Policies

See below for our policies. Relevant forms are available upon request.

MAGB Safeguarding Adults Policy
MAGB Safeguarding Policy
MAGB Code of Conduct for Children and Young People
MAGB Code of Conduct for Instructors
MAGB Code of Conduct for Parents/Guardians
MAGB Safeguarding Adults Policy

Martial Arts Great Britain
Safeguarding Adults Policy

Policy Owner: Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB)
Policy approved by: Sue Harrison Sport England Safeguarding Code
Date Policy approved: 28 th April 2021
Next review Date: 28 th April 2022

Section 1: Safeguarding Adults Policy
Introduction
Martial Arts GB provides professional services to independent instructors, clubs, associations and
promoters and sanctioning bodies within Martial arts throughout the United Kingdom.
Part of our promise, is to support independent instructors & associations with elevating professional
standards beyond teaching. We want everyone within our community to be safe, which includes instructors
and students.
We try to protect instructors and clubs by promoting safe practice and this then helps protect those who
participate in Martial Arts, as instructors practice awareness.
Adult safeguarding is hugely overlooked so as part of our promise to promote safe practice, Martial Arts
Great Britain (MAGB) seek to promote this policy with our community.
Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) is committed to Safeguarding Adults in line with national legislation and
relevant national and local guidelines.
We will safeguard adults by ensuring that our activities are delivered in a way which keeps all adults safe.
Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) is committed to creating a culture of zero-tolerance of harm to adults
which necessitates: the recognition of adults who may be at risk and the circumstances which may increase
risk; knowing how adult abuse, exploitation or neglect manifests itself; and being willing to report
safeguarding concerns.
This extends to recognising and reporting harm experienced anywhere, including within our activities,
within other organised community or voluntary activities, in the community, in the person’s own home and
in any care setting.
Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) is committed to best safeguarding practice and to uphold the rights of all
adults to live a life free from harm from abuse, exploitation and neglect.

Policy Statement
Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) believes everyone has the right to live free from abuse or neglect
regardless of age, ability or disability, sex, race, religion, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, marital or gender
status.
Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) is committed to creating and maintaining a safe and positive
environment and an open, listening culture where people feel able to share concerns without fear of
retribution.
Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) acknowledges that safeguarding is everybody’s responsibility and is
committed to prevent abuse and neglect through safeguarding the welfare of all adults involved.
Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) recognises that health, well-being, ability, disability and need for care
and support can affect a person’s resilience. We recognise that some people experience barriers, for
example, to communication in raising concerns or seeking help. We recognise that these factors can vary
at different points in people’s lives.
Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) recognises that there is a legal framework within which sports need to
work to safeguard adults who have needs for care and support and for protecting those who are unable to
take action to protect themselves and will act in accordance with the relevant safeguarding adult legislation
and with local statutory safeguarding procedures.
Actions taken by Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) will be consistent with the principles of adult
safeguarding ensuring that any action taken is prompt, proportionate and that it includes and respects the
voice of the adult concerned.
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to demonstrate the commitment of Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) to
safeguarding adults and to ensure that everyone involved in Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) is aware of:
 The legislation, policy and procedures for safeguarding adults.
 Their role and responsibility for safeguarding adults.
 What to do or who to speak to if they have a concern relating to the welfare or wellbeing of an
adult within the organisation.
Scope
This safeguarding adult policy and associated procedures apply to all individuals involved in Martial Arts
Great Britain (MAGB) including Board members, Staff, Coaches, Volunteers and Members and to all
concerns about the safety of adults whilst taking part in our organisation, its activities and in the wider
community.
We expect our partner organisations, including for example, affiliated clubs, suppliers and sponsors to
adopt and demonstrate their commitment to the principles and practice as set out in this Safeguarding
Adults Policy and associated procedures.
Commitments
In order to implement this policy Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) will ensure that:

 Everyone involved with Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) is aware of the safeguarding adult
procedures and knows what to do and who to contact if they have a concern relating to the welfare or
wellbeing of an adult.
 Any concern that an adult is not safe is taken seriously, responded to promptly, and
followed up in line with Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) Safeguarding Adults Policy and Procedures.
 The well-being of those at risk of harm will be put first and the adult actively supported to
communicate their views and the outcomes they want to achieve. Those views and wishes will be
respected and supported unless there are overriding reasons not to (see the Safeguarding Adults
Procedures).
 Any actions taken will respect the rights and dignity of all those involved and be proportionate to the
risk of harm.
 Confidential, detailed and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained and securely
stored in line with our Data Protection Policy and Procedures.
 Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) acts in accordance with best practice advice, for example, from UK
Sport, Sport England, Sport Wales, Sport Scotland, Sport Northern Ireland, National Governing Bodies,
NSPCC, Ann Craft Trust.
 Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) will cooperate with the Police and the relevant Local Authorities in
taking action to safeguard an adult.
 All Board members, staff, officials and volunteers and affiliated coaches understand their role and
responsibility for safeguarding adults and have completed and are up to date with safeguarding adult
training and learning opportunities appropriate for their role.
 Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) uses safe recruitment practices and continually assesses the
suitability of volunteers and staff to prevent the employment/deployment of unsuitable individuals in
this organisation and within the sporting community.
 Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) shares information about anyone found to be a risk to adults with
the appropriate bodies. For example: Disclosure and Barring Service, Services, Police, Local
Authority/Social Services.
 When planning activities and events Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) includes an assessment of, and
risk to, the safety of all adults from abuse and neglect and designates a person who will be in
attendance as a safeguarding lead for that event.
 Actions taken under this policy are reviewed by the Board and senior management team on an annual
basis.
 This policy, related policies (see below) and the Safeguarding Adults Procedures are reviewed no less
than on a two-yearly basis and whenever there are changes in relevant legislation and/or government
guidance as required by the Local Safeguarding Board, UK Sport, Sport
England/Wales/Scotland/Northern Ireland and/or National Governing Bodies and or as a result of any
other significant change or event.

Implementation
Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) is committed to developing and maintaining its capability to implement
this policy and procedures. In order to do so the following will be in place:
 A clear line of accountability within the organisation for the safety and welfare of all adults.
 Access to relevant legal and professional advice.
 Regular management reports to the Board detailing how risks to adult safeguarding are being
addressed and how any reports have been addressed.
 Safeguarding adult procedures that deal effectively with any concerns of abuse or neglect,
including those caused through poor practice.
 A Safeguarding Lead/ Welfare Officer (see Appendix 1).
 A delegated Safeguarding Lead/Welfare Officer for events/trips/camps/ competitions.
 A process for forming a Case Management Group on a case-by-case basis within clear terms of
reference.
 Arrangements to work effectively with other relevant organisations to safeguard and promote the
welfare of adults, including arrangements for sharing information.
 Codes of conduct for Board members, Staff, Coaches, Officials, Volunteers and Members and other
relevant individuals that specify zero tolerance of abuse in any form.
 Risk assessments that specifically include safeguarding of adults.
 Policies and procedures that address the following areas and which are consistent with this
Safeguarding Adults policy.

 Safeguarding Children
 Bullying and harassment
 Social Media
 Equality, diversity and inclusion
 Safe activities risk assessments
 Code of Conducts and a process for
breach of these – Staff, Coaches,
Officials, Volunteers,
Participants/Members, Carers/Personal
Assistants, Fans
 Discipline and grievance
 Concerns, Complaints and Compliments
 Whistleblowing
 Safe recruitment and selection (staff and
volunteers)
 Contract compliance
 Information policy, data protection and
information sharing

Section 2: Supporting Information
Key Points
 There is a legal duty on Local Authorities to provide support to ‘adults at risk’.
 Adults at risk are defined in legislation and the criteria applied differs between each home nation. (see
definitions for each home nation on page 12).
 The safeguarding legislation applies to all forms of abuse that harm a person’s well-being.
 The law provides a framework for good practice in safeguarding that makes the overall well-being of
the adult at risk a priority of any intervention.
 The law in all four home nations emphasises the importance of person-centred safeguarding, (referred
to as ‘Making Safeguarding Personal’ in England).
 The law provides a framework for making decisions on behalf of adults who can’t make decisions for
themselves (Mental Capacity).
 The law provides a framework for sports organisations to share concerns they have about adults at risk
with the local authority.
 The law provides a framework for all organisations to share information and cooperate to protect
adults at risk.
Safeguarding Adults Legislation
Safeguarding Adults in all home nations is compliant with United Nations directives on the rights of
disabled people and commitments to the rights of older people. It is covered by:
• The Human Rights Act 1998
• The Data Protection Act 2018
• General Data Protection Regulations 2018
The practices and procedures within this policy are based on the relevant legislation and government
guidance.
• England – The Care Act 2014
Care and Support Statutory Guidance (especially chapter 14) 2014
• Wales – Social Services and Well Being Act 2014
Wales Safeguarding Procedures 2019
• Scotland – Adult Support and Protection Act 2007
Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 Code of Practice 2014
• Northern Ireland – Adult Safeguarding Prevention and Protection in Partnership 2015
Many other pieces of UK and home nation legislation also affect adult safeguarding.
These include legislation about different forms of abuse and those that govern information sharing. For
example, legislation dealing with:
• Murder/attempted murder
• Physical Assault

• Sexual Offences
• Domestic Abuse/Coercive control

• Forced Marriage
• Female Genital Mutilation
• Theft and Fraud
• Modern slavery and Human

exploitation
• Hate crime
• Harassment
• Listing and Barring of those
unsuitable to work with adults with
care and support needs

Each home nation also has legislation about the circumstances in which decisions can be made on behalf of
an adult who is unable to make decisions for themselves:
• England and Wales – Mental Capacity Act 2005
• Scotland – Adults with Incapacity Act 2000
• Mental Capacity (Northern Ireland) 2016
• There are specific offences applying to the mistreatment of and sexual offences against
adults who do not have Mental Capacity and specific offences where mistreatment is
carried out by a person who is employed as a carer: e.g. wilful neglect and wilful
mistreatment.

Definition of an Adult at Risk
The Safeguarding Adults legislation creates specific responsibilities on Local Authorities, Health, and the
Police to provide additional protection from abuse and neglect to Adults at Risk.
When a Local Authority has reason to believe there is an adult at risk, they have a responsibility to find out
more about the situation and decide what actions need to be taken to support the adult. In Scotland and
Wales, the Local Authority can gain access to an adult to find out if they are at risk of harm for example, if
that access is being blocked by another person.
The actions that need to be taken might be by the Local Authority (usually social services) and/or by other
agencies, for example the Police and Health. A sporting organisation may need to take action as part of
safeguarding an adult, for example, to use the disciplinary procedures in relation to a member of staff or
member who has been reported to be harming a participant. The Local Authority role includes having
multi-agency procedures which coordinate the actions taken by different organisations.
An Adult at risk is
England (Care Act 2014)

Northern Ireland (Adult Safeguarding Prevention

and Protection in Partnership 2015) An adult at risk is an individual aged 18 years and
over who:
(a) has needs for care and support (whether or
not the local authority is meeting any of those
needs) AND;
(b) is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect,
AND;
(c) as a result of those care and support needs is
unable to protect themselves from either the

An adult at risk of harm is a person aged 18 or
over, whose exposure to harm through abuse,
exploitation or neglect may be increased by their
a) personal characteristics and/or b) life
circumstances.
a) Personal characteristics may include, but are
not limited to age, disability, special

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risk of, or the experience of abuse or neglect. educational needs, illness, mental or physical
frailty or impairment of, or disturbance in, the
functioning of the mind
or brain.
b) Life circumstances may include, but are not
limited to, isolation, socio-economic factors
and environmental living conditions.
An adult in need of protection is a person aged 18
or over, whose exposure to harm through abuse,
exploitation or neglect may be increased by their:
Personal characteristics AND/OR Life
circumstances AND;
c) who is unable to protect their own well-
being, property, assets, rights or other
interests; AND
d) where the action or inaction of another person
or persons is causing, or is likely to cause,
him/her to be harmed.
In order to meet the definition of an ‘adult in need
of protection’ either (a) or (b) must be present, in
addition to both elements (c), and (d)

Scotland (Adult Support and Protection Act 2007)
An adult at risk is an individual aged 16 years and
over who:
a) is unable to safeguard their own well-being,
property, rights or other interests,
b) is at risk of harm, and
c) because they are affected by disability, mental
disorder, illness or physical or mental infirmity,
is more vulnerable to being harmed than
adults who are not so affected.

Wales (Social Services and Well Being Act 2014)
An adult at risk is an individual aged 18 years and
over who:
a) is experiencing or is at risk of abuse or neglect,
AND;
b) has needs for care and support (whether or
not the authority is meeting any of those
needs) AND;
c) as a result of those needs is unable to protect
himself or herself against the abuse or neglect
or the risk of it.

Abuse and Neglect
Abuse is a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by another person or persons. It can occur in
any relationship and may result in significant harm to, or exploitation of, the person subjected to it. Any or
all of the following types of abuse may be perpetrated as the result of deliberate intent, negligence,
omission or ignorance.
There are different types and patterns of abuse and neglect and different circumstances in which they may
take place.
Safeguarding legislation in each home nation lists categories of abuse differently however, they all include
the following types of abuse:
 Physical
 Sexual
 Psychological
 Neglect
 Financial
Abuse can take place in any relationship and there are many contexts in which abuse might take place; e.g.
Institutional abuse, Domestic Abuse, Forced Marriage, Human Trafficking, Modern Slavery, Sexual
Exploitation, County Lines, Radicalisation, Hate Crime, Mate Crime, Cyber bullying, Scams. Some of these
are named specifically within home nation legislations.

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Abuse can take place within a sporting context and the person causing harm might be any other person. For
example: a member of staff, a coach, a volunteer, a participant or a fan.

Some examples of abuse within sport include:
 Harassment of a participant because of their (perceived) disability or other protected
characteristics.
 Not meeting the needs of the participant e.g. training without a necessary break.
 A coach intentionally striking an athlete
 One elite participant controlling another athlete with threats of withdrawal from their partnership
 An official who sends unwanted sexually explicit text messages to a participant with learning
disabilities.
 A participant threatens another participant with physical harm and persistently blames them for
poor performance.

Abuse or neglect outside sport could be carried out by:
 A spouse, partner or family member
 Neighbours or residents
 Friends, acquaintances or strangers
 People who deliberately exploit adults they perceive as vulnerable
 Paid staff, professionals or volunteers providing care and support
Often the perpetrator is known to the adult and may be in a position of trust and/or power.
Table 2
The Safeguarding Adults Legislation in each Home Country defines categories of adult abuse and harm as
follows.
England (Care Act 2014) Northern Ireland (Adult Safeguarding Prevention and

Protection in Partnership 2015)

Physical
Sexual
Emotional/Psychological/Mental
Neglect and acts of Omission
Financial or material abuse
Discriminatory
Organisational / Institutional
Self-neglect
Domestic Abuse (including coercive control)
Modern slavery

Physical
Sexual violence
Psychological / emotional
Financial
Institutional
Neglect
Exploitation
Domestic violence
Human trafficking
Hate crime

Scotland (Adult Support and Protection Act
2007)

Wales (Social Services and Well Being Act 2014)

Physical
Psychological
Financial

Physical
Sexual
Psychological

Sexual
Neglect

Neglect
Financial

Signs and Indicators of Abuse and Neglect
An adult may confide to a member of staff, coach, volunteer or another participant that they are
experiencing abuse inside or outside of the organisation’s setting. Similarly, others may suspect that this is
the case.
There are many signs and indicators that may suggest someone is being abused or neglected. There may
be other explanations, but they should not be ignored. The signs and symptoms include but are not limited
to:
 Unexplained bruises or injuries – or lack of
medical attention when an injury is present.
 Person has belongings or money going
missing.
 Person is not attending / no longer enjoying
their sessions. You may notice that a
participant in a team has been missing from
practice sessions and is not responding to
reminders from team members or coaches.
 Someone losing or gaining weight / an
unkempt appearance. This could be a player
whose appearance becomes unkempt, does
not wear suitable sports kit and there is a
deterioration in hygiene.
 A change in the behaviour or confidence of a
person. For example, a participant may be
looking quiet and withdrawn when their
brother comes to collect them from sessions
in contrast to their personal assistant whom
they greet with a smile.
 Self-harm.
 A fear of a particular group of people or
individual.
 A parent/carer always speaks for the person
and doesn’t allow them to make their own
choices
 They may tell you / another person they are
being abused – i.e. a disclosure

Wellbeing Principle
The success of sport, in terms of helping people achieve their potential, making the most of existing talent,
and attracting new people to sport relies on putting people – their safety, wellbeing and welfare – at the
centre of what sport does.
Duty of Care in Sport Independent Report to Government Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE, DL.

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The concept of ‘well-being’ is threaded throughout UK legislation and is part of the Law about how health
and social care is provided. Our well-being includes our mental and physical health, our relationships, our
connection with our communities and our contribution to society.
Being able to live free from abuse and neglect is a key element of well-being.
The legislation recognises that statutory agencies have sometimes acted disproportionately in the past. For
example, removing an adult at risk from their own home when there were other ways of preventing harm.
In the words of Justice Mumby ‘What good is it making someone safe when we merely make them
miserable?’ What Price Dignity? (2010)
For that reason any actions taken to safeguard an adult must take their whole well-being into account and
be proportionate to the risk of harm.
Person Centred Safeguarding/ Making Safeguarding Personal
The legislation also recognises that adults make choices that may mean that one part of our well-being
suffers at the expense of another – for example we move away from friends and family to take a better job.
Similarly, adults can choose to risk their personal safety; for example, to provide care to a partner with
dementia who becomes abusive when they are disorientated and anxious.
None of us can make these choices for another adult. If we are supporting someone to make choices about
their own safety we need to understand ‘What matters’ to them and what outcomes they want to achieve
from any actions agencies take to help them to protect themselves.
The concept of ‘Person Centred Safeguarding’/’Making Safeguarding Personal’ means engaging the person
in a conversation about how best to respond to their situation in a way that enhances their involvement,
choice and control, as well as improving their quality of life, well-being and safety. Organisations work to
support adults to achieve the outcomes they want for themselves. The adult’s views, wishes, feelings and
beliefs must be taken into account when decisions are made about how to support them to be safe. There
may be many different ways to prevent further harm. Working with the person will mean that actions
taken help them to find the solution that is right for them. Treating people with respect, enhancing their
dignity and supporting their ability to make decisions also helps promote people's sense of self-worth and
supports recovery from abuse.
If someone has difficulty making their views and wishes known, then they can be supported or represented
by an advocate. This might be a safe family member or friend of their choice or a professional advocate
(usually from a third sector organisation).
Table 1 The Principles of Adult Safeguarding in each home nation
Wales (Social Services and Well Being Act 2014)
The Act’s principles are:
● Responsibility – Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
● Well-being – Any actions taken must safeguard the person’s well-being.
● Person-centred approach – Understand what outcomes the adult wishes to achieve and what
matters to them.
● Voice and control – Expect people to know what is best for them and support them to be involved
in decision making about their lives.
● Language – Make an active offer of use of the Welsh language and use professional interpreters
where other languages are needed.
● Prevention – It is better to take action before harm occurs.

Scotland (Adult Support and Protection Act 2007)
The Act’s principles are:
The overarching principle underlying Part 1 of the Act is that any intervention in an individual's affairs
should provide benefit to the individual and should be the least restrictive option of those that are
available which will meet the purpose of the intervention.
This is supported by a set of guiding principles which, together with the overarching principle, must be
taken account of when performing functions under Part 1 of the Act. These are:
● The wishes and feelings of the adult at risk (past and present);
● The views of other significant individuals, such as the adult's nearest relative; their primary carer,
guardian, or attorney; or any other person with an interest in the adult's well-being or property;
● The importance of the adult taking an active part in the performance of the function under the Act;
● Providing the adult with the relevant information and support to enable them to participate as fully
as possible;
● The importance of ensuring that the adult is not treated less favourably than another adult in a
comparable situation; and
● The adult's abilities, background and characteristics (including their age, sex, sexual orientation,
gender, religious persuasion, racial origin, ethnic group and cultural and linguistic heritage).

Northern Ireland (Adult Safeguarding Prevention and Protection in Partnership 2015)
The Act’s principles are:
● A Rights-Based Approach – To promote and respect an adult’s right to be safe and secure; to
freedom from harm and coercion; to equality of treatment; to the protection of the law; to
privacy; to confidentiality; and freedom from discrimination.
● An Empowering Approach – To empower adults to make informed choices about their lives, to
maximise their opportunities to participate in wider society, to keep themselves safe and free
from harm and enabled to manage their own decisions in respect of exposure to risk.
● A Person-Centred Approach – To promote and facilitate full participation of adults in all decisions
affecting their lives taking full account of their views, wishes and feelings and, where appropriate,
the views of others who have an interest safety and well-being.
● A Consent-Driven Approach – To make a presumption that the adult has the ability to give or
withhold consent; to make informed choices; to help inform choice through the provision of
information, and the identification of options and alternatives; to have particular regard to the
needs of individuals who require support with communication, advocacy or who lack the capacity
to consent; and intervening in the life of an adult against his or her wishes only in particular
circumstances, for very specific purposes and always in accordance with the law.
● A Collaborative Approach – To acknowledge that adult safeguarding will be most effective when
it has the full support of the wider public and of safeguarding partners across the statutory,
voluntary, community, independent and faith sectors working together and is delivered in a way
where roles, responsibilities and lines of accountability are clearly defined and understood.
Working in partnership and a person-centred approach will work hand-in-hand.
England (Care Act 2014)
The Act’s principles are:

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● Empowerment – People being supported and encouraged to make their own decisions and
informed consent.
● Prevention – It is better to take action before harm occurs.
● Proportionality – The least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented.
● Protection – Support and representation for those in greatest need.
● Partnership – Local solutions through services working with their communities. Communities have
a part to play in preventing, detecting and reporting neglect and abuse
● Accountability – Accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding.

Mental Capacity and Decision Making
We make many decisions every day, often without realising. UK Law assumes that all people over the age
of 16 have the ability to make their own decisions, unless it has been proved that they can’t. It also gives us
the right to make any decision that we need to make and gives us the right to make our own decisions even
if others consider them to be unwise.
We make so many decisions that it is easy to take this ability for granted. The Law says that to make a
decision we need to:
 Understand information
 Remember it for long enough
 Think about the information
 Communicate our decision
A person’s ability to do this may be affected by things such as learning disability, dementia, mental health
needs, acquired brain injury and physical ill health.
Most adults have the ability to make their own decisions given the right support however, some adults with
care and support needs have the experience of other people making decisions about them and for them.
Some people can only make simple decisions like which colour T-shirt to wear or can only make decisions if
a lot of time is spent supporting them to understand the options. If someone has a disability that means
they need support to understand or make a decision this must be provided. A small number of people
cannot make any decisions. Being unable to make a decision is called “lacking mental capacity”.
Mental capacity refers to the ability to make a decision at the time that decision is needed. A person’s
mental capacity can change. If it is safe/possible to wait until they are able to be involved in decision
making or to make the decision themselves.
For example:
 A person with epilepsy may not be able to make a decision following a seizure.
 Someone who is anxious may not be able to make a decision at that point.
 A person may not be able to respond as quickly if they have just taken some medication that causes
fatigue.
Mental Capacity is important for safeguarding for several reasons.
Not being allowed to make decisions one is capable of making is abuse. For example, a disabled adult may
want to take part in an activity but their parent who is their carer won’t allow them to and will not provide
the support they would need. Conversely the adult may not seem to be benefiting from an activity other
people are insisting they do.

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Another situation is where an adult is being abused and they are scared of the consequences of going
against the views of the person abusing them. It is recognised in the law as coercion and a person can be
seen not to have mental capacity because they cannot make ‘free and informed decisions’.
Mental Capacity must also be considered when we believe abuse or neglect might be taking place. It is
important to make sure an ‘adult at risk’ has choices in the actions taken to safeguard them, including
whether or not they want other people informed about what has happened, however, in some situations
the adult may not have the mental capacity to understand the choice or to tell you their views.
Each home nation has legislation that describes when and how we can make decisions for people who are
unable to make decisions for themselves. The principles are the same.
 We can only make decisions for other people if they cannot do that for themselves at the time the
decision is needed.
 If the decision can wait, wait – e.g. to get help to help the person make their decision or until they
can make it themselves.
 If we have to make a decision for someone else then we must make the decision in their best
interests (for their benefit) and take into account what we know about their preferences and
wishes.
 If the action we are taking to keep people safe will restrict them then we must think of the way to
do that which restricts to their freedom and rights as little as possible.
Many potential difficulties with making decisions can be overcome with preparation. A person needing
support to help them make decisions whilst taking part in a sports organisation will ordinarily be
accompanied by someone e.g. a family member or formal carer whose role includes supporting them to
make decisions.
It is good practice to get as much information about the person as possible. Some people with care and
support needs will have a ‘One page profile’ or a ‘This is me’ document that describes important things
about them. Some of those things will be about how to support the person, their routines, food and drink
choices etc. but will also include things they like and don’t like doing. It’s also important to have an
agreement with the person who has enrolled the adult in the sports activity about how different types of
decisions will be made on a day to day basis.
If a person who has a lot of difficulty making their own decisions is thought to be being abused or neglected
you will need to refer the situation to the Local Authority, and this should result in health or social care
professionals making an assessment of mental capacity and/or getting the person the support they need to
make decisions.
There may be times when a sporting organisation needs to make decisions on behalf of an individual in an
emergency. Decisions taken in order to safeguard an adult who cannot make the decision for themselves
could include:
 Sharing information about safeguarding concerns with people that can help protect them.
 Stopping them being in contact with the person causing harm.

Recording and Information Sharing
All sports organisation must comply with the Data Protection Act (DPA) and the General Data Protection
Regulations (GDPR).
Information about concerns of abuse includes personal data. It is therefore important to be clear as to the
grounds for processing and sharing information about concerns of abuse.

18
Processing information includes record keeping. Records relating to safeguarding concerns must be
accurate and relevant. They must be stored confidentially with access only to those with a need to know.
Sharing information, with the right people, is central to good practice in safeguarding adults. However,
information sharing must only ever be with those with a ‘need to know’.
This does NOT automatically include the persons spouse, partner, adult, child, unpaid or paid carer.
Information should only be shared with family and friends and/or carers with the consent of the adult or if
the adult does not have capacity to make that decision and family/ friends/ carers need to know in order to
help keep the person safe.
The purpose of Data Protection legislation is not to prevent information sharing but to ensure personal
information is only shared appropriately. Data protection legislation allows information sharing within an
organisation. For example:
 Anyone who has a concern about harm can make a report to an appropriate person within the
same organisation
 Case management meetings can take place to agree to co-ordinate actions by the organisation
There are also many situations in which it is perfectly legal to share information about adult safeguarding
concerns outside the organisation. Importantly personal information can be shared with the consent of the
adult concerned. However, the adult may not always want information to be shared. This may be because
they fear repercussions from the person causing harm or are scared that they will lose control of their
situation to statutory bodies or because they feel stupid or embarrassed. Their wishes should be respected
unless there are over-riding reasons for sharing information.
The circumstances when we need to share information without the adult’s consent include those where:
 it is not safe to contact the adult to gain their consent – i.e. it might put them or the person making
contact at further risk.
 you believe they or someone else is at risk, including children.
 you believe the adult is being coerced or is under duress.
 it is necessary to contact the police to prevent a crime, or to report that a serious crime has been
committed.
 the adult does not have mental capacity to consent to information being shared about them.
 the person causing harm has care and support needs.
 the concerns are about an adult at risk living in Wales or Northern Ireland (where there is a duty to
report to the Local Authority).
When information is shared without the consent of the adult this must be explained to them, when it is
safe to do so, and any further actions should still fully include them.
If you are in doubt as to whether to share information seek advice e.g. seek legal advice and/or contact the
Local Authority and explain the situation without giving personal details about the person at risk or the
person causing harm.
Any decision to share or not to share information with an external person or organisation must be recorded
together with the reasons to share or not share information.
Multi-Agency Working
Safeguarding adults’ legislation gives the lead role for adult safeguarding to the Local Authority. However,
it is recognised that safeguarding can involve a wide range of organisations.
Sports bodies may need to cooperate with the Local Authority and the Police including to:
 Provide more information about the concern you have raised.

 Provide a safe venue for the adult to meet with other professionals e.g. Police/Social
Workers/Advocates.
 Attend safeguarding meetings.
 Coordinate internal investigations (e.g. complaints, disciplinary) with investigations by the police or
other agencies.
 Share information about the outcomes of internal investigations.
 Provide a safe environment for the adult to continue their sporting activity/ their role in the
organisation.

Section 3: Appendices
Appendix 1 – Example Role Description: Safeguarding Lead
The designated person within a sports organisation has primary responsibility for putting into place
procedures to safeguard adults at risk, supporting club, county and regional welfare/safeguarding leads,
where relevant and for managing concerns about adults at risk.
Duties and responsibilities include:
• Working with others within the organisation to create a positive inclusive environment within the
sport.
• Play a lead role in developing and establishing the organisation’s approach to safeguarding adults and
in maintaining and reviewing the organisation’s implementation plan for safeguarding adults in line
with current legislation and best practice.
•
• Coordinate the dissemination of the safeguarding adult policy, procedures and resources throughout
the organisation.
• Contribute to ensuring other policies and procedures are consistent with the organisation’s
commitment to safeguarding adults.
• Advise on the organisation’s training needs and the development of its training strategy.
• Receive reports of and manage cases of poor practice and abuse reported to the organisation –
including an appropriate recording system.
• Support the chair to co-ordinate the case management process.
• Manage liaison with, and referrals to, external agencies for example adult social-care services and the
police.
• Create a central point of contact for internal and external individuals and agencies concerned about
the safety of adults within the organisation.

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• Provide advice and support to regional/county [adapt as appropriate] safeguarding/ welfare officers
and play a lead role in their recruitment, selection and training.
• Represent the organisation at external meetings related to safeguarding.

Appendix 2 – Case Management Groups
Case Management Groups comprise of a select number of individuals with identified and relevant skills,
knowledge experience and/or status within the organisation and include at least one member with
safeguarding adult expertise. The group’s role and decision-making powers need to be embedded within
the organisation’s governance structure and be linked to related organisational functions such as codes of
conduct, and the disciplinary policy and procedures.
The senior management team and Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) Board should receive regular reports
from the Case Management Group summarising the cases that have been addressed and their outcomes,
as well as any issues that require action by Martial Arts Great Britain (MAGB) e.g. changes to policy or
procedures.
Case Management Groups should have clear terms of reference. They may be ‘standing committees’ who
meet regularly or can be brought together as the need arises.
Case Management Group roles include:
• to ratify any actions already taken by Safeguarding Lead Officer.
• to initially assess and agree immediate response to a safeguarding case (does there appear to be a
case to answer?).
• to identify appropriate ‘route’ for case (e.g. internal/ disciplinary action alone or referral to
statutory agencies plus internal/ disciplinary action).
• to decide the level (from local to national) at which the organisation will deal with the concern.
• to consider the need for temporary/ interim suspension order (some organisations’ Case
Management Group issue suspensions directly, while others can only make recommendations to
their disciplinary group).
• to review progress of case(s).
• to identify/ communicate learning from cases.
Case Management Groups’ membership should include:
• A designated Chair
• A secretary (often the designated Safeguarding Lead).

21
• Mangers from relevant parts of the organisation where appropriate e.g. Human Resources,
Membership, Legal.
• Co-opted independent safeguarding expertise (e.g. from another Sport or relevant profession such
as the Police or Social services).

Appendix 3 – Sources of Information and Support
Action on Elder Abuse
A national organisation based in London. It aims to prevent the abuse of older people by raising awareness,
encouraging education, promoting research and collecting and disseminating information.
http://www.elderabuse.org.uk
Tel: 020 8765 7000
Email: enquiries@elderabuse.org.uk
Ann Craft Trust (ACT)
A national organisation providing information and advice about adult safeguarding. ACT have a specialist Safeguarding
Adults in Sport and Activity team to support the sector
Tel: 0115 951 5400
Email: Ann-Craft-Trust@nottingham.ac.uk
http://www.anncrafttrust.org
Men’s Advice Line
For male domestic abuse survivors
Tel: 0808 801 0327
National LGBT+ Domestic Abuse Helpline
Tel: 0800 999 5428
National 24Hour Freephone Domestic Abuse Helplines
England Northern Ireland
Tel: 0808 2000 247
http://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/Contact-us

Tel: 0808 802 1414
http://www.dsahelpline.org
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsahelpline
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/dsahelpline

Scotland Wales
Tel: 0800 027 1234
Email: helpline@sdafmh.org.uk
Web chat: sdafmh.org.uk

Llinell Gymorth Byw HebOfn/ Live free from fear helpline
Tel: 0808 8010 800
Type Talk: 18001 0808 801 0800
Text: 078600 77 333

Rape Crisis Federation of England and Wales
Rape Crisis was launched in 1996 and exists to provide a range of facilities and resources to enable the continuance
and development of Rape Crisis Groups throughout Wales and England.
Email: info@rapecrisis.co.uk
http://www.rapecrisis.co.uk
Respond
Respond provides a range of services to victims and perpetrators of sexual abuse who have learning disabilities, and
training and support to those working with them.
http://www.respond.org.uk
Tel: 020 7383 0700 or 0808 808 0700 (Helpline)
Email: services@respond.org.uk ,
Stop Hate Crime

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Works to challenge all forms of Hate Crime and discrimination, based on any aspect of an individual’s identity. Stop
Hate UK provides independent, confidential and accessible reporting and support for victims, witnesses and third
parties. 24 hours service:
Telephone: 0800 138 1625
Web Chat: http://www.stophateuk.org/talk-to-us/
E mail: talk@stophateuk.org
Text: 07717 989 025
Susy Lamplugh Trust
The Trust is a leading authority on personal safety. Its role is to minimise the damage caused to individuals and to
society by aggression in all its forms – physical, verbal and psychological.
http://www.suzylamplugh.org
Tel: 020 83921839
Fax: 020 8392 1830
Email: info@suzylamplugh.org
Victim Support
Provides practical advice and help, emotional support and reassurance to those who have suffered the effects of a
crime.
http://www.victimsupport.com
Tel: 0808 168 9111
Women’s Aid Federation of England and Wales
Women’s Aid is a national domestic violence charity. It also runs a domestic violence online help service.
http://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support

MAGB Safeguarding Policy

HALO UK in association with Martial Arts GB & Sports England

Safeguarding Children Policy and Procedures

Index
1.
2. Commitment to Safeguarding
3. Purpose and Scope of this Policy Statement
4. Legal Framework
5. Abuse and Neglect: Definition, Signs and
Symptoms
6. Codes of Ethics
7. Acting of safeguarding concerns
8. Recording
9. Recruiting, Supervision, Support and training
10. Whistleblowing
11. Complaints
12. Related policies and procedures
1. Commitment to Safeguarding
At this Club we are committed to safeguarding children and young people under the age of eighteen. We expect everyone to
share this commitment. We take all welfare concerns seriously and encourage children and young people to speak to us about
any worries they may have. We will always act in the best interest of the child.
2. Purpose and Scope of this Policy Statement
This Club works with children and families as part of its activities.
The purpose of this policy statement is:
 To protect children and young people who receive the Clubs services
 To provide parents, staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guides our approach to child protection
This policy statement applies to anyone working on behalf of the Club.
3. Legal framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seek to protect children in England, Northern
Ireland and Wales.
• Human Rights Act 1998
• Children Act 1989
• Children Act 2004
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018
• Keeping Children Safe in Education 2018
• Sexual Offences Act 2003
• Data Protection Act 2018
4. Abuse and Neglect: Definition, Signs and Symptoms
Definitions
Child
In England, Northern Ireland and Wales a child is someone under the age of 18, whether living with their families, in state care,
or living independently (Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018). This generally applies in Scotland (with some
exceptions applying to parts of the policy).
Safeguarding
Safeguarding children is defined in “Working together to safeguard children” as:
 Protecting children from maltreatment
 Preventing impairment of children’s health or development

MAGB_Safeguarding Policy_V.01_29032022

 Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
 Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes
Safeguarding vulnerable adults is defined in the “Care and support statutory guidance” issued under the Care Act 2014 as:
 Protecting the rights of adults to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect
 People and organisations working together to prevent and stop both the risks and experience of abuse or neglect
 People and organisations making sure that the children and adult’s wellbeing is promoted including, where appropriate,
taking fully into account their views, wishes, feelings and beliefs in deciding on any action
 Recognising that adults sometimes have complex interpersonal relationships and may be ambivalent, unclear or unrealistic
about their personal circumstances and therefore potential risks to their safety or wellbeing may occur
Child Abuse
Child abuse is any action by another person – adult or child – that causes significant harm to a child. It can be physical, sexual or
emotional, but can just as often be about a lack of love, care and attention. We know that neglect, whatever form it takes, can
be just as damaging to a child as physical abuse.
In addition to the above categories, there are other forms of harm or abuse that should involve the police and other
organisations working together to protect children. These include:
 Bullying
 Child Sexual Exploitation
 Hate crimes
 Abuse in domestic settings
 Honour based violence
 Forced marriage
 Human trafficking
 Exploitation by radicalisers who promote violence
 Membership of gangs inclined to use violence
An abused child will often experience more than one type of abuse, as well as other difficulties in their lives. It often happens
over a period of time, rather than being a one-off event. Everyone should be aware that abuse, neglect and safeguarding issues
are rarely standalone events that can be covered by one definition or label. In most cases, multiple issues will overlap with one
another.
Poor practice
Sometimes, your concerns may relate to poor practice, where an adult or another young person’s behaviour is inappropriate
and may be causing distress to a child or young person.
In the application of this policy, poor practice includes any behaviour which contravenes the principles of this document or the
relevant Code of Conduct or brings Martial Arts into disrepute, or which infringes an individual’s rights. Where poor practice is
serious or repeated this could also constitute abuse and should be reported immediately. Examples of poor practice towards
students include:
 Use of excessive, physical or humiliating punishments
 Failure to act when you witness possible abuse or bullying
 Being unaware of, or breaching, any relevant policy such as the Code of Ethics and Conduct
 Spending excessive amounts of time alone with young people away from others
 Inviting or allowing young people into your home where they will be alone with you
 Engaging in rough, physical or sexually provocative activity
 Allowing young people to use inappropriate language unchallenged
 Making sexually suggestive comments even in fun
 Reducing a person to tears as a form of control
 Allowing allegations made by a young person to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon
 Doing things of a personal nature for young people that they can do for themselves;
 Sharing a bedroom with a young person you are not related to, even with parental permission
If a young person needs assistance with personal care this level of support it should be made clear to their parent/s that this can
only be carried out by a designated carer and not by the instructor as it compromises their role as trainer and places them and

MAGB_Safeguarding Policy_V.01_29032022

the child in a vulnerable position. These support arrangements should clearly be in place and agreed to by all parties prior to the
activities commencing.
Signs and Symptoms
Signs that a young person may be being abused may include the following:
 Unexplained or suspicious injuries such as bruising, cuts or burns, particularly if situated on a part of the body not
normally prone to such injuries
 An injury for which the explanation seems inconsistent
 The young person describes what appears to be an abusive act involving him/her
 A young person or adult expresses concern about the welfare of another
 Unexplained changes in behaviour (e.g. becoming very quiet, withdrawn or displaying sudden outbursts of temper)
 Inappropriate sexual awareness
 Engaging in sexually explicit behaviour
 Sudden or unusual distrust of adults, particularly those with whom a close relationship would normally be expected
 Having difficulty in making friends
 Being prevented from socialising with other young people
 Displaying variations in eating patterns including overeating or loss of appetite or a sudden weight change
 Becoming increasingly dirty or unkempt
It should be recognised that this list is not exhaustive and the presence of one or more of the indicators is not proof that abuse
is actually taking place. For example, a family bereavement, which could cause some of the changes listed above.
Remember it is not the responsibility of the Club to decide if child abuse is occurring but to act on any concerns by reporting
them.
5. Codes of Conduct and Ethics
The codes of conduct and ethics for all those involved at the Club, can be found as a separate guidance sheet. It is essential
these are followed so the highest possible standards of behaviour and conduct in Martial Arts activities are maintained. The
principles must be adhered to at all times. All those involved at the Club will show their understanding and commitment to the
codes of conduct and ethics by signing a copy of the relevant guidance sheet.
6. Acting on Safeguarding Concerns
We all have a responsibility to make sure that concerns about children and vulnerable adults are passed to the appropriate
support agency without delay. Anyone concerned about a child or vulnerable adult being at risk of being abused or neglected
should not ignore their suspicions and should not assume that someone else will take action to protect that child or vulnerable
adult.
Whilst accepting this duty is recognised, the Club is not responsible for deciding if abuse has occurred. We do however have a
duty to respond and report concerns. The Club will have an appropriately trained Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
It is always difficult to hear about or witness harm or abuse experienced by a child or young person. The following points will be
helpful for both us and the child should they choose to disclose abuse to us:
 Stay calm
 Listen carefully to what is said and try not to interrupt
 Find an appropriate point early on to explain that it is likely that the information will need to be shared with others – do
not promise to keep secrets
 Allow them to continue at their own pace
 Ask questions for clarification only, and avoid asking questions that suggest an answer (leading questions)
 Reassure them that they are not to blame and have done the right thing in telling you
 If the concern is serious explain that you will need to get support from other trained people to help keep the child safe.
This must be shared even if the child doesn’t want you to tell anyone else
 Tell them what you will do next and with whom the information will be shared. If they are adamant that they do not
wish the information to be shared, explain that you will have to tell your DSL and that it will be discussed further with
them

MAGB_Safeguarding Policy_V.01_29032022

 Be aware of the possibility of forensic evidence if the disclosure relates to a recent incident of physical harm or injury
and try to protect any supporting materials e.g. bedding or clothing
 Contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
 Where you are unable to contact your DSL, advice can be sought from statutory agencies or the NSPCC Helpline
 All serious concerns must be referred to statutory agencies
All safeguarding concerns and poor practice occurrences, except if the issue concerns those individuals, must be reported to the
DSL. This includes issues raised concerning the activities of instructors or volunteers or, where there are concerns outside of
Club activities (for example at home, school or in the wider community).
Instructors and volunteers must also report the following to the DSL and make a written record of what they have done, seen or
heard, when:
• They have accidentally hurt a child
• A child seems distressed in any manner
• A child appears to be sexually aroused by their actions
• A child misunderstands or misinterprets something they have said or done
Where there is an allegation against an instructor or volunteer who works with children at the Club the DSL must report the
matter to the Local Authority Designated Officer.
If you think a child is in immediate danger or requires medical attention, you should call the Emergency Services on 999. You can
also ring the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 to report immediate risks. This is an immediate responsibility and will take
priority over informing the DSL.
7. Recording
Should a child make a disclosure a record in writing must be made as soon as possible, using their words as closely as possible
and where relevant, using the Clubs Report Form.
Note the date, time, any names mentioned, names and addresses to whom the information was given and who else is aware of
the allegation. Note or describe clearly any visible injury. Take care to distinguish between fact, observation, allegation and
opinion. It is important that the information you have is accurate.
Recording of any incident, including possible abuse or poor practice incidents, should also follow this procedure. In all situations,
including those in which the cause of concern arises either from a disclosure of abuse or from suspicion of abuse, it is vitally
important to record the details, regardless of whether they are shared with a statutory agency, as soon as possible using the
Incident Referral Form.
The record should be clear and factual as it may be needed by child or adult protection agencies and may, in the future, be used
as evidence in court. Records should be kept securely and shared only with those who need to know about the incident.

8. Recruiting, Supervision and Support &Training
The Club will take all reasonable steps to ensure unsuitable people are prevented from working with children. Whilst there may
be some reservations that volunteers could be put off by having to go through a recruitment process, it is important to ensure
reasonable steps have been taken to identify unsuitable individuals. Please refer to our Safer Recruitment policy for more detail.
Once recruited, all staff and volunteers at the Club will be informed, trained, supervised and supported to ensure that they
effectively safeguard children and know how to respond to any concerns. The Club will ensure that training and resources are
available to encourage the development of staff and volunteers. This will include:
• An induction to the work and the school/club
• A trial period in which to develop skills whilst supervised
• On going support and monitoring
There are currently no formal qualifications specifically for safeguarding and protecting children in sport. However, training
developed by sports and other organisations is available to strengthen the skills and knowledge of the sporting children’s
workforce to safeguard children and young people. Training plays an important role in equipping staff and volunteers to do their
job safely and effectively. Different safeguarding training is available depending on the person's role within the organisation.

MAGB_Safeguarding Policy_V.01_29032022

5
More information can be found on https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/training/
9. Whistleblowing
It's important that people within this Club have the confidence to come forward to speak or act if they're unhappy with
anything. Whistleblowing occurs when a person raises a concern about dangerous or illegal activity, or any wrongdoing within
their sports organisation. The NSPCC has a whistleblowing advice line to support professionals who have concerns about how
child protection issues are being handled in their own or another organisation.
10. Complaints
In order to ensure we develop an open culture where children and staff feel able to express any concerns, we have a procedure
for dealing with complaints from a child, worker, volunteer, parent or carer.
11. Related policies and procedures
This policy statement should be read alongside our organisational policies and procedures, including:
 Code of conduct for children/young people
 Code of conduct for Instructors
 Code of conduct for parents/guardians
 Equal opportunities policy
 Online policy
 Anti-bullying policy
 Photography and image sharing guidance
 Safer recruitment policy
 Complaints procedure
 Health and safety policy

MAGB Code of Conduct for Children and Young People

This Club is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of all its
members. The club believes that it is important that members, coaches, staff and
parents associated with the club should, at all times, show respect and
understanding for the safety and welfare of others. Therefore, members are
encouraged to be open at all times and to share any concerns or complaints that
they may have about any aspect of the club with the Chief Instructor.
Clubs should offer a positive experience for children and young people where they
can learn new things in a safe and positive environment.
As a member of this club, you are expected to abide by the following junior code of
practice:
Children and young people are expected to:
 Be friendly and particularly welcoming to new members
 Be supportive and committed to other members and offer encouragement
when required
 Keep yourself safe
 Report inappropriate behaviour or risky situations
 In competition, respect officials and opponents and accept decisions
 Show appropriate loyalty and be gracious in defeat
 Not cheat or be violent and aggressive
 Keep within the defined boundary of the training area
 Behave and listen to all instructions from the coach
 Show respect to other club members
 Take care of equipment owned by the club
 Respect the rights, dignity and worth of all participants regardless of age,
gender, ability, race, cultural background or religious beliefs or sexual identity
 Refrain from the use of inappropriate and/or racial language. This includes
bullying using new technologies like chat-rooms or texting
 Not get involved in inappropriate peer pressure and push others into
something they do not want to do
 Refrain from bullying
 Keep to agreed timings for training and competitions or inform your coach if
you are going to be late
 Wear suitable kit for training
 Keep a good standard of hygiene to show respect to other members training
with you
 Keep your nails clipped and filed
 Pay any fees for training or events promptly

MAGB_Code of Conduct_ Children&Young people_V.01_29032022

 Not smoke, consume alcohol or drugs on club premises or whilst
representing the club at competitions.
Children / Young People have the right to:
 Be safe and happy while training at the club.
 Be listened to
 Be respected and treated fairly
 Privacy
 Be referred to professional help if needed
 Be protected from abuse by other member or outside sources
 Participate on an equal basis, appropriate to their ability
 Experience competition and the desire to win
 Be believed
 Ask for help
 Have any concerns taken seriously and acted on
Any minor and general misbehaviour will be addressed by the Chief Instructor and
reported verbally to the designated person. More serious or persistent misbehaviour
may result in disciplinary action and potentially dismissal from the club. Parents will
be informed at all stages.

MAGB Code of Conduct for Instructors

The Club expects all Instructors, Staff and Volunteers involved to comply with this
code of conduct. Any breach of this code will be dealt with through the disciplinary
procedure.
This Club is committed to maintaining the highest possible standards of behavior and
conduct in Martial Arts activities. The following principle must be adhered to at all
times.
All instructors agree to:
 The General Principles of this policy
 Consider the safety and wellbeing of all individuals in their charge
 Ensure their behaviour is not misconstrued or open to allegations of
favouritism, misconduct or impropriety
 Maintain the appropriate boundaries in the working relationship between
instructor and student – especially when one person is aged below 18 years
of age or an adult at risk. While the instructor/student relationship exists, the
instructor is in a position of trust and as such should not engage in any
intimate relationship
 Refrain from any rough or sexualised play with children and adults they are
responsible for

MAGB_Code of Conduct_Instructors_V.01_29032022

 Do not engage in independent social media communication (messaging,
Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) with students. Club communication
should only be via group messaging where parents have full access
 Travel arrangements are the sole responsibility of participants/parents. In the
case of competition trips anybody under the age of 16 would be
accompanied by a parent/guardian if an overnight stay were required. This
would not be the responsibility of the instructor. If competition travel
arrangements are offered by the club, this will only be apply to groups of
participants (never to one instructor/ one child/young adult)
 Be able to justify any extra time spent with a child/young adult outside
training times
 Ensure that all training and playing demands are suitable and reasonable to
the age, maturity, experience and ability of the participants
 Ensure their competence and ability is sufficient so that the safety of
participants is not compromised
 Encourage participants to accept responsibility for their own behaviour and
performance
 Be appropriately qualified to teach your style and regularly seek
opportunities for continued professional development
 Adhere to the continued Professional Development Program
 Promote prevention and education regarding the misuse of performance
enhancing drugs and illegal substances
 Not attempt to exert undue influences and pressures in order to obtain
personal benefit or reward
 Must be able to recognise and accept when to refer or recommend
participants to other instructors or structures
 Agree what information that will be treated confidentially (this does not
preclude disclosure of information to persons who can be judged to have a
right to know such as in matters of discipline, legal and medical requirements
or where an individual’s health, safety or wellbeing may be at risk)
 Be a positive role model
 Project a good personal appearance of cleanliness and never coach whilst
under the influence of alcohol or any other intoxicating substance or smoke
in the environment where training takes place
 Never use foul, sexist or racist language or act in a violent/abusive manner
 Refrain from undue public criticism of other instructors or competition
officials
 Act as an ambassador and behave in a professional manner while
representing the Club
 Maintain a satisfactory criminal record disclosure in order to preserve due
care under child protection. Instructors teaching participants under the age
of 16 require an enhanced DBS check.

MAGB Code of Conduct for Parents/Guardians

General principles
All those involved must treat everyone equally and sensitively regardless of age,
disability, gender, race, ethnic origin, cultural or social background, sexual
orientation, religious belief, political affiliation or any other personal
characteristic/feature.
The Club opposes to any form of violent, offensive or discriminatory behaviour and
will act as necessary to remove individuals who do not abide by this Code of Ethics
and Conduct.
Everyone involved, both adults and young people, have a responsibility to treat
everyone with dignity, respect, sensitivity and fairness and to recognise that
children, young people and adults with special needs may face additional barriers.
Every young person or vulnerable adult involved should be able to participate in an
enjoyable and safe environment protected from abuse. Allegations of a child
protection nature relating to the breaking of this Code of Ethics and Conduct must
follow the reporting procedures as contained in the Safeguarding Policy and
Procedures.
All family/guardians of participants will:
 Teach your child to treat everyone equally and sensitively regardless of their
age, disability, gender, race, ethnic origin, cultural background, sexual
orientation, religious beliefs or political affiliation; gender, ethnic origin or
cultural background
 Collaborate to remove any verbal, physical and racist abuse from Martial Arts
 Not force an unwilling participant to join in a martial arts class/competition
 Remember children/young people participate for their enjoyment – not yours
 Promote respect for the rules and the officials and refrain from questioning their
judgement publicly
 Never make fun of or shout at a participant for making a mistake or losing a
competition;
 Support the fact that effort and teamwork are as important as winning
 Remember that young people and vulnerable adults learn best by example
 Recognise the value and importance of volunteers in Martial Arts. They selflessly
contribute with their time, energy and resources to provide recreational activities for
others