You are now required to demonstrate, declare and upload a selection of policies and procedures in evidence to secure the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts "mark". Your application can be saved along the way and you can come back to update it until you are ready to submit when 100% complete.
Topic outline
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- Getting Started
Getting Started
Please note:- New Terms & Conditions of Use have been made available as of the 16th December 2021.
To read them in full please click here. Anyone who is involved with the delivery of martial arts is eligible, although your process may differ slightly depending on how your organisation is set up. The checklists below will give you guidance on what is required before you start the process in full.If you are responsible for the operation of a number of clubs, you may be eligible to apply on their behalf in one application.
Please contact us before you begin your application at info@nwgnetwork.org and explain your organisation's structure.
We will advise as soon as possible in reply.
If you are a please email us at info@nwgnetwork.org with your clubmark number and we will be in touch within 10 working days. You do not need to complete any part of the application. Once your status is confirmed, you will be able to access The Safeguarding Code "mark" and your personalised certificate. Thank you for your interest in the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts.
If you are not a Clubmark club, start the application process by clicking on the "Policies" bar below and continue to work your way through the different stages.
Please note : If you are affiliated to The British Martial Arts & Boxing Association (BMABA) and you have achieved the free Club Colours Award, you do not need to apply to the Safeguarding Code as it will be automatically issued to you. If you are registered with BMABA, visit bmaba.org.uk/clubcolours.
- Policies
Policies
The policies that you/your organisation abide to are vital to the safeguarding of your participants, staff and volunteers. In this section you are required to show us your safeguarding policies and demonstrate that it is effectively distributed. You will also need to show us your Safe Practice Policy and declare that you have appropriate insurance(s).
Open up the highlighted title "Safeguarding Policy" above and go to "Add Submission" at the bottom of the page to upload your policy.
Please demonstrate that you have the necessary provision in place for the safeguarding and welfare of your participants by uploading your safeguarding policies. You should have separate policies for adults and children/young people. These must include a safeguarding statement of intent (can be uploaded as a separate document), been reviewed in the last year, updated no later than within the last three years, and signed off by the management board/committee, where relevant.
Make sure your policies are personalised to your club and include the contact details of your Designated Safeguarding Lead, Welfare Officer and/or Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
Please also ensure that you have considered the new legislation relating to those in Positions of Trust.
TemplatesBelow you can download sample documents to amend to suit your needs.
PLEASE NOTE - the policy statement below is not sufficient for use as a Safeguarding Policy alone. You must upload a separate Safeguarding Policy along with a policy statement (or a policy that includes a statement)
LinksFor further information on safeguarding you can visit the CPSU website.
Or for guidance on adult safeguarding in sport from the Ann Craft Trust.
It is important that your organisation's membership and supporters are aware of, and have seen, your safeguarding policies. We encourage a culture whereby your workforce, members and parents/carers are all aware of their responsibilities. Do you run training sessions for staff to remind them of the importance of safeguarding and refresh the message about your process? Do you discuss scenarios and encourage open conversation? Do you share your policy and process with parents?
By ticking the box you declare your policies (or key parts of them, such as abbreviated action plan) are distributed to all participants, parents, staff and volunteers.
TemplatesWe have included a distribution list below to help you with this process.
LinksIf you are affiliated to an NGB with a Safe Practice Policy we would expect to see this being adopted.
You must demonstrate a duty of care for your participants, protecting children, young people and adults from physical harm and, in particular, head injury.
This document provides indicative/generic examples of some of the safety issues that should be individually considered by clubs when they are formulating or reviewing their own specific safe practice guides and processes.
This document is not advice and should not be adopted in whole or in part without careful and informed consideration being given to the specific needs and requirements of any given club and its particular characteristics.
Therefore, while the document may be used to inform the development and assessment of safe practices at clubs, it is essential that clubs and organisations take a broad evaluative approach in considering the relevance of each aspect of the document, and also endeavour to give detailed consideration to any conceivable safety concerns that are not covered by the document. Safe practice in all clubs should also be kept under ongoing review.
Neither NWG Network nor Sport England or any of their associated organisations or affiliates bears any responsibility or liability for reliance on the document. NWG Network and Sport England are under no obligation to update, review, reissue, retract, modify, or amend the document to reflect current or future best practice.
TemplatesIf you do not have this policy available, please see a document below with some suggestions around safe practice.
LinksPlease tick the box to declare that you have the following in place:
You are required to declare that you have the appropriate, current policies and relevant levels of cover in place. You do not need to upload your certificates in evidence.
- Individuals- you must declare that you have Public Liability Insurance and Professional Indemnity Insurance
- Clubs and organisations - you are required to have Public Liability Insurance, Employee Liability Insurance and Professional Indemnity Insurance.
In both instances, please liaise with your governing body to ensure that your levels of cover are in line with their standards. If you are not affiliated to a governing body, you need to be confident that the levels of cover you have are appropriate to the needs of your activities.
- Procedures
Procedures
In this section you will need to declare that you have a number of key procedures, roles and safeguarding checks in place. These procedures ensure that safeguarding issues and concerns are reported in the correct manner through the appropriate channels.
Please tick the box to declare you have the appropriate procedures in place:
You must have a procedure for reporting and responding to/managing concerns (including allegations of poor practice, abuse and complaints) about your participants and wider welfare issues.
This step by step plan must include a flow chart and must be made available to children, young people and adults. It should include guidance on how information about concerns will be recorded and stored; and how cases will be monitored.
TemplatesLinks- You can also visit the CPSU for their Safeguarding Reporting Procedure Flow Chart and Case Management Model that will be of assistance if you don't have these in place.
- The Ann Craft Trust also have resources and flowcharts for Adult Safeguarding.
If you are an individual please tick the box and move on as this does not apply to you.
For all other applicants, by ticking the box you are declaring the following is true
- You have nominated a member of your workforce to be a designated Welfare/Safeguarding Officer and your participants know who they are and how to contact them. We strongly suggest that this person is not related to you as the lead instructor/owner or any of the coaching staff. If you choose to work with a family member in this role you must address this in your safeguarding policy i.e. make sure there is a clear contact route available to someone who is independent. It is also compulsory that your designated welfare/safeguarding person is identified on your website and/or social media outlets, with identifying photo and contact details.
- Your Welfare Officer has attended a face to face safeguarding awareness workshop such as the "Time to Listen" course or "Safeguarding and Protecting Children Workshop" as recognised by the CPSU or recommended by your National Governing Body (where relevant).
Safeguarding training for those working with young people in the sporting sector should include material on the issue of, abuse of trust, and guidance on maintaining appropriate boundaries between adults and young people.
TemplatesLinks- Should you need any training on Adult Safeguarding, the Ann Craft Trust offer a number of opportunities.
- If you need more information on the role of a Welfare Officer and what they are required to do, this CPSU Job Description will help.
Please confirm that you are aware of a safeguarding person that you can refer any concerns to.
This should be someone at your governing body, if you are affiliated to one.
If your governing body does not have this person in place, you must be aware of how to report concerns to your local authority/county council or the NSPCC.
You must make sure that all of your workforce has access to this information.
- If you are a club or organisation, please confirm that you know of the appropriate safeguarding person or organisation and how to contact them and that this information is available to your workforce, by ticking the box.
- If you are an individual, please confirm that you know of the appropriate safeguarding person or organisation and how to contact them.
This information must be displayed on your website or social media outlets and should include contact details and photo of a named person (this will be checked upon submission). Please tick the box and move on.
Please confirm that you have a process in place for dealing with complaints by parents/carers and participants.
Please tick the box to declare that you have this procedure in place and that it is publicly available to all.
If you are a sole trader (no volunteers support you in the running of your club) please tick the box and move on.
You must confirm that you have policies and procedures in place for safe recruitment of staff and volunteers which includes guidance on those roles that require DBS checks.
Please declare, by ticking the box, that:
- You have a recruitment process in place (where relevant)
- That all of your workforce hold DBS certificates (those in eligible roles) that have been renewed in the last 3 years
- That a risk assessment has been completed on the suitability of the applicant where a DBS has revealed offences
Templates- Best practice recruitment process (this may not be relevant for all posts.)
You are required to confirm if you, or a member of your workforce, have either been subject to a disciplinary process, have been/are currently under investigation by the Police or Local Authority safeguarding teams or have a criminal record.
Please note - We do not require detail of your conviction or investigation but will refer your declaration for investigation by your Local Authority safeguarding teams and/or the Police as part of your application.
Click on the highlighted text above, scroll down and click on "Answer the question". Here you will see a question that you need to answer. A drop-down box will appear. Once complete click on "submit" to file your answers.
Please only answer "yes" if the scenario relates to any of the following:
- Potential offences against adults or children
- Bullying, abusive or aggressive behaviour in the workplace
- Any issues relating to the possession or distribution of illegal substance
- Any issues relating to the possession of a weapon
- Practices
Practices
In this section you will need to declare that you demonstrate good practice within your organisation in areas such as codes of conduct, social media and photography policies and how your young participants can find sources of help if required.
Please tick the box to declare the following:
It is important that you have Codes of Conduct in place to ensure that you are creating the best environment for participants and your workforce. You should have Codes of Conduct in place for members, parents and carers and your workforce. You must ensure that these are distributed and made available to the relevant groups.
When designing a Code of Conduct for instructors/ your workforce please ensure you have considered how the new legislation in regards abuse of Positions of Trust should be incorporated.
TemplatesLinksShould you need any additional guidance or support, you'll find it on the CPSU website. You're able to access the following documents. They have been formatted in a way that enables you to copy and paste the information to form your own codes of conduct:
- Code of Conduct for Children & Young People
- Code of Conduct for Coaches & Volunteers
- Code of Conduct for Parents & Carers
- Preventing Abuse of Positions of Trust
Please confirm, by ticking the box, that you have guidance available for your workforce in the following subject areas:
LinksShould you need any additional guidance or support, you'll find it on the CPSU website.
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It is important that you make information available about sources of help for children and young people, such as how to contact Childline or similar organisations. This could be provided in your membership pack, on your website or pinned to a noticeboard as examples.
You must declare that you have this place this by ticking the box.
- Education and Training
Education and Training
You must be able to demonstrate a commitment to education and training for your workforce. Although we do not need to see individual certificates you must warrant that you have a process in place to ensure quality training for you and your team.
By ticking the box you declare that you have the following safeguarding training practices in place.
Please declare that you make opportunities available for basic safeguarding training for all roles that provide regular and/or significant responsibility for contact with all participants (including adults). This should include all coaches, instructors and volunteers.
Things to consider are:
- How do you advertise training to your workforce?
- How do you monitor it's completion?
- Do you track when a qualification has expired?
- Do you know where to find appropriate training opportunities?
Please go to our Help and Support section for training opportunities information.
The Safeguarding Code strongly recommends that you consider the following criteria as minimum requirements for your workforce:
a) Ideally all coaches/instructors should hold or be working towards achieving a coaching/teaching qualification (a black belt alone does not necessarily provide you with coaching/ mentoring skills)Contact your National Governing Body for more information or see the “Links” section below if you do not affiliate to an NGB.
b) We would expect instructors to be able to demonstrate that their black belt has been issued by a recognised/ independent organisation
c) Achievement of Dan grades should follow standard/ generally recognised time periods between grades. We recommend you contact your art’s NGB to understand this in more detail.
d) The lead instructor, ideally, should have at least 5 years teaching experience
To complete this section please click on the highlighted title and scroll down to “Add Submission.” Please describe to us how your workforce fits, or is working towards achieving, this criteria.
LinksPlease declare, where relevant, if you and your workforce have received any specialist training suitable to the needs of your participants. e.g. adult safeguarding awareness or inclusive/disability coaching.
Please add the training detail completed by clicking the button below:
ADD SUBMISSIONOnce you have added your submission and are happy with it, please tick this activity as complete.
Should you need any training on Adult Safeguarding, the Ann Craft Trust offer a number of opportunities.
If NOT relevant to you, please tick this activity as complete.
The lifespan for most safeguarding in sport training is three years and must be updated accordingly.
Please tell us about your process for ensuring your safeguarding training is monitored and kept up to date by clicking on the highlighted title above "Refresher Training" and then scrolling down to the "Add Submission" box.
- Implementing and Monitoring
Implementing and Monitoring
In this section you must be able demonstrate how you implement and monitor your policies and procedures, so that they are reviewed and updated in a timely manner.
Please click on the highlighted title above " Policies and Procedures" and scroll down to the "Add Submission" box at the bottom of this page to tell us what your process is for ensuring your policies and procedures are kept up to date.
Please demonstrate that your policies and procedures are reviewed every 3 years and refreshed annually to ensure all relevant information, such as the named person in a safeguarding role, is up to date.
You should also have systems in place to ensure that all qualifications and the training of your workforce is up to date. As a minimum you should have a process in place to maintain 3 yearly DBS renewals or as the role changes.
Do you have risk assessments in place for all activities such as training, competitions and events?
Please tick the box to declare you have risk assessments in place.
Should you require any assistance you can download a helpful template from our Help and Support section.
We strongly recommend the following as minimum requirements in this area:
1. A trained first aider should be present at every session - This person will have ideally taken an “Emergency First Aid at Work” course as a minimum. If your club teaches children, we also highly recommend that someone attends sessions who has taken a paediatric first aid course.
2. Every club should have an accessible, well stocked first aid kit containing ice packs, crepe bandages, conforming bandages, plasters, wipes, tuff cut scissors, tweezers, gauze, tape, triangular bandages, wound dressings of various sizes, eye wash pods. An AED is highly recommended. This kit should be regularly checked and topped up by a nominated member of the workforce.
3. Every club should have an accident book that is used to record near misses, incidents, and injuries thoroughly and accurately and injuries should be reviewed and monitored in advance of training sessions.
4. Competitions and events require further consideration in regards the number of those attending and participating and the levels of risk around the competition itself. Consider employing the help of trained paramedics and doctors in attendance at events as an example and review your insurance.
Please click on the highlighted title “First Aid” and go through to “Add Submission.”
Please explain how your club is currently compliant or working towards being compliant with these recommendations. These are not currently mandatory requirements but something we strongly suggest you adopt.
- Submit Application
Submit Application
Once you have completed all of the activities within the Safeguarding Code, you can click on the "Submit Application" button below. (This will only appear when you have completed all topic areas)We will respond to your submission within 10 working days, unless notified otherwise.
Please note that random quality assurance checks called "Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts Reviews" will be conducted to ensure quality and standards are maintained and that those granted use of the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts "mark" are delivering as declared in this submission process.
Thank you for your interest in the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts.
- Full Application