Oughtibridge Brass Band and Training Band Safeguarding Policy
Oughtibridge Brass Band is a registered charity number 1136486. It comprises of approximately 25 musicians, both adults and children, and a Musical Director. Most of the band members who play are officially signed to the band and attend rehearsals twice a week in the band hut in Oughtibridge. They play at a number of concerts and contests throughout the year. They will be joined on occasion by “deps”, temporary players who fill in for missing players in rehearsals and events.
The Training Band is part of the same charity and comprises of approximately 35 members, children and adults, a Musical Director and a music teacher. They practise once a week and play some concerts. Some of the more experienced training band players sit in with main band at concerts and rehearsals and eventually move up permanently. The band is run by a committee of volunteers.
Throughout this document, Oughtibridge Brass Band and Training Band are referred to as “The Band”. “Band Members” includes permanent band members, Musical Directors, the teacher and committee members.
Our safeguarding policy
This policy applies to all Band Members. It also applies to any deps helping the band out temporarily. It applies to all band events including rehearsals, concerts, contests and fundraising events.
The purpose of this policy is:
- to protect children and young people and vulnerable adults who are part of The Band. This includes the children of adults who are part of the band
- to encourage an earnest consideration of an environment that is safe and welcoming for all
The Band believes that a child or young person or vulnerable adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and vulnerable adults and to keep them safe. We are committed to practise in a way that protects them.
We recognise that:
- The welfare of the child is paramount.
- All children, 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 children 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 young people’s welfare. We will seek to keep children and young people and vulnerable adults safe by:
- Valuing them, listening to and respecting them
- Adopting child protection practices through procedures and a code of conduct for Band Members and Deps
- Sharing information about child protection and good practice with Band Members and parents
- Sharing concerns with agencies who need to know, and involving parents and
- children appropriately
Developing and implementing an effective policy regarding photography
Legal framework:
This policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect children, namely:
Children Act 1989
United convention of the Rights of the Child 1991
Data Protection Act 1998
Sexual Offences Act 2003
Children Act 2004
Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
Relevant government guidance on safeguarding children
It has been based on an example policy prepared by the NSPCC on their website page, “Writing a Safeguarding Policy” and with help from Brass Band England. We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.
This policy was last reviewed in May 2019