1) LEGISLATION & LIPA 4-19 CHILD PROTECTION POLICIES (CPP)
1A) Legislation:
LIPA 4-19 recognizes its duty of care under the Protection of Children Act 1999, Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 and the Child (Performances) Regulations 1968. A child/young person is defined as a person under the age of 18 (Children’s Act 1989).
1B) Introduction:
Everyone who participates in the classes and performances at LIPA 4-19 is entitled to do so in an enjoyable and safe environment. LIPA 4-19 have a moral and legal obligation to ensure that, when given responsibility for young people, teachers and assistants provide them with the highest possible standard of care.
LIPA 4-19 is committed to devising and implementing policies and procedures to protect children and report any concerns about their welfare to appropriate authorities.
The aim of the policy is to promote good practice, providing children and young people with appropriate safety/protection whilst in the care of LIPA 4-19 and to allow staff and volunteers to make informed and confident responses to specific child protection issues.
1C) CPP Policy Statement:
LIPA 4-19 believes that:
The welfare of the child/young person is paramount.
All children, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse.
All suspicions and allegations of abuse should be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
All LIPA 4-19 employees and assistants that work with or within the proximity of children will be recruited with regard to their suitability for that responsibility, and will be provided with guidance and/or training in good practice and child protection procedures.
Working in partnership with parents and children is essential for the protection of children.
1D) Implementing Good Practice:
To provide children with the best possible experience and opportunities in the Performing Arts everyone must operate within an accepted ethical framework.
It is not always easy to distinguish poor practice from abuse. It is therefore NOT the responsibility of employees to make judgements about whether or not abuse is taking place. It is however their responsibility to carry out LIPA 4-19 Child Protection Policy by following all procedures and policies within this document, reporting possible abuse and to act if they have concerns about the welfare of the child as per LIPA 4-19 CPP.
LIPA 4-19 dedicated Child Protection Officer is Kerry Watkins who can be contacted directly should you have concerns regarding any child protection policies or any occurring abuse or neglect.
1E) CPP Good Practice:
LIPA 4-19 will ensure that:
All children will be treated equally and with respect and dignity.
The duty of care to children will always be put first.
Enthusiastic and constructive feedback will be given rather than negative criticism.
Bullying will not be accepted or condoned.
All adults will demonstrate positive role modelling when dealing with other people.
Action will be taken to stop any inappropriate verbal or physical behaviour.
It will keep up to date with health & safety legislation.
It will keep informed of changes in legislation and policies for the protection of children.
It will undertake relevant development and training.
It will hold a register of every child attending and will retain a contact name and number close at hand in case of emergencies.
Maintain a safe and appropriate distance from students, avoiding unnecessary physical contact and if required, it is provided in an open environment.
Request written parental consent if adults are required to transport young people in their cars
Be an excellent role model, this includes not smoking or drinking alcohol in the company of young people
Recognising the developmental needs and capacity of the young person and do not risk sacrificing welfare in a desire for organisational or personal achievements
Secure written parental consent for LIPA 4-19 to act in loco parentis, to give permission for the administration of emergency first aid or other medical treatment if the need arises.
Keep a written record of any injury that occurs, along with details of any treatment given.
2) LIPA 4-19 CHILD PROTECTION POLICY PROCEDURES
2A) Outset of Class Terms or Productions, LIPA 4-19 will:
Undertake a risk assessment and monitor risk throughout the production process.
Identify at the outset the person with designated responsibility for child protection.
Engage in effective recruitment of chaperones and other individuals with responsibility for children, including appropriate vetting (if necessary, in consultation with the local education authority).
Ensure that children are supervised at all times.
Know how to get in touch with the local authority social services, in case it needs to report a concern.
2B) Parents
All parents have the responsibility to collect (or arrange collection of) their children after classes, rehearsals or performances. It is NOT the responsibility of the Chaperones to take children home.
2C) Unsupervised Contact
LIPA 4-19 will ensure that no adult has unauthorised unsupervised contact with children.
If unsupervised contact is unavoidable, steps will be taken to minimize risk. For example, work will be carried out in a public area, or in a designated room with a door open.
All licensed Chaperones will be required to obtain a criminal record disclosure.
2D) Physical Contact
All adults will maintain a safe and appropriate distance from children.
Adults will only touch children when it is absolutely necessary in relation to the particular activity.
Adults will seek the consent of the child prior to any physical contact and the purpose of the contact shall be made clear.
2E) Managing Sensitive Information
LIPA 4-19 has a policy and procedure for the taking, using and storage of Photographs or images of children.
Permission will be sought from the parents for use of photographic material featuring children for promotional or other purposes.
The web-based materials and activities will be carefully monitored for inappropriate use.
LIPA 4-19 will ensure confidentiality in order to protect the rights of its members, including the safe handling, storage and disposal of any sensitive information such as criminal record disclosures.
2F) Suspicion of Abuse
If you see or suspect abuse of a child while in the care of LIPA 4-19, please make this known to the person with responsibility for child protection. If you suspect that the person with responsibility for child protection is the source of the problem, you should make your concerns known to the other designated safeguarding officers.
Please make a note for your own records of what you witnessed as well as your response, in case there is follow-up in which you are involved.
If a serious allegation is made against any member of staff, chaperone, venue staff etc., that individual will be suspended immediately until the investigation is concluded. The individual will be excluded from the theatre, rehearsal rooms etc. and will not have any unsupervised contact with any other children in the production.
2G) Disclosure of Abuse (a child confides in you that abuse has taken place):
Remain calm and in control but do not delay taking action.
Listen carefully to what has been said. Allow the child to tell you at their own pace and ask questions only for clarification. Don’t ask questions that suggest a particular answer.
Don’t promise to keep it a secret. At the first opportunity you must share the information with the person with responsibility for child protection. Make it clear to the child that you will need to share this information with others. Make it clear that you will only tell the people who need to know and who should be able to help.
Reassure the child that ‘they did the right thing' in telling someone.
Tell the child what you are going to do next.
Speak immediately to the person with responsibility for child protection. It is that person’s responsibility to liaise with the relevant authorities, usually social services or the police.
As soon as possible after the disclosing conversation, make a note of what was said, using the child’s own words. Note the date, time, any names that were involved or mentioned, and who you gave the information to. Make sure you sign and date your record.
2H) Recording of Abuse Allegations
In all situations, including those in which the cause of concern arises from a disclosure made in confidence, the details of an allegation or reported incident will be recorded, regardless as to whether or not the concerns have been shared with a statutory child protection agency.
An accurate note shall be made of the date and time of the incident or disclosure, the parties involved, what was said or done and by whom, any action taken to investigate the matter, any further action taken eg. suspension of an individual, where relevant the reasons why the matter was not referred to a statutory agency, and the name of the persons reporting and to whom it was reported.
The record will be stored securely and shared only with those who need to know about the incident or allegation.
2I) Rights & Confidentiality
If a complaint is made against a member of staff, he or she will be made aware of his rights under the LIPA disciplinary procedures.
No matter how you may feel about the accusation, both the alleged abuser and the child who is thought to have been abused have the right to confidentiality under the Data Protection Act 1998. Remember also that any possible criminal investigation could be compromised through inappropriate information being released.
In criminal law, the Crown, or other prosecuting authority, has to prove guilt and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
2J) Accidents
To avoid accidents, chaperones and children will be advised of “house rules” regarding health and safety and will be notified of areas that are out of bounds. Children will be advised of the clothing and footwear appropriate to the work that will be undertaken.
If a child is injured while in the care of LIPA 4-19, a designated first-aider will administer first aid and the injury will be recorded in the accident book. This record will be countersigned by the person with responsibility for child protection.
If a child joins the production with an obvious physical injury a record of this will be made in the accident book. This record will be countersigned by the person with responsibility for child protection. This record can be useful if a formal allegation is made later and will also be a record that the child did not sustain the injury while participating in the production.
2K) Criminal Record Disclosures
LIPA 4-19 believes it is in its best interests to obtain criminal record disclosures for chaperones or other personnel, it will inform the individual of the necessary procedures and the level of disclosure required. An Enhanced disclosure will be required for anyone with unsupervised access.
LIPA 4-19 will maintain confidentiality for the handling of disclosure information.
LIPA 4-19 will ensure that information contained in the disclosure is not misused.
2L) Chaperones for performances and events
Licensed Chaperones will be appointed to care for the children during the production process. By law the chaperone is acting in loco parentis and should exercise the care which a good parent might be reasonably expected to give to a child. The maximum number of children in the chaperone’s care shall not exceed 12.
Potential chaperones will be required to have been in touch with their local council and had safeguarding training in order to be granted their chaperone license.
Chaperones will be made aware of the Child Protection Policy and Procedures.
Where chaperones are not satisfied with the conditions for the children, they should bring this to the attention of the producer. If changes cannot be made satisfactorily, the chaperone should consider not allowing the child to continue.
If a chaperone considers that a child is unwell or too tired to continue, the chaperone must inform the producer and not allow the child to continue.
Under the Dangerous Performances Act, no child of compulsory school age is permitted to do anything which may endanger life or limb. This could include working on wires or heavy lifting. Chaperones should tell the producer to cease using children in this way and should contact the local authority.
During performances, chaperones will be responsible for meeting children at the stage door and signing them into the building.
Children will be always kept together except when using separate dressing rooms.
Chaperones will be aware of where the children are always.
Children are not to leave the theatre unsupervised by chaperones unless in the company of their parents.
Children will be adequately supervised while going to and from the toilets.
Children will not be allowed to enter the adult dressing rooms.
Chaperones should be aware of the safety arrangements and first aid procedures in the venue and will ensure that children in their care do not place themselves and others in danger.
Chaperones should ensure that any accidents are reported to and recorded by the Appointed First aider and Child protection officer.
If someone different is to collect the child, a telephone call should be made to the parent to confirm the arrangements.
If a parent has not collected the child, it is the duty of the chaperone to stay with that child.
