Standard 4 - Human Resources Practices

Screening, supervision, training and other human resources practices that reduce the risk of child abuse by new and existing personnel.

This Means:

Effectively screening and training people in your organisation to reduce the risk of child abuse by:

• Engaging only the most suitable people (whether in a paid or voluntary capacity) to work with children
• Having robust pre-employment and volunteer screening processes and background checking
• Creating clear job descriptions and duty statements
• Understanding the nature and signs of child abuse
• Providing high quality supervision and professional development

Examples of how your organisation can meet this Standard:

• Build child safe selection criteria into any job/committee position descriptions, recruitment advertisements and interviews. This may be through formal questions or informal discussions.
• Embed screening methods such as Police, Referee and Working with Children Checks into your recruitment strategy as required for difference positions. You cannot rely on one method solely as they all address different criteria
• Ensure probation periods are established for new staff and volunteers
• Provide ongoing information and training for committee members, staff and volunteers as part of your approach to professional development. The Play By The Rules website can assist with this
• Embed a child safe module in coaching and officiating training
• Promote a “policy of the month” via your newsletters, social media and communication channels
• View and/or discuss child safe scenarios at committee meetings
• Utilise registration, training and presentation days to present to members about the Standards and what you are doing

You can support your members by:

• Provide access to online training for all organisation members and volunteers. The Play By The Rules website can assist with this
• Distribute a list of easy to ask questions to utilise in interviews and “meet and greet” sessions such as:
  • Why do you want to be involved in our sport?
  • Have you worked with children before?

Have you had a situation where you have had to comfort a distressed child? How did you manage this? What was the outcome?

Helpful Resources:

CCYP - Video Presentations for each Standard

Play by the Rules – Online Courses (Child Protection, Discrimination & Harassment, Complaint Handling)

Play by the Rules Scenario: Inappropriate demonstration of a skill

Play by the Rules Scenario: Verbal abuse and inappropriate work loads

Working with Children Check (Victoria) – Who needs a Check

Working with Children Check (Victoria) - The Difference Between a Working With Children Check and Police Check

CYP – Standard 4: Human Resource Practices