Privacy Policy
POLICY STATEMENT
INDEX:
1. Mission Statement
2. Child Protection
3. Recruitment and selecting staff and volunteers
1. Mission Statement
Danceworks Studio is a community dance school that is open to all. We aim to provide a happy and safe environment in which students can learn performance skills giving them a platform to develop social, physical, and communication skills that will be transferable to all walks of life.
Danceworks is fully committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of all its dancers and staff/volunteers associated with the school. Therefore, all those associated with Danceworks studio should comply by the Code of Conduct.
Our studio believes that:
• The welfare of children is vital
• 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.
• Equipment and facilities must be safe and appropriate to the ability level of participating students.
• Ensure qualified and competent level of teaching and provide adequate supervision.
• Remember that students dance for enjoyment.
2. Child Protection Policy
Danceworks has a duty of care to safeguard all children involved in dance 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. We will ensure the safety and protection of all children involved in dance through adherence to the Child Protection guidelines. A child is defined as under 18 in The Children Act 1989.
Danceworks Studio aim to:
• Provide children, young people and adults with appropriate safety and protection whilst in the care of our premises.
• Allow all staff/volunteers to make informed and confident responses to specific child protection issues.
Good Practice by all parties should be followed as explained in the code of conduct. Below you will find the procedure if there is a concern regarding a student;
Child makes a disclosure/staff member has a concern/third party makes an allegation
React calmly.Make a written note as soon as possible. Do not investigate or ask leading questions.
Inform Dance School principal and The Child Protection Officer. Appropriate action will then be taken and a referral will be made if required. All documentation will then be given to the Child Protection Officer.
Emergencies:
Due to unforeseen circumstances such as a child sustains an injury and needs to go to hospital, or a parent fails to arrive to collect a child at the end of a session the following guidelines will be followed;
• Medical professions will be contacted in first instance if required
• Guardians will be contacted immediately. If a guardian fails to arrive to pick up a child, the guardians will be contacted after fifteen minutes.
• Staff at the facility will then also be notified
• Students will be accompanied to a hospital (if required) along with the medical professions.
• If the child is failed to be picked up after forty five minutes and no communication has been made although the guardian has been contacted, the emergency contact/s will then be notified. The child will not leave the facility and will remain with multiple staff where possible. The child protection officer will also be notified.
• If no contact has been made, emergency services will then be notified.
Photography and Filming:
Photography and filming by parents or students during class is strictly prohibited unless permission is granted from the teacher. During events Danceworks may employ a photographer to take still images or video footage which is then made available for Parents and Students as keepsakes. These images may also be used to advertise the studio in differing forms of marketing including appearing on the social media. When Registering to become a member of Danceworks Studio a parental consent form for use of images of children will be required to be signed. Parents and spectators at events wishing to photograph or film the event are to be aware of the expectations which are explained in this Child Protection Policy.
Guidelines for use of photographic filming at dance events:
Videoing as a training aid: there is no intention to prevent teachers using video equipment as a legitimate coaching aid. However, dancers and their parents/carers should be aware that this is part of the coaching programme and care should be taken in the storage of such films.
A professional videographer and photographer may be employed by Danceworks for the annual shows. We do not require further permission as long as the registration form has been signed for consent to photography and videography. These photos and videos can be purchased through a password account or through teachers directly to family members.
Danceworks will adhere to the following Rules and Guidelines;
• Images of children posted online or in printed matter will be identified by their first name only and with no other personal details.
• To reduce the risk of inappropriate use of images only images deemed suitable will be used.
• Anyone with any complaints about images posted can speak to the Danceworks Studio staff and the images will be removed.
• Any guardian/parent/student must ask a Danceworks Dance Member if they wish to take a photograph at a Danceworks class/event, for example, a presentation day or exam day. If deemed appropriate, the filming/photograph must only be of their own child and not be of any other child without the other guardians permission at the time of taking.
Any child or parent who has concerns regarding inappropriate or intrusive photography must report there concerns to Miss Rachael who will act in the same manner as they would with any other child protection concern.
TOILET
Nursery Parents are required to stay for the duration of their childs’ class in the waiting room. Parents are required to take their own child to the toilet. Our teacher/helper will bring the child to you and we would ask that the child is then returned for the duration of the class. If Nursery parent is unable to stay, you are required to inform teacher prior to class.
For Primary Students, all students will go in two’s to the toilet door with a peer class member. They should be able to enter and go to the toilet themselves. The teacher/class helper, in some circumstances may accompany a larger group to outside the toilet area for behaviour monitoring however will under no circumstances enter the toilet area.
From Primary four upwards students will leave class and re-enter class on their own to go to the toilet. The teacher will monitor the length of time taken and if there is any concern the teacher will enquire outside the toilet area.
3. Recruitment and selecting staff and volunteers
Danceworks Studio recognises that anyone may have the potential to abuse children in some way and that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure that unsuitable people are prevented from working with children. When undertaking pre selection checks the following should be included:
All volunteers/staff should have a valid Disclosure
Evidence of identity (passport or driving licence with photo).
The appropriate qualifications to teach the relevant class
Teachers must have their own public liability insurance.
Provide references.
Responding to suspicions or allegations
It is not the responsibility of anyone working for Danceworks Studio in a paid or unpaid capacity to take responsibility or 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.
When there is a complaint against a member of staff 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.
Any suspicion that a child has been abused by either a member of staff or a 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.