Policies

SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND ADULTS AT RISK POLICY

Organisation: Boxology Limited
Trading names: Boxology® Academy and Boxology® Online
Company number: 10523458
Designated Safeguarding Lead: Cathy Brown – Director
Deputy Safeguarding Lead: Greg Williams – Director
Version: 2.0
Effective date: 3 August 2026
Review date: 3 August 2027, or sooner if safeguarding requirements or activities change

1. Purpose

Boxology Limited is committed to protecting children and adults at risk from abuse, neglect, exploitation and avoidable harm.

We aim to create safe, respectful and supportive environments across our:

  • face-to-face and online courses;

  • assessments and memberships;

  • workshops and events;

  • community programmes;

  • digital communications; and

  • work delivered for HEADGUARD or another partner.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Concerns will be taken seriously and responded to promptly.

2. Organisational responsibility

Boxology® Academy and Boxology® Online are trading names of Boxology Limited.

Boxology Limited is legally and financially separate from:

  • HEADGUARD C.I.C., company number 16212678; and

  • any separate HEADGUARD CIO that may be registered in the future.

Where Boxology Limited delivers training for HEADGUARD C.I.C. or another organisation, the written project arrangements must identify:

  • the organisation responsible for the programme;

  • the designated safeguarding contacts;

  • reporting and referral procedures;

  • supervision and staffing responsibilities;

  • safer-recruitment requirements;

  • information-sharing arrangements; and

  • responsibility for any partner venue, transport or accommodation.

Any future HEADGUARD CIO will require its own trustee-approved safeguarding policy and reporting arrangements. It must not be treated as operational before registration.

3. CIMSPA alignment

Boxology Limited is a CIMSPA Training Provider Partner.

This policy supports the safe delivery of Boxology’s CIMSPA-endorsed education and its responsibilities as a training provider. Boxology Limited remains responsible for safeguarding within its own courses, personnel and delivery.

CIMSPA endorsement does not replace the responsibility to report concerns to the police, local-authority safeguarding services, the Disclosure and Barring Service or another appropriate authority where necessary.

4. Who this policy protects

For this policy:

  • a child is anyone under 18;

  • an adult at risk is an adult who has care and support needs, is experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect, and may be unable to protect themselves because of those needs.

Children and teenagers may participate in specifically approved HEADGUARD, school, community or partner programmes even though Boxology’s ordinary commercial professional courses are normally restricted to adults.

This policy applies to:

  • directors, staff and contractors;

  • tutors, assessors and coaches;

  • volunteers;

  • learners, members and participants;

  • parents and carers;

  • partner representatives; and

  • anyone acting on behalf of Boxology Limited.

5. Safeguarding principles

Boxology Limited will:

  • place safety and welfare first;

  • listen to concerns without judgment;

  • respect dignity, privacy and individual wishes;

  • use trauma-informed and age-appropriate approaches;

  • avoid unnecessary or intrusive questioning;

  • make reasonable adjustments where required;

  • share information where necessary to protect someone;

  • maintain clear professional boundaries; and

  • work with appropriate safeguarding and statutory services.

No participant will be required to disclose trauma, abuse or other private experiences merely to take part in a course or programme.

HEADGUARD programmes delivered by Boxology are safe, trauma-informed, non-contact and non-clinical. They do not include sparring, competitive fighting, participant-to-participant striking or intentional impact contact.

6. Forms of abuse and harm

Safeguarding concerns may include:

  • physical abuse;

  • sexual abuse or harassment;

  • emotional or psychological abuse;

  • neglect;

  • domestic abuse;

  • coercive or controlling behaviour;

  • financial or material abuse;

  • discriminatory or hate-based abuse;

  • bullying or cyberbullying;

  • grooming;

  • trafficking, exploitation or modern slavery;

  • radicalisation;

  • self-neglect;

  • organisational abuse;

  • unsafe professional conduct; or

  • inappropriate relationships or boundaries.

A safeguarding concern does not need to be proven before it is reported.

7. Safeguarding contacts

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Cathy Brown
Director, Boxology Limited
Email: info@boxology.academy

Deputy Safeguarding Lead

Greg Williams
Director, Boxology Limited

Where a concern relates to Cathy Brown, it must be reported to Greg Williams or directly to the appropriate external safeguarding authority.

Where a concern relates to both directors, or cannot safely be reported internally, it should be reported directly to:

  • the police;

  • the relevant local-authority children’s or adult safeguarding service;

  • the Local Authority Designated Officer where the concern involves an adult working with a child; or

  • another appropriate statutory authority.

Project participants will also be given the local safeguarding contacts relevant to their programme.

8. Reporting a concern

Where someone is in immediate danger, a serious crime may be taking place or urgent medical assistance is required, call 999.

All other safeguarding concerns should be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead as soon as possible and ordinarily on the same day.

The report should record:

  • the person’s name;

  • the date, time and location;

  • what was seen, heard or disclosed;

  • the person’s own words where possible;

  • any immediate action taken;

  • who else was present; and

  • the reporter’s name and contact details.

The person reporting should:

  • remain calm;

  • listen carefully;

  • take the concern seriously;

  • avoid leading questions;

  • not promise complete confidentiality;

  • not confront the alleged perpetrator;

  • not conduct their own investigation; and

  • preserve relevant evidence.

The DSL will decide whether the matter should be referred to a partner safeguarding lead, local authority, police, DBS or another appropriate body.

9. Responding to a disclosure

Where a child or adult discloses abuse or harm:

  • reassure them that they were right to speak;

  • do not express shock or disbelief;

  • do not ask them to repeat the account unnecessarily;

  • explain that information may need to be shared to help keep them or someone else safe;

  • record the disclosure accurately; and

  • report it immediately.

The person’s wishes will be considered, but confidentiality cannot be guaranteed where someone may be at risk of harm.

10. Safer recruitment and supervision

Boxology Limited will use proportionate safer-recruitment measures for roles involving children or adults at risk. These may include:

  • identity and qualification checks;

  • references;

  • employment or activity history;

  • interviews and suitability assessment;

  • safeguarding declarations;

  • appropriate DBS checks where the role is legally eligible;

  • safeguarding training;

  • a code of conduct; and

  • induction and supervision.

The level of DBS check must match the role. Boxology Limited will not request a higher level of check than the law permits.

Partner organisations must confirm the suitability of personnel for whom they are responsible.

11. Professional boundaries and physical activity

Staff, tutors, contractors and volunteers must:

  • use respectful and appropriate language;

  • avoid favouritism and inappropriate personal relationships;

  • use only necessary, explained and appropriate physical contact;

  • respect a participant’s right to decline contact;

  • avoid unnecessary one-to-one isolated situations;

  • use approved communication channels;

  • not exchange sexualised, exploitative or inappropriate messages;

  • not transport a child alone unless specifically authorised and risk assessed;

  • not give personal gifts or money in a way that creates dependency or secrecy; and

  • report low-level concerns or boundary breaches.

Boxing instruction, pad work and physical correction must be explained in advance and delivered appropriately for the participant’s age, needs and consent.

12. Online safety and communication

Online contact with children or adults at risk must use approved organisational accounts and platforms.

Staff must not:

  • use disappearing-message functions for programme communication;

  • communicate privately with a child through a personal social-media account;

  • request inappropriate photographs or personal information;

  • record an online session without prior authority; or

  • share participant information in an unauthorised group.

Where reasonably practicable, communication with a child should include a parent, guardian, partner representative or second authorised adult.

13. Photography, filming and personal stories

Participation does not automatically constitute consent to photography, filming or promotional use.

Separate, informed permission must be obtained where required. A child or participant’s own wishes must also be respected.

Images and stories must not:

  • reveal a safe-house or confidential location;

  • identify someone where doing so could place them at risk;

  • sensationalise trauma or abuse;

  • undermine dignity;

  • disclose safeguarding information; or

  • imply that participation or support depended on media consent.

Refusing promotional consent will not prevent access to a course or funded programme.

14. Records, confidentiality and information sharing

Safeguarding records will be:

  • factual and dated;

  • stored securely;

  • kept separately from ordinary course records where appropriate;

  • restricted to people with a legitimate need to know; and

  • retained in accordance with the Boxology Limited Privacy Notice.

Information may be shared without consent where necessary to protect a child or adult at risk, prevent serious harm, make a lawful referral or comply with legal duties.

Information will not automatically be shared between Boxology Limited, HEADGUARD C.I.C. and any future HEADGUARD CIO. The purpose and lawful basis for sharing must be identified.

15. Overseas and partner delivery

Before overseas or partner delivery begins, Boxology Limited and the responsible organisation must agree:

  • local safeguarding contacts;

  • emergency and referral routes;

  • staffing and supervision;

  • accommodation and transport boundaries;

  • photography and filming controls;

  • interpreter arrangements;

  • communication with participants;

  • risk assessment; and

  • how UK safeguarding expectations will operate alongside local law.

A project will be suspended or stopped where adequate safeguarding arrangements cannot be established or maintained.

16. Breaches and allegations

A safeguarding allegation involving a member of staff, tutor, contractor or volunteer will be taken seriously.

Boxology Limited may:

  • introduce immediate protective measures;

  • suspend or restrict duties while enquiries take place;

  • refer the matter to the relevant partner;

  • contact the Local Authority Designated Officer;

  • make a DBS referral where the legal conditions are met;

  • report suspected criminal conduct; or

  • end a person’s involvement following a fair process.

Temporary protective action does not itself amount to a finding of wrongdoing.

17. Training and review

People with safeguarding responsibilities will receive training appropriate to their roles.

This policy will be reviewed annually and sooner where:

  • legislation or statutory guidance changes;

  • CIMSPA requirements change;

  • Boxology or HEADGUARD delivery changes;

  • a safeguarding incident identifies a gap; or

  • learning from a partner programme requires improvement.

Policy owner: Cathy Brown, Director and Designated Safeguarding Lead, Boxology Limited.

 
 

Boxology® Company number 10523458