Safeguarding Statement

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Our organisation is committed to the following in respect of safeguarding vulnerable groups and will expect individual members, parents and instructors to maintain the following priorities in relation to safeguarding at all times:

• The welfare of children and vulnerable adults is paramount
• All children and vulnerable adults, regardless of age, culture, ability, gender, language, racial original, religious belief, sexual identify and/or discipline being practiced should be able to participate in martial arts, boxing, combat and/or self defence in a fun, safe environment.
• All WMA members must take all reasonable steps to protect vulnerable groups and persons from harm, discrimination, degrading treatment. Furthermore, they must treat them with respect, dignity and care at all times
• Any suspicions or allegations of poor practice and/or abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately, with proper records being kept
• All WMA instructors are designated that responsibility based upon suitability and on the condition that he/she will meet the requirements set by the association in regard to safeguarding and best practice i.e. all instructors will hold safeguarding training, first aid qualifications and a DBS. He/She will also be made aware of the association’s guidelines on safeguarding and will be aware of the schools local procedure in relation to this matter also.
• All instructors of all levels are required to work to maintain a positive, open, transparent and professional relationship with the parents and / or guardians of any students, to promote a culture of good standard and community welfare throughout
• The uptake of and refresher of suitable safeguarding qualifications is essential for all persons coming into unsupervised contact with vulnerable groups, our instructors qualfications will be maintained while the are teaching for us.

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Statement of Intent

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Worcestershire Martial Arts is committed to implementing policies so that everyone within the chain of command accept their responsibilities to safeguard children and / or vulnerable adults from harm and abuse. This means following pre-decided procedures to vulnerable groups and report any concerns about their welfare to appropriate authorities without delay. The aim of this policy is to promote best practice providing vulnerable groups within our classes at all of our venues the appropriate safety and protection whilst in the care of an instructor. It is also to allow our instructors, coaches and associated supervising members the opportunity to remain informed and confident on their obligations and requirements in relation to the safeguarding of children and / or vulnerable adults. The WMA instructors are expected to comply with all of our safeguarding policies but must also take their own necessary steps to ensure they safeguard vulnerable groups effectively at the school, including the completion of a safeguarding qualification and the implementation of a safeguarding policy specific to WMA. WMA has a qualified and clearly designated safeguarding lead (Sally Gleaves) whom takes ultimate responsibility for policy and training within the club. Key Considerations

• A child/young person is defined as a person under the age of 18 (Children’s Act 1989)
• Whilst the ultimate responsibility for safeguarding at school level rests with the schools lead instructor / safeguarding leads, safeguarding is not specific to just coaches. Volunteers, staff and other adults within the club should be aware of their safeguarding obligations without question
• Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and it’s a matter that must be addressed with the gravity and seriousness it deserves

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Taking Photographs at the School

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There is evidence that some people have used sporting events, inter club events or normal ‘day to day’ training as an opportunity to take inappropriate photographs or film footage of children and/or vulnerable adults. Our Instructors will be vigilant and any concerns will be reported to the Club welfare officer. All parents and students have been made aware when joining the club by completing the membership form that WMA use video equipment as a coaching aid and photography / video captures of students training may be used for advertising / marketing material with consent provided in advance. We offer an opt in / out of photography when you join the club as a member, but if your preference changes at any point while training with us, it is your responsibility to inform the schools lead instructor. Parents and any other volunteers viewing or interacting with classes and participants are subject to the club’s photographic and videography policies which can be viewed here, please respect that other parents may not wish to have their children photographed and shared on social media, so please be mindful while taking snaps of your children at our classes.

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Can I leave my child at your class and go home while they are training?

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Please be advised we do not allow parents to leave children under the age of 10 unattended at classes, parents of children under 10 will need to remain in the waiting/reception area at our venues. As part of our safeguarding procedure, we will not take your child to the toilet, if they cannot take themselves, you or a guardian will need to remain on site to aid with this. Drop off and pick up - we do not allow children under the age of 12 to leave the premises after class without a parent/guardian in attendance to retrieve them from us. If you are running late your child will be asked the remain in reception and you will need to come to reception to pick them up so that we know they are leaving safely.

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Our Policies & Blog

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You can view our policies by following these links: Worcestershire Martial Arts Child Protection Policy Worcestershire Martial Arts Safeguarding Policy Worcestershire Martial Arts Photography Policy If you would like more information about safeguarding and WMA's contribution to safeguarding in the UK martial arts industry please check out our blog!

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