Safeguarding Children Policy

Safeguarding Children Policy

The British Isles Music Festival is a not-for-profit organisation and registered charity number 1148008 directed by:

  • Susan Milan, founder and Director of the festival.

The British Isles Music Festival office is based at:
Oakcombe,
Marley Common
,
Haslemere
,
Surrey GU27 3PT

About

The British Isles Music Festival is managed by a board of trustees (the Board). One of the trustees, Susan Milan, has particular responsibility for safeguarding children.

The Board has adopted this safeguarding children policy and expects every adult working or helping at British Isles Music Festival to support it and comply with it. Consequently, this policy shall apply to all staff, managers, trustees, directors, volunteers, students or anyone working on behalf of the British Isles Music Festival.

This policy is intended to protect children and young people who receive any service from us, including those who are the children of adults who may receive services from us. As an organisation we believe that no child or young person should experience abuse or harm and are committed to the protection of children and young people and this policy is intended to provide guidance and overarching principles to those who represent us as volunteers or staff, to guide our approach to child protection and safeguarding.

The risks to children

Nearly every child grows up in a safe and happy environment and it is important not to exaggerate or overestimate the dangers. Nevertheless, there are situations where children need protection including:

  • Sexual abuse
  • Grooming
  • Physical and emotional abuse and neglect
  • Domestic violence
  • Inappropriate supervision by staff or volunteers
  • Bullying, cyberbullying, acts of violence and aggression within our schools and campuses
  • Victimisation
  • Self-harm
  • Unsafe environments and activities
  • Crime
  • Exploitation

Universality of Protection

We recognise that:

  • the welfare of the child is paramount
  • all children regardless of race, gender, religious belief, disability, age, sexual orientation or identity have a right to equal protection from harm.
  • some children are more vulnerable to harm as a result of their circumstances, prior experiences, communication needs or level of dependency.
  • working with children, young people, their parents and/or guardians, carers or other agencies is essential to protecting their wellbeing.

Safeguarding children at events/activities

At events and activities for unaccompanied children, children under the age of 16 must be enrolled by a responsible adult before being left with the event leader. The enrolment must record the child’s name, age and address and the names and addresses of the child’s parents, plus the parents’ mobile telephone numbers.

Both event and activities are to be defined broadly to include any occasions where British Isles Music Festival will be providing a service.

Disclosure and barring

British Isles Music Festival offers the following activities for children:

  • Music tuition and Performance

Some of our activities may therefore require adult participants or adult leaders to undergo DBS and/or police checks under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. The required level of checking (if any) will broadly reflect the degree and frequency of unsupervised access given to other people’s children.

The Board will take very seriously any allegation of impropriety on the part of any member of British Isles Music Festival. A member of British Isles Music Festival who discovers anything amiss should get in touch immediately with the following:

  • Susan Milan

The Board will review the allegation and the likely risk to children and, if appropriate, will consider banning the member from future events or revoking his or her membership or both, but only in full accordance with the rules and procedures of British Isles Music Festival

Health and Safety aspects of safeguarding children

Before starting any event for unaccompanied children, the Board will carry out a risk assessment and then take steps to minimise all risks to health and safety. Parents and children will be made aware of any particular risks and of the steps to be taken to minimise those risks. The Board will keep a record of all risk assessments.

Sufficient adults must be present at any event for unaccompanied children to enable one adult to deal with any emergency while another adult supervises the children not directly affected by the emergency.

Policy on the prevention of bullying

We will not tolerate the bullying of children either by adults or by other children. If any incident of child-on-child bullying should arise at a British Isles Music Festival event, those involved will be separated immediately and the parents of the children involved will be asked to deal with the matter. The Board will review all incidents of child-on-child bullying and assess the likely future risk to children. If appropriate, the Board will consider banning a child from future events, but only in full accordance with the rules and procedures of the British Isles Music Festival. Allegations of adults bullying children will be dealt with under paragraph 6.3 above.

Photographing children

No photos will be taken or published of any child attending an event or activity unless prior written permission is sought from a person with parental responsibility. If any person has any concerns regarding any person taking photos at an event or activity, that person should contact British Isles Music Festival immediately.

Managing behaviour, discipline and acceptable restraint

Adults supervising children at British Isles Music Festival events must never use any form of corporal punishment. If physical restraint is absolutely necessary to prevent injury to any person or to prevent serious damage to property, then the minimum necessary restraint may be used — but for that purpose only.

Unacceptable behaviour at British Isles Music Festival events for unaccompanied children will generally be stopped by separating the children from each other and from the group. The miscreants will be suitably supervised and will be returned as soon as possible to the care of their parents.

British Isles Music Festival may apply a further disciplinary sanction; namely the banning of the child from one or more future events over the following 18 months. Any such sanction would be determined and applied by the following officer:

  • Susan Milan

A parent who is aggrieved by this ban may appeal to the British Isles Music Festival who will hear the views of all relevant persons. The decision of the British Isles Music Festival is then final. Any such appeals should be made to, and will be determined by the following officer:

  • Susan Milan

Legal Framework

This policy has been drawn up in accordance with the following:

  • Children Act 1989
  • United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991
  • General Data Protection Regulation
  • Human Rights Act 1998
  • Sexual Offences Act 2003
  • Children Act 2004
  • Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
  • Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
  • Children and Families Act 2014
  • Special educational needs and disability (SEND) Code of practice – Guidance on the special educational needs and disability (SEND) system for children and young people aged 0 to 25, from 1 September 2014
  • Information sharing: advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services
  • Working together to safeguard children (2017)

NOTE: This Policy was approved by the following officer on 25/06/2018 and is due for review every 1 year:

  • Ms Susan Milan.  Festival Director and Board Member