Gymnastics Australia & Bravehearts Partner To Protect 220,000 Aussie Children!

May 22, 2018 - PRLog -- In an Australian first in child protection, around 220,000 Aussie children nation-wide (91% under 12-years-old), will now be safer from potential harm following the launch of a unique joint initiative thanks to Gymnastics Australia and Australia's leading child protection advocate, Bravehearts.

This new initiative announced today will protect children through empowering and training adults at all levels of the sport with specialised child safety knowledge enabling Gymnastics Australia to play a crucial role in helping protect the most vulnerable members of the community, our children.

Bravehearts Founder and Executive Chair, Hetty Johnston AM welcomed the partnership saying, "In a proactive move, Gymnastics Australia  have taken a leadership role in becoming Australia's first national sporting body to implement  'child safe' steps on a national scale in line with the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse."

"The Bravehearts services being delivered to Gymnastics Australia are the culmination of almost 20 years' of evidence-based research and service delivery, with Bravehearts' ChildPlace and childPROTECT Frameworks in line with the Royal Commission's '10 Elements of ChildSafe Organisations'," Ms Johnston said.

"This partnership will ensure Bravehearts provides specialised education, training services, risk management and cultural reform outcomes to the management, staff, parents and children of Gymnastics Australia," she said.

"With the Royal Commission reporting 3.2 million Australian children participating in organised sport or physical activity outside school, through implementing Bravehearts' unique training and education programs for staff, parents and children, Gymnastics Australia will be driving the change necessary to have a significant impact on improved child protection throughout Australia.

"Every organisation working with children, especially national sporting organisations has a duty of care and a responsibility to keep children in their care safe.

"Our heartfelt congratulations to Gymnastics Australia for forging the way forward, for setting new benchmarks in child protection and inspiring other children's services organisations to follow," said Ms. Johnston.

Gymnastics Australia CEO Kitty Chiller said, "Our organisation is committed to creating environments where children are safe through conducting mandatory training for all staff and volunteers, providing young gymnasts with personal safety skills and parents with invaluable education about how to keep children safe.

"The Gymnastics Australia and Bravehearts partnership will provide specialised mandatory child protection training for every coach, official, administrator and volunteer, nationally."

"If these measures can help Gymnastics Australia protect even one child, it has been more than worthwhile. However, our aim is far greater, to do everything within our power to protect all the children in our care and we encourage all like organisations to join us in partnering with Bravehearts to better protect the children in their care," said Ms Chiller.

For information on Bravehearts' child protection programs and how to become involved, visit: www.bravehearts.org.au or call 1800-272-831.

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