Safeguarding Policy

Relevance of activity to safeguarding

In Autumn 2022, the London Handel Festival (LHF) launched its Learning and Participation (L&P) programme, a brand new education and learning programme. The L&P programme is delivered through partnerships with schools, expert education providers and charities who take the lead in organising and running the programme in schools and community settings alongside freelance musicians/artists who are contracted by the LHF. The future aspiration will be for the LHF to work directly with children and vulnerable adults.

Integral to the L&P programme, the LHF desires to provide open access to its annual Festival where children and young people will meet and perform alongside professional musicians/artists at concert venues; these occasions will also take place under the supervision of teachers and group leaders.

Safeguarding principles 

The London Handel Society (LHS), the charity that oversees the LHF, is committed to the well-being and safety of every child and vulnerable adult that it engages in its programmes. It will adhere to the following principles and will expect the same from employed and freelance staff, trustees, contracted freelance musicians/artists, and volunteers who play any part in the L&P programme.

• The well-being and safety of each child and vulnerable adult is our primary concern;
• We respect the rights and dignity of every child and vulnerable adult we work with;
• Children and vulnerable adults are treated equitably and sensitively, regardless of disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or age, in line with the LHF's Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy (forthcoming);
• The professional relationships between musicians/artists contracted by LHF and the children and vulnerable adults they work with are based on mutual trust and respect;
• In the delivery of the L&P programme musicians/artists seek to achieve a balance between artistic outcomes and the social, emotional, intellectual and physical needs of the children and vulnerable adults we work with;
• The feelings and concerns of any child, vulnerable adult or their parent/carer are listened to and acted upon;
• All staff, trustees, musicians/artists and volunteers who work with children and vulnerable adults, have a responsibility to protect children and adults and prevent the physical, sexual or emotional abuse of any child with whom they come into contact.
• All staff, trustees, musicians/artists and volunteers who work with children and vulnerable adults, should:
  • be familiar with and abide by this Safeguarding Policy;
  • respond appropriately to and report concerns about a child/adult to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (see below for reporting process);
  • ensure parents, carers, children/adults are aware of this Safeguarding Policy and procedures; and
  • take action that ensures any suspicions or allegations of abuse are taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.
  • The recruitment and selection process for staff with responsibility for managing the L&P programme includes Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks at the enhanced level, and specific questioning of referees in relation to the candidate's suitability for overseeing working with children and vulnerable adults.
  • When any musicians/artists contracted by LHF are engaged in any work which involves regulated activity or substantial unsupervised contact with children or vulnerable adults, DBS checks are also carried out.

Acceptable use of Social /Digital Media

Staff/freelance staff, contracted musicians/artists, trustees and volunteers must not:

• use social media to look up the accounts of, contact or interact with, young people/vulnerable adults;
• identify young people/vulnerable adults on social media by tagging or naming them;
• respond to attempts to contact them on social media by young people/vulnerable adults, and any contacts made must be reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead and recorded;
• use social media in a way that could bring the LHS into disrepute;
• use personal devices to take photos and videos of young people/vulnerable adults, with the following strictly limited exceptions:
  • for 'mass' / 'group' shots and videos taken on concert day or recording, mass and group shots should feature no clearly identifiable individuals. Videos should not be taken by staff;
  • using a pre-authorised personal device under specific conditions agreed with the Festival Director.

Procedure for raising and reporting concerns about a child's/adult's welfare or  concerns or allegations about LHF employees and contracted  staff/musicians/artists 

If any LHF staff/freelance staff, contracted musicians/artists, trustees, volunteers or partner organisation or members of the public wish to raise a concern about a child or adult's welfare in the course of an event organised by LHF, they should do so by filling out an Incident Report Form (see Appendix) electronically or in hard copy and send to the Designated Safeguarding Lead. Greg Batsleer, LHF Festival Director is currently the Designated Safeguarding Lead. He will determine the next steps to take, including consultation with the Trustee with the Lead for Safeguarding, currently Ruth Evans.