We have a specific duty of care towards the children and vulnerable people who practise in our association dojos.

In acknowledging this duty of care, we recognise the need to ensure that our younger students feel safe and happy in the dojo and to do all we can to ensure that abuse, in any form, does not occur within the Aikido Development Society (‘ADS’).

Abuse can take many forms: physical, verbal, emotional, sexual. While our primary focus is to deal with issues within our training environments, we must also be aware of the potential for abuse to occur away from the dojo, and be ready to help any member, who may see his or her instructor as the only person he or she can trust to help with problems occurring elsewhere.

Our Society falls under the umbrella of the British Aikido Board (‘BAB’) and has formally adopted all Safeguarding and other policies (as listed below), The BAB has drawn up a Child Protection Policy, providing procedures and guidelines, with the aim of ensuring that abuse doesn’t occur within its member organisations.

Anyone under the age of 18 is classed as a child and therefore a vulnerable person in the eyes of the law.

Note to ADS Instructors

All ADS instructors should be familiar with the content of the policy, which is available on the BAB website.

If you instruct anyone under 18 years of age, please note that:

• You and any supporting instructors or helpers will require a Criminal Records (DBS) check to be undertaken using the BAB process, via the Child Protection Officer for the ADS;    
• You should never teach under-18s on their own : there must always be at least one other adult assisting you. Ideally this would be another qualified young persons coach but failing that a parent or other adult helper. This Person will also need a Criminal Records (DBS) check.

All instructors teaching persons under 18 years of age will have to have a check in place by 1st March 2014, in order for them to be able to renew their Instructors ’ Personal Indemnity / Venue Insurance through the ADS/BAB.

As well as protecting the child, the Child Protection Policy also protects the instructors, by offering guidelines on what is acceptable behaviour/conduct before during and after practice, e.g, first aid, changing facilities, prevention of accidents by exercising care in the way we practise.

To help clubs implement the Child Protection policy and address any issues arising from our desire to safeguard the wellbeing of our younger students, the Aikido Development Society has appointed a Child Protection Officer, Ann Billett of the Chingford and Woodford Aikido Club assisted by Stuart Adams of the Winchmore Aikido Club.

CPO Contact Details      

Tony Evangelou can be contacted by email at  or cpo@aikido-development-society.org by telephone on 07956313144

Escalation Procedure    

If at any time you are not comfortable with any child protection issue that has been raised, please contact the ADS Chairman and or the BAB Child Protection Officer