CHILD SAFETY
Every child has the right to feel safe.
At EPIC Sports & Rec, the safety, wellbeing and happiness of children and young people comes first.
Whether a child is visiting Inflatable World, EPIC Kids Club, a birthday party, sports program, camp, clinic or event, we want them to feel safe, welcome, respected and heard.
We have zero tolerance for child abuse, neglect, grooming, exploitation or inappropriate behaviour towards children.
Child safety is everyone's responsibility at EPIC.
Our commitment
EPIC Sports is committed to creating and maintaining a child-safe organisation.
Our approach is guided by the Queensland Child Safe Standards and the Universal Principle of cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.
We are committed to:
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putting children's safety and wellbeing first
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listening to children and taking their concerns seriously
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creating safe and inclusive environments
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maintaining appropriate professional boundaries
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carefully recruiting and screening people who work with children
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providing child safety training to our team
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identifying and managing risks to children
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responding quickly and appropriately to concerns
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involving families in creating safe environments
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continually reviewing and improving our child safety practices.
Children have a voice @ Epic
We want every child who comes to EPIC to know:
You have the right to feel safe.
You have the right to be treated with respect.
You can say something if you feel uncomfortable.
You can tell us if something doesn't feel right.
We will listen to you.
Children are encouraged to speak with an EPIC staff member, coach, supervisor, manager or another trusted adult whenever they are worried about something.
No concern is too small to raise.
Our People
We take the responsibility of working with children seriously.
Our child safety practices include appropriate recruitment, screening, induction, training and supervision of people working with children.
Workers in applicable child-related roles must meet Queensland Blue Card and other screening requirements relevant to their position.
All EPIC employees, coaches, volunteers and relevant contractors are expected to follow our Child Safe Code of Conduct and maintain appropriate professional boundaries with children.
Epic Kids Club
Children attending EPIC Kids Club are left directly in our care, so additional child-safety and supervision procedures apply.
These include:
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sign-in and sign-out procedures
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authorised collection requirements
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active supervision
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regular head counts
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staff positioning and supervision plans
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first aid and incident procedures
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emergency contacts
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management of disclosed medical needs and allergies
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child-safe toilet and personal assistance procedures
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additional risk assessments for activities.
We aim to apply childcare-style safeguarding practices to EPIC Kids Club wherever reasonably practicable.
Report a safety concern
If you see something, hear something or something doesn't feel right, please tell us.
Children, parents, carers, staff and members of the community can raise a child safety concern.
You can report:
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behaviour that makes a child uncomfortable
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inappropriate behaviour by an adult
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suspected abuse, neglect or grooming
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bullying or harassment
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inappropriate physical contact
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online or social media concerns
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supervision concerns
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breaches of our Child Safe Code of Conduct
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any other concern about a child's safety or wellbeing.
You do not need to prove that something has happened before raising a concern.
Contact our Child Safe Officer
Name: Luke Trimble
Email: childsafety@epicsports.com.au
Phone: 07 3191 3895 or 02 9525 5499
All child safety concerns are taken seriously and handled sensitively.
If a child is in immediate danger, call 000.
How to respond
When a child safety concern is raised, our first priority is the safety and wellbeing of the child.
EPIC Sports will:
LISTEN to the concern.
PROTECT the child from immediate risk.
RECORD relevant information appropriately.
REPORT matters to external authorities where required.
SUPPORT the child and family.
REVIEW what happened and identify any improvements we can make.
Where required, matters may be reported to Queensland Police, Child Safety, the Queensland Family and Child Commission, Blue Card Services or another relevant authority.
OUR CHILD SAFE DOCUMENTS
Our promise to Children
We will listen to you.
We will respect you.
We will take you seriously.
We will act if you don't feel safe.
Child safety comes first at EPIC.
Child Safe Organisation & Child Protection Policy
Our overarching approach to protecting children across EPIC Sports.
Child Safe Code of Conduct
The standards of behaviour expected from people working with children at EPIC.
Child Safety Incident & Concern Reporting ProcedureHow concerns, disclosures and allegations are reported and managed.
EPIC Kids Club Child Safe & Operating Procedures
Additional safeguards applying when children are left in our care.