Background to Clinics
Shaun Brown's Cricket Coaching conducts cricket clinics for children at a variety of locations within Australia. Clinics involve staff of a clinic coordinator, a head coach for each day (ex-Australian star player), and a number of group coaches (casual employees of Shaun Brown's Cricket Coaching). Shaun Browns Cricket Coaching aims to provide an harassment-free environment where children can enjoy and learn the skills of cricket without any peripheral worries.
Risk Assessment
For each clinic Shaun Brown's Cricket Coaching will complete a risk assessment of the safety of children at that clinic. This will involve:
- Map of venue with designated medical, toilet and change room areas.
- A designated central area for coordinator to be based that allows for highest visibility possible of clinic activities.
Part C Attachment 1: RISK ASSESSMENT FORM
*Medical Area
*Drop-Off/Pick Up Areas
*Coordinators Area
PROBLEM AREAS COORDINATOR TO BE AWARE OF (spot not easily visible):
TOILETS: eg in clubrooms, two children at a time.
Pre-Clinic Information
Shaun Browns Cricket Coaching will send out a confirmation of clinics letter to children and their guardians which will include:
- A brief outline of Child Protection policy
- Designated pick-up and drop-off times which clearly state the times Shaun Brown's Cricket Coaching will be responsible for children, therefore eliminating any time when children will be unsupervised.
- Outline of bullying policy, parent and child code of conduct.
On-Clinic Policies
The responsibility of implementing on-clinic policies for Shaun Browns Cricket Coaching falls on the coordinator and to a lesser extent the coaches. The nature of the policies and the fact that coaches/coordinators are central to the risks involved mean both coaches and coordinators need to be aware of policies to provide checks on each other. It must be stressed that these policies are in place to protect children AND staff equally. Staff may not be guilty of any wrongdoing, but if these policies are not followed strictly they can be left open to false accusations. Staff must avoid all situations where they are left alone with a child in an area not visible to others. To avoid these situations the following procedures must be adhered to by coordinators when commencing a camp:
- Coaches/coordinators are responsible for children between the designated drop-off and pick-up times at a camp. Therefore staff must be punctual and aware that although the camp activities start at 9, policies have to be enforced from drop-off time. There are less people around at these times which therefore make everyone more vulnerable and the policies more important.
- Coordinators will show a brief introduction video outlining how the camp will run. This will explain to children clearly that if at any stage they feel uncomfortable to see your group coach and coordinator. During this camp introduction the coordinator will also inform all participants and staff of each designated area (see points below).
- A Coordinators Area where the coordinator will be based with all equipment and administrative documents is to be set-up in the open, preferably under cover but must be visible to all other staff on the camp. All coaches and children will be made aware of where this area is and shall be referred to as the Coordinators Area. (Note: for larger clinics where there is separate MINI area not visible from the Coordinators Area the Minis Coordinator will assume the Coordinators responsibility of being visible at all times to coaches in that area).
- As part of the coordinators role they will at times be moving around the camp to make sure things are running smoothly. It is important that at these times any money or valuables from the coordinators area are taken with them or locked in a car or clubrooms. When moving around a coordinator must be easily visible to all coaches, but, if necessary to be out of sight at all (eg: going to toilet), it must be for a minimum amount of time. This allows the coordinator to perform the same functions while on the move.
- A designated Medical Area will be part of the Coordinators Area. A first-aid kit will be kept here and ice will be accessible. If a child is injured the group coach will send them with another child to the coordinators area. The coordinator will attend to the injury in the open Medical Area if it is not a serious injury, and then send back the two children to their group. If the child is unable to return immediately, they will sit in the open area with the coordinator until they are ready to return and the other child will return to the group. If the injury/or sickness is any more serious the coordinator will call the childs parent/guardian.
- One designated toilet block will be used at each individual venue, preferably the one in closest and most central proximity to the Coordinators Area and other activities of the camp. When a child needs to go to the toilet their group coach will send them along with another child. Children will be encouraged to go to the toilet during breaks to minimise the need for this process.
- Coordinators, group coaches and head coaches must keep aware of any on-lookers that may be acting suspiciously. Coordinators must be informed and police informed if problems continue. Any interaction with on-lookers during camps, especially during breaks, must be actively discouraged (excluding parent/guardian).
- Any interaction with children outside of the designated hours of camps is prohibited. On camps where staff stay overnight at motels, coaches and coordinators are discouraged from leaving the motel alone outside of camp hours.
- (note: the Risk Assessment Form provided to the coordinator prior to the camp will provide an outline as to how these procedures relate to individual venues and any deviations necessary from usual practices).
Interaction Between Children with age difference
Shaun Brown's Cricket Coaching clinics cater for ages between 6 and 16 years of age. The procedures and policies outlined above in On-Clinic Policies also relate to interaction between children on the clinic with a substantial age difference. To ensure the greatest precautions are taken, children are grouped according to age and coordinators and coaches are to be aware of any extra interaction from older participants towards younger children. If this does occur, coaches should ensure the children are separated and the older one warned. If it continues to occur head office is called and parents are contacted.
Disclosure by Children to Staff
It is possible that over the course of a clinic a child may disclose information to staff of Shaun Browns Cricket Coaching that relates to some form of child abuse outside of the clinic. It is a duty of care to take this matter seriously and immediately inform the coordinator who in turn will contact the offices of Shaun Brown's Cricket Coaching. From there the matter will be passed on to police. When these situations arise there must be confidentiality between the coach, coordinator and child.
Bullying Policy
Shaun Brown's Cricket Coaching strives to provide a harassment-free clinic, this not only encapsulates forms of child abuse but also bullying and harassment form other participants. It will be made clear in the introduction video that such behaviour is not tolerated, it is up to group coaches and in turn coordinators to enforce this stance rigorously from the very start of the camp.
*If a group coach witnesses or is informed of any bullying going on they will talk to the children involved and aim to mediate.
*If this behaviour continues they will be sent to the coordinator who will move them into a different group (preferably the next older group- if behaviour improves but skill level is not up to the older level coordinators and coaches will make a judgement on whether to move them back later in the camp).
*If bad behaviour continues in the older group the coordinator will contact the offices of Shaun Browns Cricket Coaching who will in turn contact a parent/guardian of the child and a decision will be made whether to refund the money from the camp and have the child picked up.
