Home                          DUMFRIES AND DISTRICT MUSIC FESTIVAL

 

CHILD PROTECTION POLICY implemented from 1 March 2005

 

Chairman   Sophia Harkness M.B.E.

Secretary   John Douglas

Treasurer   Andrea Young

 

Venues      Various Dumfries schools

Dates        dates in February and March as advertised in the press, timetable and programme

 

1.     PURPOSE AND FUNCTION OF THE ASSOCIATION

 

The object of the Association shall be to advance the education of the public in the Arts, and in particular the Arts of Music, Speech and Dance, in all their branches.   The association will provide a platform for amateur performance for both young people and adults.   In furtherance of the objectives of the Association shall:-

 

(1)hold or promote annual competitive Festivals.

 

(2)present and promote public performances, concerts and recitals.

 

(3)do all such other lawful things as are necessary to the attainment of the object of the Association.

 

(4)affiliate to the British Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance and Speech and to further the charitable objects of the said Federation

 

 

2.     THE FESTIVAL ENVIRONMENT

 

It is our policy to inform and involve all parents/guardians/carers and teachers in partnership with ourselves to ensure as far as is reasonably possible and practicable a safe environment at the festival.

 

The following sections will outline various measures we will put in place to ensure this.   In particular we will take any problem seriously.   However, we do expect a responsible adult to accompany the young person to the Festival and to be in the auditorium at all times that young person is there.   Should the young person require to leave the auditorium we would expect him/her to be accompanied by a responsible adult.   While taking all steps to ensure as safe an environment as possible we feel that the burden of care is with either the parent, the guardian, the carer or the teacher or the responsible adult designated to accompany the performer to the Festival.   We would not expect to need to have any Association representative to be left alone with or to have any physical contact with any young person.

 

3.     TO WHOM DOES THIS POLICY APPLY

 

This policy relates to all persons under the age of eighteen years and to those vulnerable adults of any age who are identified to the organisers prior to their arrival at the Festival.   This should be done by contacting the address or telephone number on the letter sent via teachers or by contacting the Executive Secretary as identified in the syllabus and/or programme.   In recognising the needs of young people from minority ethnic groups and those who are disabled, the Festival actively seeks to meet the needs notified to the Festival by parents/guardians/carers and/or teachers.   It must be noted that there are certain constraints placed on the organisers by the venues over which the organisers have no control.

 

4.     FESTIVAL PERSONNEL

 

All members involved with the organisation and administration of the Association’s activities are volunteers.   Generally further members and helpers are recruited from such persons as are personally known to at least one member of the Association.   All volunteers will have completed an application form, given a job description, a copy of our code of practice for working with young people.

 

Records of those working for the Festival are retained by the Executive Secretary, or other appointed official, and recorded in the Association’s Child Protection Register.

 

A list of committee members is printed in the syllabuses and programmes and they and other helpers are normally identified at the Festival by their badges.   Should a problem arise it should be reported to such a helper who will take it seriously and should ensure that it is documented and dated.

 

5.     PREPARATION FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE FESTIVAL

 

The child protection policy will be printed in both the Festival syllabuses and programmes.   Schools, clubs, groups and teachers and where appropriate individuals will be furnished with copies of this policy for distribution to parents/guardians/carers of those young people entering while those receiving such information directly from the Association will be required to acknowledge receipt of the same.   All helpers at the Festival will receive a copy of this child protection policy.

 

All members of the Association and their voluntary workers will be provided with a pocket size document outline good practice in assisting at a Festival.

 

6.     PERFORMANCE AREAS AND CHANGING AREAS

 

Where changing or assembly areas are provided the Association will expect responsible persons to be appointed by the individual or group entering the young people and that these responsible persons will be responsible for the supervision and care of the young people.   It is expect that these responsible persons will be provided at a ratio of 1 adult to 8 young people.   These adults should remain with the young people at all times they are within the assembly rooms and should be seated within the audience during performances.   Where it is not possible to provide single sex changing rooms the responsible adult(s) should ensure that male and females change at separate times and do not change or be in the room at the same time.   At performance times a young person should have his/her responsible person within the auditorium.

 

7.     PHOTOGRAPHS, VIDEOTAPES AND PRESS PHOTOGRAPHY

 

The association will operate a policy which forbids any tape recording, photography or video recording within the auditorium at any venue.   The press are permitted to photograph outwith the auditorium.   It will be for parents, teachers and schools to inform the Association if a child should not be photographed.  The responsible person accompanying the competitor will be required to take active steps to ensure that the competitor is not photographed.

 

8.     LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE THAT SUPPORTS THIS POLICY

 

This policy is supported by the following legislation:-

The Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003

Commissioner for Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2003

The Police Act 1997 and

Children (Scotland) Act 1996.

 

9.     POLICY REVIEW

The organisers will constantly review their policy, improving and enhancing it as necessary.   In doing this they will look to the British and International Federation of Festivals for Music, Speech and Dance, for support and that body, in turn will look to other agencies for good practice, most notably the NSPCC and Scottish Arts Council policy guidelines.