Not every martial arts instructor is eligible for, or required to hold, an Enhanced DBS check. Whether you need one depends primarily on who you teach and the nature of your role.
How does the BMABA Hub know whether I need one?
The BMABA Hub uses the answers provided in your Suitability Vetting assessment to determine which safeguarding and compliance checks apply to your circumstances.
For example, if you only teach adults who are not considered at risk, you will generally be ineligible for an Enhanced DBS check in connection with that role. In this situation, the Hub should correctly show that an Enhanced DBS check is not required.
This does not mean that you are missing a compliance requirement. It means the requirement does not apply to your current teaching activities.
Will I be penalised for not having a DBS check?
No. If your Suitability Vetting confirms that an Enhanced DBS check is not required, you will not be penalised for not holding one.
The absence of an inapplicable check will not count against you within:
Compliance reviews
Risk scores
IVY scores
Membership assessments
Club or instructor status indicators
Other BMABA compliance processes
The Hub distinguishes between a check being missing and a check not being required. You can therefore remain fully compliant without an Enhanced DBS check where your role does not make you eligible for one.
What happens if my teaching changes?
It is important to keep your Suitability Vetting answers accurate and up to date.
If your role changes and you begin teaching in a setting where additional checks are required, such as teaching children or working with adults at risk, you should update your Suitability Vetting assessment within the Hub.
The Hub will then reassess the requirements that apply to you and flag any actions you need to take. Depending on your circumstances, this may include:
Obtaining an Enhanced DBS check
Completing safeguarding training
Updating relevant policies or declarations
Providing additional compliance evidence
You do not need to work out every requirement yourself. The Hub uses the information you provide to identify the checks relevant to your role and guide you through the appropriate next steps.
Keeping your information accurate
The Hub can only assess your requirements using the information recorded in your Suitability Vetting assessment. You should review and update your answers whenever there is a meaningful change to:
The age groups you teach
Whether you teach children
Whether you work with adults at risk
Your level of supervision or responsibility
The environments in which you teach
The nature or frequency of your teaching activities
In short, you do not automatically need an Enhanced DBS check simply because you are a martial arts instructor. Your requirements are based on the nature of your actual role. The BMABA Hub will identify whether the check applies, ensure you are not penalised where it does not, and alert you if your circumstances change and further action becomes necessary.