Child Protection Policy
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NOTE: The definition and use of the word “Parent(s)” throughout this Policy includes guardians, carers and/or teachers of vulnerable adults and/or children under 18.
PURPOSES OF THE ORGANISATION:
The Festival’s aim is to provide a platform for the performance of the arts by amateurs of all ages and abilities in a competitive but friendly atmosphere. One of our key objectives is to provide an educational element, to encourage and maintain high standards, through the constructive comments provided by professional adjudicators.
TO WHOM THIS POLICY APPLIES:
This policy relates to children under the age of 18, and to those vulnerable persons of any age who are identified to the festival organisers prior to their arrival at the Festival. This should be done by contacting the name at the top and bottom of this document. Our Festival actively seeks to meet these needs but must know beforehand in order to prepare support—or to let you know we are unable to help.
THE FESTIVAL ENVIRONMENT:
The Festival seeks to create a caring environment with the highest possible level of protection for children and others to whom this Policy applies. The Festival’s procedure implementing this Policy will inform and involve Parents in order to ensure, as far as it is reasonably practicable, there will be a safe environment at the Festival.
FESTIVAL PERSONNEL:
All Festival personnel are volunteers and their roles are considered during recruitment. The Festival holds full contact details for all personnel. Where they are working in sensitive areas with children or vulnerable adults, details of these helpers have been processed and cleared by the Criminal Records Bureau and hold a Local Authority issued Chaperone License.
All Festival helpers are fully aware of and support this Child Protection Policy.
Festival personnel are vigilant in monitoring areas where children and vulnerable adults are in attendance. They will challenge any adult/s in restricted or sensitive areas if they are not accompanying children or vulnerable adults.
All festival personnel are informed how to direct children and vulnerable adults with a problem to the designated person. Every problem will be taken seriously and will be documented and dated. Dependant on the nature of the problem, the documentation may be supplied to the appropriate authorities. This decision will be taken by the designated person, in consultation with the authorities, before documentation is passed over. Copies of all documentation will be retained in Festival records.
IDENTIFICATION OF FESTIVAL PERSONNEL:
Badges will identify Festival personnel. Anyone wearing a badge may be approached for assistance and will take the adult or child concerned to Designated Safeguarding Lead. All problems will be dealt with sympathetically, documented and dated.
PREPARATION FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE FESTIVAL:
In order for the Festival to provide the highest level of child protection during the Festival, where parents aren’t attending, this Safeguarding Policy requires them to be satisfied that their children will be accompanied to the Festival and adequately supervised by adults acting on their behalf. Parents attending must be responsible for making sure that their child under 18 or vulnerable adult is at all times accompanied and adequately supervised by him/herself or a teacher or a suitable adult who will be required to remain in the building until the child or vulnerable adult leaves. Any person in this supervisory capacity will be expected to pay the admission fee to the auditorium.
It is our rule to make this a condition for competitors wishing to perform in the Festival, and we ensure that a copy of our Safeguarding Policy is available to all Parents. NOTE : If there are special needs which cannot be satisfied by supervision of a Parent, this must be made known in writing to the Secretary before the commencement of the Festival dates.
PERFORMANCE AND CHANGING AREAS:
Festival personnel will supervise access to dressing and changing areas.
Access to dressing rooms is restricted to teachers and parents to assist performers with dressing. Anyone not included in this category will be asked to leave the area. Female and Male changing areas will be separate and no member of the opposite gender will be allowed in the changing rooms under any circumstances. A family changing room can be provided for the scenario of Female parent/carer with male child or male parent/carer with female child. Please contact us to request this
The stage and wings are out of bounds to all except authorised persons and competitors about to perform. (Authorised persons are Festival Stewards and Dance Teachers and they must all hold a Local Authority Issued Chaperone Licence, and this Licence must be submitted to the Lincolnshire Dance Festival Designated Safeguarding Lead prior to the Festival.
For the duration of the Festival, all teachers are responsible for the continuous care and supervision of their own pupils in all areas including back stage. If a teacher is unable to attend personally, they must delegate their responsibilities to an identified adult and ensure that their children/pupils and festival organisers are aware of the identity and name of the person responsible for their care and that the identified adult holds a Local Authority Issued Chaperone Licence. This includes supervision throughout the festival venue, practice and changing areas that may be provided.
AUDIO AND VISUAL RECORDING:
The use of all audio and visual recording equipment throughout the Festival is strictly forbidden. Press photographers designated by a badge may take photographs. This Policy makes clear that, where Parents do not wish photographs to be taken, then the responsible adult attending with their child, should ensure that they are not included in photographs on the day. Persons in possession of audio and visual equipment may be refused entry to the venues.
THE LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE THAT SUPPORTS THIS POLICY:
The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, The Children Act 1989, The Police Act 1997, The Data Protection Act 1998, The Human Rights Act 1998, The Protection of Children Act 1999, The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000, The Children Act 2004, The Vulnerable Groups Act 2006.
POLICY REVIEW:
Festival organisers will constantly review their Policy, improving and enhancing it as necessary. In doing this they will look to the British and International Federation of Festivals for support and that body, in turn, will look to other agencies for good practice, most notably the NSPCC and Arts Council of England policy guidelines.