OUR COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY

---

 Southside Pony Club will embed child safety into our leadership, decision‑making, and organisational culture. Our governance systems will ensure that child safety is non‑negotiable, transparent, and consistently monitored.  

 We will maintain clear, accessible, and regularly reviewed policies and procedures that document how Southside Pony Club ensures child safety in all activities, programs, and environments. These policies will reflect our obligations under Queensland’s Child Safe Organisations Act and the associated Standards framework.  

 We commit to screening, training, and supporting all volunteers to ensure they have the skills, knowledge, and awareness required to uphold child safety. This includes meeting mandatory national child‑safety training requirements introduced as part of strengthened child‑safety reforms.  

 Southside Pony Club will use child‑focused processes for handling complaints, reporting concerns, and responding to incidents. Our governance and reporting practices will meet Queensland’s new Child Safe Standards and align with the safeguarding frameworks of Pony Club Australia and Pony Club Queensland, ensuring consistent expectations, reporting pathways, and safety protocols across the Pony Club community. We will work collaboratively with both organisations to uphold shared safeguarding responsibilities and support compliance with Queensland’s staged introduction of new oversight requirements.

 We will actively create environments where all children—including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children—feel safe, respected, valued, and supported. This includes embedding cultural safety into our governance, policies, and everyday practice as required under the Universal Principle.  

 Southside Pony Club is committed to regularly reviewing and strengthening our child‑safety practices. We will use Queensland’s assessment tools, guidelines, and staged compliance timelines to guide ongoing improvement and ensure we remain fully compliant over time.