Safeguarding Training and Garda Vetting

Each IMAC instructor/Coach must undergo the Safeguarding Level 1 (Child Welfare & Protection Basic Awareness) Course before they commence instruction, this course can be completed with any authorised provider and proof of attendance and completion must be sent to the IMAC national children’s officer.

Each IMAC club must have a club children’s officer, who has been registered with IMAC.  These children’s officers must complete the Safeguarding 1 and the Safeguarding 2 (club children’s officer) course. This training can be completed with IMAC or with any authorised provider. However if the Safeguarding 2 training takes place with another provider than IMAC, the club children’s officer (CCO) must attend the annual IMAC safeguarding forum before being recognised as an IMAC club children’s officer. This is to ensure the CCO is fully informed on practice with IMAC and has that they have established a connection to the IMAC national children’s officer in the case they need to liaise on a particular matter.

Garda Vetting

All IMAC instructors and assistant coaches must have a current IMAC garda vet.

In the case where a member’s vetting lapses, that person must step away from all martial arts related activities until a vet is complete. In the case that the person continues their involvement, their club will be in automatic non-membership of IMAC and they must re-apply for membership when a new vet is complete.

All persons such as instructors, coaches, assistants, volunteers etc. that assume a position within martial arts where they have will have an ongoing relationship with a young person or vulnerable adult must be vetted through the National Vetting Bureau by the IMAC national children’s officer.

Vetting must be in place before the person assumes their role.

Please note IMAC can only provide the vetting process for clubs and individuals who are current IMAC members, only IMAC members should contact IMAC to request vetting.

To organise a vet or re-vet, club instructors should contact their IMAC advisory board representative to be informed on the vetting process within your martial art advisory board. IMAC coaches and instructors are issued with an IMAC vetting certificate which should be displayed for members to observe. Volunteers and class-assistants are issued with a letter to confirm they have been vetted by IMAC. Vetting must be renewed within a 5-year period. To ensure there are no delays in completing the vetting process, IMAC requests that re- vetting is applied for at a maximum of 4.5 years since the last vet was issued. 

A member of the public can contact IMAC to verify the vetting of an individual instructor or coach.