Anti-Bullying & Behaviour Policy

The policy will be reviewed on an annual basis unless circumstances arise requiring the policy to be reviewed earlier. 

Planned review:  February 2026

Principles and Values

Limitless Training Club takes bullying and its impact seriously. The Limitless team, members, attendees, and parents should be assured that known incident of bullying will be responded to. Bullying will not be tolerated.

Limitless Training Club will seek ways to counter the effects of bullying that may occur within the Club or relating to Club members, attendees, or the Limitless team.  Limitless Training Club’s ethos foster high expectations of good behaviour and we will challenge any behaviour that falls below this.

Objectives of this Policy

The Limitless team, members, attendees, and parents should understand what bullying is.

The Limitless team should know what Limitless Training Club’s policy is on bullying and follow it when bullying is reported.

Members, attendees, and parents should know what Limitless Training Club’s policy is on bullying and what they should do if bullying arises.

All of us have encountered bullying at some point in our lives, but we all deal with it differently. The aim of this policy is to work together to ensure that Limitless Training Club is a safe place for children and adults to be.

Definition of Bullying

Bullying is unacceptable behaviour used by an individual or group, usually repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group, either physically or emotionally. There is often a power imbalance that makes it hard for the victim to prevent or deal with the perpetrator’s actions.

The damage inflicted by bullying can frequently be underestimated. It can cause considerable distress to young people, or the person being bullied.

Bullying can affect a victim’s health, development or, at the extreme, causes them significant harm (including self-harm).

Bullying can be short term or continuous over long periods of time.

Bullying can be:

1. Emotional: being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting (e.g. hiding possessions, threatening gestures).
2. Physical: pushing, kicking, biting, hitting, slapping, punching or any use of violence.
3. Racial: racial taunts, graffiti, gestures.
4. Sexual: unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments.
5. Homophobic because of or focusing on the issue of sexuality.
6. Transphobic because of or focusing on the issue of gender.
7. Direct or indirect verbal: name calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing, cyberbullying (social media, email and chat misuse) mobile threats by text messaging and calls, misuse of technology (i.e. camera and video facilities).

Bullying may be related to:

• Race
• Gender
• Religion
• Culture
• Ability
• Special Educational Needs or disability
• Appearance or health conditions
• Home circumstances
• Sexual orientation
• Sexism or sexual bullying
• Or for no identifiable reason whatsoever

Bullying can take place in the gym, changing rooms, toilet, waiting areas, on breaks, on the journey to and from gym, on trips away and via text message, email, or on social media. It can take place in group activities and between individuals or families in the local community.

Perpetrators and Victims

Bullying takes place where there is an imbalance of power of one person or persons over another.

This can be achieved by:

• The age of the individual.
• The size of the individual.
• The strength of the individual.
• The perceived status in the group.
• The numbers or group size involved.
• Anonymity because of the use of cyber bullying.

Limitless team must remain vigilant about bullying behaviour and approach this in the same way as any other category of child abuse; that is, do not wait to be told before you raise concerns or deal directly with the matter.

A child who is being bullied may not admit they are being bullied. If you can see behaviour that you think is bullying behaviour you should address it.

Children may not be aware they are being bullied because they may be too young or have a level of special needs which means they may be unable to realise what others are doing to them.

The Limitless team must also be aware of those children who may be vulnerable children: those coming from families who are under stress or in difficulty, or those responding to emotional problems or mental health issues which may bring about a propensity to be unkind to others or may make them more likely to fall victim to the behaviour of others.

Why is it Important to Respond to Bullying?

Bullying hurts. No one deserves to be a victim of bulling. Bullying has the potential to damage the mental health of a victim. Everybody the right to be treated with respect. A person who is bullying needs to learn different ways of behaving.

Signs and Symptoms for Parents and the Limitless team

A child may indicate by signs or behaviour that he or she is being bullied. Adults should be aware of these possible signs, and they should investigate if a child:

• Does not want to come to gym.
• Becomes withdrawn, anxious, or lacking in confidence.
• Cries at gym or at home.
• Feels ill or has injuries more regularly than usual.
• Begins to make less effort in gym than previously.
• Has unexplained cuts or bruises.
• Becomes aggressive, disruptive, or unreasonable.
• Is bullying other children or siblings.
• Stops eating.
• Is frightened to say what is wrong.
• Regularly cannot find snacks or gym equipment because it goes missing.

These signs and behaviours could indicate other social, emotional and/or mental health problems, but bullying should be considered a possibility and should be investigated.

Responding to Victims of Bullying

If a member of the Limitless team becomes aware that a child is being bullied, they should:

• Offer the child reassurance and try to gain the child’s trust.
• Explain that you will have to tell the Head Trainer/Owner so that they can help with the problem. If the allegations are against the Head Trainer/Owner, the Company Administrator should be approached.
• Keep a note of the conversation (including date and time).
• Report suspicions of bullying to the Head Trainer/Owner.

Outcomes

• All known/reported incidents of bullying will be investigated by the Head Trainer/Owner.
• A full note will be taken of any reported incidents of bullying.
• The parents of the victim will be spoken to regarding any reported incidents.
• The parents of the accused attendee may also be spoken to about the incident or about any concerns that they may be having.
• If the accused person is a member of the Limitless team, they will be questioned about the incident by the Head Trainer/Owner, and/or the Company Administrator.
• The accused attendee who has been displaying unacceptable behaviour may be asked to genuinely apologise (as appropriate to the child’s age and level of understanding).
• Other consequences may take place e.g. a parent being informed about their child’s behaviour and a request that the parents support the Club with any sanctions that it takes.
• Wherever possible, the accused and the victim will be reconciled.
• If the perpetrator is a member of the Limitless team, the Head Trainer/Owner and/or Company Administrator will be informed and will decide on the necessary course of action.
• During and after the incident or incidents have been investigated and dealt with, each case will be recorded by the Head Trainer/Owner and monitored to ensure repeated bullying does not take place.

Prevention

The ethos and working philosophy of Limitless Training Club means that the Limitless team actively encourage children to have respect for each other, for other people’s property, and to have respect for the Limitless team.

Good and kind/polite behaviour is regularly acknowledged and rewarded.

Trainers must be vigilant regarding groups of friends together. Friendship groups may bring about the imbalance of power and must be led towards welcoming others to join them and not excluding others from their group.

The Limitless team has reinforced a general message that children do not have to be friends with everyone else, but they must be respectful of everyone else’s feelings and be kind to one another.

Signed: 

Company Director: Dwayne Paul

The Limitless team should lead by example.