8. Essential Contact

An Essential Contact is a person authorised to communicate with a participant for legitimate operational, welfare, or safety purposes within a club, team, or sporting environment.

An Essential Contact may include:

A coach, assistant coach, or official
A club administrator or committee member
A team manager or operations staff member
Any person required for the safe, effective, and lawful operation of the club or sport
An Essential Contact may also include:
A parent, guardian, or relative of the participant
A family member approved by the participant or their guardian
A teammate registered at the same club or team, where communication is appropriate and relevant

To protect the safety and privacy of minors, contact between adults and minors is restricted. Parents or guardians may only communicate with their own child or with minors for whom they have been explicitly authorised. Contact with other minors is limited and subject to platform controls, club approval, or safeguarding requirements.

All Essential Contacts must use approved communication channels and comply with Athletica Australia’s Child and Youth Safety Policy, Code of Conduct, and digital safety standards.

9. Risk Management

Athletica Australia actively identifies and manages risks to child and youth safety across its operations.

Risk management strategies include:

* Assessing risks associated with activities, events, and digital platforms

* Implementing controls to minimise identified risks

* Regularly reviewing safety practices and procedures

* Encouraging reporting of hazards, concerns, or near misses

10. Reporting Concerns or Allegations

Athletica Australia takes all concerns, suspicions, and allegations of child abuse or harm seriously.

Any person who becomes aware of a concern must report it immediately to:

A designated Athletica Australia Child Safety Officer
Senior management
Relevant external authorities where required by law

Athletica Australia will:

Prioritise the safety and wellbeing of the child or young person
Handle reports confidentially and respectfully
Act promptly and in accordance with legal obligations
Support those involved throughout the process

No person will be disadvantaged for making a report in good faith.

11. Responding to Complaints

Athletica Australia is committed to fair, transparent, and timely responses to complaints related to child and youth safety.

Responses may include:

Immediate actions to ensure safety
Internal review or investigation
Referral to external authorities
Disciplinary or corrective action where appropriate

All complaints will be documented and reviewed to improve future practices.

12. Privacy and Confidentiality

Athletica Australia respects the privacy of all individuals involved in child safety matters.

Information will be:

Managed sensitively and securely
Shared only with those who need to know
Handled in accordance with privacy and record-keeping laws

13. Continuous Improvement

Athletica Australia is committed to continuous improvement in child and youth safety.