Safeguarding Policies and Procedures

Section 1: Safeguarding Policy

Safeguarding children, young people and adults with care and support needs within the band is the responsibility of ALL members of the band.

This policy applies to all members, volunteers or anyone working on behalf of Loxley Silver Band. The purpose of this policy:

To protect children, young people and adults with care and support needs who are members of the band or connected to the band in some other way.
To provide staff and volunteers with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection.

Loxley Silver Band believes that a child, young person or adult with care and support needs should never experience abuse of any kind. We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk and to keep them safe. We are committed to practice in a way that protects them.

Legal framework

This policy has been drawn up based on law and guidance that seeks to protect children and adults at risk, namely:

Children Act (1989)
United Convention of the Rights of the Child (1991)
Data Protection Act (1998) and subsequent data protection guidance
Sexual Offences Act (2003)
Children Act (2004)
Protection of Freedoms Act (2012)
Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children; HM Government (2018)
The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006)
The Human Rights Act (1998)
The Children and Families Act (2014)
Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) code of practice: 0 to 25 years. Statutory guidance for organisations which work with and support children and young people who have special educational needs or disabilities; HM Government (2014)
General Data Protection Regulations (European Union) (2017)
Information sharing: advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services to children, young people, parents and carers; HM Government (2015)
The Care Act (2014)
The Care Act (2014) Care and Support Statutory Guidance (specifically the safeguarding section of this)
The Mental Capacity Act (2005)

We recognise that:

the welfare of the child is paramount, as enshrined in the Children Act (1989);
all children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse;
some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues; and
working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
In addition, we also have safeguarding responsibilities towards adult members, some of whom may be vulnerable at different times in their lives. The principles outlined above in relation to children, also apply to our work with adults. In terms of a legal framework, the arrangements for those over 18 are governed by the Care Act 2014. This Act stipulates that statutory safeguarding duties apply to an adult who:
has care and support needs, and
is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect, and,
as a result of those care and support needs, is unable to protect themselves from either the risk of, or the experience of, abuse or neglect.

We will seek to keep children, young people and adults safe by:

valuing them, listening to and respecting them, ensuring that, in the case of adults, we work with their consent unless ‘vital interests’ [as defined in the Data Protection Act (1998)] are at stake, or the person has been assessed as lacking mental capacity [as defined in the Mental Capacity Act (2005)];
adopting child protection and adult safeguarding practices through procedures and a code of conduct for and members and volunteers;
ensuring that our governance arrangements reflect our commitment to safeguarding
working to ensure that there is a safe culture within our band
developing and implementing an effective e-safety policy and related procedures;
providing effective support and training for volunteers with responsibility;
recruiting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made;
sharing information about child protection and adult safeguarding with children, parents, volunteers and members;
sharing concerns with agencies who need to know, and involving parents and children appropriately

Useful contact details:

Band Safeguarding/Welfare Officer: Anne Rawnsley

Band Safe trained representatives: Anne Rawnsley and Alison Webb

Local police: South Yorkshire Police. Call 101.

Local authority children’s social care department:

Sheffield Safeguarding Hub 0114 273 4855 (24 hours)

or email sheffieldsafeguardinghub@sheffield.gov.uk

NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk

ChildLine: 0800 1111 (textphone 0800 400 222) or www.childline.org.uk

The Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/

National Domestic Abuse Helpline: https://www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk/

Local authority adult social care department:

First Contact Team 0114 273 4908 or email adultaccess@sheffield.gov.uk.

Brass Bands England Safeguarding Officer: 01226 771015

We are committed to reviewing our policy and good practice annually.

Section 2: Types of abuse and relevant terms used in safeguarding

Abuse and neglect of children

Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child or young person. They may result in a child suffering or being likely to suffer significant harm. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting, by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger. They may be abused by an adult, or another child or children. Government guidance ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ (2018) defines various forms of abuse, including:

1. Physical abuse

Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

2. Emotional abuse

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyber-bullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

3. Sexual abuse

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse. Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

4. Neglect

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:

Provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment);
Protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger;
Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care givers); or
Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.

It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

5. Other ways in which abuse may be perpetrated

As suggested under the ‘Sexual Abuse’ heading above, it should be noted that perpetrators are increasingly using online methods to access children and young people as well as to indulge in abuse by creating or downloading abusive images of them. Other forms of abuse include in which digital technology may often (but not always) play a part include:

6. Abuse of a position of trust

This is a legal concept within The Sexual Offences Act 2003. It involves an adult of 18 or over engaging in sexual activity with or in the presence of a child or young person under 18, where the older person is in a position of responsibility towards the child or young person in one of a variety of settings, including a ‘workplace setting’. The concept also covers ‘causing or inciting a child’ to engage in sexual activity, and ‘causing a child to watch a sexual act’.

7. Young carers

A young carer is a person under 18 who provides or intends to provide care for another person (of any age, except generally where that care is provided for payment, pursuant to a contract or as voluntary work). Statutory safeguarding guidance recognises that young carers may have support needs, and stipulates the circumstances in which a local authority must carry out an assessment.

8. Contextual safeguarding

This is an approach to safeguarding where it is recognised that risk to children or young people exists in situations outside the family. The term and the methodology were developed by Dr Carlene Firmin and staff at the University of Bedfordshire. It advocates a multi-agency and multi-dimensional approach that targets the contexts where children and young people may be at risk rather than individual young people themselves, although individual support may still have an important role to play. For further information see https://contextualsafeguarding.org.uk/

9. Responsibilities under Working Together to Safeguard Children

In keeping with the content of Chapter 1 of this statutory guidance, it is clear that within brass bands it is the responsibility of band leaders and those working with young members to share information and work together with statutory partners if they have concerns that a child or young person may be at risk of abuse or neglect. Once a referral has been received by a local authority children’s social care team, they should, within one working day, make a decision about the type of response that is required and acknowledge receipt to the referrer. Feedback should also be provided to the referrer on decisions taken by the local authority. For example, the local authority, may take the view that the child and family are in need of support services, or may decide that the child is in need of protection. If a band believes that the position taken by the local authority is inadequate to protect the child or young person, we will consider escalating the referral within the Local Authority. It is not the job of bands to take a view on whether abuse has taken place or is at risk of taking place, nor is it the job of bands to conduct an assessment on this matter; this is the role of the statutory agencies such as the local authority and police.

Abuse of adults

There are many different types of abuse affecting adults, many of which are similar to abuse suffered by children and young people. The Care and Support Statutory Guidance that is supported by the Care Act 2014 describes these as:

1. Physical

This is ‘the use of force which results in pain or injury or a change in a person’s natural physical state’ or ‘the nonaccidental infliction of physical force that results in bodily injury, pain or impairment’. It may include behaviours like the misuse of medication, inappropriate restraint or the use of inappropriate sanctions, as well as the actions more commonly associated with physical abuse (such as slapping, pushing etc.).

2. Sexual

Examples of sexual abuse include the direct or indirect involvement of the adult at risk in sexual activity or relationships which they do not want or have not consented to. Specific behaviours could include:

rape
indecent exposure
sexual harassment
inappropriate looking or touching
sexual teasing or innuendo
sexual photography
subjection to pornography or witnessing sexual acts
indecent exposure
sexual assault
putting pressure on the young adult to consenting to sexual acts

3. Emotional and psychological

This is behaviour that has a harmful effect on the person’s emotional health and development, or any form of mental cruelty that results in mental distress, the denial of basic human and civil rights such as self-expression, privacy and dignity. Specific behaviours might include:

threats of harm or abandonment
deprivation of contact
humiliation
blaming
controlling
intimidation
coercion
harassment
verbal abuse
cyberbullying
isolation
unreasonable and unjustified withdrawal of services or supportive networks

4. Organisational

Institutional abuse is the mistreatment or neglect of an adult at risk by a regime, or individuals within settings and services, that adults at risk live in or use. It may include care or support provided in the person’s own home. Such abuse violates the person’s dignity, resulting in lack of respect for their human rights. It may range from one-off incidents to ongoing ill-treatment. It can be through neglect or poor professional practice as a result of the structure, policies, processes and practices within an organisation.

5. Discrimination

This type of abuse may include:

discrimination based on gender, race, colour, language, culture, religion, politics or sexual orientation
discrimination based on a person’s disability or age
harassment and slurs which are degrading
hate crime

6. Financial and material

This is the use of a person’s property, assets, income, funds or any other resources without their informed consent or authorisation. It may include:

theft
fraud
internet scamming
exploitation or coercion in relation to an adult’s financial affairs or arrangements, including in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits

7. Neglect and acts of omission

Examples of this might include:

ignoring medical, emotional or physical care needs
failure to provide access to appropriate health, care and support or educational services
the withholding of the necessities of life, such as medication, adequate nutrition and heating

8. Self-neglect

This covers a wide range of behaviour neglecting to care for one’s personal hygiene, health or surroundings and includes behaviour like hoarding. It should be noted that the legislation and guidance makes it clear that this list is not exhaustive and that those working with adults at risk should be open to the possibility of other forms of abuse.

9. Domestic violence or abuse

This is abuse perpetrated in the context of relationships with family members, friends or carers, and can, in turn, be broken down into other types of abuse relating to:

psychological
physical
sexual
financial
emotional

10. Modern slavery

This may take various forms, such as:

Human trafficking
Forced labour
Domestic servitude
Sexual exploitation, such as escort work, prostitution and pornography
Debt bondage – being forced to work to pay off debts that realistically they never will be able to

Consent and capacity

What are the responsibilities under legislation and guidance affecting the safeguarding of adults?

When statutory agencies consider whether a safeguarding response to an adult is needed under the Care Act 2014, they are required to examine three critical components: the person’s need of care and support; their risk of, or experience of neglect or abuse; and their ability or inability to protect themselves.

These are not questions to which brass bands are expected to supply an answer. Rather, bands will seek advice from the local authority adult safeguarding team and will make a referral if necessary. It is also important to note that, even if the three critical components are not fully met, the person may still welcome and benefit from a preventative approach.

Managing issues of consent to the sharing of information is a critical difference between safeguarding children and young people under 18, and safeguarding those who are legally adults.

In its work with adults, bands can draw on set of national principles that are enshrined within the legislative framework for safeguarding adults, and reflect their approach to information sharing including consent, capacity and confidentiality, they are:

Empowerment – supporting the adult to make their own decisions and informed consent
Protection – support and representation for those in greatest need
Prevention – it is better to take action before harm occurs, including signposting to agencies that can help
Proportionality – proportionate and least intrusive response appropriate to the risk presented
Partnership – local solutions through services working with their communities
Accountability – accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding

If someone gives consent to safeguarding information being shared, this should, where possible, take the form of something explicit such as signing a consent form. Where someone who is capable of giving consent to information being passed on to a statutory safeguarding authority, declines to do so, bands should consider whether ‘vital interests’ are at stake under the terms of the Data Protection Act. For example, this may include situations where the adult is in imminent or serious danger, or another person is in danger (including a child of the person or any other child or adult) or a crime has been or is about to be committed. If a brass band feels that any of these circumstances may apply, a referral to the local authority should be made even without the consent of the person.

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 provides a statutory framework to empower and protect people who may lack capacity to make decisions for themselves. The principles of the Act state that an adult at risk:

has the right to make their own decisions and be assumed to have capacity unless proved otherwise
must receive all appropriate help and support to make decisions
has the right to make eccentric or unwise decisions (in the opinion of others), and that
decisions made on behalf of a person who lacks mental capacity must be done in their best interests and be the least restrictive of their basic rights and freedoms.

In addition, decisions are time and decision-specific. This means that a person may be able to make a certain decision, but not others, at a particular point in time. Decision-making ability may fluctuate over time.

Therefore, bands will also pass on information where it appears that the adult at risk may lack mental capacity to consent to this, or may be being coerced to withhold consent. The local authority will then consider who can obtain a ‘best interests’ decision and how it can be made.

Procedures advise that the local authority will do this after full consideration of the Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice and also of the extent of appropriate involvement from the family and/or carers of the adult at risk.

An assessment of their capacity should be made by a professional person qualified to do so. In making this assessment, consideration will be given by the local authority to seeking the support of an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate to support the individual who lacks capacity.

Any decision made on behalf of an adult at risk should weigh up and balance both the Mental Capacity Act and the Human Rights Act, to protect their best interests whilst respecting their rights.

A summary of the key elements can be found on:

www.scie.org.uk/publications/adultsafeguardinglondon/files/protecting-adults-at-risk-in-london.pd

Signs and indicators of abuse of both children and young adults

There may be many signs and indicators that a child or adult is being abused or is at risk. Equally, most of the signs are not themselves diagnostic of abuse (although some physical signs may lead to a positive diagnosis of abuse by a medical professional). Equally, some children and adults who suffer abuse show no outward signs of what is happening to them.

At least as important as specific physical or behavioural signs are the way in which different signs and indicators may be clustered together or perhaps a change in a child’s or adult’s behaviour or appearance that cannot be easily explained in any other way. It is important to remember that a single agency or person is unlikely to pick up on all the signs that may be present in an abusive situation, and that concerns need to be shared to enable a referring agency to build up a clearer picture of what may be going on for a child or adult at risk.

For more information about signs and indicators of abuse of children and young people, go to the NSPCC website:

https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/signs-symptoms-effects/

For more information about adult abuse, go to the SCIE website: http://www.scie.org.uk/publications/ataglance/69-adults-safeguarding-types-and-indicators-of-abuse.asp

Section 3: Dealing with a safeguarding concern

Ways that abuse might be brought to your attention:

A child or adult might make a direct disclosure about him or herself.
A child or adult might make a direct disclosure about another person.
A child or adult might offer information that is worrying but not a direct disclosure.
A member of the band or volunteer might be concerned about the appearance or behaviour of a child or adult at risk, or about the behaviour of someone (e.g. a parent or carer) towards a child or adult at risk.
A parent or carer might make a disclosure about abuse that a child or adult is suffering or at risk of suffering.
A parent or carer might offer information about a child or adult that is worrying but not a direct disclosure.

When talking to a child or adult who has told you that he/she or another person is being abused:

Reassure them that telling someone about it was the right thing to do.
Tell him/her that you now must do what you can to keep him/her (or the person who is the subject of the allegation) safe.
In the case of an adult with mental capacity, ask them if they will give their consent to the information being passed on to an external investigating agency.
Let them know what you are going to do next (i.e. discuss the matter with the band Safeguarding/Welfare Officer).
Let the person tell their whole story. Don’t try to investigate or quiz them, but make sure that you are clear as to what they are saying.
Ask them what they would like to happen because of what they have said, but don’t make or infer promises you can’t keep.
In the case of a child, give them the ChildLine phone number: 0800 1111.

In the case of an adult, check out whether they have anyone they can talk to about the matter; if not, tell them that they can talk to you (if you are willing for them to do so) or, depending on circumstances, give them contact details for a relevant support agency such as one of those listed in the policy statement.

Helping someone in immediate danger or in need of emergency medical attention:

If someone is in immediate danger and is with you, remain with them and call the police.
If the person is elsewhere, contact the police and explain the situation to them.
If the person needs emergency medical attention, call an ambulance and, while you are waiting for it to arrive, get help from your first aider.
If the first aider is not available, use any first aid knowledge that you may have yourself to help the person.
You also need to contact the band’s named Safeguarding/Welfare Officer responsible for child protection/adult safeguarding to let them know what is happening.

A decision will need to be made about informing the person’s family and the local authority children’s social care department, and when they should be informed. If you have involved the police and/or the health services, they should be part of this decision. Consider the welfare of the child or adult in your decision making as the highest priority. Issues that will need to be considered are:

the person’s wishes and feelings;
in the case of an adult, their consent or the withholding of their consent, and whether there are ‘vital interests’ or mental capacity issues to consider;
in the case of a child, the parent’s right to know (unless this would place the child or someone else in danger, or would interfere with a criminal investigation);
the impact of telling or not telling the parent or family;
the current assessment of the risk to the person and the source of that risk;
any risk management plans that currently exist.

Once any immediate danger or emergency medical need has been dealt with, follow the steps set out in the flowchart at the end of this section.

Keeping a record of your concerns

It is important to keep a clear detailed record of events and communication in relation to the concern. It can be used to forward information to the statutory child protection or adult safeguarding authorities if a referral to them is needed. The form/log should be signed and dated by all those involved in its completion and kept confidentially on the person’s file. The name of the person making the notes should be written alongside each entry.

Procedure for helping a someone not in immediate danger

We aim to ensure that everyone within the band and any other children or adults at risk who may come to the attention of the band receive the protection and support they need if they are at risk of abuse.

Section 4: Safeguarding/Welfare Officer’s role description

Organisation: Loxley Silver Band

Reports to: Chairperson

Purpose of the role:

To take the lead role in ensuring that appropriate arrangements are in place at the band for safeguarding children, young people and adults at risk.
To promote the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk, that are members of the band, and other children and adults at risk, with whom the band may come into contact.

Duties and responsibilities

Make sure that all issues concerning the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk, who are members of the band, are properly dealt with through policies, procedures and administrative systems.
Make sure that all players, volunteers, children/young people, adults at risk, parents/carers and the management committee are made aware of the procedures and what they should do if they have concerns about a child or adult at risk.
Receive and record information from anyone who has concerns about a child or adult at risk who is a member of the band.
Take the lead on dealing with information that may constitute a child protection or an adult safeguarding concern.

This includes assessing and clarifying the information, and taking decisions where necessary in consultation with the Chair of the management committee and statutory child protection and adult safeguarding agencies.

Consult with, pass on information to and receive information from statutory child protection and adult safeguarding agencies, such as the local authority children’s social care department, the adult social care department and the police. This includes making formal referrals to these agencies when necessary.
Consult with the NSPCC Helpline and/or the Brass Band England Designated Safeguarding Officer or other local contacts when such support is needed.
Report regularly to the management committee.
Be familiar with and work within local inter-agency child protection and adult safeguarding procedures developed by the local safeguarding children board and local safeguarding adult board.
Be familiar with issues relating to child protection and abuse, and adult safeguarding and abuse, and keep up-to-date with new developments in this area.
Attend training in issues relevant to child protection and adult safeguarding from time to time and share knowledge from that training with other volunteers and management committee members.

Section 5: Anti-bullying policy

We recognise that:

Bullying is behaviour, ‘usually repeated over time, that intentionally hurts another individual or group of individuals, physically or emotionally’.

One person or a group can bully others;

Bullying can occur either face-to-face between individuals or groups or online, using information technology, such as computers or mobile phones.

Bullying can include:

verbal teasing or making fun of someone;
excluding members from activities and conversations;
pressurising other members not to be friends with the person who is being bullied;
spreading hurtful rumours or passing round inappropriate photographs/images/drawings;
shouting at or verbally abusing someone;
stealing or damaging someone’s belongings;
making threats;
forcing someone to do something embarrassing, harmful or dangerous;
harassment based on race, gender, sexuality or disability;
physical or sexual assault (although all sexual incidents and all but very minor physical incidents constitute abuse and must be dealt with in accordance with child protection and adult safeguarding procedures).

Bullying causes real distress. It can affect a person’s health and development and, at the extreme, can cause significant harm. People are often targeted by bullies because they appear different from others. Bullying may be perpetrated either directly in person or online.

We all have a role to play in preventing bullying and putting a stop to bullying.

The purpose of this policy is:

to prevent bullying from happening in our brass band, as much as possible;
when bullying does happen, to make sure it is stopped as soon as possible and that those involved receive the support they need;
to provide information to all members, volunteers, young people, adults at risk, and their families about what we should all do to prevent and deal with bullying.

We will seek to prevent bullying by:

Developing a code of behaviour that sets out the ‘dos and don’ts’ in terms of how everyone involved in the band is expected to behave, both in face-to-face contact and online.
Advertise and promote the band in a way that will help to attract members from diverse groups.
Provide welcome information to new members and help them to settle in.
Hold discussions with members, volunteers, young people, adults at risk and families who are part of the band to ensure that they understand our anti-bullying policy.

When bullying occurs, we will respond to it by:

Having a clear anti-bullying procedure in place;
Providing support and training for all Officers and volunteers on dealing with all forms of bullying, including racial, sexist, homophobic and sexual bullying;
Addressing the issue from the point of view of the person being bullied, the bully, any bystanders and the band as a whole;
Reviewing the plan developed to address the bullying, to ensure that the problem has been resolved;
Avoiding any punishments that make the individuals concerned seem small, or look or feel foolish in front of others.

The Safeguarding/Welfare is responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of this policy.

This policy will be reviewed every two years.

Section 6: Guidelines on social media and online technologies

It is recognised that the internet provides unique opportunities to promote the band including vacancies and performances using a wide variety of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and You Tube. It is also recognised that online platforms can provide the means to make teaching, webinars, rehearsals and events accessible when direct, face to face contact may be difficult for all or some participants. Nonetheless the use of social media and online technologies can also present safeguarding risks that need to be mitigated as far as possible. These guidelines aim to protect individuals within the band and to encourage them to take responsibility for what they write, exercise good judgment and common sense. Inappropriate use of social media can pose risks to the band’s reputation, and can jeopardise compliance with legal obligations. The guidelines also aim to enable bands to take advantage of the many opportunities offered by online technologies whilst at the same time remaining committed to the safeguarding of members and others.

Band websites and social media pages

Permission to post images of band members on official websites and social media pages will be obtained through the band’s membership form. Personal details such as phone numbers and email addresses should not be posted on the internet without the permission of the individual. It is important to consider the age range of band members when posting images, and comments on pages and ensure that these are appropriate and in keeping with the band ethos. All online media is coordinated by the marketing manager.

A note on social media groups

There is a difference between, on the one hand, informal social media groups set up and used by groups of friends who happen to be part of a band, and, on the other hand, official band social media groups, coordinated by someone in an official role, and used as part of the band’s methods of promotion, networking and support. Informal social media friendship groups are not required to abide by this guidance, although their members should bear in mind the need to use the same personal standards of behaviour in their online communications as in their face to face contact. Informal groups should also avoid calling themselves by a name which could give the impression that they are official band groups. These official social media groups should:

Be agreed in advance by the committee, who should be made aware of the name and purpose of the group and outlining how it will be effectively risk managed.
Have a nominated individual who will be responsible for monitoring it and moderating its content.
Confirm in writing to the committee that it will operate in accordance with band safeguarding policy and procedures and will use safe settings and restrictions

The band should keep a list is of all its social media groups, together with their moderating person. This list should be reviewed on an annual basis.

Use of electronic communication with children, young people and adults at risk

Communication by electronic means or by texting will not be used with individual children under the age of 18. All communication in these forms will be via their parents/carers. The rest of the principles relate to group communication or to individual communication with adults at risk and young adults aged 18 and over. The key point is that communication should be in a context of transparency and accountability.

Leaders, staff and volunteers should not share their personal phone numbers with anyone under 18; communication that needs to be made electronically should be via email and parents should be copied in
Electronic communication should only be used for reasons relating to band business and not for general socialising purposes
Other members of the band leadership team should be aware of the situations in which these means of communication are being used
Leaders, staff and volunteers should not invite young people and adults at risk to their personal social networking page and should politely decline requests from any young person under the age of 18, explaining that this is band policy
Where possible, group pages should be used on social media for communicating
Care should be exercised in posting to Facebook, Twitter etc as comments made on the spur of the moment may not always come out as intended and can be passed on extremely quickly around a large audience
Communication by electronic means with young people should never take place during school hours and should be kept within the hours of 9am – 9pm
Where possible, email and messaging should take place to and within groups rather than individuals
Webcams will not be used where an online platform is used for one to one conversations
Records of communications will be kept just as they would be for written communication. If a staff member’s or volunteer’s mobile phone does not allow text messages to be saved then a written record should be kept
The principles for the use of social media will be communicated to children, young people and adults
Any content which raises a safeguarding concern should be reported to the band’s Safeguarding/Welfare Officer using the procedure outlined in the band’s safeguarding procedures.

Use of online platforms to run group and one-to-one sessions, and events

The following guidelines should be observed. See also the following for further advice and guidance:

https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-protection/social-media-and-online-safety

https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/

Sessions and activities run on online platforms, e.g. Zoom

Only use approved band accounts for Zoom or other platforms, not personal accounts of committee members, staff or volunteers
Ensure privacy settings are adjusted to protect both leaders and participants
Ask participants to let you know in advance the names that they will be using to access the session. If someone enters the waiting room whose name you don’t recognise, make sure that you check out who it is before admitting them; and report any unauthorised attempts to join a call to your band’s Safeguarding/Welfare Officer
Ensure that the registration/consent form signed by participants and/or parents specifies that the sessions will be run online, and that those involved are aware of the risks involved and who to talk to if they need to do so
Any activities that are livestreamed need to be done with cameras off if they involve children or vulnerable adults
Ground rules need to be agreed
Deliver sessions from a neutral area; if it is from a person’s home, use the blurred background function if possible. If not possible, ensure that there is nothing inappropriate in the background and no identifying information, and ask that participants do the same
Remember that the child or adult at risk may not have any privacy during the session
Avoid using the person’s bedroom as a place from which they participate in the session, unless a parent is also present in the room
Ensure that there are at least two adults present as session leaders – more if using break-out rooms