HSL Music & HSL Musics Youth Performance Choir:
Child Protection Policy & Procedure.
OverviewIt is essential that everybody working with children understands their safeguarding responsibilities. Everyone who comes into contact with children and families has a role to play ensuring children and young people are safe from abuse, neglect, exploitation and harm.
HSL Music is committed to safeguarding children and aims to create a culture of vigilance. All staff should make sure that any decisions made are in the best interests of the child.
If there is a cause for concern, it is our responsibility to report it, following the All-Wales Child Protection Procedures.
- HSL Music Youth Performance Choir recognise that our first responsibility and priority is towards the children who attend our community choir. If we have any cause for concern, we will report it, following the All-Wales Child Protection Procedures.
- HSL Music ensures all staff, volunteers & parents are made aware of our safeguarding and child protection policies.
- HSL Music staff & volunteers will keep up to date with child protection issues and relevant legislation by taking regular training courses and by reading relevant publications.
- If concerns are raised about a child’s welfare, the relevant steps will be taken inline with the All-Wales Child Protection Procedures.
2. Definition of Child Abuse (see APPENDIX A for further information)
A child is abused or neglected when somebody inflicts harm or fails to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting, by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger. A child or young person up to the age of 18 years can suffer abuse or neglect and require protection via an inter-agency child protection plan.
3. Safeguarding Concern Contact details
- HSL Music Safeguarding Officer: Heidi Luckens: hsl.music@icloud.com
- Wrexham Social Services: 01978 292 039 or 0345 053 3116 (out of hours) Or email and for a vulnerable adult Wrexham 01978 292066 or 0345 053 3116 (Out of hours)
emergency.hours@wrexham.gov.uk
NorthWalesSafeguardingBoard - NSPCC 0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk
Disclosure / Allegation of Abuse
Should a young person disclose that s/he has been or is being abused, this information must be passed on. If a young person discloses abuse, the staff member should:
DO
Listen to the child / young person rather than directly questioning him or her.
Encourage the child / young person to allow another person to be present.
Reassure the young person that they are not to blame and are right to tell.
Inform the child / young person that you will have to pass information on.
Make a written record of the discussion as soon as possible after the child has made the disclosure to you , taking care to record the timing, setting, personnel / other staff as well as what was said.
Be clear about your own position and your responsibility to protect children and young people.
Keep any drawings, paintings etc. that the child / young person may do to show what happened to him or her.
Remain calm and reassuring.
DO NOT…
Stop a child who is freely recalling significant events.
Show shock or disquiet.
Guarantee confidentiality.
Interrupt the child / young person.
Expose the child / young person to mass examination by staff to verify any injuries.
Prompt or ask leading questions.
Put words into the child / young person’s mouth.
Be afraid to seek support from yourself from a manager. However, it is not appropriate because of the high standard of confidentiality that must be maintained in child protection to discuss individual cases with personal friends or acquaintances, who may be able to identify the family concerned.
Always Remember the 5 Rs.
- Recognise
- Respond
- Report
- Record
- Refer
APPENDIX A
Forms of abuse
Physical Abuse
Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or caregiver fabricates or induces illness in a child whom they are looking after.
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is 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 conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. It may involve causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, for example by witnessing domestic abuse within the home or being bullied, 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 enticing a child or 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 caregiver 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.
In addition, neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance misuse.
Monitoring
This policy will be reviewed every three years, or in the following circumstances:
- changes in legislation and/or government guidance
- as a result of any other significant change or event.
This policy was last reviewed on 01/08/2025