Child Protection Policy

SWINDON MUSIC FESTIVAL

CHAIRMAN: Mr Geoff Walters
VICE-CHAIRMAN: Mrs Sheila Marcer
SECRETARY: Mrs Yvonne Walker
TREASURER: Mrs Jackie Sheppard
COMPTETITORS SECRETARY: Mrs Dawn Ball

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT:

The safety of children and vulnerable adults is paramount and all, without exception, have the right to protection from abuse. All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately and all the charity’s trustees, staff and volunteers have a responsibility to report concerns.

1. PURPOSE AND FUNCTION OF ORGANISATION

The object of the Swindon Music Festival (thereafter the Festival) is to advance the education of the public in the Arts, and in particular the Art of Music, in all its branches. The Festival provides a platform for amateur performance combined with an educational element from professional musicians.

2. THE FESTIVAL ENVIRONMENT

It is the policy of the Festival to inform and involve parents / guardians / carers and teachers in partnership with the Festival in order to ensure, as far as it is reasonably practicable, a safe environment at the Festival. The Festival is organised and manned by volunteers.

3. TO WHOM DOES THIS POLICY APPLY

This policy relates to children under the age of 18 years and those vulnerable adults of any age who are identified to the organisers prior to their arrival at the Festival. This should be done by contacting the address or telephone number shown overleaf. In recognising the needs of children from all ethnic groups or those with disability needs, the Festival actively seeks to meet the needs notified to the Festival by parents / guardians / carers and/or teachers.

4. FESTIVAL PERSONNEL

The Festival is run by a committee comprising a Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Competitors’ Secretary and eleven committee members. It is customary to recruit a number of helpers (over the age of 18) during the Festival period who are personally known to members of the committee. At each session of the Festival the members of the committee and helpers on duty will sign in the appropriate book and can be identified by means of a badge indicating their name and position held. Children, vulnerable adults and those responsible for them should approach anyone wearing a badge, who will contact the Competitors Steward (who is the Chief Steward for the session), in the first instance, if a problem is encountered. Every problem reported will be taken seriously and will be documented, dated and any appropriate action taken by the Festival’s Child Protection Officers (Mr Geoff Walters and Mrs Yvonne Walker).

5. PREPARATION FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE FESTIVAL

The Festival is looking to form a partnership with parents / guardians / carers to create the safest possible environment at our Festival. A copy of this policy will be sent to parents / guardians / carers of participating children with the notification of class times which will be in sufficient time for arrangements to be made for their children’s (or vulnerable adults in their care) attendance at the Festival. The Policy will also be printed in the Festival’s syllabus, programme and website. Where parents / guardians / carers are not personally attending with their children, this Policy requires them to be satisfied that their children (or vulnerable adults in their care) will be accompanied to the Festival and be adequately supervised by responsible adults acting on their behalf. The Festival cannot be held responsible for the supervision of these children or vulnerable adults. School parties attend under the normal rules for school travel. Prices of admission to the Festival are printed in the programme. Competitors, teachers and Friends of the Festival are admitted free of charge.

6. SUPERVISION AT THE VENUES

Public areas at the Festival venues, including the Ladies and Gents Toilets, refreshment areas, WILL NOT be supervised. Children or vulnerable adults must be adequately supervised within these areas at all times by their parents / guardians / carers.

7. PHOTOGRAPHS, VIDEOTAPES and PRESS PHOTOGRAPHY

It is a rule of the Festival that the use of cameras, video cameras, tape recorders and any other recording media is expressly forbidden during the Festival. Notices will be posted at the Festival venues to this effect and included in the syllabus and programme. Photography taken by the Swindon Advertiser or any other newspaper will be done only with the parents’ consent.

8. THE LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE THAT SUPPORTS THIS POLICY
   
The Children Act 1989; The Police Act 1997; The Data Protection Act 1998; The Human Rights Act 1998;
The Protection of Children Act 1999; The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000, Children Act 2004.

9. POLICY REVIEW

The organisers will constantly review their policy revising and enhancing it as necessary. In doing this they will look to The British & International Federation of Festivals for support and that body, in turn will look to other agencies for good practice, most notably the NSPCC and Arts Council of England policy guidelines.