The Safeguarding Award
The Safeguarding Award in Martial Arts
The Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts has been created to give parents and carers peace of mind when searching for martial arts clubs suitable for children or adults in their care.
Funded by the National Lottery, this scheme was launched by the Sports Minister in early 2018 and is delivered through a group of partners and experts in safeguarding such as the Child Protection in Sport Unit (NSPCC) and Sport England.
As such, any martial arts club/organisation or individual in England who has achieved the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts, has successfully demonstrated to us that they have a good working knowledge of quality safeguarding practices will be able to reassure you that they have the following in place:
- Disclosure and Barring Service Check for all coaches, staff and volunteers (this indicated if a person has a conviction to their name)
- Safeguarding awareness training for all coaches, staff and volunteers
- **All coaches will have hold a minimum coaching standard or coaching qualification
- *A Safeguarding Policy
- A Safe Practice Policy
- Insurance documentation
- A reporting system for reporting participants’ safety and welfare
- A complaints process for parents and all participants
- Code of Conduct for children/young people, coaches/volunteers and parents
* This should be available to all staff, volunteers, parents and participants.
** We can only validate coaches qualifications where the coach holds a qualification issued by a national governing body that is recognised by Sport England.
If you’re a parent or carer of a participant who attends a martial arts organisation without the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts “mark”, please encourage them to work towards meeting the required standards of the Safeguarding Code.
Your club may be affiliated to a National Governing Body that is recognised by Sport England, and therefore be required to deliver against certain safeguarding standards. For more information go to click here.
Our map in the “Find a Club” section is the most accurate method of ensuring your club’s attainment of the Safeguarding Code is current. Each club has a certificate with an expiry date and they must to go through an annual “check” to keep this current. Your club should be happy to show you this.
The Child Protection in Sport Unit recommend you ask 5 key questions of your sports club. For more information click here.
