Privacy Policy

SAFEGUARDING (inc CHILD PROTECTION) POLICY dated 12 February 2025

The Policy

This Policy applies to all staff, members and volunteers of Acting Up!, including creative contractors, committee, members, performers and all other volunteers. We recognise our duty of care under the Children and Young Persons Act 1963, the Child (Performances) Regulations 1968, the Protection of Children Act 1999 and the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000.

We recognise that safeguarding is a key governance priority, and that abuse can take many forms, whether it be physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse or neglect. We are committed to practice which protects children and vulnerable adults (including those at risk from age, illness or disability) from harm. We all accept and recognise our responsibilities to remain alert and aware of possible safeguarding risks and, in providing our activities we will endeavour at all times to ensure that everyone is as safe as we can make them. We have a duty to act on reports or suspicions of abuse and we adopt a “zero-tolerance” to abuse in The Group


Safeguarding Lead

Any question or concern about the welfare of children or vulnerable adults should be shared swiftly and appropriately with our Safeguarding Lead (or, in their absence, another committee member):

Name…Fiona Retalic

Email…fionaretalic@gmail.com

Phone…07894 138890


Children

We believe that:

  • The welfare of the child is paramount;
  • All children, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, appearance, racial origin, religious belief and/or gender identity have the right to protection from abuse or harm;
  • Harm can be caused by accidents, deliberate abuse (physical, psychological, sexual, emotional, financial), neglect (deliberate or not) or factors such as bullying, prejudicial attitudes, or a failure to enable a person to participate in activities that are open to most of their peers. It can also include abuse via use of ICT facilities including the internet).

All our staff, members and volunteers should understand the importance of safeguarding and protecting children and how to respond to issues appropriately.

We will ensure that:

  • All children will be treated equally and with respect and dignity;
  • Our duty of care to children will always be put first;
  • A balanced relationship based on mutual trust will be built which empowers the children involved with The Group to share in decision making processes;
  • Enthusiastic and constructive feedback will be given to children rather than negative criticism;
  • Bullying will never be accepted or condoned (we know that children can face harm from their peers);
  • All adult members of the society provide a positive role model, acting appropriately in the presence of children;
  • Any inappropriate or harmful behaviour towards or in the presence of children by any adult member will be challenged;
  • We keep up-to-date with legislation and guidance relating to the protection of children and undertake relevant development and training.
  • We maintain a record of every child (and person with parental responsibility for them) presently involved with The Group with their consent, to be accessible in case of emergencies;
  • All personal information we may collect relating to children will be processed and stored in accordance with [our] data protection policy and with the UK GDPR principles. The Society has child protection procedures which will accompany this Policy. [This Policy should also be read in conjunction with our [Equal Rights & Diversity/EDI Policy] [Health & Safety Policy] [Data Protection Policy] [Complaints Policy] [Whistleblowing Policy]]

Review

This Safeguarding Policy was approved by the Group's Principal Director, Fiona Retalic, on 12 February 2025, and comes into effect on that date. As appropriate, the Direcotr will monitor and enforce this Policy and will review it regularly:

Date of next review: 12 August 2025


CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

Responsibilities of The Group

At the outset of any production involving children (and in any case before the auditioning/casting process) we will:

  • Undertake child focussed risk assessments and monitor and record risk throughout the life of the production. This will include risk assessments in relation to the performance venue/s with reference to its safety and suitability for children. Where any activities are to take place at other locations we will also carry out a further risk assessment;
  • Identify at the outset the person within The Group who holds responsibility for overseeing child protection;
  • Ensure effective engagement of qualified chaperones (best practice being those approved by the local authority) and other individuals with responsibility for children, including appropriate checks (e.g. DBS) if necessary;
  • Ensure that children are properly supervised at all times;
  • Know how to contact local authority social services, in case we need to report a concern

Parents & Carers

  • We believe a partnership between those with parental receptibility for the child and The Group is important.
  • We encourage parents or carers to be involved in the activities of The Group and to share responsibility for the care of children. They will be given a copy of our Safeguarding (Child Protection) Policy and Procedures.
  • All parents or carers have the responsibility to collect (or arrange collection of) their children after rehearsals or performances. We cannot accept responsibility for taking children home.

Unsupervised Contact

  • We will endeavour to ensure that no unqualified adult has unsupervised contact with children. There should always be at least two adults in the room when working with children. If unsupervised contact is unavoidable, steps will be taken to minimise risk. For example, work will be carried out in a public area, or in a designated room with a door open. If it is predicted that an individual is likely to require unsupervised contact with children, we may require a DBS check.

Physical Contact

  • All adults will maintain a safe and appropriate distance from children.
  • Adults will only touch children when it is absolutely necessary in relation to the particular activity.
  • Adults will seek the consent of the child prior to any physical contact and the purpose of the contact shall be made clear.

Managing Sensitive Information

  • We have a policy and procedure for the taking, using and storage of photographs or images of children.
  • We will ask permission from those with parental responsibility to make and use photographic material featuring children for promotional or other purposes.
  • Our web-based materials and activities will be carefully monitored for inappropriate use.
  • We will ensure confidentiality in order to protect the rights of all our members, including the safe handling, secure storage and reliable and timely disposal of any personal data or sensitive information.

Suspicion of Abuse

  • If you see or suspect abuse of a child while in the care of The Group, please make this known to the person who holds responsibility for overseeing child protection.
  • If you suspect that the person with responsibility for child protection is the source of the problem, you should make your concerns known to the Principal Director, Fiona Retalic
  • Please record what you witnessed as well as your response, in case there is follow-up in which you are involved,
  • If a serious allegation is made against any member of the society, chaperone, venue staff etc., that individual will be suspended immediately until the investigation is concluded. The individual will be excluded from the theatre, rehearsal rooms etc. and will not have any unsupervised contact with any other children in the production.

Reporting Procedure

  • If a child confides in you that abuse has taken place:
  • Remain calm and in control but do not delay taking action;
  • Listen carefully to what has been said. Allow the child to tell you at their own pace and ask questions only for clarification.
  • Don’t interrogate or ask questions that suggest a particular answer;
  • Don’t promise to keep it a secret.
  • Use the first opportunity you have to share the information with the person with responsibility for child protection.
  • Make it clear to the child that you will need to share this information with others.
  • Make it clear that you will only tell the people who need to know and who should be able to help;
  • Reassure the child that ‘they did the right thing’ in telling someone;
  • Tell the child what you are going to do next;
  • Speak immediately to the person with responsibility for child protection.
  • It is that person’s responsibility to liaise with the relevant authorities, usually the local authority or police;
  • As soon as possible after the disclosing conversation, make a note of what was said, using the child’s own words.
  • Note the date, time, any names that were involved or mentioned, and who you gave the information to.
  • Make sure you sign and date your record.

Recording

In all situations, including those in which the cause of concern arises from a disclosure made in confidence, the details of an allegation or reported incident will be recorded, regardless of whether or not the concerns have been shared with a statutory child protection agency.

An accurate note shall be made of the date and time of the incident or disclosure, the parties involved, what was said or done and by whom, any action taken to investigate the matter, any further action taken eg. suspension of an individual, where relevant the reasons why the matter was not referred to a statutory agency, and the name of the persons reporting and to whom it was reported.

The record will be stored securely and shared only with those who need to know about the incident or allegation.

Rights & Confidentiality

If a complaint is made against a member of The Group, they will be informed properly in a formal meeting of the particulars of the allegations, made aware of their rights under The Group's disciplinary procedures and the relevant next steps to be taken.

No matter how you may feel about the accusation, both the alleged abuser and the child who is thought to have been abused have the legal right to confidentiality.

Remember also that any possible criminal investigation could be compromised through inappropriate information being released