Karate Kai U.K Limited
Child Protection Policy
All instructors have an obligation to ensure that all students who participate in their classes can do so in a safe and protected atmosphere.
The following procedures must be followed by instructors with Karate Kai U.K,
Our child Protection Policy commits us to maintaining a safe environment for children and young people.
Instructors are carefully selected and accept responsibility for helping to prevent the abuse of children. All instructors are CRB checked through the criminal records bureau and have attended child protection courses
Our club has a child protection officer who is the main point of contact for parents and children for child protection issues. He/she is in direct liaison with the local authorities Child Protection Officer or equivalent who is responsible for child safety.
GUIDELINES FOR SAFEGUARDING CHILDRENS WELFARE
Please read the following guidelines carefullythey will help you to understand child abuse and what to do if a child tells you about abuse.
Forms of child abuse
Sexual abuse
Both boys and girls can be sexually abused in the following ways:
• Full sexual intercourse, masturbation, oral sex and fondling
• Showing children pornographic books and videos
• Asking children to take part in making videos or taking pornographic photographs.
What to look for
• Pain, itching, bruising or bleeding in genital area
• Stomach pains
• Discomfort when walking
• Unexpected sources of money
• Inappropriate drawings, language or behaviour
• Aggressive, withdrawn behaviour or fear of one person.
Physical abuse
Physical abuse can be in the form of injuries sustained through hitting, shaking, squeezing, biting or burning. In certain situations abuse may occur when the nature and intensity of training exceeds the capacity of the childs body.
What to look for
• Unexplained or untreated injuries
• Injuries on unlikely parts of the body
• Cigarette burns, bite or belt marks, scalds
• Fear of parents being contacted, going home or receiving medical advice
• Flinching when touched
• Refusal to discuss injury
• Covering arms and legs.
Neglect
Where adults:
• Fail to meet a childs basic physical needs e.g. Food, warmth and clothing
• Constantly leave children alone and unsupervised
• Fail or refuse to give children love, affection or attention.
Neglect might also occur during organised activities if young people are placed in an unsafe environment, are exposed to extreme weather conditions or are at risk from being injured.
What to look for
• Poor personal hygiene
• Constantly hungry
• Inappropriate clothing or dress
• Constantly tired
• Lonely, no friends
• Underweight
• No parental support or interest
• Dishevelled appearance.
Forms of child abuse
Emotional abuse
This form of abuse includes:
• Persistent lack of love or affection
• Frequently shouting at children
• Taunting children
• Over-protection which can lead to poor social skills.
Emotional abuse may include situations where parents, coaches or organisers subject children to constant criticism, bullying or unrealistic pressure to perform to high expectations.
What to look for
• Over-reaction to mistakes
• Sudden speech disorders
• Extremes of emotions
• Self mutualisation.
What to do if a child tells you about abuse
If a concern about Child protection arises either from direct disclosure, a third party or from your own observations, you should fill out a child protection incident report form. The report should then be passed on to the clubs child protection officer.
Most importantly, you should listen attentively and let he/she know it was right to tell someone about their worries.
Stay calm and make sure that the child feels safe and knows that he/she is not to blame for what has happened.
Explain that you will have to tell someone else about the abuse if it is to stop.
Only ask questions that establish what was done and who did it.
Make a note of what the child said and the date and time of your conversation on the clubs incident report form.
Dont act without seeking help from the clubs Child Protection Officer, or from social services or the police, who must be informed about all suspected cases of child abuse.
Seek advice before telling parents or carers about the conversation or let any person suspected of abuse know whats happenedyou could be putting the child in greater jeopardy by doing so.
You must ensure confidentiality and share your concerns on a strict need to know basis, and only in order to protect this child or other children.
Dont worry that you may be making things worse by reporting your concernsfew things are worse than allowing child abuse to continue. Many children are devastated by the experience of abuse and, in the most serious cases, may be seriously harmed or have their life threatened.
The Child-Safe Code for Staff and Volunteers
Do:
Treat all young people with respect and take notice of their reactions to your tone of voice and manner
Always seek the parents and childs consent if he/she is very young or disabled and needs help to go to the toilet
Remember that it is okay to touch children in a way which isnt intrusive or disturbing to he/she or to observers
Make sure that any allegations or suspicions are recorded and acted upon.
Do not:
Engage in rough physical games including horseplay
Touch a child in an intrusive or sexual manner
Make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even as a joke
Do things of a personal nature that a child can do for themselves, such as going to the toilet or changing clothes.
Try to avoid:
Spending too much time alone with a child
Giving a child a lift in your car
Taking a child to your home.
If some of these situations are unavoidable, try to get parental permission first. If this isnt possible make sure you let parents know what has happened as soon as you can.
At no time will the use of inappropriate language or instances of violent behaviour be tolerated. Karate Kai U.K is a family club and has no room for this kind of behaviour.
Karate Kai has a members only policy in its classes. Only registered members and parents/guardians will be allowed in the Dojo during or in between classes. Any person who enters the Dojo who is not a registered member or guardian will be asked to leave.
All children under the age of 16 must have parent/guardian details and phone numbers on their membership cards whilst at class. They must also not leave the class until they have been picked up by a parent/guardian. If someone else calls to pick up the student then the instructor is to phone the parent to ensure that this is ok.
Karate Kai is a non-contact style of karate. Any student who shows lack of control due to aggression or carelessness will not be allowed to spar. In the rare case of injury, first aid will be administered and if necessary an ambulance will called and parents notified. All accidents must be reported on the accident report sheet and handed to the Senior Instructor along with the class sheet. At no time will students be allowed to spar without the necessary safety equipment. Students must be 8th Kyu or above to before they can begin continuous kumite (sparring).
It is all instructors responsibility to ensure that Karateka values and etiquette are demonstrated at all times to ensure a safe and secure family atmosphere is kept at all times within Karate Kai U.K .