Privacy & Safeguarding Policies

Introduction

Prospero Theatre formerly adopted a Proactive Safeguarding Policy on 14th December 2019 on order to make a positive contribution to a strong and safe community. Prospero recognises the right of every individual to stay safe and recognises our opportunity and our responsibility to make this happen.

Prospero Theatre comes into contact with children and / or vulnerable adults through the following:

Delivery of Services:

Inclusive Arts Activities

Theatre School

Educational Workshops

Rehearsals and Shows

 

The types of contact with children and / or vulnerable adults will be:

Intensive contact (weekly sessions with vulnerable adults as part of Friday Club Inclusive Arts.)

Frequent contact with young people in Theatre School and Educational Workshops.

 

This policy seeks to ensure that Prospero Theatre undertakes its responsibilities with regard to protection of children and / or vulnerable adults and will respond to concerns appropriately. The policy establishes a framework to support paid and unpaid staff in their practices and clarifies the organisation’s expectations.

 

Proactive Safeguarding:

We will use every means to establish workplaces and environments in which each person is listened to and valued.

We commit to looking at each individual member and examining their needs and triggers in order to establish a safe and nurturing environment.

We commit to embedding practices in every area and at every level of the organisation that not only protect vulnerable adults and children but encourage them to flourish.

We will use every means to establish workplaces and environments in which abuse is as unlikely to happen as possible.

We commit to being excellent role models and communicating the value of this to all staff, volunteers and members.

We commit to extending the practice of proactive safeguarding, building it into all collaborative projects and assisting schools and community organisations to adopt it whenever possible.

 

Confirmation of Reading

I confirm that I have been made fully aware of, and understand the contents of, the Safeguarding Policy and Procedures for Prospero Theatre.

Employee Name : Beth Wood

Date: 15^th December 2019

 

Legislation

The principal pieces of legislation governing this policy are:

Care Act 2014

Mental Capacity Act 2005

• Working together to safeguard Children 2010
• The Children Act 1989
• The Adoption and Children Act 2002:
• The Children act 2004
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
• Care Standards Act 2000
• Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998
• The Police Act – CRB 1997
• Mental Health Act 1983
• NHS and Community Care Act 1990
• Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

 

Definitions

Safeguarding is about embedding practices throughout the organisation to ensure the protection of children and / or vulnerable adults wherever possible. In contrast, child and adult protection is about responding to circumstances that arise.

Abuse is a selfish act of oppression and injustice, exploitation and manipulation of power by those in a position of authority. This can be caused by those inflicting harm or those who fail to act to prevent harm. Abuse is not restricted to any socio-economic group, gender or culture.

It can take a number of forms, including the following:

• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Bullying
• Neglect
• Financial (or material) abuse
• Discrimination

 

Definition of a child

A child is under the age of 18 (as defined in the United Nations convention on the Rights of a Child).

Definition of Vulnerable Adults

A vulnerable adult is a person aged 18 years or over who may be unable, in any given moment, to take care of themselves or protect themselves from harm or from being exploited.

This may include a person who:

• Is elderly and frail
• Has a mental illness including dementia
• Has a physical or sensory disability
• Has a learning disability
• Has a severe physical illness
• Is a substance misuser
• Is homeless

It includes any person who in the given moment does not have the capacity to make choices or decisions.

 

Responsibilities

All staff (paid or unpaid) have responsibility to follow the guidance laid out in this policy and related policies, and to pass on any welfare concerns using the required procedures.

We expect all staff (paid or unpaid) to promote good practice by being an excellent role model, contribute to discussions about safeguarding and to positively involve people in developing safe practices.

 

Additional specific responsibilities

Directors have responsibility to ensure that the policy is in place and is appropriate.

They also have responsibility to ensure that the policy is monitored and reviewed.

The Safeguarding Manager Beth Wood has a responsibility to:

• Ensure the policy is implemented effectively at every level of the organization.
• Receive concerns from staff (paid and unpaid) and to respond to them quickly, seriously and appropriately.
• Ensure that all staff (paid and unpaid) receive training in Safeguarding Practice.
• Keep up to date with local safeguarding arrangements, regional and national strategy and changes in relevant laws.
• Maintain effective links with relevant agencies.

Implementation Stages

The scope of this Safeguarding Policy is broad ranging and in practice, it will be implemented via a range of policies and procedures within the organisation. These include:

 

Safe recruitment

Prospero Theatre ensures safe recruitment through the following processes:

• Whistleblowing –ability to inform on other staff/ practices within the organisation
• Grievance and disciplinary procedures – to address breaches of procedures/ policies
• Health and Safety policy, including lone working procedures, mitigating risk to staff and clients
• Equal Opportunities policy– ensuring safeguarding procedures are in line with this policy, in particular around discriminatory abuse and ensuring that the safeguarding policy and procedures are not discriminatory
• Data protection (how records are stored and access to those records)
• Confidentiality (or limited confidentiality policy) ensuring that service users are aware of your duty to disclose
• Staff induction
• Staff training

In addition the following practices will be used when recruiting:

• Providing the following safeguarding statement in recruitment adverts or application details –‘recruitment is done in line with safe recruitment practices.’
• Job or role descriptions for all roles involving contact with children and / or vulnerable adults will contain reference to safeguarding responsibilities.

 

DBS Checks

The organisation commits resources to providing DBS checks on staff (paid or unpaid) whose roles involve contact with children and /or vulnerable adults.

 

Communications training and support for staff

Prospero Theatre commits resources for induction, training of staff (paid and unpaid), effective communications and support mechanisms in relation to Safeguarding.

 

Training

All staff who, through their role, are in contact with children and /or vulnerable adults will have access to safeguarding training at an appropriate level. Sources and types of training will include:

• Training Session with Safeguarding Manager. This now includes an additional session on Proactive Safeguarding.
• Specific Training on any relevant disabilities and / or related issues.

 

Communication:

• Every session to end with a brief check that no safeguarding issues need to be raised or discussed.

 

Support

We recognise that involvement in situations where there is risk or actual harm can be stressful for staff concerned. The mechanisms in place to support staff include:

• Team Meetings
• One to one meetings (formal or informal)
• Task supervision / designated ‘shadow’ if required
• Debriefing support

 

Professional boundaries

Professional boundaries are what define the limits of a relationship between a support worker and a client. They are a set of standards we agree to uphold that allows this necessary and often close relationship to exist while ensuring the correct detachment is kept in place.

Prospero Theatre expects staff to protect the professional integrity of themselves and the organisation.

The following professional boundaries must be adhered to:

• Relationships between staff members (paid and unpaid) and current service users must be kept to an appropriate level. They must be discussed with Management.
• Abusive or inappropriate language, swearing or offensive language will not be used.
• There must be NO punishment or chastisement of service users.
• Service users’ personal details must not be passed on.

 

Social Networking:

No staff member (paid or unpaid) should have a relationship on any social media platform with any young person.

If a staff member (paid or unpaid) is considering a relationship on a social media platform with a vulnerable adult this must be discussed with management.

 

Reporting

The process outlined below details the stages involved in raising and reporting safeguarding concerns at Prospero Theatre.

Communicate your concerns with your immediate manager

Seek medical attention for the vulnerable person if needed

Discuss with parents of child

Or with vulnerable person.

Obtain permission to make referral if safe and appropriate

if needed seek advice from the Children and Families helpdesk or Adults helpdesk

Complete the Local Authority Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Incident Report Form and submit to the local authority within 24 hours of making a contact

Ensure that feedback from the Local Authority is received and their response recorded

If the immediate manager is implicated, then refer to one of the other Prospero Directors or to the Surrey Safeguarding Authority.

 

Allegations Management

Prospero Theatre recognises its duty to report concerns or allegations against its staff (paid or unpaid) within the organisation or by a professional from another organisation.

The process for raising and dealing with allegations is as follows:

First step: Any member of staff (paid or unpaid) from Prospero Theatre is required to report any concerns in the first instance to their line manager/ safeguarding manager/ peer.  A written record of the concern will be completed by the staff member making the report and countersigned by the Safeguarding Manager.

Second step- contact local authority for advice.

Third step – follow the advice provided

Prospero Theatre recognises its legal duty to report any concerns about unsafe practice by any of its paid or unpaid staff to the Independent Safeguarding Authority.

 

Monitoring

The organisation will monitor the following Safeguarding aspects:

• Safe recruitment practices
• DBS checks undertaken
• References applied for new staff
• Records made and kept of supervision sessions
• Training – register/ record of staff training on child/ vulnerable adult protection
• Monitoring whether concerns are being reported and actioned
• Checking that policies are up to date and relevant
• Reviewing the current reporting procedure in place

 

Managing information

Information will be gathered, recorded and stored in accordance with Data Protection Policy.

All staff will be aware that they have a professional duty to share information with other agencies in order to safeguard children and vulnerable adults. The public interest in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults may override confidentiality interests. However, information will be shared on a need to know basis only, as judged by the Safeguarding Manager.

All staff must be aware that they cannot promise service users or their families/ carers that they will keep secrets.

 

Communicating and reviewing the policy

Prospero Theatre will make clients aware of the Safeguarding Policy through the following means:

• Statement on the website
• Policy on the website
• Statement in introductory letter referring them to the website.

This policy will be reviewed by the Directors of Prospero Theatre every three years and when there are changes in legislation.