Children First Act 2015
Child safeguarding statement
Institute Krav Maga Ireland · Togher, Cork
The key points
At a glance
01Our service
Institute Krav Maga Ireland (also trading as Institute Krav Maga Cork), Unit 3, Deanrock Business & Technology Park, Togher, Cork T12 V889, provides martial arts and self-defence classes. This includes Kids Martial Arts (ages 6–10), Teen Krav Maga (ages 11–15), students aged 16–17 in adult classes with parental consent, Women's Self-Defence seminars (ages 13+), summer camps, private training and school workshops.
02Our principles
We are committed to safeguarding children and young people in line with the Children First Act 2015 and Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children (2017).
- The welfare of children is our first and paramount consideration.
- Every child has the right to take part in a safe, positive and supportive environment.
- We work in partnership with parents and guardians.
- All concerns are taken seriously and acted on promptly.
- We follow the law, including Garda vetting and reporting to Tusla.
03Risk assessment
We have assessed our service for any potential for harm to a child while availing of our classes and activities. The risks identified and the procedures we use to manage them are:
| Risk of harm | How we manage it |
|---|---|
| Physical contact during training, holds and partner work | Age-appropriate techniques only; instructors explain and demonstrate contact; children paired by age and size; controlled contact at all times. |
| An adult alone with a child (private sessions, changing areas, first aid) | No unsupervised one-to-one contact out of view; private sessions with under-18s held in open view with a parent or another adult present; adults never in changing areas with children. |
| Unvetted or unsuitable instructors or helpers | Safe recruitment: Garda vetting for everyone working with children, references and induction before working with children. |
| Children leaving without a parent, or not being collected | Instructors supervise during class only; children handed back to parents or authorised adults at the end of each class; parents informed of collection rules. |
| Bullying or harmful behaviour between children | Code of conduct for students; instructors intervene immediately; parents informed; anti-bullying approach in all classes. |
| Online communication and messaging | Messages about classes go to parents or guardians, not directly to children under 16; no private social media contact between instructors and children. |
| Photos and video of children | Taken and published only with written consent from a parent or guardian; no personal devices used to photograph children without permission. |
| Teens aged 16–17 in adult classes | Written parental consent required; instructors monitor partner choice and conduct. |
| Injury during training | Trained first aiders, first aid kit on site, safe equipment and matted areas, parents informed of any injury. |
| Camps, seminars and events | Same safeguarding procedures apply; appropriate adult-to-child ratios; parental consent and emergency contacts collected in advance. |
04Procedure for managing allegations against instructors or volunteers
Any allegation of abuse or misconduct against an instructor, helper or volunteer will be dealt with promptly. The child's safety comes first: the person concerned will be removed from contact with children while the matter is looked into. Where there are reasonable grounds for concern, the matter will be reported to Tusla and, where appropriate, An Garda Síochána. The person will be treated fairly, and records will be kept securely.
05Procedure for safe recruitment and selection
Everyone who works with children on our behalf is Garda vetted under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012–2016 before working with children, provides references, and receives an induction covering this Statement and our code of conduct. Vetting is renewed as required.
06Procedure for child safeguarding training and information
All instructors and helpers receive a copy of this Statement and are briefed on it. Instructors are encouraged to complete Tusla's free online Children First e-learning programme. This Statement is displayed at our premises and on our website, and a copy is available to parents and guardians on request.
07Procedure for reporting concerns to Tusla
If anyone has a concern about a child's safety or welfare, they should tell the relevant person straight away. The relevant person will consider the concern and, where there are reasonable grounds for concern, report it to Tusla in line with Children First guidance. Anyone can also report a concern directly to Tusla.
- If a child is in immediate danger, call An Garda Síochána on 999 or 112.
- Tusla Child and Family Agency: www.tusla.ie (contact details for the local social work duty service in Cork are listed there).
- If a child tells you about abuse: listen calmly, don't promise to keep it secret, write down what was said as soon as possible and report it immediately.
08Procedure for maintaining a list of mandated persons
Under the Children First Act 2015, certain professionals are mandated persons with a legal duty to report concerns to Tusla. We maintain a list of any instructors or helpers who are mandated persons because of their profession, and we remind them of their reporting duties.
09Relevant person
The relevant person and first point of contact for this Statement is Valerie O'Leary, our Child Safeguarding Officer. Contact: info@institutekravmaga.ie. The relevant person also acts as our Designated Liaison Person for child protection concerns. If she is unavailable, contact Arthur Dziadkowiec, Head Instructor, at the same email address.
10Implementation and review
We recognise that putting this Statement into practice is an ongoing process. We will review this Statement every 24 months, or sooner if there is a change in our service or in legislation.
Valerie O'Leary, Child Safeguarding Officer