SAFE GUARDING

Safeguarding Children Policy & Procedure

Martial Arts as a sport and pastime has a duty of care to safeguard all children involved in all forms of Martial Arts from harm.
Shentie Martial Arts Academy will be referred to as SMAA.

1. SMAA acknowledges its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of every child and young person who has been entrusted to its care and is committed to working to provide a safe environment for all members. A child or young person is anyone under the age of 18 engaged in any martial arts activity.

2. The key principles of the SMAA Safeguarding Children Policy are that:

The child’s welfare is and must always be the paramount consideration
All children and young people have the right to be protected from abuse regardless of their age, gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, faith or belief
All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to appropriately
Working in partnership with children and young people and their parents/carers is essential.

3. We acknowledge that every child or young person who participates in martial arts should be able to take part in an enjoyable and safe environment and be protected from poor practice and abuse SMAA recognises that this is the responsibility of every adult involved in our club

4. SMAA has a role to play in safeguarding the welfare of all children and young people by protecting them from physical, sexual or emotional harm and from neglect or bullying

5. The Children’s Act 1987 defines a child as a person under the age of 18

6. SMAA will strive to ensure the safety and protection of all children involved in our sport through adherence to the Child Protection Guidelines adopted by our affiliation with the Amateur Martial Association (AMA) Executive Committee and approved at the time of adoption by Sport England and the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit

7. All current SMAA members who are regularly caring for, supervising, training or being in sole charge of children and young people will be required to complete a DRB Safeguarding Officer: Virginia Adam