Child Protection Policy

Street Poetry Productions is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children and young people. It recognises its responsibility to take all reasonable steps to promote safe practice and to protect children from harm, abuse and exploitation.

A child is defined as a person under the age of 18 (The Children’s Act 1989).

Street Poetry Productions believes that:

  • The welfare of the child is paramount.
  • All children, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs and/or sexual identity, have the right to protection from abuse.
  • All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
  • All staff (paid/unpaid) have a responsibility to report concerns to the appropriate officer.

Street Poetry Productions will:

  • ensure that all Street Poetry Productions staff dealing with children will have an up to date Criminal Record background check;
  • ensure that all staff understand their legal and moral obligations to protect children and young people from harm, abuse and exploitation;
  • develop best practice in relation to the recruitment of all staff;
  • ensure that all staff understand their responsibility to work to the standards and procedures detailed in the organisation’s Code of Conduct, Code of Good Practice and the Child Protection Procedures;
  • ensure that all staff understand their obligations to report care or protection concerns about a child/young person, or a staff’s conduct towards a child/young person, to the organisation’s designated person for child protection;
  • ensure that all procedures relating to the conduct of staff are implemented in a consistent and equitable manner;
  • ensure that the designated person understands his/her responsibility to refer any child protection concerns to the statutory child protection agencies (i.e. Police and/or Social Work);
  • provide opportunities for all staff to develop their skills and knowledge particularly in relation to the care and protection of children and young people;
  • ensure that children and young people are enabled to express their ideas and views on a wide range of issues and will have access to the organisation’s Complaints Procedure;
  • ensure that parents/carers are encouraged to be involved in the work of the organisation and, when requested, have access to all guidelines and procedures;
  • endeavour to keep up-to-date with national developments relating to the care and protection of children and young people;