Introduction
Beckie Hughes LTD is an organisation run by Beckie Hughes. Beckie Hughes LTD has adopted the safeguarding children’s policy and expects every adult working or helping at Beckie Hughes LTD to support and comply with it. Consequently, this policy will apply to all staff, teachers and anyone working on behalf of Beckie Hughes LTD.
The protection of children and vulnerable adults is important to Beckie Hughes LTD. The aim of Beckie Hughes LTD Policy and Procedures on Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults (the “Policy”) is to ensure that children and vulnerable adults with who Beckie Hughes LTD comes into contact are well protected and that there is a system in place to protect their welfare.
 
Policy Statement
This policy is intended to protect children or young people who receive any service from us.
As an organisation, we believe no children or young people should experience should experience abuse or harm and are committed to the protection of young people and children, and this policy is intended to provide guidance and principles to those who represent us as teachers or staff.
Beckie Hughes LTD believes that; the welfare of the child is paramount, that all children regardless of age, disability, gender, race, sexual orientation or identity, or religious belief have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse. Adults can be deemed to be at risk of harm as a consequence of the personal care and support they receive from others rather than because of a particular impairment or illness.

Training:
All staff members who work with children or vulnerable adults at Beckie Hughes LTD will receive a copy of this Policy as part of their induction and thereafter will be required (as appropriate) to refresh, expand or update their knowledge related to subject of safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
Trainees will be provided with copy of this Policy on the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults as part of their programme of study and thereafter will be required (as appropriate) to refresh, expand or update.
Beckie Hughes LTD will embrace the guidance contained in ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013’. This covers the legal requirements of and expectations on individual services to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and to 4 provide a clear framework for Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCB’s) to monitor the effectiveness of local services.
 
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined as:
Protecting children from maltreatment
Preventing impairment of children’s health or development
Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
 
Beckie Hughes LTD will seek to safeguard children and vulnerable adults by:
Valuing them, listening to and respecting them
Adopting child protection procedures
Sharing information about child protection and good practice with children, vulnerable adults, parents, staff and the companies and organisations with which we work
Sharing information about concerns with the appropriate agencies
Implementing a code of conduct and policy
Ensuring safer recruitment, selection and vetting of staff x providing effective management through supervision, appraisal, support, training and development
Providing a safeguarding committee with strategic responsibility and oversight of all safeguarding arrangements across Beckie Hughes LTD.
 
Responding to incidents, suspicions and allegations of abuse involving children and vulnerable adults
These procedures aim to strike a balance between the need to protect children and vulnerable adults from abuse and the need to protect Beckie Hughes LTD’s employees, teachers, students, visitors and dance members from false allegations.
2.2 It is not the responsibility of anyone working at Beckie Hughes LTD. in a paid or voluntary capacity to decide whether a child or vulnerable adult is being abused or might be abused, but there is a responsibility to act on their concerns in order that appropriate agencies can then make enquiries and take any necessary action to protect them.
2.3 It is the remit of the appropriate authority and not anyone connected with Beckie Hughes LTD to investigate the incident.
2.4 If an incident, allegation or suspicion of abuse is seen, heard or suspected, the person receiving the information, whether a Beckie Hughes LTD member, teacher, dance student, a member of another organisation with which Beckie Hughes LTD, should follow the procedure below:
Stop other activity and focus on what they are being told or seeing. Responding to the incident being reported should take immediate priority.
Where an incident is being reported, react in a calm and considered way but show concern.
Tell the child, vulnerable adult or third party that it is right for them to share this information.
Take what the child, vulnerable adult or third party has said seriously and allow extra time if a child or vulnerable adult has a speech difficulty and differences in language.
Keep questions to an absolute minimum necessary to ascertain a clear and accurate understanding of what has been said but do not interrogate the child, vulnerable adult or third party.
Listen to the child, vulnerable adult or third party and do not interrupt if they are recounting significant events.
Offer reassurance to the child or vulnerable adult.
Do not give assurances of confidentiality but explain you will need to pass on this information to those that need to know.
Consider whether immediate action is needed to protect any child or vulnerable adult who may be at risk. Think about the child or vulnerable adult who is the immediate concern and any others who may be at risk, in light of what you have been told or seen.
If a DSO or NSO is not immediately available you should alert the appropriate authority and stay with those you think are at immediate risk until they can be transferred to safe care, where practical.
Make a comprehensive record of what is said or seen and actions taken at the earliest possible opportunity.
You should note this record may be used later in a criminal trial and therefore needs to be a) As full and accurate as possible. b) Details of the nature of the incident. c) A description of any injury. Please note that you must not remove the clothing of a child or vulnerable adult to inspect any injuries. d) Dates, times or places and any other information that may be useful. e) Written records including emails and letters.
The incident should be reported in writing immediately for appropriate action to be taken.
Remember, safeguarding is everyone’s business and if anyone tells you, or if you see mistreatment or abuse or have concerns about a child, young person or vulnerable adult being harmed or at risk, it is your role to respond sensitively and alert others who have a designated role within Beckie Hughes LTD.
 
Allegations of abuse against staff members, trainees, volunteers and visitors
There is evidence that child and adult abuse can take place outside the family setting, including within private and public organisations. Personnel working with children or vulnerable adults in a paid or voluntary capacity may be involved. Abuse occurring in an organisation is rarely an isolated episode. The staff should be aware of this and be prepared to respond to any allegation.
Should a member of staff or anyone involved in an activity within Beckie Hughes LTD or have a concern about the behaviour of another staff member or adult working within Beckie Hughes LTD, even as a visitor, they must report this to the teacher. The teacher will then make a decision regarding how to address the issue, including making a referral to the police, adult protection, children’s social care and or the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), in England.
The LADO should be alerted whenever it is alleged that a person who works with children has:
harmed, or may have harmed a child
committed or may have committed a criminal offence against children
proved unsuited to working with children, following their inappropriate behaviour.
If a member of staff is concerned about their own line manager, then they should report the matter to the Principal, who will make a decision on the course of action.
Allegations against staff must be taken seriously and be acted upon regardless the nature of the allegation.
 
Code of behaviour and good practice
 3.1 Beckie Hughes LTD Code of behaviour and good practice is meant to give advice on protecting children and vulnerable adults while helping to avoid any practices which could be misinterpreted or lead to false allegations. Beckie Hughes LTD  staff members, trainees and students involved in activities on behalf of Beckie Hughes LTD.
which include children and/or vulnerable adults must adhere to the following code:
 3.1.2 Beckie Hughes LTD staff members, trainees, students and visitors must treat with respect all children and vulnerable adults, respecting their rights to personal privacy.
3.1.3 Beckie Hughes LTD staff members, trainees, students, and visitors to must be aware that any physical contact with a child or young person may be misinterpreted. Where this is required, it should be provided openly in front of other students. It must be made clear that physical touching is required for correctional purposes only.
3.1.4 In activities, feedback should always be constructive and the language used not threatening or upsetting. 3.1.5 Unobserved contact with a young person or vulnerable adult should be avoided, unless authorised by a parent or guardian.
3.1.6 If first aid is required, it should be administered by a trained first aider in the presence of another adult, and the Principal should be informed.
3.1.7 Written parental or guardian consent should always be obtained for the use of any photographs, film or videos involving children and vulnerable adults.
3.1.8 In all activities Beckie Hughes LTD  Teachers, staff, students and visitors to Beckie Hughes LTD are required to challenge unacceptable behaviour in accordance with what provided by this code of conduct and good practice
3.1.9 Any incidents, allegations or suspicions of abuse should be reported immediately to the teacher/teachers.
3.1.10 In all dealings with children and vulnerable adults, Beckie Hughes LTD staff members, teachers, students, and visitors to Beckie Hughes LTD where appropriate, should never:
leave children in their care unsupervised
tolerate bullying of a child by an adult or another child
form or seek to form relationships of a sexual nature or which may lead to sexual activity (i.e. ’grooming’)
Disciplining a child or vulnerable adult with physical punishment.
use harsh criticism
use alcohol, smoke or take drugs during the working day, including any breaks or when involved in activities with children or vulnerable adults
facilitate situations where an abuse of trust may occur. Specifically, you should not form a close personal relationships with a child or vulnerable adult, even if they are seeking and are agreeable to such a relationship
transport a child or vulnerable adult in a personal vehicle unless explicit consent has been given by a parent or guardian or in case of an emergency where the welfare of the child or vulnerable adult is at risk. In such cases, the Principal must be informed.
let allegations made by a child or vulnerable adult to go unrecorded or omit acting on them.
carry out personal activities (e.g. washing or dressing) for a self-sufficient child or vulnerable adult, except when this becomes necessary to avoid discomfort. If a child has a disability, such tasks should only be performed with the full understanding and consent of and, where possible, assistance from the parents or carers. A vulnerable adult may be able to consent for themselves.
 
Photography and filming of children and/or vulnerable adults:

No unauthorised filming or photography is allowed during Beckie Hughes LTD activities without written or witnessed consent from the parent or guardian of children and vulnerable adults.The person requesting filming, photographing or recording should explain the purposes for which any images or recordings will be used. This applies to both children and vulnerable adults.
In relation to photography and recording images of children, the good practice guidelines listed below should be adhered to. This measure is meant to avoid the risk of manipulation and inappropriate use of photographs or footage of young and disabled children and young people.
All young people and vulnerable adults featured in photographs or recordings must be appropriately dressed for the activity they are undertaking
Wherever possible, images of the young people and vulnerable adults should be recorded in small groups and focus on the activity
Storage and dissemination of the photographs or video material must be carefully considered.
 
Safeguarding Children at events or activities:
The events your child would participate in may include:
Those open to adults and children of all ages ( competitions / performances)
Those for children accompanied by a parent/guardian
Those for children accompanied by a chaperone
All teachers, members of staff and the director of Beckie Hughes LTD will all be DBS checked under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, this allows your child/children to be still be able to attend the events/performances that some parent/guardians may not be able to attend.
 
Policy on the prevention of bullying:
We will NOT tolerate the bullying of children either by other adults or children. If any incident of child- on-child bullying should arise at Beckie Hughes LTD, those involved will be separated immediately and the parents of the children involved will be asked to deal with the matter.
 
Managing behaviour, discipline, and acceptable restraint:
Any unacceptable behaviour at Beckie Hughes LTD events, performances, or during class where parents/guardians are not present will be stopped by separating the children from each other. The children involved will be suitably supervised and will be returned as soon as possible to the care of their parents and the teacher/teachers will then inform the parents of their child’s behaviour.
 
Beckie Hughes LTD staff, teachers or visitors under investigation:
Should an employee, visitor or teacher of Beckie Hughes LTD be under investigation by a third party or an appropriate authority for actions affecting their suitability to work with children and vulnerable adults, any relevant information must be reported to the director.
The person under investigation will be prevented from working with children and vulnerable adults through Beckie Hughes LTD.
A further course of action will be then evaluated and implemented by Beckie Hughes LTD and relevant records stored appropriately.
 
Review of policy and procedures:
The Policy will be reviewed by the Safeguarding Working Group annually or more frequently in response to new legislation or where an incident has occurred that requires an adjustment to processes within. It will be reviewed as per the Terms of reference in consultation with and externally where it is considered necessary.