Thrive Jiujitsu Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals involved in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) activities at the club, particularly children (under 18 years of age) and vulnerable adults. We aim to create a safe and positive environment, free from any form of abuse, bullying, or exploitation. This policy adheres to UK safeguarding laws and guidelines, including the Children Act 1989, the Children Act 2004, the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, and Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018) and UKBJJA safeguarding standards. 

This policy applies to:

• All coaches, instructors, staff, volunteers, and members of Thrive Jiujitsu Academy.
• All activities, events, and sessions hosted by Thrive Jiujitsu. 
• Any persons involved in activities at the club, including children, young people, vulnerable adults, and their families.

• Child/Young Person: Any individual under the age of 18.
• Vulnerable Adult: A person aged 18 or over who may need additional support due to mental, physical, or social impairments, making them more susceptible to harm or exploitation.
• Safeguarding: The action of protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, or exploitation and ensuring their well-being.
• Abuse: Any form of physical, emotional, sexual harm, or neglect that causes harm to an individual.

• To provide clear guidance on the safeguarding roles and responsibilities of all staff, coaches, and volunteers.
• To promote the safety and welfare of children and vulnerable adults during club activities.
• To ensure proper training, procedures, and practices are in place to protect members from harm.
• To ensure all concerns or allegations of abuse are reported and managed appropriately.

All staff, coaches, volunteers, and members have a responsibility to safeguard children and vulnerable adults by:

• Treating all individuals with respect, dignity, and fairness.
• Ensuring appropriate supervision and safe training environments.
• Responding to any concerns, allegations, or incidents of abuse or inappropriate behaviour.
• Maintaining confidentiality in line with data protection regulations. 
• Any sexual relationship within a position of trust is strictly prohibited.

Thrive Jiujitsu Academy will appoint a dedicated Safeguarding Officer who is responsible for:

• Acting as the first point of contact for safeguarding concerns or allegations.
• Ensuring safeguarding policies and procedures are regularly reviewed and updated.
• Promoting safeguarding awareness within the club.
• Liaising with external agencies, such as local safeguarding boards or the police, where necessary.
• Overseeing DBS checks for all relevant staff and volunteers.

Our safeguarding officer is Sinead Everett.

All coaches, staff, and volunteers working with children or vulnerable adults at Thrive Jiujitsu Academy must undergo:

• Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks before commencing their role.
• Reference checks from previous employers or organisations, where applicable.
• An interview process to assess suitability for working with children and vulnerable adults.
• NI checks.
• First aid certification.

• All staff and volunteers will receive safeguarding training, including how to recognise and respond to signs of abuse, bullying, or neglect.
• Regular refresher safeguarding training will be provided to ensure ongoing awareness and compliance with current safeguarding practices.
• Coaches will receive additional training on maintaining a safe environment during physical training, ensuring techniques and instruction are age-appropriate and conducted in a manner that prioritises safety.

All staff, coaches, and volunteers must:

• Always work in an open and transparent manner, avoiding situations where they are alone with a child or vulnerable adult without appropriate supervision or CCTV.
• Use appropriate language and behaviour when interacting with children and vulnerable adults.
• Respect the personal space and boundaries of individuals, particularly when engaging in physical contact as part of BJJ training.
• Ensure children and vulnerable adults are appropriately dressed and equipped for training.
• Report any concerns or inappropriate behaviour to the Safeguarding Officer.

Abuse may manifest in many ways, including:

• Physical abuse: Causing deliberate harm, such as hitting, shaking, or inappropriate restraint including over exercising and under feeding or encouraging children to make a weight category. 
• Emotional abuse: Bullying, threats, continual belittling, negative comments, affecting mental wellbeing.
• Sexual abuse: Any inappropriate sexual behaviour, words or physical, or exploitation.
• Neglect: Failing to provide basic needs such as food, clothing, or medical care.
• Discrimination:  Discrimination occurs when a child is treated unfairly or excluded because of personal characteristics such as their race, gender, disability, religion, or background. 

• Any concerns about the welfare of a child or vulnerable adult must be reported immediately to the Safeguarding Officer.
• If the Safeguarding Officer is unavailable, or if the concern relates to the Safeguarding Officer, concerns should be reported to the Head Coach. 
• The Club Safeguarding Officer will refer allegations to Children’s Social Care or the Police as necessary.
• In cases of immediate danger or serious harm, contact emergency services on 999.

• Thrive Jiujitsu Academy will treat all allegations seriously and with sensitivity including protecting the victims and their information, only sharing information on a "need to know" basis.  
• Individuals are not responsible for determining if abuse is occurring but must act on concerns to protect children.
• The Safeguarding Officer will investigate and report concerns to external safeguarding authorities where necessary.
• The club will support any individual involved in or affected by abuse, ensuring their welfare is prioritised.
• In certain situations, it may not be safe to inform parents or carers about concerns.

Thrive Jiujitsu Academy has a zero-tolerance approach to bullying or harassment, including:

• Physical bullying, such as hitting or intimidating behaviour.
• Verbal bullying, such as name-calling, sexual, or derogatory remarks.
• Cyberbullying, including harassment or threats made online or via social media.

 Any incidents of bullying or harassment will be reported to the Safeguarding Officer or Head Coach and addressed in line with this policy.

• No photographs or videos may be taken during training sessions or events without consent from the individual(s) involved or, in the case of children, their parent/guardian.
• Parents and guardians should only film/photograph their own child and be mindful of other children in view and the impact of posting content online.  
• Images should focus on the activity and not individual children, ensuring appropriate dress and context.
• The use of a camera with a telescopic / zoom lens outside of our staff for pre-approved promotional or graduation use is strictly prohibited. 
• Any promotional materials involving photographs or videos of children will require written consent from the parent/guardian.  If images of you or your child have been posted online for promotional use, you can request that they are removed at any point simply by contacting us and requesting their removal. 
• Social media posts do not include children's full names or any unnecessary additional information which might identify them. 

• Information about safeguarding concerns will be handled in accordance with data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

• Information will only be shared on a need-to-know basis with appropriate professionals, including local safeguarding boards, the police, or healthcare professionals, to ensure the safety of the individual.

This safeguarding policy will be reviewed annually or in response to any major incidents, changes in legislation, or changes within the club. The Safeguarding Officer will be responsible for ensuring that the policy is up-to-date and fully implemented across the academy.

Last updated Feb 2026.

For any safeguarding concerns or further information on our safeguarding policy, please contact our Safeguarding Officer, Sinead at Thrive Jiujitsu Academy.