Commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Table Tennis NZ recognises Te Tiriti o Waitangi as Aotearoa New Zealand’s founding document and is committed to upholding the mana of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the principles of Partnership, Protection and Participation.

Policy CS2: Child Protection Procedures

Procedure 1: Responding to actual or suspected child abuse or neglect

Procedure 2: Responding to allegations of child abuse or neglect by a staff member, volunteer, contractor

Procedure 3: Responding to a disclosure from a child of abuse or neglect

It is vital that you respond in a way that ensures the child or young person feels supported and safe, and that they receive the help they need. You should always follow Table Tennis NZ's Child Safeguarding Policy and know who to contact at Table Tennis NZ or its affiliated Table Tennis organisations to share your concerns about a child’s safety and wellbeing.

Ways children and young people disclose abuse

Verbally – by telling you directly or by hints in their conversations.
Behaviour or actions such as their interests, stories they write, their play or drawings.
Third-party – this could be a friend of the child telling you, or something you have overheard that concerns you.

All of these are ways that children and young people disclose abuse, and all should be taken seriously and acted upon. If the child or young person discloses abuse that happened in the past, it must be given the same level of response.

It is not your role to investigate – only the Police or Oranga Tamariki can do that. Your role is to gather and share information with Table Tennis NZ's Child Safeguarding Representative (CSR), Oranga Tamariki or the Police.

Consider

There could be other children or siblings who are also at risk – unknown victims.
The child may have received threats of punishments or consequences of telling someone.
The child may be frightened and fearful of the consequences of disclosing.
The same process must be followed if the disclosure relates to historic abuse.

Things TO SAY when a child discloses

‘I believe you.’
‘I am going to help you.’
‘I will help you.’
‘I am glad that you told me.’
‘You are not to blame.’
‘I know you are afraid, but it was right to tell me.’
‘This is what I am going to do next….’
‘Is there anyone that I can contact who you would like to be with you right now?’
‘You’re not going to get into trouble.’
‘Is there anything I can do that would help right now.’
‘I can’t keep what you have told me a secret; I need to talk to someone who can help me to help you.’

Things NOT TO SAY when a child discloses

‘You should have told someone before.’
‘I can’t believe it!’
‘I’m busy.’
‘Don’t tell lies.’
‘No not [name], he/she’s a friend of mine.’
‘I won’t tell anyone else.’
‘Why?’
‘How?’
‘When?’
‘Where?’
‘Who?’

BELIEVE THEM
reassure the child
let them know what you are going to do next
respond effectively
immediately seek help from your CSR
share the information
listen
make sure the child got help
ask open questions: (TEDS)
- Tell me
- Explain
- Describe
- Show me

DON’T

PUT THE MOMENT OFF
say anything to criticise or belittle
promise confidentiality
accuse anyone
spread rumours
investigate
ask leading questions
allow personal doubt to stop you passing on the information
do nothing
doubt the child or assume they are making it up

Procedure 4: Information Sharing and Confidentiality

Giving information to others about a child or young person

There are two main ways we may give information about a child or young person:

By making a Report of Concern to the Police or Oranga Tamariki.
By giving information proactively to Table Tennis NZ, and other organisations involved in a child or young person’s life to increase the safety and wellbeing of that child or young person, or to help assess risk.

Important to remember

The best interests, wellbeing and safety of children and young people are always the first and most important thing to consider.
Talk with children about sharing their information unless it is not appropriate or possible.
If a staff member or volunteer has a concern about a child or young person, they must pass on that information to one of Table Tennis NZ's two Child Safeguarding Representatives. This process is set out in our Child Safeguarding and Protection Procedures.

Assessment procedure

This assessment procedure should be followed by the Child Safeguarding Representative (CSR) when asked to share information:

The CSR will assess the need to share information about concerns for a child or young person in accordance with our Child Safeguarding and Protection Procedures.
Our CSR will share information with any person or organisation involved in the child or young person’s life if sharing that information will increase the safety and wellbeing of the child or young person or help to assess risk.
Any staff member or volunteer may make a Report of Concern to Oranga Tamariki or Police at any time if they believe the Child Safeguarding and Protection Procedures are not being consistently followed and the concern for the child or young person remains. If a staff member or volunteer makes a Report of Concern, the CSR must be informed.
Any information shared will be recorded by the person giving the information, on Table Tennis NZ or its affiliated Table Tennis organisation’s Child Concern Form, and held securely with all other records by the CSRs.
If new information is given to the CSR about a child or young person, the CSR will reassess the child’s safety and actions needed by following the Procedure for Child Safeguarding and Protection.
Our CSRs will follow the guidelines set out in our Privacy Policy, the Privacy Act and the Oranga Tamariki Act when sharing information about a child or young person.

For further advice, the Oranga Tamariki information sharing helpline can be contacted:
0508 326 459
Email
Website
Guide

Responding to requests for information

Information will only be shared by one of our appointed CSRs. Any requests to Table Tennis NZ or its affiliated Table Tennis organisations to share information about a child or young person must be referred to one of the CSRs who will assess whether it is in the child or young person’s best interests to share the information.

The best interests, wellbeing and safety of children and young people are always the first and most important thing to consider.
Talk with children and young people about sharing their information, unless its not appropriate or possible.
Before sharing information, the CSR will check:
- they have the consent of the child or young person to share the information, or
- the information would increase the safety or
- wellbeing of the child or young person, or
- the information is being released in line with Table Tennis NZ or its affiliated Table Tennis organisation’s Privacy Policy.
Any information shared must be relevant to the concern or wellbeing of the child or young person.
Information will only be shared with authorised individuals or organisations involved in the child or young person’s life (i.e. where they have a right to that information).
If the identity of the person making the request is unknown to the CSR, this will be verified by:
- taking the individual’s name and organisation’s phone number
- phoning the individual back
- completing a Google or social media search if necessary.
All information given or received is recorded in the Child Concern Form and securely stored.
If the CSR decides not to share information, they will record in the Child Concern Form reasons for that as well as details of the request.
If new information is given to the CSR about a child or young person, the CSR will reassess the child’s safety and actions needed by following the Procedure for Child Safeguarding and Protection.
Our CSR will follow the guidelines set out in our Privacy Policy, the Privacy Act and the Oranga Tamariki Act when sharing information about a child or young person.

Consent of the child, young person or whānau to sharing information

All parents, caregivers or whānau of a child or young person are provided with Table Tennis NZ or its affiliated Table Tennis organisation enrolment form before their child, or young person becomes a member of Table Tennis NZ or its affiliated Table Tennis organisations.
Parents, caregivers or whānau are given details of our Privacy Policy and Information Sharing Policy at that time, which explains how and when we will share information about a child or young person to increase their safety and wellbeing. If necessary, the policy will be explained verbally, to ensure it is clearly understood.
The CSRs will, where it does not pose a risk to a child or young person, always inform the child or young person (if appropriate), and parent, caregiver or whānau before sharing information or if that is not possible, after sharing the information.
The child or young person’s parent, caregiver or whānau will not be informed about the sharing of information if it will place the child at greater risk or harm by doing so

Procedure 5: Missing Child Procedure

On discovering a child is missing:

immediately make a search of the surrounding area
request help from people around
if in a public building, alert the staff of the situation and ask for assistance in searching for the missing child
if in a place where it is possible to seal off exits and access CCTV footage, request this is done immediately
ensure people involved in the search are given a description of the child and what they are wearing
reassure the other children that this could become a distressing situation for them

If the search is unsuccessful:

ring the Police immediately, providing a description, and keep searching the area
advise the parents, caregivers or whānau of the situation as soon as it is reasonably practical to do so

After the event:

report the incident to the appropriate organisation official
review the policy and procedure to establish what went wrong and how it can be avoided in future

Procedure 6 Guidelines for Working with Children and Young People

SAFETY CHECKLIST

Table tennis organisations should adopt the following procedures for protecting children and young people during any table tennis event or activity:

identification of a person (or people) with responsibility for child safety – Child Safety Representatives (Onsite: usually Competition Manager)
clear guidance on matters such as supervision ratios and emergency procedures
a process for recording incidents/accidents, concerns and referrals and appropriate storage of these
a process for dealing with complaints – see Complaints Procedures
when recruiting staff/volunteers follow Policy CS3 Safer Recruitment - assess their suitability for working with children
- referee checks on staff and volunteers e.g. police vetting; and
- induction and training for staff and volunteers
emergency contact information should be collected from each child/young person
medical information gathered and medical consent form should be collected from each child/young person
attendance registers should be kept
equipment checklists should be maintained
a health and safety checklist should be applied including for the venue, transportation and accommodation – see Policy 12 Health and Safety, Policy CS6 Transportation of Children and Young People, and Policy CS7 Overnight Accommodation & Billeting
first aid must be available
consent to capture and use photographs of the child/youth in the activity should be collected prior to each event – see Policy CS5 Media & Photography of Children and Form CS02 Consent Form Use of Imagery.

GUIDELINES FOR WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Maintain appropriate boundaries

Coaches and other personnel in positions of responsibility should maintain clear:

a. Physical boundaries
- use drills to develop fitness, not as a punishment.
- only use physical contact that is appropriate for the development of a particular skill.
- work within sight of others at all times.
b. Emotional/verbal boundaries
- use positive feedback on performance, not negative feedback about the person.
- be encouraging and avoid put downs.
c. Social boundaries
- do not socialise with players outside sporting functions.
d. Sexual boundaries
- do not have intimate relationships with players you are coaching.
- do not touch players in ways likely to make them feel uncomfortable.

Minimize physical contact.

Any physical contact with players should be to

develop skills
treat an injury
meet the specific requirements of table tennis coaching

Permission from the player should always be obtained if physical contact is required.

Avoid being alone with a child/young person

To protect yourself and the child from risk:

do not isolate yourself and a child and avoid being alone with any particular child
if a child approaches you and wants to talk privately about a matter, do so in an open area and in the sight of other adults
before going into a changing room, knock or announce that you are coming in. try to have at least one adult with you in a changing area with children.

Maintain control – avoid losing your temper

avoid aggressive language and body language which a child may find intimidating
give positive messages
consider ways beforehand how you and other coaches/officials will manage unacceptable behaviour by the child; e.g. a time out place; a card warning system.

Make sure parents are clear about the collection of their child

Parents or caregivers need to be responsible for the collection of their children from a table tennis venue. A list of actions that could help include:

a register of parent/caregiver emergency contact numbers
letting children and parents/caregivers know about the start and finish times of the practice/activity. it is not the responsibility of the coach or any other member of the organisation to transport children home if parents are delayed.
making very clear to the parent/caregiver the place and time where the child can be collected.
wait until all children are collected by parents/caregiver.
avoid the risk of being left alone with the last child not collected by a parent/caregiver, try to have another adult with you.

Avoid transporting players/participants

Ideally all players should have their own transportation to and from the table tennis activity. You should only provide transportation when:

the driver is properly licensed to carry passengers
the vehicle used for transportation is currently registered and has a current Warrant of Fitness
other players/participants are in the vehicle & the ride has been approved by the parent/caregiver
the ride is directly to/from the table tennis activity

Signed authorisation by the parents must be sought prior to any transportation of children/youth to a table tennis activity.
You must be clear with the child and parent/caregiver on the time you are leaving and returning.
See Policy CS6 Transportation of Children and Young People

Overnight and away trips

make sure there are appropriate levels of supervision of adults to children. eg 1: 4 or 1: 6. it will depend on the type of environment.
if you are taking a mixed team or all girls away, there must be at least one woman accompanying the group
if there is only going to be one other adult with you, it is advisable that person is not a relative or partner
at least one adult on the trip should be confident in first aid.
adults should not share rooms with children
ensure emergency procedures are to be in place for a rapid response to any alarm raised by a child and for quick communication with parents/caregiver.
all adults taking children/youth away must have a NZ Police vetting check.

See Policy CS7 Overnight Accommodation & Billeting

Injuries

Injuries should be treated by a qualified person. Personnel should avoid treating injuries out of the sight of others. Other considerations are:

The comfort level and dignity of the player/participant should always be the priority
Only uncover the injured body area, and cover areas of other private body parts.
Always report to parents/caregiver any injuries incurred and any treatment provided.
Keep an accident/injury register that contains basic information on time/date of the injury, where it occurred, how it occurred, the nature of the injury, the treatment provided and by whom, and whether further medical treatment was required.
It is essential to have a bloods rule and ensure coaches/officials know to remove, from a game/activity, any child who is bleeding and to stop the flow of blood before allowing a child to rejoin the activity.

Have clear guidelines for photographing children

Ensure permission is obtained from the child and parent/caregiver before the activity, if photographs are to be taken of the players and /or the activity.
Do not allow photographers including other parents, unsupervised or individual access to children
Ensure you inform the players and parents/caregivers if you intend to video record the activity as a tool to analyse and improve performance.
Obtain the permission of the player and parent/caregiver if you intend to publish a photo/video that they are part of.
Inform the parent/caregiver who they should contact in the table tennis organisation if concerns or complaints of inappropriate photographic behaviour or content are raised.
See Policy CS5 Media & Photography of Children (Photography, Filming and Use of Images of Children and Young People)

Support participants with disabilities

It is important that participants with disabilities have the same opportunities to be involved in table tennis as able bodied participants. This may require, where reasonable, the modification of games, equipment, facilities, and rules. Because participants with disabilities may be more vulnerable to abuse or neglect, table tennis organisations may need to take additional steps to ensure their safety.

See Policy 3 Disability Inclusion and Policy 2 Preventing Discrimination

Indicators of Abuse

The following are indicators of abuse and does not cover every situation. This list does not mean the child is suffering abuse but may indicate you need to share information with your Child Safeguarding Representative (CSR). It is essential to be able to recognise indicators in both the child or young person and the adult who may be abusing them. Sometimes it is the behaviour and attitude of an adult towards children and young people that alerts you.

Emotional abuse – child indicators

overly compliant and apologetic
looks worried and anxious
fear of making mistakes, especially if it only happens in the presence of a particular person
difficulty developing relationships, including poor peer relationships
demonstrating fear of a parent, caregiver or adult
reluctance to attend an activity at a particular club or organisation
inability to cope with praise
delayed development or regression with no apparent cause
aggressive behaviour (active or passive)
attention seeking or risk-taking behaviour
self-critical
depression, regularly frightened, anxious and nervous
tired, lethargic, falling asleep at inappropriate times
self-soothing habits – hair twisting, sucking, biting, rocking
clingy, possessive and attention-seeking
indiscriminate attachment to adults – strong attention, affection seeking or a severe lack of attachment to their own parent/caregiver
seeks affection and comfort from virtual strangers
stealing (particularly food) or destroying property
reluctant or unable to express views when asked
hanging around outside of hours and not wanting to go home
developmental delay with an apparent physical cause
depression, anxiety, withdrawal or aggression
self-harm, suicidal thoughts or intention, alcohol and drug abuse
extreme attention-seeking behaviours or extreme inhibition
running away from home
nightmares, poor sleeping patterns
anti-social behaviours
lack of self-esteem
obsessive behaviours
eating disorders
reluctance to attend an activity at a particular club or organisation.

Emotional abuse – adult indicators

labels the child as inferior, belittles or publicly humiliates the child
treats the child differently from siblings or peers in ways that suggest dislike or irritation of the child
considers it amusing to frighten the child
lacks empathy for the child
refuses to help the child
threatens the child with physical harm or punishment in front of others
exposure to criminal behaviour
withholds physical and verbal affection
isolates the child
has unrealistic expectations of the child
inappropriately involves the child in adult problems
exposes child to seeing or hearing, situations of arguing and violence in the home.

Neglect – child Indicators

dressed inappropriately for the season or the weather
lack of food, kit or equipment
often dirty and unwashed
severe or persistent skin disorders
inadequately supervised or left unattended frequently or for long periods
left alone or in the care of an inappropriate adult
does not receive adequate or timely health care
underweight or overweight
lacks adequate shelter
failure to thrive with no medical reason
stealing/hoarding of food
inappropriately dressed - dirty, not the right clothes to keep dry or warm.
unsupervised – hanging around
lack of routine in the household – mealtimes and bedtimes
falling behind in education and sport
indiscriminate attachment to adults – strong attention seeking, affection seeking or a severe lack of attachment to their own parent/caregiver
tired or falling asleep at inappropriate times
abuse of alcohol or drugs
aggressive or destructive behaviour
poor peer relationships, having few friends
dulled emotional response or lack of expression or enthusiasm
low self-esteem
anxiety
self-soothing behaviour such as rocking and sucking
running away
developmental lags with no apparent cause.

Neglect – adult indicators

puts own need ahead of child’s
fails to provide for child’s basic needs
demonstrates little or no interest in the child’s life - does not attend sport and recreational activities or social events
leaves the child alone or inappropriately supervised
drug and alcohol misuse
low mood
seeks help but fails to carry through with help offered
late to drop off and collect – may fail to collect the child
excuses and promises with no improvement in the care of the child.

Physical abuse – child indicators

Especially when unexplained, inconsistent with explanation given or the story changes
bruises, marks, cuts and abrasions
burns
repeated illnesses with no known cause
black eyes
fractures and dislocations
multiple, bruises, wounds or fractures at different stages of healing
injuries or fractures in very young children, especially those not yet mobile
inconsistent or vague explanations regarding injuries
makes excuses for injury or story changes
repeatedly injured
injured but not receiving timely health care
wary of adults or a particular person
speaks aggressively to others
fear and crying
cringing or flinching if touches unexpectedly
overly compliant and eager to please
dresses to hide bruising or injuries
runs away from home or is afraid to go home
may regress (e.g. bed-wetting)
general sadness
violent to other children or cruel to animals.

Physical abuse – adult indicators

inconsistent or vague explanations regarding injuries
threatens or hits the child in front of others
speaks aggressively to or about the child
reacts aggressively to questions about a child’s injury or well-being
makes you feel scared or frightened when you enquire about the child’s well-being
appears unconcerned about child’s well-being
states the child is prone to injuries or lies about how they occur
delays in seeking medical attention
may take the child to multiple medical appointments and seek medical treatment without an obvious need
lacks empathy
is cruel taking delight in overly rough play or taunting the child
harsh parenting style who supports physical punishment.

Sexual abuse – child indicators

unusual discharge, or excessive itching or pain in the genital or anal area
stained or bloody underwear
any injury, soreness or bleeding in the genital or anal area
blood in urine or stools
sexually transmitted infections
pregnancy
urinary tract infections
discomfort in sitting or walking
age or developmentally inappropriate sexual play, knowledge or language
refuses to go home, or to a specific person’s home, for no apparent reason
running away from home or going missing
fear of a person, place, sound or smell
mood swings or changes in temperament
secrecy
exchanging sexualised messages or images
unexplained gifts, possessions or money that can’t be accounted for
depression, anxiety, withdrawal or aggression
self-harm, suicidal thought or intention, alcohol and drug abuse
overly compliant
extreme attention-seeking behaviours or extreme inhibition
dresses inappropriately to hide bruising or injuries
eating disorders
Compulsive behaviours.

Sexual abuse – adult indicators

favours a particular child
insists on physical affection
rough play or tickling games
invades the child’s privacy (e.g. during dressing, in the bathroom)
manipulates situations to gain time alone with a child or children, for example, offering to babysit, extra coaching or tutoring
overly interested in a child’s sexual development
prefers to spend time with children and young people rather than adults or people of a similar age.

Intimate partner violence – child indicators

injuries consistent with physical abuse
absenteeism from school
worried and anxious in general or about a parent or siblings
bullying or aggressive behaviour
complaints of headaches or stomach ache with no apparent medical reason
talking or describing violent behaviours
bullying, aggressive behaviour
disclosures of violent or emotionally abusive situations
threats or cruelty to animals.
substance misuse
very distressed when witnessing violence
severely shy, low self-esteem
argumentative and aggressive
difficulty concentrating.

Intimate partner violence - adult victim indicators

physical injuries
depression or anxiety
inconsistent explanations for injuries
fearful • submissive
protective of abuser.

Intimate partner violence - perpetrator indicators

isolates and controls partner and children
threatens, criticises, intimidates, uses aggressive and physical abuse towards partner and children
minimises and denies own behaviour, or blames the victim for the perpetrator’s own behaviour
stalking victim
manipulating a person by forcing them to question their thoughts, memories, and events, making them question their own sanity.

Bullying – child indicators

physical injuries such as unexplained bruises
problems with eating or sleeping, for example, nightmares, wetting the bed, etc
self-harm
belongings getting lost or damaged
loses interest in school or activity
not doing as well at school
being afraid to go to school or activity
few friendships, not being accepted by their peers
no longer wants to participate in activities once enjoyed
asking for, or stealing, money (to give to a bully)
suddenly changes in behaviour
thoughts about suicide
substance misuse.

Cyberbullying – child indicators

spends a significant amount of time on the computer, and is unwilling to talk about
seems upset, highly irritable or emotional after being on the computer, or after reading their text messages or email, etc
frightened of going to school or activity
constantly checking social media or worrying about comments
defensive and upset when you ask about social media use
sudden withdrawal from technology or a sudden change in computer or phone usage including suddenly stops using the computer
become anxious about phone messages
suddenly changes friends

Body Map

Version: November 2024

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