Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy

Effective 4 July 2026 · Last updated 4 July 2026

1. Scope & who is responsible

This policy covers how Levelup360HQ Ltd("LU360", "we"), as the provider of the platform at app.levelup360hq.com, protects children whose information is processed on it. It sits alongside — and does not replace — the safeguarding policy of each club that uses LU360.

The club is the primary safeguarding organisationfor its members. Each club is responsible for appointing a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO), vetting its own coaches and volunteers (for example via DBS checks in England & Wales), and following the safeguarding requirements of its National Governing Body. LU360 provides the tools; the club provides the duty of care to the child in person.

2. Our commitment

• The welfare of the child is the paramount consideration in how we build and run the platform.
• Every child has the right to protection from harm, regardless of age, ability, gender, race, religion, or background.
• We design with the ICO's Age Appropriate Design Code and a "privacy by default" posture — the safest setting is the one that ships on.
• We take every report seriously and act on it promptly.

3. How the platform is built to protect children

• Private by default.An athlete profile is visible only inside the child's own club — never publicly, never to other clubs.
• Parent-controlled sharing. Shareable athlete cards are opt-in by the parent (or an athlete aged 16+). Nothing about a child is published automatically.
• Adult-created accounts for under-16s. Only a parent or guardian, or the club, can create an athlete record for a child. Children under 16 do not self-register.
• Agreement before access. Everyone must accept our Terms — including the rules on respectful conduct and user content — before they can use the app.
• No advertising, no profiling, no sale.We never use a child's data for marketing or targeted advertising, and we never sell it. See our Privacy Policy.
• Audited staff access.Where a club admin or LU360 staff member views the app "as" another user for support, that access is read-only and recorded in an audit log.

4. Communication & content

In-app messaging exists so coaches and parents can coordinate training, matches, and logistics. It is not a private channel between an adult and a child. To keep communication open and accountable:

• Messaging is between adults (coaches, club admins, and parents/guardians), and group threads are visible to their participants.
• Club admins can review reported messages and content through a moderation queue.
• We ask all users to keep communication relevant, respectful, and appropriate to a youth-sport setting.

5. Reporting & blocking — built into the app

Any user can act immediately if they see something wrong:

• Report content— news comments and other user content can be reported in one tap. The report goes to the club's moderation queue for review.
• Block a user — you can block another user so you no longer see their posts or comments. Blocking notifies the club so a safeguarding lead can review the situation.
• Removal — club admins and LU360 can remove content that breaches our Terms, and can suspend accounts where necessary.

These tools handle inappropriate content. They are not a substitute for reporting a concern about a child's welfare — see the next section.

6. Raising a safeguarding concern

If you are worried that a child is at risk of harm, act on it. Do not wait.

1. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
2. Tell the club's Designated Safeguarding Officer. Your club is the first point of contact for a concern about a person or conduct at the club.
3. Tell us about anything involving the platform. For concerns about content, conduct, or misuse on LU360, email safeguarding@levelup360hq.com. We aim to acknowledge safeguarding reports within one working day.
4. External help is always available. In the UK you can contact the NSPCC Child Protection in Sport Unit, call the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000, or contact your local authority's children's services / LADO.

7. How we respond

• We review every report and take proportionate action — which may include removing content, restricting or suspending an account, and preserving records for the club or authorities.
• Where a report suggests a child may be at risk, we cooperate with the club and, where appropriate, with the police or children's services.
• We keep records of safeguarding reports and the action taken, handled in line with our Privacy Policy and retained only as long as necessary.

8. Our people

LU360 staff with access to production systems operate under confidentiality obligations and least-privilege access, which is limited and audited (see the Security section of our Privacy Policy). LU360 is a software provider and its staff do not have in-person contact with children through the service; in-person duty of care rests with the club.

9. Data protection

How we collect, use, store, and delete a child's data — and the legal bases we rely on, including parental consent for under-13s under Article 8 GDPR — is set out in full in our Privacy Policy. Clubs process children's data through LU360 as a data processor under our Data Processing Agreement.

10. Review

We review this policy at least annually and whenever there is a material change to the platform, the law, or best-practice guidance. The "Last updated" date above reflects the current version.

11. Contact

Safeguarding matters relating to the platform: safeguarding@levelup360hq.com. Data protection matters: privacy@levelup360hq.com.