Child Safeguarding & Protection

Policy

The Lancashire Aikikai adopts the British Aikido Board’s Child Safeguarding & Protection Policy and the principles expressed therein because it believes that all Children and Young People should enjoy Aikido in a safe and enjoyable Aikido setting.

We believe that the Board’s policy will help all the clubs in Lancashire Aikikai to deliver best practice in the teaching of Children and Young People and be well prepared to:

  • Ensure the safety and enjoyment of all Children and Young People in the Aikido setting.
  • Promote and preserve their opportunity within Aikido for healthy personal development.
  • Ensure that the Children and Young People attending Aikido who experience abuse of any kind, within or outside the aikido setting, are comfortable and safe enough to disclose abuse and receive protection.
  • Ensure any concerns about the welfare of Children and Young People attending Aikido are acted upon appropriately and not ignored.
  • Ensure that the full legal and moral responsibilities that accompany working with Children and Young People are understood and fulfilled by adults working within the Aikido setting.
  • Ensure that all Children and Young People have the opportunity to develop positive and balanced relationships with adults based on mutual trust.
  • Ensure that Children and Young People share in decision making about Aikido
  • Make Aikido fun, enjoyable and promote fair play.
  • Ensure that adults working within the Aikido setting are not placed in situations where allegations of abuse could be made.

The British Aikido Board’s Child Protection policy is available on their website under their Safeguarding and must be followed by coaches, parents, and students. There is a Policy document list providing detail to the policy and its framework.

As young people are juniors in the eyes of the Policy and the law till they reach 18 all members need to be aware of the policy and how to report concerns. It’s not just those involved with junior classes but in clubs where there could 16-18 year olds on a senior mat.

Unless to do so would place a child at risk of harm your first point of contact should be your Club Welfare Officer or Association CPO.

The reporting mechanism is an escalating one from making the Class Coach aware; then the Club Welfare Officer and then the Association Child Protection Officer. Incident guidance for what to do if the incident has occurred in Aikido or outside Aikido can be found under "Safeguarding - Action to take ...." in the list of documents.

BAB Child Safeguarding & Protection Policy is expanded through documents found in its Policy Document area - should be followed by the Aikikai and its Clubs as either policy, guidance, recommendations or best practise as applicable in each case.

Additionally the Aikikai has decided:

  • DBS checks would be required for all coaches and Club Welfare Officers in the Association; and any one else who have "regular supervisory contact" with those under 18 years of age.
  • The Permission to teach system applies to those who potentially aspire to or already lead classes unsupervised - the Principal will approve these people before they can so teach.
  • When permission has been granted it will be noted on the Aikikai website in order to introduce transparency for all including members of the public along with its expiry date.
  • All members have responsibility in playing their part to protect children, young people and vulnerable adults. An addendum for the guidance of its officers, members and new students concerning its further objectives regarding safeguarding can be found here** June 2020 **
  • Job descriptions for those holding positions in the Aikikai and Clubs were approved.

 

Vulnerable Adults - Safeguarding The Lancashire Aikikai follows the BAB safeguarding advice & requirements regarding care and the teaching of aikido to Vulnerable Adults. The BAB policy regarding this is available here as a policy document - [BAB Vulnerable Adults Safeguarding and Protection Policy (VASPP)] and as an information sheet - [BAB Information sheet 1: Vulnerable Adults] All Instructors and Club Welfare Officers at the Lancashire Aikikai Clubs which welcome Children and Young Adults have undertaken training to ensure that Children and Vulnerable Adults are safeguarded whilst training in their dojos.

Please click the lower of the two panels below to report any concerns regarding Vulnerable Adults.

 

Quick Links to Aikikai pages

Club Welfare Officers - criteria

  • A club which takes children and young people up to the age of 18 must nominate a Club Welfare Officer (CWO) who will advise and ensure that Safeguarding is being adhered to in the Club.
  • The Club Welfare Officer must have a DBS Check promptly. (Previously CRB check)
  • Club Welfare Officers are advised to review the latest BAB Safeguarding policy, the BAB association checklist and BAB club checklist and also provide this checklist to the Child Protection Officer. The BAB Support Pack is on the BAB website.
  • The Club Welfare Officer must attend a ‘Safeguarding and Protecting Children’ workshop accredited by UK Coaching (3 hours).
  • Once obtaining these you should apply for appointment using form P-4.

 

See the Information page if you are a Club Welfare Officer or under training.