Safeguarding Children

What is Safeguarding?

Safeguarding in football is about building a strong child-safe culture where young players are protected, respected, and able to enjoy the game with confidence. It is where everyone in football works together to put the safety and wellbeing of children first.

A child-safe club is built on a positive child-safe culture, clear policies, compliance with the Child Safe Standards and the Working with Children Check, and child safe sport practices that create and maintain a safe, supportive environment for every child.

Child Safe Standards

Compliance with the Child Safe Standards is compulsory for all sport clubs, associations, branches, referee branches and organisations.

Assess if your club meets the Standards:

• Child Safe Standards – Self Assessment

Getting your club started :

• Child Safe Standards – Getting started in your Organisation
• Child Safe Scheme – A Guide for Board and Committee Members

What are the Child Safe Standards?

The 10 Child Safe Standards provides a framework for clubs to help keep children safe from harm.  These embed child safety in the attitudes, behaviours and practices of clubs and associations and the people who work and volunteer in them.

The 10 Standards

1. Child safety is embedded in organisational leadership, governance and culture
2. Children participate in decisions affecting them and are taken seriously
3. Families and communities are informed and involved
4. Equity is upheld and diverse needs are taken into account
5. People working with children are suitable and supported
6. Processes to respond to complaints of child abuse are child-focused
7. Staff are equipped with the knowledge, skills and awareness to keep children safe through continual education and training
8. Physical and online environments minimise the opportunity for abuse to occur
9. Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is continuously reviewed and improved
10. Policies and procedures document how the organisation is child safe.

Video: Click here to view the 10 Standards video series

Video:  Watch the video below for an Introduction to the Child Safe Standards and the Child Safe Scheme 

Child Safe Standards – Compliance & Monitoring

The NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian regularly monitors and audits sport clubs, associations, branches and organisations for compliance with the NSW Child Safe Standards and the NSW Working with Children Check.  so it’s important that your club has everything in place to meet compliance and to help keep children safe in football.

For further information:

• NSW OCG Compliance and Monitoring
• NSW OCG Monitoring and Enforcement