This policy relates to all Inspire Team Members including Teachers, Producers, Party Leaders, Office Workers, Volunteers, and anyone else authorised to carry out work on behalf of Inspire Theatre Workshops Ltd.

 

This policy should be read alongside our Code of Conduct policy.

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Our Responsibility

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Inspire Theatre Workshops Ltd and its Team Members are committed to ensure and promote the safety and wellbeing of our children, young people and adults at all times. Through safe practices, we recognise and ensure that every child who attends our workshops or activities has the right to feel safe and protected. Inspire Theatre Workshops will tolerate no harm or maltreatment towards our children and young people. 

 

As a children's activity provider, we recognise our duty of care under the following legislation:

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• The Human Rights Act 1998

• The Children Act 1989 & 2004

• Children (Scotland) Act 2020

• The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014

• Equality Act 2010

• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)/Data Protection Act 2018

• United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill 2020

 

We also recognise that:

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• The United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNCRC) defines a child as everyone under the age of 18. In Scotland, Statutory Guidance which supports the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, includes all children and young people up to the age of 18

• All individuals, regardless of age, culture, gender, background, disability, racial origin, language, religion or belief, and/or sexual identity & orientation have the right to equal protection from all types of maltreatment

• Some individuals are particularly vulnerable because of the impact of past experiences, their level of dependency, communications needs, or other issues

• Maltreatment can take many forms, such as, but not limited to, physical, emotional or sexual abuse, and neglect

• Working in partnership with children, young people, parents, carers, families and other protection agencies is essential in promoting the welfare of such groups and individuals

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Designated Safeguarding Officers

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Abbie Faskin (Principle DSO)        ​

+447745 164759                                   ​

abbie@inspiretheatreworkshops.co.uk            

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Jennifer Macdonell​

+447854 481585

jen@inspiretheatreworkshops.co.uk

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The Team at Inspire Theatre Workshops recognise our individual & collective responsibility to promote an inclusive culture, remain vigilant & to raise concerns:

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Culture

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• Inspire ensures that all Team Members are aware of our company Core Values, and embody these in their practise

• Inspire ensures that all Team Members promote an inclusive culture where there are clear consequences for discriminatory language and behaviour

• All Team Members are expected to create and maintain an anti-bullying environment as per our Code of Conduct.

• All Team Members are expected to listen to, respect and value our students without judgement

• All Team Members, parents and students are expected to follow the Inspire Code of Conduct at all times

• Inspire ensures that support and guidance is available and provided to all Team Members regarding all Safeguarding & Child Protection issues, via the DSO and further easily accessible  internal & online resources

 

Vigilance & Standards

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• All Team Members are expected to adopt an attitude of Professional Curiosity & Respectful Uncertainty in the workplace. This means that our Team Members are expected not to take things at face value, maintain an open mind and critically evaluate any information they receive. We understand that issues of maltreatment and bullying can, and may, happen at our activities and workshops and any such treatment will not be tolerated.

• All Team Members are encouraged to feel empowered to challenge practices or decisions which they don’t feel are ensuring the safety of a child, and are aware of how to do so as per our Internal Training Document

• Inspire ensures that, within reason, any service carried out by Inspire Theatre Workshops is done so in an appropriate, pre-checked location

• During registration, permission is sought from parents/carers to photograph and film their child during workshops. Inspire will not make such photographs or film footage available of any student who objects, or whose parent/guardian objects

• Inspire and its Team Members recognise our collective responsibility to record, store and share information professionally and securely with relevant parties, for Safeguarding & Child Protection purposes, in line with The Data Protection Act 2018

 

Raising Concerns

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• Inspire ensures all Team Members understand how to identify signs of maltreatment and common responses to trauma within their students

• Inspire ensures all Team Members understand their responsibility to respond appropriately and how to record concerns and disclosures accurately and securely, reserve words of judgement or opinion, and clarify any uncertainties with the child

• Inspire ensures open lines and channels of communication for all it’s Team Members to safely report Safeguarding concerns in a timely & appropriate manner

• Inspire ensures all Team Members are aware of their agency and responsibility to disagree with decisions made by the DSO, Social Care or any other relevant authority, and therefore their responsibility to escalate their concerns

• Maltreatment and bullying concerns and disclosures are required to be raised to the relevant Inspire Designated Safeguarding Officer; Abbie Faskin or Jennifer Macdonell

• The relevant DSO is required to escalate any safeguarding or maltreatment concerns which meet the threshold for Social Care intervention to the relevant local authority (Fife, Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire) as per the local escalation guidance

• Conduct concerns within our Team are required to be raised to the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO); Abbie Faskin or Jennifer Macdonell. Concerns over a Team member's conduct and/or suitability for their role will then be further escalated by the relevant DSO, via internal disciplinary procedures, and, if necessary, making a referral to Disclosure Scotland. 

 

Safe Recruitment & Training

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Inspire Theatre Workshops ensures the following steps are taken to promote Safe Recruitment & Training Practices:

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• All Leaders undergo a thorough application & audition process to determine suitability for the role

• All Leaders are required to join the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme and pass the relevant checks carried out by Disclosure Scotland

• All Leaders are required to provide two confidential references (employment & character)

• All Leaders are required to provide Formal Identification

• All new Team Members undergo mandatory Health & Safety, Safeguarding & Child Protection Training, as well as mandatory refreshers one per academic term at our in-person, team-wide Termly Trainings via practical exercises, written activities and questionnaires

• All Team Members have easy access to our Safeguarding & Child Protection Policies, Internal Training Materials, relevant Contact Details, Internal and Local Authority Escalation Guidance, Internal and Legislative Policies and Procedures, for review whenever they wish. Inspire ensures these are kept up-to-date in line with current legislation.

 

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Inspire Theatre Workshops Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy

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Updated

Abbie Faskin

07-11-24

Next Review Date: Nov-25

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This policy should be read alongside our Code of Conduct policy.