WARA Commitment to Child Safe Organisation

WARA is actioning the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

Request for feedback on draft Child Safeguarding Policy

As part of its commitment to being a child safe organisation, WARA is reviewing relevant policies and practices.

Your committee is seeking feedback on a draft Child Safeguarding Policy and Procedures for Storing Working with children Information.

The Child Safeguarding Policy sets out WARA’s commitment to providing a safe environment for children, outlines how WARA prioritises the safety and wellbeing of children and what steps WARA takes to do this.

As part of this commitment includes certain volunteers obtaining a working with children certificate, WARA is developing processes to ensure the information associated with that process is properly managed.

Comments or queries should be directed to Chris Ryan at

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

or Alison Lang at

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

before Sunday 8 June.

This work is being done to ensure WARA’s practices meet contemporary expectations and ensure our sport is a safe space for families and children, and is not in response to an incident in rogaining.

====

The WA Rogaining Association (WARA) has created a subcommittee tasked with implementation of the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. WARA is committed to safety of all its members and our approach to keeping children and young people safe is an extension of that.

So far, the subcommittee has completed a self-assessment of WARA's existing child safe practices, attended workshops, and met with relevant people within the Department of Communities' Child Protection Unit, the Department of Local Government Sport and Culture and SportWest to understand, navigate and start to action the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations.

Since then, volunteer roles requiring a Working With Children (WWC) Check have been identified, relevant information and templates have been sought including from Rogaine Associations in other states. At this stage the First Aider and Training Officer are the only WARA roles requiring a WWC check.

To set clear expectations for its members, WARA is preparing "Guidelines for Interacting with Children" (link below). Everyone needs to become aware of and follow these guidelines. The subcommittee would appreciate member's comments on the draft "Guidelines for Interacting with Children" by 30 November.

WWC_Interacting_With_Children_Guidelines_WARA_v2024-10-14.pdf

Our next steps include updating existing WARA policy to include child safe practices, finalising the "Guidelines for Interacting with Children" and communicating and offering training re the updated information to WARA members. Also needed is a user-friendly process to ensure volunteers who require a WWC are supported by WARA, and their details are managed according to WWC requirements.

If there are any WARA members who have implemented child safe practices in another organisation, or you would like to have input or clarification about child safety please contact us.
Alison Lang This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Andre Morkel This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Chris Ryan This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Why a Child Safe Organisation?
Child abuse statistics are confronting. Check out the background and information within the "National Principles for Child-Safe Organisations - A Self- Assessment & Action".

Every child has the right to always feel and be safe. Keeping children and young people safe is a collective responsibility – everyone needs to play a part. It is not only essential for WARA to do everything it can to create and maintain safe environments for children and young people, but also vital that everyone involved is aware what to do if they suspect a child or young person is at risk of harm, or a child or young person discloses that they have been harmed.

WARA is taking this opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of children and young people by more fully addressing this aspect of safety of our association.