1. Policy Statement
Emergency Exit Arts runs arts workshops for people of all ages and abilities in a variety of community settings. In the course of their work artists are often in contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults. Emergency Exit Arts will take every reasonable step to ensure that project participants are protected from physical, sexual and emotional abuse.

We believe that:
· the welfare of the child, young person and vulnerable adult is paramount;
· all children, young people and vulnerable adults regardless of age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin religious beliefs and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse;
· all suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately;

2. Policy aims
The aim of this Child Protection Policy is to promote good practice to
· ensure children, young people and vulnerable adults are protected during Emergency Exit Arts project activities; and to
· allow all staff/freelance workers to make informed and confident responses to specific child protection issues.

3. Good practice guidelines
· always work in an open environment
· avoid private or unobserved situations and encourage open communication with no secrets
· act as a good role model and treat all children, young people and vulnerable adults with respect and dignity
· where possible, always ensure that someone in authority from the school/educational establishment, youth organisation or community group is present at workshops and other events
· secure parental consent in writing to act in loco parentis
· maintain a safe and appropriate distance from participants and only engage in physical contact when necessary
· keep a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of any treatment given
· avoid taking or dropping off a child, young person or vulnerable adult to an event

4. Practices never to be sanctioned
The following should never be sanctioned. You should never:
· engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games, including horseplay
· share a room with a child, young person or vulnerable adult
· allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching
· make sexually suggestive comments to a child, young person or vulnerable adult even in fun
· reduce a child, young person or vulnerable adult to tears as a form of control
· allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon
· invite or allow children, young people or vulnerable adults to stay with you at your home unsupervised

5. Recruitment staff and freelance workers
All staff and freelance artists employed by Emergency Exit Arts to work in a situation that brings them into contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults will undergo a Disclosure check with the Criminal Records Bureau before they start work. Emergency Exit Arts will ensure that all staff and freelance workers who apply for a Disclosure receive a copy of this policy.

Disclosures provide details of a person's criminal record and will inform recruitment decisions in accordance with Emergency Exit Arts Code of Practise. (A criminal record is not necessarily a bar to obtaining a position with EEA - see Policy on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders). In most cases, where artists work alongside teachers, parents, youth workers etc. a Standard Disclosure is sufficient but where artists are working independently and have primary responsibility for the welfare of participants an Enhanced Disclosure should be requested.

6. Responding to allegations or suspicions

Suspicions
If you see or suspect abuse of a child, young person or vulnerable adult you should make the person with legal responsibility for that child, young person or vulnerable adult (eg. teacher, youth or careworker) aware of the problem.

If you suspect the person with legal responsibility is actually the source of the problem, you should make your concerns known to another member of staff employed at the site.

Make a note for your own records of what you witnessed and your response, and make the EEA Project Director aware of the situation, in case there is a follow-up in which you are involved.

Accidents and injuries
If a child, young person or vulnerable adult is injured whilst involved in an EEA project you must make a record of the injury in the accident book (kept in the office at Rothbury Hall). You should also make sure that the event is recorded at the site in the school, youth or community centre accident book.

If a child, young person or vulnerable adult arrives at an EEA project with an obvious physical injury you should make the person with legal responsibility for that child, young person or vulnerable adult at the site aware of the problem. You should also record the injury in the EEA accident book and note that the injury was not sustained during the project.

Allegations
If a complaint or allegation of abuse is made against a member of EEA staff or a freelance worker we will follow the procedures outlined in the company's Grievance and Disciplinary Policy. The senior management team and Chair of the Board will be immediately informed of the allegation and the disciplinary process will be dealt with confidence in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

If the alleged abuse took place at a project based in a school, community or youth group we would expect the head teacher or director to follow standard procedures and notify social services who can investigate the matter further. If the client/venue does not have procedures in place to deal with allegations of abuse, it would be the responsibility of Emergency Exit Arts to inform social services.

Social services will liase with the relevant departments on a 'need-to-know' basis and will, if appropriate, inform the police. It is the responsibility of the authorities to determine whether abuse has occurred.

If someone confides in you
It is possible that a child, young person or vulnerable adult who is or has suffered abuse will confide in you. The following action should be taken if there are concerns of a abuse:
· listen carefully to what is said. Allow the person to tell you at their own pace and ask questions only for clarification.
· don't promise to 'keep it a secret'. Use the first opportunity you have to say that you will need to share the information with others. Make it clear that you will only tell the people who need to know and who should be able to help
· reassure the child, young person or vulnerable adult that 'they did the right thing' in telling someone
· tell the child, young person or vulnerable adult what you are going to do next
· speak immediately to the person in the school/educational establishment, youth or care setting who has designated responsibility for the protection of children, young people and vulnerable adults (usually the head teacher or director of a youth or community centre). It is that person's responsibility to liase with the relevant authorities, usually social services
· as soon as possible after disclosing the conversation, make a note of what was said, using the individuals own words. Note the date, time, any names that were involved or mentioned, who gave you the information to you.
· in confidence, make the EEA Project Director aware of the situation

If you are worried about sharing concerns about abuse with a senior colleague, you can contact social services or the police direct, or the NSPCC Child Protection Helpline on 0808 800 5000, or Childline on 0800 1111.

21 July 2003