NEW guidance on child protection is being issued to Islamic teaching centres in Bolton.

The centres, known as Madrasahs, will be handed a new document prepared by the Bolton Council of Mosques (BCoM).

The Every Child Matters in Madrasah Guidance Document is to cover issues such as management and child protection, and will also include sample policies, procedures and forms for each Madrasah to use.

BCoM has been working closely with Bolton Council’s safeguarding team to ensure all mosques and madrasahs are aware of child protection law.

Safeguarding seminars also took place at BCoM. A BCoM spokesman said: “The madrasahs do some fantastic work, not just around Islamic theology and religious education, but with activities such as karate sessions in madrasah buildings, homework sessions, football competitions, youth club programmes, first-aid and fundraising programmes. The guidance document is a natural progression of the work BCoM has done with the mosques and madrasahs in Bolton.”