Child Safety Policy
1. Our Commitment To Child Safety
1.1. Nova Dance Championships is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for every child participating in our competitions.
1.2. Nova Dance Championships does not tolerate bullying, child abuse, discrimination, harassment, or any behaviour that may place a child at risk of harm.
2. Respecting Children & Their Rights
2.1. Every child has the right to feel safe, respected, and included when participating in Nova Dance Championships.
2.2. Children are encouraged to speak up about anything that makes them feel uncomfortable, unsafe, or worried.
2.3. Concerns raised by children will be listened to and taken seriously.
3. Inclusive & Culturally Safe Environment
3.1. Nova Dance Championships welcomes children to compete from all abilities, backgrounds, and cultures.
3.2. Children should be treated fairly and with respect, regardless of their abilities, culture, gender, religion, or other personal characteristics.
3.3. Racism, exclusion, discrimination, or behaviour that makes a child feel unwelcome or unsafe is not tolerated.
3.4. Nova Dance Championships will take reasonable steps to create an environment where children feel included and valued.
4. Staff, Volunteers, & Contractors
4.1. All Nova Dance Championships staff, volunteers, and contractors are expected to act professionally and maintain appropriate boundaries with children.
4.2. All staff, volunteers, and contractors who are involved with Nova Dance Championships must hold a current and valid Working with Children Check (WWCC).
4.3. Staff, volunteers, and contractors must follow Nova Dance Championships’ child safety policies and procedures.
5. Adjudicators
5.1. All Nova Dance Championships adjudicators are expected to maintain a professional and appropriate boundaries with dancers at all times.
5.2. Adjudicators must treat all dancers with respect and provide feedback in a constructive, appropriate, and age-appropriate manner.
5.3. Adjudicators must hold a current and valid Working with Children Check (WWCC).
5.4. Adjudicators must not engage in inappropriate private communication, relationships, or interactions with child participants.
5.5. Adjudicators must report any concerns regarding the safety or wellbeing of a child to Nova Dance Championships.
6. Parents, Guardians, & Spectators
6.1. Parents, guardians, and spectators are expected to contribute to a safe, respectful, and positive environment for all children.
6.2. Parents, guardians, and spectators must not engage in bullying, discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or inappropriate behaviour towards children.
6.3. Parents, guardians, and spectators must follow Nova Dance Championships’ photography, videography, backstage and venue policies.
6.4. Parents and guardians are encouraged to support children in raising concerns and to report any child safety concerns to Nova Dance Championships.
6.5. Concerns about the behaviour of another child should be raised with Nova Dance Championships rather than addressed directly with the child.
7. Bullying, Harassment, & Discrimination
7.1. Nova Dance Championships does not tolerate bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, intimidation, or threatening behaviour towards children.
7.2. This includes behaviour that occurs in person, online, or through social media.
7.3. Discriminatory behaviour, including behaviour based on a child’s culture, disability, gender, race, religion, or other personal characteristics will not be tolerated.
7.4. Concerns about bullying, harassment, or discrimination should be reported to Nova Dance Championships so they can be addressed appropriately.
8. Photography & Videography
8.1. Nova Dance Championships recognises the importance of protecting children’s privacy and safety when photography or videography takes place at our events.
8.2. Photography and videography must only take place in appropriate areas and must never occur in changing rooms, toilets, or other private areas.
8.3. Nova Dance Championships will seek appropriate consent before using photographs or videos of children for promotional, social media, or other related purposes.
8.4. Parents or guardians who have concerns about the use of an image or video may contact Nova Dance Championships at info@novadancechampionships.com.au.
9. Social Media & Online Communication
9.1. Nova Dance Championships expects all online communication involving children to remain appropriate, professional, and respectful.
9.2. Staff, and other adults involved with Nova Dance Championships must maintain appropriate boundaries when communicating with children online.
10. Privacy & Personal Information
10.1. Nova Dance Championships respects the privacy of children and their families.
10.2. Personal information will only be collected, used, and shared where reasonably necessary for the operation, safety, or administration of Nova Dance Championships.
10.3. Information relating to a child’s safety or wellbeing will be handled sensitively.
10.4. Information may be shared where necessary to protect a child or meet a legal or reporting obligation.
11. Reporting A Concern
11.1. Anyone who has a concern about the safety and wellbeing of a child at any Nova Dance Championships event should report it to us.
11.2. Concerns can be reported by speaking with a Nova Dance Championships staff member, emailing us at info@novadancechampionships.com.au, or calling us.
11.3. When reporting a concern, please provide as much detail as possible, including what happened, when and where it happened, who was involved and any other information that may be relevant. You do not need to investigate the situation yourself or have all the information before making a report.
11.4. You do not need to be certain that something is wrong before reporting a concern. If something does not feel right, we encourage you to speak up.
11.5 Where required, concerns may be referred to the appropriate authorities or emergency services.
11.6 Information about a concern will be handled respectfully and shared only where necessary to protect the child, respond to the concern or meet our legal obligations.
12. Emergency Situations
12.1. If a child is in immediate danger or requires urgent medical assistance, emergency services should be contacted by calling 000.
12.2 You DO NOT need to wait for a Nova Dance Championships staff member before contacting emergency services.
12.3 Nova Dance Championships staff will follow the relevant emergency procedures of the venue and cooperate with emergency services where required.
13. Our Responsibilities
13.1. Everyone involved with Nova Dance Championships has a role in helping to keep children safe.
13.2 Nova Dance Championships will provide information and guidance to staff, volunteers, and other relevant adults about their child safety responsibilities.
13.3 Nova Dance Championships will take reasonable steps to identify and manage risks to the safety and wellbeing of children.
13.4. Nova Dance Championships will listen to feedback from children, families, and other members of our community to help improve our child safety practices.
14. Review Of This Policy
14.1. Nova Dance Championships will regularly review this policy to ensure it remains appropriate and reflects current child safety requirements.
14.2 Feedback from children, families, staff, and other members of our community may be considered when reviewing and improving our child safety requirements.
Our Promise To Dancers And Families
We understand that choosing to participate in a dance competition is about more than performing on stage. It is about creating experiences that children can look back on positively.
We want every dancer to leave a Nova Dance Championships event feeling proud of what they have achieved and knowing that they were treated with respect.
At Nova Dance Championships, child safety comes first.
We will continue to review our practices, listen to feedback, and look for ways to strengthen the safety and wellbeing of children participating in our competitions.
If you have a concern about the safety or wellbeing of a child at a Nova Dance Championships event, please speak to a member of our team.
Last updated: September 2026