Evolution Productions’ Safeguarding Policy
Last Updated: Sept 6th 2023
In Brief:
Evolution Productions enjoys involving young people in our professional productions and recognizes the many positive outcomes to all parties of their involvement. They are ALWAYS chaperoned by licensed chaperones while in the theatre, at a ratio well within the legal limits, usually 2 chaperones to 8 children. They are NEVER allowed to be alone with other company members / theatre staff etc without the chaperones being present.
Policy Statement:
Evolution Productions is committed to creating an environment that enables children and young people to learn, develop and perform in a safe, understanding and encouraging environment.
Evolution Productions are compliant with GDPR and ensuring that all information held regarding the children is held only for the required purpose and then destroyed in the appropriate manor.
Evolution Productions recognizes that it is a privilege to work with children and young people and that it is also a great responsibility. Parents/Guardians trust Evolution Productions to look after their children, and to care for them, give leadership, and keep them safe. Evolution Productions needs to ensure that we honour their trust.
Evolution Productions will take appropriate steps to ensure that children and young people are not exposed to reasonably foreseeable risk of injury, whether to their physical or mental health and wellbeing. Evolution Productions is committed to the protection from harm and the safeguarding of all children and young people who attend its activities.
Evolution Productions endeavours to safeguard children and young people by, recognizing its ‘Duty of Care’, by adopting child protection guidelines through:
- Ensuring that Chaperones are aware of who holds “Designated Officer” responsibility for child protection.
- Ensuring that Chaperones respond appropriately should abuse be discovered or disclosed and that any reported incidents of abuse are fully recorded
- Providing effective management and support for Chaperones.
- Monitoring and reviewing the Child Protection Policy.
Policy Aims
This policy aims to:
- Demonstrate Evolution Productions’ commitment to protecting all children and young people who perform in our shows.
- Provide information and support to staff, assistants and volunteers in relation to child protection.
- Provide a clear and effective framework for staff, assistants and volunteers for safeguarding children.
- Provide clear procedures for reporting and recording suspicions, disclosures and allegations of abuse, including allegations against Evolution Productions’ personnel.
Definitions:
Evolution Productions recognizes the following definitions of child abuse, which are based on those from “Working Together to Safeguard Children.” (Department of Health, Home Office, Department for Education and Employment, 2018).
Physical Abuse – this may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child or the threat of physical abuse. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes ill health to a child whom they are looking after. Physical abuse as well as being a result of an act of commission can also be caused through omission or the failure to act to protect.
Emotional Abuse – the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve making a child feel or believe that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment of a child, though it may occur alone.
Sexual Abuse – this involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of or consents to what is happening. Sexual abuse may also include noncontact activities, such as involving children in looking at or in the production of pornographic material, watching sexual activities or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways. Boys and girls can be sexually abused by males and/or females, by adults and by other young people, and by people from all different walks of life.
Neglect – 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. It may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing, leaving a young child home alone or the failure to ensure a child gets appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.
Abuse of Position of Trust – This guidance is primarily intended to protect young people over the age of sexual consent but under 18 years of age and vulnerable adults where a relationship of trust, with an adult exists. The Sexual Offences Act 2003 states that it is a criminal offence for any person aged 18 years or over, who is in a position of trust (i.e. an School staff member, assistant or volunteer), developing a sexual relationship with a person under 18 years. The principles and guidance apply, irrespective of sexual orientation: neither homosexual nor heterosexual relationships are acceptable in a position of trust.
Note: Bullying is not an official category of child abuse but is damaging, harmful and oppressive. It is vital not to underestimate the damage that can be caused by bullying. Evolution Productions acknowledges that regardless of who the perpetrator might be, that signs of bullying should be reported and appropriate action taken anti-bullying strategies should be enforced.
General Principles:
Evolution Productions recognizes that it is a privilege to work with children and young people; and that it is also a great responsibility. Parent’s trust us to look after their children, and to care for them, give leadership, and keep them safe. We need to ensure that we honour their trust.
Evolution Productions recognizes that child abuse can occur in all cultures, religions and all social classes. All children have the right to be protected.
Evolution Productions will take appropriate steps to ensure that children/young people are not at risk of injury, whether to their physical or mental health and wellbeing.
Evolution Productions is committed to the protection from harm and safekeeping of all children/young people involved in our productions, ensuring Chaperones respond appropriately should abuse be discovered or disclosed and any concerns about abuse is fully recorded.
Evolution Productions is committed to having suitable and adequate supervision of children/young people at all times while children/young people are at rehearsals or in the theatre.
Implementation:
Designated Officer: Emily Wood is designated as the Designated Child Protection Officer. This role includes taking responsibility for handling disclosure or suspicions of abuse, coordinating referrals and investigations and liaising with relevant agencies.
Assessment and Monitoring of Policy: Evolution Productions will continually monitor the implementation of this policy, its practices and procedures and review the policy on an annual basis. Evolution Productions undertakes to make and retain a full and detailed record of any reported incident or suspicion of abuse.
Code of Conduct:
This Code of Conduct applies to all Evolution Productions employees and company members who come into contact with children and young people
Chaperones should at all times provide an example of good conduct and be an excellent role model. This includes refraining from smoking, drinking alcohol or swearing in the company of children and young people.
Chaperones should build balanced relationships with all children and young people and should not have inappropriate physical or verbal contact with children or young people.
Chaperones should give enthusiastic and constructive feedback and not negative criticism. Chaperones should not show favouritism to any individual, resort to bullying tactics or reduce a child to tears as a form of control.
Evolution Productions recognizes the developmental needs and capacity of children and young people, avoiding excessive training and not pushing them against their will.
Chaperones should challenge unacceptable behaviour and report all allegations and suspicions of abuse to Evolution Productions’ Child Protection Officer or appropriate Manager.
Chaperones should record any injury that occurs in the official Accident Book, along with details of any treatment given.
Chaperones may from time to time be required to undertake tasks of a personal nature for children/young people (e.g. assist with dressing and visits to the toilet). In performing these tasks Chaperones should be responsive to the child’s/young person’s reactions. Chaperones should not do things for a personal nature that a child can do for themselves.
Chaperones should ensure that any form of physical interaction, if required, is always appropriate to the situation and never against a child or young person’s will.
Evolution Productions will take appropriate steps to ensure that children/young people are not at risk of injury, whether to their physical or mental health and wellbeing.
Evolution Productions is committed to the protection from harm and safekeeping of all children/young people involved in our productions, ensuring Chaperones respond appropriately should abuse be discovered or disclosed and any concerns about abuse is fully recorded.
Evolution Productions is committed to having suitable and adequate supervision of children/young people at all times while children/young people are at rehearsals or in the theatre.
Stage Management / Ensemble:
Artistes may be required to understudy one or more principal roles and may appear on stage in a cameo or skin role depending on the requirements of the script. For the understudy work they will be required to be “off the book” and familiar with the stage directions. An additional fee of £45.00 will be paid for every performance the Artiste has to perform in the understudied role. Roles will be allocated during rehearsals.
Two DVD recordings will be made of the show for archive purposes. The theatre’s marketing team may invite film crews to record parts of the show for news access or promotional purposes. No additional payments will be made for this filming.
While we encourage the use of Social Media to promote the show, we ask all Artistes to consider all posts carefully. Any negative or inappropriate comments about the Production, Cast, Producers, Theatre and Staff on Social Media will be grounds for Disciplinary Action and may lead to termination of this Agreement.
Musicians: Your fee includes use of your Musical Instruments during the course of the Production. Instruments will be fully insured while you are in the theatre provided that the accompanying form is returned.
Musicians Porterage will not be paid unless the pit has to be vacated during the course of the run.
Actors, Ensemble & Stage Management: It is the Artiste’s responsibility to warm up thoroughly before all rehearsals and performances. It is the Artiste’s responsibility to inform the Choreographer / Dance Captain / Company Manager if there are any moves / songs which they are not able to perform. The Producer will not be obliged to pay for physiotherapy sessions for Artistes. If the Artiste misses more than six performances due to an injury, the Producer has the right to terminate this contract.
Principal Cast: As part of the Agreement, the Artiste will be expected to attend a photo-shoot and a press launch for the show, on a mutually agreed date and time. The Artiste will also be expected to attend publicity events, including Christmas Light Switch Ons, to promote the show. The number of events and the dates will be negotiable between us.
Ensemble Termination of this agreement by the Artiste after acceptance of the offer of Engagements will result in a charge of £200 being made by the Producer to the Artiste to cover costs incurred in re-casting.