Safeguarding

 

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

 

Details section:

Designated Safegaurding Lead:

Name:      Stuart Knight

Contact: stuartdouglasknight@outlook.com

-  07483870862

Organisation:  Tenshin Dojo

Safeguarding Governing Body

BMABA – British Martial Arts & Boxing Association

Safeguarding Contact

Email: safeguarding@bmaba.org.uk

Phone: 01798 306 546

 

Tenshin Dojo — Safeguarding and Duty of Care

Within Tenshin Dojo the study of Budo is the study of character.

Technique refines the body; discipline steadies the mind; correct conduct protects the spirit.

Therefore safeguarding is not an addition to our practice — it is at its very heart.

A dojo is a place of trust. Every student who steps across its threshold does so in good faith. It is our solemn responsibility to ensure that trust is honoured, preserved, and never misused.

Our Commitment

Tenshin Dojo is committed to providing a safe, respectful and disciplined environment for all who train — regardless of age, gender, background, belief, ethnicity, or experience.

We uphold:

The welfare of every student as paramount.

A culture of dignity, mutual respect and accountability.

Clear boundaries between instructor and student.

Transparency in conduct and communication.

Safety stands above rank. Care stands above ego. Character stands above ability.

Adults and Weapons-Based Training

As previously stated within our dojo guidance, Tenshin Dojo accepts students aged 18 and over.

This is not exclusion, but responsibility. The arts practised within Tenshin Dojo involve bladed disciplines, weapons training, and mature philosophical instruction. It is our considered position that such training is most appropriately delivered to adults who can assume full personal responsibility for their study.

Our decision is guided by safeguarding principles, legal considerations, and the serious nature of the arts themselves.

Standards of Conduct

All instructors and senior students are expected to:

Lead by example in behaviour and language.

Maintain professional boundaries at all times.

Avoid any conduct that could be interpreted as inappropriate, coercive, or discriminatory.

Ensure physical contact is instructional, necessary, and appropriate to the technique being taught.

Seek verbal acknowledgement before correcting posture or movement through touch.

Private lessons, where given, must be conducted transparently and appropriately within the dojo environment.

Equality and Respect

Tenshin Dojo does not tolerate:

Harassment of any kind.

Bullying, intimidation, or abuse of authority.

Discrimination on any grounds.

Inappropriate language, behaviour, or unwanted physical contact.

Budo demands control. Control of speech, control of movement, control of intention.

All students are expected to treat one another with consideration. Strength is expressed through restraint.

Reporting Concerns

If any student feels uncomfortable, unsafe, or concerned about behaviour within the dojo, they are encouraged to raise the matter promptly with:

The Senior Instructor

A designated safeguarding contact within the dojo

Concerns will be treated seriously, confidentially, and without prejudice.

Retaliation against any person raising a concern will not be tolerated.

Where required, appropriate external authorities will be consulted in accordance with UK safeguarding guidance and legal obligations.

Physical Safety in Training

Training within Tenshin Dojo includes the use of wooden and live blades, paired drills, and committed martial movement.

Therefore:

Safety instruction must be followed without hesitation.

Equipment is inspected before use.

Unsafe conduct results in immediate correction or cessation of practice.

Protective measures are applied where appropriate.

No technique is worth injury. No ego outweighs wellbeing.

Mental and Emotional Wellbeing

True Budo cultivates resilience, not fear.

Instructors remain attentive to:

Signs of undue stress or distress.

Excessive physical strain.

Emotional discomfort during training.

Students are encouraged to communicate openly regarding injury, health concerns, or personal boundaries.

To endure is noble; to ignore harm is not.

Instructor Responsibility

Those who teach carry an added burden of accountability.

Rank is not privilege — it is obligation.

Instructors must:

Maintain current insurance and licensing as required.

Continue personal training and development.

Uphold the lineage and standards entrusted to them.

Place student welfare above personal recognition or ambition.

The example set by leadership shapes the entire dojo.

Confidentiality and Data

Personal information provided for licensing, insurance, or emergency contact purposes is stored securely and used only for legitimate dojo administration and safeguarding needs.

The Spirit of Safeguarding

Safeguarding is not merely policy.

It is Reishiki in action.

It is Zanshin applied to human conduct.

The dojo must remain a place where discipline is firm but never oppressive; where instruction is direct but never demeaning; where challenge builds confidence rather than diminishes it.

In Tenshin Dojo we strive to create an environment where:

Students feel safe to learn.

Teachers feel responsible to guide.

The Way is preserved with integrity.

For without safety there can be no trust.

Without trust, no transmission.

Without correct conduct, no true Budo.

Thus we protect the student.

Thus we protect the teacher.

Thus we protect the Way.