Young Stars Agency

Child Protection Policy & Procedures

Young Stars Statement

The following expressions shall have the following meanings:

STATEMENT

Young Stars Statement The welfare of the child, young person and vulnerable adult is paramount.

All children, young person and vulnerable adult whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse.

All suspicions and allegations of abuse should be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and in an informed manner.

Staff and volunteers will be clear on how to respond appropriately.

We will ensure that all workers understand their legal and moral obligations to protect children and young people from harm, abuse and exploitation

INTRODUCTION

There is a moral obligation on anyone working with children to provide them with the highest possible standard of care. Secondly, there is a legal responsibility, under the common law Duty of Care, for all organisations to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children in their care.

The most effective way to do this is to have well thought out child protection policies and procedures in place.

The fundamental principle in childcare law and practice is that the welfare of the child must always be the paramount consideration in decisions taken about them. This is set out in The Children (NI) Order 1995, which provides the legislative basis for child protection practice in Northern Ireland and which is underpinned by the standards of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Volunteer Development Agency has developed overarching child protection guidelines on behalf of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, for useby organisations within the arts sector in Northern Ireland. This resource document outlines legislative and good practice guidelines for working with children. Youngstars has taken these guidelines and adapted them to suit their specific activities and organisational structure. TERMS USED IN THIS POLICY Throughout this document, the following applies when reference is made to: Child/children - to promote best practice, the definition adopted is a person under 18 years of age, as defined in The Children (NI) Order 1995 and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Disability - the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 defines disability as “a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal day to day activities”. Parent/Guardian - individuals who have parental responsibility for children, as defined by The Children (NI) Order 1995. Parental responsibility - (defined by The Children (NI) Order 1995) - a mother always has parental responsibility (except when an adoption order is made) as do parents who were married at the time of the child’s birth. Where parents were not married at the time of the child’s birth, the mother automatically has parental responsibility. In relation to children born after the 15th April 2002, the father has automatic responsibility when his name is registered on the birth certificate. If his name is not on the birth certificate he can apply to court for parental responsibility or sign a parental responsibility agreement. Since the15th April 2002 a step-parent can also now apply for parental responsibility. Regulated position - (defined by The Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (NI) Order 2003) - those who, in the course of their normal duties, care for, train, advise, counsel or supervise, or are in sole charge of children as well as the supervisors/managers of individuals in regulated positions. Management Boards and Governing Bodies of organisations involved with children are also included. Worker(s) - anyone who is engaged in work or voluntary activity with children, whether as a paid employee or as a volunteer. RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION Youngstars aims to recruit and appoint all workers in accordance with relevant current legislation and actively seek to equally offer employment and volunteering opportunities according to their Equal Opportunities Policy. The following information outlines legislative requirements and good practiceguidelines for safer recruitment and selection in relation to child protection. Organisations should: provide a clearly defined job/volunteer role description for all staff and volunteer positions. identify if a job/volunteer role is ‘regulated’ as defined under the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults (NI) Order 2003 (www.dhsspsni.gov.uk). adhere to an open recruitment process and advertise all positions to ensure their availability to the whole community. use an application form to gather key information from an interested candidate in relation to the position. The job/volunteer role description should be sent to all candidates, along with information about the organisation and acopy of its child protection policy. require applicants working with children and young people to declare any past (including spent) criminal convictions, cautions and cases pending against them under the Rehabilitation of Offenders (Exceptions) Order (NI) 1979. Applicants should be asked to sign a declaration form stating that there is no reason why they should be considered unsuitable to work with children. This information must be dealt with in a confidential manner and not used to discriminate against applicants unfairly. short-list applicants according to their suitability for the position. Ultimately, the best person for each position should be appointed and all applicants fairly treated. interview all applicants for positions which will lead them into contact with children, whether voluntary or paid, before the position is offered. At least two representatives should interview the short listed applicants. ask applicants to provide the names and addresses of two referees, to whom they are not related. take up at least two references in writing for the preferred candidate, one of which should be from a previous employer or volunteer coordinator. An organisation should ask questions that relate directly to a person’s suitability for working with children. following a conditional offer of employment/volunteering appointment, an AccessNI check should be requested on the preferred applicant. An Enhanced Disclosure Certificate is required for Regulated Positions(www.accessni.gov.uk). consider the results of the disclosure check and confirm or withdraw an offer of employment/volunteering role, based on the information received. issue an Employment Contract to staff or a Volunteer Agreement to volunteers. workers may be contracted for a project that requires regular input over a period of time (i.e. their input will be a couple of days per month or one week every couple of months, as opposed to consecutive days for a specified period). An organisation should consider the implications of these ‘breaks in employment’ (i.e. the period of time in between their input into the project). An organisation may consider developing a consultancy contract as a viable option to cover a specified period of time, where an individual will regularly undertake duties within a given role and project. decide how long a consultancy contract will be valid for, taking issues such as ‘breaks in employment’ into account and ensuring that safeguards for protecting children are maximised at all times. Standard good practice would be to request an AccessNI check every twelve months for workers who are contracted on a consultancy basis. Organisations should ensure that this is applied consistently to all workers. in all instances, an AccessNI check must be carried out on the preferred candidate prior to confirming their offer of employment or volunteering position. A new check should be carried out prior to renewing a consultancy contract or in such instances where an individual is contracted, in a paid or voluntary capacity, in another role during their current contract. AccessNI checks for volunteers are mostly free of charge. Organisations should bear in mind that while an AccessNI check is a crucial element for screening out unsuitable individuals, it must be used in conjunction with the other aspects of the recruitment and selection procedure to minimise risk. Therefore, the importance of other procedures and guidelines should be implemented at all times (e.g. robust recruitment and selection procedures, effective management of workers, development and implementation of guidelines such as code of behaviour). EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS Induction Youngstars will introduce all new workers to organisational policies,procedures, guidelines and activities. Workers should know and understand the boundaries within which they must operate and sign a contract to acknowledge that they have received, read and understood the relevant policies. All workers should receive a copy of the child protection policy and any queries should be identified and addressed. Training In addition to the induction, all workers should receive training that is specific to their roles. Workers (including Designated Officers and Management Committee members) should receive child protection training, in addition to clear guidelines on appropriate behaviour with children. Probationary/trial period All new appointments (paid and unpaid) should be conditional on a satisfactory period of work. Staff should have a probationary period and all volunteers should undergo a trial period. Positions should not be confirmed until an organisation is confident that the applicant is suitable for the position. This willbe undertaken within an agreed period of time, at the end of which the post should be reviewed and confirmed or not. Support and supervision Workers should meet their line manager/supervisor at regular intervals to assess their progress and identify any additional training needs. This provides support for workers and gives them an opportunity to talk, in confidence, about any uncertainties or problems they may have. Sessions can be used to look at relevant policies as required, such as the child protection policy. Support and supervision sessions can be formal (e.g. a meeting) or informal (e.g. observation of workers) and conducted on a one-to-one basis or in small groups. An organisation should select the best method for its structure and workers and may decide to use a combination of methods that are time bound and role specific (e.g. a formal, one-to-one meeting with workers every three months combined with a group meeting every six months, supported by ongoing observation and informal chats). If the person observing a worker has a concern, the process may become more formal, depending on the seriousness of the incident. For example, after witnessing something which has given them cause for concern, the line manager/supervisor may speak to the worker to resolve the issue, making a note of this in the worker’s file. Appraisal/review Staff should be appraised and volunteers reviewed no less than once every twelve months, with the aim of reviewing the achievements over the last year and identifying any difficulties or gaps. The session should also identify future support, training and development needs. REPORTING CONCERNS Youngstars will highlight their dedication to ensuring that staff and volunteers respond appropriately to concerns, allegations or disclosures of abuse and harm, by: providing guidelines about what constitutes suspicion or a child protection concern; providing guidelines about how to respond to concerns and disclosures; implementing a procedure for recording and reporting information in a confidential manner; appointing a Designated Officer to deal with child protection issues. What may constitute a concern about a child? A concern relates to the possibility of a child suffering harm or abuse. Indicators of this may include: sudden, unexplained or worrying changes in behaviour (e.g. becoming withdrawn, displaying sudden outbursts of temper or displaying inappropriate sexual awareness for their age). physical signs or symptoms that may be indicative of abuse (e.g. unexplained or suspicious injuries or for which the explanation given seems inconsistent, or a change in their physical appearance for no apparent reason). worrying remarks made by a child. a situation where a child has been exposed to potential risk of harm. Due to the nature of expressivity involved with all arts forms, workers should be aware that children may express their emotions in different ways. Any concerns about a child should be reported in line with the reporting procedure. In addition, workers should be mindful that a disability may: appear to ‘explain’ signs and symptoms (e.g. if a child had a pattern of bruising, workers should not automatically attribute this to the disability and dismiss the possibility of abuse). result in a greater dependency on adults (e.g. intimate care) and that the child may be accustomed to being cared for by a number of different people. This may make it more difficult for a child with a disability to recognise abusive behaviour and differentiate between appropriate and inappropriate touch. make it difficult for a child to communicate an abusive experience to others. Similarly, it may be difficult to convey information to a child with a disability. make workers more reluctant to accept that children with a disability can be abused. What is a disclosure? A disclosure is when a child tells a worker that they have been or are being harmed or abused in some way. This may constitute physical, sexual or emotional abuse, or neglect or bullying. Dealing with disclosure If a child makes a disclosure, it is important that workers: stay calm - do not panic! reassure the child that they have done the right thing in telling. listen to what the child is saying, do not rush them or ask leading questions. do not promise to keep secrets, as the child’s welfare is paramount and they must pass this information on to their Deputy/Designated Officer. record in writing what was said and/or observed as soon as possible so that they do not forget any information and try to write exact words if possible. report without delay according to the organisation’s reporting procedure. record they made the report. What is a concern or allegation about the behaviour of a worker? Inappropriate or unacceptable behaviour or communication, favouritism or negligence, or a breach in the code of behaviour may constitute a concern about the conduct of a worker. An allegation about a worker occurs when a child, parent/guardian or another worker reports specific unacceptable behaviour where a child has been harmed or abused in some way. Responding to concerns, disclosures and allegations Workers should be aware that other areas of a child’s life may affect their behaviour at a given moment (e.g. separation anxiety, homesickness or bereavement). In some instances, it may be appropriate for a worker to check out a concern with the child, parent/guardian, colleague or supervisor. Similarly, there will be times when it is inappropriate to check out a concern, particularly (but not exclusively) in relation to a disclosure or an allegation. It is not the worker’s responsibility to investigate a concern or decide if abuse or harm has occurred. Workers simply need to ensure that all information is passed to the Deputy/Designated Officer without delay. All concerns, disclosures and allegations should be recorded and passed to the Deputy/Designated Officer as outlined in the reporting procedure, no matter how insignificant the information may seem and regardless of whether it relates to situations internal or external to an organisation (i.e. any concerns connected to a family or school situation should be noted as well as concerns within anorganisation). “After a project has finished, the group of participants no longer has any contact with the organisation or its workers. One of the children who participated on the project spots a worker in town one day and makes a disclosure. What should the worker do, given that the child is no longer associated with the organisation?” Information which is disclosed to a worker after their contract has finished/after the project has finished should be passed on to Social Services, the PSNI or the NSPCC. Organisations should appoint a Designated Officer. A Designated Officer should complete specialist training to deal with child protection concerns, disclosures and allegations. Their role is to: provide information and advice on training requirements in relation to child protection. ensure that child protection policy and procedures are being followed. contact local statutory organisations (Social Services Gateway Team, the PSNI and/or NSPCC) about concerns and make a formal referral, if applicable. The general procedure is that the Deputy/Designated Officer will contact a statutory organisation by phone and follow this up in writing. agency Allegations about a member of staff/volunteer An allegation against a worker must be referred to the Designated Officer, who should then pass it on to the head of the organisation. Organisations should develop a reporting procedure to deal with an allegation against a Designated Officer. In the case of an allegation against one of the Designated Officers, a referral should be made to the other Designated Officer, an identified individual in a senior position (e.g. the Chairperson) or directly to a statutory agency. The Designated Officer should liaise closely with statutory agencies and seek advice with regards possible concerns. There may be instances when an allegation may not necessarily lead to a referral to a statutory agency. For example, a one-off incident may be considered to be a training matter as opposed to a matter for referral (e.g. a worker shouting at a child who has misbehaved may not be knowledgeable in behaviour management, in which case training should be sourced and the code of behaviour re-visited with the worker). Serious incidents should be referred to the PSNI. If a referral about a criminal offence is made to the PSNI and it instigates a criminal investigation, an organisation should not conduct an internal investigation or gather evidence that could prejudice a criminal investigation. Examples of a code of behaviour for workers Do Be supportive, approachable and reassuring. Show respect, be patient and listen to children. Respect a young person’s right to personal privacy. Treat and value children as individuals. Treat children with consistency, fairness and equality. Set a good example by using appropriate attitude, demeanour & language at all times. Wear clothing that is appropriate to the art form and artistic need. Offer support and empathy in a manner appropriate to age, stage and gender of a child -always in an open and transparent manner and within context e.g. if child distressed. Ensure that any time spent with children takes place in as open a setting as possible. Provide clear instruction, clarify meaning and establish clear boundaries. Involve children in the decision making process as much as possible (e.g. planning activities). Focus on the child and what they really want to do (i.e. it could be more damaging to push a child who is not ready, for example, to take part in a performance). Encourage leadership, responsibility and participation in activities. Encourage children to do as much as possible for themselves and instil confidence - support them to make choices and to find acceptable ways to express their feelings. This will enable children to have the self-confidence and vocabulary to resist inappropriate approaches. Never Show favouritism towards a child. Promise to keep secrets. Belittle or demean children or other workers. Shout at/argue with children or other workers in a humiliating/patronising/threatening manner. Embarrass, ignore or single out a child. Give unnecessary orders or orders which humiliate/instigate fear in others. Allow or engage in inappropriate touching (kissing, hitting, smacking etc.) Engage in sexually provocative/inappropriate games (including horseplay). Any contact activities must be part of the planned activities for the group and clearly supervised. Make sexually suggestive comments about or to a child, even in jest. Abuse privileges/own position. Give your personal contact details to children; organisational details should be used instead. Text/telephone/e-mail children on a one-to-one basis unless with parental consent and for a specific purpose. Invite/accept invites from children for social networking websites. Let allegations a child makes go unrecorded or leave issues unresolved. Teach or give instruction that is outside your remit. Be under the influence, or recovering from the effects of, alcohol/illegal substances. Leave children unsupervised. Allow children to use language that is deemed inappropriate or offensive to others within the group. Do things of a personal nature for children that they can do themselves. Take children to your home (or their own home if a parent/guardian is not there to meet them). Spend periods of time alone with children. An adult who needs to take a child aside (e.g. time out after misbehaviour) should stay within the sight of others. If it is necessary to enter a separate room, use a room with visual access (e.g. a window) and leave the door open. Another adult should know, be vigilant and within ear shot if possible. A written record should be made and kept on file. Physical contact that is out of the art form context. Any required physical contact should only take place with the child’s consent, within context and any resistance should be respected.* Take children alone in a car on journeys, no matter how short. If this is necessary, try to take more than one child and ensure that they are seated in the back of the vehicle. It should also only take place with the full knowledge and consent of the leader/supervisor in charge and the child’s parents/guardians. They should also know the route that will be taken and the estimated time of arrival. *Some art forms will require a greater amount of physical contact than others In addition to the examples, workers should be aware of the following: Some activities may involve discussion about sensitive topics, such as drugs, bullying or racism. Workers should ensure that such activities are appropriate to the age and stage of development of the children in the group and within context. Such activity should only take place with guidance and within a controlled environment (e.g. a role play activity). Workers should be positive role models for children in areas such as friendliness, care, respect and courtesy. Workers should praise and endorse desirable behaviour, such as kindness and willingness to share, and avoid situations where a worker’s attention is received only in return for undesirable behaviour. Shouting at a child in a threatening, patronising or derogatory manner is unacceptable; however, appropriate shouting within the context of an activity (e.g. rehearsals or a theatre performance) may be required when children need to be alert and ready to respond. In many instances, workshops and technical rehearsals involve loud music, participants are excited and boisterous, the environment is often chaotic and the schedule may be running behind time. The importance of following direction and instruction given by the artistic team in these situations may make shouting appropriate and contextual as part of the learning process for participants. Physical contact There will be instances when physical contact with a child is unavoidable and appropriate within the context. Some examples include: Appropriate Context dependent touch within a controlled and supervised environment (e.g. demonstrations for dance, music, drama, craft - or singing e.g. a teacher demonstrating a breathing technique). Administration of first aid (with parental consent and only by a trained first-aider). Assistance to avoid embarrassment (e.g. offering to help a child to their feet if they fall). Support & guidance for performing arts such as drama, dance, circus and musical theatre (e.g. lifting/positioning/spotting). Offering comfort to a distressed child, in response to the child’s needs. Preventing injury (e.g. catching a falling child, appropriate restraint). Handshake and ‘hi-fives’ Group hug with all the children/group at the end of class/following a performance as a means of congratulations. Undertaking personal care (e.g. for very young or disabled children) only with the full consent of parents/guardians and, if possible, by a worker of the same gender. In an emergency, personal care should only be undertaken with the full consent of a leader/supervisor and parents/guardians should be fully informed as soon as possible, if it was not possible to contact them beforehand. Fitting/checking/fixing microphones and sound equipment. Taking measurements/fittings for costume. Emergency costume repairs (e.g. while a child is wearing a costume during a performance). Fitting harnesses/checking safety equipment for ‘flying’. Assisting children with planned costume changes in the wings/backstage. Inappropriate Touch which is unnecessary/unexplained/out of context/out of normal environment/in response to adult’s needs/without consent. Sustained and prolonged ‘appropriate’ touch. Kissing. Touch of breast, groin or buttocks. Horseplay (adults – child; between peers). Sexual gestures. Slapping/hitting (even in jest). Holding hands (unless in context e.g. assisting very young children with crossing the road). In addition, physical touch should only occur: after the type of contact within an activity and reason for it has been explained to the child. when the child’s consent has been gained. in an open and transparent manner, preferably in view of others. when it is appropriate to the age and developmental stage of the child. in response to the particular needs of the child. when it is not in breach of appropriate physical contact guidelines. as lightly and sensitively as possible. Reasonable force Workers may encounter a circumstance when it is necessary to restrain a child to prevent injury to them (e.g. child who is about to walk in front of a moving vehicle) or others (e.g. child attacks another child or worker). In all instances, reasonable force should only be used in emergency situations when it is necessary to do so and only the minimum force should be used. Examples of a code of behaviour for children A code of behaviour (or a group agreement) should be developed for children taking part in an activity/group. As with a code of behaviour for workers, it should outline appropriate and inappropriate behaviours (including language), and should be valid for a specified period of time (e.g. the duration of the project). The following are examples of a code of behaviour for children: Include and encourage the participation of other group members. Listen to others. Ask questions if you are unsure about something. Respect other children and adults at all times. Tell a leader straight away if you (or another child) feel uncomfortable or frightened by the actions or words of another adult or child. Say ‘no’ if you feel uncomfortable at any time (e.g. during an activity). Shout. Swear or use inappropriate language. Make fun of others. Exclude or make assumptions about others. Fight/push/pull/hit/nip/bite – even in fun. Tell jokes or stories that are rude or may offend or hurt others. Run in corridor areas/backstage. Keep bullying or inappropriate behaviour a secret. Promise to keep secrets. Use mobile telephones during activities (including breaks). If it is necessary to review and amend the content of the code of behaviour at any time, an organisation should do so with the knowledge of those to whom it applies. Organisations should also adapt a code of behaviour according to the context of an activity (e.g. a daytrip or residential). Organisations should also consider how best to include a child who has been known to pose a risk to others. In such instances, an organisation should undertake an assessment and ensure it consults with the child as well as those who know the child well (e.g. parents/guardians, teachers, social workers). Organisations working with children and adults (aged 18 and over) should develop and implement procedures and provide guidance to protect all participants. Organisations should ensure that all participants are aware of, and adhere to, the code of behaviour. If supervisory responsibilities are to be given to a participant, they should be subject to an AccessNI check( www.accessni.gov.uk). Participants aged 18 and over should be made aware of issues such as appropriate behaviour (including language and topics of conversation) and being a good role model to the younger participants within the group. Daytrips and residential activities should be carefully planned, with particular attention given to accommodation needs and supervision of group members. Anti-bullying Organisations working with children should be committed to providing a caring, friendly and safe environment. Bullying is unacceptable and children are encouraged to tell a leader about any incidents so these can be dealt with promptly and effectively. Bullying is defined as the use of aggression with the intention of hurting another person, resulting in pain and distress to the victim and which will negatively impact on their wellbeing. In many instances, there are three parties involved – the bully, the victim and the onlooker. Bullying can be categorised as: Emotional Being unfriendly, excluding, tormenting (e.g. hiding possessions, threatening gestures). Physical Pushing, kicking, hitting, punching or any use of violence against another person. Racist Racial taunts, graffiti, gestures. Disability Gestures, taunts and exclusion on the grounds of disability. Gender Unfriendliness and exclusion. Sexual Unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments. Homophobic Because of, or focusing on, the issue of sexuality. Verbal Name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing. Cyber Internet, e-mail and internet chat room misuse; mobile phone threats by text messaging, Bluetooth and phone calls; misuse of associated technology i.e. camera and video facilities. Every child has the right to be treated with respect - no one deserves to be a victim of bullying and children who are bullying others need to learn different ways of behaving. Bullying of any kind should not be tolerated. Organisations should decide on procedures for reporting bullying, for example: report incidents of bullying to a leader without delay. the leader should make a record of the report. an investigation into the bullying behaviour/threats should be undertaken and the bullying quickly stopped. an attempt should be made to help the bully/bullies change their behaviour. in serious cases, parents/guardians should be informed and asked to attend a meeting to discuss the problem. if necessary, the PSNI may be consulted. Some possible outcomes are: to ask the bully/bullies to make a genuine apology. to reconcile the children, if possible. in serious cases, to consider suspension or exclusion. after the bullying has been investigated and dealt with, the situation should be monitored to ensure a repeat incident does not take place. Disability and additional needs Organisations should equally welcome children with and without a disability to participate in activities. It should consult with parents/guardians, the child and workers to identify and assess additional needs on an individual basis to provide appropriate learning opportunities for all children. Organisations should establish systems to observe and maintain records and, with parental input, monitor an individual child’s needs and progress. If a child’s needs cannot be met without the support of a one-to-one worker, it could source funding to employ one and/or make reasonable adjustments (e.g. an organisation may be able to approach a funding agency to request financial assistance to enable participation). Organisations should also work with Social Services to ensure that the particular needs of a child are being met. Organisations should try to maximise inclusion by: planning for inclusion in advance, with regards to accessibility of activities, venue, equipment, transport and sanitary/changing and catering facilities. involving the child, parents/guardians, workers and support organisations with regards gathering information, planning and reviewing. minimising fuss when including a child with additional needs and taking care to avoid singling them out. ensuring appropriate supervision ratios are maintained at all times. asking parents/guardians to provide detailed information about medical, dietary and intimate care needs to ensure the comfort, safety and privacy of their child. only giving out information on a need to know basis and with strictest confidentiality. In all instances, it is important that organisations remember that a child with additional needs is a child first. Sanctions A breach of procedures and guidelines must be taken seriously and workers, children, parents/guardians and other service users should note the following: staff in breach of guidelines should be disciplined in line with the Disciplinary Procedure. an organisation should follow guidelines for dealing with difficult situations for volunteers who breach policy, as outlined in their Volunteer Agreement. sanctions should be developed for children who breach a group agreement, anti-bullying policy or instructions for an activity or task. These should be related to the seriousness of the incident and may include challenging difficult behaviour, taking time out from participating in an activity or temporary suspension from the organisation. Contacting the child’s parents/guardians should also be considered in some instances and in the most extreme cases, it may be necessary to consider permanent suspension. Early intervention and dialogue with children should minimise the need to apply more serious sanctions. basic guidelines should be provided to other service users (including parents/guardians, spectators and user groups) to facilitate the safety of children. Service users should be asked to abide by these and a breach should be reported to a leader/supervisor without delay. SHARING INFORMATION Good communication helps to foster an environment in which children will be protected from harm. Systems should be established to provide opportunities for sharing information with children, parents/guardians and workers. Furthermore, parental involvement should be welcomed and encouraged. Organisational good practice would be to: ensure all parents/guardians, children, workers and other service users are aware of policies, procedures and guidelines relevant to them, including the child protection policy. Written information should be circulated and it may be useful to produce a leaflet containing key information (e.g. codes of behaviour, reporting procedure, important contact numbers). The Child Protection Policy Statement should also be displayed on the wall in a prominent place. keep parents/guardians and children fully informed about meetings, workshops, training, events and specific activities (including any particular requirements e.g. wear suitable/old clothing). regularly circulate updated information about activities and events through publicity leaflets/news sheets/letters etc. provide regular feedback to parents/guardians about their child’s progress, verbally and in writing. hold meetings and events in accessible and appropriate venues. welcome and consider suggestions from parents/guardians and children (verbal/written) and undertake short surveys to assess services. explain the complaints procedures to parents/guardians, children and volunteers and the grievance procedure to staff. encourage parental assistance with special events. produce and circulate a flyer with key points in advance of events; highlight key points at the start of an event (e.g. policy on photographs and videos) and place posters around the venue to remind individuals about the organisation’s commitment to good practice in relation to child protection. hold a pre-term meeting with workers, tutors and user groups to outline child protection responsibilities. inform children, parents/guardians and workers about sanctions that apply to breaching codes of behaviour. extract key information from the full child protection policy as a quick reference guide for workers (e.g. code of behaviour, dealing with disclosure, reporting procedure, emergency contact numbers). Organisations that provide services and activities within another setting (e.g. art or drama sessions within a school) should establish a process for informing the host venue of their child protection procedures. Child protection policies should be exchanged so that both organisations can familiarise themselves with the procedures and guidelines of the other organisation, and any differences should be discussed in advance of a session and a definitive procedure agreed upon. For example, the agreed reporting procedure may be that any child protection concerns are reported through the host organisation’s procedure but, if the visiting organisation is not satisfied that it has been appropriately dealt with, then it will deal with the concern via it’s own procedure. Organisations should hold a preliminary meeting with the host venue to explain the activities that will be undertaken and the process for interacting with the children. Organisations should take time to explain the rationale behind the techniques that will be used within a given art form and emphasise the benefits to the children. Particular attention should be given to how the workshop facilitators operate and how they deliver a session within the guidelines of the organisation’s child protection policy (this is particularly important if the art form requires using techniques that would not be used by the host organisation’s workers to interact with children). By improving a host organisation’s understanding of how and why a particular approach is taken, organisations may reduce any conflict of interest between workshop facilitators and workers from the host organisation. The responsibilities of the visiting and host organisations, the child protection procedures to be used and the specific details of the sessions should be negotiated and agreed upon in advance of a session, including: date(s). time(s). workshop facilitator(s) and contact details. name of supervising worker(s) who will be present at the session and contact details. workshop venue set-up and location. workshop activities. supervision requirements (e.g. worker from the host organisation will greet and escort the facilitator to the workshop venue and must be present for the duration of the session and in the instance that a worker will be unavailable on the day, another worker will be present) and guidance on the required level of input from the host organisation’s worker (e.g. the workshop facilitator will manage all aspects of the session and the host organisation’s worker will observe, unless asked for input or assistance). code of behaviour for workshop facilitators and workers from host organisation. code of behaviour for children. reporting procedures for concerns. procedure for communicating any changes to a session (e.g. different workers). This information should written into a formal agreement and sent to the head of the host organisation, who should then confirm that they agree to the workshop taking place and provide the names of workers from the host organisation who will be involved in organising the workshop (e.g. venue set-up, session supervision). An organisation should then write to these workers and outline the key information to avoid confusion on the day of the workshop. The host organisation’s worker(s) should be asked to speak to a workshop facilitator if they have a concern about the approach used during an activity. Parental consent An organisation needs to gain information about children in its care and parental consent in relation to medical/dietary requirements, activities, day trips and emergency situations. Consent must be given by those with Parental Responsibility. Records should be maintained and updated regularly for the following information: names, addresses and contact numbers for parents/guardians. information about health issues/medication/dietary requirements. parental consent for all activities/emergency situations (including emergency contact numbers). A generic consent form can be used to gain parental consent for regular activities, which are outlined on the form for a given time period (e.g. a dance school gaining parental consent at the start of the school year for a child to participate in ballet and tap classes). Organisations should make parents/guardians aware of their commitment to ensuring the safety and welfare of all children and the requirement to know ofany medical, dietary or behavioural conditions in relation to a child. Equal Opportunities policy The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1991) states “it is the State’s obligation to protect children from any form of discrimination and to take positive action to promote their rights.” An organisation should make activities and events accessible to children and families from all sections of the local community. Good practice would be to: widely circulate information about activities and events in local communities and in more than one language, where appropriate. welcome individuals from all cultural, ethnic, religious and social groups, with and without disabilities. ensure that all literature is available in large print. monitor the gender and ethnic background of children to avoid exclusion and foster respect and awareness. be flexible to accommodate the needs of individual children and families e.g. regarding attendance patterns. promote and encompass cultural diversity within the local community. Complaints procedure The complaints procedure applies to children, parents/guardians and otherservice users. Most complaints are made constructively and can be effectively resolved at an early stage. Organisations need to have a written complaintsprocedure in place to ensure all complaints are taken seriously and dealt with in a fair, consistent and confidential manner. An organisation should communicate its complaints procedure to everyone it is involved with and outline who a complaint can be made to (e.g. a leader, Designated Officer or Manager). Informal stage This may be appropriate when the complainant simply wants to raise awareness and resolve a specific issue. This is generally undertaken through dialogue and a written record should be kept on file. Formal stage All organisations should advise individuals who they can write to if they wish to make a formal complaint. Everyone has the right to appeal a decision made regarding a complaint and an organisation should consider how to facilitate this. Grievance procedure for staff and volunteers Workers who have a complaint should follow the formal grievance procedures of an organisation. This should be shared with workers at their induction and they have the right to appeal a decision made regarding a grievance and an organisation should consider how to facilitate this. Confidentiality Information gathering and reporting procedures can bring an organisation andits workers into contact with confidential information. Organisations need to develop a confidentiality policy to ensure information about health, additional needs, family circumstances, a child’s development and behaviour is treated in the strictest of confidence. All individuals associated with an organisation (i.e. workers, service users, user groups, parents/guardians, children) should be advised of the confidentiality policy and be required to respect it. Organisations respect confidentiality by: only allowing parents/guardians access to any files and records held on their own children but not those of other children. ensuring that information received from parents/guardians will not be used inappropriately and, even then, will only be communicated on a need to know basis. Workers should follow reporting procedures in relation to a child protection concern. recording any anxieties and evidence relating to a child’s personal safety in a confidential file, accessible only to Deputy/Designated Officer. The issue of confidentiality should be raised at the induction stage and reviewed regularly at team meetings and support and supervision meetings. Any breach of confidentiality may lead to sanctions being imposed. In all instances, the welfare and safety of children is of paramount consideration and only in strict circumstances when the child’s welfare is at risk should confidentiality be overridden. Record keeping Organisations need to consider their responsibility in relation to the gathering, storage and sharing of information in light of the Data Protection Principles in the Data Protection Act, sometimes referred to as the Principles of “good information handling”. what personal information is needed from parents/guardians; information is stored securely on a single laptop with access only by fingerprint security; who should have access to information; how long information should be kept; with whom information can be shared (on a need to know basis). Further guidance can be sought from the Information Commissioner’s Office First Aid Organisations need to consider having an accessible first aid kit available at all activities. The first aid kit should be regularly checked to ensure it is complete and in date. There should also be a named first aider who should be easily contactable. In the absence of a first aider in an emergency situation, leaders would be expected to use their best endeavours to ensure the welfare of children in their care. Developing procedures for dealing with accidents, incidents and emergencies It is important that there are clearly defined procedures for reporting incidents or accidents and that all workers are made aware of these. It is important that everyone should know who to report to and the need to complete an accident/incident report form. Records should be kept up-to-date and signed by witnesses. It should be reported to those with parental consent. Guidelines for emergency procedures should be developed, understood and communicated to workers and children. Regular fire drills should be held, with alternative routes explored and accurate records kept. A list of emergency telephone numbers should be widely displayed in key areas (e.g. beside telephones, in the front office and kitchen) Transport Organisations should ensure that any transport used is roadworthy, fit for purpose and covered by the appropriate insurance. Insurance Organisations should ensure that insurance is up-to-date and adequate for transport, activities and public liability. Management of Activities Activities should be planned so that they are safely managed and take into account participant numbers, age range, type of activity, venue/location and the particular needs of individual children (e.g. in relation to disability). An important factor in ensuring the general safety of activities is to undertake a risk assessment, by identifying any hazards that could potentially cause harm and assessing the risks associated with each hazard. This should apply to planning a workshop or event as well as daytrips and residentials and may be undertaken using a pro-forma. If there are doubts about the venue/equipment/health of a child to participate, a worker should follow specified procedures before continuing (e.g. contact their supervisor without delay and before allowing the activity to commence). A contingency plan should be in place in the instance that an activity is postponed, for which parental consent should be gained in advance. A risk assessment should take account of the following: Competency and qualification of leaders Leaders should be competent to undertake the activities they are leading. Careful recruitment, selection, induction, training, code of behaviour and supervision will assist in ensuring this. Where an activity is led by a qualified leader (e.g. a specialist activity such as swimming instruction), qualifications should be up to date and verifiable. Safety of equipment Equipment should be safe and only used for the purpose for which it was intended. It should also be appropriate for the age and ability of the participants. It should be checked regularly, for which the responsibility may be delegated to specific workers. Organisations should provide guidelines about what to do if a piece of equipment is faulty (e.g. it should be immediately removed from use and either repaired or replaced). Children should also be made aware of the safe use of equipment to minimise misuse and potential harm. Supervision of children Making arrangements for the proper supervision of children is one of the most effective ways of minimising opportunities for children to suffer harm. Supervision ratios should be met and maintained at all times. Ratio requirements will vary according to a number of factors, including age, size of group, the venue and the particular activity. Early years ratios are legally prescribed while the ratios for the youth work sector are recommended guidelines (please see links below). Organisations may decide that, in the event of a parent/guardian being unable to accompany a child to an audition, a worker could be appointed as a chaperone. This must only be undertaken with written parental consent and organisations should consider the impact on supervision ratios and ensure these are maintained. Safely including disabled children Organisations should have an equal opportunities policy that will outline its commitment to including all children where possible. Attention should be given to access requirements and taking practical steps to include all children. On a practical level, organisations should strive to make venues and activities as accessible as possible to disabled children and they may need to consider higher supervision ratios, training and support needs of workers and intimate care requirements of the child. A risk assessment of activities, venues and facilities should be undertaken in relation to the specific circumstances of each child. If an organisation considers an activity, for example, to be unsuitable, reasonable alternatives should be accessed in line with organisations’ responsibilities under the Disability Discrimination Act. Any decisions taken should be recorded. Daytrips and Residentials Schedule planning and information sharing A risk assessment should be undertaken for all elements of the visit, including the planned activities, accommodation, logistics and contingency plans. Organisations should consult with children and parents/guardians about arrangements for the visit and endeavour to accommodate their views as much as possible. In addition, information should be circulated to parents/guardians, children and workers (e.g. timetables, schedules, activities, venue and transport) and any issues should be dealt with in advance of a visit. Organisations should also ensure that activities, transport arrangements and venues are adequate for children with a disability. As daytrips and residentials are in addition to the ‘normal’ activities taking place, organisations must ensure that parental consent is obtained for all aspects of the visit (e.g. scheduled and contingency activities, emergency procedures) and health details for all participants are correct and up to date. Health details need to be completed and include details about medications being taken etc. Policies, procedures and guidelines A code of behaviour for workers and a code of behaviour for children should be drawn up for the purpose of the visit and clearly communicated to parents/guardians, children and workers. For example: workers must never enter children’s bedroom facilities alone. They should knock the door, advise the children they will be entering and always have another worker with them. in the event that children are allocated to small groups and given free time, it is essential they return to the designated meeting point at the required time. Sanctions and related procedures should be developed for dealing with breaches of a code of behaviour (e.g. if a child is to be sent home, this should involve being collected by a parent/guardian). Photography and videos Organisations wanting to record an activity or event should firstly consider the associated issues and develop a policy on taking and using photographic and/or moving images. This should include the type of images that will appropriately represent an organisation, how the images will be used (e.g. in a quarterly newsletter, or a seasonal events programme) and the process for selecting an image. Consideration should also be given to the length of time an image may be used and how it may be used in the future (e.g. for a celebration event). Additional consideration should apply to the use of images on a website. Parental consent should be requested in advance of an activity or event, as not all parents/guardians may want their child to appear in photographs and/or videos. Information regarding the purpose and use of the images should also be outlined. Organisations should ask parents/guardians and other spectators to adhere to organisational policy and procedures in relation to taking photos and videos. Children and parents/guardians should be aware that they can report concerns to the leader. Parental consent for children to appear in photographs and/or videos is required and the appointed individual should be briefed in advance about children for whom parental consent has not been given. The following guidelines apply to using photographic and video equipment: issue an I.D. pass to the photographer/videographer, to be worn at all times. inform parents/guardians/children that a photographer/videographer will be present. obtain written consent from parents/guardians in relation to taking and using photographs and/or moving images. It is also good practice to obtain the permission of the child. do not permit unsupervised access to children or one-to-one sessions. do not allow sessions outside the remit of the event/brief or at a child’s home. if the child is named, avoid using their photograph. if a photograph is used, avoid naming the child. only appropriate images of children in suitable dress should be used, to reduce the risk of inappropriate use. Some activities have a greater risk of potential misuse than others (e.g. a dance activity where children are wearing leotards). In these instances, the content of the photograph should focus on the activity as opposed to a particular child and should avoid full face and body shots. All images are kept on a computer accessed only by an appointed worker and all requests to use an image must be made to this person. Some organisations may decide to take photographs during an audition, to prompt visual recognition during the selection process at a later date. If so, this should be explicitly communicated in advance and should only take place with parental consent and the consent of the child. Dance & Drama Ensure that there are clear guidelines for workers regarding physical touch (e.g. positioning, posture), written parental consent has been sought and the child’s permission has been received before any physical contact occurs, following specific written procedures at all times. Workers should be aware of the variation in physical size, appearance and ability within their group and set tasks/roles accordingly. Workers may encourage children to work in small groups or in pairs. If so, they should be vigilant and make children aware if their behaviour is making other children frightened or uncomfortable. Separate changing facilities should be available (with regards to gender and children/workers) and privacy should be upheld at all times. Workers should not be involved in assisting children to change. Literature & Storytelling/Script Development In addition to ensuring the story material, theme, subject matter and language is appropriate to the age and stage of the group, workers should ensure it will not exclude, offend or degrade any participants. Workers should use a variety of exercises and audio-visual stimuli to ensure that sessions are inclusive to all participants. Use of imagination and exploration of feelings will trigger hidden thoughts and emotions. Workers should also make children aware of this possibility. Workers should follow recording and reporting procedures in the event of a disclosure or concerns. . Theatre/Performance Ensure that productions with inappropriate content for under 18’s are clearly marked as such and remind the audience of this prior to the commencement of a performance. A theatre may wish to reserve the right to request identification from individuals as required. If so, this should be clearly communicated. If you offer venue facilities to other user groups, you should ‘vet’ the content of the production as much as possible by providing clear, written guidelines via a contract with the user group and asking them to provide an outline of production details. It is inappropriate to involve child actors in ‘sexualised’ stage roles and/or to dress child actors in ‘sexualised’ outfits and/or use inappropriate language/content. Parents/guardians should be made aware of the need to fit/alter costumes and sound equipment, sometimes at very short notice during a production while being worn by the child. In these instances, it is necessary to provide guidelines to workers to whom this is applicable and ensure parental consent has been sought. If a performance requires special effects make-up, such as a mask, consent should be received from parents/guardians and the children. Before the make-up work commences, it should be agreed how the child can communicate if they are not comfortable and/or want the treatment to stop (e.g. tapping the table during a latex mask treatment). Restricting the use of and/or disallowing unauthorised cameras and videos in workshops or performances as outlined in the Photography and Videos section. However, the use of mobile phones during public performances is difficult to monitor and supervising workers should be properly briefed and sanctions, if applicable, effectively communicated to workers and the audience in advance. Identifying supportive individuals within the audience (e.g. parents/guardians, family members, key workers) can have an immensely positive impact upon a child in terms of their sense of achievement, confidence and wellbeing. Ensuring that performance exposure is a positive experience involves prior preparation, assessing the readiness and willingness of child, and creating a supportive environment (including the audience). One example of how thiscan be achieved is to ensure that an audience is aware of the background to a project or performance, if applicable (e.g. a youth group attending a performance by children with disabilities or a cross community project should understand the nature of the performance, which may be achieved by providing information to leaders and supervisors in advance so they can support the youth group’s understanding and develop respect for theperformers). Visual/Film & Animation/Digital Photography/Internet It is essential that parental consent is explicitly sought prior to involving children in photography or films. The exact nature of the activity should be highlighted in detail, as should information regarding how and where the material will be used. The consent of the child should also be sought. USEFUL CONTACTS PSNI Child Abuse Investigation Units From 31 March 2008, Child Abuse Investigation Units have replaced the CARE units. A District (North and West Belfast) 028 9070 0604 B District (South and East Belfast) 028 9025 9832 C District (Castlereagh, Carryduff, Dundonald) 028 9056 1767 D District (Lisburn, Antrim, Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus) 028 9448 2633 Health and Social Services Trusts – Gateway Teams Belfast Trust 028 9020 4550 Northern Trust Ballycastle, Ballymoney, Portrush and Coleraine 028 7032 5462 Ballymena, Magherafelt and Cookstown 028 7965 1020 Antrim, Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey and Larne 028 9334 0165 Southern Trust Craigavon 028 3834 3011 Dungannon 028 8772 2821 ext 3429 Newry 028 3082 5152 South-Eastern Trust 0300 1000 300 Western Trust Enniskillen 028 6634 4037 Omagh 028 8283 5043 L’Derry 028 7131 4090 Out of Hours Emergency Social Work Service Belfast Trust 028 9056 5444 Northern Tru 028 9446 8833 Southern Trust Craigavon & Dungannon 028 3833 4444 / Newry 028 3083 5000 South Eastern Trust 028 9056 5444 Western Trust Enniskillen 028 6638 2000 / Omagh 028 8283 3100 / L’Derry 028 7134 5171 Useful organisations AccessNI Brooklyn 65 Knock Road Belfast BT5 6LE Tel: 028 9025 9100 www.accessni.gov.uk Child Care Policy Directorate DHSSPS Room D2.10, Castle Buildings Stormont Estate Belfast BT4 3SQ Tel: 028 9052 2131 / 028 9052 2644 / 028 9052 8288 www.dhsspsni.gov.uk Children’s Law Centre Philips House York Street Belfast BT15 1AB Tel: 028 9024 5704 www.childrenslawcentre.org Kidscape 2 Grosvenor Gardens London SW1W 0DH Tel: 020 7730 3300 www.kidscape.org.uk Early Years 6C Wildflower Way Apollo Road Boucher Road Belfast BT12 6AT Tel: 028 9066 2825 www.nippa.org NSPCC Northern Ireland Divisional Office Jennymount Court North Derby Street Belfast BT15 3HN Tel: 028 9035 1135 www.nspcc.org.uk WEBSITES Anti bullying Bullying Online www.bullying.co.uk Kidscape www.kidscape.org.uk Anti-bullying Alliance www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk ChildLine www.childline.org.uk Protecting children online Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) www.ceop.gov.uk Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) www.iwf.org.uk 2.1 These Terms and Conditions shall apply to the Agreement for the supply of Artists by the Agent to the Client and shall supersede any other documentation or communication between parties.
2.2 Any variation to these Terms and Conditions must be agreed in writing by the Agent.
2.3 These Terms and Conditions shall be available on the web at www.ampmactors.com 2.4 Nothing in these Terms and Conditions shall prejudice any condition or warranty, express or implied, or any legal remedy to which the Agent may be entitled in relation to the Services, by virtue of any statute, law or regulation.
2.5 The Agent is acting as an Employment Agency and therefore cannot be held responsible for any non-fulfillment or breach of obligations between the Client and the Artist.

3 SERVICES

Any variation to the Services must be agreed by the Agent in writing.