Police Vetting Policy

In line with the Tennis Participant Protection Policy and in conjunction with all New Zealand Tennis Entities, Tennis New Zealand takes all practicable steps to verify the suitability of individuals involved or about to be involved in tennis activities requiring regular or overnight contact with children or vulnerable adults.

Coaches, leaders, volunteers, and other individuals interacting with children and vulnerable adults in sport are in a position of trust and influence. They should ensure that everyone is treated with integrity and respect and that the self-esteem of the person is enhanced.

Everyone involved in delivering tennis, especially to children and vulnerable adults, has a role to play in creating the best possible environment for them.

SCOPE

This policy applies to all Tennis NZ, Region and Association employees, contractors, board members, clubs and their members, volunteer workers, tennis coaches, Affiliate organisations and their members that have regular or overnight contact with children or vulnerable adults.

Regular or Overnight Contact means the person has contact (other than merely incidental contact) with a child, children, or vulnerable adults:

Overnight; or
At least once per week; or
On at least 4 days per month

This policy also applies to those involved in organising, running, delivering, or officiating at tournaments, competitions, and events for children or vulnerable adults throughout the year.

If you work or volunteer with children or vulnerable adults in tennis, follow this link to get police vetted:

COMPLETE YOUR POLICE VET

DEFINITIONS

In relation to this policy:

A child is defined as a person under the age of 18 (Children’s Act 2014).
A vulnerable adult is an adult who is unable, by reason of detention, age, sickness, mental impairment, or any other cause, to withdraw himself or herself (themselves) from the care of another person. (NZ Crimes Act 1961)

A vulnerable adult might be someone who has an intellectual or physical disability, has mental health needs, has a learning disability, is blind or visually impaired, is deaf or has a hearing impairment or has communication difficulties.

POLICY

Tennis NZ, Regions, Associations, Sub-Associations, Clubs, Coaches/Coaching Businesses, and Affiliate organisations all have a responsibility to comply with the following Police Vetting Policy by ensuring all relevant employees, contractors, volunteers, and members are police vetted. Tennis NZ has an active role and provides a National Police Vetting Service to process police vets on behalf of all these organisations.

To contribute to a safe and secure tennis environment, Tennis New Zealand requires all people who have regular contact with children or vulnerable adults (as defined in the policy scope), to undergo a police vetting check. This relates to, but is not limited, to the following groups of people:

Club volunteer, club or coach helper, or paid club administrator
Professional (paid) coach
Individuals attending a Tennis NZ coaching qualification course
Umpires or officials
Tournament organiser or staff (paid or voluntary)
Region/Association Team Manager
National/Region/Association/Affiliate staff or representative
Tennis NZ contractors

All appointments of individuals who have sole or joint responsibility for children or vulnerable adults, are subject to the individual applicant receiving a police vet result either confirming a ‘no result’, or a ‘released with results’ deemed not serious enough to preclude the individual from involvement with tennis in New Zealand.

In addition, Tennis New Zealand may undertake further police vetting at any time it considers appropriate, subject to fresh consent by the individual. If the procedure reports a previously undisclosed incident or behaviour relevant to this policy, the future of the individual’s continued involvement with Tennis New Zealand or other NZ Tennis Entity will be reviewed and may, if appropriate, be terminated.

Tennis New Zealand reserves the right to provide the details of any police vet report ‘released with results’ to relevant personnel at the applicant’s delivery location/s, organisation/s and their governing Tennis Association or Region.

The specifics of the report or record will be kept confidential to the Tennis New Zealand senior leadership team, and any clubs, centres, Associations, Regions, Affiliates, or organisations that engage the services of the applicant.

For the sake of clarity, Tennis New Zealand nor any Region, Association nor clubs have any obligations under the Vulnerable Children Act 2014 or its amendments.

PROCEDURE

Police Vetting Step by Step procedure:

Tennis NZ provides templated communication to all NZTEs to forward to people in its organisation that require a police vet to work or volunteer with children or vulnerable adults. The communication will include a link to the online Request And Consent Form.
NZTE communicates its safeguarding and police vetting requirements and asks relevant individuals to complete the police Request And Consent Form provided by Tennis NZ.
The NZTE follows all other safeguarding guidelines and best practice recommendations.
The individual completes their online Police Vetting Request And Consent form which includes reading and agreeing to abide by the Tennis NZ General Code of Conduct, signing a Member Protection Declaration, and agreeing to the terms of the Tennis NZ Privacy Policy.
Tennis NZ submits the form to NZ Police and expect results back within 20 days.
Tennis NZ receives Police Vet information and passes on to the individual and relevant location/s and organisation/s.
Tennis NZ and NZTEs follow up with individuals who have not completed any of the required steps

Tennis New Zealand qualifies as an ‘approved agency’ by the New Zealand Police. This entitles Tennis New Zealand to request a police vetting check to be carried out on any individual engaged by any NZ Tennis Entity who has regular or overnight contact with children or vulnerable adults or is involved in tournament, competition and event delivery to children or vulnerable adults.
A police vetting report will provide information regarding any convictions, dates of those convictions, types of offences and the sentence imposed. The report will also advise whether the Police recommend that an individual does not have access to children, young people or vulnerable members of society due to behaviour of a violent or sexual nature (that may not, for whatever reason, have resulted in a conviction).
Tennis New Zealand requires the subject of the report (individual) to authorise the request of a police vetting report by completing an official Request and Consent Form. Part of this form requires the individual to agree to authorise Tennis New Zealand with the right to pass on any police vet report ‘released with results’ to relevant personnel at the applicant’s delivery location/s, organisation/s, and their governing Tennis Association or Region.

REFUSAL TO CONSENT

If an individual does not authorise Tennis New Zealand to obtain a police vetting report Tennis New Zealand will consider it necessary to recommend the applicant ceases involvement in tennis activities that require regular or overnight contact with, or tournament, competition and event delivery to, children or vulnerable adults.

ADMINISTRATION

In some cases, it will be necessary to obtain the equivalent of a police vetting report or a copy of a criminal conviction record from another country where the individual concerned has resided.
The individual concerned is entitled to request a copy of the Police vetting report obtained by Tennis New Zealand
A nominated staff member at Tennis NZ will receive and review the Police vetting report. If it is a ‘no result’ the individual’s involvement can continue, or engagement can proceed.
If the Police vetting report is returned ‘released with results’ Tennis New Zealand will decide if the individual is suitable to be involved with tennis delivery in New Zealand. If an NZTE already engages the individual, it may decide to suspend the individual pending the decision to either cease or continue their involvement with tennis delivery in New Zealand.
If the individual is applying to take part in Tennis New Zealand coach development or National Participation programmes for the first time, or applying for a role with Tennis NZ, their application will be placed on hold pending the decision. When making this decision Tennis New Zealand may consider the following when assessing the results of a vetting report:

The offence is listed as one of the following ‘Specified Offences’
- Murder
- Sexual Offences
- Indecency Offences resulting in imprisonment
- Kidnapping
- Offences connected to child prostitution
- Possession or publication of child pornography
- Assault and/or violence towards a child
- Assault or violence towards a spouse or partner
- Possession of drugs for supply resulting in imprisonment
- Recidivist drink driving resulting in imprisonment
- Any other serious offence resulting in imprisonment for over 2 years
The nature of the offence and relevance to involvement with tennis in New Zealand
Length of time since a crime was committed
Age and maturity now as compared to when the crime was committed, the seriousness of the crime e.g., length of sentence, use of a weapon, the circumstances at the time of violent behaviour
Pattern of offending, e.g., a short spate may indicate a ‘phase’ but a regular pattern may indicate continued inappropriate behaviour
Any other factors deemed relevant

Tennis New Zealand will work in conjunction with the individual to provide the details of any police vet released ‘with results’ to relevant personnel at their delivery location/s, organisation/s, and governing Tennis Association or Region.

If you work or volunteer with children or vulnerable adults in tennis, follow this link to get police vetted:

COMPLETE YOUR POLICE VET