Standard 1- Organisational Culture

Strategies to embed an organisational culture of child safety, including through effective leadership arrangements

This Means:

Leading from the top down and embedding a culture that makes child safety everyone's business by:

• Protecting the interests of the child, not the organisation
• Making child safety a top priority within the organisation
• Taking a zero-tolerance approach to child abuse and to racial, religious or cultural discrimination
• Establishing values, behavioural expectations and recruitment practices that are consistent with a child centred, child safe culture

Examples of how your organisation can meet this Standard:

• Include a commitment to child safety in your strategic plan, vision and mission statement
• Report on your progress towards child safe sport in your annual report
• Discuss child safety and your organisation’s approach to the Standards at your AGM, conferences and other events
• Discuss child safe scenarios at team and staff meetings
• Have child safety representatives or champions within your organisation
• Include child safety as a regular communication item with your staff and board, along with a standing item at board and staff meetings
• Undertake awareness training for all board, staff and volunteers. This may be face to face or via an online service such as those offered by Play by the Rules.
• Have a dedicated section on your website outlining your organisation’s approach to child safety and the support available to members
• Display information and posters throughout offices and facilities, outlining your commitment to child safe sport
• Develop and promote case studies of what is happening within your sport
• Utilise upcoming conferences and training day to present to your members about the Standards
• Congratulate clubs and leagues who are taking steps to address the Standards via presentations, emails and your website

You can support your members by:

• Providing clear, sport relevant examples of what you have done
• Providing a contact person/people to assist with their inquiries and activities

Helpful Resources:

• PPT Presentation Template & Presenter Guide
• Play by the Rules – Online Courses (Child Protection, Discrimination & Harassment, Complaint Handling)
• CCYP – Standard 1: Governance & Leadership