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Child Protection

Just Like Fish Commitment to Child Safety Statement

At Just Like Fish Swim School, your child’s safety is our highest priority.

We follow the NSW Child Safe Standards and the guidance of the Office of the Children’s Guardian, and we are committed to providing a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for every child in our care.

We have zero tolerance for child abuse, harm or neglect.

Our commitment to child safe practice

Child safety is everyone’s responsibility at Just Like Fish Swim School.

Our team:

  • Puts the best interests of children at the centre of our decisions
  • Treats all children and young people with respect, regardless of their background, ability or identity
  • Encourages children and families to speak up if something does not feel right

We actively work to identify and manage risks, both around the pool and in all of our programs.

Safe staff and Working With Children Checks

All coaches and staff who work with children at FinS Swim School:

  • Hold a current NSW Working With Children Check (WWCC)
  • Have their WWCC verified by us before they start, and at regular intervals
  • Complete an induction that covers our child safety policies and their responsibilities

We use recruitment practices that focus on child safety. This includes reference checks and interview questions about working safely with children and maintaining professional boundaries.

Our code of conduct with children and families

Everyone working at Just LIke Fish Swim School must follow our Child Safe Code of Conduct. This means our staff and coaches:

  • Act as positive role models at all times
  • Use respectful, age-appropriate language
  • Do not bully, shame or belittle a child
  • Do not develop private or “special” relationships with individual children
  • Do not give personal gifts or communicate with children through personal social media accounts, texts or messaging apps

If physical contact is needed during lessons to support a child’s learning or safety in the water, coaches will:

  • Explain what they are doing and why, in language the child can understand
  • Use the least intrusive, most respectful contact possible
  • Stop immediately if the child appears uncomfortable or asks them to stop

Supervision and safe environments

Water safety and active supervision are critical in everything we do.

At Just Like Fish Swim School:

  • Children are supervised by qualified staff at all times during lessons
  • Young children remain under the care and supervision of their parent or carer before and after lessons
  • Staff are not permitted to be alone with a child in change rooms or bathrooms; where assistance is needed, a parent or carer should provide it
  • We design our spaces and class times to support open visibility and reduce situations where a child is alone with an adult

We regularly review our facilities and procedures to identify and reduce any risks to children.

Photos, videos and social media

We understand that families like to celebrate their child’s swimming progress, and we also recognise the need to protect children’s privacy.

Our approach:

  • We only take photos or videos of children if we have permission from a parent or legal guardian
  • Parents can change or withdraw their consent at any time
  • We do not publish images that could be considered unsafe, inappropriate or embarrassing for the child
  • We do not publicly identify children by full name without explicit parent consent

If you prefer that your child is never photographed, please let our team know and we will clearly record this on their profile.

Listening to children and families

We want children to feel safe, heard and respected.

We encourage children to:

  • Ask questions if they are unsure about something
  • Tell a coach or parent if anything makes them feel worried or uncomfortable
  • Speak to us if they do not like the way they are being treated

Our staff are trained to notice when a child seems upset, withdrawn or distressed, and to respond with care and sensitivity.

We also welcome feedback from parents and carers about what helps their child feel safe and supported at swimming.

How to raise a concern or make a complaint

If you are ever worried about your child’s safety at FinS Swim School, or you see something that does not look right, we want to know about it.

You can contact:

  • Child Safety Contact / Centre Manager

What happens when you raise a concern:

  • We will listen carefully and take your concern seriously
  • We will explain the next steps and what we can and cannot do
  • We will keep your information as private as we can, and only share it with people who need to know in order to act
  • We will respond as promptly as possible

If you believe a child is in immediate danger or at risk of harm, call 000 and ask for Police.

If you are concerned that a child is being abused or neglected outside FinS Swim School, you can contact the NSW Child Protection Helpline on 132 111 (TTY 1800 212 936), 24 hours a day.

Ongoing training and improvement

Child safety is not a one-off project. We regularly:

  • Review our child safety policies and procedures
  • Update our practices in line with the NSW Child Safe Standards and guidance from the Office of the Children’s Guardian
  • Provide training and refreshers for staff on child protection, safe supervision and responding to concerns

We are committed to learning, listening and improving so that Just Like Fish Swim School remains a safe place where children can grow in confidence and learn to love the water.

If you would like more information about our child safety approach or to see our full Child Safe policies, please contact us.