Our safeguarding policy 

Safeguarding Policy

Legal Context
The law requires any organisation involving young people & vulnerable adults to take all reasonable measures to ensure that the risks of harm to their welfare are minimised, and where there are concerns, to share them with other local agencies.

The Croydon Philharmonic Choir recognises that it is not the role of our organisation to decide whether a child, young person or vulnerable adult has been abused or not. This is the role of other qualified agencies who have powers to investigate child protection concerns under the Children Act or the Police. The purpose of this Safeguarding policy is to ensure that we, as an organisation, have procedures in place to safeguard any children and vulnerable adults we have dealings with. We also provide a mechanism for anyone to report concerns to a DBS-checked designated person. NB: A vulnerable adult (aged 18 years and above) is defined as someone who is or may be unable to take care of themselves or unable to protect themselves against significant harm or exploitation.

How Croydon Philharmonic Choir Operates

The Croydon Philharmonic Choir is a Registered Charity, composed of volunteer choir members. Officers are elected, and others are co-opted to serve on the committee. Rehearsals are run by our self-employed Music Director with a self-employed accompanist.

In addition to weekly rehearsals, Croydon Philharmonic Choir organises four concerts and a choral workshop each season.

Croydon Philharmonic Choir does not admit members below the age of 16. In the event of Croydon Philharmonic Choir performing with a children’s choir, the responsibility for safeguarding lies with the children’s choir itself. At no point would a child be left alone with members of Croydon Philharmonic Choir.

Generally, Croydon Philharmonic Choir comprises members who are independent adults, but occasionally, we have members aged 16 - 18 years and possibly vulnerable adults who may rehearse and/or perform with us. We recognise the need to safeguard any young and vulnerable members, and the Committee has therefore adopted the following Safeguarding Policy.

The Policy

The CPC committee will designate a committee member or other co-opted choir member to be the Designated Safeguarding Officer (“DSO”). The DSO shall undertake appropriate training as required and will be identified to everyone as the principal person they should turn to if they have any concerns or queries. Contact details for the DSO are also provided in the enrolment form and on the website.

Any concern regarding a child, vulnerable adult, adult choir member, or any other adult associated with the choir must immediately be reported to the DSO (or, in his or her absence, to the Chair), who will take the lead on responding to information that may constitute a safeguarding concern.

This includes:

• Receiving and recording the information from the person expressing the concern.
• Assessing and clarifying the information.
• Consult with and inform the Chair of the Committee.
• Making referrals to statutory organisations (e.g. the local authority child protection services/the Police, etc.) as appropriate.
• Storing and retaining records according to legal requirements.
• Maintaining confidentiality, subject to the principle of the welfare of the individual being paramount, means that information may have to be shared (but only with people who need to know about it).
• If in any doubt as to what to do, the DSO or other person acting shall seek advice from the NSPCC Helpline by calling 0808 800 5000 or emailing help@nspcc.org.uk.

Monitoring and Review

The policy and procedures will be brought to the attention of members at each Choir AGM and reviewed annually at the first Committee meeting following the AGM.

Approved at a committee meeting on 27/10/2024.
Signed by the Secretary on behalf of the Committee.

Acknowledgements: Cantorium Choir https://www.cantorumchoir.org.uk/safeguarding-policy/