CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

1. INTRODUCTION

PN Marist Football is a Regional Sporting Organisation for football in Palmerston North and is a member of Central Football. PN Marist FC is a non-profit organization responsible for delivering, growing and developing Football across both the junior and senior Marist Football Club.


The objectives of PN Marist FC include protecting the interests of its members and being responsible for their safety and wellbeing. PN Marist FC is committed to providing an environment which is safe for Members, free from harassment and abuse for everyone, and promotes respectful and positive behaviour and values. PN Marist FC has adopted policies, including the NZF Code of Conduct and NZF Code of Ethics, in order to ensure that such an environment is provided. In addition to these policies, PN Marist FC wishes to adopt this “PN Marist FC Child Protection Policy” which is an adaption of the ‘NZF Policy Regarding Working with Children” to specifically protect and safeguard children from harm and put in place clear and appropriate procedures for reporting inappropriate behaviour.


The PN Marist FC Committee adopted this Policy, and this Policy came into force on 4 February 2019.

2. POSITION STATEMENT REGARDING WORKING WITH CHILDREN

PN Marist Football is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and will act to ensure that a safe environment is maintained for all children within its responsibility.

PN Marist Football will:

•     to the best of their ability ensure that all Members are aware and adhere to the Guidelines for Working with Children as set out below

•       regularly review and implement the safeguarding practices relating to children in order to minimise and/or prevent the risk of harm to them.

•     ensure that all Members who work with Children understand their responsibilities under this Policy and the guidelines and requirements referred to herein.


Additionally, PN Marist Football will implement the Vetting and Screening of Workers with Children Requirements as set out in Sections 5 and 6.

3. COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

The PN Marist FC Incident Report form as located on this website should be used by anyone wishing to lodge a complaint or report an incident relating to or covered by this Policy.  Incident Reports will be treated as being strictly confidential.

4. INVESTIGATION AND DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURE

Incident Reports will be investigated and otherwise dealt with pursuant to the terms of the NZF Code of Ethics, the NZF Disciplinary Code and/or any directives from the NZF Ethics Committee (including any Investigator appointed by the NZF Ethics Committee) or NZF Disciplinary Committee.

Disciplinary sanctions, penalties or any other measures may be declared by the NZF Ethics Committee (including any Investigator appointed by the NZF Ethics Committee) and/or the NZF Disciplinary Committee

5. SAFETY CHECKS – VETTING AND SCREENING

PN Marist FC undertakes to implement vetting and screening as follows:

  • All new PN Marist FC paid or voluntary staff, who work with children (core Children’s workers) must be safety checked before they start work (from 1 July 2019).
  • All new PN Marist FC paid or voluntary staff who do not work with children (non-core Children’s workers) MAY be safety checked before they start work (from 1 July 2019).

In addition to the above, all core Children’s workers must be safety checked at least every three years.

6. SAFETY CHECKS MUST INCLUDE

New core and non-core Children’s workers only

1.       Identity Verification - Passport and Driver’s License.

2.       Collection of Other Information – New and existing core and non-core Children’s workers

3.       Police Vetting - Criminal history check.

https://safeguarding.nzfootball.co.nz/club_vetting_form/palmerston-north-marist-fc-1686628567164x919398840331141100

4.      Risk Assessment – PN Marist FC’S executive committee shall evaluate the above information and assess the possible risk the person would pose to the safety of children in relation to their current or proposed position. NZF should be satisfied that the relevant person doesn’t pose any undue risk to the safety of children based on the aforementioned assessment.

Only the people responsible for hiring decisions (or a person or persons delegated by such responsible person to assist with the safety-checks) and the potential employee should be permitted to see the safety check information. In all cases the Privacy Act 1993 must be observed.