Interim Child Safeguarding Policy

Ignite Arts Academy is committed to providing a safe, respectful and supportive environment for every child and young person who takes part in our classes, school programmes, rehearsals, performances, holiday workshops and other activities.

Children’s safety and wellbeing come first. We take concerns seriously, act on them promptly, and expect everyone working with or representing Ignite to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to Ignite Arts Academy directors, employees, contractors, volunteers, guest instructors and anyone else working on behalf of Ignite. It applies across all Ignite activities and locations, including school-based programmes, the mobile music bus, classes, rehearsals, performances, camps, workshops, trips and events.

2. Our safeguarding commitments

• We put the safety, dignity and wellbeing of children and young people first.

• We treat children fairly and respectfully, and take their views and concerns seriously.

• We maintain appropriate supervision, taking account of children’s ages, needs, activities, locations and risks.

• We take reasonable steps to recruit and engage suitable personnel, including identity checks, reference checks and Police vetting where applicable.

• We expect personnel to follow Ignite’s child protection, health and safety, professional conduct and reporting procedures.

• We respond to concerns promptly and appropriately. A person does not need proof that abuse has occurred before raising a concern.
  

3. Professional boundaries and conduct

Everyone working with Ignite must act professionally and in the best interests of children. This includes:

• Communicating with students through approved, appropriate channels and not using private social media to contact students;

• Avoiding situations where an adult is alone with a child in an enclosed or hidden space; where one-to-one teaching is necessary, maintaining appropriate visibility and safeguards;

• Not transporting a student without appropriate authorisation and safeguards;

• Never using humiliating, threatening, discriminatory, sexualised or otherwise inappropriate language or behaviour;

• Not asking a child to keep secrets about interactions with an adult;

• Reporting boundary concerns, unsafe conduct or suspected harm promptly.

4. Physical contact in arts education

Some arts instruction may require demonstration or guidance involving physical movement, posture, instrument technique or safety. Physical contact must be appropriate to the teaching or safety need, professional, respectful and non-invasive. The instructor should explain the reason for contact beforehand and seek the child’s agreement where practicable. A child’s boundaries must be respected. Physical contact must never be sexualised, secretive, punitive or used to intimidate.

5. Recognising and responding to concerns

A concern may arise from something a child says, an observation, a change in behaviour, an adult’s conduct, a breach of professional boundaries or other information that suggests a child may be unsafe. Concerns should be raised even where the facts are incomplete or uncertain.

If a child tells someone about a worrying experience, the adult should:

• Listen calmly and take the child seriously;

• Avoid leading questions or conducting their own investigation;

• Not promise to keep the information secret;

• Explain that the information will be shared with people who need to help keep them safe;

• Record the child’s words and relevant facts as soon as possible, distinguishing what was said from the adult’s own observations;

• Report the concern promptly through the pathways below.

6. How to raise a concern

If you have a child safeguarding concern about an Ignite activity, you may contact Ignite through the contact details published on our website. Please make it clear that your message concerns child safeguarding so it can be directed appropriately. Concerns will be treated seriously and shared only as appropriate to respond to the concern and protect children.

You do not have to be certain that abuse has occurred before raising a concern. You do not have to report a concern to Ignite before contacting an external agency.

If the concern involves an Ignite director or the person receiving the concern

If your concern involves either of Ignite’s directors, the designated safeguarding contact, or you do not feel comfortable raising it internally, you may contact Police or Oranga Tamariki directly. You do not need Ignite’s permission to do so.

EXTERNAL CONTACTS

Immediate danger: Call Police on 111.

Concern about a child’s safety or wellbeing: Contact Oranga Tamariki on 0508 326 459 (24 hours a day).

You may also contact your local Police directly to report a concern. If you are unsure what to do, you can seek advice from an appropriate child safeguarding professional.

7. Concerns about personnel

Any allegation or concern about the behaviour of a director, employee, contractor, volunteer or other person working with Ignite will be taken seriously. The immediate priority is children’s safety. Appropriate steps will be taken to assess and manage risk, including seeking advice from Police, Oranga Tamariki or other relevant professionals where appropriate. Any employment process will be handled fairly and in a way that does not compromise an external investigation.

8. Privacy and records

Information about safeguarding concerns will be handled sensitively and shared only with people or agencies who need it to assess the concern, respond appropriately or protect a child. Relevant records will be kept securely. Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed where information must be shared to help keep a child safe or meet legal obligations.

9. Responsibilities and review

All Ignite personnel are responsible for following this policy, maintaining professional boundaries and reporting concerns. Ignite’s leadership is responsible for ensuring concerns are responded to appropriately and for reviewing safeguarding arrangements.

This is an interim policy published while Ignite’s wider safeguarding documentation and procedures are being reviewed with external advice. It will be updated as that review progresses and at least annually, or sooner if there is a significant incident, change in law or change to Ignite’s operations.

Related documents

This public policy sits alongside Ignite’s internal Child Protection Policy, Health and Safety documentation, staff induction materials and employment procedures. Internal procedures provide further detail for personnel on supervision, incident recording, reporting and response.