1. Introduction
The British Martial Arts & Boxing Association (BMABA) is committed to promoting equality, inclusivity, and safeguarding within all aspects of its operations and within all affiliated clubs, events, and activities. This Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Policy outlines our commitment to ensuring that every individual—regardless of ability or need—is welcomed, supported, and treated fairly.
Our vision is for martial arts to be accessible and inclusive, removing unnecessary barriers while providing safe, structured opportunities for personal development. We recognise that individuals with SEND may face additional challenges in accessing sport, and as a national governing and representative body, BMABA has a responsibility to lead by example in setting standards of equity, support, and protection.
This policy:
Sets out BMABA’s national standards for SEND inclusion across clubs, instructors, and events.
Provides guidance to affiliated clubs on their responsibilities to make reasonable adjustments, in line with the Equality Act 2010 and SEND Code of Practice.
Connects with BMABA’s wider safeguarding and quality frameworks, including the National Safeguarding Policy, Regulation Ready, Club Colours, and ISO9001:2015 UKAS-audited governance systems.
Affirms our duty to uphold the voice, rights, and welfare of children, young people, and adults with SEND, ensuring they are active participants in decisions about their martial arts journey.
Through this policy, BMABA commits to creating an environment in which SEND participants can thrive, achieve, and feel safe, and where instructors and clubs are supported to deliver inclusive, high-quality martial arts.
2. Equality and Inclusivity
BMABA is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone, regardless of their background, ability, or needs, is respected, supported, and valued.
This commitment applies to all individuals, including students, coaches, volunteers, officials, staff, parents, and carers.
In line with the Equality Act 2010 and BMABA’s National Equality & Inclusivity Policy, we require that clubs, instructors, and officials adopt and embed the following standards in respect of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND):
Equal Access – All participants must be given fair and equal access to training, competitions, events, and development opportunities. This includes making reasonable adjustments to facilities, programmes, and instruction methods to accommodate SEND individuals wherever practicable.
Non-Discrimination – No person may be treated less favourably on the grounds of disability, additional needs, age, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. Direct, indirect, or associative discrimination will not be tolerated.
Positive Representation – BMABA encourages and supports diverse representation within leadership, coaching teams, volunteers, and club membership. SEND inclusion is not tokenistic but is integral to the strength and credibility of martial arts as a community.
Inclusive Culture – Clubs must actively promote inclusivity within their culture, encouraging respect, empathy, and understanding for those with differing needs, learning styles, or abilities. This extends to communications, coaching methods, peer interactions, and club ethos.
Voice and Participation – SEND participants (and their families or carers, where appropriate) must be given meaningful opportunities to express their views, shape their training experience, and raise concerns. Their voices are central to BMABA’s inclusivity commitment.
BMABA will monitor how inclusivity is applied in practice through Regulation Ready, Club Colours, and safeguarding audits, and will take action where barriers to equal access remain unaddressed.
3. Special Educational Needs (SEN) Commitment
BMABA recognises that individuals with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) may require specific accommodations in order to fully participate in martial arts training, events, and development opportunities. We are committed to ensuring that martial arts remains accessible, safe, and empowering for all participants, regardless of ability.
To achieve this, BMABA will:
Welcoming & Safe Environments – Require that all clubs provide a culture where SEND participants and their families feel welcomed, supported, and respected. Staff and volunteers must proactively recognise and meet individual needs, not simply react to challenges.
Training & Awareness – Ensure that clubs and instructors are trained to identify, understand, and respond to the needs of SEND individuals. This includes embedding SEND awareness into safeguarding, coaching qualifications, and continuing professional development (CPD).
Reasonable Adjustments – Expect clubs and instructors to make reasonable adjustments to facilities, instructional methods, coaching styles, and equipment wherever possible. This may include adapted drills, alternative teaching methods, or the use of accessible equipment.
Regular Review & Continuous Improvement – Require clubs to review their SEND provisions on a regular basis, adapting policies, practices, and resources to reflect emerging needs, feedback from participants, and best practice guidance. BMABA will support this process by sharing updated guidance, templates, and training.
Voice of Participants – Ensure that SEND participants (and their parents/carers where appropriate) are consulted on their needs and experiences. Their feedback will inform both local club practice and BMABA’s national policy development.
Accountability & Assurance – Monitor and audit how clubs meet their SEND responsibilities through Regulation Ready, Club Colours, and safeguarding quality assurance frameworks. Where gaps are identified, BMABA will provide support and, if necessary, enforce corrective action.
BMABA believes that inclusive practice is not optional but a fundamental duty of every club, instructor, and official operating under our recognition.
4. Health and Safety
BMABA places paramount importance on the health, safety, and wellbeing of all participants, with particular attention to those with additional needs or vulnerabilities. Our health and safety standards apply to every BMABA-affiliated club, event, and programme. Clubs are expected to uphold these requirements and evidence compliance as part of their ongoing recognition.
4.1 Risk Assessments
Clubs must conduct risk assessments that explicitly consider the needs of SEND participants.
Assessments should identify potential hazards, including environmental barriers, equipment suitability, supervision levels, and medical risks.
Adjustments must be made to reduce or remove risks, and these must be reviewed regularly as participants’ needs or circumstances change.
Risk assessments should be documented and available for inspection as part of safeguarding or Regulation Ready audits.
4.2 Emergency Planning
All clubs and event organisers must have emergency action plans that include considerations for SEND participants.
Plans must cover communication needs (e.g., non-verbal participants), physical evacuation support (e.g., wheelchair users), and SEND-specific medical conditions (e.g., epilepsy, diabetes, autism-related sensory regulation).
Where SEND participants are present, their personal needs should be factored into rehearsals and staff briefings.
4.3 First Aid and Medical Provision
Instructors and staff must hold up-to-date first aid training, and this training should include awareness of SEND-specific medical conditions or mobility challenges.
At events or high-risk activities, medical cover must be proportionate and consider the additional vulnerabilities of SEND participants.
Clubs are encouraged to work with parents/carers to develop individual healthcare plans where a participant has a medical condition requiring additional support.
4.4 Facilities and Accessibility
Clubs must provide or arrange access to facilities that are safe and accessible for SEND participants. This may include:
Ramps or lifts where steps are present.
Adapted changing rooms and toilets.
Adequate space to accommodate mobility aids.
Appropriate equipment (e.g., lighter pads, tactile markers on mats, sound cues for visually impaired participants).
Where facilities cannot be fully adapted, clubs must make reasonable adjustments to maximise participation (e.g., altering training layouts, offering alternative changing areas).
4.5 Monitoring and Accountability
BMABA will monitor compliance with these health and safety requirements through spot checks, Club Colours, and Regulation Ready frameworks.
Clubs that fail to meet accessibility and health and safety standards may be required to implement corrective action plans or risk suspension of recognition.
5. Safeguarding
Safeguarding is a core principle within BMABA. We recognise that children, young people, and adults with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) may face increased vulnerability to abuse, neglect, or poor practice. This can be due to factors such as communication barriers, dependency on adults for care, social isolation, or lack of confidence in raising concerns.
Our safeguarding approach for SEND participants is rooted in proactivity, vigilance, and empowerment. In addition to BMABA’s National Safeguarding Policy, the following standards apply:
5.1 Training and Awareness
Mandatory safeguarding training must be completed by all instructors, coaches, volunteers, and staff.
Training must include a specific SEND focus, ensuring that participants’ unique vulnerabilities and communication needs are understood.
Refresher training is required in line with BMABA safeguarding cycles (typically every 2–3 years, or sooner if legislation changes).
5.2 Reporting Concerns
A robust reporting system must be in place at both club and national level. Concerns must be recorded accurately, escalated swiftly, and addressed appropriately.
SEND participants must be supported in raising concerns. Clubs should consider alternative methods of reporting (e.g., visual prompts, buddy systems, or involving carers/advocates).
All staff must understand that non-verbal indicators (changes in behaviour, withdrawal, distress) may signal safeguarding concerns.
5.3 Safe Practice Standards
Physical Contact – Any physical contact with SEND participants must be:
Clearly explained in advance.
Appropriate to the activity.
Stopped immediately if the participant shows discomfort.
Communication – Instructors must use accessible communication methods suited to the participant’s needs (e.g., plain language, visual cues, extra time for processing).
Boundaries – Staff and volunteers must maintain professional boundaries, especially where SEND participants require higher levels of support or supervision.
5.4 Safeguarding Officers
Every club must appoint a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) with training in child and adult safeguarding, including SEND-specific vulnerabilities.
DSLs are responsible for ensuring continuous safeguarding oversight, supporting staff, and acting as the first point of contact for concerns.
BMABA will provide additional training and support for DSLs to ensure they are equipped to address SEND safeguarding issues effectively through BMABA's SENCO Award.
6. Training and Development
To uphold BMABA’s commitment to equality, inclusivity, and SEND support, all instructors, coaches, volunteers, and club officials must be equipped with the knowledge and confidence to meet the needs of SEND participants. Training is therefore a core requirement, not an optional extra.
BMABA will:
Provide Training on Inclusivity – Offer free training to instructors, coaches, and volunteers on SEND inclusivity and best practice approaches. This ensures that every club has a baseline understanding of how to welcome and support participants with additional needs.
Offer SEN-Specific CPD Pathways – Deliver specialist courses as part of BMABA’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) framework. These include both general inclusivity training and deeper modules exploring specific and complex areas of practice (e.g., autism, ADHD, physical disabilities, communication needs).
Promote the BMABA SENCO Award – Encourage and support clubs to nominate a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO), trained through BMABA’s SENCO Award. The SENCO acts as a point of contact and in-house specialist within their club, ensuring SEN best practice is implemented consistently and confidently.
Embed SEN Awareness in Qualifications – Ensure that SEN awareness and inclusive practice are integrated into all levels of BMABA coaching qualifications, safeguarding training, and progression routes, so that every instructor, regardless of level, is expected to meet inclusivity standards.
Maintain Training Cycles and Revalidation – Require refresher training at appropriate intervals (typically every three years, or sooner where required by law or best practice updates). SEN training must remain current and aligned with evolving guidance.
Support Club Development – Provide clubs with access to resources, toolkits, and ongoing support so that SEN training translates into day-to-day practice, not just certificates.
BMABA believes that investing in training and development is key to removing barriers and ensuring SEND participants thrive. Our training offer goes beyond compliance, aiming to empower clubs to become centres of inclusive excellence within martial arts.
7. Complaints and Feedback
BMABA takes all feedback and complaints seriously, particularly where concerns relate to equality, inclusivity, health and safety, or safeguarding. We recognise that individuals with SEND, and their families or carers, may face additional barriers to raising concerns, and we are committed to ensuring that complaints processes are accessible, transparent, and safe.
7.1 Accessible Reporting
Clubs must provide multiple accessible avenues for raising concerns, including written, verbal, and where possible, alternative communication methods (e.g., visual prompts, assisted communication).
SEND participants must be supported in expressing their views. This may involve carers, advocates, or trusted adults acting as facilitators.
Clubs should ensure information about complaints processes is presented in clear, simple, and easy-to-understand language, and available in alternative formats where needed.
7.2 Fair and Transparent Investigation
Complaints must be acknowledged promptly and investigated thoroughly, with outcomes clearly communicated.
Where complaints relate to SEN issues, investigators must consider the context of the individual’s needs to ensure fairness and sensitivity.
Individuals raising SEN-related complaints will be offered support and advocacy throughout the process.
7.3 Escalation Routes
If a complaint cannot be resolved at club level, or if the concern relates to systemic or safeguarding issues, individuals must be able to escalate the matter to BMABA’s national body.
BMABA reserves the right to intervene directly where complaints involve safeguarding, discrimination, or breaches of this SEN Policy.
7.4 Learning and Continuous Improvement
Complaints and feedback will be used proactively to improve BMABA’s policies, training, and support for clubs.
Patterns or recurring themes in SEN-related complaints will be analysed and addressed as part of BMABA’s ISO9001:2015 quality management system.
7.5 Protection from Victimisation
Individuals who raise complaints in good faith will be protected from victimisation, retaliation, or reprisal.
Clubs or individuals found to be discouraging, silencing, or retaliating against complainants will face disciplinary action under BMABA’s enforcement procedures.
If a concern cannot be resolved at club level, or involves safeguarding, contact BMABA's Safeguarding Unit at [email protected]
8. Monitoring and Review
To ensure BMABA remains at the forefront of inclusive practice within martial arts, this SEN Policy and its implementation will be actively monitored, reviewed, and improved.
8.1 Policy Review
The SEN Policy will undergo a formal review at least annually, led by BMABA’s safeguarding and equality governance team.
Interim reviews will be undertaken sooner if legislation, sector standards, or participant needs change.
Clubs must ensure their own local SEN provisions are updated in line with national revisions.
8.2 Feedback and Consultation
Feedback will be collected from SEND participants, parents, carers, coaches, SENCOs, and safeguarding officers.
Consultation processes will be accessible and inclusive, ensuring that the voices of SEND participants are central to the review process.
Feedback will be analysed to identify themes, barriers, and opportunities for improvement.
8.3 Monitoring Participation
BMABA will monitor the participation, retention, and progression of SEND individuals across clubs.
Data will be used to identify potential barriers, track inclusivity trends, and highlight areas requiring support or intervention.
Where gaps or concerns are identified, BMABA will provide guidance, resources, or corrective measures to clubs.
8.4 Quality Assurance
Monitoring and review form part of BMABA’s ISO9001:2015 UKAS-recognised quality management system, ensuring compliance, transparency, and continuous improvement.
Outcomes from monitoring will feed into training updates, policy development, and sector-wide advocacy work.
8.5 Accountability
Clubs must cooperate fully with BMABA monitoring processes, providing evidence of SEND provisions, training, and adjustments when requested.
Failure to engage with monitoring or address identified barriers may result in sanctions under BMABA governance procedures.
9. Responsibilities
The responsibility for implementing this policy lies with all members of BMABA, including the organisation itself, club management, coaches, volunteers, participants, and their families. Safeguarding and inclusivity for SEND participants can only be achieved when every role contributes actively and consistently.
9.1 BMABA National Body
Oversee the implementation of this policy across all affiliated clubs and programmes.
Ensure compliance through verification systems such as Regulation Ready, Club Colours, and the SENCO Award.
Provide training, resources, and specialist support to clubs, SENCOs, and instructors.
Monitor practice, carry out audits, and enforce corrective actions or sanctions where standards are not met.
Ensure national governance structures (trustees, staff, contractors) reflect BMABA’s commitment to SEND inclusion and uphold this policy in all decision-making.
9.2 Club Management
Create and maintain an environment that is inclusive, safe, and accessible to SEND participants.
Ensure that club practices, policies, and procedures fully align with BMABA’s SEN Policy.
Appoint and support a club SENCO (Special Educational Needs Coordinator) to act as the lead point of contact for SEND inclusion.
Ensure all staff, instructors, and volunteers complete required training, including SEN awareness and safeguarding.
Actively review and improve SEND provision through consultation with participants, families, and BMABA.
9.3 Instructors and Coaches
Recognise and accommodate the needs of SEND participants through individualised and flexible approaches.
Make reasonable adjustments to training methods, equipment, or delivery style to maximise participation.
Maintain professional boundaries and safe practice, particularly when working closely with SEND participants who may require higher levels of support.
Liaise with club SENCOs, parents, carers, or support staff to ensure consistency and understanding of individual needs.
Monitor and record adjustments, feeding back to club management where further resources or adaptations are required.
9.4 Volunteers and Officials
Support inclusivity by following club and BMABA SEN policies in all roles and duties.
Assist instructors and SENCOs in creating accessible environments, including adapting activities and providing additional supervision where required.
Raise concerns or observations about barriers to inclusion, safety issues, or potential safeguarding risks.
9.5 SEND Participants and Their Families
Provide feedback on their experiences, challenges, and needs to help BMABA and clubs continually improve inclusivity.
Share information about medical, communication, or support needs so that instructors can make appropriate adjustments.
Work in partnership with instructors, SENCOs, and BMABA to promote safe and effective participation.
Encourage open dialogue so SEND participants feel empowered to express their views and shape their martial arts journey.
10. Best Practice for SEN Provisions
BMABA is committed to ensuring that every individual, regardless of ability or additional needs, can access high-quality martial arts training. The following best practices guide instructors in delivering inclusive training environments for individuals with special educational needs (SEN), while maintaining a balance between reasonable adjustments and available resources.
10.1 Individualised Approach
Instructors are encouraged to adopt a personalised approach to each student with SEN, recognising that no two individuals will have the same needs or abilities.
Best practice includes:
Initial Assessment – Conducting a thorough assessment of the student’s abilities and challenges through open dialogue with the individual, their guardians, or support workers.
Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) – Creating an ILP for SEND participants, setting out agreed adaptations, progressive goals, and review dates. ILPs provide a structured yet flexible framework to ensure inclusivity is delivered in practice, and can be shared with parents/carers for transparency.
Tailored Training – Developing a plan that adapts to the student’s pace, learning style, and physical abilities, ensuring they can participate fully alongside peers.
Regular Review – Reviewing ILPs and training plans regularly, adapting them based on progress, feedback, or changes in need.
10.2 Inclusive Training Methods
Instructors should use diverse teaching strategies to accommodate different learning needs and preferences. Examples include:
Visual Cues – Demonstrations, diagrams, or tactile markers to support communication challenges (e.g., autism, learning disabilities, hearing impairments).
Verbal Guidance – Clear, concise instructions that avoid unnecessary complexity, delivered at a pace suited to the participant.
Modified Techniques – Offering adapted drills or exercises to suit mobility challenges, ensuring participation at a suitable level without isolating the student.
10.3 Collaborative Support
Instructors should work closely with carers, guardians, or professionals (e.g., physiotherapists, occupational therapists) to understand the student’s needs and build consistency across home, school, and martial arts environments.
Collaboration may include:
Inviting feedback on effective communication or adaptations.
Ensuring the ILP reflects input from parents/carers and is updated in partnership with them.
Consulting with medical or educational professionals to align martial arts participation with wider developmental goals.
10.4 Integration and Dojo Culture
Inclusive training does not mean isolating SEND participants into separate drills unless this is specifically requested.
Activities should be structured so that all students train together, with discreet adaptations where needed to ensure safety and engagement.
Peer support should be encouraged, fostering respect, teamwork, and mutual understanding across the class.
11. Fair Assessment of SEN Provisions Based on Reasonable Adjustments and Available Resources
BMABA acknowledges that while inclusivity is a priority, instructors and clubs must make fair and balanced assessments of SEN provisions that align with the principle of reasonable adjustment. This means doing everything that can reasonably be done to support participation, while recognising that some adaptations may not be feasible due to safety, staffing, facility, or budgetary limitations.
Reasonable Adjustments:
Reasonable adjustments are changes made to accommodate the needs of an individual with SEN, enabling them to participate in martial arts training on equal terms with their peers. When making such assessments, instructors should consider:Practicality: Adjustments should be practical and sustainable, such as offering additional support during specific exercises, changing training routines, or adapting equipment.
Health and Safety: Adjustments must not compromise the safety of the individual or others. If certain activities present a heightened risk, the instructor should find safer alternatives that still allow the individual to engage.
Impact on Others: While individual needs are paramount, instructors should ensure that adjustments do not negatively affect the learning experience of other participants. A balance must be found between supporting the SEN student and maintaining group cohesion.
Available Resources:
BMABA recognises that resources vary between clubs, and not all adjustments will be feasible in every setting. Instructors should make fair decisions by evaluating:Staffing: If additional support is required to assist a student with SEN, instructors should assess whether the club has sufficient trained staff or volunteers to provide this assistance without compromising other students’ training.
Facilities: Clubs may have limitations on their physical setup, such as space, accessibility, or equipment. Instructors should strive to adapt facilities where possible but acknowledge that certain limitations may restrict some adjustments.
Budget: While BMABA encourages clubs to invest in inclusivity, instructors should consider budgetary constraints when making adjustments. Resources such as adaptive equipment or additional staff should be prioritised based on availability and long-term sustainability. BMABA's Grant Programme is worth consideration where applicable.
Communication and Transparency:
It is essential for instructors to communicate openly with students, their families, and guardians about what reasonable adjustments can be made. This includes:Explaining any limitations due to resources while emphasising the commitment to inclusion and seeking alternative solutions where possible.
Encouraging dialogue and feedback to ensure that the student and their family understand the decisions made and feel involved in the process.
Maintaining transparency by outlining how provisions will be regularly reviewed and reassessed to reflect any changes in resources or the student's needs.
Continuous Improvement and Resource Allocation:
BMABA promotes continuous improvement in SEN provisions across all clubs. Instructors are encouraged to:Regularly assess the resources available within their club and explore opportunities for securing additional funding or support, such as grants for inclusive equipment or training for staff.
Share best practices with other clubs within the BMABA network to help develop a collective approach to inclusivity.
Stay informed about emerging trends, technology, and equipment that can enhance inclusivity and SEN provision within martial arts training.
12. Monitoring and Reporting
Instructors and clubs must actively monitor and report on SEN provisions to ensure that inclusivity is not just an intention but a lived practice. Records of SEN support and reasonable adjustments must be accurate, transparent, and capable of audit.
12.1 Record Keeping
Clubs must maintain written records of:
Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) and updates.
Reasonable adjustments made and the rationale behind them.
Progress notes demonstrating how SEND participants are developing and whether adjustments remain effective.
Feedback received from participants, carers, or support staff.
Records must be stored securely in line with GDPR and BMABA’s data retention policies, with access restricted to those with a safeguarding or operational need to know.
12.2 Monitoring and Review
SEN records must be reviewed regularly by instructors to check that adjustments remain effective and safe.
Club management must conduct periodic oversight reviews, ensuring resources, staffing, and facilities are being used appropriately to support SEND inclusion.
Reviews should also identify where additional training, equipment, or funding may be required.
12.3 Reporting to BMABA
Clubs must make SEN records available for review by the BMABA national body during audits, spot checks, or investigations.
BMABA may request evidence where concerns are raised, complaints are received, or statutory investigations are underway.
Failure to maintain or provide SEN records may itself constitute a breach of BMABA policy and could result in sanctions.
12.4 Transparency and Accountability
Monitoring outcomes should be communicated back to participants and families in a clear, accessible way (e.g., progress reviews, ILP updates).
Clubs must evidence a feedback loop, showing that participant and family voices are considered in monitoring and review.
Where limitations in provision are identified, these must be explained clearly and logged as part of the review cycle.
13. Legislation and Guidance
This policy is underpinned by key UK legislation and statutory guidance, ensuring BMABA’s approach to SEN is lawful, evidence-based, and aligned with best practice across sport and education.
Equality Act 2010 – Establishes the legal duty to prevent discrimination and to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people, ensuring equal access to participation in martial arts.
Children and Families Act 2014 (Part 3: SEND) – Sets out the statutory framework for supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, including the requirement for Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans.
SEND Code of Practice: 0–25 years (2015) – Provides detailed guidance on identifying, assessing, and making provision for children and young people with SEND, which BMABA adapts for martial arts contexts.
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 – Requires organisations to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of all participants, with specific duty of care to those with additional needs.
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 – Provides the framework for vetting and barring, including the requirement for DBS checks to prevent unsuitable individuals from working with children or vulnerable adults.
Care Act 2014 – Establishes safeguarding duties for adults at risk, ensuring a person-centred approach to protection, inclusion, and reasonable adjustments.
Working Together to Safeguard Children (Statutory Guidance, 2018, updated 2023) – Outlines inter-agency safeguarding responsibilities and reinforces the importance of recognising additional vulnerabilities among children with SEND.
Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE, 2023) – Provides statutory guidance for safeguarding children in education, including those with SEN, which BMABA uses as a benchmark for training martial arts instructors and club leaders.
CPSU and Sport England Safeguarding Standards – Provide national standards and sector-specific best practice for ensuring safe, inclusive environments in sport, including adaptations for participants with SEN or disabilities.
14. Summary
BMABA is committed to promoting an inclusive, supportive, and safe environment where every individual — regardless of ability, background, or additional needs — can enjoy and benefit from martial arts. We are dedicated to building a culture of equality, dignity, and respect, ensuring that martial arts remain accessible, adaptive, and enriching for all participants.
This SEN Policy forms part of BMABA’s wider safeguarding and equality framework, working alongside our National Safeguarding Policy, Equality & Inclusivity Policy, and Regulation Ready compliance standards. Together, these create a robust ecosystem that protects participants, empowers instructors, and supports clubs to deliver inclusive, high-quality martial arts.
Implementation of this policy relies on shared responsibility: BMABA at national level, clubs and instructors locally, and participants and families working in partnership. The use of trained SENCOs, Individual Learning Plans (ILPs), and ongoing monitoring ensures that SEN inclusion is not optional, but an embedded part of practice across all BMABA-affiliated clubs.
This policy will undergo formal review annually, with consultation from stakeholders including SEND participants, families, coaches, SENCOs, and safeguarding officers. Where legislation, guidance, or best practice changes, interim updates will be issued immediately. Updates are binding upon publication and communicated through the BMABA Handbook and official member notices.
BMABA expects all affiliated clubs and instructors to adopt this policy in full and to demonstrate its implementation in practice. Compliance is a condition of membership, and failure to meet these standards may result in corrective action or sanction in line with BMABA governance procedures.