Child Safeguarding Policy
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Should you have any concerns that Samurai Kickboxing Jersey & its staff are not adequately caring for your child or taking your concerns seriously you can contact the Childcare & Early Years Service (CEYS):
T: 01534 449387
E: ceys@gov.je
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| Samurai Kickboxing Jersey is committed to creating a safe environment for children, vulnerable young people & adults that are involved in our services. Samurai Kickboxing Jersey offers services for vulnerable adults & children & all roles within the organisation require a DBS enhanced disclosure application to be completed which will detail spent & unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands, final warnings & other relevant non-conviction information held on the Police National Computer. All job applicants will be advised that a Disclosure will be carried out in any formal offer of employment. Prior to interview, Samurai Kickboxing Jersey will encourage applicants to discuss any previous convictions that may be part of the Disclosure. This confidential dialogue will not be made known to those conducting selection interviews but may be discussed with the Senior Management Team as necessary. Criminal records will only be taken into account for employment purposes where the conviction is relevant. Only Senior Management at Samurai Kickboxing Jersey will have full access to DBS Disclosures. Information may only be shared between organisations with the consent of the Disclosure applicant. Samurai Kickboxing Jersey, is enabled by the legislation to use the Criminal Records Bureau & its Disclosure system to contribute to the assessment of the suitability of applicants & existing volunteers to work with & care for children, vulnerable young people & adults. The Disclosure will form part of the assessment of a person’s suitability & may rule them out of the application process regardless of their other skills & talents should the offence(s) be significant & relevant. Samurai Kickboxing Jersey will make all decisions in the best interests of children, vulnerable young people & adults & will balance the relevance & significance of the offence(s) & the rehabilitation of the offender with the need to keep children, young people & adults safe. POLICY STATEMENT Samurai Kickboxing Jersey will comply fully with the CRB Code of Practice, the Rehabilitation Act 1998) & government inter-agency statutory guidance Working together to safeguard children & will treat all applicants & existing staff & volunteers fairly. It will not discriminate unfairly against an individual on the basis of a Disclosure of conviction or other information received from the DBS. Samurai Kickboxing Jersey demonstrates the welfare of a child or vulnerable person is paramount by a commitment to the below: The welfare of the child is paramount No child or group of children must be treated any less favourably than others in being able to access services which meet their particular needs All children without exception have the right to protection from abuse regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or beliefs The policy is reviewed, approved & endorsed by the Child Safety Officer annually or when legislation changes The policy applies to all instructors, staff & volunteers Children & parents are informed of the policy & procedures as appropriate All concerns, & allegations of abuse will be taken seriously by the primary contact (The Child Safety Officer), staff & volunteers & responded to appropriately. This may require a referral to children’s social care services, the independent Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) for allegations against staff & other volunteers & where necessary the police A commitment to safe recruitment, selection & vetting Reference to principles, legislation & guidance that underpin the policy Arrangements for policy & procedures review Reference to all associated policies & procedures which promote children’s safety & welfare with regard to: health & safety, anti-bullying, protection of children online, & photography Samurai Kickboxing Jersey make DBS Disclosures mandatory for existing employees, volunteers & new applicants. Samurai Kickboxing Jersey is committed, in line with our Equal Opportunities policy, to recruiting & retaining volunteers & staff & to their fair treatment regardless of their ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, sensory impairment, physical or learning disability or offending background. Samurai Kickboxing Jersey recognises the importance of a mix of talent, skills, potential, background, knowledge & experience & wishes to recruit & retain staff on this basis. Samurai Kickboxing Jersey wishes to positively welcome a wide range of people whom can become role models & support to all children, young people & vulnerable adults. As the applicant will be involved either with children, young people or vulnerable adults Samurai Kickboxing Jersey will consider: Whether the conviction or other matter revealed is relevant to the position in question The seriousness of any offence or other matter occurred The length of time since the offence or other matter occurred Whether the applicant has a pattern of offending behaviour or other relevant matters Whether the applicant’s circumstances have changed since the offending behaviour or the other relevant matter The circumstances surrounding the offence & the explanations offered Samurai Kickboxing Jersey will ensure that all persons involved in making decisions or recommendations on its behalf following a DBS Disclosure are themselves subject to similar vetting & are properly trained with full knowledge of all the relevant statutory requirements & codes of practice. Each listed offence or incident will be reviewed on an individual basis. Applicants will be interviewed & given the opportunity to offer further details on their disclosure. Following the receipt of Disclosure Certificates with significant & relevant offences, Samurai Kickboxing Jersey will review the appointment & cease the contract of employment should this be necessary. Samurai Kickboxing Jersey will not generally prohibit a member of staff or a volunteer from working with children, young people or vulnerable adults on the basis of a DBS Disclosure without open discussion about the Certificate with that individual. The exception to this will be if additional information is disclosed by the Police, which Samurai Kickboxing Jersey is not enabled to share. In such circumstances Samurai Kickboxing Jersey retains the right to follow internal disciplinary procedures & if necessary to suspend that person from their work until such time as the issue of additional information has been resolved. Samurai Kickboxing Jersey will contact applicants & existing staff & volunteers following DBS Disclosure Applications that indicate significant or relevant information. Samurai Kickboxing Jersey retains the right to hold the information on the staff or volunteer on file as a recruitment decision. Should the applicant/volunteer wish to continue with their application Samurai Kickboxing Jersey retains the right to make such investigations as it sees fit & reasonable. This will be in line with disciplinary procedures. The Disclosure Certificate will be held securely for a maximum of 6 months, after which it will be destroyed by secure means. It is Samurai Kickboxing Jersey’s policy to ensure that all existing employees & volunteer Disclosures are re-applied for, every 12 months after date of receipt of original Disclosure Certificate. Samurai Kickboxing Jersey will ensure that the Revised DBS Code of Practice is available to all staff & volunteers PROCEDURE All new staff, volunteers will be asked to complete a DBS Application at their induction. They will be asked to produce valid photographic ID such as a valid photo identity card (EU countries only), passport, driving licence, or original birth certificate along with proof of address. If none of these documents are available please refer to DBS Guidance. The DBS Disclosure Application form will be signed by the applicant & processed. On return of the DBS certificate, if the volunteer/staff member has no criminal history listed, the certificate will be held securely on file for a maximum of 6 months, in line with the company’s Data Protection Policy & the Data Protection Act 1998. If a DBS certificate lists criminal history then point 8 of the policy statement will be followed. The final decision based on the evidence presented in relation to the DBS Certificate will be at the discretion of the Director of Samurai Kickboxing Jersey. A record of the Disclosure Certificate will be kept securely on file. Once the 6 month retention period has elapsed, any Disclosure information must be immediately destroyed by secure means. A photocopy or other image of a Disclosure or any copy or representation of the contents of a Disclosure must not be kept. However, not withstanding the above, a record of the date of issue of a Disclosure, the name of the subject, the type of Disclosure requested, the position for which the Disclosure was requested, the unique reference number of the Disclosure & the details of the recruitment decision taken may be kept. |
UK |
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Tel: 07828 534817 Email: kelly@samuraikickboxing.com |
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1. Commitment to Safeguarding At The Samurai Fitness Group we are committed to safeguarding children and young people under the age of eighteen, and we expect everyone who works in our organisation to share this commitment. Adults in our schools/clubs take all welfare concerns seriously and encourage children and young people to talk to us about anything that worries them. We will always act in the best interest of the child. Index Commitment to Safeguarding Principles Legislation & Statutory Guidance Definition Types of Abuse and Neglect Signs and Indicators of Abuse and Neglect How to Respond to a Concern Recording Codes of Ethics Safer Recruiting Supervision, Support and Training Whistleblowing Complaints Links to Other Procedures 2. Principles The Samurai Fitness Group acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 and complies with best practices of British Martial Arts & Boxing Association (BMABA) requirements. The policy recognises that the welfare and interests of children are paramount in all circumstances. It aims to ensure that regardless of age, ability or disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, socio-economic background, all children:
The Samurai Fitness Group acknowledges that some children, including disabled children and young people or those from ethnic minority communities, can be particularly vulnerable to abuse and we accept the responsibility to take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure their welfare. As part of our safeguarding policy The Samurai Fitness Group will:
The policy and procedures will be widely promoted and are mandatory for everyone involved in The Samurai Fitness Group. Failure to comply with the policy and procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from the organisation. 3. Legislation & Statutory Guidance
4. Definitions In England, Northern Ireland and Wales a child is someone under the age of 18, whether living with their families, in state care, or living independently (Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018). This generally applies in Scotland but in some cases, for example for parts of the Scottish Child Protection Process it will be 16. 5. Types of Abuse and Neglect (according to Keeping Children Safe in Education 2018) All school/club staff and volunteers should be aware that abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues are rarely standalone events that can be covered by one definition or label. In mo cases, multiple issues will overlap with one another. Abuse A form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. They may be abused by adult or adults or by another child or children. 45. Physical Abuse A form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child. Emotional Abuse The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effec on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capability as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning or preventing the child from participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyberbullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone. Sexual Abuse Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse. Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can a commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children. The sexual abuse of children by other children is a specific safeguarding issue. Related Issues In addition to the above categories, there are other forms of harm or abuse that should involve the police and other organisations working together to protect children. These include:
Positions of Trust in Sport Many of these areas are addressed in local multi-agency child or vulnerable adult safeguarding procedures. You may feel that these situations are so unlikely to arise that you would never be required to respond. However, it is as well to be aware of these other related areas, just in case your suspicions are raised. Poor Practice Sometimes, your concerns may relate to poor practice, where an adult or another young person’s behaviour is inappropriate and may be causing distress to a child or young person. In the application of this policy, poor practice includes any behaviour which contravenes the principles of this document or the relevant Club/School/Academy/NGB Code of Conduct or brings Martial Arts into disrepute, or which infringes an individual’s rights. Where poor practice is serious or repeated this could also constitute abuse and should be reported immediately. Examples of poor practice towards students, which should never to be sanctioned include:
Some participants may require assistance with personal care due to being very young or disabled. If a young person needs this level of support, it should be made clear to their parent/s that this can only be carried out by a designated carer and not by the instructor. Even if the instructor is trained in carrying out personal care tasks, this compromises their role as trainer and places them and the child in a vulnerable position. These support arrangements should clearly be in place and agreed to by all parties prior to the activities commencing. 6. Signs and Indicators of Abuse and Neglect Indicators that a young person may be being abused may include the following:
It should be recognised that this list is not exhaustive and the presence of one or more of the indicators is not proof that abuse is actually taking place. A good working relationship with parent/guardians will help to identify any other concerns that a young person may be experiencing. For example, a family bereavement which could cause some of the changes listed above. Remember it is not the responsibility of The Samurai Fitness Group to decide if child abuse is occurring, but it is their responsibility to act on any concerns by reporting them. 7. What To Do If You Have a Concern or Someone Raises Concerns With You The Samurai Fitness Group recognises ‘everyone who works with children has a responsibility for keeping them safe. No single practitioner can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances and, if children and families are to receive the right help at the right time, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action’ (page 11 para 16 Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018). Whilst accepting this duty it is recognized The Samurai Fitness Group is not responsible for deciding if abuse has occurred. It does however have a duty to respond and report concerns. The Samurai Fitness Group will have an appropriately trained Designated Safeguarding Lead and Deputy. All safeguarding concerns and poor practice occurrences, except if the issue concerns those individuals, must be reported to the DSL / Deputy. This includes issues raised concerning the activities of instructors or volunteers or, where there are concerns outside of The Samurai Fitness Group (for example at home, school or in the wider community). Where there is an allegation against an instructor or volunteer who works with children at The Samurai Fitness Group the DSL/Deputy must report the matter to the Local Authority Designated Office Instructors and volunteers must also report the following to the DSL / Deputy and make a written record of what they have done, seen or heard:
If you think a child is in immediate danger or requires medical attention, you should call the emergency services on 999. You can also ring the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 to report immediate risks. This is an immediate responsibility and will take priority over informing the Designated Safeguard Lead or Deputy. 8. How to Respond to a Concern It is always difficult to hear about or witness harm or abuse experienced by a child or yo person. The following points will be helpful for both you and the child should they choose to disclose abuse to you:
When a safeguarding concern or poor practice has been identified concerning a specific child the parents/guardians/carers of that child should be notified. Where the DSL/Deputy has reported the incident to the statutory authorities, advice should be sought from them regarding this duty before notifying the parents/guardians/carers. Safeguarding Children Flowchart
9. Recording Should a child make a disclosure, a record in writing must be made as soon as possible, using their words as closely as possible and where relevant, using the school/club report form. Note the date, time, any names mentioned, names and addresses to whom the information was given and who else is aware of the allegation. Note or describe clearly any visible injury. Take care to distinguish between fact, observation, allegation and opinion. It is important that the information you have is accurate. Recording of any incident, including possible abuse or poor practice incidents, should also follow this procedure. In all situations, including those in which the cause of concern arises either from a disclosure of abuse or from suspicion of abuse, it is vitally important to record the details, regardless of whether they are shared with a statutory agency, as soon as possible using the Incident Referral Form The record should be clear and factual as it may be needed by child or adult protection agencies and may, in the future, be used as evidence in court. Records should be kept securely and shared only with those who need to know about the incident. Throughout the process of any safeguarding cases, accurate records should be made and maintained. Codes of Conduct and Ethics The codes of conduct and ethics for all those involved at The Samurai Fitness Group can be found as a separate guidance sheet. It is essential these are followed so that the highest possible standards of behaviour and conduct in Martial Arts activities are maintained. The principles must be adhered to at all times so that Martial Arts can be enjoyed by all. All those involved at [insert name of school/club] will show their understanding and commitment to the codes of conduct and ethics by signing a copy of the relevant guidance sheet. Safer Recruiting At The Samurai Fitness Group we take all reasonable steps to ensure unsuitable people are prevented from working with children. Whilst there may be some reservations that volunteers could be put off by having to go through a recruitment process, it is important to ensure reasonable steps have been taken to identify unsuitable individuals. A guidance sheet can be found which outlines safer recruiting in further detail. Supervision, Support and Training Once recruited, all staff and volunteers at The Samurai Fitness Group will be well informed trained, supervised and supported to ensure that they effectively safeguard children and know how to respond to any concerns. The Samurai Fitness Group will ensure that training and resources are available to encourage the development of staff and volunteers. This will include:
There are currently no formal qualifications specifically for safeguarding and protecting children in sport. However, training developed by sports and other organisations is available to strengthen the skills and knowledge of the sporting children’s workforce to safeguard children and young people. Training plays an important role in equipping staff and volunteers to do the job safely and effectively. Different safeguarding training is available depending on the person's role. Whistleblowing It’s important that people within The Samurai Fitness Group have the confidence to come forward to speak or act if they’re unhappy with anything. Whistleblowing occurs when a person raises a concern about dangerous or illegal activity, or any wrongdoing within their sports organisation. The NSPCC has a whistleblowing advice line to support professionals who have concerns about how child protection issues are being handled in their own or another organisation. More detail can be found on the Whistleblowing Guidance Sheet. Complaints In order to ensure we develop an open culture where children and staff feel able to express a concern, we have a procedure for dealing with complaints from a child, worker, volunteer, parent or carer. This should be linked to the organisation’s complaints procedures, ensuring the provision of support and advocacy for the people involved. Links to Other Organisational Procedures It’s useful to cross-reference other relevant organisational policies, including your:
Useful Contacts The Samurai Fitness Group
Local Authority Safeguarding Lead (Maidenhead)
Local Authority Safeguarding Lead (Dorset)
NSPCC
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