BMABA National Safeguarding Policy

Set, communicate, and enforce safeguarding standards across clubs, instructors, officials, and events.

Provide guidance, training pathways, tools, and templates that embed best practice at club and event level.

Audit and assure compliance through proportionate monitoring, investigation, and learning reviews.

Act swiftly and proportionately on concerns, prioritising safety and statutory duties over reputation or commercial interest.

Champion equality, diversity, and inclusion, removing barriers to safe participation and challenging discrimination or harassment.

Support safe culture and whistleblowing, protecting anyone who raises concerns in good faith.

Maintain clear reporting routes locally (club DSL), at events (appointed DSL/PASA/referee), and nationally (BMABA safeguarding team), with escalation to statutory authorities where required.

Review and update this policy and related procedures regularly to reflect legal requirements, sector standards, and emerging best practice.

All BMABA members – including instructors, coaches, assistant instructors, volunteers, referees, judges, and officials.

Club leaders and management committees – who carry responsibility for local governance, safeguarding policies, and the welfare environment of their clubs.

Event organisers and promoters – operating under the National Martial Arts Event Safety & Governance Framework (NMESGF).

Officials and referees – operating under the National Refereeing & Officiating Standards (NROS).

Contractors, partners, and third parties – delivering services or working in partnership with BMABA or within BMABA-recognised activities.

Partner organisations, NGBs and NGOs – who access BMABA’s services in any capacity, whether as fully affiliated partners, through white-labelled arrangements, or for limited functions such as insurance or licensing. In all such cases, safeguarding standards within this policy remain binding on their staff, volunteers, and users engaged via BMABA platforms or services.

Clubs and event organisers must maintain a local safeguarding policy that is consistent with this national policy and ensure that all staff, volunteers, and participants are aware of it.

Parents, carers, and participants are expected to respect and follow the codes of conduct and safeguarding expectations set by their club and BMABA.

This policy also extends to digital and online environments facilitated by BMABA (e.g., online platforms, communities, or events), recognising that safeguarding responsibilities apply equally in virtual spaces.

Paramountcy – The welfare and best interests of children and adults at risk are the first and overriding consideration in all decisions, activities, and policies. No competitive, commercial, or reputational interest will ever outweigh safeguarding.
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Equality, Diversity & Inclusion – Safeguarding applies to every participant, regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or socio-economic background. BMABA and its members will actively remove barriers to safe participation, challenge discrimination, and promote inclusive practice.
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Proportionality & Transparency – Safeguarding responses are based on evidence, clearly documented, and open to appropriate scrutiny. Actions taken must be necessary, reasonable, and explainable, ensuring fairness while prioritising safety.
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Accountability – Everyone involved in martial arts under BMABA’s remit has a role to play in safeguarding. Instructors, officials, volunteers, leaders, and staff must understand their responsibilities, complete appropriate training, and be held accountable for maintaining standards.
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Shared Responsibility – Safeguarding is not the duty of a few designated individuals; it is a collective responsibility embedded across clubs, events, and partnerships. Effective safeguarding depends on collaboration between BMABA, clubs, parents, participants, statutory bodies, and partner organisations.
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Continuous Learning & Improvement – Safeguarding practice is never static. BMABA will review lessons learned from cases, audits, and member feedback, and will update training, policies, and frameworks to reflect emerging risks and sector-wide developments.

The Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) Standards for Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport.

Sport England’s safeguarding expectations for recognised bodies and clubs.

UK-wide Concussion Guidance for Grassroots Sport (“If in doubt, sit them out”).

Relevant UK legislation, including but not limited to the Children Act 1989/2004, the Care Act 2014, the Equality Act 2010, and the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012.

Best practice frameworks for safeguarding adults at risk, including the principles of the Care Act and guidance from the Ann Craft Trust.

Set, publish, and review safeguarding standards, policies, and procedures on a scheduled cycle (minimum annually, or sooner if laws or sector standards change).

Provide training pathways, templates, toolkits, and advice to support clubs, instructors, and event organisers in implementing best practice.

Maintain national Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) capacity with clear escalation routes for concerns raised at club or event level.

Oversee safer recruitment and licensing processes through Regulation Ready, Club Colours, and BMABA membership systems.

Audit, monitor, and investigate safeguarding practice within clubs and events, and impose sanctions or corrective actions where standards are not met (see Section 16).

Liaise with statutory agencies, sports councils, and safeguarding partners where necessary to protect participants.

Ensure BMABA’s own staff, trustees, contractors, and volunteers are trained, vetted, and supported to uphold this policy.

Appoint a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) who is suitably vetted, trained, and supported, and who has clear authority within the club structure.

Maintain and implement a local safeguarding policy that is consistent with this national policy.

Ensure all instructors, assistants, and volunteers are subject to safer recruitment checks (including DBS/PVG where eligible), clear role descriptions, induction, and supervision.

Deliver safeguarding training relevant to role and ensure refresher cycles are met.

Put in place robust processes for reporting concerns, recording incidents, and escalating issues to BMABA and/or statutory services.

Keep accurate safeguarding records, stored securely and retained in line with BMABA and legal requirements.

Promote a safe, inclusive culture across all activities, ensuring children, young people, and adults at risk feel heard, respected, and protected.

Leaders, Instructors, and Assistant Instructors – must uphold this policy, complete required safeguarding training and DBS checks, follow safer coaching practices, and role-model positive behaviours.

Officials and Referees (NROS) – must apply safeguarding-first decision making during officiating, prioritising participant welfare over competition outcomes, and be prepared to stop or adjust activity where necessary.

Event Organisers (NMESGF) – must ensure that event safeguarding requirements are fully implemented, including appointing an event DSL, securing medical provision, and empowering officials and PASAs to act on welfare concerns.

Participant Advocate & Safe Adult (PASA) – must be designated at BMABA-recognised events to act as an independent advocate for one or more participants. The PASA has the authority to withdraw participants from activity where welfare is at risk and must liaise with the event DSL and BMABA safeguarding team as required.

Parents, Carers, and Participants – are expected to follow codes of conduct, raise concerns promptly, and contribute to a safe and respectful environment.

Criminal Records Checks – All instructors, assistants, and volunteers undertaking regulated activity with children or adults at risk must hold a valid Enhanced DBS (England & Wales), PVG (Scotland), or AccessNI (Northern Ireland) check, including barred list checks where eligible. These must be completed before unsupervised contact begins and renewed in line with BMABA and legal requirements.
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Safeguarding Training – All individuals in regulated roles must complete verified safeguarding training before commencing their role. Refresher training must be completed in line with BMABA’s required cadence. Additional role-specific safeguarding training (e.g., DSL, PASA, referees) must also be undertaken where appropriate.
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Clear Role Descriptions – Every role within a club must have a written description that outlines safeguarding responsibilities and expectations.
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References & Background Checks – Clubs must obtain and verify at least two written references for new recruits, ideally from contexts where the applicant has previously worked with children or young people.
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Structured Induction & Supervision – New staff, instructors, and volunteers must receive a safeguarding-focused induction and work under supervision until they have demonstrated competence and compliance with safeguarding standards.
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Probationary Periods – All new recruits must serve a probationary period during which their suitability for the role, including safeguarding competence, is actively monitored.
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Ongoing Monitoring – Safeguarding suitability must be continuously reviewed, with issues acted on promptly, and records maintained securely.

BMABA Verification – BMABA will verify instructor and club compliance through the Regulation Ready and Club Colours frameworks. This includes confirmation of DBS/PVG, safeguarding training, insurance, and other compliance measures.
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Enforcement – BMABA reserves the right to refuse, suspend, or remove membership, registration, or event recognition where safeguarding standards or vetting requirements are not met, or where concerns arise about an individual’s suitability to work with participants.

Core Safeguarding Training – All instructors, assistant instructors, volunteers, and staff engaged in regulated activity must complete an approved safeguarding course before beginning unsupervised work. Refresher training must be undertaken within the timescales set by BMABA, or sooner if significant changes to policy, law, or guidance occur.
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Role-Specific Training – Additional training is required for certain positions of responsibility, including but not limited to:

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) – Safeguarding competence must be maintained through ongoing CPD. BMABA provides routes through Regulation Ready, Club Colours, and specialist CPD programmes.
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Revalidation & Record Keeping – Training must be revalidated in accordance with BMABA and sector requirements. Clubs must maintain accurate records of safeguarding training completed by their team, and BMABA may request evidence during audits or compliance checks.
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Competence Assurance – Possession of a certificate alone does not demonstrate competence. Club leaders and BMABA will monitor safeguarding practice to ensure knowledge is applied correctly, and further training, mentoring, or corrective action may be required.

Behavioural Standards – All participants and stakeholders understand and adhere to expected standards of behaviour, including respect, fairness, integrity, and professionalism. Clubs must adopt and display codes of conduct for staff, volunteers, parents, and participants.
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Zero Tolerance for Harmful Behaviour – Bullying, harassment, discrimination, abuse, or degrading practices of any kind are prohibited. This includes verbal, emotional, physical, and online abuse. Any breach must be reported and addressed swiftly.
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Positive Role-Modelling – Instructors, leaders, and officials must act as positive role models by promoting good sportsmanship, respectful communication, and safe participation.
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Coaching Boundaries – Safe and professional boundaries must be maintained at all times. This includes avoiding favouritism, inappropriate relationships, or situations that could place a child or adult at risk of harm.
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Physical Contact – Where physical contact is required for instruction, spotting, or safety, it must always be:

Parent, Carer, and Participant Involvement – Parents and carers should be actively engaged in supporting safe culture, and participants should be encouraged to speak up if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
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Digital & Online Conduct – Codes of conduct extend to digital communications, online platforms, and social media. Direct messaging between staff/volunteers and under-18s should be avoided or conducted only through approved, transparent channels with parental oversight.
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Promoting Inclusion – Clubs must actively challenge discriminatory behaviour, ensure all participants are treated equitably, and make reasonable adjustments to remove barriers to participation.
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Positions of Trust
Any sexual relationship or sexualised behaviour between a coach, instructor, or person in a position of trust and a 16–17-year-old under their authority is a criminal offence under UK law and constitutes a grave breach of BMABA policy. Such conduct will result in immediate removal from BMABA membership and referral to statutory authorities.

Activities must be supervised by suitably qualified and vetted adults, with ratios appropriate to the age, ability, and needs of participants per BMABA's Instructor to Student Ratios (ISR) Policy.

One-to-one unsupervised situations between an adult and a child must be avoided wherever possible. If unavoidable (e.g., first aid), it must be conducted openly, within sight or hearing of others, and recorded where appropriate.

Clubs must ensure contingency cover is available so that ratios are maintained even in the event of staff absence.

Clubs must have clear procedures for changing rooms and facilities, including supervision protocols, same-gender supervision where relevant, and safeguarding of privacy.

Where travel is required, risk assessments must cover supervision, consent, emergency contacts, and safe transport arrangements.

Overnight stays, camps, or trips must have written risk assessments, parental consent, and designated staff of appropriate gender and safeguarding training. Accommodation arrangements must safeguard privacy and welfare at all times.

Direct one-to-one messaging between staff/volunteers and under-18s must be minimised and, where necessary, conducted only via approved club channels with parental visibility.

Communications should be professional, transparent, and limited to activity-related matters.

Online groups must be monitored and moderated to ensure safe behaviour and to prevent bullying, grooming, or inappropriate contact.

Consent must be obtained in advance from parents/carers (for under-18s) or participants (for adults) before any photography or filming.

Images must be respectful, appropriate, and used only for legitimate purposes such as promotion or coaching.

Clubs must prohibit photography or filming in changing rooms or other private settings.

Official photographers must be identifiable, registered with the club or event organiser, and briefed on safeguarding protocols.

All equipment must be regularly inspected, maintained, and used in accordance with safety guidelines.

Training and event environments must be risk assessed for hazards, suitability, and accessibility.

Clubs and organisers must ensure that first aid provision, medical cover, and emergency action plans are in place, proportionate to the nature of the activity.

Fire safety, evacuation procedures, and incident reporting routes must be communicated to staff, volunteers, and participants.

All BMABA-recognised events must comply with NMESGF standards, which cover governance, safeguarding, medical provision, and event management.

Organisers must appoint a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) for every event. The DSL must be suitably vetted, trained, and empowered to take safeguarding actions, including halting or adapting activity where necessary.

Adequate medical provision must be in place, proportionate to the activity and ruleset. For events permitting head contact, this requires suitably qualified medical professionals (e.g., paramedic, doctor, or sports medic) rather than reliance on first aiders alone.

Organisers must evidence risk assessments, safeguarding plans, and emergency procedures in advance of the event.

All referees and officials must be registered under NROS and trained to apply safeguarding-first authority in competition.

Officials are empowered to stop bouts, withdraw participants, or overrule decisions where participant welfare is at risk.

NROS standards require consistent application across all BMABA events to protect fairness, safety, and safeguarding integrity.

Each participant or visiting group must have a designated PASA at BMABA events.

The PASA acts as an independent advocate for the participant(s), ensuring their voice and welfare needs are prioritised.

PASAs are empowered to withdraw participants from competition or activity if they believe welfare is compromised, without penalty to the participant.

NMESGF, NROS, and PASA roles are mutually reinforcing and together form the safeguarding backbone of BMABA-recognised events.

Compliance with these frameworks is non-optional. Clubs, organisers, and officials must ensure they are implemented in full before, during, and after any BMABA-sanctioned activity.

BMABA reserves the right to audit, intervene, or revoke recognition where event safeguarding does not meet these standards.

Any participant suspected of sustaining a concussion or serious head injury must be removed from play or training immediately.

No same-day return is permitted under any circumstances.

The welfare of the participant takes priority over competition outcome, training plans, or event schedules.

Assessment must be conducted by a suitably qualified medical professional. This may include a doctor, paramedic, or sports medic with relevant expertise.

Where an event or activity permits head contact, the presence of a qualified medic is mandatory; reliance on first aiders alone is not sufficient.

Clubs and organisers must ensure medical cover is planned, risk assessed, and proportionate to the activity and participant age group.

Return-to-play must follow the staged timelines and protocols set out in BMABA’s Concussion & Head Injury Management Policy (CHIMA), which align with national sport-sector guidance.

Clearance to return must be provided by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

For under-18s, additional caution must be applied, and extended recovery timelines observed.

All suspected concussions and head injuries must be documented, including details of the incident, action taken, and outcomes.

Parents/carers (for under-18s), the club’s DSL, and BMABA (where relevant) must be informed promptly.

Records must be kept securely and shared with statutory or medical bodies as required.

CHIMA (Concussion & Head Injury in Martial Arts) sets the operational detail and training standards required of clubs, coaches, officials, and event organisers.

Compliance with CHIMA is mandatory for BMABA-recognised clubs and events. This includes ensuring that staff and officials complete CHIMA training and that CHIMA guidance is embedded in club policies and event plans.

Failure to follow concussion protocols is considered a safeguarding breach. BMABA reserves the right to investigate incidents and impose sanctions where standards are not met.

Physical abuse – hitting, shaking, or any form of physical harm.

Emotional abuse – persistent criticism, bullying, humiliation, or pressure.

Sexual abuse – contact and non-contact forms, including exploitation and grooming.

Neglect – failure to meet a child’s basic needs (food, shelter, safety, supervision).

Bullying and harassment – repeated, targeted behaviour, including online or in-person abuse.

Online harm – grooming, cyberbullying, inappropriate communications, or exposure to harmful content.

Poor practice – behaviour that may not be abuse but increases risk (e.g., excessive training loads, unsafe contact, breaches of supervision). Poor practice must be corrected and escalated if repeated or serious.

Listen carefully and allow them to speak in their own words.

Reassure them that they have done the right thing in telling you.

Do not promise confidentiality; explain that the concern must be shared to keep them safe.

Avoid leading questions; do not probe or investigate—simply clarify if you need to ensure understanding.

Record information verbatim where possible, noting who was involved, what was said or seen, when and where it happened, and who else was present.

Stick to facts, not opinions or assumptions.
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Concerns must be reported immediately to the Club DSL (or directly to BMABA’s DSL where there is a conflict of interest or the club DSL is unavailable).

If a child or adult is in immediate danger, call 999 without delay.

Where appropriate, referrals may also be made to the Local Authority, Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer), or the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000.

For events, concerns must be reported to the appointed Event DSL, PASA, referee, or organiser, who will escalate in line with NMESGF and NROS.

BMABA reserves the right to escalate concerns directly to statutory agencies, with or without notifying the club, if participant safety requires urgent action.

Clubs and BMABA must maintain accurate, secure, and contemporaneous records of all safeguarding concerns, actions taken, and outcomes.

Records must be kept in accordance with data protection and GDPR requirements and stored securely with restricted access.

Retention periods will follow BMABA’s safeguarding data retention policy and statutory guidance.

Records must be factual, dated, signed, and capable of audit.

Criminal investigation – led by the police where a potential offence has been committed.

Safeguarding investigation – led by the Local Authority, MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub), or LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer).

Internal disciplinary/conduct process – led by the club and/or BMABA to assess breaches of codes of conduct, safeguarding standards, or membership terms.

Temporary removal from role or suspension from duties.

Adjustments to supervision or working arrangements.

Restrictions on participation in certain activities or events.
These measures are not a presumption of guilt but a precautionary step to ensure safety.
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No further action (where allegations are unsubstantiated and no risk is identified).

Advice, mentoring, or reflective practice requirements.

Mandatory training or re-training in safeguarding or safe practice.

Formal warnings (recorded and monitored).

Suspension from BMABA membership, registration, or event recognition.

Permanent removal from membership or referral to statutory bodies (e.g., DBS) for consideration of barring.

Individuals who raise concerns in good faith are protected under BMABA’s whistleblowing arrangements and must not suffer detriment for doing so.

Concerns raised maliciously, vexatiously, or in bad faith will be treated as misconduct and may result in disciplinary action.

Clubs or individuals who attempt to pressurise BMABA, its staff, or volunteers by making threats, ultimatums (e.g., “it’s me or them”), or using the prospect of reputational damage (e.g., threats of public campaigns or negative social media exposure) as leverage will be treated as engaging in misconduct. BMABA reserves the right to take proportionate sanctions up to and including termination of membership, removal from registers, and referral for legal action where harassment or defamation is involved.

Has needs for care and support (whether or not these needs are being met).

Is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect.

As a result of those needs, is unable to protect themselves against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.

Person-centred – placing the individual’s wishes, views, and feelings at the heart of decisions.

Proportionate – ensuring interventions are the least restrictive necessary to protect safety.

Respectful of rights – balancing the duty to protect with the adult’s rights to autonomy, dignity, and self-determination.

Collaborative – working with statutory agencies, carers, families, and the individual themselves to safeguard effectively.

Capacity & Consent – Adults are assumed to have capacity to make their own decisions unless proven otherwise. Safeguarding action must respect consent unless overriding public interest or immediate risk justifies otherwise.

Types of Abuse – Adults at risk may face the same categories of harm as children (physical, emotional, sexual, neglect, financial, organisational, discriminatory abuse). Clubs must be alert to subtle indicators, including isolation, financial control, or coercion.

Confidentiality – Information must be shared on a need-to-know basis, with clear records of what is shared, with whom, and why.

Empowerment – Adults at risk should be supported to speak up, make choices, and access independent advocacy where required.

Ensure safeguarding adults training is completed by all staff and volunteers in relevant roles.

Appoint a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) who is trained in both child and adult safeguarding.

Put in place clear reporting procedures for concerns relating to adults at risk.

Maintain accurate, confidential records of all safeguarding concerns and actions.

Ensure safeguarding arrangements extend to online environments, travel, competitions, and social activities.

Need-to-Know Basis – Information must only be shared with those who need it in order to safeguard a participant. This may include DSLs, BMABA safeguarding officers, statutory agencies, or relevant event staff.
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Safety Over Confidentiality – The welfare of the participant takes precedence over promises of confidentiality. Concerns must never be kept secret if doing so places a child or adult at risk.
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Accuracy & Clarity – Shared information must be factual, accurate, relevant, and up to date. Opinions should be clearly identified as such.
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Transparency – Wherever possible, the individual (and parents/carers if appropriate) should be informed about what will be shared, with whom, and why. Exceptions may apply where this would place someone at greater risk.
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Proportionality – Only the minimum information necessary to protect the participant should be shared.

Clubs and BMABA must follow local safeguarding partnership protocols (e.g., Local Authority, MASH, or LADO procedures) as well as national statutory requirements.

Information may be shared with statutory services without consent if there is reason to believe a child or adult is at risk of significant harm.

For adults at risk, decisions about sharing information without consent must be justified, recorded, and compliant with the Care Act principles.

The rationale for decisions to share or not to share information must be documented clearly.

Records must show what information was shared, with whom, when, and for what purpose.

All records must be stored securely, with access restricted to designated safeguarding personnel, and retained in line with BMABA’s safeguarding retention policy and GDPR requirements.

A current safeguarding policy consistent with BMABA’s national policy.

Appointment of a suitably trained and vetted Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

Evidence of safer recruitment and vetting for all instructors, staff, and volunteers.

Records of completed safeguarding training and refresher cycles.

Incident and concern logs, with clear actions and outcomes recorded.

Integration of safeguarding into day-to-day practice, risk assessments, and club culture.

Monitor and assure compliance through Regulation Ready and Club Colours, which serve as structured compliance and quality benchmarks for clubs.

Conduct spot checks, audits, and thematic reviews to test safeguarding practice across the membership.

Investigate safeguarding concerns, enforce corrective actions, and apply sanctions where necessary.

Collect and review safeguarding data to identify trends, risks, and areas for improvement.

Require clubs to cooperate with audits and provide evidence of safeguarding measures on request.

BMABA operates under an ISO9001:2015 UKAS-recognised and audited quality management system, which underpins our safeguarding assurance processes.

Lessons learned from incidents, near-misses, case reviews, and member feedback are systematically captured and fed back into training, policy updates, and guidance.

Safeguarding standards are benchmarked against national sport-sector expectations and updated whenever law, CPSU standards, or best practice evolves.

BMABA commits to transparency in its safeguarding governance, publishing updates and improvements via the BMABA Handbook and communications to members.

BMABA may initiate an investigation following a safeguarding concern, audit finding, or breach report.

Investigations may run in parallel with statutory agency involvement (e.g., police, local authority).

BMABA will act proportionately, balancing fairness with the need to protect participants.

Interim measures (e.g., suspension, removal from events, supervision requirements) may be imposed while investigations are ongoing.

Advisory Actions – informal advice, mentoring, or mandated reflective practice.

Retraining Requirements – mandatory completion or re-completion of safeguarding, CHIMA, or role-specific training.

Formal Warnings – written warnings recorded on the member or club file, monitored, and subject to review.

Suspension – temporary suspension of BMABA membership, registration, or event recognition pending compliance or investigation outcome.

Removal/Termination – permanent removal from BMABA membership, registers, or recognition.

Referral – escalation to statutory or regulatory bodies (e.g., DBS, Local Authority, Police, Sport England).

Failure to act on safeguarding concerns.

Attempting to intimidate, silence, or discredit whistleblowers.

Repeated poor practice despite warnings.

Breaches of interim safeguarding measures.

Conduct bringing BMABA or martial arts into disrepute.

Individuals or clubs subject to sanction may appeal through BMABA’s governance and disciplinary procedures.

Appeals must be lodged in writing within the timeframe set out in BMABA’s disciplinary framework.

Sanctions remain in effect during the appeals process unless BMABA determines otherwise.

BMABA reserves the right to publish the outcome of disciplinary action where this is necessary to protect participants or the public interest.

Clubs and individuals subject to sanction must cooperate fully and may not misrepresent the process or outcomes publicly; doing so may itself constitute misconduct.

All BMABA-registered instructors, assistant instructors, and volunteers appear on BMABA’s national registers. Outcomes of disciplinary or safeguarding investigations will be reflected on these registers, including where an individual has been barred, suspended, cancelled, or otherwise restricted.

As a condition of membership and registration, individuals accept that the “right to be forgotten” or to have entries removed from BMABA’s safeguarding records or registers does not apply where public safety is at stake. Safeguarding transparency overrides withdrawal requests, ensuring participants, parents, and clubs have accurate information about who is safe and eligible to work in martial arts.

This policy will undergo a formal annual review, led by BMABA’s Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and governance team.

The review will seek input from a range of stakeholders, including clubs, safeguarding partners, participants, parents, and statutory agencies where appropriate.

The review process will test alignment against CPSU standards, statutory guidance, and sector benchmarks.

Updates will be made immediately where changes in law, CPSU standards, concussion guidance, insurance requirements, or sector practice require earlier action.

Interim updates take effect as soon as they are published and communicated.

Updates will be communicated to members via the BMABA Handbook, official notices, and digital member communications.

Clubs are responsible for updating their own local safeguarding policies and procedures to remain consistent with BMABA’s national standards.

BMABA may conduct audits or spot checks to ensure clubs have embedded the most recent updates.

This review and update process forms part of BMABA’s ISO9001:2015 UKAS-recognised quality management system, ensuring it is auditable, documented, and continuously improved.

Learning from safeguarding cases, audits, near misses, and external reviews will feed directly into updates, strengthening practice year on year.
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Child / Young Person – Anyone under the age of 18. This includes 16–17 year olds who may legally live independently, work, or serve in the armed forces, but who are still considered children under safeguarding law.

Adult at Risk – As defined by the Care Act: a person aged 18 or over who (a) has needs for care and support, (b) is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect, and (c) as a result of those needs is unable to protect themselves from the abuse, neglect, or risk.

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) – The individual appointed at club, event, or BMABA national level to take lead responsibility for safeguarding, including managing concerns, making referrals, and supporting safe practice.

Participant Advocate & Safe Adult (PASA) – A designated responsible adult at BMABA-recognised events who acts as an independent advocate for one or more participants. The PASA is empowered to withdraw participants from competition or activity where welfare is compromised.

NROS – National Refereeing & Officiating Standards: BMABA’s framework that sets safeguarding-first responsibilities for referees and officials.

NMESGF – National Martial Arts Event Safety & Governance Framework: BMABA’s governance framework for ensuring safe, welfare-focused event delivery.

CHIMA – Concussion & Head Injury Management Awareness: BMABA’s safeguarding framework for recognising, managing, and recording concussion and head injuries.

Poor Practice – Behaviour or actions that, while not amounting to abuse, breach BMABA’s codes of conduct, safeguarding standards, or safe practice expectations, and which increase risk of harm. Poor practice must always be corrected and may require escalation.

Safeguarding – The proactive measures taken to protect children and adults at risk from abuse, neglect, or exploitation, and to promote safe, inclusive participation.