Blues Rugby

MISSISSAUGA BLUES RUGBY CLUB CHILD PROTECTION OFFICER, CHILD PROTECTION POLICY AND REPORT FORM 2009 © 12th November 2009

The Mississauga Blues Rugby Club, together with its partner Rugby Ontario, is committed to providing the safest possible experience for young men and women playing Rugby at the Club. All children have a right to be safe when they participate in Rugby, and to expect that those who organize and deliver Rugby to them have the appropriate policies and procedures in place to ensure they are protected from harm. To these ends, the Club Executive has adopted a number of Risk Management policies and procedures:

* The appointment of Child Protection Officer (CPO) with clearly delineated roles & responsibilities
* The Mississauga Blues Rugby Club Child Protection Policy and Implementation with appendix.
* Policy on Police Records Checks for coaches and officials – Volunteer Sector Screening
* Sample Report Form

1. Mississauga Blues Rugby Club Child Protection Officer (CPO)

Mississauga Blues Rugby Club CPOs appointed by the Board 12th November 2009 are

CPO Judi Marshall Alternate: Paul Neufeld
judipeter@hotmail.com paul.neufeld@peelsb.com

The alternate CPO shall undertake the role in the absence of the designated person.

TERMS OF REFERENCE – ROLES and RESPONSIBILITIES

Main Purpose of Role:
To act as a point of contact in all issues relating to the welfare of children in the Mississauga Blues Rugby Club and to ensure all appropriate documentation and forms are completed and kept secure in accordance with the Mississauga Blues Rugby Club’s and Ontario Rugby Union’s Child Protection Policies.

2. Mississauga Blues Rugby Club Child Protection Policy (CPP) & Implementation

The Mississauga Blues Rugby Club is committed to providing children with a safe and welcoming environment in which to participate in the sport of Rugby. The purpose of this Policy is to set guidelines for effectively managing a safe environment for children while they learn and play Rugby, and enjoy its related activities such as travel and tours.

In fulfilling its role and responsibility in the protection of children, the Mississauga Blues Rugby Club will:

● ensure children are safe and protected from any form of harm, abuse, harassment,
bullying or exploitation;
● carefully screen and select persons whose role places them in positions of authority,
or regular supervisory capacity with ‘children’, as defined under this policy;
● ensure procedures are in place for identifying, recording, reporting, responding to,
and resolving concerns, allegations or complaints brought forward under this policy;
● support and provide current information & educational opportunities to those
involved in Blues Rugby on child abuse and other child protection issues;

The Mississauga Rugby Club also requires,

● that anyone who has knowledge or suspicion that a child is being abused, report it
immediately to the Club’s Child Protection Officer or to the police;
● that all concerns, allegations and complaints of any form of abuse, harassment,
bullying or exploitation, including improper conduct or poor practices by adults are
dealt with promptly, seriously, sensitively and confidentially.

Responsibilities and Impacted Parties:

It is the direct responsibility of all persons working or volunteering with children in the Mississauga Blues Rugby environment, to ensure that they are familiar with the contents of this Child Protection Policy and to observe appropriate conduct, procedures and best practices at all times.

This Mississauga Blues Child Protection Policy applies to the following, whether they are in a paid or unpaid/voluntary capacity working with children:
● individuals sitting on the Mississauga Blues Rugby Club Board of Directors, its committees
and sub-committees;
● professional Rugby staff and Rugby volunteers;
● Rugby support personnel (managers, physiotherapists, trainers, etc)
● club coaches and assistant coaches;
● players;
● referees, and other officials;
● members of Rugby clubs and associations recognized by Rugby Ontario;
● parents, guardians, spectators and sponsors to the full extent that this is possible.

Definition of a ‘Child’ / ‘Children’:

For the purposes of this policy, a child/ren shall be defined as:

● any person/s under the age of 16 (sixteen);
● any person/s between the ages of 15 and 18 where the person/s ability, due to mental,
developmental or physical incapacity is, or appears to be, unable to protect him or
herself. [Child Protection Act, 2006]

Requirement for a Police Records Check / Vulnerable Sector Screening

Under this Child Protection Policy, it is mandatory for persons who are registered with Rugby Canada, and whose role places them in a position of authority, or involves regular supervisory contact with children, to complete and submit a copy of an approved police records check for vulnerable sector screening to their club or other appropriate association. This policy applies to the following identified roles, at all levels of play and administration, involving children in Rugby in the Province of Ontario;

● Child Protection Officers;
● Club Rugby referees;
● Club coaches and assistant coaches;
● Club executive officials and administrators;
● Cluib trainers, physiotherapists and athletic therapists.

3. Appendix to Child Protection Policy.

This Appendix is a guidance document that refers to Policy and Procedures for the protection of young People in Rugby. It should be read in conjunction with the Mississauga Blues Rugby Club Child Protection Policy (CPP) and its implementation.

If the Mississauga Blues Rugby Club’s Child Protection Policy is to be implemented effectively, there has to be a recognition that Rugby Canada, Rugby Ontario and the Club must work together, each with a role to ensure that young people enjoy Rugby in the safest possible environment.

Prohibited Practices:

Coaches, Managers or Volunteers, including all professional staff must not:

1. Take young people to own home or other place where they will be alone with them;
2. Spend any amount of time alone with young people away from others;
3. Take young people alone on car journeys, however short;
4. If it should arise that such situations are unavoidable, they should only take place with
the full knowledge and consent of someone in charge in the Club/governing body
and/or a person with parental responsibility for the young person. In exceptional
circumstances where a coach, manager of volunteer cannot obtain such consent,
then if it is in the welfare interest of the young person, such permission does not
have to be approved. If this occurs, then the adult must record the occurrence with
the Club’s Board or CPO.
5. Engage in sexually provocative games or horseplay with children;
6. Take part in any dynamic contact games or training sessions with children. If there is a
need for contact, then this should be done with the utmost care and with due
regard to the safety of the young players;
7. Share a room with any young person unless the individual is the parent/guardian of
that young person;
8. Engage in any form of inappropriate sexual contact and/or behavior;
9. Allow any form of inappropriate touching;
10. Make sexually suggestive remarks to a young person, even in fun;
11. Use inappropriate language or allow young people to use inappropriate language
unchallenged;
12. Allow allegations by a young person to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted on;
13 Do things of a personal nature to a young person that they can do for themselves,
unless you have been requested to do so by the parents/carer (please note that
some young people will always need help with things such as lace tying, adjustment
of tag belts, fitting headguards and it is also recognized that this does not preclude
anyone attending to an injured/ill young person or rendering first-aid.
14. Depart the Rugby Club or agreed rendezvous point until the safe dispersal of all young
people is complete;
15. Cause an individual to lose self-esteem by embarrassing, humiliating or undermining the
individual;
16. Treat some young people more favorably than others;
17. Agree to meet a young person on their own on a one-to-one basis

Social Media:

The Club membership must use social media responsibly and properly when interacting with players, parents and other members.

Positions of Trust:

All adults who work with young people are in a position of trust which has been invested in them by the parents, the sport and the young person. This relationship can be described as one in which the adult is in a position of power and influence by virtue of their position. Sexual intercourse or touching by an adult with a child under the age of 16 years is unlawful, even where there is apparent consent from the child. A consensual sexual relationship between an adult in a position of trust within the Rugby setting and a child over 16 years of age is contrary to the policy and procedures for the welfare of young people in the sport of Rugby.

Adults must not encourage a physically or emotionally dependent relationship to develop between the person in a position of trust and the young person in their care.

All those within the organization have a duty to raise concerns about the behavior of coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators and professional staff which may be harmful to the children, young people in their care, without prejudice to their own position.

4. Police Records Checks for coaches & officials: Volunteer Sector Screening

With the implementation of the Club’s Child Protection Policy, the Mississauga Blues Rugby Club and Rugby Ontario formally recognize the fact that those persons defined as working/volunteering with children and youth on a regular basis have a requirement to produce a valid police records check [PRC]. This should be before assuming a position in the sport. Only a police records check for volunteering sector screening is acceptable and meets this requirement.

A regular criminal background check does not meet the police check obligation under the policy to enable a volunteer or work with children and youth. Everyone is invited to become aware of their duties responsibilities in the area of child protection in Rugby by reviewing the Mississauga Blues Child Protection Policy. There are no exceptions to this policy. Everyone designated as requiring a valid PRC VSS must comply with this policy regardless of standing or profession, inside or outside of the game.

Teachers have asked if they may submit verification of a police records check from their school board. Teachers do require a valid PRC VSS when they are first hired. However, each year thereafter, they complete a self declaration form with their school board. This form is not recognized by school boards as having validity for application outside of the education system. Therefore, an active PRC VSS [ less than 2 years old] is required.

A police records check for the volunteer sector screening is valid for a period of 2 years from date of issue of the PRC VSS. This will also coincide with provisions contained in impending Provincial Legislation, Bill 30 [An Act To Provide Protection For Minors Participating In Amateur Sports].

This 2010 season will mark Rugby Ontario’s launch of monitoring and compliance with the CPP as regards PRC VSS. Individuals should retain a copy for their own records, and provide the Club’s Child Protection Officer with a copy for secure retention in the event of monitoring or compliance requests from Rugby Ontario. Only a person authorized by the club/society or organization may view the form to assure completeness and approval, prior to filing it in a secure manner. Designated RO officers may ask to view the form that is retained by clubs for PRC VSS verification/audit purposes.