Policies

Safeguarding Policy and Procedures for Young Children & Vulnerable Adults- JAIDE’S STAGE STUDIOS

Safeguarding Children & Child Protection Policy for:

Jaide’s Stage Studios – based at: The Dance Studio, Warwickshire College, Rugby Branch, Technology Drive, Rugby CV21 1AR

This Policy 

This policy must be read and understood by all members of staff at JAIDE’S STAGE STUDIOS . We will make sure this policy is accessible to all staff, parents and students where appropriate, and will make sure that all teachers/staff members understand this policy by regular staff meetings and attending training day courses offered by our governing body IDTA (International Dance Teachers Association). All staff, volunteers/chaperones must adhere to this policy and must understand their duties and responsibilities regarding safeguarding. A copy of this policy will be available at all times, either with the Principal during class to view, or may be found on our website www.jaidesstagestudios.co.uk

All staff, volunteers/chaperones have a strict duty never to subject a child to any form of harm or abuse. Failure to adhere to these procedures will be treated as gross misconduct.

Our Responsibility

At JAIDE’S STAGE STUDIOS we recognise we have a responsibility to protect and safeguard the welfare of all children and young people we work with and have an explicit duty to do so under the Children Act 1989 and 2004 and the Education Act 2002. At JAIDE’S STAGE STUDIOS WE BELIEVE THAT THE WELFARE OF THE CHILD IS OF PARAMOUNT IMPORTANCE. That no child should be treated any less favourably than other in accessing services that meet their needs and that all children without exception have the right to protection from abuse regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or beliefs.

A ‘child’ is anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday. The fact that a child has reached 16yrs of age, is living independently, in further education, or working does not change his/her entitlement to services or protection as a child. Our guidelines apply to all children and young people until their 18th birthday.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people means:

Protecting children from maltreatment, preventing impairment of a child’s health or development, ensuring that children are growing up with the provision of safe and effective care and taking action to ensure that children have the best life chances.

At JAIDE’S STAGE STUDIOS ., we will do this by:

• Identifying and responding to concerns about a child or young person
• Providing a safe and happy dance environment
• Having a health and safety policy and risk assessments
• Thinking about equality and diversity and representation and support in school
• Using safer recruitment strategies such as all staff having a DBS check and references before they join our team

At JAIDE’S STAGE STUDIOS .,   all concerns and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously. It is the responsibility of all staff and volunteers to take steps to protect children, to keep them safe from hazards and to take appropriate action in the event of an accident.  It is the responsibility of all staff & volunteers to take reasonable steps to protect children and young people from harm and abuse while in contact with our school and our staff and to report an incident of or suspicion of abuse to the Designated Safeguarding Person – namely the Principal of the School, Director or Trustee, or in their absence directly to the appropriate statutory authority. 

At JAIDE’S STAGE STUDIOS ., our designated safeguarding person is Jaide Ellery-Martin & Sandra Ellery who are suitable and experienced to take on this role, who also holds a fully enhanced DBS & Chaperone Badge.

Managing Injury

If a child has a physical injury and there are concerns about abuse, attention should be sought for the injury first, then procedures for referring to Rugby Social Services, which is provided by Warwickshire County Council, supporting children, adults & carers and can be contacted on 01926 410410.

Managing Recruitment

All individuals working at JAIDE’S STAGE STUDIOS ., who have contact with children and young people are required to hold a valid, clear DBS check.  All staff and volunteers will be recruited in line with safer recruitment guidance. No staff will be employed or able to volunteer if they are barred from working with children and in the event of an incident where a member of staff has to be dismissed (or chooses to leave) because they have harmed a child, then DBS will be notified!

Managing Allegation

If any member of staff or volunteer has concerns about the behaviour or conduct of another individual within the organisation the nature of the concern should be reported to Jaide Ellery-Martin the Principal or Sandra Ellery – Owner/Director. The member of staff who has a concern or to whom the allegation or concern is reported should not question the child or investigate further. That person will report the matter to the Local Authority. If an allegation or concern is raised about a member of staff/volunteer outside of work, this may still present a risk of harm to children for whom that member of staff is responsible and as such the general principles of this policy still apply. 

Harm to Children 

Everyone working with children at JAIDE’S STAGE STUDIOS , must be alerted to the needs of children and the risk of harm. All staff and volunteers should be able to recognise, and know how to act upon evidence that a child’s health or development is being impaired, or that a child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. At JAIDE’S STAGE STUDIOS we will make every effort to protect children from harm when they are visiting our setting and/or attending classes.

We will Ensure

• Appropriate recruitment and selection procedures
• Provision of safeguarding training
• Ensuring all staff & volunteers hold clear and current DBS checks
• We will take all reasonable steps to ensure health safety and welfare for all those who access our organisation – see www.jaidesstagestudios.co.uk 
• We will take all practicable steps to ensure that no one working with us or for us would put a child in a situation of unreasonable risk to their health and safety
• We will not harm or abuse children without our care and will take all reasonable steps to ensure no one working with us or around us within the community could harm or abuse a child in our care.
• We will ensure good reporting to our designated staff and onward to children’s social care where ever we suspect harm and will foster an environment of good communication, transparency and trust.
• Staff and volunteers have a strict duty to never subject a child or young person to any form of harm or abuse. Failure to adhere to these procedures will be treated as gross misconduct.
• During the admissions process relevant contact and medical information shall be collected and access to emergency information will be available to teaching staff and volunteers at every session.

Where we Suspect Harm and Abuse

Every member of staff has a duty to be alert to the signs of harm and abuse

Where they have concerns, these should be recorded carefully accurately.

All concerns should be discussed with the Principal or designated person

A decision shall then be made regarding sharing this concern onward to Rugby Social Services and they should seek their permission to share information. Should a parent decline to consent and our concerns regarding harm/significant harm we are still duty bound to share with the children’s social care team.

In the absence of any designated person or persons, all concerns should be shared directly with the children’s social care team.

All information sharing, must be Data Protection Act and GDPR compliant. Sharing mst be discreet, appropriate, honest and accurate but it is important for all staff and volunteers to be aware GDPR and Data Protection law does not create a barrier to sharing safeguarding information and all concerns must be share with the children’s safeguarding as necessary. 

Recognising Harm and Abuse

Physical Abuse: A form of abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a chard. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of or deliberately causes illness in a child.

Emotional Abuse: The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless, unloved, inadequate or valued in so far as they meet the needs of another person only, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s developmental capability, as well as the over protection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child from participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (or cyber bullying), causing children to frequently feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children.  Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone.

Sexual Abuse: Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening.  The activities may involve physical contact including assault by penetration (for example rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing, touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse (including via the internet). Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse as can other children.

Neglect: The persistent failure to meet a child’s physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development.  Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food, clothing, and shelter (excluding exclusion from home and abandonment), protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger; ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care givers), ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include an unresponsiveness to a child’s basic emotional needs.

If a Child Tells Us They Have Experienced Harm and Abuse

• Always listen to what the child has to say with an open mind
• Do not ask leading or probing questions
• Never stop a child who is talking freely about significant events
• Make a note of the discussion, taking care to record the timings, setting and people present, as well as what was said
• Do not ask children to make a written statement
• Never promise a child that what they have told you may be kept secret
• Explain that you have responsibility to share information

Where We Believe Another Teacher Or Responsible Adult Has Harmed A Child

If any member of staff or volunteer has concerns about the behaviour or conduct of another individual within our organisation, the nature of the concern should be reported to the School Principal/designated person who will report the matter to the Local Authority/Social Services.