For review by the Executive Committee: by January 2023
Introduction
Squash SA (SSA) has a zero tolerance approach to child abuse or exploitation or to abuse of vulnerable persons and seeks to ensure a safe and inclusive environment in which all squash players can achieve their potential. All adults, and indeed other minors but to a lesser extent, share a responsibility of to prevent such abuse or exploitation in all forms. Working with children and vulnerable persons means that we need to protect and nurture them and establish policies and procedures to address this. This Policy is part of SSA’s protection framework. The policy is based on national legislation and international conventions including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which signed in 1995, the rights outlined in the South African Bill of Rights and the 2005 Children’s Act.
Any person involved in squash must report immediately any suspected or alleged case of abuse, exploitation, or policy non-compliance by anyone within scope of this policy to safeguarding@squashsa.co.za or alternatively 0800 123 321. All information will be treated in confidence, if reported to SSA, insofar as the need for a follow up investigation is required.
Scope
The policy applies to all members of SSA, its districts, clubs and schools as well as people working with children and vulnerable persons in squash. However, as SSA is a membership organisation, this policy should apply to those who are not members but this cannot be enforced by SSA and therefore SSA cannot be held liable.
Principles
1. Recognition of the best interests of the child
South Africa has signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. SSA is committed to supporting the rights of the child, vulnerable persons and the country’s obligations under the Convention. Thus, the best interests of the child and vulnerable persons remain the primary consideration.
2. Zero tolerance
Child and vulnerable person abuse and exploitation are criminal acts and attract criminal, civil and disciplinary sanctions.
SSA will not knowingly directly or indirectly engage anyone who may be a risk to children or to vulnerable persons and will work to minimise these risks. SSA will include, as part of the membership registration, the requirement for members to have read and understood this policy.
3. Shared responsibility for child protection
Managing risks to children and vulnerable persons is a fundamental platform and as such, SSA requires the commitment, support and cooperation of all members, parents, schools, clubs, districts, coaches, officials, organisations and individuals who help to deliver SSA programs.
4. Risk and impact
SSA will work to identify, mitigate, manage and/or reduce the risks to children and vulnerable persons but recognises that full cooperation and information is required.
5. Procedural fairness and compliance
Procedural fairness must be applied when decisions are made which may affect a person’s rights or interests. However, compliance with the policy and relevant national legislation is also required.
6. Risk based approach
A risk-based approach is implemented by SSA. As such, the following will be applied:
6.1. Does the program, activity or grant involve potential contact with children (minors) and/or vulnerable persons, impact on them, or working with children and vulnerable persons?
If the answer is yes, a protection risk assessment must be conducted including risk and decision-making processes and documents. This should be an ongoing process and addressed through existing activity planning and risk management processes and minimum safeguarding standards (at Annex 1 and 2) assessed.
6.2. If the program, activity or grant is determined to be ‘contact with children’, with vulnerable persons or impacts children and/or vulnerable persons, an assessment of protection risk should be undertaken and, depending on the level of risk identified, the appropriate minimum protection standards must be applied to manage the risk identified.
6.3. Where no ‘impact on or contact with children’ or on vulnerable persons is identified, the minimum compliance standards at Annex 1 may not apply. However, it is better to err on the side of caution.
6.4. Regular monitoring for any change in risk and reporting on the effectiveness of the management of such protection risk must be undertaken.
Responsibilities under the Policy
1. National Office
Staff must ensure child protection risk is considered, and is managed in accordance with SSA’s risk management practices. SSA will identify and publish on its website an identified “child protection officer” who will be appropriately trained.
2. SSA members, schools, clubs, districts, coaches, officials, organisations and individuals who help deliver SSA programmes
All individuals or organisations must act in accordance with this policy. Where working with children and/or vulnerable persons is identified, individuals and organisations must undertake an assessment of safeguarding risk and apply – and build on (where appropriate) – all minimum standards at Annex 1 and 2.
Individuals and organisations must:
undertake their own risk assessment of each activity to ensure risks are identified and managed in line with this policy including appropriate recruitment, screening, and employment practices
ensure personnel are trained in safeguarding awareness and understand their protection obligations
institute clear internal reporting mechanisms for their personnel to report concerns or allegations and
immediately report any suspected or alleged instances of abuse, exploitation, harm or safeguarding policy non-compliance to the relevant authorities.
Any suspicion or disclosure of abuse and exploitation must be reported immediately through the organisation’s internal processes and, if necessary, to SSA while having due regard to confidentiality requirements.
Compliance
SSA may terminate contract negotiations, decline to engage an individual, or require an individual to be replaced if appropriate criminal record checks are not undertaken, or cannot be undertaken for roles that are identified as working with or having contact with children and/or vulnerable persons.
Reporting
All staff, individuals and organisations must report immediately any suspected or alleged case of exploitation, abuse or non-compliance with this policy by anyone within scope of the policy in connection with official duties or business. Members of the squash community can also report. All reports should be made to 0800 123 321.
What to report
Staff, individuals and organisations must report any behaviour that is suspected of being exploitation or abuse (including possession of child exploitation material) or policy non-compliance by:
a staff member
personnel of organisations
players
teachers
coaches
technical officials
volunteers.
Where an individual or organisation has submitted a report and becomes aware of additional information, the individual or organisation must also report that additional information.
EFFECTIVE DATE
The policy is effective from January 2021 and will be updated every two years.
