Swimming Australia’s Safe Sport Framework
ASCTA Conference 5 May 2018
Laura Johnston – GM Culture & Performance
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The need for speed…
Best and worst things about coaching…
GO!!!
Our context
Kukors – “My Story”
“I was 15.
He asked me if I was wearing underwear.
I said no.
I’ll never forget the look on his face, it was almost mischievous as he was trying to gauge my response.
From that point on, everything was different….
We talked all the time. Post-race hugs that lasted just a little too long, coffee meetings outside of practice, and constant texting were the ways he made sure I relied on him for everything. He began by having me sit on his lap when we were alone, then progressed to kissing me in elevators, and touching me over my clothes. He once put a paper ring on my ring finger that read, “My beautiful Ari,” and told me he wanted to spend his life with me. He was 34. I was 16.
That was the year the relationship turned sexual…
USA Swimming allegations
In the more than 20 years since Wielgus took charge of USA Swimming in July 1997, at least 252 swim coaches and officials have been arrested, charged by prosecutors, or disciplined by USAS for sexual abuse or misconduct against individuals under 18.
Those coaches and officials have a total of at least 590 alleged victims, some of them abused while attending pre-school swim classes.
In four of the last the last six years at least 20 swim coaches have been arrested, charged or convicted for sex crimes ranging from rape,
sexually assaulting a 3-year-old and 8-year-old, statutory rape, child pornography to secretly videotaping underage swimmers in locker-
rooms, SCNG found.
Guide for what we can ALL do to
mitigate risks for children and adults by:
a) Committing to welfare first – safeguarding children;
b) Providing a Code of Conduct for All and one specifically for
Children and Young people; and c) Managing issues & complaints.
Our Safe Sport Framework.
Swimming Australia’s Safe Sport Framework What it is…
• Brings 5 past policies/procedures into one place in 4 parts:
1. Safe Sport Commitment;
2. Child Protection Commitment Statement;
3. Codes of Conduct; and 4. Complaint Procedures.
• Addresses the environmental factors contributing to Child Abuse
• Providing clear standards of behaviour
• Clarifies procedures for dealing with complaints.
• Provides advice, guidance and tools for all people in our sport when dealing with incidents or complaints.
• Reflects best practice in safeguarding children
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Application of Safe Sport Framework
Persons in Positions of Authority:
“Persons in Positions of Authority includes everyone who holds a position of authority in our Sport, whether paid or unpaid, and
includes, but is not limited to, all Swimming Australia and Club staff, coaches, officials and volunteers.”
Participants:
“A Participant includes anyone who participates in a Swimming Australia or Club service, event, activity or program, including
people who may not be a Member. A Participant may be provided the service or program for free, yet is still under the care of Persons in Positions of Authority whilst participating.”
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Swimming Australia’s Safe Sport Framework
Other Training Module
Evolution…
Key principles - resolving complaints
• Where possible, complaints are dealt with early – at Club level - to minimise:
• Harm to Children and Young People;
• Distress to complainants & those against whom allegations are made;
• Time taken by Clubs, State/Territory bodies and Swimming Australia.
• Complaint Categories have been introduced to dictate which Swimming organisation must deal with the Complaint at first instance…
Complaint Categories
Complaint/
Incident Category
Complaint/Incident Type Initial Reporting
1
• All allegations of Child Abuse, sexual assault or serious criminal conduct (i.e., theft, drug-related use or supply)
• Appeal avenue for Category 2 Complaints
Swimming Australia and/or authorities
2
• State-related complaints or inter-Club matters not involving Child Abuse
• Appeal avenue for Category 3 Complaints
State or Territory
Swimming Association
3 • General Member complaints other than Category 1 or 2 Complaints
Club, MPIO, District/Regional Grievance/Dev.
Officers and/or ASCTA
Learnings over last two years
Understand standards and boundaries
• Safe Sport Framework Apply common sense
• With regards to children – if in doubt… don’t do it.
• The SSF is a reason to feel confident in saying no - ANCHOR
Engage your Clubs:
• no mobile phones in change rooms
• no direct communication with kids electronically
• consideration for transport arrangements.
Support each other!
Acting to safeguard each other
Receiving Complaints generally - guidance
If you receive a Complaint:
a) talk to the Complainant calmly and without judgment or opinion;
b) ensure that your conversation is occurring in a private and safe environment;
c) ask non-leading questions to establish what the Complainant’s concerns are – who (incl. contact details for parent), what when, where, why, what next?;
d) if appropriate (for example, the issue is minor, easily resolved and no person is in danger) take steps to resolve the complaint at that time; otherwise
e) if the complaint is not easily resolved OR you are not sure what to do next, seek out an appropriate Person in a Position of Authority or a MPIO and tell them what you know.
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Acting to safeguard Children & Young People Responding to Child Abuse allegations
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DO DON’T
Believe the child / young person Make promises that you cannot keep
Be calm, supportive and
reassuring Promise secrecy
Reassure them that the abuse is not their fault
Push the child to give details of the alleged Abuse
Concentrate on their feelings rather than on questions and answers
Explain what you are going to do now that you have been told
Acting to safeguard Children & Young People Reporting Child Abuse
You are required to report to Swimming Australia (and
authorities if immediate threat of harm or your State requires):
• Disclosures of actual harm;
• Potential risk of Harm, exploitation or Abuse;
• Signs or indicators of Harm; and
• Breaches of policy.
All you need is a “reasonable belief” that occurring or at risk of occurring – inclination to believe vs not believe
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Positive Acceptable Neutral Inappropriate Abusive
What do you think… No. 1?
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• John is Chris’ swimming coach.
• John arranges to watch Chris play football on a Saturday. Chris’ Mum is OK with this as John has gotten to know her well and Chris has
grown very fond of John.
• Sometimes when Chris’ mother can’t get away from work, John gives Chris a lift home from training.
• Chris shows John his room and they hang out there for a while, listening to music, chatting and lying around.
• John is a qualified masseur. Sometimes when Chris has had a particularly hard training session, John gives Chris a massage.
• After a few months, Chris tells his Mum that he doesn’t want to swim anymore and doesn’t want to see John.
Positive Acceptable Neutral Inappropriate Abusive
What do you think… No. 2?
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• The boys in the Club swimming team take photos of each other all the time
• Sometimes they take photos in the change rooms.
• One of the boys sends a photo of another boy to his coaches phone.
• The coach is in her early twenties and they often text each other about training and swim meet arrangements.
• At the next training session, the coach thanks the boy for sending the photo and asks the boys, as they go into the change room, “are you taking your phones in with you?”
• The photo is then posted on Facebook by one of the parents of the boy who took the photo, implying that the coach has “brought this on”.
Positive Acceptable Neutral Inappropriate Abusive
What do you think… No. 3?
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• The President of a Club – Lisa - has been involved in swimming for 15 years. She is well known and respected. People confide in her.
• Wendy has coached in the State for 20 years and is at a different Club to Lisa. She has won awards and has had much success with her swimmers.
• Lisa has heard some whisperings that Wendy is “hard” on her squad members.
• Wendy tells her squad to “toughen up” even if they are struggling to train when sick, makes them do 400m butterfly if they are late for training and uses butterfly sets to assist breathing capability – but doesn’t call it hypoxic training.
• Lisa doesn’t know what to do. She is worried about speaking up and breaking confidences.
Swimming Australia’s Safe Sport Framework Key messages…
• A shared responsibility – we all have a role.
• Protects children AND Persons in Positions of Authority by:
• addressing environmental risks;
• clearer responsibilities;
• clearer processes;
• providing guidance, advice, templates and tools; and
• providing education and training
Swimming Australia’s Safe Sport Framework
ASCTA Conference 5 May 2018
Laura Johnston – GM Culture & Performance
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