Music for Minors
Child Protection Policy
Policy Statement
Music for Minors believes that it is always unacceptable for a child or young person to experience abuse of any kind and recognises its responsibility to safeguard all children and young people and promote their welfare, by a commitment to practice which protects them. We will also work with parents to ensure so far as possible that children, whilst at Music for Minors sessions or events, are properly supervised to reduce the risk of injury or harm.
We are also committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.
We recognise that:
• The welfare of the child/young person is paramount
• All children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, belief, sexual orientation or identity, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse
• 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 safeguard children and young people by:
· Valuing them, listening to and respecting them
· Adopting child protection guidelines through procedures and a code of conduct for staff and volunteers
· Ensuring we practice safe recruitment in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers to work with children. Paid staff will undergo CRB checks.
· Occassional volunteers or helpers are not required to undergo a Disclosure check unless they will have unsupervised access to children.
· Sharing information about child protection and good practice with children, parents, staff and volunteers
· Sharing information about concerns with agencies who need to know, and involving parents and children appropriately
· Providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support and training.
· Establishing a safe environment in which children can learn and develop (carrying out Risk Assessments, providing accident book etc)
· Develop and then follow procedures where an allegation is made against a member of staff or volunteer.
It is not the responsibility of anyone working for Music for Minors in a paid or unpaid capacity to take responsibility or to decide whether or not child abuse has taken place. However, there is a responsibility to act on any concerns through contact with the appropriate authorities.
Music for Minors will assure all staff/volunteers that it will fully support and protect anyone, who in good faith reports his or her concern that a colleague is or may be abusing a child.
When there is a complaint against a member of staff there may be three types of investigation
The results of the police and child protection investigation may well influence the disciplinary investigation, but no necessarily
Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either a member of staff or a volunteer should be reported to the proprietor who will take such steps as considered necessary to ensure the safety of the child in question and any other child who may be at risk
Alleged Abuse by Staff, Managers or volunteers.
When an allegation is made against a member of staff or volunteer, then the allegation must be passed to the proprietor Melanie Cossins or if the allegation concerns them direct to:
Social Care Direct 0845 8503 503
To safe guard children against people using music classes and events as an opportunity to take inappropriate photographs or film footage of young children anyone wishing to take photographs or film events must:
· Ask permission from Music for Minors
· Ask permission from other parents/carers at that session or event.
Videoing as a training aid: there is no intention to prevent teachers using video equipment as a legitimate coaching aid. However, parents/carers should be aware that this is part of the coaching programme and that care will be taken in the storage of such films.
· Always working in an open environment (e.g. avoid private or unobserved situations and encouraging an open environment)
· Treating all young people/disabled adults equally, and with respect and dignity.
· Always putting the welfare of each young person first, before winning or achieving goals.
· Making music and dance fun, enjoyable and promoting fair play.
· Maintaining a safe and appropriate distance with children.
· Building balanced relationships based on mutual trust which empowers children to share in the decision making process.
· Giving enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism
· Recognising the development / needs and capacity of young people and disabled adults.
· Keeping a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of any treatment given during session times.
Responsibilities
Parents
· To make sure (if not themselves) a responsible adult brings their child to class.
· Not to leave their child unattended in class.
· To encourage their child to display good behaviour (e.g. no biting others, no hitting/smacking others, no throwing items)
Teachers/Leaders
· Inappropriate physical or verbal contact with children or young people
· Jump to conclusions about others without checking facts
· Show favouritism to any individual.
· Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games, including horseplay
· Allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching
· Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged
· Make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun
· Reduce a child to tears as a form of control
· Allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon
· Do things of a personal nature for children or disabled adults that they can do for themselves
· Invite or allow children to stay at your home unsupervised
Information for parents
Our first priority is your child’s welfare and therefore there may be occasions when our concern about your child means that we have to consult other agencies before we contact you. If you want to know more about this procedure, please speak to the designated person for Child Protection (Melanie Cossins) or visit the web site.