Section 1: Policy statement
The purpose and scope of this policy
Daylight Studio is committed to helping people with physical and mental disabilities or learning difficulties through creation of music. To achieve this aim, we must ensure that we create a safe and inclusive space for users.
The purpose of this policy statement is:
to protect children and young people who receive Daylight Studio’s services from harm. This includes the children of adults who use our services
to provide staff and volunteers, as well as children and young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.
This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Daylight Studio, including senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, agency staff and students.
Legal framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England. A summary of the key legislation is available from nspcc.org.uk/learning.
We believe that:
children and young people should never experience abuse of any kind
we have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practice in a way that protects them.
We recognise that:
the welfare of children is paramount in all the work we do and in all the decisions we take
all children, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse
some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues
working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
We will seek to keep children and young people safe by:
valuing, listening to and respecting them
appointing a nominated child protection lead for children and young people and a lead trustee for safeguarding
providing effective management for staff and volunteers so that all staff and volunteers know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes confidently and competently
recruiting and selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
recording, storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance
sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children and their families
making sure that children, young people and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern
using our safeguarding and child protection procedures to share concerns and relevant information with agencies who need to know, and involving children, young people, parents, families and carers appropriately
using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately
creating and maintaining an anti-bullying environment
ensuring that we have effective complaints and whistleblowing measures in place
ensuring that we provide a safe physical environment for our children, young people, staff and volunteers
building a safeguarding culture where staff and volunteers, children, young people and their families, treat each other with respect and are comfortable about sharing concerns.
Section 2:
Behaviour code for adults working with children
Purpose
This behaviour code outlines the conduct Daylight Studio expects from all our staff and volunteers. This includes trustees, agency staff, interns, students on work placement and anyone who is undertaking duties for the organisation, whether paid or unpaid.
The behaviour code aims to help us protect children and young people from abuse and reduce the possibility of unfounded allegations being made. It has been informed by the views of children and young people.
Daylight Studio is responsible for making sure everyone taking part in our services has seen, understood and agreed to follow the code of behaviour, and that they understand the consequences of inappropriate behaviour.
The role of staff and volunteers
In your role at Daylight Studio you are acting in a position of authority and may have a duty of care towards the children and young people we work with. You are likely to be seen as a role model and are expected to act appropriately.
Responsibility
You are responsible for:
prioritising the welfare of children and young people
providing a safe environment for children and young people
ensuring equipment is used safely and for its intended purpose
having good awareness of issues to do with safeguarding and child protection and taking action when appropriate.
following our principles, policies and procedures including our policies and procedures for child protection/safeguarding
staying within the law at all times
modelling good behaviour for children and young people to follow
challenging all unacceptable behaviour and reporting any breaches of the behaviour code to a trustee
reporting all concerns about abusive behaviour, this includes behaviour being displayed by an adult or child and directed at anybody of any age.
Rights
You should:
treat children and young people fairly and without prejudice or discrimination
understand that children and young people are individuals with individual needs
respect differences in gender, sexual orientation, culture, race, ethnicity, disability and religious belief systems, and appreciate that all participants bring something valuable and different to the group/organisation
challenge discrimination and prejudice
encourage young people and adults to speak out about attitudes or behaviour that makes them uncomfortable.
Relationships
You should:
promote relationships that are based on openness, honesty, trust and respect
avoid favouritism
be patient with others
exercise caution when you are discussing sensitive issues with children or young people
ensure your contact with children and young people is appropriate and relevant to the work of the project you are involved in
ensure that whenever possible, there is more than one adult present during activities with children and young people
if a situation arises where you are alone with a child or young person, ensure that you are within sight or hearing of other adults.
if a child specifically asks for or needs some individual time with you, ensure other staff or volunteers know where you and the child are.
only provide personal care in an emergency and make sure there is more than one adult present if possible
unless it has been agreed that the provision of personal care is part of your role and you have been trained to do this safely.
Respect
You should:
listen to and respect children at all times
value and take children’s contributions seriously, actively involving them in planning activities wherever possible
respect a young person’s right to personal privacy as far as possible.
if you need to break confidentiality in order to follow child protection procedures, it is important to explain this to the child or young person at the earliest opportunity.
Unacceptable behaviour
When working with children and young people, you must not:
allow concerns or allegations to go unreported
take unnecessary risks
smoke, consume alcohol or use illegal substances
develop inappropriate relationships with children and young people
make inappropriate promises to children and young people
engage in behaviour that is in any way abusive
including having any form of sexual contact with a child or young person.
let children and young people have your personal contact details (mobile number, email or postal address) or have contact with them via a personal social media account
act in a way that can be perceived as threatening or intrusive
patronise or belittle children and young people
make sarcastic, insensitive, derogatory or sexually suggestive comments or gestures to or in front of children and young people.
Upholding this code of behaviour
You should always follow this code of behaviour and never rely on your reputation or that of our organisation to protect you.
If you have behaved inappropriately you will be subject to our disciplinary procedures. Depending on the seriousness of the situation, you may be asked to leave Daylight Studio. We may also make a report to statutory agencies such as the police and/or the local authority child protection services.
If you become aware of any breaches of this code, you must report them to a trustee. If necessary you should follow our whistleblowing procedure and safeguarding and child protection procedures.
Section 3: Safer Recruitment
This section should be read along with the Equal Opportunities Policy.
All applicants for an employee or voluntary role must complete the relevant self-disclosure form attached to this policy before carrying out any services for Daylight Studio which may involve contact with children.
Which form is used will depend upon whether that employee or volunteer will be carrying out regulated or unregulated activities.
The following five types of activity are potentially regulated activity relating to children:
Teaching, training or instruction.
Care for or supervision of children.
Advice or guidance.
Moderation of a public internet service wholly or mainly for children.
Driving a vehicle for the sole purpose of conveying children.
It is likely that staff and volunteers may be involved, in particular in teaching, training and instruction.
Activities will be automatically regulated if they relate to the provision of one of the following:
Relevant personal care.
Health care provided by, or under the direction or supervision of, a health care professional.
We do not anticipate that we will carry out any automatically regulated activities.
Any information provided through a self-disclosure form will be kept confidential. We will appropriately risk assess any disclosures a candidate has made on the form and ensure that we comply with your legal obligations in acting upon information received.
In some cases, Daylight Studio will also require employees or volunteers to complete a criminal background check before offering them an employed or voluntary position.
Daylight Studio will comply with its Equal Opportunities policy and data protection requirements when recruiting any employees or volunteers.
Section 4: How to report a safeguarding concern
Any staff, volunteer or trustee reporting concerns or complaints will not be subject to any detriment for doing so.
Daylight Studio will also accept complaints from external sources such as members of the public, partners and official bodies.
Any complaint or concern relating to safeguarding or child protection should be reported immediately to the Nominated Child Protection Lead or the Trustee for Safeguarding and Child Protection. If the person making the report does not feel comfortable reporting to either individual (for example if they feel that the report will not be taken seriously, or if that person is implicated in the concern) they may report the concern to any other Trustee of Daylight Studio or make use of the Whistleblowing policy.
We may contact the person making the complaint or raising the concern to obtain further information if this is appropriate.
Daylight Studio will take such action as it considers necessary if it receives any complaint or concern relating to child protection or whistleblowing. This may include contacting the police or other local authorities as appropriate.
Contact details
Nominated child protection lead
Name: Jack Daley
Email:
Trustee for safeguarding and child protection
Name: Robert Andrews
Email: robjamesa1@gmail.com
NSPCC Helpline
This policy was last reviewed July 2020