Code of Conduct to Protect Children
Code of Conduct to Protect Children
Chatham soccer Club has developed the following Child Protection Code of Conduct to guide our employees/
volunteers in their interactions with children. The safety, rights and well-being of children we serve are at the core of our daily programs.
We nurture supportive relationships with children while balancing and encouraging appropriate boundaries.
Why a Child Protection Code of Conduct is important?
Our organization is committed to ensuring all children are protected and safe. A Code of Conduct is an important part of creating safe
environments for children. The safety, rights and well-being of children participating in our programs is a priority in our daily operations.
The intent of the Code of Conduct is to guide our staff/volunteers in developing healthy relationships with the children involved in sport
programs delivered by our organization and to model appropriate boundaries for children.
Treating Children With Dignity and Maintaining Boundaries
All staff/volunteers must:
- Treat all children with respect and dignity
- Establish, respect, and maintain appropriate boundaries with all children and families involved in activities or programs
- delivered by the organization
- Club staff/volunteers interactions and activities with children must be known to, and approved by the board, where applicable, and the parents of the child, tied to their duties , and designed to develop the child’s skills in the sport program.
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General Rules of Behaviour
Staff/volunteers of the organization must not:
- Engage in any sort of physical contact with a child that may make the child or a reasonable observer feel uncomfortable, or that may be seen by a reasonable observer to be violating reasonable boundaries.
- Engage in any communication with a child within or outside of duties with the child, that may make the child uncomfortable or that may be seen by a reasonable observer to be violating reasonable boundaries.
- Engage in any behaviour that goes against (or appears to go against) the organization’s mandate, policies, or Code of Conduct to Protect Children, regardless of whether or not they are serving the organization at that moment
- Conduct their own investigation into allegations or suspicions of potentially illegal or inappropriate behaviour – it is a staff/volunteer’s duty to report the matter to the designated person, Child Welfare Agency, or law enforcement, not to investigate.
What Constitutes Inappropriate Behaviour
The following examples are deemed inappropriate behaviour:
Inappropriate Communication.
Communication with a child or his/her family outside of the context of duties for the organization, regardless of who initiated the exchange.
- Personal phone calls not tied to duties with the child
- Electronic communications (email, text message, instant message, online chats, social networking including “friending”, etc.) not tied to duties with the child
- Personal letters not tied to duties with the child
- Excessive communications (online or offline)
Inappropriate Contact.
Spending unauthorized time with a child outside of designated duties with the organization.
Favouritism.
Singling out a child or certain children and providing special privileges and attention. (for example, paying a lot of attention to, giving or sending personalized gifts, or allowing privileges that are excessive, unwarranted or inappropriate.)
Taking Personal Photos/Videos.
Using a personal cell phone, camera or video to take pictures of a child, or allowing any other person to do so, as well as uploading or copying any pictures you may have taken of a child to the Internet or any personal storage device. Pictures taken as part of team personnel job duties are acceptable, however, the pictures are to remain with the organization and not be used in a personal capacity.
Inappropriate behaviour also includes:
- Telling sexual jokes to a child, or making comments to a child that are or is in any way suggestive, explicit or personal.
- Showing a child material that is sexual in nature, including, signs, cartoons, graphic novels, calendars, literature, photographs, screen savers, or displaying such material in plain view of a child, or making such material available to a child.
- Intimidating or threatening a child
- Making fun of a child
Whether or not a particular behavior or action constitutes inappropriate behaviour will be a matter determined by the organization having regard to all of the circumstances, including past behaviour, and allegations or suspicions related to such behaviour.
Reporting Requirements
All staff and volunteers must report suspected child sexual abuse, inappropriate behaviour or incidents that they become aware of, whether the behaviour or incidents were personally witnessed or not.
Where to report:
All allegations or suspicions of potentially illegal behaviour (for example, child sexual abuse) that a staff/volunteer witnesses first-hand, or learns of, must be promptly reported to Ontario Soccer's Independent Third Party Complaints Management – ALIAS Solutions
All allegations or suspicions of inappropriate behaviour (see above examples), that a staff/volunteer learns of or witnesses first-hand, must be reported to the President of the sport organization.
This policy has been adapted from the "Commit to Kids" Code of Conduct to Protect Childtren" template found in the Canada Soccer Guide to Safety, and will be updated as required.