WORDS IN WATCHET FESTIVAL SAFEGUARDING POLICY
Words in Watchet Festival recognises that we have a duty of care to safeguard all children and vulnerable adults who are involved in our activities, events and talks. We are committed to ensuring safe environments for children and vulnerable adults and believe that they have a right to protection.
This policy applies to our Words in Watchet Committee, volunteers or anyone working on behalf of the Words in Watchet Festival. They are expected to follow this policy and procedures and understand their responsibilities to safeguard children and vulnerable adults.
Definitions
For the purposes of this policy Words in Watchet Festival adopts the safeguarding definitions as stated in the Somerset Council Safeguarding guidelines:
Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and protect them from harm. Protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults from:
- abuse and maltreatment
- preventing harm to children’s health or development
- ensuring that they grow up with the provision of safe and effective care enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect
The definition of a child or of a vulnerable adult are:
- Children – up to and including the age of 17
- Adults – who have need of care and support
Somerset Council Safeguarding guidelines can be found here: https://www.somerset.gov.uk/health-safety-and-wellbeing/safeguarding/
In addition Words in Watchet Festival adopts the NSPCC definition of child abuse and the NHS definition of abuse and neglect in adults at risk which can be found in Appendix 1 of this document.
the purposes of the policy:
- to provide protection for the children and vulnerable adults who participate in Words in Watchet Festival.
- to provide Words in Watchet Committee members and volunteers with guidance on procedures and understanding of safeguarding issues in order to make informed decisions.
- We expect all Words in Watchet Committee members and volunteers to have read, understood and adhere to our safeguarding procedures.
We will seek to safeguard children and vulnerable adults by:
- valuing them, listening to and respecting them
- adopting child protection guidelines through procedures and safe working practice for Committee members and volunteers
- providing effective management for Committee members and volunteers through supervision, support and training.
- Sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with freelance Committee members, volunteers and anyone working on behalf of Words in Watchet Festival.
Training
The Designated Safeguarding Lead for Words in Watchet is Rachel Irven, the deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead is Linda Stroud. They together with Lesley Barclay Catherine Cooper, Anne Lovejoy and Donna Terry attended Safeguarding Training 11th
- November 2024.
In the event of either the DSL or deputy DSL being unavailable any incident or concern should be reported to a Committee Member.
All Committee Members and Festival volunteers will be given a briefing training in the safeguarding procedures set out in the Appendices to this policy.
A Committee member with two volunteers will attend each event. All will have a mobile phone with the numbers of DSL, deputy DSL and all Committee members.
Prevention
- No Words in Watchet Festival personnel are permitted to be alone with a child or vulnerable adult except in cases of emergency (e.g. first aid is required), or that they would otherwise be in danger.
- All Words in Watchet Festival personnel wear an official Festival identity badge on a lanyard at each event.
- All parents/guardians/carers/ teachers are asked to report all incidents of any nature to anyone wearing a Words in Watchet Festival badge.
- All reported incidents will be investigated by the DSL.
- For the duration of events involving children or vulnerable adults, all parents/guardians/carers/teachers are responsible for the continuous care and supervision of their own children/pupils/vulnerable adults.
- No unauthorised photography, audio or video recording of children and vulnerable adults is allowed at Words in Watchet Festival. Where parents/guardians/carers do not wish photos to be taken at all, then the responsible adult attending should ensure that their child/vulnerable adult is not included in official photos.
- Some children and vulnerable adults may have specific needs in order to take part. If this is the case we ask the responsible teachers/parents/guardians/carers to contact Rachel Irven, at time of booking. Words in Watchet Festival will actively seek wherever possible to meet these needs, but must know beforehand in order to prepare support or to advise that help cannot be provided on this occasion.
Words in Watchet Festival makes it clear that its volunteers do not take responsibility for any children or members of vulnerable groups at the Festival.
This policy will be reviewed annually by the Words in Watchet Committee
Appendix 1
Definitions of abuse
Words in Watchet Festival adopts the NSPCC definition of child abuse:
Child abuse happens when a person harms a child. It can be physical, sexual or emotional, but can also involve neglect.
Children may be abused by:
• family members
• friends
• people working or volunteering in organisational or community settings
• people they know
• strangers.
This definition together with the general signs of abuse can be found here:
https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/briefings/definitions-signs-child-abuse
Words in Watchet Festival adopts the NHS definition of abuse and neglect in adults at risk:
Physical abuse
This includes:
- Being hit, slapped, pushed or restrained
- Being denied food or water
- Not being helped to go to the bathroom when they need to
This definition together with different forms of abuse can be found here: