Skip to content

Safeguarding in martial arts

Achieving the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts will recognise clubs and providers who’ve demonstrated that they’ve reached and maintained good safeguarding standards. It’ll empower parents and carers to make informed decisions when selecting a club or provider for their child.

The code – which can be viewed here – has been developed through close consultation between us, representatives from martial arts governing bodies and those with years of expertise in safeguarding, including the Child Protection in Sport Unit, the Ann Craft Trust and the National Working Group.

Judo fighters talking post-fight

Who can achieve the code?

The Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts can be achieved by governing bodies, associations and organisations. It can also be achieved by clubs or by instructors, coaches and teachers outside of a club structure.

British Judo affiliated clubs are encouraged to work through their Safelandings process rather than the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts.

Clubs affiliated to the British TaekwonDo Council should visit their website for information on how to apply and attain the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts, through the process set up for their clubs.

All other organisations, associations, clubs, private companies and sole trading instructors/coaches/teachers involved in martial arts can work towards the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts. 

The Code covers five broad areas:

  • Policy: Having a comprehensive safeguarding policy in place that’s been updated in the last three years
  • Procedures/systems: Covering areas such as reporting concern, through to recruitment of staff and volunteers
  • Practices: Covering codes of conduct for children, coaches and parents through to practical guidance on the use of social media
  • Education and training: Ensuring that coaches are appropriately qualified and have undertaken safeguarding training
  • Implementing and monitoring: Ensuring that policies are reviewed regularly and that risk assessments are in place.

To find out more and to register and start working towards the code, visit the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts website. 

Safeguarding Code website

Our policy on cold calls

Sport England and any funded organisations involved in administering the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts, such as National Working Group, will never ‘cold call’ individuals, clubs or organisations who’ve registered to apply to receive the Safeguarding Code.

Applicants’ phone numbers are not collected as part of the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts registration process and applicants for the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts will only be contacted via email for the purposes of processing and maintaining applications, where relevant consent has already been provided.

There’s also no cost involved for individuals, clubs or organisations in applying to receive the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts.

For the avoidance of doubt, if you do receive a call relating to the administration of the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts, it’s unlikely to be from Sport England and/or National Working Group.

These cold-call phone scams typically involve fraudsters deceiving people into believing they’re speaking to a trusted company or agency such as a government department.

Report a cold call to the regulator

No one involved in sport and physical activity, whether they’re a volunteer, participant, spectator or an elite athlete, should ever have to worry about abuse or harassment.

Find out more about safeguarding

Sign up to our newsletter

You can find out exactly how we'll look after your personal data, but rest assured we’ll only use it to make sure you receive our newsletter, to understand how you interact with our newsletter, and to provide administrative information about our newsletter.