Child Safety Policy

Disclaimer & Intellectual Property Statement:
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This document does not contain regulatory or statutory requirements unless specified.

This policy document has been prepared by the Champion Initiative Partners for use by it’s Champions Initiative Partners who each operate through their own respective Youth Charitable Trust (“The Charitable Trust”)and is not intended for wider distribution without attribution.

The Champions Initiative has made every attempt to present the information in a clear and concise manner for a variety of users. However, the Champions Initiative is not responsible for the misuse or misinterpretation of the information presented herein. Under no circumstances shall the Champions Initiative be liable for any actions taken or omissions made by non-Champions Initiative users of this document.

All materials contained in this document are protected by copyright laws, and may not be reproduced, republished, distributed, transmitted, displayed, broadcast, or otherwise exploited in any manner without the express prior written permission of Champions Initiative.

Champions Initiative, respective local Charitable Trust, and the Academy names and logos, and other intellectual property are the property of their respective owners and cannot be used without its express prior written permission.

Please contact us at the following:
Champions Initiative
C/-Billy Graham Youth Foundation
Level 1 1 Ghuznee Street
Wellington 6011
Ph 027 523 3639
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Definitions
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Child:
A person under the age of 18 years of age.

Child Abuse:
The harming (whether physically, psychologically, or sexually), ill-treatment, abuse, neglect, or deprivation of any child.

Designated Person (DP):
The person responsible for carrying out the responsibilities outlined in this policy and the procedures detailed. This includes reviewing the policy, and reporting abuse to the relevant authorities.

Champions Initiative:
this is the trading body of the Billy Graham Youth Foundation that partners with local charitable trusts to provide the Champions Initiative operating model.

The Academy:
The Boxing Academy which is managed by the Charitable Trust.

The Charitable Trust:
The local board of the boxing gym that partners with the Champions Initiative.

Neglect:
The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs that has the potential to cause long-term serious harm to the child’s health or development. It may also include neglect of a child’s basic emotional needs.

Physical Abuse:
Any act that may result in the physical harm of a child. It can be, but is not limited to, bruising, cutting, hitting, beating, biting, burning, causing abrasions, strangulation, suffocation, drowning, poisoning, and fabricated or induced illnesses.

Psychological Abuse:
The persistent psychological ill treatment of a child that causes severe and/or persistent adverse effects on the child’s psychological or emotional development. This can include a pattern of rejecting, degrading, ignoring, isolating, corrupting, exploiting, terrorising, or gaslighting. It may also include age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. It also includes seeing or hearing the physical, sexual, or psychological abuse of other people, pets, or animals.

Sexual Abuse:
Forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities. This includes non-contact acts such as involving children in looking at or in the production of sexual images, sexual activities, or sexual behaviour.

Responsibilities
Our Privacy Officer is the Academy Manager. They will be responsible for carrying out the responsibilities outlined in this policy and investigating privacy complaints should they occur.

Reviews
This Policy is to be reviewed every three years for legislative compliance and practicality. Additionally, yearly audits should be completed to ensure that the “Policy in Action Evidence” requirements are being met.

Champions Initiative audits will also be undertaken regularly by a combination of members of the Charitable Trust, Champions Initiative national representatives, and members of other associated Youth Charitable Trusts from other areas.

All reviews are recorded by the Champions Initiative.

Review records:
Type of review | Date | Reviewed by: |
Signed:
Policy in Action Audit | 1/10/2022 | |
Policy in Action Audit | 1/10/2023 | |
Compliance and Practicality Review | 1/10/2024 | |

Policy in Action Evidence‍
• All Board Members, Staff, and Volunteers who work with the Trust have a Police Vetting record on their personnel file that has been completed or renewed within the last 24 months.
• Active relationships are maintained with Oranga Tamariki and the NZ Police Liaison.
• Any allegations, disclosures, or incidents of abuse are reported to the DP, and action is taken to minimise harm.
• Records of Child Safety training are maintained, and refresher training is undertaken every two years by the DP.
• Appropriate aspects of this policy are outlined within the induction process for all new Board Members, Staff, and Volunteers.
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Further Information
Further information regarding Child Safety can be found in the following documents:

Legislative:
• Oranga Tamariki Act 1989
• Children’s Act 2014
• Domestic Violence Act 1995
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Further Reading/Resources:
• "How Can I Tell? Recognising Child Abuse” – Child Matters
• Child Matters Charitable Trust – Childmatters.org.nz

Key Contacts
Champions Initiative email – hello@championsinitiative.org.nz
Oranga Tamariki – www.orangatamariki.govt.nz - 0508 326 459
Police - 111

CHILD PROTECTION PROCEDURES

Identifying Abuse
Actual or potential abuse can be identified in a variety of ways and it is important that all staff are alert for the signs. Indicators can be behavioural (such as emotional withdrawal, aggression, anxiety, developmental delays) as well as physical (such as unexplained bruises or burns) and while these may not prove that a child is being harmed, they are clues that alert us that abuse may have occurred. If in doubt it is always better to raise the issue rather than not in order to ensure the best outcome for the child.

Responding to Abuse, Suspected Abuse, or Disclosures
In all instances where abuse is suspected or an allegation is made, the first consideration in all circumstances is the safety of the child. This overrides all other obligations or requirements on the staff member, the Academy, the Charitable Trust, or The Champions Initiative. In a situation where a staff member believes that a child is in immediate danger, or in a situation where they believe that a third party is not prepared to secure the child’s safety by contacting the Police or Oranga Tamariki, the staff member in consultation with the DP will inform Oranga Tamariki or the Police of their concerns. Records of these Reports of Concern will be kept on file and held in a secure location at the Charitable Trust’s office. Staff will not act alone about concerns of abuse but will consult with either the DP or the Charitable Trust Chairperson who will be committed to acting as outlined in this policy and procedures document. While rare, if a child makes a verbal disclosure to a staff member it is important that they are taken seriously. Staff shouldn’t extensively question a child who has disclosed abuse, however it is important that the child is listened to and responded to appropriately. Children need to know that staff are listening and taking seriously the information that is being divulged. When child abuse is disclosed, staff will respond positively to ensure the child’s future protection. Under no circumstances should a staff member attempt to investigate or deal with concerns of abuse themselves. That includes seeking details of the abuse, asking leading questions, or making the child repeat themselves unnecessarily. As soon as possible following a disclosure staff must record, in writing, everything that was said including exactly what the child said, as word for word as possible.

Reporting Process
All concerns of potential, suspected, or alleged abuse must be bought to the attention of the DP. If the DP is unavailable or if an alternative person is preferred, then the Charitable Trust Chairperson should be contacted. The DP/Chairperson will contact Champions Initiative national office and, in consultation with them, decide whether to contact Oranga Tamariki and/or the Police as required. If an immediate response is required to ensure the child’s safety, then staff should contact Oranga Tamariki and the Police directly. All concerns or allegations of sexual abuse must be reported to Oranga Tamariki and the Police as soon as possible. When reporting an incident, staff should inform the DP as soon as possible and record, in writing, all conversations and actions taken leading up to the notification. At any time, any member of staff who has concerns regarding the safety and protection of a child may ring Oranga Tamariki to seek advice. Refer to Schedule 1 for a breakdown of the reporting process.

Information Distribution
The Charitable Trust will seek advice from Oranga Tamariki and/or the Police before identifying information about an allegation is shared with anyone other than the DP and the Champions Initiative National DP. Staff should be aware that: • Under the Oranga Tamariki Act 1989 any person who believes that a child has been or is likely to be abused may report the matter directly to Oranga Tamariki or the Police. Provided that the report is made in good faith, no civil, criminal, or disciplinary proceedings may be bought against them. • The Charitable Trust recognises that all staff must act within the legal requirements of the Privacy Act 2020, Oranga Tamariki Act 1989and all other relevant legislation however there are provisions within these Acts for sharing any and all information needed to protect children and enable other people to carry out their functions.
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Although the parent or caregiver of the child will usually be informed of concerns, there may be times when those with parental responsibility may not be initially informed. This may occur where the parent or caregiver is the alleged perpetrator; or it is possible that the child may be intimidated into silence; or to preserve evidence; or where the child requests it and they are of an age to be competent to make that decision.

Allegations against Employees
All staff have an obligation to understand what constitutes appropriate behaviour in relation to children and to maintain this behaviour at all times. Allegations, suspicions, or complaints of abuse against staff will be taken seriously and reported to the DP who will deal with them immediately, sensitively, and expediently. Where an allegation is made against a staff member, the DP, in consultation with the Charitable Trust Chairperson, must immediately assess the risk before allowing contact between any of the parties involved in particular between the alleged abuser and any child. In line with the requirements of this policy, and to place the protection of the child above all other matters, the staff member may be suspended effective immediately in line with the terms of their employment agreement. All allegations will be reported to Oranga Tamariki and the Police and the Charitable Trust will cooperate fully with any investigations or assessments. Any decisions made by Oranga Tamariki or the Police regarding the allegation may not impact on any decision making regarding the Trust’s disciplinary procedures.

Safe Work Practices
The Charitable Trust believes that as far as possible, staff working with children or their families and whānau should keep their personal and professional lives separate and does not encourage close personal relationships or caregiving activities outside of the work environment.

However, the Charitable Trust recognises that due to the nature of the work that we do the line between personal and professional can at times become blurred. Because of this, the following safe work practices should be considered guidelines rather than a strict checklist of what is or is not acceptable and it is the responsibility of the adult to ensure they act appropriately at all times.

Responsibilities of Staff
‍All adults who work with children have a responsibility to safeguard and promote their welfare. The Charitable Trust, the Academy, parents, whānau, and members of the public have the right to expect that all staff members will hold themselves to a high standard in order to always maintain the safety and protection of children. The Charitable Trust’s core values as outlined in our Passport to Success is used as a measure for whether a staff member’s actions live up to this expectation. However, there may be occasions and circumstances in which adults have to make decisions or act in the best interests of the child that does not align to these core values. In these situations, staff are expected to proactively inform the DP, the Charitable Trust Chairperson, and the parent or caregiver of the child as appropriate as soon as possible of the action that they took and their reasoning for doing so. Staff also need to recognise that their relationships with children is not a relationship of equals. A power imbalance exists, and it is important that this is not exploited at any time.

Training
‍The Charitable Trust recognises that induction training for new staff and volunteers is critical to the safety of children and all staff will attend induction training that will cover aspects of this policy including their responsibilities and the reporting process. The DP will undertake more in-depth training regarding Child Protection processes from external third parties as appropriate for their role.

Interactions with Children
‍All interactions with children need to be carefully considered and planned in order to reduce potential risks to children. Staff should set clear boundaries, including on social media, for the interactions that they have with children taking care that their language or conduct does not give rise to comment or speculation. Staff should not have any secret social contact with children or their parents or caregivers and should be open to scrutiny from other adults. Further information regarding Social Media use can be found in the separate Social Media Policy document. To further reduce the potential for unwarranted accusations or speculation regarding the interactions with children, all classes are to be gender specific and all Coaches and/or Tutors of children must be the same gender as the children involved in line with the Champions Initiative Terms of Engagement. Giving gifts to children should only be done with the approval of the Academy Manager and should be done openly and not based on favouritism. Occasionally, a child may develop an infatuation with an adult who works with them. These situations should be dealt with sensitively and appropriately to maintain the dignity and safety of all concerned. Staff should be aware however, that such infatuations carry a risk of their words or actions being misinterpreted and should be particularly careful to ensure their behaviour is above reproach. All infatuations, or suspected infatuations should be discussed with the Academy Manager and the child’s parent or caregiver at the earliest possible opportunity. Staff are expected to report and record any situation that may place a child at risk, or which may compromise the Champions Initiative National Body, the Academy, or the Charitable Trust to the DP as soon as possible.

One on One Situations
‍The Charitable Trust recognises that from time to time one-on-one situations may occur between staff and children however they should be avoided as much as possible. This is because one on one situations have the potential to make a child more vulnerable to harm by those who seek to exploit their position of trust as well as making staff more vulnerable to unjust or unfounded allegations regarding their conduct. Staff should ensure that they always inform other colleagues or parents/caregivers about one-on-one situations before they occur and, where possible, should have them present or close by. For the protection of all involved staff should report any instances where a child becomes distressed, upset, or angry during one-on-one situations to the Local Academy Manager.

First Aid AdministrationBoxing is a contact sport and as such staff may be required to administer first aid to children from time to time. First aid should only be administered, if possible, in the presence of another adult. Parents or caregivers will be informed at the earliest available opportunity.