Our Commitment to Parents, Carers, Families and their Communities

At the Liverpool Saints, we are deeply committed to ensuring that all children and young people in our care have the opportunity to participate in a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment. We understand that child safety is a shared responsibility, and we actively work with parents, carers, families, and the wider community to create and maintain a child-safe culture within ice sports.

As part of our commitment, we will:

• Prevent Child Abuse: We are dedicated to preventing the abuse of children and young people by identifying and addressing risks at the earliest opportunity. We work proactively to remove and reduce risks wherever possible, ensuring that children can engage in our programs in a safe and secure environment.

• Comply with Legal Requirements: We will comply with all relevant legal requirements, including mandatory reporting obligations. This means that if we suspect that a child has been, or is at risk of being, abused, we will report it to the police or child protection authorities in accordance with the law.

• Promote Cultural Safety and Empowerment: We are committed to promoting the cultural safety, participation, and empowerment of all children, regardless of their background or abilities. This includes actively listening to, and responding to, the views and concerns of children, ensuring they feel respected and valued within the ice hockey community.

• Create a Supportive Environment for Reporting Concerns: In the event of any allegations of child abuse or safety concerns, we are committed to providing an environment in which children and their parents or guardians feel safe, supported, and confident in coming forward. Any concerns raised will be handled consistently and in line with our established child protection policies and procedures, ensuring that every report is treated with the utmost seriousness and respect.

• Implement Best Practice Standards: We will ensure that best practice standards, such as the requirement for Working with Children Checks (WWCC) or similar background checks, are applied to all individuals in roles involving child-related activities within ice hockey. This will apply to coaches, officials, volunteers, and any other personnel who may interact with children.

• Training and continuous education: We will ensure Training and continuous education for our coaches and officials is mandated once the recruitment process has been completed – additionally first aid and concussion training. 

• Treat Everyone with Respect: We are committed to creating an environment where every person involved in ice hockey, from children to adults, is treated with dignity, respect, and fairness and inclusivity. We expect all participants, coaches, parents, and staff to uphold this commitment to respect in all interactions and behaviours.

• Celebrating Diversity and Inclusion

We celebrate the rich diversity within our community and are dedicated to promoting the equal participation of all children, regardless of their background or abilities. We make a concerted effort to ensure the cultural, emotional, and physical safety of children from Aboriginal backgrounds, children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, and children with disabilities. This includes fostering an environment where these children feel safe, included, and empowered to participate fully in all aspects of ice hockey.

At Liverpool Saints Ice hockey, we believe that keeping children safe is not the responsibility of any one person, but a collective effort that involves everyone who is part of our organisation. Whether you're a parent, carer, coach, volunteer, or official, we ask that you share in this commitment to protect children and prevent child abuse and neglect. Together, we can ensure a safe, positive, and enriching experience for all children and young people involved in ice hockey.