Safeguarding Policy
Children and young people train in environments that are safe, respectful, supervised and appropriate. The safety of the child comes before rank, reputation, loyalty, convenience or organisational protection.
Who this applies to
This policy applies to every Hapkido Australia-connected person and organisation where children, minors, young people or vulnerable persons may be involved: members, instructors, assistants, examiners, clubs, volunteers, representatives and officials.
Minimum safeguarding requirements
- Compliance with local child safety laws and required working-with-children checks.
- Parent and guardian communication standards.
- Safe supervision and controlled, age-appropriate physical contact.
- Restrictions on private communication with minors.
- Safe handling of photography and video.
- Incident reporting and immediate escalation of serious concerns.
Communication, photography and social media
There is no private one-on-one messaging with minors; communication runs through parents or guardians, official club systems, or approved platforms with visibility. Photography and video require parent or guardian consent, must be appropriate and training-related, and are removed if consent is withdrawn.
Serious concerns
A serious child-safety concern triggers immediate safety action, mandatory escalation, referral to external authorities where required by law, suspension or restriction where appropriate, and documented review, with no retaliation against anyone who raises a concern in good faith.
Rank is responsibility, not reward.