Policies

Imogen Gibson School of Dance have a moral and legal obligation to ensure that, when given responsibility for children, all staff, chaperones, parents/legal guardians and volunteers accept their responsibilities to safeguard children from harm and abuse. This means to ensure that everyone follows procedures to protect children and report any concerns about their welfare to appropriate authorities. All dance teachers are fully qualified, DBS checked and insured.

There are three elements to our policy:-

• Prevention through awareness of each individual child’s needs.
• Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect
• Procedures for identifying and reporting cases or suspected cases of abuse.

The aim of the policy is to promote good practice, providing children and young people with appropriate safety/protection whilst in the care of the dance school and to allow staff and volunteers to make informed and confident responses to specific child protection issues.

Imogen Gibson School of Dance will therefore:-

• Act within the Children’s Act 1989 & 2004
• Act within The working together to safeguard Children 2023 Act.
• Act within the Children (Performances and Activities) (England) Regulations 2014
• Establish and maintain an ethos where children feel welcome and familiar with their environment and are informed of personal (toilets, dressing rooms etc) and emergency arrangements (fire exits etc) and any Health and Safety Procedures (First aid etc)
• Inform each child who the appropriate person or people are to speak to if they have any questions, problems or concerns.
• Ensure that all children are treated with respect and dignity and are treated as individuals and offered equality of opportunities.
• Always work in an open environment (e.g. avoiding private or unobserved situations and unnecessary physical contact with children)
• Recognising the individual needs of the child. Eg- recognising when a child may be tired and may need a break.
• Ensure that children are supervised appropriately.
• Ensure all volunteers and staff coming into close contact with children are DBS checked.
• Ensure that all staff and crew who don’t necessarily have close contact with children but who are assisting in the production are aware of their conduct around children.

Definitions of Child abuse and Neglect

A child or young person up to the age of 18 years can suffer abuse or neglect and require protection. · Physical Abuse - May involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning or suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates or induces illness in a child whom they are looking after.

• Sexual Abuse - Forcing or enticing a child/young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not they are aware of what is happening.
• Neglect - Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development.
• Emotional Abuse - The persistent emotional ill-treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional and behavioural development.

Imogen Gibson School of Dance will adhere to the relevant legislation when working with children and young people under the age of 18 years as outlined in the following:

• Children Act 1989. Children Act 2004
• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023
• If you see or suspect abuse of a child, immediately make this known to the designated individual/manager responsible for child protection. Disclosure of Abuse if a child tells you that they or another child or young person is being abused:- Always stop and listen straight away, show that you take their allegations seriously. Encourage the child to talk, but do not ask leading questions, interrupt or ask the child to repeat itself. Never promise that you will keep what is said confidential or secret – explain that if you are told something of concern that you will need to let someone know but that you will only tell the people who need to know and can help. Record what you have been told accurately and as soon as possible. Use the child‘s own words. Make a note of the time, location, whether anyone else present and of the Child’s demeanour. Ensure that your concerns are reported immediately to the designated individual/manager. Do not confront the alleged abuser.
• If a child makes an allegation against a member of staff it must be reported as a matter of urgency to the designated manager/individual for child protection who will refer to Social Services department for Children’s Services.
• In all situations the details of allegation or reported incident must be recorded. Make accurate notes of time, dates, incident or disclosure, people involved, what was said and done and by whom, action taken to investigate and further action taken.
• DO NOT worry that you might be mistaken; you have a responsibility to pass on your concerns following a disclosure. Never think abuse is impossible, or that an accusation about a person you know well and trust is bound to be wrong.

Safer recruitment

The Imogen Gibson school of Dance is committed to ensuring that all teaching staff are suitable to work with children and adults. We have a process in place when recruiting new staff, this is to ensure the safety of our students. All staff members and volunteers must provide a DBS check which shows any convictions. This must be a full disclosure DBS check. Two references will also need to be provided- one being a professional reference. All staff must undertake safeguarding training- this can be provided through a chaperone license with Lancashire county council. Teaching staff must provide qualifications and experience in order to deliver classes. The principle (Imogen Gibson) must ensure that all staff are up to date with safeguarding training and legislation and that DBS checks are updated every 3 years or are on the update system.

Intruder policy

We aim to keep the door locked during our classes at both centres where possible. We do use community buildings so there will be other people using the halls. For the Baptist, there are often church meetings and the Civic hall often have council meeting take place as well as Girl guides group and Pendle music Academy. This will mean that other users of the building maybe present during our classes. We will make sure that all students are signed in and out of class. Parents/ carers need to adhere to our code of conduct on dropping off and collecting students.

In the event of an intruder (someone who does not have permission to be in the building), staff need to assess whether this person poses a threat or just needs advice or re direction. Staff can identify themselves and ask their purpose to be on the premises. Depending on the situation staff should make every effort to call the police. Do not attempt to restrain the intruder. Staff should evacuate the children to safety, remaining calm and not to cause distress. In the case of needing to lockdown external doors and internal doors to be locked where possible with windows and blinds closed.

Designated Safeguarding Lead- Imogen Gibson 07590663286  Deputy- Jessica Scott 07887389242

Lancashire County Council Children’s social care – 0300 123 6720

Lancashire County Council Children’s social care (out of hours) 0300 123 6722

Lancashire Police – 101 or 0845 1 25 35 45

Signed – I Gibson

Date- 30/08/2024