AIBU to wonder if a martial arts club should have a safeguarding policy?

[fishinbreadcrumbs]

My DS (7) attends a martial art club, normally weekly, but he wants to do a summer karate course. The course is open to both adults and children, although will probably mostly be children. I get the impression it's fairly normal in karate for different age-groups to work together if they're on the same belt. He'd be there for 4 hours each day, for 5 days in a row.

It's a private club, that's been long established in our community, but I suspect they're a bit 'behind the times' on a few things and there's no safeguarding policy on the website. I'm thinking of asking about it, but want to know whether its reasonable to expect them to have one. Surely they must have public liability insurance, and surely that must be dependent on there being a policy in place?

Yes, safeguarding policy and DBS checks, plus first aid and insurance - especially if the children will be there for that length of time. I'd be asking before signing up, as they may have one but not have it on their website.

Have you asked them about it?

DH runs a karate club but is out tonight teaching. I'll ask him what he has in place when he returns. I do know all the ones who teach have to have CRB.

Public liability insurance doesn't depend on having a safeguarding policy in place; but teaching kids does.

Ask for it. See what they say. If they don't have one, what are you going to do about it?

I'm fairly sure the instructors will have DBS checks, but what about the other adults on the course?

To be honest, I'm more worried about some of the older children that might be there, and whether there might be bullying/swearing or just a general lack of supervision. I know karate is all about discipline, but there's a 45 minute lunchtime break, and my DS can be a bit of a rogue at times, and get himself into scrapes.

The older kids, teens and young adults who are training and not teaching willl not be checked. Same as 6th formers in schools aren't.

Other customers won't be checked. Would you expect every adult at, say, Legoland, to carry a DBS cert with them? Do you have one when you go out?

YABU, definitely worrying too much.

The summer/winter special courses usually have celeb (from karate world) visiting to teach. They tend to be run VERY strict... no shouting, running around or being silly generally and swearing would result in being sent home!

nightsky - thanks, yes, that's reassuring. I guess it's visibility of some sort of club behaviour code that I'm after - a set of rules that the students are meant to sign up to before participating. I just don't think they're that organised though - it's all run by men who know a lot about karate, but perhaps a bit less about appeasing worried mums. Unfortunately the lady that works on the reception desk tends to be a bit clueless too.

I will have a chat with his instructor about it at his next weekly class.

Hopefully they will be able to reassure you and, maybe, give the lady n reception a bit more info too!

I would assume that one exists but it is unlikely that it would be published on a website ime.

The adults working with the kids only need to DBS checked if they are having regular contact with the same kids, ie if the teachers running the course only work with kids for those 5 days and unlikely to ever work with them again then they don't need a DBS check, however if they work with the same kids every week then yest they should have DBS checks done.

I would simply ask, if they are following the regulations then this shouldn't be an issue.

Most safeguarding policies for these sorts of groups with outline their need or lack of need for DBS and will in all likelihood state that teachers should not be alone with anyone under 17

Hth

DS attends a martial arts class, and they do have a safeguarding policy and DBS check on the teachers.

Gymnastics do and have a named person like school. They also have complicated new rules about going to the loo, that the older DCs think are a load of baloney and no doubt ignore.

Is the club affiliated to a governing body?

Just ask the sensei.

In the organisation DH and DS are in, all qualified instructors are in the are pvg scheme (scottish crb) also have current first aid certificates and insurance. They wouldn't let anyone without this teach unsupervised.
But I doubt they have all this info on the website.

All the students of whatever age should be under the supervision of the instructor or sensei while training together

Right.... DH is back and I've read your OP to him. Here are his answers:

1. They should be a member of an associated club for their style - shotokan etc. This should be on website.

1. They should be member of National association... if English would be English Karate Board. They have official website. On EKB and they would have child protection policy.

1. If you are paying membership to club (annual licence fee) this should include a proportion to be paid for instructors professional indemnity insurance.

1. Reception lady would be clueless as she has nothing to do with the club.

1. Ask if the instructors are responsible for kids in lunch break. DH says his club isn't. Parents should be available to come and take kids for lunch. Expecting instructor to have parental responsibility during breaks is not on.

1. There is apparently an Australian organisation running summer courses who are a bit dodgy. If you do your research and find out its this lot, don't go.

Thanks nightsky. They're affiliated to the English Karate Federation, the Sekai Butokukwai and the Sports Council Advisory Group for Martial Arts, which all sounds very official.

I guess I'm just used to being served mountains of paperwork and reassuring risk-averse policy-overload with other holiday courses that are primarily childcare-focussed rather than sports club-related.

Lunch sounds odd. Never been asked to supervise lunch at any club. You send them with sandwiches and forget them.

However, all the clubs I've done in the holidays have been 8+ or run by nurseries after school club (who always have 5-11y)

Trampolining, won't let you leave under 8's, for lessons or competitions.

fish where in the country are you? Midlands clubs like Loughborough, Lincoln, Nottingham, Leicester I know the organisers. I also know the guy that runs Lancaster.

English Karate Federation is a different thing to English Karate Board. There's lots of 'politics' going on on karate at the moment, as you will find out if your DS gets seriously involved

In London nightsky.

The quotes you put around 'politics' makes me think of Jackie Chan movies for some reason. :-) It's a world I know nothing about and find a bit intimidating.