Child Protection Policy

Child Safety Policy

Fioretto Fencing Club

Foreword

By adopting this policy Fioretto Fencing Club formalises into writing the culture of respect, attention to all member’s safe enjoyment of our sport with particular attention to our junior members, and culture of support and inclusion, that already exists in the club.

The familiar and supportive club culture that makes Fioretto Fencing Club so unique, is founded on principles of equality for all members, regardless of gender, race or belief, and tolerance of all lifestyles where mutual respect for individual rights and beliefs are upheld. Ours is a fencing club, and our focus is on our sport and our members’ wellbeing.

This document should be read in full, and adds to the Fencer’s Code of Conduct, Coaches Code of Conduct and Member Protection Policy, which should also be read in full.

Basic Child Safety:

All children have equal rights within the club to participate and learn the sport of fencing in a safe and friendly environment.
This policy applies to the behaviour and conduct of coaches, club senior members, club junior members, visitors and parents/guardians/carers and siblings of members.
The club community welcomes all peoples from all cultural backgrounds, provided each individual and their families/guardians/carers respect the rights, cultures, ideologies of the rest of the club’s community. Fioretto is a proud multi-cultural club that promotes cultural sharing and interest, and rejects bigotry, racism and prejudice.
Fioretto Fencing Club is only involved in teaching the sport of fencing and training members in the skills, values and standards of the sport: respect of self and of others, self-discipline, courage and personal responsibility for ones actions.
1. Political commentary or views may not be shared within the club or on any club social media/communication platforms.
2. Religious/ideological beliefs and opinions may be shared voluntarily, but not promoted or pushed. The club is secular and is home to a diversity of beliefs co-existing in harmony.
3. Club teaching does not include ideology of any nature, and we ask that all club social media/communication platforms be kept free of any such discussion.
4. Social trends, fads and other information relating to, but not limited to, food and diet, physical training, body image and treatment of injuries or ailments, that has not been sanctioned by the AIS or the appropriate related governing national body, are not to be promoted or shared within the club, or on any club communications platform.
The club commits to providing age specific training groups for children to provide a safe, encouraging environment for their development.
1. The club recognises developmental differences in individuals in terms of emotional maturity, and that individual training needs may not match traditional age groups.
2. A child must ask their parent/guardian to request a change in group.
3. Only a parent/guardian may ask for special exemption to training in a higher or lower age group. This application will be accessed by the Head Coach of the club, and any cases that are accepted are always on ‘probation’ and subject to constant monitoring by club coaches.
4. The club reserves the right to reverse its decision of an age group change for an individual if it deems the change poses a risk to the individual, or to the other children in the group.
Parents are expected to respect established training times by ensuring children are present at the beginning of each session, and are collected promptly at the end of the session.
Parents/guardians/carers verbally or physically abusing their children will not be tolerated. Mandatory reporting to authorities applies.
Parent/guardians/carers physically or verbally abusing children other than their own, club members or otherwise, at the training venue, external competitions or public events, will not be tolerated. The club will take punitive action against these parents/guardians/carers. Mandatory reporting may apply.
Children must follow coach instructions related to safety and conduct, including remaining in the training venue in clear sight of the coach if their parents are late to pick them up.
Only children and coaches may be in the training hall during training sessions unless a parent/guardian/carer has been specifically invited by the coach to assist with their child. There is a separate, safe seating area for parents/guardians/carers to watch and wait.
Where a child requires assistance with dressing or toileting a parent/guardian/carer must make themselves available to address these needs.

Child safety – coaching

All coaches must be fully qualified and currently registered with Australian Fencing Federation.
The club must have a copy of each coach’s current Working With Children Check on file.
Trainee coaches may not work without a supervising coach present.
No coach may be alone at Fioretto Fencing Club with a student under the age of 18 at any time. Where a private lesson is being delivered outside regular training times a parent/guardian/carer or another coach, or adult with WWC must be present.
No coach may place themselves in a position alone with a child where their actions are hidden from view, either within the club or at any competition venue or event.
Physical contact with students should be maintained at bare minimum for instruction, always done from a position where the student can see what you are doing, and as much as possible at a distance that respects physical boundaries. Always ask permission first before assisting a student with hands or feet.
It is forbidden in Fioretto Fencing Club for a coach to touch the torso, face/neck or thigh/hips region of any student, with their hands. Any physical prompts for guard corrections of these areas can be achieved with the coach’s foil/epee or sabre.
Coaches must never verbally or physically abuse a child. Immediate action will be taken.
Coaches should at all times attempt to be supportive and encouraging to children and students, and lead by example for parents, senior members and trainee coaches.
Coaches should pay attention to clues that a student may be suffering abuse, either physical, sexual or psychological, and either alert the parents to their concerns, or seek help from the Membership Protection Officer to connect with the appropriate authorities if their concern relates to the parents/guardians/carers themselves.
Mandatory reporting rules apply to all club coaches in regards to clear signs of physical or sexual abuse of any nature.
Coaches should maintain clear and open dialog with families/guardians/carers to assess a child’s emotional status and be aware of concerns that may develop.
Listen to feedback openly.
Try to remember individual special circumstances: vulnerabilities that may require vigilance for negative behaviour from other children, use of alternate gender titles, or different approaches to teaching/learning.
Coaches need to maintain discretion and respect the privacy of their student at all times.
Coaches must offer the same level of service and attention to all students, regardless of gender, ability, ideology or race.
If a child, parent or carer becomes aggressive or physically threatening
1. Attempt to de-escalate the situation
2. Attempt to distance the other children from the risk
3. Do not respond to physical contact unless self-defence is the absolute only option
4. Immediately call the police, 000, or ask another senior or parent to do so, if an individual is becoming violent or physically intimidating.
5. Prioritise protecting the children as much as possible.
Where possible, all coaches and senior members are encouraged to watch out for signs of sexual abuse. It is mandatory to report any suspicions to the head coach and/or the Member Protection Officer. Any signs of abuse, including but not limited to sexual, are to be reported to authorities. Depending on the level of evidence or context, children and young people are offered access to sexual abuse prevention programs and to relevant related information in an age appropriate way. Any actions to be assisted with or facilitated by the Club Member Protection Officer.
Report in writing all the details of any serious misconduct event, as soon as possible, to the committee and member protection officer

Indigenous Involvement

A child’s ability to express their culture and enjoy their cultural rights is encouraged and actively supported.
Strategies will be embedded within Fioretto Fencing Club, in collaboration with indigenous families, which equip all members to acknowledge and appreciate the strengths of Aboriginal culture and understand its importance to the wellbeing and safety of Aboriginal children and young people.
Identifying racism within the club is identified is a priority (see Code of Conduct and Membership protection policy), and will be confronted and not tolerated. Any instances of racism are addressed with appropriate consequences.
Fioretto Fencing Club will actively, welcome, support and facilitate participation and inclusion within it by Aboriginal children, young people and their families.
All of Fioretto Fencing Club’s policies, procedures, systems and processes together create a culturally safe and inclusive environment and meet the needs of Aboriginal children, young people and their families.

Special Needs

Fioretto Fencing Club, including staff and volunteers, understands children and young people’s diverse circumstances, and provides support and responds to those who are vulnerable.
Children and young people have access to information, support and complaints processes in ways that are culturally safe, accessible and easy to understand.
Club coaches should pay particular attention to the needs of children and young people with disability, children and young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, those who are unable to live at home, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex children and young people.
Fioretto Fencing Club pays particular attention to the needs of Aboriginal children and young people and provides/promotes a culturally safe environment for them.

Complaints and reporting

Children or parents/guardians/carers are encouraged to report antisocial, aggressive/dangerous, or otherwise abusive behaviour
1. By other children
2. By their parents/guardians/carers
3. By other parents/guardians/carers
4. By senior club members
5. By coaching staff
Where abuse may be hidden by use of another language than that spoken and understood by club staff, Fioretto Fencing Club relies upon the help of its membership to report these incidents (see Complaints and reporting [1.a –d])
Reporting can be done in person, via messaging or by email, to either a club coach, the club Member Protection Officer, or a club committee member.
All complaints are to be treated in confidence
Complaints handling is described in the Membership Protection Policy.
Where appropriate, and with consent from the individual making the complaint, coaches will be made aware of problems being investigated so that they can give more attention on the welfare of the child making the complaint.
Where the complaint involves a coach, the coach in question will be removed from contact with the child/family, while the complaint is being investigated.
In all cases where a complaint has been raised, the person(s) raising the complaint should
1. Be kept up-to-date with the complaints handling progress
2. Be informed of whatever outcome results from the complaints handling process.

Disciplinary Actions

For most cases, see Membership Protection Policy
For extreme cases, club staff, senior members are required to call the police (000)
Where coaches witness unacceptable behaviour they can
1. Speak to parents/guardians/carers directly about the behaviour
2. Remove troublesome parents/guardians/carers from the venue
3. Remove a problem student from the group and training activity to correct the behaviour, for a temporary ‘cooling off’ period, or for the remainder of the session.
4. Call parents to collect student whose behaviour breaches the code of conduct or the child protection policy standards
Fioretto Club maintains the ‘Club Card’ system, which is applied in conjunction with the above actions:
1. YELLOW CARD – Warning for a particular breach (minor) valid 6 months, awarded once only.
2. RED CARD – (serious offence or repeated YELLOW CARD offense) Warning and probation period set. During a probation period a second RED CARD can be awarded, with an extension to probation. A third offence (serious or minor) during the probation period will result in a BLACK CARD
3. BLACK CARD – (Major offence or repeated offences) Depending on the results from a disciplinary enquiry by the club committee, or the results of external disciplinary actions (FV, AFF or police), a BLACK CARD can mean either a 6 months suspension from training or cancellation of membership, with no refunds on membership fees. Members who lose their membership this way will not be accepted back into the club.

Social networking

The club is a social hub for its members, and we recognise the importance of forming friendships and support groups with peers in sport.
Social activities integrated into training programs are important, see head coach for training activities with social integration benefits.
It is important to also be aware of social ‘clicks’ that can create isolation, exclusion and prejudice within a training collective. This should be addressed by:
1. Controlled training activities which bring all kids together.
2. Splitting groups and mixing partnerships as part of training exercises.
3. Balance training with periods of ‘friends time’
4. Use of group games that encourage working together (fencing is primarily an individual sport) and having fun.
5. Use of non-fencing specific and non-competition specific training activities that help reward diversity of ability, and give all children a chance to shine.
Fioretto actively encourages a team spirit even though members fence as individuals. This means building a strong sense of club identity and awareness in club activities, participation and results.
Social media: Fioretto maintains a policy of in-person social development. Social media channels for the club are related to club information distribution. Parents are encouraged to collaborate and facilitate social networking of younger kids outside of training times, and have a ‘Families of Fioretto’ WhatsApp group for this purpose.
Children under the age of 18 must have parental consent to join the Club’s WhatsApp communication group, which is monitored by the committee and reserved for club communications, not social chat.
Social media participation is governed by State and Federal laws. However any activity on social media by Fioretto members with or targeting, or referring to other club members or members of the fencing community concerns the club directly. Likewise, any communication online regarding Fioretto members from other club members of associated parents/guardians/coaches/carers, concerns Fioretto Fencing Club AND Fencing Victoria. Such communications are subject to all the child protection principles included in this document
1. Children/parents/guardians/carers who feel that another member of Fioretto Fencing Club or other member of the fencing community, is bullying, abusing or otherwise misusing social media, should report this to their coach or the club member protection officer.
2. Where possible take screen shots of misuse of social media, links to misuse etc. As it will help with resolving the issue or taking further action.
3. Any child member found to be misusing social media will be subject to the same disciplinary actions included in this document and the Membership Protection Policy, as if the abuse/action had occurred within the physical world of the club.
4. Where the child/member at fault is not from Fioretto, the club will pursue action to resolve the issue through Fencing Victoria and the club involved.
5. Cyber bullying, abuse or hazing of any nature is against the spirit of the club, and will not be tolerated.
All training sessions, including children’s training sessions, include a ‘club salute’. The club salute achieves these objectives:
1. Equalises all members, lined up together as peers.
2. Establishes respect for the coach/student relationship.
3. Give an important venue for sharing information about club activities, events and achievements
4. Gives children access to the same information that is messaged and emailed to their parents/guardians/carers
Social media is vast and sprawling, and constantly changing. Laws regarding its use and limitations on access are constantly evolving. In all cases state and federal laws inform all local decision making, and may override club policy according to current interpretations of the law. Fioretto Fencing Club recognises vigilance for the signs of bullying or other negative social media behaviour, is the most important thing we can do in this environment.

General Child Safety for the Club

Club commits publicly to its Child Safety policy by making the policy available to all on its website, and including the policy in its membership agreement (implemented 2025).
Club publicly demonstrates its commitment to Child Safety through public events in Schools, the Variety Club Christmas Party volunteer work, local community events, and its standard of coach and athlete behaviour at state, national and international events.
By preference, coaches are recruited and trained from within the membership base, with instilled club values and learnt child safety standards from existing club coaches. If any external recruitment were to be needed, child safety, code of conduct and fencing skill type/style are the 3 mandatory virtues required by Fioretto Fencing Club.
All coaches must go through Fencing Victoria’s coach training program, which includes community coaching principles and child safety training.
‘Coach in training’ is defined as a fencer engaged in the FV coaching course and working under supervision of the club’s qualified coaches to receive their required practical hours.
A ‘coaching assistant’ is defined as a junior fencer (14+), who has been identified as having coaching potential and is given the opportunity to assist with tasks in the under 15 training program under direct supervision of the head coach or a senior coach. This role exists up to the age of 18, when any such individual must enter into coach training or exit the assistant position.
‘Coaching assistants’ receive direct, in-person child safety training from the supervising coach and are monitored closely. It is also an opportunity for them to learn by observation. It’s worth noting that qualities regarding child safety standards are one of the key factors informing the selection of a coaching assistant.
All training sessions must be run by a fully qualified coach. Where a coach is not available, affected sessions must be cancelled.
Children and young people, parents/guardians/carers are to be informed about all of their rights and responsibilities, including to safety, information and participation.
1. When they join the club in context of club participation.
2. In preparation for any external events in public, representing the club.
3. In preparation for participating in State, National and International Events/competitions, either individually or in a team environment.

Summary

Child Safety is a basic human right. In any instance where a situation is not clearly defined by the rules of this policy document, common sense and courtesy must prevail upon the decision making process. Regardless of race, gender, culture or disability, all children deserve fair treatment, equal opportunity, and the unquestioning protection of all adults whether they be coach, club member, or a parent/guardian/carer. Children’s rights also extend to their interpersonal relationships with other children, at which point they also become responsibilities. It is very important that children be taught these responsibilities, as it simultaneously gives them a very clear understanding, in some cases an even better understanding of their own rights.