Scunthorpe and District Choral Society 

Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults - Prevention of Abuse or Exploitation

1.  It is the policy of the Scunthorpe and District Choral Society to safeguard the welfare of vulnerable adults by protecting them from abuse, exploitation or significant harm.  The committee will nominate one individual to be responsible for these issues on behalf of the Society. That designated person will be Nina Torr

2.  Definitions.

a. Vulnerable adults are people over 18 years of age who are receiving, or may need, help and services to live in the community. Vulnerable adults may be unable to take care of themselves and unable to protect themselves from harm or exploitation by other people. 

Vulnerable adults may include those who:

    • are elderly and frail
    • have a mental illness including dementia or a personality disorder
    • have a physical or sensory disability
    • have a learning disability
    • have a debilitating physical illness
    • have HIV or Aids
    • are substance abusers

b.  Abuse may include any of the following harms:

    • Physical
    • Sexual
    • Psychological or emotional
    • Financial or material
    • Neglect or acts of omission
    • Institutional
    • Discriminatory
    • Self-harm
    • Inhuman or degrading treatment

Abuse may occur through deliberate intent, negligence or ignorance.

3.  Reporting.  If any members of Scunthorpe & District Choral Society have concerns that a vulnerable adult has suffered abuse, or is at risk of suffering abuse, they should not seek to carry out an investigation of circumstances but must share their concerns with the designated person who will take appropriate action.  

 4. Procedures

 On receipt of a report the Designated Person should

    • Check and clarify the facts.
    • Ensure the victim’s immediate needs are being met, i.e. that they are in no immediate danger and that medical assistance has been sought if necessary.
    • Report the matter to the Police if a criminal offence is suspected or alleged 
    • Ask the victim of the abuse for permission to make a referral
    • Make a referral  (see the procedure below)

Procedure for referral

A referral may only be made with the consent of the vulnerable adult unless there are grounds for overriding consent such as the victim is unable to give valid consent or it is matter of public interest, for example, where others may be at risk.

    • Referrals should be made to North Lincolnshire Council Adult Social Care (24 hours) – 01724 297000 (email: safeguardingadults@northlincs.gov.uk
    • Or to the police if there is a suspicion of a criminal offence.  
    • Preserve any evidence which may support any investigation – although any significant welfare needs of the adult must be given priority

This policy will be reviewed every two years.

The committee adopted this policy on 7th December 2017.  

Reviewed and approved 24th January 2022

 

Safeguarding Children

The Society believes that it is always unacceptable for a child or young person to experience abuse of any kind and recognises its responsibility to safeguard the welfare of all children and young people, by a commitment to practice which protects them.

The committee will appoint a designated person to be responsible for these issues on its behalf.  It is not the responsibility of the society to undertake enquiries. 

There are several categories of abuse including neglect, physical injury, sexual harm and emotional harm.

If anyone suspects a child is suffering from significant harm they should report the matter to the designated person – Nina Torr.

If a child tells you about abuse by someone else you should record what you hear, let the child be freely heard, not promise to keep a secret and not ask leading questions.

The designated person should make a referral to North Lincolnshire Council’s Children’s Services Single Access Point on: 

01724 296500 (9am to 5pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4.30pm Friday) or

08081 689667 (free phone) or

01724 296555 (answerphone – out of office hours and at weekends)

If you think that a crime has taken place, is about to take place, or someone is at immediate risk of harm, call the police on 999. If it is not an emergency, you can call the police on 101. 

If possible, the following information should be ready:-  Full name of child, date of birth, home address, details of siblings, names of persons with parental responsibility and details of the concerns.

If a member of the society is concerned about how another (adult) member of society is treating a child/children they should inform the designated person of their concerns and or contact North Lincolnshire Council’s Children’s Services or the police (as above).

Suggested code of behaviour when involved with children:-

If a child tells you about abuse by someone else you should record what you hear, let the child be freely heard, not promise to keep a secret and not ask leading questions.

If possible, the following information should be ready:-  Full name of child, date of birth, home address, details of siblings, names of persons with parental responsibility and details of the concerns.

Suggested code of behaviour when involved with children:-

Do: Treat everyone with respect, respect a young person’s right to personal privacy, avoid situations that compromise your relationship with young people and are unacceptable within a relationship of trust, remember that someone else might misinterpret your actions, no matter how well-intentioned and recognise that caution is required even in sensitive moments 

Do Not:  Have any inappropriate physical or verbal contact with children, or any that could be considered inappropriate, jump to conclusions about others, show favouritism to any individual, make suggestive remarks or gestures, even in fun, let suspicion, disclosure or allegation of abuse go unrecorded or unreported, rely on your good name to protect you, believe “it could never happen to me”

If members of the society are involved with children whilst involved with the society no child shall be subject to physical restraint unless restraint of the kind employed is the only practicable means of securing the welfare of the child.  

Should the occasion arise that a member of the society is working directly with children they should have enhanced DBS Checks with checks against the DBS Children’s Barred List.

This policy will be reviewed every two years.

Reviewed and approved by the committee on 29th November 2021

 

Data Protection and Privacy Policy

Scunthorpe and District Choral Society will observe its obligations under the General Data Protection Regulations.  We will not disclose personal information about a member or friend to anyone except as set out in this policy or required by law.

To facilitate effective management of the society and organisation of events, it is necessary for the society to collect and hold the following personal information relating to members.  Items with an asterisk (*) will also be collected and held for Friends:

Name*

Address, including post code*

Telephone number*

Email address*

Voice part

Height

Age (in bands)

Specific requirements (e.g. accessibility)

Emergency contact name and telephone number

Such details as are required for the society to reclaim gift aid on donations, if applicable*

The Secretary will act as the data controller for information collected from members.  The Friends’ Secretary will act as the data controller for information collected from Friends.  Information will only be disclosed to others as required for the effective running of the society.  The Chair, Treasurer, Assistant Treasurer, Secretary may access all data relating to members. Other members of the committee may be given access to names, contact details including emergency contacts, voice parts, and height when required for specified purposes.

Members and Friends will from time-to-time be requested to confirm or update their personal details.  Expired data and data belonging to former members or Friends will be deleted when it is no longer required. 

This policy will be reviewed every two years.

Reviewed and re-approved 24thJanuary 2022

 

Reserves Policy

Requirement for a Reserves Policy

Adherence to a Reserves Policy ensures that the Society possesses a level of financial reserves to match its perceived current and future needs.

Implications of holding reserves which are too high or too low:

a.  If the reserves are too high the Society is retaining funds without justification and the funds should be spent or planned income reduced.  If excess funds remain in the Society’s hands the current users and beneficiaries (actual or potential) are not being well-served.

b.  Reserves must be kept high enough to cover reasonably envisaged forthcoming financial commitments and to protect the Society from the risk of insolvency or serious disruption to its work.

Calculating the amount to keep in reserve

In assessing the amount of reserve, the Committee will take the following into account:-

  • Its forecasts for levels of income in future years, taking into account the reliability of each source of income and the prospects for opening up new sources
  • Its forecasts for expenditure in future years on the basis of planned activity
  • Its analysis of any future needs, opportunities, contingencies or risk – the effects of which are not likely to be able to be met out of income if and when they arise;  and
  • Its assessment, on the best evidence reasonably available, of the likelihood of each of those needs etc arising and the potential consequences for the Society of not being able to meet them.

The committee will review the levels of funds to be held in reserve and this policy every two years.

Adopted by the Committee on 7th December 2017

Reviewed and approved by the Committee 24th January 2022

 

Equal Opportunities and Diversity Policy

The Scunthorpe and District Choral Society is committed to ensuring that no person receives less favourable consideration than others in the selection, appointment, training and promotion of people paid or unpaid for their work for or membership of the Society on the grounds of:-

  • Age
  • Appearance
  • Background
  • Caring responsibility
  • Disability
  • Gender reassignment [transgender]
  • Geographic location
  • HIV status
  • Marriage/civil partnership status
  • Past criminal convictions
  • Personality
  • Political Affiliation
  • Pregnancy/Maternity
  • Race
  • Religion and belief (or having no belief)
  • Sex (gender)
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Socio Economic status
  • Trade Union Membership/Affiliation

[This is not an exhaustive list]

The Society will work to promote good equal opportunities practice within its organisation and adopt an effective system to monitor its practice with regard to ensuring equality of opportunity.

The Society will positively ensure that our services to the community reflect our Equal Opportunities Policy by ensuring that people representing our organisation understand and operate our Equal Opportunities Policy

The Committee is responsible for the implementation and monitoring of this policy and ensure that it is made known to all those people involved with the running of the Society.

This policy will be reviewed every two years.

 

Reviewed and re-approved 24th January 2022

 

Health and Safety Policy and Procedure

Responsibilities of the Trustees

The Trustees of Scunthorpe and District Choral Society will seek to ensure the health and safety of choir members and of any other persons who may be affected by activities that the choral society may undertake.  To achieve this objective the following actions will be taken:

  1. As far as is reasonably practicable the Society will provide adequate control of all health and safety risks arising from its activities
  2. The Committee will nominate a person to undertake hazard and risk assessments of all planned activities and to liaise with operators of facilities used by the society for meetings, rehearsals or performances to ensure that shared responsibilities for health and safety are understood by all parties and that measures are adequate to control foreseeable risks.
  3. Risk assessments will consider issues of access and egress, stewarding and crowd control, fire and emergency plans, control of infection risks, lighting and electrical safety, trip hazards, staging and seating, chemical and other hazards, manual handling and contact with heat and hot water, and any other concerns that may be relevant.
  4. Risk assessments will be regularly reviewed and any new venues, practices and equipment will generate the need for revision.
  5. Outcomes of risk assessments will be shared with the committee and plans will be made to counter any unacceptable risks.
  6. The Committee will ensure members are competent to do their tasks and provide them with adequate training or briefing. 
  7. All committee members should maintain awareness of the potential for risks to affect members and others and take responsibility for bringing any matters noted to attention.
  8. The Committee will review any accidents or incidents affecting safety or health and put appropriate measures in place where necessary to prevent recurrence.
  9. This policy will be reviewed, revised and formally adopted by the committee every two years.

Responsibilities of all Members

Organisational responsibility for health and safety rests with the trustees of the society. However all members have an obligation to ensure their own safety and to ensure their actions do not create risks for others. 

Members should:-

  1. Co-operate with the committee’s direction in any matters affecting health and safety.
  2. Adhere to any safety rules for the building in which a rehearsal or concert is held.
  3. Not interfere with anything provided to safeguard their health and safety or that of others
  4. Take reasonable care of their own health and safety
  5. Report all health and safety concerns to a member of the committee

Reviewed and approved by the committee on 24th January 2022

 

Policy for Engagement of Professional Musicians for Performance

Scunthorpe & District Choral Society regularly engage professional musicians to perform alongside the Society at Concerts.  This practice provides an opportunity for the choir and audiences to experience high quality musical performances, as well as providing employment and career experience for the musicians.  Musicians we engage from time to time include but are not limited to:

  • Conductors
  • Soloists
  • Instrumentalists
  • Entire orchestras or bands
  • Other choirs (e.g. children’s choirs)

In order to ensure that the Society and the performers are protected, and that the balance of performers is as required for each concert, the following procedures are to be adopted:

  1. Before any performers are engaged the committee must consider and agree the number and categories of professional performers required and specify any additional specific requirements, such as the style of a performer or the balance between soloists.  An agreed committee member should be responsible for booking particular performers from those sought, and be provided with a range of acceptable fees.
  2. The performers should be booked as soon as reasonably practicable after the discussion in (1) above.
  3. Except in the case of groups of performers (such as choirs, bands and orchestras) performers must be booked through an agent or through an organisation which promotes quality performers (such as a music conservatoire or the Countess of Munster (for soloists) if reasonably practicable.  This is to reduce the risk should one contracted be unable to perform at short notice.
  4. The committee will agree a standard contract for use for all professional performers.  This must be used as the starting point for negotiations with the performer (or their agent).  The purpose of the standard contract is so that both parties have clarity on what is expected of them, and what the fees and expenses will be.  The standard contract may be revised from time to time, and as a minimum should be reviewed at the same time as this policy.
  5. In the event of significant deviations being sought from the standard contract, the committee member responsible must seek the approval of the chairman before agreeing.
  6. In the event of a fee being sought which is outside the range agreed in advance by the committee, the approval of the chairman and the treasurer must be sought before the fee is agreed.
  7. In the event of a contracted performer being unable to perform for any reason they must (through their agent if appropriate) contact the committee member responsible for booking them at the earliest opportunity.  The agent is responsible for providing a suitable replacement.  In the event that there is no agent, the performer may suggest an alternative performer, but they do not have the authority to book an alternative.  The committee member responsible must consult with the chairman, and if necessary with other members of the committee, before booking a replacement.

Reviewed and re-approved by the Committee 24th January 2022