CHILD PROTECTION POLICY
Hounslow Festival of Music, Speech and Dance is committed to ensuring all
children have the same protection regardless of gender, ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity or
disability. Hounslow Festival of Music, Speech and Dance fully understands the contribution it must make to protect children
and promote a safeguarding culture. The aim of the policy is to safeguard and promote children’s welfare, safety and health by
fostering an honest, open, caring, proactive and supportive environment whilst working in partnership with children / young people,
their parents, guardians and carers and all agencies involved with or associated to Hounslow Festival of Music, Speech and Dance.
Hounslow Festival of Music, Speech and Dance is committed to ensuring all section leaders, committee members and volunteers are trained
and supported to respond appropriately and sensitively to child protection concerns. This policy applies to our festival committee,
paid staff, volunteers, adjudicators and has been drawn up in line with the relevant law and guidance which seeks to protect children and young people.
Safeguarding Lead: Emily Chick
It is the responsibility of the Safeguarding Lead to ensure Hounslow Festival of Music,
Speech and Dance adopts the British and International Federation of Festivals child protection policy and procedures and follows the
child licensing regulations as set out by individual Boroughs. The Safeguarding Lead must endeavor to put in place appropriate and
suitable arrangements to keep children and young people safe whilst performing at the festival. The Safeguarding Lead should ensure
that all volunteers have an understanding of their responsibilities with regards to safeguarding children and young people and be
satisfied that they are able to recognise forms of abuse and the processes of how to report concerns. The Safeguarding Lead has a clear
understanding of their role in how to manage and act upon concerns raised in accordance with the child protection policy.
PURPOSE OF POLICY AND FUNCTION OF THE ORGANISATION
The purpose of the policy is to provide protection for the children and young people
who participate in Hounslow Festival of Music, Speech and Dance and outline the procedures to ensure all staff and volunteers understand
how to provide a safe environment for all children and young people, and how to respond in the event of a safeguarding concern. Hounslow
Festival of Music, Speech and Dance (the festival) offers a friendly competitive platform for amateur performers in the arts of music,
speech and dance, together with an educational assessment of that performance by a relevant professional and qualified adjudicator.
THE FESTIVAL ENVIRONMENT
We seek to create a safe environment by ensuring children and young people feel valued,
are listened to and respected. The Hounslow Festival of Music, Speech and Dance adopt and work within the legislation and guidance that
specifically addresses the needs of young performers (The Children and Young Peoples Act 1933 and 1963 and the Children (Performance and
Activities) Regulations 2014). Every effort is made to ensure the environment is safe for all attendees including ensuring rigorous risk
assessments are carried out before and during the festival. Parents, guardians and carers however, remain responsible for their own
children at all times and must be alert to any danger and anticipate potential hazards such as doors, windows and uneven surfaces. For the
Stage Dancing Section all participants, their teachers, parents and carers, must exercise sensible and appropriate discipline whilst on the
premises and any accidents must be reported to the Health and Safety officer (please see individual syllabus for each section).
Smoking is prohibited in all areas of the buildings at all times. Any visitor caught smoking on the premises will be asked to leave.
TO WHOM DOES THIS POLICY APPLY
This policy applies to all competitors under the age of 18. If vulnerable adults or anyone
with special educational needs will be attending the Festival, the Section Organiser needs to be made aware of this before commencement of
the event so that suitable provision can be made.
FESTIVAL PERSONNEL
All Festival personnel have been appointed through safer recruitment procedures, following
relevant legislation and guidance (Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006, Protection of Freedom Act 2012, Rehabilitation of Offenders Act
2013, Part V of Police Act 1997, the Equality Act 2010 and the Working Together to Safeguard Children). The Hounslow Festival of Music,
Speech and Dance follow the British and International Federation of Festivals safe working practice. Adjudicators are members of the
British and International Federation of Festivals and The All England Dance for the dance section. We will take all reasonable steps to
prevent unsuitable people from joining through a rigorous application and reference request procedure. All suitable volunteers receive
a full induction and adequate safeguarding training.
PREPARATION FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE FESTIVAL
All teachers entering the Festival will be provided with a copy of this Policy, as will
any private entries made outside of a school. It is the responsibility of parents, carers or guardians to ensure that they understand the
policies and procedures of the festival and that their children will be accompanied and fully supervised by a parent, guardian or carer.
PERFORMANCE AREAS AND CHANGING AREAS
(Stage Dancing Section Only) - There is a large changing space allocated for females, a
separate changing room for males and a family changing area. It is usually the case that female parents, guardians or carers will assist
with the preparation of female performers and male parents, guardians or carers to assist with male performers, however there is also a
family changing area for parents, guardians or carers to assist with performers of the opposite sex. It is prohibited for any males to
enter the female changing space.
(Not applicable to Stage Dancing Section) – If any school enters a group it must be established
whether they are entering under the cover of their school or if the teacher is responsible for them. If a teacher decides to enter a group
and be responsible for them, then that teacher must ensure there is a sufficient parent / carer-to-competitor ratio.
7a. PHOTOGRAPHS (by any means, including mobile phones) AND PRESS PHOTOGRAPHY
To protect the copyright of material used, the competitors and their teachers, the Festival
imposes a total ban on video recording, the use of any electronic device capable of visual recording and / or sound, and any form of
photography other than the Festival’s authorised professional photographer. The Section Organiser reserves the right to confiscate any
recording equipment if this rule has been breached.
7b. (Stage Dancing Only) - On occasion, the local press may visit the Festival and take photos in relation to publicity of Hounslow Festival
of Music, Speech & Dance. A resident photographer for the Festival may be in attendance, but not always. On these occasions photographs will
be taken of any performer on stage. If any entrant wishes not to be photographed, they should state so at the time of submitting their entry
and then again upon arrival at the Festival. This should be notified to the front reception desk. If press photographers should be invited
to take photographs, competitors will be advised and given the opportunity not to participate.
REPORTING A CONCERN
Should you have a concern about the conduct of a member of staff or volunteer you must report
this to the Safeguarding Lead. A 'reporting concerns form' should also be completed. If the concern is regarding the Safeguarding Lead, the
concern should be raised with the Chair of the committee
THE LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE THAT SUPPORTS THIS POLICY
The Children Act 1989; The Police Act 1997; The General Data Protection Regulations 2016; The Human Rights Act 1998; The Protection of Children Act 1999; The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000.
POLICY REVIEW
The Festival Committee will constantly review its policy, improving and enhancing it as necessary. In doing this they will look to The British and International Federation of Festivals for support and that body, in turn, will look to other agencies for good practice, most notably the NSPCC and Arts Council of England policy guidelines.
Festival Safeguarding Officer : Mrs E. Chick
(Version 6.0 – Sept 2024)
Page updated 17/05/25
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