Somerton Park Tennis Club: Junior Members Protection Policy

At Somerton Park Tennis Club we take our duty of care to children and young people as well as their families seriously.  Recently we have appointed a Child Safety Officer: Mr Michael Pickburn who has attended training in Child Safe Environments and Child Protection. We have formulated a Junior Members Protection Policy as outlined below.

Club Members Responsibilities

1. All parents, players, officials and administrators are required to read and familiarise themselves with the clubs code of conduct as set forth by Tennis SA. These are guidelines by which all members are bound (Click here ).
2. All parents, players, officials and administrators are to be on the look out for potential risks to the safety of our child members.  Do not hesitate to talk to our Child Protection Officer if you have any concerns.
3. If you are suspicious that a child has been abused or neglected, or at risk of that occurring, phone the Child Abuse report line on 13 14 78 and then make the club aware of your concerns by contacting the Child Protection Officer. Every member has a responsibility to be up to date with our reporting and complaint handling process.

For further information on Mandatory Notification of Child Abuse please access the following link (Click here )

Recruitment and Screening

1. Current DCSI Screening and a Police check are required for all Dover Square Tennis Club  Junior Coaches, Assistant Coaches, Club President, Junior Co-ordinators, Child Protection Officer and all Committee Members.
2. If the National Police Check or DCSI Screening reveals that the person has been found guilty of any criminal offence, whether or not a conviction is recorded, the following requirements apply: Regardless of when the offence occurred, if it involved an offence of violence, abuse or assault against a child, murder or a Serious Sex Offence (as defined in Tennis Australia Member Protection Policy 2016 11 clause 9.6) then:

(i)     In the case of a Preferred Appointee, the person must not be appointed.

(ii)    In the case of an Existing Appointee, subject to obtaining appropriate legal advice beforehand the appointment of the person should be ended.

Harassment, Child Abuse and Discrimination

1.        Harassment, Abuse, Child Abuse, Discrimination and Vilification are unlawful and prohibited and constitute an offence under this Policy.

2.       Harassment is any unwelcome behaviour which if offensive, abusive, belittling or threatening to a person.  It can be expressed or implied, physical, verbal or non-        verbal.  Whether or not the behaviour is Harassment is determined from the point of view of the person receiving the behaviour, assessed objectively.  That is, it must be behaviour that a reasonable person with those characteristics would find unwelcome.  It does not matter whether or not the person harassing intended to offend or not.  Harassment includes sexual Harassment, Abuse and Discrimination.

3.       For definition and examples of Harassment behaviours please refer to Clause 11 in the Members Protection Policy outlined by Tennis Australia (Click here )

4.       Where an allegation of Child Abuse has been reported, the Child Protection Officer must immediately report any incident  to the police and other relevant government agency

5.       Somerton Park Tennis Club will take all necessary steps to ensure that people involved in a complaint are not victimised by anyone for coming forward with a complaint or for providing assistance in relation to a complaint.  Victimisation is considered a Harassment behaviour and therefore will not be tolerated by the club.

Social Networking

1.       Social Networking refers to any interactive website or technology that enables persons to communicate and/or share content via the internet.

2.       The expectation is that members of Somerton Park Tennis Club will conduct themselves appropriately when using social networking sites to share information related to tennis or other club members.

3.       Any postings on Somerton Park Tennis Club Facebook or Website will be removed if containing material which is , or has the potential to be, offensive, profane, harassing, embarrassing, intimidating, sexually explicit, bullying, hateful, racist, sexist or otherwise inappropriate.

4.       Postings on Somerton Park Tennis Club Facebook or Website will respect the privacy of its members and will contain no surnames.

5.       Photos of any member of Somerton Park Tennis Club under the age of 18 will require the consent of a Parent or Guardian to be posted which may be obtained when registering at the beginning of the Tennis Season.

Picking Up and Dropping Off Children

1.       The expectation is that any junior club member be picked up and dropped off for training and games by a parent or guardian regardless of age.

2.       The team supervisor for junior matches on game day will ensure children’s safety is maintained and that they have all departed the venue safely at the end of the matches.

Junior Team Selection

1.       Junior Team selection is decided by the Junior Player Committee which is comprised of Junior Coaches.  The selection is determined by Order of Merit. This decision is final and non-negotiable

2.       Junior Members involved in Open Grades competition will have selection determined in the same manner.

3.       Order of Merit will only change within a team if a player wins two weeks in a row and the immediately higher ranked player loses two weeks in a row. 

4.       A losing player or doubles pair may not be promoted over a winning player or pair in the next match in which they participate.

5.       A player shall not change greater than one position in the Club’s Order of Merit after four programmed minor round matches have been completed.

Complaints Policy

1.       If any person considers that this policy has been breached they may make a complaint

2.       A complaint must be made in writing  to either:

(i)        The Club President

(ii)      The Child Protection Officer

3.       When a complaint is received the complainant will be asked whether they wish the club to

(i)             Listen and advise the complainant about what their options are; and/or

(ii)          Act as a mediator between the complainant and the alleged offender to try and resolve the complaint by agreement; and/or

(iii)        Refer the complaint to the relevant authority.

4.       Having determined the complainants wishes the club will

(i)             Act in accordance with the complainant’s wishes

(ii)          Keep the matter confidential

(iii)        Inform the relevant government authority, if required by law.

Penalties

1. If the club considers that a person to whom this policy applies, has breached this Policy, it may impose any one or more of the following penalties:

(i)             Direct that the offender attend counselling to address their conduct

(ii)           Recommend that the appointment of any role which the offender holds within the club is terminated.

(iii)          Suspend the offender from competition for such period as the club sees fit.

(iv)         Terminate the membership of the offender with the club.

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