CS8 - SUPERVISION OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
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CS8 - Supervision of Children and Young People

Issue Date Effective Date Version
14/12/2023 01/07/2024 1.0

Purpose

The purpose of this guideline is to provide guidance to owners or operators of aquatic facilities on the supervision of children and young people, particularly in sensitive environments in facilities and associated programs and activities.

NB: This guideline is referencing supervision from a child safety perspective, not an aquatic or program supervision perspective, which can also include references to the physical safety of children and young people.

For more guidance on the aquatic and program supervision recommendations, see:

Description

Wherever possible, interactions with children and young people should be observable by other adults.

Children and young people should be provided with constant, active and diligent supervision by adults at all times

Wherever possible, people working with children and young people should have a second adult present at all times. Where this is not possible, the risk assessment and procedures should note this and a system of spot checks should be considered.

Aquatic facility designers and owners should ensure where possible that the design of new aquatic facilities incorporates sufficient sight lines to all areas where children and young people frequent, with all but very few exceptions.

An owner or operator should develop and implement supervision procedures into all daily practices across the operations of the aquatic facility, programs and activities which protect and support the safety of children and young people.

Consideration should be given in particular to the arrangements set in place for the supervision of children and young people who may be in isolated areas of the facility or out on programs.

An owner or operator should review and make adjustments as necessary to these procedures after changes to the facility or programs.

Supervision of sensitive environments that are not in regular use should be checked in an irregular yet consistent pattern to assist with mitigating risk. For more information, refer to Guidelines for Safe Pool Operations SV27: https://www.royallifesaving.com.au/subscribers/GSPO/aquatic-supervision/supervision-of-aquatic-environments/sv27-supervising-isolated-areas

Isolated areas

Random spot checks of areas isolated areas should occur routinely. Every 30-60 minutes is suggested.

Isolated areas include areas where obstructions to line of sight exist and the general public or other supervisory staff cannot see what is occurring in these areas from a central location. These areas can present additional risk (although no areas are completely safe) as predatory and abusive behaviour can occur discretely and without scrutiny or oversight. For example:

  • A first aid room with a clear window onto the pool deck which has a blind. Viewing into the First Aid room may be obstructed by the blind being pulled down.
  • A storage shed located at the rear of the aquatic centre that has no security
Other examples include:
  • Toilets
  • Changerooms
  • Sport / group fitness facilities
  • Underneath water slide towers
  • Disabled and family change rooms
  • First Aid areas
  • Activity / training / club rooms
  • Offices (whether employee or volunteer)
  • Staff rooms
  • Storerooms or sheds
  • Operation or pump rooms
  • Under the water in any pool
  • Inside waterslides, play equipment, lazy rivers
  • Under play mats, floating rings and other equipment

Use of toilets, changerooms and showers

Designers, owners and operators

The owner or operator may make arrangements to provide separate toilets, change rooms or showers for large groups of children and young people attending the aquatic facility (such as school groups) to avoid interaction with other patrons to the facility where possible. New and larger facilities often have separate facilities. Small and older facilities may consider closing the changeroom temporarily to the general public while the large group moves through. It is noted this may not always be reasonable or practicable.

Owners and operators should consider the suitability of providing separate changing facilities for staff. Many facilities have on-deck cubicles and/or temporary change facilities.

The owner or operator of the aquatic facility should determine at which age children or young people should not be permitted in the toilets, change rooms or showers of the opposite sex and imbed the determination into procedures and policies.

Parents and carers

Parents should encourage their child or young person to use the toilet prior to the commencement of their class or activity.

Where possible, parents or carers should remain accessible should the child need to leave the class to use the toilet.

If parents or carers need to remove the child from a lesson, ensure the teacher is aware and informed.

Staff, volunteers and contractors

Staff volunteers and contractors should:

  • Ensure that all students are accompanied by a parent or carer if they leave the class to use the toilet. If the student’s parent or carer is unavailable to accompany the child or young person to the toilet, the staff member should inform their supervisor if available (it is strongly advised that parents and carers are available during structured aquatic activities for young children for this reason)
  • If for any reason a staff member accompanies a child or young person to the toilet, change room or shower, ensure that they are supervised by another staff member
  • Avoid undressing when children or young persons are present in the change room. If there are children present, staff should use a private cubicle.
  • Announce themselves before entering change rooms or toilets to supervise if required.
  • Must not use mobile phones, cameras or video for the purpose of capturing images in change room areas and showers, unless the image is for the purpose of an inspection or maintenance nature. No children should be present in the background of any images taken for this purpose and a second staff member should be present when images are taken.
  • If the child’s parent or carer is not available to accompany a child, ensure a teacher is supervised by another staff member if taking a child or young person to the bathroom
  • Provide private/safe changerooms, away from the public if possible
  • Encourage children and young people to arrive, dressed and ready for programs and activities if there are no private/safe changerooms.
  • Implement a buddy system in the absence of adult supervision to accompany a child or young person to the bathroom. (For example, children or young people can nominate 2 or more ‘buddies’ of a similar age and gender who can go with them).
  • Recognise when a child or young person goes to the change room or toilet during a program or activity and if they do not return in a timely fashion, arrange a check on their whereabouts.
  • Must not leave their class unattended to take a child or young person to use the toilet.
  • Must not invade a child or young person’s privacy while they use changerooms.
  • Not suggest, instruct or imply any type of intimacy, shower or bathing ‘games’ or acts (that may or may not include the removal of clothing) that will increase the risk of physical contact between the following groups
    • Adults and children and young people
    • Children and young people and their peers

No staff member, contractor or volunteer should

  • place themselves or leave another member of staff / volunteer / contractor in a situation alone with a child or young person in a confined, obstructed location or area.
  • Travel alone with a child or young person
  • Allow a child or young person to go with another adult (employee, volunteer, parent or carer) without consent from the legal parent or carer of the minor.
  • Provide unnecessary personal care to a child or young person.
  • Ignore signs, findings and disclosures of child abuse of harm to the child safety officer or appropriate authority.
REFERENCES
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