TENPIN BOWLING AUSTRALIA RELEASE CHILD SAFE SPORT FRAMEWORK
By Matt Stevens
Tenpin Bowling Australia (TBA) has released its Child Safe Sport Framework in conjunction with its eight State Associations, to keep children and young people in our sport safe. This announcement coincides with National Child Protection Week 2019 (1st-7th September 2019) where the key message is – Protecting Children is Everyone’s Business.
With the support from Sport Australia and the Australian Childhood Foundation this framework sets out the three critical policies to keep children and young people in tenpin bowling safe: a Statement of Commitment to keep children safe, a Code of Conduct of expected behaviours for everyone involved in the sport and a Process for Reporting any child safe concerns. This announcement also confirms the need for all coaches in TBA registered bowling centres to be accredited with TBA to ensure Working With Children checks are in place.
After playing a key role in the development of the framework, all of the sports State and Territory Associations have signed off on the framework reflecting a whole of sport approach to keeping children and young people in our sport safe. TBA Chair, Shane Bernhardt, said the release of the Child Safe Sport Framework is an important first step for the sport to keep children and young people safe.
“Like many other sports across Australia, tenpin bowling has been developing an approach to reflect the importance of keeping children and young people in our sport safe. It is important that our approach reflects the findings from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse’s Final Report, released in December 2017, and its recommendations for sport” Bernhardt said.
With the release of the framework marking an important milestone in the sport’s continued focus on the protection of children and young people, Bernhardt said that everyone in the sport has a role to play to ensure all children and young people are safe.
“This framework is only the first step in an ongoing child safe journey. Whether you are a coach, bowler, parent, staff member or volunteer, it is everyone’s responsibility for protecting the children and young people in our sport. I ask everyone to read the framework to understand your responsibilities and ask questions. Your feedback will help make this framework stronger over time.”
“Inappropriate behaviour against the Member Protection Policy, the Child Safe Sport Framework or any of TBA’s policies is unacceptable. It is critical that everyone in our sport meets our expected behaviours and breaches are reported and responded to accordingly. Together we will help to ensure that every child and young person, in every bowling centre is kept safe.”
To view TBA’s Child Safe Framework – Click Here
