A blog from Sarah Howard, British Taekwondo’s Safeguarding, HR & Compliance Manager.

British International Open

In my last blog post I wrote about looking forward to my first event – the British International Open in Manchester.

Although I was only able to attend the weigh in on Friday, it was really nice to meet so many members of the Taekwondo community. I am pleased that the event passed with very few incidents of poor behaviour. I would like to thank Ed of Whiston Taekwondo, Steve of Combat Taekwondo and Setta of Premier Taekwondo for volunteering over the weekend in a Welfare Officer capacity. It really is appreciated and made a hugely positive impact on the event.

Which leads me onto the British Sport Taekwondo Championships 2023. I will again be looking for volunteers to join our Safeguarding team over this national championship weekend of 29th September to 1st October at the English Institute of Sport, Sheffield.

I need volunteers to help me oversee the weigh in area on Friday and Saturday as well as the courts on Saturday and Sunday.

If you are interested in volunteering, even if you can only spare a couple of hours, then please do contact me at safeguarding@britishtaekwondo.org

Safeguarding in the Summer holidays

Believe it or not, it is summertime in the UK – despite the weather!

The summer holidays are a fantastic opportunity to put on fun activities for children and young people at your club, especially young people who may feel lonely, isolated, and bored. However, any holiday club should be carefully thought through and the safety and wellbeing of children put at the forefront of all your activities. Doing this requires forward-planning. We’re here to help you do just that!

If safeguarding policies and procedures are in place, everyone can have a good time, with peace of mind that should there be any concerns about the welfare of a young person, there is a system in place to ensure concerns are dealt with in an appropriate way.

So, what should you be thinking about when planning your summer camp or holiday club? We’ve got you covered. See our top five tips below:

1. Communication

You have a safeguarding policy in place. But how will parents, staff and volunteers involved know about it? If they have questions about any of the details, do they know who they can speak to for clarification? Communicating to children and leaders about who they should speak to if they have any concerns, whether through posters, informational leaflets, or other means, is crucial.

2. Have a plan in place for worst case scenarios

We never want to have difficult conversations with children. Think about how you would deal with a concern if a child makes a disclosure to you? If you are unsure how to deal with a concern, please contact me. Even better, why not book a place on the UK Coaching Time to Listen course?

3. Ensure roles are clear

Ensure that coaches, parents, and children know who the Club Welfare Officer is and how they can be contacted. A safeguarding policy will outline the process of what to do when you’re concerned about a child or young person’s welfare and where the Club Welfare Officer will take action. Having clear boundaries in place ensures that everyone knows the scope of the actions they need to take.

4. Safer recruitment

A disclosure check is an important part of a safer recruitment process, but in reality it’s only one element of a more involved process. State your organisation’s commitment to safeguarding and the need to complete disclosure checks in the volunteer application process. Remember to submit criminal record checks with plenty of time to spare before the event starts, as volumes of applications do increase during the build-up to summer camps.

5. Practicalities

Conduct risk assessments about all aspects of the arrangements for your holiday club (responsibility for this can be shared between different people). Remember, while these activities may feel like a chore, they send a strong message to parents that you genuinely care for your children and young people – that you are actively creating safer places for young people to thrive.

Make sure you know the contact details for the parents and the local authority where they reside too.

Mandatory requirements for Club Welfare Officers – June 2024

As mentioned in my previous blog, it will be mandatory for all clubs who teach under 18s to have a Club Welfare Officer in place by June 2024. This is in line with many other National Governing Bodies.

We are able to help you with your disclosure checks (e.g. DBS) and provide access to full training for your nominated Club Welfare Officer. Should you wish to enrol on the UK Coaching Time To Listen course, please complete this form and I will be in touch.

Reporting incidents

Finally, I wish you all an enjoyable summer. Should you need to report a safeguarding concern you can do so by completing the Online Safeguarding Report Form.

As always, if a child is in immediate danger please contact the Police and inform your Club Welfare Officer.

Sarah

Sarah Howard

Safeguarding, HR and Compliance Manager