- All parents, volunteers and carers are asked to read this document carefully prior to
a child taking a place in the Choir - The purpose of this is to keep each child safe while they attends Just Sing Kids.
Introduction
Safeguarding is about more than child protection. Child Protection is specifically about
protecting children and young people from suspected abuse and neglect. Safeguarding is
much wider than child protection. It includes everything an organization can do to keep
children and young people safe, including minimizing the risk of harm and accidents and
taking action to tackle safety concerns.
The purpose of this Safeguarding Policy is to set a clear protocol of action and a framework
for our responsibilities and legal duties in relation to each child’s welfare. The hope is to
ensure a reliable and effective response in the event of any concern for a child’s welfare,
and to support each child and each family identified.
Commitment
Just Sing Kids Choir (“the Choir”) will meet their commitment to safeguard children through
the following means:
Awareness
Ensuring that everyone is aware of the problem of child abuse and risks to children
Prevention
Ensuring, through awareness and good practice the risk to children is minimised
Reporting
Ensuring that everyone is clear what steps to take where concerns arise regarding the safety
of children
Responding
Ensuring that action is taken to support and protect children where concerns arise regarding
possible abuse
Volunteer Recruitment Practices
Ensuring that all volunteers directly working with children are Access NI verified
Promoting a culture of openness and safety
Providing an environment where safeguarding is openly discussed with members &
volunteers whilst promoting safeguarding as everyone’s responsibility
We will do this within the legal framework of the Children Act 1989 & 2004 and
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006. In order that the above standards of reporting
and responding are met the Choir and more specifically, the committee, will ensure that
they:
• Take seriously any concerns raised
• Take positive steps to ensure the protection of children who are the subject of any
concerns
• Support children, volunteers, or other adults who raise concerns or who are the subject of
concern
• Act appropriately and effectively in instigating or co-operating with any subsequent
process of investigation
• Listen to and take seriously the views and wishes of children
• Work in partnership with parents/carers and/or other professionals to ensure the
protection of children
• Maintain confidentiality within a “need-to-know” framework
Types of abuse
The following definitions of abuse have been taken from the multi-agency code of practice
‘Working together to Safeguard Children’.
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding,
drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional ill treatment of a child such as to cause severe
and permanent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve
conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequately valued, or that
developmentally inappropriate expectations could be being imposed on the children. It may
involve causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or
corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment
of a child, though it may occur alone.
Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse involves forcing or inciting a child or a young person to take part in sexual
activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve
physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts. They may include non-
contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of,
pornographic material or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in
sexually inappropriate ways.
Neglect
Neglect is 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, failing to protect a
child from physical harm or danger, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical
care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to a child’s basic
emotional needs.
Bullying
Bullying is use superior strength or influence to intimidate (someone), typically to force
them to do something either online or in person. This can be both child-on-child or adult-on-
child and will never be tolerated within the Choir. Incidents of child-on-child will be dealt
with by temporary exclusion from Choir activities of the perpetrator on a first incidence with
the parents/carer being informed by letter. A second incidence will be dealt with by
permanent exclusion from Choir activities with the parents/carer being informed by letter.
When to be concerned: Recognising signs of abuse
It is not always easy to spot when children have been abused. However, some of the more
typical symptoms which should trigger suspicions would include:
Physical Abuse
• Unexplained or untreated injuries
• Injuries on unlikely or unusual parts of the body
• Cigarette burns, bites or belt marks, scalds
• Fear of parents being contacted, going home or receiving medical attention
• Flinching when touched, refusal to discuss injury
• Covering arms or legs
• Aggressive or withdrawn
• Fear of one person
Emotional Abuse
• Over-reaction to mistakes
• Sudden speech disorders
• Extremes of emotions
• Self-mutilation
• Poor personal hygiene
• Over-intrusive caretaking from adults
Sexual Abuse & Exploitation (including online)
• Pain, itching, bruising or bleeding to genital areas
• Stomach pains
• Discomfort when walking
• Unexplained source of money
• Inappropriate sexual drawings/language/behaviour
• Pregnancy or Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)
• Sexting and/or use of sexualised language
• Broadcasting or receiving sexual images
Abuse by Neglect
• Constantly hungry
• Inappropriate clothing or dress
• Constantly tired, lonely, no friends
• Underweight
• No parental support or interest
• Dishevelled appearance
Dealing with a disclosure
If a child discloses that s/he has been abused, the member/volunteer should:
• Listen carefully to what the child says without displaying shock or disbelief
• Accept what is being said
• Allow the child to talk freely without prying too much in to the details – risking evidence
contamination in a criminal investigation
• Reassure the child but do not make promises which it may not be possible to keep
• Do not promise confidentiality – it may well be necessary to inform the relevant
authorities (including but not limited to Social Services and the Police)
• Reassure the child that it is not his or her fault
• Stress that it is right to speak up about the issues
• Do not criticise the perpetrator – the child may well still love him or her
• Explain what you have to do next
• Ensure the child’s immediate safety by liaising with the Safeguarding Lead
• Thank him or her for confiding in you and reassure them that action will be taken
Record Keeping
When abuse is disclosed or suspected the member/volunteer should:
• Make brief notes as soon as possible giving quotes if they can be recalled
• Dates and times should be recorded
• Notes should be factual and precise
• These notes must not be destroyed, even if a more detailed report is later written as they
may be needed in court
• Draw a diagram to indicate any marks or injuries observed
• All Safeguarding files are marked “Strictly Confidential”, and are kept separate from other
Choir records• Parents do not have access to Safeguarding files
• The Choir will keep Safeguarding files for seven years
Designated Person
The Choir has a Designated Officer Mrs Michelle Casey and Deputy Designated Officer/s
Mrs Sinead Hanna and Anna Leitch who take responsibility for safeguarding issues. Their
role is to:
• Ensure that Safeguarding Procedures are followed
• Ensure that everyone is aware of these procedures
• Maintain an up-to-date list of Safeguarding training undertaken by volunteers
• Ensure that everyone knows to whom they must pass on their concerns
• Decide if the issue is one of “risk of harm” or “actual harm” has occurred to the child
• Act as a source of expertise and advice within the Choir
• Co-ordinate action within the Choir and develop an effective working relationship with
other agencies
• Make referrals where child abuse is likely to occur, or is suspected or disclosed to Social
Services
Allegations involving a member of staff
When an allegation is made against a colleague, immediate advice must be sought; Central
Gateway should be contacted. The person in question will be required to withdraw from all
Choir activities immediately until informed otherwise by the Designated Person. This is as
much to protect the individual as it is to prevent further abuse and damage the reputation
of the Choir.
Procedures
All members are to be provided with access to a copy of the Choir’s Safeguarding Policy
after review and it will be posted on the Choir’s website.
Where it is believed that a child is suffering from, or is at risk of significant harm, we will
follow the procedure outlined below: –
• If anyone is concerned about a child they must in the first instance inform Anna Leitch
that they have a concern, this will be recorded and brought to the safeguarding team
immediately.
• Notes should be made about the concerns as quickly as possible
• The Designated Person/SG Team may decide to seek advice initially from Social Services
and will decide whether an immediate referral to Social Services is necessary
• After a verbal referral has been made to Social Services the Designated Person will
forward a written report confirming the telephone conversation within 24 hours.
• Particular attention will be paid to the physical, social and emotional development of any
child who has been identified as being at risk
Information for staff and volunteers
What should I do if a child tells me he or she is being abused?
Always
• Stay calm – ensure the child is safe and feels safe
• Show and tell the child that you are taking what he or she says seriously
• Reassure the child and stress that he or she is not to blame
• Be honest; explain you will have to tell someone else to help stop the alleged abuse
• Make a note of what the child has said as soon as possible after the event. Be factual in
your account of what the child has said
• Maintain confidentiality – do not tell anyone who does not need to know
• Inform the Designated Officer or Deputy Designated Officer of the disclosure immediately.
If they are not available report to Gateway – Armagh
Never
• Rush into actions which may be inappropriate
• Make promises you cannot keep
• Interrogate the child
• Show shock or disbelief
• Gossip about the alleged incident
Policy Ratified by Committee 31 st August 2023
Policy Review August 2025