Tutbury Band Safeguarding Policy

Please note that the signed safeguarding policy is available for download via the link below. It is also reproduced in full below that.

Policy statement

Tutbury Band and Tutbury Discovery Band are community bands with varied membership. There are a mix of adults and young people (under the age of 18 years) involved as players. For the purpose of this policy Tutbury Band will be the umbrella term for both senior band and Discovery band. Tutbury Band welcomes and actively encourages the involvement of such young people, to foster their musical development and as a way of encouraging future membership. However, we need to ensure their safety and well-being whilst they are in our care, alongside the safety and well-being of any adults at risk who attend the band. This policy therefore outlines the principles we work to. Tutbury Band is committed to making the welfare of young people paramount and ensuring they are able to participate in music making in an enjoyable and safe environment, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity.

Good Practice Guidelines

All people working with Tutbury Band should be encouraged to demonstrate exemplary behaviour in order to protect themselves from false allegations.

The following are examples of how Tutbury Band can create a positive culture and climate. This policy and these guidelines apply to anyone who attends the band on a temporary or permanent basis:

  • Undertake to assess risks at the outset of any project with young people and adults at risk and monitor these risks throughout.
  • Identify the people with designated protection responsibility from the outset.
  • Know how to get in touch with local authority services, in case there is a need to report concern to them.
  • Have agreed procedures for reporting suspicion or allegations of abuse.

Members will:

  • Always work in an open environment (e.g., avoiding private or unobserved situations and encourage open communication with no secrets)
  • Treat all people with respect
  • Give enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism
  • Put the welfare of each participant first, before achieving goals
  • Ensure that wherever possible there is more than one adult present during activities involving under 18s
  • Respect a person’s right to personal privacy
  • Encourage young people and adults to feel comfortable and caring enough to point out attitudes or behaviour they do not like
  • Remember that someone else might misinterpret their actions no matter how well intentioned
  • Be aware that physical contact with a young person or an adult at risk may be misinterpreted
  • Recognise that special caution is required when discussing sensitive issues with young people
  • Challenge unacceptable behaviour and report all allegations/suspicions
  • Keep an up to date database of relevant information for each band member to be used in case of emergency
  • Secure parental consent in writing to act in loco parentis if the need arises to administer emergency first aid and/or other medical treatment.
  • Keep a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of any treatment given.

Members should not:

  • Have inappropriate physical or verbal contact with young people or adults at risk.
  • Allow themselves to be drawn into inappropriate attention-seeking behaviour
  • Exaggerate or trivialize abuse issues
  • Take a chance when common sense, policy or practice suggests a more prudent approach
  • Meet with any such child, or adult at risk, outside such activities or away from the normal meeting places of the TUTBURY BAND, without parental knowledge and approval.

Incidents that must be reported/recorded.

If any of the following occur, it should be reported immediately, and the incident recorded. The Safeguarding Team will ensure the parents of the child are informed:

  • If anyone hurts a child.
  • If a child seems distressed in any manner.
  • If a child misunderstands or misinterprets something which has happened.


Responding to allegations or suspicions.


It is not the responsibility of anyone in TUTBURY BAND to decide whether or not child abuse has taken place. However, there is a responsibility to act on any concerns by reporting these to the appropriate officer, or the appropriate authorities. TUTBURY BAND will ensure all members/volunteers will fully support and protect anyone who, in good faith, reports his or her concern that a colleague is, or may be, abusing a child. It is very important that whoever is receiving the disclosure does not promise not to tell. Let the discloser know that you have to tell someone so that you can help them.

Role of Safeguarding Officer and Safeguarding Team

Tutbury Band has a Safeguarding Officer, whose responsibility is to advise on safeguarding procedures and to act as a focal point for reporting any concerns. The Safeguarding Officer is supported in this role by the Safeguarding Team.

  • The Safeguarding officer will be the formal point of contact within the band for anyone who has a safeguarding concern (i.e. physical, emotional or sexual abuse & neglect of anyone below 18 years old or otherwise at risk)
  • Ensure that there are adequate changing facilities for young people if necessaryEnsure that young people do not spend time alone with a member of the band (e.g., when being transported to rehearsals or concerts) unless a private arrangement has been made between a band member and a parent/guardian. The band does not accept responsibility for any such arrangements
  • Ensure that inappropriate comments or contact are not made with young people
  • Ensure that band members are made aware of the requirements of the Safeguarding policy and Code of Conduct
  • The Safeguarding Officer must have a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check to enhanced level.
  • The Safeguarding Officer must identify an appropriate number of other band members who have an enhanced DBS check & are willing to be named points of contact for safeguarding issues.
  • Records of DBS checks for these nominated members should be kept by the Safeguarding Officer. The Safeguarding Officer should keep their knowledge of safeguarding policy up-to-date via regular training; if this training is not part of the Safeguarding Officer’s day job then Tutbury Band will fund an appropriate training package.
  • All unaccompanied youngsters up to and including school year 11 will be signed in and out of all
    rehearsals and concerts.

Action if there are concerns

Any suspicion that a child has been abused should be reported to the Safeguarding Officer for TUTBURY BAND (details below), who will take such steps as considered necessary to ensure the safety of the young person/ vulnerable person in question, and any other person who may be at risk.
The Band Safeguarding Officer will refer the allegation to Social Care, who may involve the police.
The parents or guardian of the young person will be contacted as soon as possible following advice from the social services department.
The TUTBURY BAND Safeguarding Team will deal with any media enquiries.

Confidentiality

Every effort should be made to ensure that confidentiality is maintained for all concerned. Information should be handled and disseminated on a need to know basis only. This includes the following people:

  • The Event Organisers, if appropriate.
  • The parents of the person who is alleged to have been abused
  • The person making the allegation.
  • Social Care/police.

Seek Social Care advice on who should approach the alleged abuser (or parents if the alleged abuser is a
young person), especially if, by making such approaches, the young person may be put at risk of further
abuse or harm.

Information should be stored in a secure place with limited access to designated people, in line with data
protection laws.

Information to be given to Social Care, or the police, about suspected abuse

To ensure that this information is as helpful as possible, a detailed record should always be made at the
time of the disclosure/concern, in the person’s words as much as possible. See Appendix 1.

Bullying

Bullying is behaviour, usually repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group of individuals, physically or emotionally.
Bullying can occur either face to face between individuals or groups or online, using information technology, such as computers or mobile phones.

We will seek to prevent bullying by:

  • Developing a code of conduct which sets out expectations of how band members are expected to behave towards others.
  • Provide welcome information to new members to help them settle in.
  • Promote an atmosphere of tolerance and positivity within the band.


If bullying occurs, we will respond to it by:

  • Having a clear anti bullying procedure.
  • Addressing the issue from the point of view of the person being bullied, the bully, any bystanders
    and the band as a whole.
  • Reviewing the plan developed to address the bullying, to ensure that the problem has been
    resolved.
  • Avoiding any actions that make the individuals concerned look or feel foolish in front of others.

Photo and Video consent

Tutbury Band will endeavour to ensure that photographs, video or other images of young people are not taken without consent. If a child is under 16, consent will be obtained from a parent/carer, if a child is
over 16 it is good practice to inform parents that photographs or videos may be used if the child has given consent. Adult band members will also be asked for consent before photographs or videos are taken or used. Tutbury Band will take all steps to ensure that images are used solely for the purpose they are intended.

Legal framework

This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children and adults at risk, namely:

  • Children Act (1989)
  • United Convention of the Rights of the Child (1991)
  • Data Protection Act (1998) and subsequent data protection guidance
  • Sexual Offences Act (2003)
  • Children Act (2004)
  • Protection of Freedoms Act (2012)
  • Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children; HM Government (2018)
  • The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006)
  • The Human Rights Act (1998)
  • The Children and Families Act (2014)
  • Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) code of practice: 0 to 25 years. Statutory guidance for organisations which work with and support children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities; HM Government (2014)
  • General Data Protection Regulations (European Union) (2017)
  • Information sharing: advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers; HM Government (2015)
  • The Care Act (2014)
  • The Care Act (2014) Care and Support Statutory Guidance (specifically the safeguarding section of this)
  • The Mental Capacity Act (2005)

In addition, Tutbury Band is aware that they also have safeguarding responsibilities towards adult members, some of whom may be vulnerable at different times in their lives. The principles outlined above in relation to children, also apply to our work with adults. In terms of a legal framework, the arrangements for those over 18 are governed by the Care Act 2014. This Act stipulates that statutory safeguarding duties apply to an adult who:

  • has care and support needs
  • is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect
  • as a result of those care and support needs, is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of, abuse or neglect.


Safeguarding Officer for the Band

Rebecca Collyer (BBE Bandsafe Trained)


Safeguarding Team


Kevin Orton
Russ Wainman (BBE Bandsafe Trained)
Rachel Reilly
Vicky Ambrose
Sue McLoughlin (BBE Bandsafe Trained)
Chris Perfitt (BBE Bandsafe Trained)
Emma Palmer (BBE Bandsafe Trained)

Effective Date: August 2023
Review Date: August 2024
Signature of Chair/Musical Director –