01/05/2026
Safeguarding policies for any martial arts club taking instruction of children and adults should be openly available to students at any time. At Spartan Element Kickboxing Academy, ours is displayed clearly in the policies section of our website and we carry a paper copy with us at every session we run. We will also print and provide one to anyone who trains with us or who is looking to train with us, who requests one, without question.
Staff should all be aware of safeguarding policies and have a full understanding of safeguarding practices and the correct application of those policies and practices in a martial arts environment where children and adults are under thier instruction. This is not only vital, it should be one of the clubs top priorities. Safeguarding policies should never just be there to give the illusion of compliance.
Someone in a position of authority—especially in roles involving children or vulnerable adults—holds a fundamental duty of care. Safeguarding is not optional, situational, or dependent on personal convenience; it is a core professional and ethical responsibility.
A person who believes safeguarding only applies to children, or that it should only be enforced when it won’t cause them personal or professional backlash, demonstrates a serious misunderstanding of that duty—and poses a risk to the very people they are meant to protect.
First, safeguarding applies to both children and adults because vulnerability is not limited by age. Adults can be at risk due to disability, illness, mental health conditions, or dependency on others. Vulnerability is not alway visible or obvious. Ignoring this reflects a lack of basic knowledge required for many regulated roles, such as teaching, healthcare, social work, support services, or those taking the lead role in regulated extra curricular activities and groups. It suggests the individual is either inadequately trained or unwilling to apply their training in practice—both of which are disqualifying in safeguarding-sensitive environments.
Second, safeguarding requires proactive action, not selective enforcement. Waiting to act only when it is “safe” from backlash undermines the entire purpose of safeguarding frameworks. These systems are designed to protect individuals from harm, often in situations where speaking up is uncomfortable, challenging, or professionally risky. A person who prioritizes their own reputation, comfort or financial gains or losses over the safety of others, is fundamentally misaligned with the responsibilities of their role.
Third, and a major red flag, is asking—or pressuring—someone to leave an organisation because they have raised safeguarding concerns or questioned your approach to a concern raised, whether their concern was raised directly or indirectly. It suggests a culture where concerns are suppressed rather than addressed. This kind of response shifts focus away from the potential risk or harm and instead targets the individual who is attempting to uphold safeguarding principles. In many professional contexts, this can amount to retaliation or victimisation, which not only discourages others from speaking up but can also allow unsafe practices to continue unchecked. A healthy organisation should welcome and properly investigate safeguarding concerns, not remove the people who raise them.
Fourth, the above mindset creates a culture of silence and risk. If someone in authority avoids reporting or addressing concerns due to fear of backlash—or worse, contributes to backlash against others—it discourages openness and accountability. Safeguarding depends on people feeling able to raise concerns without fear of negative consequences. When that psychological safety is absent, the likelihood of harm increases significantly.
Finally, professional roles involving care and supervision are built on trust. Parents, families, and vulnerable individuals rely on those in authority to act in their best interests at all times. When someone selectively applies safeguarding principles or enables a culture that punishes those who raise concerns, they breach that trust. This is not a minor lapse in judgment—it is a fundamental failure of professional integrity.
In summary, a person who limits safeguarding to children alone, applies it only when convenient, or supports the exclusion of those who raise concerns demonstrates a lack of competence, accountability, and ethical responsibility. These are not qualities that can be overlooked in high-risk environments. For the safety and wellbeing of those they serve, such individuals should not remain in positions of authority or care unless they undergo significant retraining and demonstrate a clear, consistent commitment to safeguarding in all its forms.
Anyone in a position of authority or leadership, who reacts negatively and applies punishment to anyone who raises safeguarding concerns or questions an approach to a reported concern, is clearly aware they may be underperforming when it comes to thier safeguarding responsibilities and that they clearly cannot present a case to show they are handling safeguarding concerns in the correct and expected way.
At Spartan Element, we can promise you all, that if safeguarding concerns are raised or approaches to concerns raised are questioned, they will be fully investigated and all parties involved will be kept informed of how the issue is being dealt with in order to show not only transparency, but also that are we taking these concerns seriously, protecting vulnerable students, (whether child or adult) who train in our environment. If after these actions have been taken an individual still feels we are not handling a safeguarding concern adequately, we urge them to seek advice from our governing body. CMAA.
We have nothing to hide where it comes to our safeguarding approaches at Spartan Element.
Any member of staff seen to be cherry picking where they apply safeguarding practices or ignoring safeguarding concerns for any reason, will be subject to disciplinary action, asked to retake thier training and/or face possible dismissal.
You are safe in our environment.
