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Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk within the Manx Youth Band (MYB) and Manx Concert Brass (MCB) organisation is the responsibility of ALL members of the band. This document provides guidelines and information on the following sections;



Safeguarding Policy

This policy applies to all members, volunteers or anyone working on behalf of, or representing, MYB & MCB.

It has been written in line with the principles and objectives of current legislation in the Isle of Man and good practice in other jurisdictions relating to Child Protection and Safeguarding, including (but not limited to):

  • Safeguarding Act 2018
  • Children and Young Persons Act 2001
  • General Data Protection Regulation, which is an EU law, adopted in the Isle of Man by an Order under the Data Protection Act 2018
  • Sexual Offences Act 1992
  • Relevant government guidance on safeguarding children and adults

The purpose of this policy is:

  • to protect children, young people and adults at risk who are members of the band,
  • to deliver transparency in our approach and commitment to Safeguarding,
  • to provide members and volunteers with the tools and knowledge to identify, document and refer Safeguarding concerns to the appropriate person(s).

MYB & MCB believes that a child, young person or an adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all individuals and to keep them safe. We are committed to practice in a way that protects them.

We recognise that:

  • the welfare of the child is paramount, as enshrined in the Children and Young Persons Act 2001
  • all individuals, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse
  • some people are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues
  • working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting a safe environment.

We will seek to keep children, young people and adults at risk safe by:

  • valuing them, listening to and respecting them,
  • adopting safeguarding practices through procedure and a code of conduct for all members and volunteers,
  • providing effective support and training for volunteers with responsibility,
  • recruiting members and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made,
  • sharing information about child protection and good practice with children, parents, volunteers and members,
  • sharing concerns with agencies who need to know, and involving parents and children appropriately.


Recruitment of key individuals and 'Persons in Charge'

Anyone may have the potential to abuse and it is important that all reasonable steps are taken to prevent unsuitable people from working with children, young people and adults at risk.

All personnel who will have significant, direct access to children, young people or adults at risk must first be vetted to establish whether they have any criminal convictions or other past behaviour that suggests they are unsuitable to work with children and young people. This is done through the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) via the Isle of Man Government Vetting Bureau. MYB & MCB are classed as a Registered Organisation with the Bureau and members of the executive committee who have undertaken training in DBS policies and processes are authorised to administer applications made in connection with band personnel.

It is important to emphasise that the absence of any relevant disclosure emerging from this process does not guarantee that the individual is safe to work with children and young people or adults at risk, so it should not be relied on exclusively.

As a minimum, the following roles will be subject to DBS and referencing:

  • Chairman
  • Safeguarding Lead and any nominated deputies
  • Musical Director and anyone deputising for the Musical Director
  • Any member of the committee who will fulfil the role of 'Person in Charge'.
  • One-to-one and one-to-many tutors

Identifying a 'Person in Charge'

In the interests of promoting good practice, a person in charge of the band should be identifiable at all times. It is important that children, young people, parents/guardians and adults, are aware of who is responsible for the band during engagements. The de facto 'Person in Charge' (PiC) will always be the Musical Director of the event. For any event where the Musical Director is absent or when it is not appropriate for the MD to act as the 'PiC', a 'Person in Charge' will be identified and their details (including contact details) will be made available to relevant parties. The designated 'Person in Charge' must be a member of the committee and will be responsible for:

  • Ensuring this policy is upheld fully
  • Being the main point of contact for children, young people and their parents/guardians
  • Liaising with the band's Safeguarding Lead if concerns arise
  • Reporting any child protection or safeguarding concerns to the relevant authorities in line with the band's Safeguarding Policy, if the Safeguarding Lead is available.

It is important to recognise that the Safeguarding Lead may not always be present at a particular engagement and it is therefore vital that all members of the committee who may act as the 'PiC' are familiar with this policy and its procedures.

Safeguarding Lead

MYB & MCB will appoint a Safeguarding Lead to advise the committee on compliance with all the procedures described in this policy and to act as a focal point for reporting any concerns. This person will have the primary responsibility to check that everyone who has significant access to children, young people and adults at risk within the organisation is suitable for that role and has been vetted as described above. The person appointed should be identifiable to the junior members of the band and their parents, but should have a degree of independence from their activities - for example he or she should not actively tutor tutees or be the Musical Director.

  • The Safeguarding Lead will be appointed by the Committee
  • The Safeguarding Lead will have overall responsibility for safeguarding procedures and policies for the organisation.
  • The Safeguarding Lead will keep records of all safeguarding concerns.
  • The Safeguarding Lead will report any concerns identified to the appropriate authorities.
  • The Safeguarding Lead will be a member of the committee and report at each meeting any concerns or disclosures relating to members or volunteers of the band.


What is Abuse and the Different Types of Abuse

Abuse comes in many forms. There are four identified categories of abuse as described by the United Kingdom government guidelines "Working Together to Safeguard Children (1999)"; physical, sexual, emotional and neglect.

Physical abuse is an action or in-action causing injury or physical harm to an individual. It may involve; hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning or suffocating. Physical harm may also occur when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of or deliberately causes ill health to an individual in their care. In some cases the injuries will be caused deliberately. In others, they may be accidental but caused by the individual being knowingly put at risk.

Sexual abuse occurs when someone uses power or control to involve an individual in sexual activity in order to gratify the abuser's own sexual, emotional or financial needs or desires. It may include; showing or encouraging someone to view pornographic material or involving them in the production of such material, forcing or enticing someone to take part in sexual activities (whether or not they are aware of what is happening), encouraging someone to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, involving or forcing an individual in watching other people's sexual activity or engaging in inappropriate discussions about sexual matters.

Emotional abuse is the persistent or severe emotional ill-treatment of an individual that is likely to cause serious harm to his/her development. It may include; conveying to someone the message that he/she is worthless, unlovable, inadequate, or his/her only value is to meet the needs of another person, regularly making them feel frightened by shouts, threats or any other means, being so over-protective towards the them that he/she is unable to develop or lead a normal life, exploiting or corrupting an individual, eg by involving him/her in illegal behaviour. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all forms of ill-treatment of a vulnerable person, though it may also occur alone.

Neglect involves persistently failing to meet someone's basic physical, psychological or emotional needs, which is likely to lead to serious impairment of their well-being. It may include; failing to provide appropriate supervision to keep them from danger, lack of supervision of activities or leaving them alone, failing to ensure that their basic needs for food, shelter, clothing, health care, hygiene and education are met.

Other forms of abuse can include;

Economic exploitation, which is the deliberate misplacement, exploitation, or wrongful temporary or permanent use of an individual's belongings or finances without their full understanding or consent or consent of the parent, legal guardian or carer of the individual.

Organised or multiple abuse is defined as abuse involving one or more abusers and an individual or group of abused people. The abusers may be acting together or in a co-ordinated way to isolate or otherwise 'mark' or identify someone as being different in such a way as to bring about harm. This is more prevalent in, although not exclusive to, peer based abuse, such as mass 'de-friending' on social media sites. It can also take the form of several small acts, which could be considered insignificant in isolation, but when grouped together bring about harm to an individual.

Domestic violence and domestic abuse is defined as any violence between current or former partners in an intimate relationship. The violence may include, physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse. Children and adults at risk can be traumatised by witnessing or being exposed to domestic violence, or may be at risk if they try to intervene to protect a parent or sibling.

Indicators of Abuse

Even for those experienced in working with abused individuals, it is not always easy to recognise a situation where abuse may occur or has already taken place. MYB & MCB acknowledges that most people involved in the organisation are not experts in such recognition, but indications that someone is being abused may include one or more of the following:

  • Unexplained or suspicious injuries such as bruising, cuts or burns, particularly if situated on a part of the body not normally prone to such injuries.
  • An injury for which an explanation seems inconsistent.
  • Descriptions or discussion including what appears to be an abusive act involving him/her.
  • Someone else (a child or adult), expresses concern about the welfare of someone else.
  • Unexplained changes in their behaviour - e.g. becoming very quiet, withdrawn, or displaying sudden outbursts of temper - or behaviour changing over time.
  • Inappropriate sexual awareness.
  • Engaging in sexually explicit behaviour in games.
  • Distrust of adults, particularly those with whom a close relationship would normally be expected.
  • Difficulty in making friends.
  • Being prevented from socialising with their peers.
  • Losing/gaining weight for no apparent reason.
  • Becoming increasingly dirty or unkempt.

It must be recognised that the above list is not exhaustive, but also that the presence of one or more of the indicators is not proof that abuse is actually taking place. It is not the responsibility of the band or its members to decide that child abuse is occurring, but it is their responsibility to act on any concerns.

Dealing with a Safeguarding Concern

Ways that abuse might be brought to your attention

  • an individual might make a direct disclosure about him or herself
  • an individual might make a direct disclosure about another person
  • an individual might offer information that is worrying but not a direct disclosure
  • a member of the band or volunteer might be concerned about an individual's appearance or behaviour or about the behaviour of someone towards them
  • a parent or carer might make a disclosure about abuse that a child is suffering or at risk of suffering
  • a parent might offer information about a child that is worrying but not a direct disclosure.

What to do if someone discloses to you abuse by someone else:

  • Offer immediate support, understanding and reassurance explaining that you must pass on information and that you cannot promise confidentiality
  • Allow them to speak without interruption, accepting what is said, but do not investigate.
  • Alleviate feelings of guilt and isolation, while passing no judgement. Use phrases like "I believe you", "it's not your fault" and "I am going to help you"
  • Let them tell his or her whole story. Don't try to investigate or quiz them, but make sure that you are clear as to what he/she is saying.
  • Ask them what he/she would like to happen because of what they have said, but don't make or infer promises you cannot keep.
  • Give the child the ChildLine phone number: 0800 1111.

ALWAYS...

  • Record the facts and report these to the Safeguarding Lead
  • Remember, you MUST refer, you must not investigate.

YOU MUST...

  • Treat them with respect.
  • Remember that the priority is to protect them. Take the matter seriously.
  • Gather information on a "need to know" basis. You do not need the whole story, just sufficient to take the next step.
  • Remember that they are very vulnerable and reassure them that you have taken what they had to say seriously.

YOU MUST NOT...

  • Ask leading questions or "put words in their mouth"
  • Promise confidentiality
  • Jump to conclusions or make assumptions about others without checking facts
  • Put yourself in a compromising situation

rocedure for helping someone in immediate danger or in need of emergency medical attention

  • If they are in immediate danger and are with you, remain with them and call the police.
  • If they are elsewhere, contact the police and explain the situation to them.
  • If he/she needs emergency medical attention, call an ambulance and, while you are waiting for it to arrive, get help from a first aider.
  • If a first aider is not available, use any first aid knowledge that you may have yourself to help them.
  • You must contact the band's named Safeguarding Lead to let them know what is happening.

Procedure for helping someone not in immediate danger

We aim to ensure all children, young people and adults at risk within the band and any other children, young people and adults at risk who may come to the attention of the band receive the protection and support they need if they are at risk of abuse.

A decision will need to be made about who should inform the individual's parent, guardian or emergency contact and/or the social care department, and when they should be informed. If you have involved the police and/or the health services, they should be part of this decision. Consider the welfare of the individual in your decision making as the highest priority.

Issues that will need to be considered are:

  • the individual's wishes and feelings
  • (for a child) the parent's right to know (unless this would place the child or someone else in danger, or would interfere with a criminal investigation)
  • the impact of informing or not informing the authorities
  • the current assessment of the risk to them and the source of that risk
  • any risk management plans that currently exist (if known).

Keeping a record of your concerns

It is important to keep a clear detailed record of events and communication in relation to the concern. It can be used to forward information to the statutory authorities if a referral to them is needed. The form / log should be signed and dated by all those involved in its completion and kept confidentially. The name of the person making the notes should be written alongside each entry.

Contacts:

Safeguarding Lead
Phil Shimmin
phone 07624 462687
email philshimmin@manx.net

Isle of Man Constabulary
phone 01624 631212

Department of Health & Social Care Children & Families Team
phone 01624 686179
email childcarereferrals.dsc@gov.im

NSPCC helpline
phone 0808 800 5000
email help@nspcc.org.uk

Further reading...