The policy
Updated July 2025
1. Purpose
1.1 The purpose of this policy is to protect all children and adults who use the services of North Star Dance Studio (“Our”, “Us”, “We”).
1.2 This policy sets out the principles that guide Our approach to protection of children and adults. It applies to anyone working on Our behalf, whether paid or unpaid, including employees, contractors, agency staff, students, parents or other volunteer helpers such as chaperones.
2. Legal Basis
2.1 This policy has been drawn up based on child protection legislation and guidance that seeks to protect children in Scotland. A summary of the key legislation is available from https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-protection-system/scotland/.
2.2 For key legislation regarding vulnerable adults, see The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007. A short introduction is available from https://www.gov.scot/publications
3. We Believe
3.1 Children and adults should never experience abuse of any kind.
3.2 We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and adults, to keep them safe and to practice in a way that protects them.
4. We Recognise
4.1 The welfare of children and adults is paramount in all work We do and in all decisions We take.
4.2 All children and adults, regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse.
4.3 Some children and adults are additionally vulnerable due to the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other factors.
4.4 Working in partnership with parents, carers and other agencies is essential in promoting children and adult welfare.
4.5 We have a duty of care to safeguard from harm all children and adults who attend Our classes or who use any service We provide.
5. Our Commitment to Child and Adult Protection
5.1 We seek to keep children and adults safe by:
- valuing, listening to and respecting them
- appointing a nominated child/adult protection lead
- adopting child/adult protection best practice through our policies, procedures and code of conduct for staff and volunteers
- providing effecting support and training for staff and volunteers to know about and follow our policies, procedures and behaviour codes competently and confidently
- recruiting/selecting staff and volunteers safely, ensuring all necessary checks are undertaken
- recording, storing and using information professionally and securely, in line with data protection legislation and guidance
- making sure that children, adults and their families know where to go for help if they have a concern
- using our procedures to manage any allegations against staff and volunteers appropriately
- fostering an anti-bullying environment and having policies in place to help us deal effectively with any bullying, should it arise
- ensuring that we provide a safe environment for our children, adults, staff and volunteers
- building a safeguarding culture where staff and volunteers, children and adults treat each other with respect
6. Protecting Vulnerable Groups
6.1 North Star Dance Studio places paramount importance on working in compliance with the Protecting Vulnerable Groups membership scheme (the “PVG Scheme”) managed and delivered by Disclosure Scotland. The PVG Scheme helps Us to ensure that people whose behaviour makes them unsuitable to work with children and vulnerable adults cannot work or volunteer with Us.
6.2 We are registered with Disclosure Scotland as an organisation that carries out regulated work with children and vulnerable adults. All individuals who work or volunteer with Us are required to have a PVG Scheme Membership.
6.3 We hold PVG Scheme records from Disclosure Scotland for all our workers and volunteers to ensure they're lawfully allowed to work with children and vulnerable adults. We protect the rights and privacy of these people by abiding by our policy on the safe handling of disclosure information.
7. Complaints and Incident Handling
7.1 Any complaint or incident relating to this policy should be reported immediately to the Principal of North Star Dance Studio, who is also the Lead Protection Officer, at sarah@northstardancestudio.com
7.2 On receipt of a complaint, North Star Dance Studio will investigate and handle the complaint in line with Our policies and procedures relating to:
- managing concerns about or allegations made against staff or volunteers
- managing concerns about or allegations made against a child or adult, and/or
- responding to concerns about a child/adult’s welfare
8. Duty of Staff and Volunteers
8.1 All staff, volunteers and parent helpers, who are in contact with children/adults whilst working for North Star Dance Studio, are required to be familiar with this policy.
9. Good Practice
9.1 North Star Dance Studio adheres to the following principles of good practice in relation to the protection of children and adults.
9.2 We will always:
- put the welfare of each child/adult first
- give enthusiastic and constructive feedback make dance fun, enjoyable, and promote fair play
- be an excellent role model and example to all pupils
- treat all children and adults equally and with respect and dignity
- work in an open environment (avoiding private, unobserved situations, where possible)
- recognise the development needs and level of understanding appropriately, for all students
- keep a written record of any injury that occurs, and any treatment given
- treat any physical contact with due sensitivity and care and with due regard for the wishes of the student
- obtain parental consent if any teacher/volunteer is to transport any child in their cars
9.3 We will never:
- reduce a child or adult to tears as a form of control
- make sexually suggestive comments to a child or adult
- allow or engage in any form of inappropriate physical contact
- engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games
- allow allegations made by a child or adult to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon
10. Use of Photographs and Recordings
10.1 North Star Dance Studio will always seek consent from the parent/guardian for photographs/recordings of their children who attend Our classes to be used for demonstrative and/or promotional purposes. In the case of an adult student, their permission will be sought. All handling of images is strictly in adherence with Our Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notice.
10.2 Photographs and/or videos used for promotional purposes may be posted on:
- the North Star Dance Studio Facebook page
- the North Star Dance Studio Instagram feed
- the North Star Dance Studio X account
- the North Star Dance Studio Website
- the North Star Dance Studio YouTube channel
- local media sources
10.3 Videos may be taken during class to aid with choreography or exam practice. These may be posted onto the closed Facebook group for practice out with class times.
10.4 Parents / Adult students have the right to withdraw their consent at any time, or ask for any image to be removed, by contacting sarah@northstardancestudio.com
11. Safe Touch Policy
11.1 Teaching dance is a physical activity and appropriate physical contact between student and teacher in class is essential to training, limb placement and injury prevention.
11.2 We recognise that such physical contact is a complex area, and we fully recognise our responsibilities for safeguarding students and teachers and protecting their welfare.
11.3 The following principles and procedures are in place to fulfil our obligations:
- contact by the teacher is made with awareness to the needs of everyone
- all teachers will treat any physical contact with due sensitivity and care and with due regard for the wishes of the student
- contact will not involve force or the use of any instrument
- students should be encouraged to discuss any concerns / worries with any member of staff
- students and teachers should report any concerns to the Lead Protection Officer (North Star Dance Studio Principal)