BCSA Child Protection Program

Our Commitment to Child Protection

At The Budgerigar Council of South Australia (BCSA) we dedicate ourselves to child protection and safety. BCSA Child Protection

  • We want children to feel secure, joyful, and capable. We encourage and appreciate all children, as well as our members, Affiliated Club officers, Officials, and helpers.
  • We dedicate ourselves to all children’s protection, inclusion, and freedom.
  • We have a zero-tolerance policy for child abuse.
  • All claims and any safety concerns are serious and in accordance with our policies and protocols.
  • We have legal and moral responsibilities to notify officials when we are concerned about child protection.
  • At The BCSA we dedicate ourselves to avoiding child abuse and finding and mitigating dangers as early as possible.
  • Furthermore, we dedicate ourselves in educating child abuse dangers among our members, Affiliate Club Office Bearers, Judges, and members.
  • We, along with our members, value all children.
  • We have specific policies and procedures in place. These are to assist our BCSA Councilors, Office Bearers of Affiliated Clubs, Judges, and volunteers in meeting these commitments.

If you think a child is in danger of maltreatment, dial 000.

Our Children

The purpose of this policy is to support youth, who play a pivotal role in the future of our hobby. We include them in decisions, particularly when it concerns them personally. We value their opinions and appreciate what they have to say. In our Council, we value variety and tolerance, accepting individuals from all areas of life and ethnic origins.

Our Members

This policy governs how Budgerigar Council of South Australia Councilors, Associated Group office holders, Commissioners, and workers interact with children in our Council. Everyone must commit to follow our code of conduct, which outlines the norms of behaviour expected when dealing with minors.

Rule of Ethics

Members, Office Bearers of Associated Organizations, Commissioners, and workers of the Budgerigar Council of South Australia are accountable for promoting children’s protection, involvement, well-being, and freedom by:

  • adhering to the South Australian Budgerigar Council’s declaration of committing to child protection at all times.
  • taking all sensible precautions to keep children safe from harm.
  • treating everyone with dignity.
  • hearing to and reacting to children’s opinions and concerns. This is especially if they are informing you that they or another child are being mistreated and have concern about their own, or another child’s, protection.
  • supporting Aboriginal children’s culture, involvement, and strength (for example, never questioning an Aboriginal child’s self-identification).
  • promoting children from ethnically and/or language varied families’ cultural protection, involvement, and freedom (for example, by having a zero tolerance of discrimination).
  • encouraging the protection, inclusion, and freedom of disabled children (for example, during personal care activities).
  • assuring people are not alone with a child as much as possible.
  • notifying any claims of child abuse to Budgerigar Council of South Australia Members, This includes the Office Bearers of the associated Group in question, and ensuring submission of any charge to police or child protection agencies.
  • notifying any concerns about child safety to the Budgerigar Council of South Australia Office Bearers of the associated group in question.
  • If an accusation of child abuse is made, make sure the child is secure as soon as possible.
  • urging children to “have a say” and engage in all pertinent Club activities, particularly on topics that are important to them.

Budgerigar Council of South Australia Members, Associated Group Officers, Commissioners, and Volunteers are not permitted to:

  • cultivate any ‘special’ connections with children that could be deemed as favoritism (for example, the offering of gifts or special treatment for specific children).
  • engage in inappropriate tactile behavior with children (for example, improper seating on couches). Resting on shoulders may be acceptable at times, such as when reading a tale to a young kid in an open plan space)
  • expose children to abuse (for example, by locking doors).
  • perform tasks that a child can perform for themselves, such as toileting or changing clothes
  • participate in sophisticated or adult-oriented open conversations in the company of children (for example, personal social activities).
  • use derogatory words in the presence of minors.
  • In the company of children, share personal opinions on nations, ethnicity, or sexuality.
  • prejudice against any kid, regardless of color, nationality, or handicap.
  • communicate with a kid or their family via the internet (unless necessary, for example providing families with e-newsletters)
  • Ignore or dismiss any suspected or reported child abuse.

Interacting with Children

All members who deal with children in our Council must have a valid Working With Children certification.  A WWCC application is free and straightforward. If records reveal a violent past during the process, the candidate will be offered the chance to provide additional information and context. A duplicate of a Working with Children Certificate should be given to the Associated Club and the Budgerigar Council of South Australia. The organisation keeps such material private and secret.

Governmental Authorities

The Budgerigar Council of South Australia takes our regulatory obligations carefully and recognises:

  • Failing to report to the police a plausible suspicion that an adult has committed a sexual offence against a child under the age of 16 or a child under the age of 17 in their custody violates a duty owed to every adult in our community.
  • People of authority in our company will conduct a crime if they know of a significant risk of child sexual abuse and have the power or duty to lower or eliminate the risk, but carelessly fail to do so.

For more like this BCSA Child Protection Policy, check out the policies page.