   
Triathlon Queensland is committed to maintaining the health and well being of children and young people who participate in our sport of Triathlon. A full version Triathlon Queensland's Child and Youth Risk Management Policy can be found here
Content of that is included in this policy:
- Policies and procedures for handling disclosures and suspicions of harm
- Plans for managing breaches of the policy
- Communication between coaches and U/18 Athletes
Triathlon Queensland's Child and Young people risk managmenet strategy provides efficient avenues in which to provide children and young people safe and supportive environments in which to participate in Triathlon. To ensure this happens, recruitment of the right staff in your club is essential. The policy sets out ways in which this can be done successfully through the recruitment and maintenance of staff. All staff must have a blue card to have interaction with anyone under the age of 18, it must be noted that the term staff includes all of the following; Paid staff, volunteer employees, coaches and technical officials.
What is harm?
Harm to a child or young person can be classified under the following types:
- Phyiscal Abuse: beating, shaking, burning, giving children alcohol or inappropriate discipline
- Emotional or physiological abuse: constant yelling, insults, swearing, criticism and bullying
- Neglect: not giving children sufficient food, clothing, medical care
- Sexual abuse exploitation: sexual jokes or touching, exposing chuldren to sexual acts
How to deal with it?
1. Receive disclosure in a private place, tell them they have done the right thing, only ask questions that confirm need to report and DO NOT conduct your own investigation
2. Document either a disclosure and/or suspicion of harm, ensure that it is done in a non-judgemental way and only the facts are reported, 'word for word'
3. The disclosure of harm must be reported to either the Dept. of Communities or the QLD Police Service
4. Ensure all people involved are offered support and counselling, and if the person of the allegation is an employee ensure all their further work with people under 18 is supervised
Plan for Managing Breaches of the policy
All people concerned will be advised of the process and be able to provide thier own version of events. The details of the breach, including versions of all parties, will be recorded and kept confidential. Suitable outcomes for breaches could be as follows; disciplinary procedures, further education and training, providing closer supervision or mediating between those involved.
Coaches interaction with U/18 Athletes
In relation to communication between coaches and children/young people through social networking sites and personal mobile phones a number of issues arise:
- Communication through these networks tends to be more social and lowers the 'professional boundaries'
- Can expose coaches of U/18 athletes to extended and irrelevant information about their student's lives
- The ability to electronically communicate has been previously abused with young people being 'groomed' and harmed
- Therefore, there should be no communication on social networking sites and any text message should be sent simultaneously to the athlete and their parent/guardian
Child and Youth Protection Policy Attachments
Here are documents you may need if there is a disclosure and/or suspicion of harm:
- Confidential record of informal complaint. Click here
- Confidential record of formal complaint. Click here
- Confidential record of child abuse allegation. Click here
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