The Devizes Eisteddfod seeks to provide performance opportunities for children and young people each year.
We are committed to ensuring safe environments for children and young people and believe that it is always unacceptable for a child or young person to experience abuse of any kind. We recognise our responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children and young people, by a commitment to recommend best practice which protects them.
This policy applies to our Committee Members, Volunteers and paid Adjudicators.
We recognise that:
• the welfare of the child/young person is paramount.
• all children, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, have the right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse.
• working in partnership with children, young people, their parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting young people’s welfare.
The purpose of the policy:
• to provide protection for the children and young people who participate in our event.
• to provide volunteers with guidance on procedures they should adopt in the event that they suspect a child or young person may be experiencing, or be at risk of, harm.
We will seek to safeguard children and young people by:
• valuing them, listening to and respecting them
• adopting child protection guidelines through procedures and safe working practice for staff and volunteers
• recruiting volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are made
• sharing information about child protection and safe working practice with children, parents, staff and volunteers
• sharing information about concerns with agencies who need to know, and involving parents and children appropriately
The Devizes Eisteddfod uses the following procedures to create a safer Eisteddfod for everyone:
1. One designated Eisteddfod Safeguarding Officer (ESO) Name: Yzanne Hallett
2. Best practice advice in the form of Eisteddfod Child Protection leaflets, with support for all Eisteddfod volunteers. Including clear reporting procedures for anyone with a concern about a child.
3. Appropriate recruitment and induction procedures for all new Eisteddfod volunteers responsible for providing safe environments for everyone attending / performing at the Eisteddfod.
4. All Eisteddfod personnel wear an official badge. All teachers/parents/guardians /carers are asked to report all incidents of any nature to anyone wearing a badge.
5. For the duration of the Eisteddfod all teachers/parents/guardians/carers are responsible for the continuous care and supervision of their own children/pupils. If they are unable to attend personally, they must delegate their responsibilities to an identified adult and ensure that their children/pupils are aware of the identity and name of the person responsible for their care. This includes supervision throughout all Eisteddfod venues, practice and changing areas that may be provided. Single sex changing facilities will be provided where necessary. The Eisteddfod cannot take responsibility for any property left unattended.
6. No unauthorised photography, audio or video recording of children and young people is allowed at the Eisteddfod. Where parents/guardians/carers do not wish photos to be taken at all, then the responsible adult attending should ensure that their child is not included in official photos.
7. 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 the Entry Secretary at the time of entry. The Eisteddfod actively seeks 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.
8. The Eisteddfod’s Child Protection Policy is published explicitly in our Syllabus, Programme and Website. By completing and signing the entry form all parents / guardians / carers and teachers of entrants under 18 confirm that they give (or have obtained) the necessary consents for the entrants to take part in the Eisteddfod. Without consent the entry to the Eisteddfod cannot be accepted.
Further information and guidance can be obtained by emailing the Director jemmab@devizes-eisteddfod.org.uk.