Bass Club Safeguarding Policy 2024
Context
The Bass Club is a member’s club which runs occasional holiday courses or day course to further the development of student’s abilities to play the Double Bass. We have been running for over 35 years and provide specialist tuition on the bass from early starters to advanced playing. The more advanced levels are selective but not competitive and study is done in small groups, including some individual tuition and masterclasses. Often courses are residential for a few days and are mostly held at the Yehudi Menuhin school or at the Yorke Trust Centre in North Norfolk.
All our staff are engaged in regular teaching activities, as well as performance, at a high level. We usually have some teachers participating from overseas, and our courses are often attended by international students.
Safeguarding on courses
All staff and students will have a safety briefing where expectations and safety are explained. Safeguarding is a matter for all engaged in our courses and we believe that
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"we believe everyone has a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them".
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"we will give equal priority to keeping all children and young people safe regardless of their age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation".
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We understand and recognise that some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of discrimination, previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues.
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We want to foster a kind and helpful environment where students can learn and develop within a happy holiday atmosphere. Students are expected to listen and to respect the time and efforts of all around them.
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We also respect the safeguarding policies in place at the Yehudi Menuhin School which can be found on the school’s website under the important documents section (https://www.menuhinschool.co.uk/school/information/important- policies).
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All staff have read KCSE 2023 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64f0a68ea78c5f000dc6f 3b2/Keeping_children_safe_in_education_2023.pdf).
All staff will be briefed and understand the importance of keeping children safe. Students will be listened to, valued and respected.
A safeguarding lead and deputy will be appointed and for the purposes of Bass Club 2024 will be Caroline Emery Course Director and Anastasia Stahlmann, who is the senior social staff person. All staff will report to the safeguarding leads should any concerns be present.
Contact details:
Caroline Emery 07956344451
Anastasia Stahlmann 07907201209
NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000
Childline 0800 1111
All staff will understand the importance of identifying concerns of potential abuse including, on line and will respect that disclosures of abuse may take place over a long period of time. Children who are experiencing abuse or difficulties may disclose directly or indirectly and sometimes may start sharing details of abuse before they are ready to put their thoughts or feelings in order. All disclosures should be taken seriously and reported on to the DSL or Deputy. Signs of abuse can also be behavioural, displaying behaviour that signals something is wrong, this may or may not be deliberate.
Abuse can be physical, emotional, sexual, or can be neglect. Children can also be feeling bullied, including cyberbulling, on-line abuse, harmful sexual behaviour, and can include being subjected to county lines, child trafficking, modern slavery and female genital mutilation.
What to do if a child makes a disclosure or if you have a concern about a child’s safety.
It is essential that everybody at Bass Club understands their safeguarding responsibilities. Staff are advised to maintain an attitude that "it could happen here".
When concerned, staff should always act in the best interest of the student.
If staff have any concerns about a child’s welfare they should act on them immediately.
If you have any concerns about a students’ welfare and safety they should be reported immediately to the DSL or Deputy. In expectational circumstances that the DSL and deputy are not available then escalate to the Yehudi Menuhin School safeguarding office.
If a student discloses information, the person to whom the disclosure is made should:
Listen carefully and calmly. Do not offer blanket confidentiality because this would not be in the best interests of the student. But do reassure that only those who need to know will be told.
Do not ask leading questions or discuss the student with anyone other than the DSL or Deputy DSL.
Record what has been said in writing, keeping to the facts. Please do this after the disclosure so that the student has your full attention.
Inform the DSL or Deputy as soon as possible, in person, via e-mail, or by phone.
If a child is in immediate danger or risk of immediate harm, then staff should make an immediate referral to C-SPA(Surrey Children’s Single Point of Access) Mon - Fri 0300 470 9100, 01483 517898 (out of hours hosted by the emergency duty team), cspa@surreycc.gov.uk and/or Surrey Police.
If staff have any concerns about a member of staff this should be communicated to the DSL. If you have concerns about the DSL then you should communicate this to the Deputy.
Bass Club takes safeguarding seriously and also respects the safeguarding Policy of the Yehudi Menuhin School (https://www.menuhinschool.co.uk/school/information/important-policies.