Last reviewed: Feb 13, 2026
Authors: Matthew Magain, Al Backstrom
Next scheduled review: Jan 29, 2028

1. Introduction and Purpose

At Seido Karate Thornbury, we are dedicated to creating a safe, supportive, and respectful environment for all children and young people who participate in our programs. As a dojo run entirely by volunteers, we are particularly mindful of our shared responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every child under our supervision. We have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of child abuse or neglect.

A child being safe means they are protected from physical, emotional, psychological, and sexual harm while participating in dojo activities. It also means children feel respected, included, supported, and able to raise concerns about their safety or wellbeing without fear of embarrassment, punishment, or exclusion. Child safety includes both physical safety during training and emotional safety within our dojo community.

Because karate training involves physical activity and structured discipline, maintaining child safety also includes ensuring that instruction, correction, and physical training are conducted in a controlled, respectful, and supportive manner.

This policy has been developed to comply with the Victorian Government’s Child Safe Standards and to guide volunteers, families, and community members in maintaining a child-safe environment.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all individuals present for Seido Karate Thornbury activities, including:

• Volunteer instructors
• Volunteer administrators and support personnel
• Parents, guardians, and family members attending dojo activities
• All children and young people participating in dojo programs and events, whether at the dojo or Seido Karate activities held elsewhere

3. Commitment to Child Safety

Seido Karate Thornbury is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children. We welcome participation from children of all abilities and backgrounds. 

Where a child has a disability, medical condition, or additional support needs, we work with families to understand how we can safely include the child in training activities. Adjustments may be made where possible to support participation, while ensuring the safety of the individual child and other students. Karate training can often be adapted to suit individual abilities, and we value the contribution that students of diverse physical and cognitive abilities bring to our dojo community.

We also uphold the cultural traditions of our dojo, which are grounded in the discipline and etiquette of Japanese martial arts. Respect for seniors, adherence to structured training, and specific customs such as bowing and following instructions promptly during class are essential to maintaining a safe and focused training environment. These traditions may differ from some cultural norms, but are designed to ensure all children are safe and feel respected.

Children are encouraged to raise concerns directly to instructors if they feel unwell, injured and need assistance.  While the nature of martial arts requires moments where immediate instruction must be followed without interruption (for safety reasons), we allow time before and after class for children to ask questions, offer feedback, and speak to instructors about their experiences.

We actively involve families in conversations about child safety and dojo culture.

4. Code of Conduct

All members of the Seido Karate Thornbury community—instructors, students, and family members—must comply with the following:

Appropriate Behaviour:

• Treat children and young people with respect at all times
• Listen to children when they appear distressed
• Supervise children with authority during all activities
• Encourage inclusion and positive behaviour
• Model the values of the dojo: respect, discipline, humility, and kindness

Inappropriate Behaviour:

• Any form of abuse, bullying, discrimination, or harassment. The dojo has a zero tolerance policy of bullying.
• Using language or actions that demean or intimidate a child
• Developing inappropriate personal relationships with children
• Ignoring or failing to report a concern about child safety
• All concerns shall be reported to the Child Safety Officer within 48 hours of an incident occurring

Any breach of this Code of Conduct will be taken seriously and may result in expulsion from the dojo.

A Note on Discipline:

While Seido Karate Thornbury is an inclusive community, a certain degree of discipline is required to ensure the safety of the class. Children misbehaving or acting in a way that could endanger themselves or others may result in the child being removed from the dojo floor. Repeated behavioral issues may result in the child being expelled from the karate program.    

5. Recruitment Practices

All instructors and volunteers at our dojo are long-standing members of the Seido Karate community, having progressed through the ranks as students before taking on teaching responsibilities. This close-knit and long-term involvement minimises risks and fosters trust within our dojo.

While we do not recruit external instructors, all individuals in roles involving children:

• Hold a valid Working with Children Check
• Are known to the Seido Karate Thornbury community and vetted over time
• Receive training on this policy and their child safety obligations

6. Training and Supervision

We equip all instructors and volunteers with knowledge and guidance to support child safety through:

• Ongoing discussions about child safety responsibilities
• Review of this policy and our Code of Conduct
• Clear expectations and supervisory structures during training sessions
• On the job training for new instructors to be supervised by a senior instructor.
• There shall be at least two instructors scheduled for each class.  

7. Reporting and Responding to Concerns

Child safety concerns must be reported immediately to the dojo’s Child Safety Officer. Reports can also be made to any senior volunteer if the Child Safety Officer is unavailable.

All concerns will be treated seriously and confidentially. Where necessary, appropriate external authorities will be contacted, including child protection services or the police.

Our reporting process is child-focused, ensuring that the safety, dignity, and rights of children are prioritised.

Any volunteer or community member found to have breached this policy may be expelled from the dojo.

8. Risk Management

We proactively manage risks by:

• Providing appropriate supervision at all times
• Conducting regular reviews of dojo spaces and practices
• Ensuring all volunteers are aware of their child safety obligations
• Creating opportunities for feedback from families and children
• Opening a dialog with parents when a child behavior concern occurs 

9. Privacy and Online Environments

We respect the privacy of all individuals involved in child safety matters. Any personal information shared as part of a report will be managed securely and in line with privacy laws.

Photography and Use of Images

We value sharing the successes and stories of our dojo community through photos taken at gradings, events, camps, and training sessions. These photos and videos are occasionally used for promotional purposes, including social media posts (e.g. Facebook), printed materials, and the dojo website.

To ensure appropriate consent is obtained:

• Parents/guardians will be asked to provide permission for their child’s image to be taken and used at the time of registration, via our online sign-up form.
  
• Where group photos are taken at events, instructors will continue to check with parents present before publishing, especially when new students are involved.
  
• Any parent or guardian can withdraw their consent at any time by contacting the dojo in writing. We will ensure that photos featuring their child are removed from our platforms where possible.

We will never post identifying details (such as full names or personal information) alongside images of children without explicit additional consent.

WhatsApp Group Guidelines:

The dojo maintains a WhatsApp group for communication purposes, which includes some minors. To ensure safety:

• All communication must remain respectful and appropriate
• Adult members must not contact minors directly via private messages
• Inappropriate behaviour in the group must be reported immediately to the Child Safety Officer

10. Parental Supervision Requirements

The Seido Karate Thornbury team’s ability to uphold child safety depends upon cooperation from the parent community. When enrolling your child to train at the dojo, you agree to the following:

• Ensure your child arrives at the dojo before start of class
• Ensure your child’s gi is clean and correctly fitted
• For children present at the dojo, but not participating in class, a parent or guardian must be present.  It is the responsibility of the guardian or parent to ensure that spectators do not enter the dojo floor. 
• If a child needs assistance with the bathroom, a parent or guardian must be present to support that child’s needs.
• Ensure a parent or guardian is present before the end of class to collect the child.
• In the event that a child is removed from class for exhibiting dangerous misbehaviour, a guardian or parent must be present and take immediate responsibility for the supervision and safety of that child. 

11. Child Eligibility

• Students must be 6 years old in order to begin their training.
• In exceptional circumstances where a child shows adequate maturity, a child that is 5 years of age may be eligible to begin training.
• A consent form signed by the parent must be submitted to the dojo before a child may begin training.

12. Review and Continuous Improvement

This policy will be reviewed every two years, or earlier if there are changes to the law, standards, or dojo operations. We welcome input from volunteers, families, and community members as part of this review process.

13. Documentation and Access

This Child Safe Policy shall be publicly available and shared with all dojo members upon joining. Any updates will be communicated via email and in person during dojo announcements. All volunteers are required to acknowledge that they have read and understood the policy.