UFTON DRAMA SUMMER SCHOOL

SAFEGUARDING POLICY

The Ufton Drama Summer School ( Hereafter UDSS) is committed to protecting all children and young people whilst in our care. The organisation will do all in its power to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all involved in the course and to respond swiftly to concerns.  UDSS will endeavour to communicate with our hosts the Ufton Court Residential Education Trust and to comply where appropriate to their policy and practice.

Equality Statement.

UDSS is committed to making sure that all children and young people have the same protection regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity. We are committed to anti-discriminatory practice and recognise the additional needs and support that some children and young people may require and the barriers that they may face.

Scope of the Policy

This policy applies to all children under 18 but also all adults in the organisation and applies to all staff and interns and any visiting speaker/ performer invited to contribute to the course.

Teaching Staff and Interns.

All teaching staff and Interns share responsibility for the safeguarding on the course. All teaching staff and interns will have current and full DBS clearance. All teaching staff will have undergone safeguarding training.

Key Practice

1. Always stop and listen straight away to someone who wants to tell you about incidents or suspicions of abuse.
2. If you can, write brief notes of what they are telling you while they are speaking. These may help later if you have to remember exactly what was said. Keep your original notes, however rough. It’s what you wrote at the time that may be important later, not a tidier and improved version you wrote up afterwards. If you don’t have the means to write at the time, make notes of what was said or observed as soon as possible afterwards.
3. Never make a promise that you will keep what is said confidential or secret. If you are told about abuse you have a responsibility to tell the right people to get something done about it. If asked, explain that if you are going to be told something very important that needs to be sorted out, you will need to tell the people who can sort it out, but that you will only tell the people who absolutely have to know.
4. Do not ask leading questions that might give your own ideas of what might have happened, e.g. “did he do X to you?” Just ask, “what do you want to tell me?” or “Is there anything else you want to say?”
5. Immediately tell the Senior Designated Person for Safeguarding,
6. Never attempt to carry out an investigation of suspected or alleged abuse by interviewing people You could cause more damage and endanger possible criminal proceedings. It is your duty to refer concerns on, not investigate.

7.. Never think abuse is impossible in your organisation or that an accusation against someone you know well and trust is bound to be wrong. Have an ‘it could happen here’ view.

8. Children and young people often tell other young people, rather than staff or other adults about abuse. Therefore, you may hear an allegation from another child or young person.

Potential risks specific to UDSS

1. Incursion into the course from external lettings ie Weddings.
2. Visitors to the house either invited or opportunist.
3. Centre staff ‘guided tours’ of accommodation rooms to visitors.
4. Student inappropriate behaviour towards each other.
5. Failure of course members to communicate issues to staff.
6. Injury through lack of appropriate care and supervision.
7. Students leaving the house and grounds without permission.
8. Incomplete medical forms and parental briefing,
9. Student failure to follow the house and course rules.
10. Inappropriate communication or use of the private Facebook group
11. Alcohol or illegal substances being brought onto the course.

DESIGNATED PERSON FOR SAFEGUARDING

Mr  Peter Ging