Here you will find FAQs relating to DBS checks, Safeguarding courses, Raising Concerns and more.
If there is a section within safeguarding that you would like to see some FAQs on, or a section within this page doesn’t answer your questions, then please contact safeguarding@britishtaekwondo.org
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) / Criminal Record Check FAQs
Having a criminal records check can seem quite a daunting and long task but it is vital in ensuring that all Under 18’s involved within taekwondo are in a safe environment.
a criminal record check searches the applicant’s criminal history for convictions, cautions, warnings, and reprimands with an option to check the applicant isn’t on any barred lists. It can be obtained for positions working with children or vulnerable groups.
This level of check shows full details of a criminal record, including Cautions, Warnings, Reprimands, spent and unspent convictions. It can also search the children and vulnerable adults ‘barred list’ to see if the applicant is prohibited from working with these groups. Local police can add any relevant information about the applicant.
More information for each home counties checking procedure can be found on the Criminal Records Checks section.
All members who are qualified and licensed with British Taekwondo to work with or coach Under 18’s in regulated/unsupervised activity are required to hold a valid, clear and enhanced DBS (or home county equivalent) that has been completed in the last 3 years.
Regulated activity is defined as anyone who has a role coaching, teaching, caring, supervising, advising, treating, or transporting anyone under the age of 18. It also includes working with Under 18’s once a week or more, four times or more in a single month and/or overnight between 2am – 6am.
More information regarding what check is required can be found in the Criminal Records Checks section.
If you meet the criteria above and you are over 16 then yes, you will need to undergo a DBS. The government made changes to the law in 2012 that meant that 16 – 18 year olds must now undertake a DBS check (or home county equivalent). If you are under 16 years of age, you will not be required/will not be able to undergo a check.
More information regarding what check is required can be found in the Criminal Records Checks section.
Safeguarding Training FAQ’s
You can purchase the NSPCC’s Child protection in sport and physical activity training for a reduced price of £20 through British Taekwondo. This is a saving of £5 from the price you would pay if you purchased directly from the NSPCC website.
If you would like to access for the course at this reduced rate, please contact development@britishtaekwondo.org to register your interest and a member of the team will be in touch with you.
There are also a number of free of charge options to increase your awareness of safeguarding related topics. There are a number of online learning tools on safeguarding issues that are available to staff, volunteers and parents.
The following online courses (listed A to Z) are provided by external organisations and can be accessed directly via their websites – please note you may be required to register with some providers. Please share these opportunities for personal development within your networks so we can work together to broaden the knowledge throughout the Taekwondo community.
Other courses can be found using the following links:
As part of Anti-Bullying Alliance’s ‘All Together programme’ they have developed a suite of free online training for anyone that works with children and young people. The programme was particularly developed to reduce levels of bullying of disabled children and those with special educational needs (SEN) but it applies to all children. The training is free to complete online from any computer/tablet.
Find the training at www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/tools-information/schools-and-teachers/free-cpd-online-training
Thinkuknow offers a range of training courses for those who work directly with children and young people; Keeping Children Safe Online (KCSO) is e-learning in partnership with the NSPCC, the Thinkuknow Introduction Course and the CEOP Ambassador Course.
Find out more on their website at www.thinkuknow.co.uk/professionals/training/
Keeping Them Safe: online learning for Parents & Carers is a free package for parents and carers that explains how to identify the signs of CSE and protect children. This course has been designed by Parents against Child Sexual Exploitation (PACE) and has been accessed by more than 29,000 parents and professionals (as of March 2016). Access the course on their website at paceuk.info/about-cse/keep-them-safe/
Although the course is aimed at parents, practitioners and volunteers will also find this 20-30 minute online learning session a valuable source of information to:
- find out more about child sexual exploitation
- learn the signs and indicators of when a child might be being exploited
- understand the impact child sexual exploitation can have on families
- know what to do if you suspect a child might be at risk of this abuse.
Disability Matters offers free online learning packages to enable organisations, workers and volunteers to develop the communication and problem-solving skills required to engage confidently with disabled children and young people. Access the online learning on their website at www.disabilitymatters.org.uk/
There are a range of learning packages that have been recommended or endorsed by external organisations:
- Disability Basics
- Disability and Society
- Regular Contact and Support Matters
- Occasional Contact and Support Matters
- Networking Matters
- Building an Inclusive Society
- Safeguarding Basics.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) refers to procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. This practice is illegal in the UK.
The Home Office offers free online training for front line professionals in identifying and helping girls at risk of FGM; to access this training visit their website.
This course is useful for anyone who is interested in gaining an overview of FGM, particularly front line staff in healthcare, police, border force and children’s social care. The NSPCC has developed a fact-sheet to support this online learning which can be found on their website.
This course has been developed with the Forced Marriage Unit of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Home Office. It aims to raise awareness, challenge perceptions and inform practitioners of the correct actions to take should they suspect someone is at risk.
Find the course on their website at www.safeguardingchildrenea.co.uk
Working in partnership with GIRES (the Gender Identity Research and Education Society), Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has created an online learning course to help healthcare and other staff understand the needs of gender nonconforming young people.
The course is free, is easily accessible online and takes around 45 minutes to complete. It is designed for staff of all levels and disciplines and provides an optional test, as well as a certificate of completion.
It includes an introduction to gender non-conformity, advice on how to create supportive environments for gender non-conforming young people and critical information about medical interventions and front line support. Access the course is via the GIRES website at www.gires.org.uk/e-learning/caring-for-gender-nonconforming-young-people
The Home Office offer a range of courses through the Virtual College, some of which are free. These include:
- This government resource is designed to share examples of training products available to public sector professionals and other individuals that might come across victims to help raise awareness, better spot the signs and increase confidence in reporting modern slavery when potential cases are encountered.
- Increased awareness and reporting helps law enforcement to tackle the perpetrators of modern slavery as well as protecting victims.
- The resource contains basic awareness raising materials. For many professionals more advanced or bespoke training will be appropriate and the materials here are not intended to be the extent of the training required by any sector.
- Find the resource at gov.uk/modern-slavery-training-resource-page
- Find more resources on our Modern Slavery & Human Trafficking resource.
Preventing Radicilisation – (header)
Many practitioners are concerned about preventing radicalisation – access the Channel General Awareness online module on their website at course.ncalt.com/. This module will help raise awareness and covers concerns that a:
- person is at risk of radicalisation
- venue is being used for promoting extremism
- speaker at a public or council venue is promoting extremism.
The Education and Training Foundation have developed a suite of free online training modules designed for further education and training providers to raise awareness of their responsibilities in complying with the Prevent duty. This is in recognition that all staff, governors and board members are required to be Prevent duty trained. The modules provide awareness training in the context of Prevent duty responsibilities in further education and training and can be found on their website at www.foundationonline.org.uk
The MindEd ‘Self-Harm and Risky Behaviour‘ online module is aimed at a universal audience and provides the background to self harm in children and teenagers, common associated conditions and the optimal approach to managing it in the community.
Find this resource on their website at www.minded.org.uk
We need to talk about suicide: helping everyone to feel more confident to talk about suicide is an e-Learning programme that has been developed for the wider public health workforce including voluntary sector, blue light services, prison staff and prison listeners health and social care. It was developed by a range of experts including experts by experience i.e. those people who have attempted to take their own lives and those bereaved and affected by suicide.
Two-thirds of people who take their own lives are not known to mental health services. Almost everyone thinking about suicide doesn’t want to stop living they just want to stop the pain and distress they are feeling. Talking about suicide does not make someone more likely to take their own lives. Another person showing compassion and care can only make things better not worse.
The programme takes approximately between 60-90 minutes to complete.
How the programme may be used:
- as an introduction to suicide awareness and suicide prevention skills
- to consolidate existing skills on suicide prevention
- as part of an organisation’s induction process, reflecting a commitment to reducing death by suicide
- for personal and professional development.
Proposed target audience:
- non-mental health practitioners
- anyone working with the public across a wide range of settings
- anyone in a volunteering role with contact with the public
- administrative and support staff in health and care across a range of settings such as primary care, acute and supported living settings
- administrative and support staff in other public sector settings such as local authorities and the voluntary sector
- public health/health promotion staff across all sectors including local authorities, NHS and primary care.
The learning is specifically aimed at making sure that everyone in contact with the public, in whatever role, knows how to spot any signs of mental distress and feel comfortable in talking about suicide.
Talking about suicide can be used as a normal part of all our interactions at home, in the workplace and in the wider community.
Find the course at www.nwyhelearning.nhs.uk/elearning/HEE/SuicidePrevention/
ECPAT UK provides training throughout the UK and internationally on child protection in tourism and on the protection of child victims of trafficking. The ECPAT UK online learning course ‘In Your Hands – Safeguarding Child Victims of Trafficking‘ is part of a national training programme to increase awareness and highlight the specific support needs of trafficked children.
The free learning package can be used individually, in small groups or during training sessions. To use the e-tool you will need to register first on their website at course.ecpat.org.uk/
Virtual College have worked in partnership with SelfharmUK to create a free online course designed to help parents talk about the issue of self-harm with their children – find the course at www.virtual-college.co.uk/resources/resource-packs/understanding-young-minds
Social Media, Photography & Video FAQs
Using social media, photography & videos to advertise and use within your club is a great way to advertise your club and promote your games & programmes. Below we have highlighted some FAQs to ensure that you’re club is operating within safeguarding policies and standards.
No.
If you do not have the consent from the person or their parent/guardian, you do not have the right to use that photo. This encompasses posting on social media, filming games/events and photos by official photographers. In doing so you may face sanctions by British Taekwondo.
If the member is under the age of 18, then no. The reason for this is that this can identify the member not only online but also offline and potentially lead to that member being identified and contacted by unwanted or dangerous individuals.
If the member is over the age of 18, you should ask for permission to do so and they should be made aware of where and when it may be posted. Some members have professional pages that they have set up to advertise themselves, it would be more appropriate to use these instead of their personal pages.
More information can be found through our social media policy – just revising this so can’t link.
Identifying members within squad lists and photos is a great way to give members a sense of togetherness and belonging within a club, but you need to be careful as to what information is provided alongside a post on social media.
You should not be posting the names of players under the age of 18 alongside, photos, personal details, which includes, personal social media accounts, email addresses and dates of birth. The reason for this is that this can identify the player not only online but also offline and potentially lead to that player being identified and contacted by unwanted or dangerous individuals.
If comments on social media seem threatening, obscene, bullying/abuse or defamatory these should be reported to British Taekwondo for further investigation. Messages which are defamatory, libellous or obscene are prohibited at all times and may require the intervention and/or investigation by British Taekwondo.
We encourage, where necessary, that you take screenshots of the posts and comments on social media as this will support British Taekwondo to take appropriate action.
All concerns should be reported to safeguarding@britishtaekwondo.org
You should always ‘think before you post’.
You should consider any messages, photos, videos or information and if they do comply with existing policies within your club, team or organisation. If you are unsure, it is best not to post it, hold off and check with someone who will know.
The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) provides more information on good practice in social media in sport.