A major project is under way to help protect the safety of the 9,000 children being taught in Madrassahs in the district.

Bradford Council for Mosques is working alongside the Bradford Safeguarding Children Board and the NSPCC to help improve safeguarding procedures at Muslim faith institutions.

The scheme comes less than a month after religious teacher Sabir Hussain, 60, was sentenced to ten weeks in prison after admitting four charges of assaulting pupils at the Markazi Jamia Mosque, in Emily Street, Lawkholme, Keighley, where he was teaching the Koran.

The project will start with a consultation on Saturday at the Khidmat Centre, in Spencer Road, Bradford, where parents, community leaders and Madrassah committee members, teachers and Imams will have the chance to contribute.

The meeting will be the first in a series of events with briefings and focus group sessions also planned.

Ishtiaq Ahmed, a spokesman for the Council For Mosques, said: “There has been a lot of discussions around faith institutions and about what is happening around the safety and wellbeing of children. We felt it was only right to respond effectively and creatively and work with mosques and faith schools to make sure all their policies and procedures are in place and they have adequate training, so when issues do come up they are well placed to respond quickly, efficiently and constructively.”

Professor Nick Frost, chairman of the Bradford Safeguarding Children Board, said: “The board places the effective safeguarding of all of Bradford's children as our central priority. As part of this we have initiated a partnership project with the Council Of Mosques and the NSPCC which aims to ensure high quality safeguarding practice exists wherever children learn.

"In order to make this happen we want to engage with parents, carers and other community members and listen to their views.

"The event at the Khidmat Centre on Saturday is part of a series of consultations with a wide range of relevant parties. At the end of the process we hope there will be wider awareness of any issues building on the effective policies and practices in place.”

Saturday’s meeting will run from 10am to 1.30pm. For more information call (01274) 521792.