Our Safeguarding Policy 2022-24
This policy applies to all of our trustees, workshop facilitators, chorus directors, assistants, volunteers, chaperones, sessional workers, staff or any authorised persons working on behalf of Persona Arts.
The purpose of this policy:
- to protect children and young people who participate in a rehearsal, presentation, performance, production or workshop at Persona Arts.
- to provide our staff and any authorised persons with the overarching principles that guide our approach to safeguarding and child protection
- Persona Arts believes that a child or young person should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. We are committed to practise in a way that protects them.
Legal Framework
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children, namely:
Children Act 1989
- United Convention of the Rights of the Child 1991
- Data Protection Act 1998
- 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: 0 to 25 years - Statutory guidance for organisations which work with and support children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities; HM Government 2014
- Information sharing: Advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers; HM Government 2015
- Working together to safeguarding children: a guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children; HM Government 2015
We recognise that:
- The welfare of the child is paramount, as enshrined in the Children Act 1989
- all children regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation
- 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 them, listening to and respecting them
- appointing a Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) for children and young people
- adopting child protection and safeguarding practices through procedures and a code of conduct for staff, any authorised persons and chaperones
- developing and implementing an effective e-safety policy and related procedures
- providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support, training and quality assurance measures
- recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
- recording and storing all information professionally and securely and sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with children, their families, staff and volunteers via leaflets, posters, one-to-one discussions
- using our safeguarding 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 and ensuring that we have a policy and procedure to help us deal effectively with any bullying that does arise
- 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, by applying health and safety measures in accordance with the law and regulatory guidance
Our
Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) is:
TBC
CEOP
www.ceop.police.uk
NSPCC Helpline
0808 800 5000
Performance Regulations for children and young people
1. Hours a child can attend the place of performance
The amount of time that a child spends at the theatre or on a film set may often be much greater than the time they spend actually performing. To safeguard the health and well-being of children, these are rules about the maximum hours that a child can attend the place of performance.
Persona Arts will align to the rules that apply to non-broadcast performances with those that currently apply to broadcast, which differ according to the age of the child. The maximums will be:
A. 9.5 hours for children aged over 9
B. 8 hours for children aged 5 – 8 (an increase of 30 minutes)
C. 5 hours for children aged 2 – 4
D. 3 hours for children aged 0 – 2*
*This limit for 0-2 currently applies only where no licence is required because the child has not taken part in performances on more than 3 days in the preceding 6 months. Persona Arts will extend this protection to encompass all performances if and where a licence is required.
2 Hours a child can perform for
Within the overall limits on the hours a child can attend, the limits on the hours that children can perform overall, and limits on the maximum duration of any performance. Again, these will differ depending on whether the performance is broadcast or recorded or not. The limits for broadcast performances are more generous than those for non-broadcast.
Persona Arts will adhere to the limits currently set in place for broadcast, but with an increase in total performance time for children aged over 9 from 4 hours to 5 hours. This increase is to allow the extra time that might be needed for older children who are taking part in dance or a performance of a physical nature to properly warm up, and be physically prepared for their performance. The limits are:
A. 5 hours in total, 2.5 hours single duration, for children aged over 9
B. 3 hours in total, 2.5 hours single duration, for children aged 5 – 8
C. 2 hours in total, 30 minutes single duration, for children aged 2 – 4
D. 1 hour in total, 20 minutes single duration, for children aged 0 – 2*
*This limit for 0-2 currently applies only where no licence is required because the child has not taken part in performances on more than 3 days in the preceding 6 months. Persona Arts will extend this protection to encompass all performances if and where a licence is required.
3 Earliest time that a child can be at the place of performance
The regulations set out the earliest times that a child can be at the place of performance. These currently range from 7am to 10am, according to the age of the child and whether the performance is recorded or broadcast or not.
4 Latest time that a child can be at the place of performance
The regulations also set out the latest times that a child can be at the place of performance. Again, the times vary for different age groups. The latest times are much more restrictive for performances that are broadcast or recorded than if they are not. The upper limit for broadcast performances is 7pm for children aged 9 and over, and 4.30pm for those under age 9.
Persona Arts will adhere to these single set of limits on the latest times that children can be present, based on their age:
A. Children over the age of 5 not to be present after 11pm;
B. Children aged 2 – 4 not to be present after 10pm; and
C. Children aged under 2 not to be present after 4pm*.
*This limit for 0-2 currently applies only where no licence is required because the child has not taken part in performances on more than 3 days in the preceding 6 months. Persona Arts will extend this protection to encompass all performances if and where a licence is required.
5 Minimum Breaks
Whatever the nature of the performance, children need proper breaks throughout the day for meals and for rest. It is important that children do get the breaks and the meals that they need.
There are some exceptions permitted for the BBC in certain circumstances. Persona Arts will align to the requirements for all types of performance covered by the regulations, and all types of licence holder.
The frequency and duration of breaks should continue to be set out in regulations, according to age group.
Currently, the requirements for performances other than broadcast or recorded are that there must be an interval of 1.5 hours between performances or rehearsals in any day. The Regulations also make provision for this interval to be reduced to 45 minutes, but only on 2 days during a single week and then only when the child is not present at the place of performance for a total of more than 6 hours. There are no requirements about meal breaks.
Where a performance is broadcast or recorded, however, the frequency and duration of breaks, including for meals, is set out in more detail.
Frequency of breaks
Persona Arts will follow the minimum requirements for frequency of breaks:
A. Children aged over 5 must have:
a break every 2.5 hours; 3 breaks in 8 hours, 1 must be for a meal.
B. Children aged 2 – 4 must have a break every 30 minutes.
C. Children aged 0 – 2 must have a break every 20 minutes.
We will review our safeguarding policy, procedures and regulations from time to time and maybe subject to change.