Safeguarding

Our first priority is the welfare of the young people, and this is expressed through our Safeguarding Young People in Boxing policy. We are committed to providing an environment which will allow participants to perform to the best if their ability, free from bullying and intimidation.

Safeguarding and the protection of young people within boxing is the concern of all adults at all times, irrespective of their role within the organisation. This policy statement will guide all other rules and regulations as they relate to volunteers and young people who partake boxing as members of the IABA. This policy document provides various IABA’s templates which can be modified to suit the specific needs of each club. However, they should reflect the principles outlined by the IABA and should be approved by the club management committee.

Safeguarding Young People in Boxing is available here

National Safeguarding Manager, Stephen Flynn: 086 0748867 and stephen@boxingireland.ie

Safeguarding Manager for NI, Liam Corr : 044 7841470301 and liam.corr@boxingireland.ie

If you have any concerns regarding the welfare or safety of a child in your club or community please contact the Statutory Authorities (TUSLA, Child & Family Agency www.tusla.ie, Gardai on 1800 666 111 or PSNI on 999 or 101 to report your concerns. 

Boxing Ireland will deliver a minimum of 16 Safeguarding learning workshops in 2026. This will include at least 12 online Safeguarding One workshops, and 4 online Safeguarding Two workshops.

All adults – coaches, committee members & non-coaching volunteers – in every club who have contact with children are required to have undertaken Safeguarding 1.

Commissioned Workshops

Boxing Ireland is open, on request, to providing Safeguarding One and/or Safeguarding Two learning in person, at a county board or provincial unit level.  County Boards and Provincial Units who wish to commission in-person delivery of this learning are invited to make contact with Boxing Ireland National Safeguarding Manager, Stephen Flynn, via stephen@boxingireland.ie

Safeguarding One Workshops

Safeguarding Two Workshops

Registration

On completion of this https://shout.com/s/N91ygAHr and in advance of your selected Safeguarding Workshop, your club will receive an invitation to pay your €20 fee through the club’s Blocworx portal.

You will receive a link to attend the workshop on the day of the workshop.

Boxing Ireland will deliver a minimum of 16 Safeguarding learning workshops in 2026. This will include at least 12 online Safeguarding One workshops, and 4 online Safeguarding Two workshops.

All adults – coaches, committee members & non-coaching volunteers – in every club who have contact with children are required to have undertaken Safeguarding 1.

Commissioned Workshops

Boxing Ireland is open, on request, to providing Safeguarding One and/or Safeguarding Two learning in person, at a county board or provincial unit level.  County Boards and Provincial Units who wish to commission in-person delivery of this learning are invited to make contact with Boxing Ireland National Safeguarding Manager, Stephen Flynn, via stephen@boxingireland.ie

Safeguarding One Workshops

Safeguarding Two Workshops

Registration

On completion of this https://shout.com/s/N91ygAHr and in advance of your selected Safeguarding Workshop, your club will receive an invitation to pay your €20 fee through the club’s Blocworx portal.

You will receive a link to attend the workshop on the day of the workshop.

All adults in every boxing club who have contact with children are required to complete Garda Vetting or Access NI checks, if their work in the boxing community involves access to children or vulnerable adults

For clubs based in Northern Ireland, information on Access NI checks is available here and applications through Boxing Ireland may be made via Safeguarding Manager for NI, Liam Corr, liam.corr@boxingireland.ie

In order to avail of the Garda eVetting service, applicants must:

• Be over 16 years old
• If aged 16-18 years, have submitted signed Parent/Guardian consent form, available here
• Have or have access to a valid email address
• Have access to the internet
• Have completed the proof of identity process

For more information, and assistance in the Garda Vetting process, please contact the IABA’s National Safeguarding Manager, Stephen Flynn through stephen@boxingireland.ie

Guidance on completing the eVetting process is available here

Identification: information on the forms of identification required to complete the eVetting process can be downloaded here

Online eVetting Invitation Form: is available here

Every adult every club is responsible for the safety and wellbeing of children and young people who are members of their club, or who are attending club events. In addition, all boxing clubs must appoint two key personnel with particular safeguarding responsibilities:

Club Children’s Officer and Designated Liaison Person: We recognise and respect the invaluable work of our Club Children’s Officer and Designated Liaison Persons and the varied and complex roles and responsibilities they fulfil. The Club Children’s Officer helps to create a child centred environment that promotes the welfare of children and young people engaged in our sport. This guidance will act as a support for the CCOs/DLP’s helping them meet their child safeguarding and child protection responsibilities. 

The role of a Club Children’s Officer (CCO) 

• The CCO should be a member of the Club Management Committee. 
• Safe Recruitment and Selection of Coaches and Leaders. 
• Garda Vetting is one of the key elements of the safe recruitment process. 
• CCO should monitor the 3 year refresh of Garda Vetting and the 5 year refresh of SG1. 
• Understand the Boxing Ireland Safeguarding Policy and Associated Guidance framework. 
• The CCO should be knowledgeable about child protection and undertake any training considered necessary i.e. Sport Ireland Safeguarding 1 and 2 courses. 
• Encouraging the participation of parents /guardians within club activities to ensure maximum enjoyment and participation for each child. 
• Ensure that children know how and whom they can report their concerns to within the club. 
• If there are grounds for concern about the safety or welfare of a young person you should react to the concern. 
• Act as the Relevant Person with responsibility for the club Child Safeguarding Statement. 

Each club must complete and display their Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment for mandatory compliance with the Children First Act. These documents are available in the Additional Resources section, below.

The Boxing Ireland Child Safeguarding Team are available to liaise with Club Children’s Officers and Designated Liason Person to help and support them.

Boxing Ireland’s Safeguarding Young People in Boxing policy contains a range of additional tools and resources for clubs, including:

Child Safeguarding Statement: is a written statement by Boxing Ireland club of it’s commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable people. The safeguarding statement is available here

Physical Contact Policy: Boxing Ireland supports the policy of appropriate physical contact in response to the needs of a child taking into account the child’s age and stage of development, this means adults should not do what a child can do for themselves. Contact should be in an open environment and with the permission of the young person. Download the policy here

Risk Assessment: this should be conducted by every Boxing Ireland club, in relation to the potential for harm and abuse that could come to children while they are in our care and attending activities within our organisation. The risk assessment is here

Safeguarding Audit Framework: Individual clubs will be responsible for the timely completion of the safeguarding audit process.
Clubs will be responsible for responding to any improvement actions that are identified through the Safeguarding Audit process and co-operating fully with any review that is commissioned in respect of their club. The safeguarding audit framework is here

Codes of Conduct: The purpose of a code of conduct is to create a safe, respectful, high-integrity sporting environment for all children and young people. It serves as a framework for ethical decision-making and helps ensure that coaches, boxers, officials and other adults in our sport understand the expectations and consequences of their actions. Below are the Codes of Conduct for all key stakeholders in boxing.

Coaches Code of Conduct

Young Person’s Code of Conduct

Parents & Guardians Code of Conduct

Club Committee Member Code of Conduct

Roles and Responsibilities: This is a guidance document on the roles and responsibilities of the National Safeguarding Manager, Club Children’s Protection Officer and Designated Liaison Person. It’s available for download here

Recognising, Responding, Recording and Reporting: This document provides guidance to clubs on recognising abuse of children or young people, responding to and documenting that abuse, and outlines reporting pathways and mechanisms. It is available for download here

Tusla Child Protection and Welfare Report Form can be downloaded here

NI Child Support in Sport Incident Report Form is available here

Safeguarding Incident Template Reporting Form is available for download here

Hosting, Overnight stays, and Away Travel: Being a host family or being hosted is an integral part of many sports and, if handled appropriately,
can add to a child’s enjoyment and experience at a competition. Download the guidance document here

Parent/Guardian Consent & Contact Form: this template, which includes, parent/guardian permission for their child to attend training and other boxing related activities, also captures medical information and image capture consent. It is available for download here

Glossary of terms and words and definitions in the Safeguarding space –here