Child practicing karate

The Shotokan Karate Kanazawa Ryu International Federation (SKKIF) believes that children must be protected from harm at all times

We believe every child should be valued, safe and happy.  We want to make sure that children we have contact with know this and are empowered to tell us if they are suffering harm.

We want children who use or have contact with the SKKIF to enjoy what we have to offer in safety.

We will implement safe recruitment policies to ensure that instructors and volunteers are suitable to work with children.

We will achieve this by having an effective child protection policy and following national and local guidance.

If we discover or suspect a child is suffering harm we will notify children’s social care (formerly social services) or the police in order that they can be protected if necessary.

This policy and our Child Protection Procedure apply to all instructors, volunteers and karateka of the SKKIF and anyone carrying out any work for us or using our premises.

We will investigate all allegations that an instructor, volunteer or Karateka may have harmed a child, involving children’s social care and the police as necessary in line with this document and  Child Protection Procedures

We will review our Child Protection Policy and Procedures at least every two years to make sure they are still relevant and effective.

A volunteer is anyone who participates in who helps run an activity organised by the organisation.  It does not cover private arrangement between parents.

A Karateka is anyone who trains in a SKKIF Club and who has an up to date SKKIF licence.

There will be nominated persons for child protection who will be responsible for dealing with any concerns about the protection or welfare of children.

These are currently:

Tony Atherden (07841839372) [email protected]

Clive Young (07748843159) [email protected]

All instructors and volunteers will be carefully selected and vetted to ensure they do not pose a risk to children or vulnerable adults.

All instructors and volunteers will receive basic awareness training in child protection.  This will include information on recognising where there are concerns about a child, where to get advice and what to do if no one seems to have taken their concerns seriously. This will take the form of an online teaching qualification which is accredited.

We will endeavour to make SKKIF a safe and caring place for children to be by having a code of conduct for instructors and Karateka. This will be given to all instructors and Karateka and they will be expected to comply with it.

This policy will be publicised through the organisation.

There will be a complaints procedure.

What to do if a child makes a disclosure of abuse or neglect to you:

  1. Explain to the child that you will share this information with a senior instructor in order to  help them.
  2. Listen carefully to and believe what the child is saying and take it seriously.
  3. Reassure the child who has made the disclosure to you that they have done the right thing and assure them that you believe them.
  4. Give the child time to talk and do not probe or ask leading questions. Investigation is not your responsibility.
  5. Do not promise to keep secrets. All allegations of harm or potential harm must be acted upon.
  6. Record what has been said as soon as possible after the conversation and ensure that Social Care are notified within 24 hours
  7. Do not confront the abuser.
  8. Ensure that information you have is kept confidentially and only shared with people who need to know this and are empowered to tell us if they are suffering harm.

Visit the relevant pages on gov.uk for further guidance.

Policy last reviewed: 19 February 2023 (by Clive Young)

Policy to next be reviewed: February 2025