We are committed to maintaining the health and well-being of children and young people who participate in our sport of triathlon.

Our Child and Young People Risk Management Strategy provides efficient avenues in which to provide children and young people safe and supportive environments in which to participate in triathlon.

Our policy in full is available for download:

Triathlon Queensland's Child and Youth Risk Management Policy

The Policy includes:

• Policies and procedures for handling disclosures and suspicions of harm 
• Plans for managing breaches of the policy
• Communication between coaches and U18 Athletes
• How to implement the policy in your club through training, recruiting and maintaining staff, volunteers, coaches and technical officials

Blue Card

We ensure that all our staff, volunteers, coaches and technical officials have a valid Blue Card before interaction with anyone under the age of 18.

The Blue Card program is administered by the Queensland Government.

The Commission has an oversight role of the child safety and youth justice systems. The Commission works collaboratively with both government and non-government agencies to resolve matters impacting on the best interests of children and young people. The Commission was established and enforced under the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Act 2000.

What is Harm?

Harm to a child or young person can be classified under the following types:

• Physical Abuse: beating, shaking, burning, giving children alcohol or inappropriate discipline
• Emotional or physiological abuse: constant yelling, insults, swearing, criticism and bullying
• Neglect: not giving children sufficient food, clothing, medical care
• Sexual abuse exploitation: sexual jokes or touching, exposing children to sexual acts

How to Deal with it?

1. Receive disclosure in a private place, tell them that they have done the right thing. Only ask questions that confirm the need to report and DO NOT conduct your own investigation
2. Document either a disclosure and/or suspicion of harm, ensure that it is done in a non-judgemental way and only the facts are reported, 'word for word'
3. The disclosure of harm must be reported to either the Department of Communities or the Queensland Police Service
4. Ensure all people involved are offered support and counselling, and if the person of the allegation is an employee ensure all further work with people under 18 is supervised

Plan for Managing Breaches of the Policy

All people concerned will be advised of the process and be able to provide their own version of events. The details of the breach, including versions of all parties, will be recorded and kept confidential. Suitable outcomes for breaches could be as follows; disciplinary procedures, further education and training, providing closer supervision or mediating between those involved.

Coaches Interaction with U18 Athletes

In relation to communication between coaches and children/young people through social networking sites and personal mobile phones a number of issues arise;

• Communication through these networks tends to be more social and lowers the 'professional boundaries'
• Can expose coaches of U18 athletes to extended and irrelevant information about their student's lives
• The ability to electronically communicate has been previously abused with young people being 'groomed' and harmed
• Therefore, there should be no communication on social networking sites and any text message should be sent simultaneously to the athlete and their parent/guardian