The following chapters set out the Child Protection Policy that should always be followed by all Bournemouth Karate Academy (BKA) instructors, officers and volunteers involved in the activities and events we organise for our members.
The BKA has adopted the following child protection policy advocated by the NSPCC in recognition of our responsibility to make provisions for children, young people and vulnerable adults (henceforth referred to as children for the sake of brevity). We must ensure that:
All concerns about the child protection policy and reporting any incidents should be addressed to one or more of the following designated BKA child protection officers:
Alternatively or in addition to, you can contact the EGKA child protection officer:
The BKA has a duty of care to safeguard all children involved in the BKA from harm. All children have a right to protection, and the needs of disabled children and others who may be particularly vulnerable must be taken into account. The BKA will ensure the safety and protection of all children involved in the BKA through adherence to the child protection guidelines adopted here.
A child is defined as a person under the age of 18 (The Children Act 1989).
A vulnerable adult is defined as a person aged eighteen or over, who has either a dependency upon others in the performance of, or a requirement for assistance in the performance of basic functions; a severe impairment in the ability to communicate with others; or has a reduced ability to protect themselves from assault, abuse or neglect. This can be as a result of a learning or physical disability (not normally to include dyslexia); a physical or mental illness chronic or otherwise (including an addiction to alcohol or drugs); or a reduction in physical or mental capacity
The aim of the BKA Child Protection Policy is to promote good practice:
Child abuse, particularly sexual abuse, can arouse strong emotions in those facing such a situation. It is important to understand these feelings and not allow them to interfere with your judgement about the appropriate action to take.
Abuse can occur within many situations including the home, school and the sporting environment. Some individuals will actively seek employment or voluntary work with young people in order to harm them. A coach, instructor, teacher, official or volunteer will have regular contact with young people and be an important link in identifying cases where they need protection. All suspicious cases of poor practice should be reported following the guidelines in this document.
When a child engages in BKA activities having been subjected to child abuse outside the sporting environment, karate can play a crucial role in improving the child’s self-esteem. In such instances the club activity organiser should consider working with the appropriate agencies to ensure the child receives the required support.
back to topAll personnel should be encouraged to demonstrate exemplary behaviour in order to promote childrens welfare and reduce the likelihood of allegations being made. The following are common sense examples of how to create a positive culture and climate.
Good practice means:
The following should be avoided except in emergencies. If cases arise where these situations are unavoidable it should be with the full knowledge and consent of someone in charge in the club or the child’s parents. For example, a child sustains an injury and needs to go to hospital, or a parent fails to arrive to pick a child up at the end of a session:
You should never:
N.B. It may sometimes be necessary for instructors, officers or volunteers to do things of a personal nature for children, particularly if they are young or are disabled. These tasks should only be carried out with the full understanding and consent of parents and the players involved. There is a need to be responsive to a person’s reactions. If a person is fully dependent on you, talk with him/her about what you are doing and give choices where possible. This is particularly so if you are involved in any dressing or undressing of outer clothing, or where there is physical contact, lifting or assisting a child to carry out particular activities. Avoid taking on the responsibility for tasks for which you are not appropriately trained.
If any of the following occur you should report this immediately to the appropriate officer and record the incident. You should also ensure the parents of the child are informed:
There is evidence that some people have used sporting events as an opportunity to take inappropriate photographs or film footage of children in vulnerable positions. All clubs should be vigilant and any concerns should to be reported to the Club Child Protection Officers.
Videoing as a coaching aid: there is no intention to prevent club instructors using video equipment as a legitimate coaching aid. However, performers and their parents/carers should be made aware that this is part of the coaching programme and their consent obtained, and such films should be stored safely.
back to topThe BKA recognises that anyone may have the potential to abuse children in some way and that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure unsuitable people are prevented from working with children.
The BKA depends almost exclusively on volunteer workers, and we recognise many aspects of child protection policies act as a potential barrier to such people coming forward to volunteer. A common sense approach to strike a balance between the need to protect children and unnecessary bureaucracy has been achieved by the policies introduced by the Independent Safeguarding Authority.
The safeguarding regulations introduced in October 2009 state that:
BKA instructors, officers and volunteers should be mindful of their obligation to comply with these regulations that came into force in 2012. We therefore require:
The above checks will not be considered necessary for volunteers who assist on BKA/EGKA competition and grading days, where the nature of their contact with children is both short in duration, always under supervision and is made in full public view with many parents in attendance.
It is not the responsibility of anyone working in The BKA, in a paid or unpaid capacity to decide whether or not child abuse has taken place. However there is a responsibility to act on any concerns by reporting these to the appropriate officer or the appropriate authorities.
The BKA assures all instructors, officers and volunteers that it will fully support and protect anyone, who in good faith reports his or her concern that a colleague is, or may be, abusing a child.
Where there is a complaint against an instructor, officer or volunteer there may be three types of investigation:
The results of the police and child protection investigation may well influence and inform the disciplinary investigation, but all available information will be used to reach a decision.
back to topIf an allegation is made about poor practice in a particular BKA affiliated dojo, the matter will be first investigated by all designated Child Protection Officer, who may co-opt other instructors to investigate the matter further. A written report will be prepared, including any conclusions and intended actions that will be taken to address any shortcomings found. If poor practice is found, the offending dojo will be given a reasonable amount of time, not exceeding two months, before a second review is carried out. If they fail to measure up to what the BKA expects as a minimum standard on their second review, their membership of the BKA will be immediately withdrawn and consideration given to making a report to the Independent Safeguarding Authority. A copy of the report will be made available to the person who made the allegation.
If the allegation is about poor practice by any BKA officer, including Child Protection Officers, the BKA management will immediately convene a panel of at least five independent senior instructors to consider the matter and prepare a written report setting out the results of their investigation and any recommendations they feel the BKA should adopt. At the conclusion of the investigation the panel will recommend whether the office should continue to hold office or be asked to resign, and whether any report should be made to the Independent Safeguarding Authority. A copy of the report will be made available to the person who made the allegation.
Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either an instructor, officer or a volunteer should be reported immediately to the BKA Child Protection Officers, who will take such steps as considered necessary to ensure the safety of the child in question and any other child who may be at risk.
The Child Protection Officers will be obliged to refer all such allegations to Social Services, who may involve the police.
The parents or carers of the child will be contacted as soon as possible following advice from the social services department.
if you are concerned about a child and unable to contact the BKA Child Protection Officers, please call the NSPCC 24-hour Helpline on 0808 800 5000.
back to topEvery effort should be made to ensure that confidentiality is maintained for all concerned. Information should be handled and disseminated on a need to know basis only. This includes the following people:
Any instructors, BKA officers, and volunteers should be mindful that if a child abuse allegation is made and it falls into the public domain, they may well be contacted by members of the press. In such circumstances, the only correct action is to say nothing as anything you may say may either be incorrect or it may hamper the investigations carried out by the proper authorities.
back to topThe BKA Child Protection Officers will make an immediate decision about whether any individual accused of abuse should be temporarily suspended pending further police and social services inquiries.
Irrespective of the findings of the social services or police inquiries the BKA management will assess all individual cases to decide whether a member of staff or volunteer can be reinstated and how this can be sensitively handled.
This may be a difficult decision; particularly where there is insufficient evidence to uphold any action by the police. In such cases, the BKA management must reach a decision based upon the available information which could suggest that on a balance of probability it is more likely than not that the allegation is true. The welfare of the child should remain of paramount importance throughout.
Consideration should be given to what kind of support may be appropriate for the alleged perpetrator.
Allegations of abuse may be made some time after the event (e.g. by an adult who was abused as a child or by a member of staff who is still currently working with children).
Where such an allegation is made, the club should follow the procedures as detailed above and report the matter to the social services or the police. This is because other children, either within or outside the BKA, may be at risk from this person. Anyone who has a previous criminal conviction for offences related to abuse is automatically excluded from working with children.
back to topIf bullying is suspected, the same procedure should be followed as set out in ‘Responding to suspicions or allegations’ above.
The BKA advocate a highly structured and very disciplined method of teaching karate to children and adults, which normally lowers the risk that students would use their developing martial art skills to bully other people. We of course understand that this is not always the case, and responsible instructors are always looking out for signs that their students, child or adult, may be abusing the skills they are being taught.
For this reason, all instructors, officers, and voluntters should:
Report your concerns to the BKA Child Protection Officer, who should contact social services or the police as soon as possible.
If the Club Child Protection Officer is not available, the person being told of or discovering the abuse should contact social services or the police immediately.
Social Services and the Club Child Protection Officer will decide how to involve the parents/carers.
Maintain confidentiality on a need to know basis only.
back to topWe are all aware that once a report is made of alleged child abuse, it will set in motion a chain of events that will almost certainly have a very damaging impact on the alleged perpetrator and their family, even if they are completely innocent. Often the alleged perpetrator will be well known to you and you will find it hard to believe they are capable of such actions.
We therefore appreciate how difficult it would be for anyone to make the correct decision about whether to report their concerns to the BKA child protection officers, social services or indeed the police.
If there is clear evidence of abuse the correct decision is a little easier to make. It becomes more difficult when only the most tenuous of suspicions form the basis of your concerns.
Working your way through the above list of information needed to make a report may help sort out in your own mind the probable best course of action you should take. It may help you decide if you think in terms of the child’s best interests … they should remain paramount. If you still remain unsure about what to do, try talking through the situation with the NSPCC 24-hour Helpline on 0808 800 5000.
back to top
BKA TRAINING TIMES
Sir David English Sports Centre
Tue: | 17:00-18:00 | Jnr | 7-10 yrs |
---|---|---|---|
17:00-18:00 | Cad | 11-14 yrs | |
19:00-20:30 | Snrs | 15+ yrs | |
Thu: | 17:00-18:00 | Jnr | 7-10 yrs |
17:00-18:00 | Cad | 11-14 yrs | |
19:00-20:30 | Snrs | 15+ yrs |
Beginners always made welcome
Just attend Tuesday or Thursday
Littledown Sports Centre
Mon: | 18:30-20:00 | Snrs | Adults |
---|
Beginner‘s free trial
Try 2 lessons for free. No contracts. No obligations. Nothing to pay.
Just turn up on Tuesday or Thursday wearing a T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms and give it a go …
Read more …