Wye Valley Music

Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding Policy – Wye Valley Music – overview 

Commitment to safeguarding: Wye Valley Music believes that a child, young person or adult at risk should never experience abuse of any kind. We recognise that we have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk. We are committed to safeguarding the well-being of all children, young people and adults at risk with whom we come into contact and to protecting them from harm.

What is Abuse? For the purposes of this Policy, abuse is defined as a violation of an individual’s human and civil rights by another person or persons. It can occur in any relationship and may result in significant harm to or exploitation of the person subjected to it. It may be perpetrated as the result of deliberate intent, negligence, omission or ignorance. 

The Care and Support statutory guidance sets out the 10 main types of abuse: Physical; Sexual; Emotional/Psychological/Mental; Neglect and acts of Omission; Financial or material; Discriminatory; Organisational/Institutional; Self-neglect; Domestic, including coercive control; Modern Slavery. (England Care Act, 2014)

Abuse and neglect can be difficult to spot. Signs of abuse might include, but are not limited to: 

• Depression, self-harm or suicide attempts;
• Difficulty making friends;
• Fear or anxiety;
• The person looks dirty or is not dressed properly;
• The person never seems to have money;
• The person has an injury that is difficult to explain (such as bruises, finger marks, a ‘non-accidental’ injury);
• The person has signs of a pressure ulcer;
• The person is experiencing insomnia;
• The person seems frightened or frightened of physical contact;
• The person exhibits inappropriate sexual awareness or sexually explicit behaviour;
• The person is withdrawn or displays changes in behaviour.

N.B. There may be other explanations for these presentations. Anyone observing the above signs should ask the person concerned if they are in any way unsure about their well-being 

About this policy: 

• This policy applies to: all members, staff (whether employees or freelances), volunteers and anyone working on behalf of Wye Valley Music or taking part in Wye Valley Music activities. 
• The purpose of this policy is to provide members, staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to the protection of all vulnerable people. 
• This policy recognises vulnerable people as:

1. Children up to the age of 16;
2. Young people aged 16-18;
3. Adults aged over 18 at risk, as defined by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. This might include adults with a learning or physical disability, a physical or mental illness, chronic or otherwise, including an addiction to alcohol or drugs, or reduced physical or mental capacity. This policy also recognises risk is determined by the activity an adult is taking part in and not solely on the personal characteristics or circumstances of the adult; as such, any adult can be at risk and the risk can be temporary.

• This policy aims to: 

1. Protect children, young people and adults at risk who are members of, receive services from, or volunteer for Wye Valley Music.
2. Ensure members, staff and volunteers working with children, young people and adults at risk are carefully recruited and understand and accept responsibility for the safeguarding of those vulnerable individuals they are interacting with.
3. Ensure that safeguarding of children, young people and adults at risk is a primary consideration when Wye Valley Music undertakes any activity, event or project.

• “Wye Valley Music in Mind” has opened a Music Memory Café for people living with dementia and runs a dementia programme for a Care Home in Chepstow.  
• “Wye Valley Music in Schools” sends freelance musicians into local primary schools, to provide music workshops and/or performances, and financially supports schools in hiring music teachers.  
• Wye Valley Music puts on concerts for the general public.  

As such our involvement with vulnerable people might include, but is not limited to: 

• Attendees of the Music Memory Café and care home residents; 
• Local school children;
• Members who attend activities and concerts in a volunteering capacity; 
• Audience members at public concerts. 

Named safeguarding person: Alice Hogge has responsibility for safeguarding issues. All queries and concerns relating to safeguarding should be referred to Alice Hogge in the first instance.

Any projects, events or other activities that may or will involve vulnerable people must be planned with the involvement of Alice Hogge and in line with established procedures and ground rules (see below).

Procedures and ground rules: A further document – ‘Ground Rules, Ways of Working and Procedures’ – forms part of this policy (see below).

Policy review: This policy will be reviewed and amended (if necessary) on an annual basis by Wye Valley Music’s Committee. It will also be reviewed in response to changes in relevant legislation, good practice, or in response to an identified failing in its effectiveness.

Safeguarding policy – Wye Valley Music – Ground Rules, Ways of Working and Procedures 

This document forms part of the Wye Valley Music Safeguarding policy.

• The policy applies to: all members, staff (whether employees or freelancers), volunteers and anyone working on behalf of Wye Valley Music or taking part in Wye Valley Music activities. 
• The purpose of this policy is to provide members, staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to the protection of vulnerable people. 
• This policy recognises vulnerable people as:

1. Children up to the age of 16;
2. Young people aged 16-18;
3. Adults aged over 18 at risk, including those defined as vulnerable by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006; this might include adults with a learning or physical disability, a physical or mental illness, chronic or otherwise, including an addiction to alcohol or drugs, or reduced physical or mental capacity.

This document includes: 

• Recruitment practices around safeguarding;
• Ground rules and ways for working regarding safeguarding of vulnerable people;
• Procedures for raising safeguarding concerns and incidents of abuse; 
• Procedures for dealing with concerns and incident of abuse. 

Recruitment practices around safeguarding: If an existing or potential new member, staff member (including freelancers), or volunteer will be working with vulnerable people as part of Wye Valley Music activities, the appropriate level of DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checking will be required before that work is undertaken. 

The level of DBS check required will be decided by the committee and in line with DBS rules regarding regulated activity. The results of any check to inform a decision will be used confidentially and in line with the Wye Valley Music Equal Opportunities Policy.

Ground rules and ways for working regarding safeguarding of vulnerable people: When Wye Valley Music organises an activity or event where they will be responsible for vulnerable people they will ensure:

• That planning is carried out in line with this policy and these procedures;
• That the event is attended by an appropriate number of DBS checked adults – this will be a minimum of one but more when practically possible;
• That, where practically possible, the total number of adults in attendance (not necessarily DBS checked) compared with the total number of children will be in line with the ratio table below - as per Ofsted recommendations; 
• That there is a main contact for safeguarding on the day – this will be an individual who has been DBS checked; 
• That the main contact has access to emergency contact details and other relevant details (e.g. information about picking-up arrangements for vulnerable people);
• That, if vulnerable people of different genders will be taking part in activities, adults of different genders will be in attendance too;
• That a vulnerable person is not left alone with an adult, unless that adult is DBS checked and carrying out regulated activity;
• That two adults (one DBS checked) should be the last to leave a venue once the activity has finished and will be responsible for ensuring vulnerable people get home safely; 
• That any freelance musician contracted by Wye Valley Music to work unaccompanied in a school for a series of sessions (i.e. for more than one performance) should also familiarise themselves with that school’s safeguarding policy and procedures.

Child to adult ratio table:

Working with parents/guardians: If a vulnerable person wishes to take part in any Wye Valley Music activity, written permission (email is fine) should be obtained from parents/guardians where appropriate and before the activity takes place. Written permission should include: emergency contact details and any relevant pick-up arrangements, including permission for another adult to pick up the vulnerable person after the activity has finished.  

Procedures for raising safeguarding concerns and incidents of abuse: 

• If any member, staff or volunteer working on behalf of Wye Valley Music or taking part in Wye Valley Music activities witnesses, suspects or is informed of a witnessed or suspected case of abuse they should immediately report it to the named safeguarding officer: Alice Hogge (DBS checked). Contact details: Oakwood, The Common, St Briavels, Lydney, Gloucestershire. GL15 6SJ. Tel: 01594 531374. Email: [email protected];
• If the named person is not available, or is involved in or connected to the abuse, it should be reported to the group chair, Corinna Arnold, or a DBS checked adult: Mike Haines, Melanie Mackintosh, Kathy Parker, Ruth Keeble, Lindsay Hollies;
• If an individual wishes to report an incident of abuse against themselves, they should report it to the named safeguarding officer or to an individual they trust; 
• All such reports will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Procedures for dealing with concerns and incidents of abuse: The named person (or person reported to in their absence) will first make a decision based on the immediacy of the concern and the following two factors: 

1.     If the vulnerable person is in immediate danger or needs emergency medical attention – call the police and/or ambulance service; 

2.     If the person at the centre of the allegation is working with vulnerable persons at the current time, remove them, in a sensitive manner, from direct contact with vulnerable people and follow the procedures below.

If none of the above applies, the named person will: 

• Make a note of the concerns reported to them;
• Speak with one or more of the following, Corinna Arnold (WVM Chair), Mike Haines (representing WVMiS), Melanie Mackintosh (representing WVMiM), to decide how to handle the reported abuse (excluding any of the aforementioned who are involved in the incident). This consultation should normally happen within 24 hours of receiving a report. Where necessary/appropriate, widen the discussion to involve some or all of the full committee (excluding any members who are involved in the incident).
• Escalate the report by one of: 

1. Raising concerns with the police – for serious or possible criminal offences;
2. Liaising with partner organisation safeguarding teams (e.g. participating schools or Severn View Care Home, Chepstow);
3. Requesting an assessment by the local authority social care department about whether a vulnerable person is in need of protection;
4. An internal investigation – for less serious incidents where they feel internal mediation will be successful. 

• Provide remaining committee members with all details of the incident and of the decision taken.
• Where cases are escalated, the committee will cooperate with the police or local authority in dealing with the reported incident. 
• Where an internal investigation takes place, the committee will: 

1. Inform all parties involved of the reported abuse as soon as possible;
2. Inform the family/guardians of the person reported as being been abused of the incident;
3. Arrange separate meetings with both parties within 10 days of the reported incident (a joint meeting may be arranged if appropriate):

 4. Once meetings have taken place, the committee will decide on next steps and communicate them to all parties in writing within 5 days. They will be one of:
 

Resolution and disciplinary action: If abuse is found to have taken place, any final resolution or decision will be taken in the best interest of the person who has suffered the abuse and the best interests of Wye Valley Music.

Any disciplinary action will be taken in line with the Wye Valley Music constitution.