Safe Sport and Child and Young Adult Safety
MLC Aquatic is committed to the safety, participation and empowerment of all children and young adults. All members of our community, including employees, contractors, agency staff and volunteers, have an important role in providing children or young people with a safe and nurturing environment in which to prosper and thrive. MLC Aquatic has zero tolerance of child abuse, and all allegations and safety concerns will be treated very seriously and consistently within our policies and procedures and the Swimming Australia – Safe Sport Framework. MLC Aquatic has a duty of care to protect the safety and welfare of all children and young adults, and is committed to preventing child abuse through identifying risks early, and removing and reducing these risks. We have robust human resources and recruitment practices, supported by regular training and development.
We support and respect all children, as well as all members of our community. We are committed to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children, the cultural safety of children from a culturally and/or linguistically diverse background, and to providing a safe environment for children with a disability.
Our MLC Aquatic coaches are staff members of the MLC school are are bound by the MLC Staff and Student Professional Boundaries Policy.
All our swimmers, whether students at the MLC school, students at another educational institution, or who are no longer students, are regarded as members of the MLC Swimming Community, and are afforded the same protections, and governed by the same policies as the MLC school students. The MLC school child safety protocols, procedures and standards apply to all our MLC Aquatic club swimmers and members.
MLC Aquatic members/parents/volunteers are bound by, and covered by the following policies which can be read here by clicking the links:
- MLC Child Safety and Well Being Policy
- MLC Child Safe Code of Conduct Policy
- Sports Integrity Australia Children and Young People Safe Practices Do’s and Don’ts
- National Integrity Australian/SWIMAUS Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy
In addition, all committee members and swim meet team managers need to hold a current Working with Children’s check. This can be completed via http://www.workingwithchildren.vic.gov.au/.
It is advisable that all parents get a Working with Children Check.
Reporting a Child or Young Adult Safety Concern
MLC Aquatic and the MLC school work together to address any concerns regarding child and young adult safety.
Any pertinent information regarding child and young adult safety is to be reported to the Club President by emailing mlcaquatic@hotmail.com or directly to the MLC school, either to the Head of Community Sports Kirsty Veliades, or to childsafety@mlc.vic.edu.au.
MLC Aquatic members, parents and guardians should refer to the following MLC school document for further guidance on how to report a child or young adult safety incident or concern.