SAFEGUARDING AND CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
1. POLICY
Mind Ballet Soul has a duty of care to safeguard all children, young people and vulnerable adults involved in the arts activities. The Safeguarding Children and Child Protection guidelines adopted by Mind Ballet Soul provide clear direction to staff and volunteers about expected codes of behaviour, the development of good practice and sound procedures. This ensures that child protection concerns may be handled sensitively, professionally in ways to support the needs of the individual. It is important that all staff who work with children and young people read the Child Protection Policy and implement its procedures. This protects the rights of all involved. It applies to any staff who work with young people on work experience or help with any sort of events. Any issues or concerns relating to the safeguarding of children and child protection should be reported to the nominated member (child protection officer).
2. AIMS
The aim of Mind Ballet Sou's Child Protection Policy is to promote good practice by: Creating a positive atmosphere for children, young people and vulnerable adults whilst attending MBS clases ; Providing children, young people and vulnerable adults with appropriate safety and protection whilst in the care of MBS ; Allowing MBS staff and volunteers to make informed and confident responses to specific child protection issues. MBS has a duty to act responsibly to ensure that policies and procedures promote safe working practices and a clear understanding of what to do if abuse is suspected or disclosed. In addition there is a responsibility to ensure all staff or volunteers who work with children, young people and vulnerable adults are not placed in a situation where abuse might be alleged.
3. TERMINOLOGY
A child - is defined as a person under the age of 18 (The Children Act 1989). To disclose - in the context of Child Protection, the term means to reveal or divulge information about having suffered from abuse or neglect. A vulnerable adult - is a person who is or may be in need of community care services because of mental disability or other disability, age or illness, and who is, or who may be unable to take care of themselves or unable to protect themselves from significant harm or exploitation. A young person - is in the upper age ranges of the official definition of a child. The term has no legal status, but acknowledges that people aged 16 or 17 may not think of themselves as ‘children’.
4. GOOD PRACTICE GUIDELINES
All personnel should be encouraged to demonstrate exemplary behaviour in order to promote children, young people and vulnerable adults’ welfare and reduce the likelihood of allegations being made. The following are common sense examples of how to create a positive culture and climate.
Good practice in planning a project for work involving children, young people and vulnerable adults means: Undertaking, at the outset of project planning, a risk assessment, and monitoring risk throughout the project identifying, at the outset, the people with designated protection responsibility in effective recruitment, including appropriate vetting of staff and volunteers knowing how to get in touch with local authority social services, in case you have to report a concern to them putting systems in place to create and manage good relationships with parents and other stakeholders being aware of the content of the work and the impact it may have on children, young people or vulnerable adults
Good practice in a physical environment where there is contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults means: Always ensuring that someone from the school/educational establishment, youth organisation or care setting is present and therefore meeting their responsibility for ensuring the safety of those in the setting monitoring risks throughout the project
Good practice in physical contact means: Maintaining a safe and appropriate distance from participants only touching participants when it is absolutely necessary in relation to the particular arts activity seeking agreement of participants prior to any physical contact making sure disabled participants are informed of and comfortable with any necessary physical contact
Good practice in interpersonal dealings means: Treating all children, young people or vulnerable adults equally, and with respect and dignity always putting the welfare of each participant first, before achieving goals building balanced relationships based on mutual trust which empowers children, young people or vulnerable adults to share in the decision-making process giving enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism making the arts fun, enjoyable and promoting equality being an excellent role model for dealings with other people recognising that children or young people with disabilities may be even more vulnerable to abuse than other children or young people not allowing sexual relationships to develop between artists/facilitators and young people or vulnerable adults
Good practice in managing sensitive information means: Having a policy and set of procedures for taking, using and storing photographs or images of children, young people or vulnerable adults careful monitoring and use of web-based materials and activities agreed procedures for reporting any suspicions or allegations of abuse ensuring confidentiality in order to protect the rights of employees, freelancers and volunteers, including safe handling, storage and disposal of any information provided on artists or arts facilitators (or others involved in arts projects) as part of the recruitment process. (Data Protection Act 1998)
Good practice in professional development means: Keeping up to date with health and safety in artistic practice being informed about legislation and policies for protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults undertaking relevant development and training