Fife Festival of Music

A Safe and Welcoming Environment

The safety of children and vulnerable adults is paramount and all, without exception, have the right to protection from abuse. Procedures are in place and must be understood by all those involved in order to promote and maintain a safe and welcoming environment. These are described under our Child Protection Policy and Health and Safety Policy.

Child Protection Policy

(implemented from 1st January, 2006)

1 INTRODUCTION
This policy relates to children under the age of 18 years and those vulnerable adults of any age who are identified to the organisers prior to their arrival at the Festival. In recognising the needs of all performers, those from all ethnic groups and those with special needs, we actively seek to meet the needs notified to the Festival by parents, guardians, carers or teachers. This should be done by contacting the Festival - contact details are available on the Contact Us page.

2 THE FESTIVAL ENVIRONMENT
The venues used by the Fife Festival of Music for performances will be recognised theatres, public halls or schools. Public theatres and halls may well have areas which are open to the public – other than those attending the festival. It is our policy to inform and involve teachers, parents, guardians and carers in partnership, in order to ensure as far as is reasonably practicable, a safe environment at the Festival.
Fife Festival of Music is run by volunteers, with the professional assistance of adjudicators, accompanists and teachers.

3 FESTIVAL PERSONNEL
Festival personnel are recruited by personal recommendations from the Committee. During the Festival all Committee Members and volunteers will wear indentification badges. Anyone so identified can be approached and will be able to give directions to the appropriate committee member who will deal with any problem. Every problem will be taken seriously, and will be documented and dated.
A register of the name and address of all volunteers is maintained by the Chief Steward.

4 PREPARATION FOR ATTENDANCE AT THE FESTIVAL
Those who have submitted entries will be notified of the Child Protection and Safety policies for the Festival. Parents, guardians or carers of children who enter as individuals and who are not personally attending with their children should ensure that their children are accompanied and adequately supervised at the Festival by responsible adults acting on their behalf. Children entered as part of a school group will be supervised by school appointed adults as specified by local authority guidelines.

5 PERFORMANCE AND WARMING-UP/TUNING AREAS
Stewards will be in attendance in vestibule and assembly rooms. Parents, guardians, carers and teachers should ensure that children or vulnerable adults are adequately supervised at all times, particularly in warming-up/tuning areas.

6 PHOTOGRAPHS, VIDEOTAPES, AUDIOTAPES AND PRESS PHOTOGRAPHY
There will be no photography, videotaping or tape recording permitted within the venues. Photographers from the local press will be permitted to photograph performers under the direction of Festival stewards. This will normally happen without prior intimation.

7 THE LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE THAT SUPPORTS THIS POLICY
The Protection of Children (Scotland) Act, 2003; Commissioner for Children and Young People (Scotland) Act, 2003; The Police Act, 1997; Children (Scotland) Act, 1995.

8 RESPONSIBILITY
Fife Festival of Music is organized by a voluntary committee. Although it has no statutory responsibility to investigate allegations of child abuse, it has, however, a responsibility to refer any concerns regarding the safety or welfare of a child to the appropriate agency for investigation.

Any concern about a child should be referred to a Committee Member who should take all appropriate actions about the concerns. Any decision to take further action by way of referral to the Child Protection Unit will be taken by the Chairman or the Administrator and recorded.

In the case of emergency, any Committee Member will ensure that medical attention is received or the Police alerted as appropriate. The Police have power to act immediately to protect a child.

9 POLICY REVIEW
Fife Festival of Music Committee will keep its policy under review, upgrading 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 NSPCC and the Scottish Arts Council policy guidelines.