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Child Safeguarding Policy

Provisional version. This policy is being finalised with legal counsel and a safeguarding specialist for each country where IJCA operates.

Effective 29 September 2026

1. Purpose

Most people who train and test with IJCA are children. Everyone connected with IJCA must keep them safe. This policy applies to IJCA staff, accredited centers, IJCA Certified Coaches, Examiners and Educators, volunteers and partners at IJCA activities.

2. Principles

  • The welfare of the child comes first.
  • Every child has the same right to protection, regardless of age, gender, ability, nationality or background.
  • Concerns are taken seriously and acted on promptly.

3. Standards for adults

  1. Recruitment — Accredited centers check the suitability of coaches and staff who work with children, including a criminal-record check for child-related work wherever local law provides one.
  2. Visibility — Coaching and testing take place in open or observable spaces. Avoid being alone with a child out of sight of others.
  3. Physical contact — Only what is necessary to teach or keep a child safe, explained beforehand, and never in a way a child may find uncomfortable.
  4. Communication — Contact children through parents or guardians or official channels, not private messaging.
  5. Photos and video — Taken only with parental consent. Test videos kept by Official Test Centers are stored securely, used only to review results and deleted after one year. Children's images are not used for marketing without separate consent.
  6. Language and behaviour — No humiliating, threatening or discriminatory treatment. No alcohol, tobacco or drugs at activities with children.
  7. Training load — Respect children's age and physical development; never punish with exercise.

4. Recognising and reporting concerns

  1. If a child is in immediate danger, contact the police or emergency services.
  2. Report the concern to the center's safeguarding lead and to IJCA at [email protected] (subject: "Safeguarding").
  3. Write down what was seen or heard, with dates, in the person's own words.

Reports are handled confidentially by designated IJCA staff. People who report in good faith will not be penalised.

5. IJCA's response

While a concern is investigated, IJCA may suspend a person's qualification or a center's accreditation. Confirmed breaches may lead to revocation of qualifications or accreditation and referral to the authorities.

6. Designated contacts

The IJCA Secretary General acts as interim Safeguarding Lead until the Board appoints one. Each accredited center names its own safeguarding lead when it applies for accreditation.

7. Review

This policy is reviewed every year and after any serious incident.