Policy documents

Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy statement

Koushinkan Aikido recognises it’s responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children and adults at risk involved in the club’s activities. The protection of these groups is a priority. Safeguarding is the duty of all instructors, parents and students.

All instructors who teach children have had a full DBS check and have attended a safeguarding children course.

Koushinkan Aikido complies fully with the British Aikido Association Child Protection Policy. The club welfare officer is responsible for implementing this policy and procedure.

For further information please contact the club Welfare Officer, Kemal Shaheen, at: welfareofficer@aikidooxford.co.uk.

Anti-bullying Policy

Koushinkan Aikido is committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment for all of our students so they can learn in a relaxed and secure atmosphere. This is undermined by bullying which is an abuse of power over others. Emotional abuse can also be defined as bullying. For more information if you are being bullied.

What Is Bullying? 

Bullying is the use of aggression with the intention of hurting another person. Bullying results in pain and distress to the victim. Bullying can be:

  • Emotional – eg being unfriendly, excluding emotionally and physically, sending hurtful text messages, tormenting.
  • Physical – pushing, kicking, hitting, punching that is not within the spirit of the sport or any use of inappropriate violence.
  • Racist – racial taunts, graffiti, gestures.
  • Sexual – unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments.
  • Homophobic – because of, or focusing on the issue of sexuality.
  • Verbal – name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing.

Why is it Important to Respond to Bullying? 

Bullying hurts. No one deserves to be a victim of bullying. Everybody has the right to be treated with respect. Aikidoka who are bullying need to learn different ways of behaving. A club has a responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to issues of bullying.

Objectives of this Policy 

All instructors, participants and parents should have an understanding of what bullying is. All coaching staff should know what the club policy is on bullying, and follow it when bullying is reported. All participants and parents should know what the club policy is on bullying, and what they should do if bullying arises. As a club we take bullying seriously. Participants and parents should be assured that they would be supported when bullying is reported.

Signs and symptoms 

A child may indicate by signs or behaviour that he or she is being bullied. Adults should be aware of these possible signs and that they should investigate if a child:

  • Says he/she is being bullied.
  • Is unwilling to go to club sessions.
  • Becomes withdrawn anxious, or lacking in confidence.
  • Feels ill on a regular basis before training session.
  • Asks for money or starts stealing money (to pay bully).
  • Has unexplained cuts or bruises.
  • Is frightened to say what’s wrong.
  • Gives improbable excuses for any of the above.
  • In more extreme cases starts stammering.
  • Cries themselves to sleep at night or has nightmares.
  • Becomes aggressive, disruptive or unreasonable.
  • Is bullying other children or siblings.
  • Stops eating.
  • Attempts or threatens suicide or runs away.

These signs and behaviours are not an exhaustive list and may indicate other problems, but bullying should be considered a possibility and should be investigated.

Procedures 

  1. Report bullying incidents to the club welfare officer or the head instructor.
  2. In cases of serious bullying, the incidents will be referred to the BAA Lead CPO for advice.
  3. Parents will be informed and may be asked to come in to a meeting to discuss the problem.
  4. If necessary and appropriate, police will be consulted.
  5. The bullying behaviour or threats of bullying will be investigated and the bullying stopped quickly.
  6. An attempt will be made to help the bully (bullies) change their behaviour.
  7. If mediation fails and the bullying is seen to continue the club will initiate disciplinary action under the club constitution.

Action to be taken

  1. Reconciliation by getting the parties together. It may be that a genuine apology solves the problem.
  2. If this fails/is not appropriate a small panel of no more than three persons (Made up from Instructor, Welfare Officer, Senior students) should meet with the parent and child alleging bullying to get details of the allegation. Minutes should be taken for clarity, and these should be agreed by all as a true account.
  3. The same three persons should meet with the alleged bully and parent/s and put the incident raised to them to answer and give their view of the allegation. Minutes should again be taken and agreed.
  4. If bullying has, in their view, taken place the bully will be warned and put on notice of further action i.e. temporary or permanent suspension if the bullying continues.
  5. All coaches involved with both the bully and bullied participant should be made aware of the concerns and outcome of the process i.e. the warning.

In the case of adults reported to be bullying aikidoka under 18 

  1. The Association CPO should always be informed and will advise on action to be taken. The BAA Lead CPO should be informed and advice will be given as and when required.
  2. It is anticipated that in most cases where the allegation is made regarding a teacher or coach, child protection awareness training may be recommended.
  3. More serious cases may be referred to the police, social services or judicial complaints procedure.

Equity Policy statement

Koushinkan Aikido Oxford is committed to ensuring that equity is incorporated across all aspects of its development. In doing so it acknowledges and adopts the following Sport England definition of sports equity:

Sports equity is about fairness in sport, equality of access, recognising inequalities and taking steps to address them. It is about changing the culture and structure of sport to ensure it becomes equally accessible to everyone in society.

Koushinkan Aikido Oxford respects the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally within the context of their sport, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.

Koushinkan Aikido Oxford is committed to everyone having the right to enjoy their sport in an environment free from threat of intimidation, harassment and abuse.

All club members have a responsibility to oppose discriminatory behaviour and promote equality of opportunity.

Koushinkan Aikido Oxford will deal with any incidence of discriminatory behaviour seriously, according to club disciplinary procedures.

Koushinkan Aikido complies fully with the British Aikido Association Equity Policy.

Complaints Policy statement

Koushinkan Aikido Oxford takes all complaints seriously and we fully comply with the British Aikido Association Complaints Policy.

If your complaint is about the way our club is run, our classes, or an instructor you should contact our head instructor, Richard Watts, at info@aikidooxford.co.uk.

If your complaint is about Child Welfare you should should contact our Welfare Officer, Kemal Shaheen, at: welfareofficer@aikidooxford.co.uk.

If the complaint is related to the club then you should address your concerns to the BAA Lead Child Welfare Officer:

Mr Francis Burgess
15 Willis Waye, Kings Worthy, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 7QT
Tel 01962 883 282, Mobile 07734 325 838

  • In urgent cases you should inform your local social services or the Police.
  • For independent and impartial advice contact the NSPCC 0808 800 5000

Reporting concerns

If you would like to report a concern to do with the club, it’s instructors, or a student, please see our reporting flowchart.