Levens Choir

Safeguarding Policy

In this document:

“Choir” means Levens Choir;
“Committee” means the Committee of the Choir, which manages the Choir in accordance with its constitution;
“Safeguarding Officer” means the Choir member responsible for managing this policy;
“Statutory Check” means the check required by statute (and, as the case may be, by the Choir’s insurers) for persons working with children and young people.

The Choir recognises the importance of protecting children and young people. The Choir will therefore ensure that all necessary steps are taken to protect from harm those children and young people who sing with the Choir, and also protect all Choir members and volunteers from the risk of false allegations of abuse or poor practice.

All persons participating in the Choir’s activities are entitled to do so in an enjoyable and safe environment. These principles apply to all participants, but young people in particular are entitled to a higher duty of care and to be protected from poor practice and abuse.

The Choir recognises that:

• The welfare of children and young people is paramount, as set out in the Children Act 1989;
• Young people, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and /or sexual orientation, are entitled to participate in the Choir’s activities in an enjoyable and safe environment;
• The Choir must work in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies in promoting the welfare of young people who are members of the Choir;
• Swift and appropriate action must be taken with regard to all suspicions and allegations of poor practice or abuse.

The Choir will seek to keep children and young people safe by:

• Valuing them, listening to and respecting them;
• Always acting so as to promote good safeguarding practice;
• Sharing information about child protection and good practice with children, parents and Choir members;
• Sharing concerns with relevant agencies, and involving parents and children appropriately;
• Gaining parents’ consent in writing to act in loco parentis in administering emergency first aid or other medical treatment when the need arises;
• Conducting risk assessments as may be appropriate for the circumstances to which they relate.

The Music Director and the Safeguarding Officer will be subject to the Statutory Check. The Choir will ensure that there are always at least three other adult Choir members who are also each subject to the Statutory Check.

The identities of the Music Director and the Safeguarding Officer from time to time, and of those other Choir members who have been checked pursuant to the Statutory Check, will be available at any time on request.

This policy is created by the Committee, which will:

• ensure that the requisite Statutory Checks are undertaken; and
• be responsible for appointing the Safeguarding Officer; and
• review this policy annually, or sooner if there are relevant changes in legislation.

Date of approval by the Committee 19th January 2017; date revised 19th September 2019 (annual reviews).