Child Safeguarding Resource Hub

Netball Victoria's Commitment to Child Safety

Every person in the netball community has a responsibility to understand their role in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people in our care. Netball Victoria is committed to promoting and protecting the rights of children and preventing abuse from occurring by fostering a culture where children feel safe and empowered. We also seek to ensure the cultural safety of First Nations children, children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and children with a disability.

VicSport has developed an Online Education Program to assist the Victorian sporting community implement and understand the 11 Victorian Child Safe Standards (Standards). The free and interactive program, is designed to guide sport administrators, volunteers, coaches and/or officials through the Standards, all you need is to create a login. Watch the instructional video here on how to use the program below and then get started here.

In April 2012, the Victorian Government initiated an inquiry into the handing of child abuse allegations within religious and non-government organisations. The inquiry’s final report, “Betrayal of Trust”, made a number of recommendations that have been acted on by the Victorian Government. The creation of Child Safety Standards (the Standards) was one of the key recommendations.

The Standards came into effect on 1 January 2017 and applies to sporting organisations that operate and provide sporting services to children within Victoria (including National Sporting Organisations). The Standards apply to organisations as a whole, not only the areas that work with children.

Recent review of the standards, effective 1st of July 2022, have focused on creating consistency with the National Guiding Principles, safety for First Nations children and young people, involvement of families and community in organisational decisions, management of the risks of child abuse online and offering greater clarity on the governance, systems and processes to keep children and young people safe. 

If you have any questions related to child safeguarding that cannot be answered by the resources provided, then please contact penny.forrest@netballvic.com.au

Where a complaint, incident or matter arises which may be dealt with under the Netball Australia Safeguarding Children & Young People Policy (Policy), then it is to be resolved in accordance with the processes in the Policy, to the exclusion of all other NV disciplinary or grievance policies or processes. 

For the avoidance of doubt, this means that where a complaint relates to Child Safety and falls within the scope of this Policy, this Policy will prevail and any such complaint shall be dealt with in accordance with this Policy and not the NV Member Protection Policy (or any other NV Policy).