PFMC Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

(Priory Farm Music Camp and Priory Farm Music Camp+ are both hereafter referred to as PFMC for the purposes of this policy. Children can be read as children and young people for the purposes of this policy, since PFMC+ is a camp for teenagers rather than children)

Overview

Outdoor, adventurous music camps have a positive influence on children. Not only can they provide opportunities for enjoyment and achievement, but they can also develop valuable qualities such as leadership, self-confidence, and teamwork. However, these positive outcomes can only be achieved if PFMC leaders place the welfare of all children first, and adopt practices that support, protect, and empower them.

Every adult has a legal and moral responsibility to protect children and young people from harm or abuse.

Adopting best practice will help to safeguard children and young people from potential abuse, as well as reducing the likelihood of allegations being made against coaches and other adults in positions of responsibility. Priory Farm Music Camp recognises that we all have a duty of care towards children and that all of us can help to protect them.

Who are we?

We are a team of qualified music teachers and pastoral carers, who want to give 8-16 year olds the opportunity to grow in confidence, have fun, and have great musical and outdoor experiences. PFMC and PFMC+ both offer safe and exciting environments where kids can develop their skills, make new friends and enjoy playing their instrument and hearing others play, in a non-competitive and friendly setting. Our activities are inclusive to all abilities so that everyone is be able to take part.

Principles

This policy aims to ensure that all children;

Have a positive and enjoyable experience of outdoor, adventurous music camps at PFMC, in a safe and child centred environment.
Are protected from abuse whilst participating in all camp activities.

PFMC recognises that some young people, including those with special educational needs, diagnoses or disabilities, those for whom English is not a first language, and very young children, can be particularly vulnerable and should be afforded extra care and protection from abuse.

Operational responsibilities

As part of our safeguarding policy PFMC will

Comply with any relevant legislation, including laws about health and safety, disability discrimination, food hygiene, fire, and planning requirements.
Promote and prioritise the safety and wellbeing of children and young people
Respect and promote the rights, wishes and feelings of children
Ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in respect of safeguarding and is provided with appropriate learning opportunities to recognise, identify, and respond to signs of abuse, neglect and other safeguarding concerns relating to children and young people
Ensure appropriate action is taken (incident reporting form) in the event of incidents/concerns of abuse and support provided to the individual/s who raise or disclose the concern
Ensure that confidential, detailed, and accurate records of all safeguarding concerns are maintained and securely stored
Prevent the employment/deployment of unsuitable individuals by ensuring a full and exhaustive background check (reference check, DBS check, relevant qualifications, and experience) are made
Ensure robust safeguarding arrangements and procedures are in operation

The policy and procedures will be widely promoted and are mandatory for everyone involved in PFMC. Failure to comply with the policy and procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from the organisation.

Role of management team

PFMC’s safeguarding team will:

Oversee arrangements to ensure the organisation fulfils its ‘duty of care’ towards children
Contribute to the development and implementation of policies for the safeguarding and protection of children in all PFMC activities
Develop, maintain, and review other organisational policies and procedures which contribute to safeguarding children, including those related to safer recruitment, complaints and disciplinary procedures
Work collaboratively with external agencies on cases of serious poor practice or abuse
Continue to implement an organisational plan, practice and culture of listening to children.

Role of designated safeguarding officer

Lead the development of PFMC’s approach to safeguarding children
Lead responsibility for dealing with any concerns about the protection of children
Work to maintain, develop and review policies and procedures to safeguard children in line with national guidance
Direct individuals to sources of support during and following an incident, allegation of abuse, or complaint

Role of staff

All staff working directly with children and young people will:

Be aware of what is meant by safeguarding, protecting, and promoting the welfare of children and the different ways in which children and young people can be harmed
Be alert to potential indicators and risks of abuse or neglect
Communicate effectively and develop working relationships with other staff, volunteers, children, and parents to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of children
Be aware of the roles of PFMC’s onsite safeguarding officers and the designated safeguarding lead, as well as external practitioners and agencies in supporting and advising families and safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
Adhere to our safeguarding rules

Volunteers that are Under 18 years of age

Any person aged under 18 caring for children will be supervised at all times by a person aged 18 or over.

Recognition

Even for those experienced in working with child abuse, it is not always easy to recognise a situation where abuse may occur or has already taken place. However, they do have a responsibility to act immediately if they have any concerns about the behaviour of someone (an adult or another child) towards a child or young person, by reporting their concerns to a safeguarding lead or the designated safeguarding children officer.

Abuse & neglect

All PFMC staff should have an understanding of abuse and neglect and know how and when to act. PFMC will put in place training to ensure that all are able to effectively deal with any suspicions of poor practice, abuse, or neglect.

‘Child abuse and neglect’ are forms of maltreatment of a child. These terms include serious physical and sexual assaults as well as cases where the standard of care does not adequately support the child’s health or development.

Children may be abused or neglected through the infliction of harm, or through the failure to act to prevent harm. Abuse can occur within the family or in an institution or community setting. Abuse can also take place using electronic communication.

Abuse can occur within all social groups regardless of religion, culture, race, social class, age, gender, sexual orientation, or financial position. Children may be abused by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger. They may be abused by an adult/s or other child/ren. There are four broad categories of abuse:

Physical abuse
Emotional abuse
Sexual abuse
Neglect

These categories overlap and an abused child frequently suffers more than a single type of abuse.

It is not the responsibility of PFMC staff to decide that child abuse is occurring, but it is their responsibility to act on any concerns.

Race & Racism

Children and families from black or ethnic minority groups may have experienced harassment, racial and/or religious discrimination and institutional racism. Racial harassment exists in many forms, from subtle discrimination to violent physical abuse.

Racial harassment of children can have long-term damaging effects on all the dimensions of the child’s growth and development and prevent them from achieving their full potential.

Families may suffer religious and/or racial harassment sufficient in frequency and seriousness to undermine parenting capacity. In responding to concerns about children, full account needs to be taken of this context and all reasonable efforts made to end the harassment.

PFMC promotes equality, diversity and will combat unfair treatment.

Bullying

It is important to recognise that in some cases of abuse, it may not always be an adult abusing a young person. An abuser may be a child, for example in the case of bullying. Physical, verbal or emotional bullying are common forms of deliberately hurtful behaviour, usually repeated over a period of time, against which it is difficult for victims to defend themselves.

The damage inflicted by bullying is often underestimated and can cause considerable distress to children to the extent that it affects their health and development. In the extreme it can cause significant harm, including self-harm.

All children at PFMC should be able to:

Make their wishes and feelings known
Receive appropriate personal, social and health (inc. sex) education
Raise concerns about bullying (or anything else)
Have a means of communication and a range of adults with whom they can communicate

Abuse of position of trust

A position of trust is one in which an adult holds a position of authority or influence over children by virtue of the work or nature of the activity being undertaken.

It is important to understand the need for those working in music education and outdoor activities to maintain appropriate boundaries in dealing with children and young people. Every activity should be as open as possible, and it is important that no more time should be spent alone with individual students than is necessary. If one-to-one teaching takes place it must always be in public rooms. Curtains or blinds must be open with doors unlocked and the lights switched on.

Team members are advised to remember that teaching and learning are based on mutual respect and consideration for individual needs. Team members should never apply bullying tactics or make remarks, even in jest and which could be misconstrued, to obtain a desired response. Team members must never use abusive language or make suggestions which could cause loss of self respect.

Response

It is not the responsibility of PFMC staff to decide whether or not child abuse or poor practice is actually taking place. However, it is the responsibility of every member of staff to report concerns so that enquiries and any necessary action to protect the child can then take place. No preconceptions should colour the response.

All information received and discussed must be treated in confidence and only shared with those individuals within the organisation who will be aim to manage and resolve the situation.

On occasion it may be necessary to seek advice or inform the statutory agencies i.e. Children’s Social Services/LSCB or the Police.

Reporting

There are a number of ways in which abuse can become apparent. In any of the following circumstances, a report should be immediately referred to the designated Safeguarding Children’s Officer.

A disclosure by a child of poor practice/abuse

A Suspicion that poor practice/abuse may have taken place

An allegation of poor practice/abuse

In being vigilant of child protection, it is crucial that all staff are aware of the steps used to recognise signs of child abuse.

As soon as possible after the disclosure/allegation/suspicion, an incident report form must be completed accurately, legibly and in as much detail as possible and submitted within 24 hours to the designated safeguarding children officer, who will notify children’s social services/LSCB/Police.

If as a result of the report, the young person becomes an identified ‘Child in Need’ or should the LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer) need clarification or further information, staff may be asked to take part in discussions – this could be over the telephone or at an initial strategy meeting. If the situation is one of child abuse, or a child is in imminent danger, the designated safeguarding children officer should contact the relevant council (see contact below).

If the designated safeguarding children officer and/or the manager are not available, the person discovering or being informed of the abuse should immediately contact children’s social services/LSCB or the police, who will decide how and when parents/carers/guardians will be informed and ultimately become responsible for what steps to take next (see contact below).

The authority will decide within 24 hours if a formal ‘referral’ (further action) is required. Within 7 working days, an initial assessment will be completed based on the child’s development needs, family and environment factors, and parenting capacity.

North Yorkshire contact details

If the situation is urgent but does not require the police (999), we will call 01609 780780 to make a telephone contact.

If outside of business hours (Monday – Friday / 9am-5pm) we can still call 01609 780780 and speak to the Emergency Duty Team.

We can contact the North Yorkshire Duty LADO on 01609 533080 should we wish to speak to somebody in relation to managing an allegation against a member of staff or a volunteer who works in North Yorkshire with children.

Disclosure by a child

Children who are being abused will only tell people they trust and with whom they feel safe.

By listening to and taking seriously what a child is telling you, you will already be helping to protect them.

If a child starts to disclose abuse, use the following guidelines:

React calmly so as not to frighten or deter the child
Reassure the child that s/he is right to tell you and is not to blame
Do not make promises of confidentiality; explain that you have to make sure that s/he is safe, and that you may need to ask other adults to help you to do this
Take what the child says seriously, recognising the difficulties inherent in interpreting what is said by a child who has a speech disability and/or differences in language
Keep questions to the absolute minimum to ensure a clear and accurate understanding of what has been said
Questions should only consist of Who…? What…? When…? Where…?
Questions should be not be leading
Let the child tell you what they want to tell you and no more
They may have to disclose to a specialist later, and too much detail now may interfere with later investigations
When the child has finished, make sure s/he feels secure
Explain what you are going to do next
Make a full written record of what has been said, heard and/or seen, including the date and time, and sign them
Record as much as you can remember, using the child’s own words
Fill in a PFMC Incident reporting form (at end of this document)
Ensure the safety of the young person – if they need immediate medical attention, call an ambulance, inform doctors of concerns and ensure that they are aware it is a child protection issue
Immediately inform the designated safeguarding children officer

Suspected abuse

Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either a member of staff or a volunteer should be reported to the designated safeguarding children officer, 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. i.e. is the situation URGENT?

If not, complete and submit a written report within 24 hours.

The designated safeguarding children officer will seek advice from Children’s Social services/LSCB who may involve the police

The parents or carers of the child will be contacted as soon as possible following advice from the social services department

If the designated safeguarding children officer is the subject of the suspicion/allegation, the report must be made to the safeguarding children manager, who is then responsible for taking the action outlined above.

Allegations against staff

Any concerns for the welfare of the child, arising from abuse or poor practice by a member of staff or volunteer, must be dealt with in the same way as allegations against other people and reported immediately to the designated safeguarding children officer. If the allegation is about the designated safeguarding children officer, the report should be made to the safeguarding children manager.

Internal enquiries and suspension

PFMC will follow strict disciplinary procedures with regards to the suspension of any individual accused of abuse, pending further police and social services inquiries.

Support for staff

PFMC assures all staff that they will fully support and protect anyone who, in good faith (without malicious intent), reports his or her concern about a colleague’s practice or the possibility that a child may be being abused.

Action if Bullying is Suspected

All personnel will be provided with training, support, and information as appropriate.

Procedure for dealing with bullying includes:

Record the incident using an Incident Report Form
Speak to the bully separately and agree a course of action
Follow up to ensure the victim is safe
Aim to integrate the victim into the group
Praise the bully for any subsequent positive behaviour
Track any further action, including speaking to other agencies or parents, or undertaking any mediation or other meetings
Inform the designated safeguarding children officer

Good practice

All PFMC staff will be encouraged to demonstrate excellent behaviour and always put the welfare of young people first.

Use of photographic filming equipment

Where photography or filming equipment has been organised for publicity purposes, consent will have been sought from parents or carers. Photographs will only be kept for use for PFMC publicity purposes (with permission) and will not be shared outside of that remit.

DBS (Disclosure & Barring) Disclosure/PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Children) Scheme

Sight of a DBS Disclosure (or PVG statement in Scotland) must be provided in advance for all posts at PFMC and PFMC+. Without this, a member of staff will not be allowed to enter the site.

Staffing & Supervision Ratios

Consideration of staff:child ratio will always be given before any group activity, and changed according to the level of risk inherent in the activity, e.g. music session (low risk), tennis (medium risk), forest school (high risk) or river paddling (very high risk).

Use of Electronic Communication

PFMC has a restricted phones policy for its campers regardless of age.

Managing Challenging Behaviour

Staff delivering sessions may, on occasion, be required to deal with a child’s challenging behaviour. In responding to challenging behaviour, the response should always be proportionate to the actions, be imposed as soon as is practicable and be fully explained to the child and their parents/carers.

Staff, children, young people, and parents/carers should be involved in developing an agreed statement of what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable behaviour (code of conduct) and the range of sanctions which may be applied in response to unacceptable behaviour.

Code of Ethics and Conduct – Parents & Carers

We all have a duty of care towards young and vulnerable performers and can help to protect them from abuse.

As a parent or carer, you will play a vital part in the development of your child through enhancing their enjoyment and performance . This can be achieved by:
Identifying and meeting the needs of young people
Improving their performance through a progressive programme of safe, guided practice, measured performance
Creating an environment in which young people are motivated to maintain participation and improve performance

We therefore expect parents and carers to demonstrate the principles of good ethical practice listed below:

You must ensure your child has the appropriate equipment, clothing, and refreshments
You must inform PFMC of any special requirements your child has, or any illness, injury, or medical condition, and ensure your child has access to any required medication
You must provide PFMC with emergency contact details, and inform them immediately should these change
You should take an active interest in your child’s participation and progress, and help them to enjoy their music

Principles of participation and code of conduct – Children & young people

PFMC is for everyone, and is a great way to make new friends, stay fit and healthy, learn new skills and to have FUN! But remember, you should always feel SAFE! It is the responsibility of everyone at PFMC to make sure you can stay safe and have fun. But you can also help to make sure PFMC is an enjoyable experience for all young people, by following these principles of participation.

Fair Play

Treat others with the same respect and fairness that you would like them to show you

Equity

Respect differences in gender, disability, culture, race, ethnicity, and religious belief systems between yourself and others

Inclusiveness and tolerance

Appreciate that all participants bring something valuable and different to PFMC

Value and learn from the diversity of people you meet and show patience with others and act with dignity and respect at all times

Always use polite language, and never engage in bullying behaviour

Responsibility

Look out for yourself and the welfare of others

Do not engage in any irresponsible behaviour

You can always come to a member of staff if you are concerned about someone’s behaviour towards you or towards somebody else

Friendship

Take time to thank those who help you take part – whether family, organisation or teammates

Respect

Play to your best ability at all times

Follow any instruction during the week, as long as you are comfortable to do so and it is a fair request

Show respect to all around you

Monitoring

The policy will be reviewed a year after development and then every 12 months, or in the following circumstances:

Changes in legislation and/or government guidance
As a result of any other significant change or event.

Date February 2023

To be reviewed February 2024