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New Safeguarding Qualifications Now Available

We’re thrilled to announce the introduction of a new range of BMABA specialist martial arts instructor qualifications for martial arts safeguarding. Created by industry experts, our new Safeguarding In Martial Arts Qualification and our new Lead Safeguarding Qualification for Martial Arts provides a comprehensive and truly affordable option for clubs and instructors who are striving to safeguard their members effectively.

We’ve spent months building the two courses. Specifically aimed at martial arts instructors and built around the work we all do in the dojo, the courses are designed to be as straight forward, interesting and eye-opening as possible.

We can now offer two courses directly in-house;

 

We provide safeguarding qualifications free of charge to all Silver, Gold and Platinum members. For Bronze members, the cost is from just £9.99 ‘all-in’ and this includes certification.

We also bundle safeguarding qualifications into assistant and trainee instructor memberships, as well as volunteer memberships without cost.

Available Courses & Costs

BMABA Safeguarding In Martial Arts Qualification

What does the safeguarding qualification cover and how does it work?

Built off the back of our decade long work regulation martial arts and working with clubs, students and LADOs on safeguarding, the BMABA safeguarding qualification aims to provide an in-depth training course that meets the minimum standards set for instructors, clubs and assistants.

Our courses are delivered entirely online with a combination of text, audio and video. The course has regular assessments throughout using our interactive online learning software. Certification is awarded on completion.

The course covers all aspects of identifying what safeguarding is and what a concern might look like, how concerns should be dealt with and how the reporting process works. We also provide a separate lead safeguarding qualification for those working as the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

Online Safeguarding Children Course Content

The course covers;

  • Legislation and guidance on safeguarding children
  • The recognition and types of child abuse
  • How to respond to concerns and what to do in the event of a disclosure
  • Who to contact when there is a child protection concern
  • Fulfilling your “duty of care”
  • Safer practice and keeping children safe

A personalised and dated certificate will be provided upon successful completion of the Standard Child Safeguarding training course. Certificates can be downloaded in PDF format and printed at any time. Safeguarding course certificates remain valid for two years.

Costs

This course is included free of charge for all silver, gold and platinum members. Bronze members are charged just £9.99 for the standard safeguarding course and £14.99 for the lead safeguarding course. We don’t wrap this course up into all membership levels as some clubs won’t require it, so we don’t like to pass along the costs if it’s not necessary.

The full list of modules taught covers;

An Introduction To Safeguarding
The Basics
BMABA Regulation On Safeguarding
Stats & Stories – The Realities
Defining Child Abuse
Types Of Abuse
Indications Of Abuse
Responding To Suspicions & Disclosures
Recording Information Surrounding Disclosures
Reporting A Concern
Concerns Arising Outside Of The Dojo
Best Practice & Poor Practice
Summary & Conclusion
Safeguarding In Martial Arts Assessment

BMABA Lead Safeguarding In Martial Arts Qualification

What does the BMABA martial arts lead safeguarding qualification cover and how does it work?

The BMABA Lead Safeguarding Qualification is designed exclusively for ‘DSLs’ (Designated Safeguarding Leads) and Welfare Officers. The course goes beyond the standard safeguarding scope to expand on the depths of lead safeguarding including aspects of setting up safeguarding policies, managing internal safeguarding concerns and how to liaise with statutory authorities, such as the Police and LADO.

This is a recommended course for any lead instructor and is compulsory for any club who does not have BMABA mandated as their safeguarding lead.

We’ll use a blend of in-house and external videos to help demonstrate key subject matters, including two 60min+ pre-recorded webinars, complimented with case studies and written notes.

We’ll cover;

  • An Introduction To Lead Safeguarding Training
  • Why You’re Here.
  • Lead Safeguarding Webinar
  • Creating A Safeguarding Policy
  • Escalating Concerns Webinar
  • Further Reading
  • Summary

A personalised and dated certificate will be provided upon successful completion of the Lead Child Safeguarding training course. Certificates can be downloaded in PDF format and printed at any time. Safeguarding course certificates remain valid for two years.

Costs

This course is included free of charge for all silver, gold and platinum members. Bronze members are charged just £14.99 for the lead safeguarding course. We don’t wrap this course up into all membership levels as some clubs won’t require it, so we don’t like to pass along the costs if it’s not necessary.

Beautiful Certification, Automatically Issued On Completion

Upon completion of our martial arts safeguarding qualifications, we provide access to stunning PDF certification to ensure your hard work and dedication to improving safeguarding in martial arts is properly and professionally recognised.

Take Your Training With You Via The Free MyBMABA App

Exclusively for our instructors, you can now use our free MyBMABA instructor app to download content for offline completion. This allows you to tackle some of the more advanced content, including our webinars, on the move. 

The Latest Guidance & Learning Experience For Martial Arts

Gone (should be) the days of sending off cheques and awaiting binders of course-work printed from a home-printer to undertake a course. All of our awards work through a national and enterprise-level learning management system capable of allowing access on any device, 24/7. Access specialist support and peer-to-peer community led assistance at every step of the qualification pathway.

ACCESS THESE QUALIFICATIONS

To access our leading safeguarding qualifications, you’ll need to be a member of BMABA. Silver and Gold members can access all courses without charge. We also provide the standard safeguarding qualification for volunteers and assistant instructors without charge.

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We’re Here When You Need Us.

We know choosing the right association—or just figuring out what support your club really needs—can feel overwhelming. That’s why we’re always happy to talk it through.

Whether you’re curious about membership, need help with something specific, or just want a no-pressure chat to see if we’re the right fit, our team is ready. No bots. No scripts. Just real people, working full-time from our UK office, here to help clubs like yours thrive.

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We know choosing a governing body isn’t something you rush. That’s why our team is always here to offer honest, impartial advice — no pressure, no sales scripts.

Whether you’re comparing support, questioning the value in your current membership, or just need to talk things through — we’re happy to help.

We’re a real team, working full-time from our UK office — not a voluntary outfit run from someone’s kitchen table. You’ll feel the difference the moment you get in touch.

Trusted by more than 6,500 instructors and clubs.

A National, Regulated, Award-Winning Not-For-Profit - Built From The Ground Up

BMABA CIC isn’t just another organisation claiming to serve martial arts — we’re a regulated, independently audited, multi-award-winning social enterprise leading from the front.

We hold ISO9001:2015 certification under UKAS accreditation — the same gold standard used to assess hospitals, universities, and major corporations. We’re also regulated by the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies (CIC Regulator), meaning we’re legally bound to reinvest every penny back into grassroots martial arts.

We haven’t been propped up by corporate sponsors or legacy funding. We’ve grown organically — one instructor at a time, by doing what we said we’d do and showing up when others didn’t. Since 2012, we’ve supported clubs through hardship, driven national reforms, and built a respected, professional home for independent martial arts.

Today, we’re trusted by more than 6,500 instructors and clubs and support over 100,000 members across 140+ disciplines. Along the way, we’ve earned national recognition — from awards in governance and inclusion, to features across BBC, ITV, and The Guardian.

We didn’t inherit status. We earned it — by raising the bar, and never compromising on our values.

Empower Your Club With A Platform That Works For You

Run your martial arts club smarter with our full-featured, professionally-built Club Management Platform — funded entirely by our not-for-profit mission, not a corporate agenda. No upsells. No hidden costs. Just powerful, intuitive tools included free with your membership.

Built to save you time, money, and stress — and trusted by thousands of clubs nationwide.

Plus So Much More As Standard Just Some Of The Tools & Resources We Offer

  • Instructor Certification & Licensing
  • Student Insurance & Licensing
  • Free Instructor Qualifications
  • Safeguarding Qualifications
  • Enhanced DBS Checks
  • First Aid Training
  • Free Club Website
  • Club Management Support
  • Instructor Certification & Licensing
  • Logos & Accreditation Marks
  • SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Platform
  • Local & National Networking
  • Stock Grading Certificates
  • Free Instructor Qualifications
  • Template Documents & Forms
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  • Safeguarding Code For Martial Arts
  • Best Practice Guidance
  • Wordpress Hosting
  • a.i For Martial Arts
  • Event Management Checklists
  • Safeguarding Model Policies
  • Analytics & Tracking Tools
  • Budgeting Apps
  • Professional Webmail
  • Clothing & Uniform
  • Cyber Toolkit
  • Cash Grants & Funding
  • Risk Management Awards
  • Concussion & Head Injury
  • National Advertising
  • Entrepreneur's Support
  • Plus So Much More
Why Do Thousands Choose BMABA?

Not everyone understands what makes us different. But for those who do, the reasons are clear — from our award-winning governance to the groundbreaking support we offer clubs of all sizes.

Whether it’s our industry-leading safeguarding standards, our not-for-profit mission, or our powerful club tech funded purely by membership — there’s a reason more than 6,500 instructors and 3,500 clubs trust us.

Built For The Sector — Not For Shareholders

BMABA wasn’t inherited or bought — it was built. And in 2025, we made the bold decision to give it away.

Our founder, who grew up in poverty and built BMABA from scratch with just £20, voluntarily converted the organisation into a regulated not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) — surrendering nearly £2 million in private value to protect its mission for the long term. That means no for profit shareholders, no dividends, and no profiteering — just an unwavering commitment to community impact.

We’re a registered social enterprise, governed by the CIC Regulator, certified to ISO9001:2015 under UKAS accreditation, and led by a multi-award winning social entrepreneur who believes martial arts should serve the people, not the few.

This isn’t a vanity project with self-appointed 8th dans — it’s a movement, built for clubs, by clubs.

Nationally Recognised Standards

Our Club Colours and Regulation Ready awards go far beyond branding or badges — they represent some of the most robust safeguarding and compliance standards available anywhere in UK martial arts.

Mapped directly against the Safeguarding Code in Martial Arts (SCiMA) and formally approved by Sport England, our frameworks allow clubs to earn full SCiMA recognition directly through the MyBMABA platform — automatically and at no cost. We are the only independent governing body, and one of just two organisations nationwide, including Sport England’s own NGBs, granted the authority to issue SCiMA certification in this way.

No waiting. No third-party submission. No extra cost. Every BMABA member has access to this, included as part of our not-for-profit mission to raise standards from the ground up.

Others talk about safeguarding. We built a national infrastructure to deliver it.

Not Entirely Sure?

We offer a genuine 12 months of free membership — with absolutely no catches, obligations, or hidden clauses.

Why? Because we believe you deserve the chance to see, first-hand, what it feels like to be supported by an organisation that genuinely has your back. We know how often martial arts clubs have been let down by associations and governing bodies that overpromise and underdeliver — or worse, treat instructors as revenue, not people.

We’re not here to sell you on hype. We’re here to show you what real, modern martial arts governance and support can look like.

Whether you’re looking for insurance, safeguarding help, student tools, guidance, structure, or just a community that understands your club’s challenges — our free membership gives you access to the same resources, platform, and support we provide to thousands of instructors and clubs across the UK.

No commitment. No pressure. Just a genuine opportunity to explore what we offer — and decide for yourself.

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