Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy

1Purpose and scope

Innovation Dance Ltd is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of every child (anyone under 18) taking part in its classes, workshops, rehearsals, performances, competitions, online activity and trips. A child’s welfare is the first consideration. Children are listened to and treated fairly, including children with disabilities or additional needs. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.

This policy applies to directors, employed and freelance teachers, assistants, contractors, volunteers and anyone acting for Innovation Dance. It covers our own venues and work in schools or other premises. Where another organisation hosts an activity, staff must also know its safeguarding arrangements; this does not remove Innovation Dance’s responsibility to act on concerns arising in its provision.

2Named leads, contacts and immediate action

Designated safeguarding leads (DSLs): Emma Hardy (Ealing branch, 020 8998 2283) and Zoe Newell (Finchley branch, 020 8445 0580), directors. Deputy for both branches: Carrie Tregurtha (020 8998 2283).

If either director is the subject of a concern, report to the other director or directly to the LADO. If both are implicated or unavailable, contact the Deputy. If the Deputy is implicated or unavailable, contact the LADO or children’s social care directly.

• Immediate danger or urgent crime: call 999. Obtain urgent medical help if needed. Preserve potential evidence.
• Concern about a child’s welfare: tell a DSL immediately; the DSL contacts the children’s social care front door/MASH for the child’s local authority when a referral or advice is needed. Anyone may refer directly if the DSL is unavailable, conflicted, or does not act.
• Concern or allegation about an adult who works with children: report immediately to a director who is not implicated. The director contacts the LADO for the relevant local authority without delay and within one working day when the allegation threshold may be met; seek LADO advice if unsure. Contact police where a crime may have occurred and children’s social care where a child may need protection. Record the advice and agree on the next steps.
• Independent advice: NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000. This does not replace emergency services, LADO or children’s social care.

A live, branch-specific contact sheet is in section 10 below.

3Recognising and responding to a concern

Indicators can include physical, sexual or emotional abuse, neglect, exploitation, bullying, harmful sexual behaviour, domestic abuse, substance-related risk, online harm, radicalisation, or mental health concerns. A concern may come from a child, another child, parent, colleague, witness or third party. Staff should not require proof or a direct disclosure before reporting.

If a child tells you something

• Listen calmly, take the child seriously, use open prompts only if needed to clarify immediate safety, and do not investigate, interrogate, promise secrecy or confront the person named.
• Explain in age-appropriate language that you will share the information with people who can help. Check immediate safety and report promptly to the DSL or emergency services as appropriate.
• Write a dated and timed account as soon as possible, using the child’s own words where possible. Separate direct observation, report by another person, opinion and inference. Note who was present, what was asked, what was said, and every action taken.

The DSL considers support, the child’s wishes and feelings, and whether/when parents should be informed. If involving a parent could increase risk or impede an investigation, seek children’s social care/police advice first. Record the decision and rationale. Inform a host school’s DSL where relevant, sharing information on a need-to-know basis.

4Allegations or concerns about adults working with children

This applies to employees, freelancers, assistants, volunteers, contractors, directors and adults engaged by Innovation Dance, including events outside work that may affect suitability. An allegation may concern an adult who has:

• (a) harmed or may have harmed a child;
• (b) possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child;
• (c) behaved towards children in a way indicating a risk of harm; or
• (d) behaved or may have behaved in a way indicating unsuitability to work with children.

• The recipient promptly records the exact report and alerts an unimplicated director. The director makes a proportionate immediate safety plan for all children, preserves evidence, and contacts the relevant LADO within one working day where the threshold may be met. If uncertain, seek LADO advice rather than deciding the threshold alone.
• Do not interview witnesses repeatedly or run a disciplinary investigation before consulting the LADO where the threshold may be met. Agree who will speak to the child, parents, witnesses and adult, and the timing, with the LADO, police or children’s social care as appropriate.
• A denial, retraction, inconsistent account, anonymous report, indirect report, or a child saying they never made the statement must be recorded accurately. It does not automatically erase the original concern or establish a false allegation. Share all versions and their sources with the LADO and follow the advice received.
• Suspension is not automatic. The director considers safe alternatives and any LADO/police advice, documents the risk assessment, keeps it under review, and gives the adult a named contact and fair support. Do not prejudge the outcome or disclose details widely.
• At conclusion, record the outcome using the terms agreed with the LADO and maintain records under the retention schedule. Consider disciplinary action separately after external processes allow it. Check whether a DBS referral duty applies if a person is removed from regulated activity (or would have been had they left) because of harm or risk of harm. Do not assume that resignation closes the case.

Concerns below the allegation threshold

A concern about an adult’s behaviour inconsistent with the staff code, even if seemingly minor, must be reported to a director, recorded with context and outcome, and reviewed for patterns. If there is doubt about whether it meets the harm threshold, consult the LADO. A complaint about teaching quality or conduct is dealt with under the complaints or employment process, while any safeguarding aspect follows this policy.

5Child-on-child abuse and bullying

Take reports of bullying, harassment, violence, coercion, sexual harm or exploitation between children seriously, including online conduct. Do not describe harmful sexual behaviour as ordinary teasing or ask children to reconcile before safety has been assessed.

Separate and support those involved, record each account without repeated questioning, inform the DSL and seek children’s social care/police advice when harm or risk warrants it. Consider the needs of the child harmed and the child displaying harmful behaviour. Agree parent contact in light of safety and agency advice. Review supervision, seating/groupings and any ongoing risks; keep information confidential.

6Safe practice and staff conduct

• Visibility: work in visible, accountable settings. Avoid unnecessary one-to-one isolation; where individual teaching is planned, agree visibility, parental knowledge, consent and check-in arrangements. If unexpectedly alone with a child, move to a visible space and notify a lead.
• Teaching and touch: use respectful, age-appropriate teaching. Physical corrections must be necessary, explained, proportionate and agreed by the child; respect refusal. Never use humiliating discipline, inappropriate touching, sexualised comments, intoxicants with children, or personal relationships with children.
• Communication: keep communication with children on approved professional channels, with appropriate parent/organisation visibility. Do not use disappearing messages, private social accounts or personal invitations; report boundary crossings. Adults must not supply alcohol, vapes or other age-restricted products to children.
• Photos, video and online classes: use approved photo/video consent and secure storage. Do not take or share images on personal accounts without authorisation. For online classes use approved access-controlled platforms, suitable backgrounds, and agreed recording and supervision arrangements.
• Trips, performances, changing and transport: risk assess supervision, pickup, consent, privacy and emergencies. Do not transport a child alone without a documented exceptional arrangement and appropriate consent/authorisation. Record accidents and first aid; follow a separate health-and-safety plan.

7Recruitment, induction and training

Recruit safely for employees, freelancers and volunteers: role description, identity and right-to-work checks, relevant references, qualifications, employment history and any applicable eligibility checks. Obtain the correct level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, including barred-list information only where the role is eligible. Assess regulated activity and any applicable childcare registration/disqualification duties for each role. A DBS certificate is one part of suitability, not a guarantee. Keep a secure record of checks, decisions and renewal/recheck arrangements.

Before unsupervised work, staff receive this policy, the staff code, branch contacts, reporting forms, escalation route, online safety expectations and role-specific training. DSLs receive appropriate enhanced training and time to carry out the role. Refresh training and check understanding regularly, with a training record. Monitor conduct and suitability after appointment.

8Records, confidentiality and information sharing

Create a secure, restricted safeguarding record separate from routine teaching/HR notes. Include date/time, child and adult identifiers, source and exact words, observations, actions, advice, risk decisions, referrals, reference numbers, follow-up and outcome. Label fact, allegation, hearsay, denial and inference distinctly. Preserve original records and add dated corrections rather than rewriting history.

Share necessary information with safeguarding agencies and relevant staff to protect children; do not promise absolute confidentiality. Follow UK GDPR/Data Protection Act 2018, an appropriate lawful basis, access controls, a documented retention schedule and secure disposal. The DSL should record why information was or was not shared. Do not circulate names or allegations in informal chats or to unrelated parents/staff.

9Escalation, complaints and review

A staff member whose concern is dismissed or delayed should raise it with another director or refer directly to children’s social care/LADO/police, as appropriate; they may seek NSPCC advice. Good-faith reporting is supported.

Children and parents should be told how to contact a DSL and make a complaint, with an independent route when a director is implicated. Complaints do not replace safeguarding referrals.

Directors review this policy at least annually and after a significant incident, change in law/guidance or venue change. Each review includes branch contacts, training, safe recruitment, reporting practice, data retention and evidence that staff have received the current version.

10Innovation Dance safeguarding contacts list

Internal leads are shown at the top of this page. Role allocation supplied by Carrie on 29 July 2026.

Urgent action and cover

• Immediate danger or urgent medical emergency: call 999. Give the child’s current location, full venue address and postcode. Do not wait for a director or deputy.
• If the branch lead is unavailable, contact Carrie; if Carrie is unavailable, contact the other branch lead. If no internal lead can respond promptly, contact the relevant external service directly. Never delay necessary action while trying internal contacts.
• If a concern involves a lead or deputy, bypass that person. Contact an unimplicated director and/or the LADO directly. If internal action is inadequate, staff may contact the external services themselves.

Choose the right service

A concern about a child’s welfare goes to children’s social care, usually for the borough where the child lives. An allegation about an adult working with children goes to the LADO. Both routes may be needed. For cross-borough or uncertain cases, give the setting, adult’s work locations and child’s home borough and ask the service to coordinate; do not delay an urgent referral.