Child Protection Policy

This policy is designed to provide guidelines for the responsibility of Brisbane North Junior Cricket Association (BNJCA) in providing for the care and protection of children in its care during representative cricket events.

BNJCA is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people involved in the game of cricket. Our volunteer coaches, managers, scorers, and any others associated with the organization of junior cricket will treat children with respect and understanding at all times.

The Association will maintain an effective Risk Management Plan as a means of ensuring that it can provide a safe and enjoyable environment for all involved with the game of cricket at all levels under its control.

BNJCA applies the following guidelines for protecting children in its care (e.g., representative cricket teams) and requests that affiliate clubs also apply these guidelines for teams competing in BNJCA fixtures.

• All volunteers (coaches, managers and scorers) must hold a Suitability Card before they take any role, unless exempt under the Commission for Children and Young People Guardian Act 2000. (A parent involved with a team who has a child in that team is exempt).
• Maintain a register of all suitability card holders in a secure place.
• All volunteers must follow the code of conduct appropriate to the position held (e.g., coach).
• All volunteers are made aware of the appropriate policies and position descriptions
• All volunteers must ensure that the following areas are handled in an appropriate manner:
  • Collect and register players’ medical and indemnity details according to the Privacy Act 1998.
  • use of language, physical contact, relationships
  • discipline
  • bullying, and
  • general behavior
• Where volunteers are given responsibility for BNJCA representative teams, wherever possible, there will be more than one person with each group of children.
• If there are girls and boys in the same team/group, every effort will be made to ensure that both male and female supervisors are available.
• Insist that all children are picked up by their parents or guardians.
• Never leave a child alone.
• In training situations, ensure that after dark there is adequate lighting.
• Ensure that toilets and change room facilities are safe.
• Do not take a child into a vehicle unless you have express permission from the child’s parent or guardian. This permission should be on file for reference.
• When training or playing competitively, undertake all precautions to ensure the safety of the child.
• Should any abnormal occurrence be observed, an incident report must be completed and provided to the BNJCA Administrator within twenty-four hours of the incident occurring.
• Advise affiliated clubs of their responsibilities under the Commission for Children and Young People Guardian Act 2000.

This policy is subject to regular review by the Risk and Safety Committee and will be amended (as appropriate). Acceptance of a new release of the policy will be supported by a motion from a Management Committee meeting.

To the extent there is any inconsistency between this policy and the BNJCA Constitution, the Constitution will prevail.

This policy is current from the published date at the beginning of this document.

This policy remains current until superseded by another Child Protection Policy with a later date of currency.