Safeguarding Policy
WATERSHIP BRASS
SAFEGUARDING POLICY
OUR COMMITMENT TO YOUNG AND VULNERABLE MEMBERS
The band are committed to the welfare and safekeeping of all of our membership, including potentially, any Young People or Vulnerable Adults who may wish to join us.
Please see our Safeguarding Policy Document below:
1. Introduction
1. The adoption of this policy should be seen as a clear message from Watership Brass
Band (“WB”or “the Band”) that it will ensure all necessary steps are taken to protect
from harm, all young and vulnerable people who participate in brass playing at all
levels.
2. This policy applies to all employees, playing members and other volunteers, including
musical directors, teachers/tutors, and committee members, as well as any other paid
staff or sessional workers on behalf of WB.
3. Some individuals may actively seek employment or voluntary work with children or
other vulnerable people in order to harm them. WB is committed to adopting policies
and procedures so that everyone involved accepts their responsibilities to
safeguard those persons from harm and abuse. This means following procedures to
protect them and to report any concerns about their welfare to appropriate authorities.
4. For the avoidance of doubt all policies and procedures refer to vulnerable adults as
well as to children.
2. Policy Statement
Watership Brass is committed to:-
1. Making the welfare of young and vulnerable people paramount.
2. Ensuring opportunities for all young and vulnerable people, whatever their age,
culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious belief and/or sexual
identity and to enable them to participate in brass banding in an enjoyable and safe
environment.
3. Taking all reasonable steps to protect young and vulnerable people from harm,
discrimination, and degrading treatment and to respect their rights, wishes and
feelings.
4. Taking action swiftly and appropriately with regard to all suspicions and allegations
of poor practice or abuse.
5. Working in partnership with young and vulnerable people, parents, carers, and other
agencies to promote their welfare.
3. Good Practice, Poor Practice and Abuse
To provide young and vulnerable people with the best possible experience and opportunities
in brass banding, everyone must operate within an accepted ethical framework and
demonstrate exemplary behaviour. Not only will this allow brass banding to make a positive
contribution to the development of young or vulnerable members of the Band and safeguard
their welfare, but it also protects all personnel from the risk of false allegations of abuse or
poor practice.
It is not always easy to distinguish poor practice from abuse, whether intentional or
accidental. It is not therefore the responsibility of members or participants in the Band to
make judgements about whether or not abuse is taking place. It is, however, their
responsibility to identify poor practice and potential abuse and to act if they have concerns
about the welfare of a young or vulnerable person. The sections below are not intended to be
definitive or conclusive but will help you identify what is meant by good practice, poor
practice, and abuse.
Where circumstances arise where it is impractical to avoid any of the situations mentioned in
paragraph 3 above they should only occur with the full knowledge and consent of someone in
charge in the organisation and the young or vulnerable person’s parent or carer.
If, during your care of a child, you accidentally hurt them, the child appears distressed in any
manner, or misunderstands or misinterprets something you have said or done, you must
report any such incidents as soon as possible to a committee member and make a brief written
note of it. The Band Safeguarding Officer will then ensure that parents are informed of the
incident where appropriate.
4. Procedures to implement DBS checks
The Band members who need to be vetted are all persons (including non-member helpers)
who will have significant access to young or vulnerable persons, and as directed by the
Committee. The Band Safeguarding Officer will keep a record of all such people and ensure
that they have been vetted through the DBS.
5. How this Policy impacts on WB
WB is a thriving band, whose membership includes some members under the age of 18 years.
(The band currently does not incorporate a training band, but may do at some point in the
future as part of its long term strategy review). Illness or other factors may also make a
person vulnerable – not always in a way which is immediately obvious.
All adult members of WB have responsibility for the safety and protection of any young or
vulnerable people who are members of the Band, and should therefore ensure that they follow
the good practice outlined in this document which, if followed, also provides protection to
members against any allegations relating to poor practice or safeguarding issues.
Paid staff and volunteers will be provided with additional information to assist them in
understanding signs of abuse, or that young or vulnerable persons are at risk and may be
asked to attend training.
No Band member is to teach or coach any young or vulnerable person on behalf of the Band
without prior agreement of the committee and appropriate checks being made. Any such
member will need to complete a DBS check. WB will ensure that, during any individual
tuition and coaching undertaken with a young or vulnerable person in the course of a Band
session, an additional adult, (preferably a parent, or a carer) will also be present.
WB will ensure that appropriate vetting, including DBS checks, are carried out for everyone
involved in training Band members under 18, including tutors and conductors whether paid or
volunteers.
If any member takes on the tuition/coaching of a young or vulnerable person in a private
capacity, it must be made clear that they are not working on behalf of the Band, and this must
not take place during band rehearsal times.
If a young or vulnerable person attends rehearsals or engagements, responsibility for that
person must rest ultimately with the parents or carers. Whilst Band members will observe the
WB Safeguarding Policy and procedures, parents or carers are welcome to remain on site and
to satisfy themselves that the young or vulnerable person for whom they have responsibility
is safe and their welfare needs met.
In compliance with the recommendations of Brass Bands England, the committee of WB has
appointed a Safeguarding Officer to advise on compliance with the procedures in the
protection policy. The Safeguarding Officer will have the primary responsibility to check that
everyone who has significant access to young or vulnerable people within the Band is
suitable for that role, has been vetted and a DBS check carried out where appropriate. The
Safeguarding Officer should also undergo the vetting/DBS procedure.
The Safeguarding Officer should not be a co-ordinator, tutor or conductor of any WB youth
or training band and will act as a focal point for reporting any concerns about poor practice or
concern that a child has been placed at risk.
Note: Legal Framework
This Policy has been drawn up on the basis of law and guidance that seeks to protect
children:
Children Act, 1989 and 2004
United Convention of the Rights of the Child, 1991
Data Protection Act, 2018 (GDPR)
Sexual Offences Act, 2004
Protection of Freedom Act, 2012
West Berkshire Council Child Protection Procedures.
Brass Bands England Safeguarding Advice and Guidance
A copy of the Child and Vulnerable Members Safeguarding Policy and Procedures will be
available to all via the Band website: www.watershipbrass.co.uk, and copies will be
available on request through Committee Members or the Safeguarding Officer.
WB will undertake to review and update, if necessary, this Policy and any associated
guidance documents on at least an annual basis.
West Berkshire Council Safeguarding Contacts;
1. Safeguarding (Children/Under 18’s):
Telephone: (01635)503090
Email: child@westberks.gov.uk
2. Safeguarding (Adults):
Telephone: (01635) 519056.