POLICIES

Safeguarding & Child Protection

Approved by: [OPDA trustees / board] | Safeguarding lead: [name, role and direct contact] | Deputy: [name and contact] | Last reviewed: [date] | Next review: [date]

1. Our commitment

On Pointe Dance Academy (OPDA) wants every child and young person under 18 to learn and perform in a safe, welcoming environment. The child’s welfare comes first. We take concerns seriously regardless of a child’s age, disability, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or background. We listen to children, work with parents where safe and appropriate, and seek advice or refer concerns to statutory services when needed. This policy applies to trustees, employees, freelance teachers, volunteers, contractors, visiting practitioners and anyone working with children for OPDA.

The trustees are accountable for safeguarding. The named safeguarding lead coordinates concerns, training, records and referrals. Everyone working with children must know how to report a concern. [Confirm the named lead and deputy, trained cover at all class times, trustee reporting line, and current local safeguarding arrangements before publication.]

2. Safer practice and prevention

We use role-appropriate recruitment, references, identity and qualification checks, and Disclosure and Barring Service checks where the role is eligible. Staff and volunteers receive induction and suitable safeguarding training, know the code of conduct, and are supervised. We assess risks for studios, performances, changing areas, travel, online activity and visiting tutors, and make reasonable adjustments to include children safely.

Adults should work openly and professionally; avoid unnecessary one-to-one isolation, private messaging with children and personal social media contact; use approved OPDA communication channels; respect dignity and privacy in changing areas; and report boundary concerns promptly. Physical guidance in dance must be necessary, explained, age-appropriate, visible and responsive to the child’s wishes. No adult should promise a child secrecy about a safety concern. [Link the current staff code of conduct, intimate-care/changing arrangements, anti-bullying, online safety and transport rules used in practice.]

We tell parents how to report absences, provide up-to-date emergency and collection details, and confirm who may collect a child. We follow documented procedures if a child is not collected. We use photos and video in line with recorded permissions, safeguarding needs and the Privacy Notice; adults must follow event-specific filming rules.

3. Recognising and responding to concerns

Concerns may include abuse or neglect, bullying, harmful behaviour between children, exploitation, online harm, inappropriate conduct by an adult, or a disclosure from a child. A concern may arise within or outside OPDA. Any adult who sees, hears or suspects harm must act; do not investigate, confront an alleged perpetrator or wait for proof.

If a child is in immediate danger or needs urgent medical help, call 999. Make the child safe, provide appropriate first aid and inform the safeguarding lead as soon as possible. If there is no immediate emergency, report the concern promptly to the safeguarding lead or deputy. If they are unavailable, implicated, or action is delayed, contact children’s social care or the police yourself. A safeguarding referral must not be held up while seeking internal permission.

When a child speaks, listen calmly; take them seriously; use open questions only where needed to clarify; do not promise secrecy; explain that information will be shared with people who can help. Record the child’s own words, dates, times, people involved, what was observed and what action was taken. Sign and date the record, and pass it securely to the safeguarding lead. Keep records factual, restricted and separate from general class notes. Do not routinely tell parents about a concern if doing so could increase risk to the child or compromise an investigation; take advice from children’s social care or police.

4. External referrals and allegations about adults

The safeguarding lead decides promptly whether to consult or refer to children’s social care and records the reason and outcome. [Insert and verify the current Central Bedfordshire children’s social care referral route and out-of-hours contact before publication.] If there is an immediate risk, call 999. Concerns about the conduct of a person working or volunteering with children that may meet the allegations threshold must be referred to the Central Bedfordshire Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), following current local procedures; the published LADO telephone is 0300 300 8142. Do not investigate an allegation internally before seeking LADO/police advice. If the concern involves the safeguarding lead, report to the deputy and chair of trustees or directly to the LADO/children’s social care. The trustees will consider any required notifications to the Charity Commission, DBS, insurers or other bodies, with appropriate advice.

The local referral contact and the LADO route must be checked regularly. Anyone, including a parent or student, may contact the police or children’s social care directly. For advice about a child’s safety, the NSPCC helpline is 0808 800 5000; it does not replace an emergency call or statutory referral.

5. Confidentiality, records and review

Share safeguarding information only with people who need it to protect a child or carry out a lawful investigation. Do not promise absolute confidentiality. Store records securely, limit access, document decisions and keep them under an approved safeguarding retention schedule. Handle personal information under the Privacy Notice, while recognising that safeguarding referrals may be made without consent where necessary and lawful.

The trustees review this policy at least annually and after a serious incident, material change or updated guidance. They check that named contacts, training, risk assessments, referral routes and associated procedures remain current. Feedback from children and families should inform the review. A full policy is effective only when staff know and follow its procedures; induction and reporting arrangements must be in place before this page is published as OPDA’s operative policy.

Publishing checklist — internal, not for the website

  1. Confirm that OPDA (charity 1179697, company 11077278) is the entity on bookings, receipts, insurance and contracts, and identify any role of Amazing Activity Limited or The PAD.

  2. The termination text above reproduces Studio Pro clauses 2.1–2.6 as supplied. Confirm the same wording and published term calendar at checkout. Separately obtain legal review of the existing notice and summer rules, the £30 failed-payment charge, accelerated balance, automatic renewal and workshop cancellation rules. Confirm the trial transition, discounts, catch-up and medical refund practice before accepting bookings.

  3. Map data from the new site, Studio Pro, HighLevel, Zapier, payments, email/SMS/WhatsApp and analytics. Record Article 6 and Article 9 grounds, supplier transfers, retention periods, and any inter-organisation sharing. Configure granular marketing/photo permissions and a working cookie choice mechanism.

  4. Name the safeguarding lead and deputy, verify local referral/out-of-hours details, link the staff procedures and train the team. Have trustees formally approve the policy and record the review date.

  5. Make all three pages accessible in the website footer and link the terms and privacy notice at the point of booking; keep a versioned copy of the wording accepted by each customer.

Sources reviewed (internal)