Child Abuse

It is the policy of SMHA that there shall be no abuse or neglect, whether it be physical, emotional or sexual of any participant in any of its programs. The SMHA and NLHA expect every parent, volunteer and staff member to take reasonable steps to safeguard the welfare of its participants and to protect them from any form of maltreatment.

Definitions

Child abuse is any form of physical, emotional or sexual mistreatment or lack of care which causes personal injury or emotional damage to a child. A common characteristic of all forms of abuse against children is an abuse of power and authority or a breach of trust. Within Newfoundland and Labrador a person is considered a child up to the age of sixteen years.

Emotional Abuse is a chronic attack on a child's self esteem. It is a psychologically destructive behavior by a person in a position of power, authority or trust. It can take the form of name calling, threatening, ridiculing, itimidating, isolating, hazing or ignoring the clild's needs.

Physical Abuse is when a person in a position of power or trust purposely injures or threatens to injure a child. This may take the form of slapping, hitting, shaking, kicking, shoving, grabbing or excessive exercise.

Neglect is chronic inattention to the necessities of life such as clothing, shelter, hygiene, supervision, medical care, moral guidance or execrise. This can occur in hockey when injuries are not adequately treated or players are made to play with injuries, equipment is unsafe, non intervention when team members are persisitently harassing another player or improperly supervised road trips.



Duty to Report

The province of Newfoundland and Labrador has mandatory reporting laws regarding the abuse and neglect of children and youth. Consequently it is the policy of the NLHA and SMHA that any personnel (part-time and full-time staff, volunteer, participant, team official and off-ice official) or NLHA partner (parent, guardian) who has reasonable grounds to suspect that a participant is or may be or may have suffered from emotional, physical abuse, sexual abuse or neglect shall immediately report the suspicion and the information on which it is based to the local child protection agency and local police detachment.



Screening Policy

It is the policy of SMHA that it will not authorize or sanction in its programs that it directly controls, any volunteer or employee who has routine access to children (anyone under the age of majority) who refuses to consent to be screened by SMHA before he/she is allowed to have routine access to children in SMHA's programs. All volunteers will present a Certificate of Conduct (Applications available from the Executive or the RCMP). A person may be disqualified and prohibited from serving as an employee or volunteer of SMHA if the person has:

1.

Been convicted (including crimes the record of which has been expunged and pleas of "no contest") of a crime of child abuse, sexual abuse of a minor, physical abuse, causing a child's death, neglect of a child, murder, manslaughter, felony assault, any assault against a minor, kidnapping, arson, criminal sexual conduct, prostitution related crimes or controlled substance crimes.

2.

Being adjudged liable for civil penalties or damages involving sexual or physical abuse of children.

3.

Being subject to any court order involving any sexual abuse or physical abuse of a minor, including but not limited to domestic order or protection.

4.

Had their parental rights terminated.

5.

A history with another organization (volunteer, employment, etc.) of complaints of sexual or physical abuse of minors.

6.

Resigned, been terminated or been asked to resign from a position, whether paid or unpaid, due to complaints of sexual or physical abuse of minors.

7.

Has a history of other behavior that indecates they may be a danger to children in SMHA.



Sexual Abuse Policy

It is the policy of SMHA that there shall be no sexual abuse of any minor participant involved in any of its sanctioned programs, it's Training Camps, Hockey Clinics, Coaches Clinics, Referee Clinics, Invitational and SMHA Playoff Tournaments or other SMHA events by an employee, volunteer or independent contractor. Sexual abuse of a minor participant occurs when an employee, volunteer or independent contractor touchs a minor participant for the purpose of causing the sexual arousal or gratification of either the minor participant or the employee, volunteer or independent contractor. Sexual abuse of a minor participant also occurs when a minor player touches an employee, volunteer or independent contractor for the sexual arousal or sexual gratification of either the minor participant or the employee, volunteer or independant contractor, if the touching occurs at the request or with the consent of the employee, volunteer or independant contractor.

Neither consent of the player to the sexual contact, mistake as to the participants age, nor the fact that the sexual contact did not take place at a hockey function are defenses to a complaint of sexual abuse.

Upon proof of violation of this policy, the violator will be permanently banned or suspended from SMHA sanctioned programs.



Physical Abuse Policy

It is the policy of SMHA that there shall be no physical abuse of any participant involved in any of its sanctioned programs, its Training Camps, Hockey Clinics, Coaches Clinics, Referee Clinics, Invitational and SMHA Tournaments or other SMHA events by any employee, volunteer or independent contractor. Physical abuse means physical contact with a participant that intentionally causes the participant to sustain bodily harm or personal injury. Physical abuse also includes physical contact with a participant that intentionally creates a threat of immediate bodily harm or personal injury.

Physical abuse does not include physical contact that is reasonably designed to coach, teach or demonstrate hockey skill. Permitted physical conduct may include, but is not necessarily limited to, shooting pucks at a goaltender, demonstrating checking and other hockey skills, and touch them in a non-threatening, non-sexual manner.

Upon proof of violation of this policy, the violator will be permanently banned or suspended from SMHA sanctioned programs.