ROOKIE NATION
WORKING WITH CHILDREN CHECK POLICY
PURPOSE
Rookie Nation is committed to providing a safe, inclusive and child-safe environment for all players, participants, customers, students, visitors, families, coaches, contractors, volunteers and staff.
This policy enables Rookie Nation to meet applicable legislative and regulatory requirements across the Australian States and Territories relating to employees, contractors, franchisees, volunteers and other individuals who are likely to engage in direct-contact activities with children during their involvement with Rookie Nation.
Rookie Nation recognises that protecting children is a shared responsibility and is committed to ensuring that individuals involved in child-related activities are appropriately screened, suitable and compliant with all applicable requirements.
SCOPE
This policy applies to:
- All prospective and current employees, contractors, coaches, volunteers and franchisees whose role may require direct contact with children.
- All persons involved in any Rookie Nation program, camp, clinic, academy, event or activity where direct contact with children may be necessary or required.
- Any other person engaged by or representing Rookie Nation who may reasonably have direct or unsupervised contact with children.
OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this policy are to:
a) Ensure the safety and wellbeing of children participating in all Rookie Nation programs, camps, clinics, academies and events.
b) Ensure the suitability of employees, contractors, coaches, volunteers, job applicants and franchisees for direct contact with children as part of their employment, engagement or business operations.
c) Prevent individuals whose criminal history, conduct, circumstances or other relevant information means they are unsuitable to work with children from undertaking child-related work or participating in Rookie Nation activities where such participation would be prohibited.
d) Ensure Rookie Nation meets applicable Working With Children Check requirements and other child-safety screening obligations in each jurisdiction in which it operates.
Relevant employees, contractors, coaches, volunteers and franchisees, as defined by the scope of this policy, must obtain and maintain a Working With Children Check (WWCC) or equivalent clearance where required by applicable legislation.
STATE AND TERRITORY LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS
There is no single national system governing Working With Children Checks across Australia.
Each Australian State and Territory has its own legislative and administrative requirements regarding screening, registration, eligibility, monitoring and ongoing obligations for individuals working with children.
Individuals working or operating on behalf of Rookie Nation must comply with the requirements applicable in the jurisdiction in which they are working.
As legislation and regulatory requirements may change from time to time, Rookie Nation employees, contractors, coaches, volunteers and franchisees are required to remain aware of and comply with the requirements applicable to their role and location.
Where a Rookie Nation program operates across multiple jurisdictions, the relevant requirements for each jurisdiction must be considered.
RELEVANT LEGISLATION
The following legislation and regulatory frameworks may apply, depending on the location and nature of the work:
- NSW – Child Protection (Working with Children) Act 2012
- VIC – Working with Children Act 2005
- QLD – Working with Children (Risk Management and Screening) Act 2000 and related legislation
- WA – Working with Children (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004
- SA – Child Safety (Prohibited Persons) Act 2016 and related legislation
- NT – Care and Protection of Children Act 2007
- ACT – Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act 2011
- TAS – Registration to Work with Vulnerable People Act 2013
Rookie Nation will seek to maintain appropriate compliance with applicable legislation and regulatory requirements as they apply to its operations.
REQUIREMENTS
Rookie Nation programs and business operations may involve working with or providing instruction, coaching, supervision or support to children under the age of 18.
Child-related work may include, but is not limited to:
- School holiday camps
- Rugby league clinics
- Academy programs
- Elite Academy programs
- Development programs
- Pathway programs
- Tournaments and competitions
- School events
- Community events
- Coaching and instruction
- Mentoring and athlete development
- Leadership and facilitation
- One-on-one coaching
- Small-group coaching
- Other activities involving direct contact with children
Where required by applicable legislation, a current and valid Working With Children Check or equivalent clearance is a condition of employment, engagement, ownership, coaching, volunteering or other involvement in child-related Rookie Nation activities.
Individuals must provide evidence of their clearance or application where required by Rookie Nation and applicable legislation.
FAILURE TO OBTAIN OR MAINTAIN CLEARANCE
Any employee, contractor, coach, franchisee or volunteer who is required to hold a Working With Children Check or equivalent clearance and is unable to obtain or maintain the required clearance may not undertake child-related duties where such clearance is legally required.
Where an individual does not meet the applicable screening requirements, Rookie Nation may restrict or prohibit their involvement in programs, events or activities involving children.
Any employment, contractor, volunteer or franchise arrangement may be reviewed or terminated where an individual is legally prohibited from undertaking child-related work or is otherwise unable to meet the requirements of their role.
FALSE OR MISLEADING INFORMATION
Individuals must provide accurate and truthful information regarding their Working With Children Check or equivalent clearance.
If an individual is found to have deliberately misled Rookie Nation regarding their clearance status, including by providing falsified, altered or fraudulent documentation, Rookie Nation may:
- Immediately remove the individual from child-related duties;
- Report the matter to the relevant authorities where required;
- Investigate the circumstances;
- Take disciplinary action; and/or
- Terminate the individual's employment, contract, volunteer engagement or franchise arrangement, subject to applicable law and contractual requirements.
EMPLOYEE, COACH & TERRITORY REQUIREMENTS
Where a role involves direct contact with children in an instructional, teaching, coaching, mentoring, tuition, advisory, supervision or other child-related capacity, the individual must successfully obtain and maintain the appropriate Working With Children Check or equivalent clearance required by the relevant jurisdiction.
Where applicable, offers of employment or engagement may be made subject to the individual obtaining the required clearance before commencing child-related duties.
It is the responsibility of the prospective employee, contractor, coach, volunteer or franchisee to complete the required screening process and provide evidence of their clearance where requested.
COMMENCEMENT OF CHILD-RELATED DUTIES
Before commencing duties involving children, individuals must provide evidence of their required Working With Children Check or equivalent clearance where applicable.
Where legislation permits an individual to commence employment or engagement while a clearance application is being processed, Rookie Nation will ensure that any required supervision, restrictions or interim arrangements are implemented.
An individual must not undertake unsupervised child-related duties where doing so would breach applicable legislation or Rookie Nation's child-safety requirements.
ONGOING RESPONSIBILITIES
All Rookie Nation employees, contractors, coaches, volunteers and franchisees are responsible for maintaining their required Working With Children Check or equivalent clearance throughout their involvement in child-related activities.
Individuals must immediately notify the appropriate Rookie Nation representative of any change that may affect their eligibility to work with children, including:
- Suspension or cancellation of a clearance;
- A change in clearance status;
- A prohibition notice;
- A relevant criminal charge or conviction where disclosure is required by law;
- Any other notification received from the relevant screening authority that may affect their eligibility.
Failure to comply with applicable disclosure and notification requirements may constitute a breach of Rookie Nation policy and may result in disciplinary or other appropriate action.
RECORD KEEPING
Rookie Nation will maintain appropriate records of Working With Children Checks and other required clearances in accordance with applicable legislation and privacy requirements.
Access to screening information will be restricted to authorised personnel who require the information for legitimate child-safety, compliance, employment or operational purposes.
Rookie Nation will handle personal information in accordance with applicable privacy legislation and its Privacy Policy.
EXEMPTIONS
a) Persons under the age of 18
Where permitted by applicable legislation, persons under the age of 18 may be exempt from obtaining a Working With Children Check.
If an individual turns 18 during their employment, volunteer engagement, coaching role or other involvement with Rookie Nation, they must determine whether they are required to apply for the relevant clearance and do so as soon as practicable.
Until the required clearance has been obtained, the individual must not undertake unsupervised child-related activities where prohibited by applicable legislation.
b) Other legislative exemptions
Other exemptions may apply depending on the relevant State or Territory legislation.
Rookie Nation will assess any claimed exemption against the applicable legislation before permitting an individual to undertake child-related duties.
ROOKIE NATION'S COMMITMENT
Rookie Nation is committed to creating an environment where every child can:
PLAY WITH CONFIDENCE.
DEVELOP WITH PURPOSE.
GROW WITH RESPECT.
FEEL SAFE AND BELONG.
Child safety is everyone's responsibility.
Rookie Nation — Building the player. Building the person.