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Inverness Festival Association Policies |
Inverness Festival Association - Child Protection Policy
Inverness Festival Association is a voluntary organisation. By constitution the object of the association is:- to advance, promote and encourage the study and practice of the Arts and in particular the Arts of Music, Speech Drama and Dance, in all their branches". The associations Equal Opportunities Policy states :- the IFA is positively committed to opposing all direct and indirect discrimination on the grounds of ethnic origin, religion, culture, disability, gender, sexual identity, family status and age. The aim is to provide opportunities for all people to develop their artistic potential and to display these talents to a wider audience, thus increasing the level of community involvement in the arts. Professional Adjudicators and Accompanists are used at the time of the Inverness Music Festival only. 2 The Performing Environment Children are entered into events by a parent, guardian or teacher who is referred to as 'the applicant'. It is the policy of Inverness Festival Association, when dealing with children, to inform and involve the applicant ( responsible adult ) who is responsible for that child. This is done by sending the policy as part of the outline timetable to all applicants and to make it available to all other interested parties. Festival venues are manned by volunteers who will, as far as possible, ensure a safe environment for all performers. This policy makes it clear that children or vulnerable adults cannot be supervised by these volunteers. All own choice pieces must be submitted by the date specified so that inappropriate material is excluded wherever possible. 3 Festival Personnel The Festival secretary will maintain a register of all personnel involved in all aspects of the Inverness Festival Association. This includes: current committee members, volunteers for fund raising events and volunteers who act as stewards, clerks etc. during the run of the Inverness Music Festival. During Festival events volunteers will sign in at each venue and be identified by the use of name specific badges. Anyone wearing a badge can be approached, and enquirers will be directed by them to the appropriate individual to deal with any problem. All problems will be dealt with as appropriate and a record kept. 4 Preparation for attendance at Festival Events A provisional timetable with a copy of the Child Protection Policy attached will be sent out to the applicant ( responsible adult ) as signed on the forms received. This Policy makes it clear that when the signed applicant is not personally in attendance then this policy requires him/her to be satisfied that his/her child(ren) will be accompanied and supervised by another responsible adult on their behalf at all times. 5 'On Stage' and 'Off Stage' areas Photography and the use of camcorders etc. during performance is prohibited. Changing areas will be monitored by Festival volunteers but a responsible adult, for each group, must also be in attendance at all times. 'Warm-up' areas will also be monitored. Media coverage is permitted outside the performance area and the appointed press photographers will make themselves known to the Festival volunteers at each venue or event. Press photographers contact the Festival Association for permission to photograph. A copy of the Child Protection Policy is available for inspectionat all venues. 6 Child Protection Co-ordinator Inverness Festival Association is a voluntary organisation with no authority to investigate allegations of abuse. It has however a responsibility to refer any concerns regarding the safety of children or vulnerable adults to the appropriate agency for investigation. If any member of the public, at any of the events organised by Inverness Festival Association, has a concern regarding abuse, he/she can speak to the Child Protection Co-ordinator who will decide on the appropriate action or refer the concern to the social work department. If deemed serious the police will be called. Concerns will be recorded but all information regarding festival entrants, particularly minors, is confidential. Any disclosure of confidential information can only be undertaken with the express permission of those concerned except where it is considered necessary for the protection of a child, when information will be shared with the appropriate authority. Inverness Festival Association Child Protection Co-ordinator
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