The Hollesley Players Amateur Dramatic Society 
(The Hollesley Players)

Child Protection Policy

As part of its governing Code of Practice, The Hollesley Players makes provision for children and young people to recognise and ensure that:-
•    The welfare of the child is paramount. 
•    All children, 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 will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
•    All members of The Hollesley Players have a responsibility to report concerns to the appropriate officer.
The Hollesley Players Child Protection Policy Statement
The Hollesley Players has a duty of care to safeguard all children involved in its Amateur Dramatics activities, and events associated with these activities, from harm. All children have a right to protection, and the needs of disabled children and others who may be particularly vulnerable must be taken into account.
The Hollesley Players will ensure the safety and protection of all children through adherence to nationally recognised Child Protection guidelines  
A child is defined as a person under the age of 18 (The Children Act 1989).
Policy aims
The aim of the Hollesley Players Child Protection Policy is to promote good practice:-
•    To provide children and young people with appropriate safety and protection whilst in its care;
•    To create and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, where everyone involved with the Hollesley Players is safe and is encouraged to report and manage concerns correctly.
Code of Practice
The Hollesley Players fully recognises the contribution it can make to protect and support all children in our performances. There are three main elements to our Code of Practice:-
•    Prevention of abuse – creating a positive and safe environment;
•    Protection from abuse – by following all agreed Company / Society procedures, and being sensitive to Child Protection concerns
•    Support – to support child performers, and all Company / Society Members
Company Commitment
The Hollesley Players recognises that for children, high esteem, confidence, supportive friendships and clear boundaries with lines of communication with trusted adults, aids prevention. The Hollesley Players will, therefore:-
1. Establish and maintain an ethos where children feel secure, and are encouraged to talk, and are listened to;
2. Ensure that children know that there are adults in the Company who they can approach if they are worried, or if they have any concerns.
Promoting good practice - background
Child abuse, particularly sexual abuse, can provoke strong emotions in those facing such a situation. It is important to understand these feelings and not allow them to interfere with judgement about the appropriate action to take.
Abuse can occur within many situations including the home, school, sporting and club/recreational environment. Some individuals will actively seek involvement, employment or voluntary work with young people in order to harm them. A club member, coach, instructor, teacher, official or volunteer will have regular contact with young people and must be an important link in identifying cases where they are vulnerable or need protection.
All suspicious cases of poor practice should be reported following the guidelines in this document.
It is important to note that Child Protection extends beyond the confines of the organisation to which a child or young person belongs: for example when a child joins an organisation having been subjected to child abuse elsewhere, activities such as drama, music and dance can play a crucial role in improving the child’s self-esteem. In such instances The Hollesley Players must work with the appropriate agencies to ensure the child receives the required support.
Good practice guidelines
All members of The Hollesley Players should be encouraged to demonstrate exemplary behaviour in order to protect themselves from false allegations. The following are common sense examples of how to create a positive culture and climate, and should typify the attitudes and actions of all members of The Hollesley Players:- 
Good practice means:-
+    Always working in an open environment - avoiding private or unobserved situations and encouraging open communication. 
+    Treating all young people/disabled adults equally with respect and dignity. 
+    Always putting the welfare of each young person first. 
+    Maintaining a safe and appropriate distance with young performers (e.g. it is not appropriate for older and/or opposite sex members of The Hollesley Players to have an intimate relationship with a child or to share a room with them). 
+    Building balanced relationships based on mutual trust and empowering children to become involved, for example to share in decision making.
+    Making amateur dramatics fun and enjoyable, and promoting camaraderie and mutual support. 
+    Ensuring that if any form of manual/physical support or contact is required, it should be provided openly with permission. If it is difficult to maintain privacy and distance or to avoid physical contact for the purposes of artistic or dramatic effect, young people should always be consulted and their agreement gained. Some parents are becoming increasingly sensitive about such matters and their views should always be carefully considered. 
+    Keeping up to date with technical skills, safety imperatives, qualifications, insurance etc. 
+    Involving parents/carers wherever possible. For example, encouraging them to take responsibility for their children in the changing rooms. If groups have to be supervised in changing areas, chaperones should work in pairs. 
+    The Hollesley Players has designated and accredited adult members entrusted with the safety and well-being of its younger members.
+    Ensuring that at rehearsal and production events, unauthorised adults should never enter children’s changing areas or invite children into their changing areas. Again, The Hollesley Players’ appointed chaperones must supervise at these times, and must always remain aware of children’s sensitivities.
+    Being an excellent role model – this includes not smoking, drinking alcohol or using obscene, inappropriate or suggestive behaviour and language in the company of young people. 
+    Giving enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism. 
+    Recognising the social, cultural and developmental needs of young people, especially those with disabilities, having religious, ethnic, gender, language or racial sensitivities, or with any other special circumstances. This may include avoiding excessive training, competition, mental or physical effort, artistic impropriety or extravagance, and not pushing them against their will.
+    Keeping a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of any treatment given.
+    Keeping a written record of any other safety or protection-related incident that occurs, along with the details of any actions given.
+    Securing parental consent in writing to act in loco parentis if the need arises to administer emergency first aid and/or other medical treatment. 
+    Requesting parental consent if Hollesley Players officials are required to transport young people in their cars. 
Practices to be avoided
The following should be avoided except in emergencies. If a case arises where these situations are unavoidable (e.g. the child sustains an injury and needs to go to hospital, or a parent fails to arrive to pick a child up at the end of a session), it should be with the full knowledge and consent of a Hollesley Players Committee Member or nominated responsible person in charge, or the child’s parents. 
Otherwise, avoid:-
+    Spending excessive amounts of time alone with children away from others.
+    Taking or dropping off a child to an event. 
Practices never to be sanctioned
The following should never be sanctioned. You should never:-
+    Engage in rough physical or sexually provocative games, including horseplay. 
+    Share a rehearsal room or changing area alone with a child. 
+    Allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching. 
+    Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged.
+    Make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun. 
+    Reduce a child to tears - or use humiliation in any way - as a form of control. 
+    Allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon. 
+    Do things of a personal nature for children or disabled adults that they can do for themselves. 
+    Invite or allow children to stay with you at your home unsupervised. 
NB. It may sometimes be necessary for Hollesley Players Members or volunteers to do things of a personal nature for children, particularly if they are young or are disabled. These tasks should only be carried out with the full understanding and consent of parents and the Members involved. There is a need to be responsive to a person’s reactions. If a person is fully dependent on you, talk with him/her about what you are doing and give choices where possible. This is particularly so if you are involved in any dressing or undressing of outer clothing, or where there is physical contact, lifting or assisting a child to carry out particular activities. Avoid taking on the responsibility for tasks for which you are not appropriately trained, or which do not form any part of the artistic/dramatic integrity of the rehearsal or performance.
Incidents that must be reported/recorded
If any of the following occur you should report this immediately to the Hollesley Players Child Protection Officer, a Chaperone or a member of the Committee. The incident must be recorded. You should also ensure the parents of the child are informed:-
+    if you accidentally hurt a child or young person; 
+    If he/she seems distressed in any manner; 
+    if a child or young person appears to be emotionally (and in particular sexually) aroused by your actions;
+    if a child or young person misunderstands or misinterprets something you have done. 
Use of photographic/filming equipment at amateur dramatic events
Photography and video is used as a performance memento and occasionally as a rehearsal aid. Members are routinely made aware of any photography – still or moving – that takes place during rehearsals, performances or publicity preparation.
We will ask permission (via our Child Enrolment form) from those with parental responsibility, to make and use photographic or filmed material featuring children for promotional or other purposes.
Our web-based/online materials and activities will be carefully monitored for inappropriate use.
Any concerns should to be reported to the Child Protection Officer, Chaperones or a Committee member.
Managing sensitive information
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.
Recruitment of Club Members and volunteers
The Hollesley Players is a local amateur dramatics society, and the overwhelming majority of applicants joining The Hollesley Players do so for perfectly legitimate reasons. These persons are invariably known by other Hollesley Players members, or by their friends, family, associates or within the local community at large; thus they can be vouched for to a reasonably acceptable degree. However, The Hollesley Players recognises that anyone may have the potential to abuse children in some way and that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure unsuitable people are prevented from working or associating with children. 
Maintaining integrity 
In addition to on-going awareness, and any pre-joining checks for new members, the safeguarding process for children and young people includes continuous awareness to:-
+    Analyse their own practice against established good practice, and to ensure their practice is likely to protect them from false allegations. 
+    Recognise their responsibilities and report any concerns about suspected poor practice or possible abuse. 
+    Respond to concerns expressed by a child or young person. 
+    Work safely and effectively with children. 
The Hollesley Players requires:
+    Nominated Committee or Ordinary Members with Child Protection responsibilities (such as chaperones) to attend a recognised Child Protection Awareness training course, to ensure their practice is exemplary and to facilitate the development of a positive culture towards good practice and child protection. 
+    Relevant Members and club Volunteers/Officials to undergo national first aid training (where necessary). 
Responding to allegations or suspicions
It is not the responsibility of anyone involved with The Hollesley Players to decide whether or not child abuse has taken place. However, there is a responsibility to act on any concerns through contact with the appropriate authorities.
The Hollesley Players must assure all Members and Volunteers, that it will fully support and protect anyone who in good faith reports his/her concern that a colleague is, or may be, abusing a child.
Where there is a complaint against a Hollesley Players Member, there may be three types of investigation:
+    a criminal investigation
+    a Child Protection investigation 
+    a disciplinary or misconduct investigation.
The results of the police and child protection investigation may well influence the disciplinary investigation, but not necessarily.
Action 
1. Concerns about poor practice:  
+    If, following consideration, the allegation is clearly about poor practice, the Child Protection Officer will deal with it as a misconduct issue. 
+    If the allegation is about poor practice by the Child Protection Officer, or if the matter has been handled inadequately and concerns remain, it should be reported to the Hollesley Players Chairman, Secretary or Vice Chair, who will decide how to deal with the allegation and whether or not to initiate disciplinary proceedings. 
2. Concerns about suspected abuse:
+    Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either a Hollesley Players Member or Volunteer should be reported to the Child Protection 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. 
+    The Child Protection Officer will refer the allegation to Suffolk Social Services department which may involve the police, or go directly to the police if out-of-hours.
+    The parents or carers of the child will be contacted as soon as possible following advice from the Social Services department. 
+    The Child Protection Officer should also notify the Hollesley Players Chairman, Secretary or Vice Chair, who in turn will inform the other Hollesley Players Committee Members as a matter of urgency.
+    If the Child Protection Officer is the subject of the suspicion/allegation, the report must be made to the Hollesley Players Chairman, Secretary or Vice Chair or in their absence the next most appropriate Hollesley Players Committee Member. 
+    In cases where an allegation or suspicion falls on the Child Protection Officer, it is incumbent upon the Hollesley Players Committee to alert Social Services.  
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 Child Protection Officer
+    the parents of the person who is alleged to have been abused
+    the person making the allegation
+    Social Services/Police
+    the alleged abuser (and parents if the alleged abuser is a child).
Seek Social Services advice on who should approach the alleged abuser.
Data Protection
Information on the allegation or event should be stored in a secure place with limited access to designated people, in line with data protection laws (i.e. that information is accurate, regularly updated, relevant and secure, and is disposed of when no longer required). 
Internal enquiries and suspension
+    The Hollesley Players Child Protection Officer will make an immediate decision about whether any individual accused of abuse should be suspended from the society pending further police and Social Services inquiries. 
+    Irrespective of the findings of the Social Services or police inquiries The Hollesley Players Committee will assess all individual cases to decide whether a Member or Volunteer can be reinstated and how this can be sensitively handled. This may be a difficult decision, particularly where there is insufficient evidence to uphold any action by the police. In such cases, The Hollesley Players Committee must reach a decision based upon the available information, which could suggest that, on a balance of probability, it is more likely than not that the allegation is true. The welfare of the child should remain of paramount importance throughout. 
Support to deal with the aftermath of abuse 
+    Consideration should be given to the kind of support that children, parents and members of staff may need. Use of helplines, support groups and open meetings will maintain an open culture and help the healing process. The British Association for Counselling is the appropriate body for help and advice . www.bacp.co.uk 
+    Consideration should be given to what kind of support may be appropriate for the alleged perpetrator. 
Allegations of previous abuse
Allegations of abuse may be made some time after the event (e.g. by an adult who was abused as a child or by a member of staff who is still currently working with children).
Where such an allegation is made, The Hollesley Players should follow the procedures as detailed above and report the matter to the Social Services or the police. This is because other children, either within or outside amateur dramatics (or related activities such as youth or sports clubs), may be at risk from this person. Anyone who has a previous criminal conviction for offences related to abuse is automatically excluded from working with children. This is reinforced by the details of the Protection of Children Act 1999.
Action if bullying is suspected
If bullying is suspected, the same procedure should be followed as set out in 'Responding to allegations or suspicions' above.
Action to help the victim and prevent bullying: 
+    Take all signs of bullying very seriously. 
+    Encourage all children to speak and share their concerns (It is believed that up to 12 children per year commit suicide as a result of bullying, so if anyone talks about or threatens suicide, seek professional help immediately). Help the victim to speak out and tell the person in charge or someone in authority. 
+    Investigate all allegations and take action to ensure the victim is safe. Speak with the victim and the bully(ies) separately. 
+    Reassure the victim that you can be trusted and will help them, although you cannot promise to tell no one else. 
+    Keep records of what is said (what happened, by whom, when). 
+    Report any concerns to the Child Protection Officer or, where appropriate, to the school (wherever the bullying is occurring). 
Action towards the bully(ies):  
+    Talk with the bully(ies), explain the situation, and try to get the bully(ies) to understand the consequences of their behaviour. Seek an apology to the victim(s). 
+    Inform the bully(ies)’s parents. 
+    Insist on the return of 'borrowed' items and that the bully(ies) compensate the victim. 
+    Provide support for the victim's coach. 
+    Impose sanctions as necessary. 
+    Encourage and support the bully(ies) to change behaviour. 
+    Hold meetings with the families to report on progress. 
+    Inform all organisation members of action taken. 
+    Keep a written record of action taken. 
3. Concerns outside the immediate Amateur Dramatics environment (e.g. a parent or carer): 
+    Even if there are concerns about child safety outside the confines of The Hollesley Players, report these to the Child Protection Officer, who should contact Social Services or the police as soon as possible. 
+    See Section 4 (below) for the information Social Services or the police will need. 
+    If the Child Protection Officer is not available, the person being told of or discovering the abuse should contact Social Services or the police immediately. 
+    Social Services and the Child Protection Officer will decide how to involve the parents/carers. 
+    The Child Protection Officer should also report the incident to The Hollesley Players Committee. The Committee should ascertain whether or not the person/(s) involved in the incident play a role in The Hollesley Players and act accordingly. 
+    Maintain confidentiality on a need to know basis only. 
4. Information for Social Services 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, which should include the following:
+    The child's name, age and date of birth of the child. 
+    The child's home address and telephone number. 
+    Whether or not the person making the report is expressing their own concerns or those of someone else. 
+    The nature of the allegation. Include dates, times, any special factors and other relevant information. 
+    Make a clear distinction between what is fact, opinion or hearsay. 
+    A description of any visible bruising or other injuries. Also, any indirect signs, such as behavioural changes. 
+    Details of witnesses to the incidents. 
+    The child’s account, if it can be given, of what has happened and how any bruising or other injuries occurred. 
+    Have the parents been contacted? 
+    If so, what has been said? 
+    Has anyone else been consulted? If so, record details. 
+    If the child was not the person who reported the incident, has the child been spoken to? If so, what was said? 
+    Has anyone been alleged to be the abuser? Record details. 
+    Where possible referral to the police or social services should be confirmed in writing within 24 hours and the name of the contact who took the referral should be recorded. 
If you are worried about sharing concerns about abuse with a committee member, you can contact Social Services or the police direct, or the NSPCC Child Protection Helpline on 0808 800 5000, or Childline on 0800 1111.
Review
This reviewed Safeguarding Policy was approved by the Hollesley Players’ Committee and Child Protection Officer on 02/10/2024 and comes into effect on that date.
The Committee will, as appropriate, monitor and enforce this Policy and will review it annually.
Date of next review by: 01/10/2025.

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