Does your club screen volunteers?
All sporting clubs in South Australia providing for children are legally required to establish and maintain a Child Safe Environment. This could include:
Screening involves conducting Criminal History Assessments of volunteers working with children and is legally required in South Australia, unless an exemption applies. Your State Sporting Organisation may conduct these assessments on your behalf and they may already have policies and procedures that you can use or adapt.
You will also find useful, relevant, up-to-date information on the website of the South Australian Office for Recreation and Sport.
While undertaking a police check is the first step in the screening process, there are more steps clubs can take to safeguard children in their care, such as interviewing potential volunteers (formal or informal) or asking for and speaking to referees.
Why check referees?
Checking referees:
Who should be a referee?
What sorts of questions should our club ask a referee?
What happens if the volunteer is new to the country and doesn’t know anyone?
If people are new to the country and do not know anyone that could be a referee, it is important not to create a barrier. Explain to newcomers why a referee is needed. Depending on the position, he/she could volunteer under supervision until the club is confident in his/her abilities or sign a statutory declaration stating that he/she does not have any offences.