Safeguarding Policy Statement

Children, Young People and Adults at Risk

Our Commitment

Clacton Arts Centre is committed to providing a safe, welcoming and supportive environment for everyone who participates in our activities.

We recognise that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and that all children, young people and adults at risk have the right to be protected from abuse, neglect, exploitation and harm.

Everyone should be able to enjoy creative activities in an environment where they feel safe, respected and valued.

This policy applies to everyone working on behalf of Clacton Arts Centre, including committee members, employees, volunteers, tutors, visiting artists and performers.

Our Safeguarding Responsibilities

Clacton Arts Centre will:

Promote the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved in our activities.
Take all safeguarding concerns seriously and respond promptly.
Listen to children, young people and adults who raise concerns.
Provide appropriate safeguarding information and training to those working with us.
Follow safer recruitment procedures, including appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks where a role is eligible.
Maintain safe working practices and appropriate supervision.
Work with relevant safeguarding authorities when necessary.
Keep safeguarding information confidential and securely stored.

We recognise that some individuals may face additional barriers to reporting concerns or accessing support. We will make reasonable adjustments to help ensure everyone can communicate concerns and receive appropriate assistance.

Safeguarding Responsibility

Overall responsibility for safeguarding within Clacton Arts Centre rests with:

Safeguarding Lead
Adrian Goody – Chair
Email: chair@clactonartscentre.org

Deputy Safeguarding Lead
Zoe Tipple
Email: gallery@clactonartscentre.org

The Safeguarding Lead will ensure that safeguarding concerns are responded to appropriately and that Clacton Arts Centre maintains suitable safeguarding procedures.

Responsibilities include:

Receiving and responding to safeguarding concerns.
Ensuring appropriate confidential records are maintained.
Seeking advice from relevant safeguarding agencies when required.
Ensuring referrals are made to children's or adults' social care where appropriate.
Ensuring safeguarding procedures are understood and followed.
Identifying appropriate safeguarding training.
Regularly reviewing our safeguarding arrangements.

If the Safeguarding Lead is unavailable, concerns should be reported to the Deputy Safeguarding Lead.

If a concern or allegation involves either Safeguarding Lead, it should be reported to the other.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.

Recruitment and Selection

We are committed to ensuring that people working with children and adults at risk are suitable for their roles.

Depending on the responsibilities involved, recruitment procedures may include:

An application or informal interview.
Appropriate references.
Verification of identity and relevant qualifications.
Consideration of relevant previous experience.
DBS checks at the level legally appropriate to the role.

DBS checks will be undertaken where a role is eligible, including barred-list checks where legally permitted and required.

No individual will be permitted to undertake regulated activity if they are legally barred from doing so.

Volunteers, tutors and others involved in relevant activities will receive appropriate safeguarding information before working with children or adults at risk.

Appropriate Behaviour

Everyone representing Clacton Arts Centre is expected to maintain appropriate professional boundaries.

They must:

Treat everyone with dignity, fairness and respect.
Behave in a way that promotes trust and confidence.
Avoid inappropriate physical contact or personal relationships with participants.
Never use threatening, abusive, discriminatory or sexually inappropriate language or behaviour.
Respect personal privacy.
Avoid unnecessary one-to-one situations with children.
Never arrange unauthorised private meetings or personal communications with children outside our activities.
Never share inappropriate images or messages.
Report concerns about the behaviour of another adult.

Where individual assistance or one-to-one support is necessary, appropriate safeguards should be agreed wherever possible.

Physical assistance, including help with art materials or equipment, should be explained beforehand and provided with appropriate consideration for the individual's wishes, dignity and needs.

Activities Involving Children

For the purposes of safeguarding, a child is anyone under the age of 18.

This does not mean that all under-18s should be treated in the same way. The level of supervision and support provided will take account of the young person's age, maturity, experience and the nature of the activity.

When organising activities involving children, Clacton Arts Centre will ensure that:

Appropriate supervision arrangements are in place.
Activities are appropriately risk assessed.
Relevant emergency contact information is available where necessary.
Relevant medical, allergy and additional support information is collected where appropriate.
Parents and carers understand the supervision arrangements.
Appropriate arrangements are made for children arriving at and leaving activities.
Children and young people know who they can speak to if they feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

Parents and carers will be informed whether an activity is supervised by Clacton Arts Centre or whether they are expected to remain responsible for their children.

Children will not be left without appropriate supervision where Clacton Arts Centre has accepted responsibility for their care.

Young Volunteers

Clacton Arts Centre welcomes young people as volunteers and recognises that volunteering can provide valuable opportunities to develop confidence, practical skills, creativity and experience.

Young volunteers under the age of 18 will be given responsibilities appropriate to their age, abilities and experience.

We will:

Provide appropriate guidance and supervision.
Ensure that tasks are suitable for the young person's age and experience.
Consider any additional health, safety or safeguarding risks associated with the activity.
Provide appropriate information about safeguarding and who to speak to if they have a concern.
Obtain parental or carer consent where appropriate to the age of the young person and the nature of the activity.

Young volunteers will not be given sole responsibility for supervising children or adults at risk.

Working with Adult Volunteers

Young volunteers under the age of 18 may work alongside adult volunteers as part of Clacton Arts Centre activities.

It is not necessary for a second adult to be present during every interaction between an adult volunteer and a young volunteer.

However, wherever reasonably possible, activities should be organised to avoid situations where a young volunteer is working alone with a single adult for a prolonged period in an isolated or private setting.

Where one-to-one working in such circumstances is necessary, it should be agreed in advance with the Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Safeguarding Lead and appropriate safeguards should be considered.

These may include:

Ensuring another responsible person knows where they are and what activity is taking place.
Agreeing start and finish times.
Ensuring the young person has a means of contacting a parent, carer or another responsible adult.
Working in an open or visible area wherever practical.
Considering whether parental or carer consent is appropriate.
Undertaking an appropriate risk assessment where the nature of the activity requires it.

The arrangements should take account of the young person's age, maturity, experience and wishes, together with the nature and location of the activity.

Practical activities involving potentially greater risks – such as working at height, moving heavy equipment, electrical equipment or stage construction – must be separately considered from a health and safety perspective and must only be undertaken where appropriate for the young person.

Adults at Risk

We recognise that some adults may have care and support needs that place them at increased risk of abuse or neglect.

Safeguarding concerns may include physical, psychological or emotional abuse, sexual abuse, financial abuse, neglect, exploitation or discriminatory treatment.

We will listen to adults, respect their wishes and involve them in decisions about their safety wherever possible.

Where there is a safeguarding concern, we will consider the person's individual circumstances and wishes and seek specialist advice or make an appropriate referral where necessary.

Recognising and Reporting Concerns

Safeguarding concerns may arise through:

Something a child or adult tells us.
Changes in behaviour or appearance.
An injury or unexplained incident.
Inappropriate behaviour by another person.
Concerns raised by parents, carers or other participants.
Information received from another organisation.

Anyone who becomes concerned about a person's safety must take the concern seriously.

It is not the responsibility of staff or volunteers to investigate suspected abuse. Their responsibility is to recognise, record and report concerns.

Concerns should be reported promptly to the Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Safeguarding Lead.

If neither is available and there is an urgent safeguarding concern, advice should be sought directly from the appropriate safeguarding authority.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.

Responding to a Disclosure

If a child or adult tells you that they have experienced abuse or harm:

Remain calm and listen carefully.
Take what they say seriously.
Reassure them that they have done the right thing by speaking up.
Do not promise to keep the information secret.
Do not ask leading questions or attempt to investigate.
Explain that you may need to share the information with someone who can help keep them safe.
Make an accurate written record as soon as possible.
Report the concern promptly to the Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Safeguarding Lead.

Where possible, record the person's exact words.

Do not confront anyone accused of abuse or attempt to resolve the matter informally.

Contacting Safeguarding Authorities

Where a safeguarding concern requires external advice or intervention, Clacton Arts Centre will contact the appropriate authority.

Children – Essex

Essex Children and Families Hub
Telephone: 0345 603 7627

Out of hours: 0345 606 1212

Adults – Essex

Essex Adult Social Care
Telephone: 0345 603 7630

Out of hours: 0345 606 1212

Allegations Concerning Adults Working With Children

Essex Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
Telephone: 03330 139797
Email: LADO@essex.gov.uk

Emergency

If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.

Anyone may contact the appropriate safeguarding authority directly where necessary. A concern must not be left unreported simply because the Safeguarding Lead or Deputy is unavailable.

Allegations Against Staff, Volunteers or Others Working With Us

Any allegation that a member of staff, volunteer, tutor, artist, performer or other person working on behalf of Clacton Arts Centre has harmed, may have harmed or poses a risk of harm to a child will be taken seriously.

The matter must be reported immediately to the Safeguarding Lead or, if the allegation concerns that person, to the Deputy Safeguarding Lead.

Where appropriate, advice will be sought promptly from the Essex Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

Clacton Arts Centre will not undertake its own investigation where doing so could interfere with enquiries by the police or safeguarding authorities.

Appropriate measures will be taken to protect those involved while ensuring that allegations are handled fairly.

Where legally required, referrals will also be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Concerns involving adults at risk will be referred to the appropriate adult safeguarding services.

Confidentiality and Record Keeping

Safeguarding information will be treated sensitively and shared only with those who need it for safeguarding purposes, or where disclosure is otherwise required or permitted by law.

Records of safeguarding concerns should include:

The date and time of the concern.
The name of the person involved.
A factual account of what was observed or reported.
The person's exact words, where possible.
Details of any action taken.
Details of people or organisations contacted.
The name of the person making the record.

Safeguarding records will be stored securely and separately from general administrative information, with access restricted to authorised individuals.

Records will be retained and disposed of in accordance with applicable requirements and our data protection arrangements.

Parents and carers will normally be involved where appropriate. However, information must not automatically be shared with a parent or carer if doing so could increase the risk of harm or interfere with a safeguarding investigation.

Photography, Social Media and Online Safety

Clacton Arts Centre may take photographs or recordings of activities for publicity and promotional purposes.

Where children are involved, appropriate consent will be obtained from parents or carers, taking account of the child's wishes and understanding.

Images will be used responsibly and children will not normally be identified by their full names.

Staff and volunteers must not use personal devices to photograph children for Clacton Arts Centre purposes unless specifically authorised under agreed arrangements.

Personal contact details, photographs and information about children must not be shared through private social media accounts or messaging services.

Any concerns about inappropriate online contact, images or communications must be reported through our safeguarding procedure.

Health, Safety and Supervision

Clacton Arts Centre will undertake appropriate risk assessments for its activities and venues.

These will consider, where relevant:

The age and needs of participants.
Suitable supervision arrangements.
Safe use of equipment and materials.
Accessibility and additional support requirements.
Emergency procedures.
First aid arrangements.
Safe arrival and departure arrangements.

Accidents and incidents will be recorded and reviewed as appropriate.

Where activities are delivered in partnership with another organisation, safeguarding responsibilities should be agreed in advance.

Training and Awareness

Everyone working on behalf of Clacton Arts Centre will be made aware of this policy and their safeguarding responsibilities.

Those working directly with children or adults at risk will receive safeguarding information and training appropriate to their role.

The Safeguarding Lead and Deputy Safeguarding Lead will undertake appropriate safeguarding training and maintain an up-to-date understanding of relevant procedures.

Complaints and Safeguarding Concerns

Anyone who has concerns about safeguarding arrangements at Clacton Arts Centre is encouraged to raise them.

General complaints can be dealt with through our Complaints Policy.

However, a safeguarding concern must always be dealt with through safeguarding procedures and must not be delayed while the ordinary complaints procedure is followed.

Review of This Policy

This policy will be reviewed annually, or sooner if there are significant changes in legislation, guidance or the activities undertaken by Clacton Arts Centre.

Safeguarding Lead: Adrian Goody, Chair
Email: chair@clactonartscentre.org

Deputy Safeguarding Lead: Zoe Tipple
Email: gallery@clactonartscentre.org

Policy date: October 2026
Next review: October 2027
Approved by: Clacton Arts Centre Committee