1. Introduction

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TAG Holiday Programs is committed to creating safe, inclusive, and nurturing environments for every child participating in our sports-based holiday programs. This Child Protection Policy sets out our commitment to child safety and the principles, responsibilities, and procedures that guide our organisation.

This policy is written in accordance with the Victorian Child Safe Standards (commencing 1 July 2022, updated regulatory framework from 1 January 2023) under the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic), and all other applicable Victorian and Commonwealth legislation.

TAG Holiday Programs acknowledges that child safety is everyone's responsibility. We take a proactive approach to preventing harm and are committed to responding promptly and thoroughly when concerns are raised.

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2. Scope

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This policy applies to:

• all program staff, including program coordinators, teachers, and support staff

• all volunteers and offsiders working alongside qualified staff

• contractors and third parties who interact with children during programs

• all physical environments in which TAG Holiday Programs operates, including Alphington Grammar, Carey Baptist Grammar School (Bulleen Sports Complex), Xavier College (Burke Hall Campus), and any future venues.

Venue-specific child safety requirements at partner schools are also observed by TAG Holiday Programs staff and take precedence where they impose a higher standard.

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3. Definitions

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Child: Any person under the age of 18 years.

Child abuse: Includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, neglect, and family violence that a child witnesses or is exposed to.

Child Safety Officer: The nominated person within TAG Holiday Programs responsible for receiving, managing, and escalating child safety concerns. See Section 10.

Staff: Any person working for TAG Holiday Programs in any capacity, paid or unpaid, including program coordinators, qualified teachers, university student staff, and offsiders.

Reportable conduct: Conduct by a worker or volunteer that must be reported under Victoria's Reportable Conduct Scheme, including sexual offences, sexual misconduct, physical violence, behaviour that is likely to cause significant emotional or physical harm, and behaviour that causes significant harm to a child's physical or mental health or safety.

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4. Our Commitment to Child Safety

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TAG Holiday Programs is a child-safe organisation. We are committed to:

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• providing environments where all children are safe, respected, and heard

• taking all concerns about child safety seriously and responding to them promptly

• embedding child safety into our leadership, governance, culture, and daily practice

• upholding the rights, dignity, and wellbeing of every child in our care

• creating environments that are inclusive of children from all backgrounds, abilities, and identities

• zero tolerance for child abuse of any kind.

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We give particular attention to the safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal children and young people, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, children with disability, children who identify as LGBTIQ+, and any child experiencing vulnerability or risk. Discrimination, racism, or homophobia targeting any participant will result in immediate removal from our program.

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5. Victorian Child Safe Standards

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TAG Holiday Programs operates in compliance with all 11 Victorian Child Safe Standards (Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005). These standards are:

• Standard 1: Organisations establish a culturally safe environment in which the diverse and unique identities and experiences of Aboriginal children and young people are respected and valued.

• Standard 2: Child safety and wellbeing is embedded in organisational leadership, governance, and culture.

• Standard 3: Children and young people are empowered about their rights, participate in decisions affecting them, and are taken seriously.

• Standard 4: Families and communities are informed and involved in promoting child safety and wellbeing.

• Standard 5: Equity is upheld and diverse needs are respected in policy and practice.

• Standard 6: People working with children and young people are suitable and supported to reflect child safety and wellbeing values in practice.

• Standard 7: Processes for complaints and concerns are child-focused.

• Standard 8: Staff and volunteers are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to keep children safe through ongoing education and training.

• Standard 9: Physical and online environments minimise the opportunity for abuse to occur and are child-safe.

• Standard 10: Implementation of the Child Safe Standards is reviewed and improved.

• Standard 11: Policies and procedures document how the organisation is safe for children and young people.

This policy is one component of our compliance with these Standards. We also maintain a Child Safety Code of Conduct, a Child Safety Risk Register, and responding and reporting procedures, which operate alongside this policy.

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6. Legal Obligations

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TAG Holiday Programs acknowledges and complies with all relevant legislation, including:

• Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic)

• Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic)

• Working with Children Act 2005 (Vic)

• Crimes Act 1958 (Vic) — including the Failure to Disclose and Failure to Protect offences

• Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles

• Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic)

• Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)

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Failure to Disclose: Any person who holds a reasonable belief that a sexual offence has been committed against a child under 16 by an adult must report that belief to police, unless they have a reasonable excuse for not doing so.

Failure to Protect: Persons within organisations who know of a risk of child sexual abuse by someone connected to the organisation, and have the authority to reduce or remove that risk, must take action to do so. Failure to act is a criminal offence.

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7. Staff Suitability and Screening

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All staff and volunteers working with children through TAG Holiday Programs must:

• hold a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC) or current Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) registration before commencing work

• complete a reference check prior to engagement

• complete TAG Holiday Programs' induction, which includes this policy, the Child Safety Code of Conduct, and reporting obligations

• complete child safety training and refresh that training regularly

• immediately notify TAG Holiday Programs management if their WWCC or VIT status changes for any reason.

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TAG Holiday Programs will maintain records of all WWCC and VIT details for staff and volunteers and will conduct periodic verification checks. Screening procedures are reviewed annually.

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8. Child Safety Code of Conduct

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All staff and volunteers must at all times:

• treat every child with respect, dignity, and fairness

• act in the best interests of children at all times

• listen to and take seriously any concerns raised by a child

• maintain appropriate physical boundaries — physical contact should be limited to what is necessary for safety, first aid, or program activity, and should always be age-appropriate and consensual

• avoid being alone with a child in an unsupervised or isolated setting wherever possible; where unavoidable, ensure another adult is informed and aware

• use inclusive, respectful, and age-appropriate language at all times

• report any concerns about a child's safety or wellbeing to the Child Safety Officer immediately.

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Staff and volunteers must not:

• engage in any form of physical, emotional, verbal, or psychological abuse

• use corporal punishment or physical force as a behaviour management strategy

• take photographs or video of children other than as part of authorised TAG Holiday Programs documentation or marketing activity (see photography policy in the Terms & Conditions)

• communicate with children directly via personal social media accounts, personal mobile numbers, or any private digital channel

• share images of children on personal social media accounts

• develop relationships with children that could be considered grooming

• consume alcohol or illicit substances before or during program hours

• work while unfit to do so.

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9. Online and Physical Environment Safety

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TAG Holiday Programs takes responsibility for ensuring that both the physical and digital environments associated with our programs are safe for children.

Physical environments

Prior to each program, the program coordinator will conduct a risk assessment of the venue to identify and address any hazards. This includes checking the suitability of activity areas, equipment, and access points.

Sign-in and sign-out procedures are in place at every program. A child remains in the care of TAG Holiday Programs from the moment they are signed in to the moment they are signed out by an authorised adult.

Online safety

Staff do not communicate directly with children via personal digital channels. All communications with families are conducted through TAG Holiday Programs' official channels (email: info@tagholidayprograms.com.au, phone: +61 402 711 444).

Photography and filming during programs is conducted in accordance with our Photography Policy (outlined in the Terms & Conditions). Staff must not share images of children on personal accounts.

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10. Reporting Concerns

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Child Safety Officer

TAG Holiday Programs' nominated Child Safety Officer is:

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Andrew Diviny - Program Director and qualified Health & PE Teacher

Phone: +61 402 711 444

Email: info@tagholidayprograms.com.au

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The Child Safety Officer is the first point of contact for any concern, disclosure, allegation, or suspicion of child abuse or reportable conduct. In Andy's absence, the matter should be escalated to Poppy Diviny (TAG's co-owner) using the same contact details.

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Obligations for all staff and volunteers

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All staff and volunteers must:

• report any concern, disclosure, observation, or suspicion of child abuse to the Child Safety Officer immediately, regardless of how minor it may seem

• not attempt to investigate a concern themselves or discuss it with other staff before reporting

• not make promises of confidentiality to a child who is disclosing abuse

• support the child in a calm, non-leading way if they disclose abuse, without asking leading questions

• document what was said or observed as accurately as possible, noting the time and date.

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External reporting obligations

Depending on the nature of the concern, the Child Safety Officer will follow the appropriate reporting pathway:

• Suspected child abuse by an adult: follow the Four Critical Actions (Victoria). Report to Victoria Police (000 or 131 444) and/or Child Protection (1300 360 391).

• Suspected child sexual offending by another child: follow the Four Critical Actions: Student Sexual Offending (Victoria).

• Reportable conduct by a staff member or volunteer: must be reported to the relevant regulator (currently the Commission for Children and Young People, pending transition to the Social Services Regulator). TAG Holiday Programs will comply fully with the Reportable Conduct Scheme.

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Useful contacts:

• Victoria Police: 000 (emergency) or 131 444 (non-emergency)

• Child Protection Crisis Line: 13 12 78 (24 hours)

• Commission for Children and Young People: (03) 8601 5281 / ccyp.vic.gov.au

• Child FIRST (family support referral): 1300 369 015

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11. Complaints and Concerns from Families

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TAG Holiday Programs is committed to a child-focused complaints process. Families, children, and young people can raise concerns at any time.

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Complaints can be made by:

• speaking directly to any staff member on the day

• contacting the Child Safety Officer at info@tagholidayprograms.com.au or +61 402 711 444

• completing a written complaint via email.

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All complaints will be:

• acknowledged promptly

• taken seriously and handled with care and confidentiality

• investigated and responded to in a timely manner

• escalated to the appropriate authorities where required by law.

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Families who are not satisfied with the response may contact the Commission for Children and Young People or the Social Services Regulator.

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12. Child Safety Risk Management

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TAG Holiday Programs maintains a Child Safety Risk Register that identifies risks to child safety across our programs and venues. This register is reviewed at least annually and after any incident or near-miss.

Risk management practices include:

• pre-program venue safety checks at all locations

• staff-to-child ratios appropriate to the activity and age group

• clear sign-in and sign-out procedures

• ensuring no child is left unsupervised at any time

• restricting access to program areas to authorised staff and families

• documenting and reviewing all incidents using our Incident Report process.

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13. Training and Education

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All staff and volunteers receive child safety training before commencing work with TAG Holiday Programs. This includes:

• an induction covering this policy, the Code of Conduct, and reporting obligations

• training on recognising indicators of child harm, including harm caused by other children

• training on how to respond to a disclosure

• information on culturally safe practice

• information on online safety obligations.

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Refresher training is provided annually and whenever this policy is updated. All staff are expected to remain up to date with changes to legislation and best practice.

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14. Cultural Safety and Inclusion

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TAG Holiday Programs is committed to creating a culturally safe environment for all children, with particular attention to the safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people.

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We actively:

• respect and support each child's cultural identity and background

• take a zero-tolerance approach to racism, discrimination, and exclusion

• address any incident of racism or discrimination directly and promptly

• ensure that children from all backgrounds feel equally welcome, valued, and included

• consider the diverse needs of all participants in program planning and delivery.

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15. Communication with Families and the Community

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TAG Holiday Programs communicates our commitment to child safety through:

• this Child Protection Policy, published on our website at tagholidayprograms.com.au

• our Terms & Conditions, which include relevant obligations and consent provisions

• information provided at program sign-in

• direct communication with families about any concerns relating to their child.

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Families are encouraged to share relevant information about their child's needs, health, or circumstances with us at the time of booking or before the program begins. This information is handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

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16. Privacy and Information Handling

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Personal information collected by TAG Holiday Programs is handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles. Please refer to our Privacy Policy for full details.

In the context of child safety, TAG Holiday Programs recognises that the safety of a child overrides the usual obligations of confidentiality. Information may be shared with Victoria Police, Child Protection, or other relevant authorities where required by law or where it is necessary to protect a child from harm.

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17. Review and Continuous Improvement

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This policy will be reviewed:

• annually, as a minimum

• following any child safety incident or near-miss

• when there are changes to relevant legislation or best practice guidance

• at the addition of any new program venue.

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Feedback from staff, families, and participants is welcomed and considered as part of the review process. The most recent review date is noted at the top of this document.

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18. Related Policies and Documents

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• Terms & Conditions — tagholidayprograms.com.au/terms-and-conditions

• Privacy Policy — tagholidayprograms.com.au/privacy-policy

• Child Safety Code of Conduct (internal staff document)

• Child Safety Risk Register (internal)

• Incident Report Form (internal)

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Contact Us

info@tagholidayprograms.com.au

+61 402 711 444

www.tagholidayprograms.com.au