- Haverhill Silver Band Whistle Blowing Policy
- Haverhill Silver Band Safeguarding Policy
- Haverhill Silver Band Health and Safety Policy
- Anti-Bullying Policy
- Player Code of Conduct
- Equal Opportunities Policy
Haverhill Silver Band Whistle Blowing Policy
Haverhill Silver Band Safeguarding Policy
Haverhill Silver Band Safeguarding Policy
This policy applies to all members, volunteers or anyone working on behalf of Haverhill Silver Band.
The purpose of this policy:
- To protect children, young people and adults with care and support needs who are members
of the band. - To provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection Haverhill Silver Band believes that a child, young person or adult with care and support needs should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk and to keep them safe. We are committed to practice in a way that protects them.
We recognise that:
• the welfare of the child is paramount, as enshrined in the Children Act (1989);
• all children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have a right to equal 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; and
• working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
In addition, bands are aware that they also have safeguarding responsibilities towards adult members, some of whom may be vulnerable at different times in their lives. The principles outlined above in relation to children, also apply to our work with adults. In terms of a legal framework, the arrangements for those over 18 are governed by the Care Act 2014. This Act stipulates that statutory safeguarding duties apply to an adult who:
• has care and support needs, and
• is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect, and,
• as a result of those care and support needs, is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of, abuse or neglect.
We will seek to keep children, young people and adults safe by:
• valuing them, listening to and respecting them, ensuring that, in the case of adults, we work with their consent unless ‘vital interests’ [as defined in the Data Protection Act (1998)] are at stake, or the person has been assessed as lacking mental capacity [as defined in the Mental Capacity Act (2005)];
• adopting child protection and adult safeguarding practices through procedures and a code of conduct for and members and volunteers;
• developing and implementing an effective e-safety guidelines and related procedures;
• providing effective support and training for volunteers with responsibility;
• recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made;
• sharing information about child protection and adult safeguarding with children, parents, volunteers and members;
• sharing concerns with agencies who need to know, and involving parents and children appropriately.
Dealing with a safeguarding concern:
All suspicions and allegations of abuse should be taken very seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately. A Child or adult with care and support should never be deterred from making a “disclosure” of abuse through fear of not being believed.
Ways that abuse might be brought to your attention:
• A child or adult might make a direct disclosure about themselves.
• A child or adult might make a direct disclosure about another person.
• A child or adult might offer information that is worrying but not a direct disclosure.
• A member of the band or volunteer might be concerned about the appearance or behaviour of a child at risk, or about the behaviour of someone (e.g. a parent or carer) towards a child or an adult at risk.
• A parent or carer might make a disclosure about abuse that a child or adult is suffering or at risk of suffering.
• A parent or carer might offer information about a child or adult that is worrying but is not a direct disclosure.
When talking to a child or adult who has told you that he/she or another person is being abused:
• Stay calm and reassure them that telling someone about it was the right thing to do.
• Tell him/her that you now must do what you can to keep him/her (or the person who is the subject of the allegation) safe.
• In the case of an adult with mental capacity, ask them if they will give their consent to the information being passed on to an external investigating agency.
• Let the person tell their whole story. Don’t try to investigate or quiz them, but make sure you are clear as to what they are saying.
• Ask them what they would like to happen because of what they have said, but don’t make or infer promises that you can’t keep.
• Let them know what you are going to do next (i.e. discuss the matter with the band welfare officer in order to help, and that the matter will not become common knowledge).
• In the case of a child, give them the ChildLine phone number 08001111.
• In the case of an adult, check out whether they have anyone they can talk to about the matter; if not, tell them they can talk to you (if you are willing for them to do so).
• Write down what you have been told straight away – record the facts, avoid opinion. Try to use the exact words as much as you can. Write the date (including year) and time recorded.
Haverhill Silver Band recognises its responsibility under the ‘Prevent Duty’ June 2015 (DfE guidance).
The Welfare Officer will assess risk of members of the band being drawn into terrorism, including support for extremist ideas that are part of terrorist ideology. The Welfare Officer will work with the relevant Local Authority to ensure that any action needed is co-ordinated and timely. Normal referral processes are also available when there are concerns about Children who may be at risk of being drawn into terrorism. Any member of staff can make a referral if necessary through Channel (a multi-agency approach to supporting those at risk of radicalisation) via the relevant Local Authority. If the child’s situation does not appear to be improving the band member with concern should press for re-consideration. Concerns should always lead to help for the Child at some point in the process if appropriate. While decisions to seek support for a child in need, or about whom where are concerns relating to radicalisation, would normally be taken in consultation with parents, it must be noted that their consent is not required for a referral when there are reasonable grounds to believe that a child is at risk of serious harm.
General Guidelines for all members of the band
• Contact – avoid any physical contact at all times.
• Behaviour and language – Children are very impressionable. It is important to model appropriate behaviour and language, and to give constructive guidance.
• Never be left alone with a child. Always carry out all activities openly within the group.
• At concert venues – adult members should never change in front of children.
• The band should ensure that there are adequate toilet facilities at the band room for both females and males.
• Transporting children in cars – never allow yourself to be alone or travel with them alone in a car (see transportation guidelines below).
• Parents – have a duty to ensure that when they leave their children for band that they have actually arrived in the band room safely, (not just dropped off outside in the car park). They should also ensure that they are there to collect their children at the stated time when finishing a rehearsal.
• Two or more members of the band should stay behind with any children or young adult who are collected late for the safety of both the child and the adults alike.
• Any concerns of a Child Protection nature should always be passed onto the named Welfare officers.
Transporting young people and vulnerable adults to rehearsals and concerts.
If sharing a lift involves a young player or adult players with care and support needs, these best practice guidelines should be followed:
• transport to rehearsals and concerts is the responsibility of the parent or carer, unless group transport has been arranged by the band.
• If a young player, or adult player with care and support needs, is needing help with transport, this should be arranged directly between the parent/player and band member offering the lift and not through a third party or the committee. It should be made clear to the parent/carer that this is a personal arrangement and the band does not hold any responsibility for this arrangement.
• Band members should be made aware of best practice when providing lifts to young people and, in some cases, those with care and support needs. This should include but is not limited to;
o Where possible, avoid travelling with the young person alone
o Agreeing pick up and drop off arrangements with parents
o Asking the young person to sit in the rear of the car, particularly if you are alone
o Having a contact number for the parent
o Driving within the law
• Despite the band not holding responsibility for the arrangement of lifts, there is still a duty of care.
If there are any concerns raised regarding transporting young people or those with care and support needs, they should be dealt with in line with the band’s safeguarding and whistle blowing policy and, if necessary, appropriate referrals made to statutory authorities.
Haverhill Silver Band 