Child Safety Policy

Children’s Participation

We engage children on their level and strive to create a friendly, playful and inclusive environment where learning can happen naturally. We also use relationship development, identity within the sport and simplicity with our explanations to make the child’s experience a memorable and positive one. Active listening, respect and reciprocal involvement of the children through the journeys is essential.

Recruitment

Through our recruitment process, we utilise an extensive application process via our website and cloud-based software. After application review, we use face to face interviews (in person or online video calls) for all suitable candidates, check internal references or records if applicable, conduct external reference checks where applicable and require all staff to have a valid NSW Working With Children Check that we individually verify online and lodge with the Children’s Guardian website. Once active in the workplace, all staff working with children are required to complete an online child safety course.

Complaints Management and Reporting – Department of Family and Community Services NSW Ombudsman Office of the Children’s Guardian

• Complaints can be made through our guest services department in person, over the phone or via email: GuestServices_Thredbo@evt.com
• Alternatively, complaints can be made in person and are normally attended to by a member of our Leadership Team.
• Children in a lesson can voice concerns to the applicable staff member present at any time, their instructor/coach, any member of the support staff or leadership team. This transfer of information is an essential part of communication in the learning partnership at Kosciuszko Thredbo.
• All Snowsports, Thredbo Leisure Centre and Mountain Bike School Leadership Team Members are trained in guest communication, conflict resolution and are empowered to help students and their families out where needed.
• All further escalated complaints will be reviewed by our Child Safety Contact Person in Thredbo: Snowsports Manager – AJ Jones aj_jones@evt.com or Thredbo Guest Service Manager – Luke Beaumont luke_beaumont@evt.com or Thredbo Retail, Rental and Mountain Bike Manager – Alice Chilcott alice_chilcott@evt.com
• Reporting Resources for Child Protection:

1. Child Protection Helpline: 132 111
2. By eReport through the ChildStory Reporter Website

Training, support and supervision of workers

When being trained to work with children, our staff are taught how to incorporate our EVT company values: Empowerment, Possibilities and Community.

• Staff are empowered to make well thought out child safe decisions when working with children.
• They are given the possibility to expand or evolve children’s interactions and learning in a creative, fun and supportive way that remains safe.
• Through these actions, experiences and support, our staff and customers become part of our community.

Our staff are also trained by professional certifying organisations all around the world that follow contemporary child teaching standards within the industry. To supplement this, we offer child specific training that reviews best practices with children involving their Cognitive, Emotional and Physical Development, all while exposing staff to children’s hierarchy of needs.

Ongoing evaluation and observations of staff, as well as customer feedback, allow us to put the best possible personnel forward to work with children.

Other legislation, industry standards or internal policies

• Child Protection (Working With Children) Act 2012
• Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998
• EVT Policy
• Thredbo Policy
• Performance Management Policy
• Thredbo Snowsports Code of Conduct

Communication

• We will hold daily and weekly information sessions/updates for Staff on our Workplace internal communication platform.
• Communicate via email and over phone
• Our Child Safe Policy will be discussed during induction sessions for all staff.
• Children and parents are able to view a copy of the Child Safe Policy on our website and in Resort.