Safeguarding Policy

1. PURPOSE AND COMMITMENT

Continuum Choral Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all individuals who engage with our organisation, including young singers, staff, volunteers, and beneficiaries. We recognise our responsibility to take all reasonable steps to protect people from harm and ensure a safe environment for all.

We recognise that some individuals may be additionally vulnerable due to communication needs, discrimination, or prior experiences, and we commit to responding with sensitivity and tailored support.

2. SCOPE

This policy applies to:

Young singers participating in our education foundation
Members of our professional chamber choir
Staff, volunteers, trustees, and contractors
Anyone who comes into contact with our charity through its work
Adults recruited to work with or support the charity, whether paid or voluntary, in line with our safer recruitment practices

3. SAFEGUARDING RESPONSIBILITIES

Continuum Choral Foundation is committed to safeguarding children and adults at risk across all its activities, including in-person, digital, outreach, and informal programme formats

We will:

Maintain clear safeguarding procedures that are regularly reviewed and updated. These include guidance on identifying concerns, reporting mechanisms, record-keeping, and appropriate responses to incidents.
Ensure all Trustees, staff, and volunteers understand and follow safeguarding protocols, which include expectations for conduct, handling disclosures sensitively, and knowing how to escalate concerns.
Conduct appropriate background checks, including DBS checks where required, and follow safer recruitment practices for all adults working with the charity. (See Appendix 1 for details.)
Provide safeguarding training for staff, volunteers and Trustees, ensuring they are equipped to recognise risks and respond appropriately. Certificates will be held to demonstrate compliance.
Ensure concerns are reported promptly to the appropriate authorities, following established reporting structures and referral pathways.
Promote a culture where safeguarding is a priority, encouraging transparency and accountability in all safeguarding matters.
Uphold our safeguarding obligations under Charity Commission guidance, including trustee oversight and reporting responsibilities.

4. IDENTIFYING AND MANAGING RISKS

4.1. We recognise the potential risks associated with our work, including:

Abuse or exploitation of vulnerable individuals
Bullying or harassment within our organisation
Data protection breaches
Health and safety risks at events and performances
Inadequate recruitment or vetting of adults working with young people

4.2. To mitigate these risks, we will:

Maintain a risk register that is regularly reviewed
Implement safeguarding procedures tailored to our activities
Ensure safeguarding considerations are embedded in all decision-making
Apply safer recruitment practices for all adults working with the charity
Ensure safeguarding risks are monitored in line with Charity Commission guidance and reported to Trustees as part of governance oversight
Maintain clear expectations around conduct, including a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and harassment.

All staff, trustees, volunteers, and freelance collaborators are expected to uphold safeguarding responsibilities appropriate to their role.

5. REPORTING AND RESPONDING TO CONCERNS

Safeguarding concerns may be raised verbally or in writing. All safeguarding concerns must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or designated safeguarding Trustee, as specified below.

The DSL is appointed by the Board and receives appropriate safeguarding training. Their role is to coordinate safeguarding responses and liaise with external authorities.
All safeguarding concerns—whether involving children or adults—should be reported to the DSL in the first instance.
If the DSL (or senior personnel) are implicated or the DSL is unavailable, concerns must be escalated to the Trustee with designated safeguarding oversight.”
If the DSL is the subject of a safeguarding concern, they must not coordinate the response. The concern must be escalated to the Trustee with designated safeguarding oversight. If that Trustee is implicated or unavailable, the concern must be escalated to the Chair of Trustees.

We will:

Handle concerns swiftly, sensitively and confidentially
Take appropriate action to prevent further harm
Refer serious incidents to the relevant authorities, including social services or the police
Maintain accurate records of safeguarding concerns and actions taken

Continuum recognises the importance of clear referral pathways and constructive engagement with external safeguarding bodies. While not a statutory provider, we commit to working responsibly with relevant agencies when concerns require escalation or specialist intervention.

Individuals may also raise safeguarding concerns through our whistleblowing procedure, particularly if internal routes feel unsafe or compromised.

6. GOVERNANCE AND OVERSIGHT

Our Trustees will:

Ensure safeguarding remains a governance priority
Regularly review safeguarding policies and procedures
Monitor safeguarding performance through reports and evaluations
Ensure safeguarding responsibilities are clearly defined within the organisation
Undertake safeguarding training appropriate to their role, with certificates held to demonstrate compliance
Fulfil their safeguarding obligations under Charity Commission guidance, including oversight of safer recruitment, risk management, and serious incident reporting
Ensure that allegations involving the DSL or other senior personnel are escalated to the designated safeguarding Trustee, in line with governance best practice
Refer serious incidents to the relevant authorities, including social services, the police, and the Charity Commission where required. See Safeguarding Procedures Appendix 3 for definitions and reporting guidance

While safeguarding responsibilities are delegated to the DSL and designated safeguarding Trustee, the Board retains ultimate accountability for ensuring the charity meets its safeguarding obligations.

7. SAFEGUARDING ONLINE AND AT EVENTS

Given our online presence and public performances, we will:

Regularly monitor content shared on our website and social media
Ensure appropriate conduct in online interactions, including a zero-tolerance approach to online bullying and harassment
Implement safeguarding measures at concerts and events, including supervision of young singers and clear conduct expectations for all participants
Ensure that adults working at events - whether paid or voluntary - are subject to safer recruitment practices
Promote both physical and emotional safety at all public-facing activities

8. WORKING WITH PARTNERS AND FUNDERS

We will ensure that any organisations we collaborate with, including funders, event partners, and delivery collaborators, have appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures in place.

Due diligence will include reviewing safeguarding frameworks, safer recruitment practices, and conduct expectations for adults working with or on behalf of the partner organisation.
We will uphold our safeguarding obligations under Charity Commission guidance when entering partnerships, ensuring that safeguarding risks are identified, mitigated, and monitored throughout the collaboration.

9. POLICY REVIEW

This policy will be reviewed annually and updated as necessary to reflect changes in legislation, best practices, and organisational needs.

The Board of Trustees will formally approve any amendments, including updates to associated appendices and procedures as set out in the Safeguarding Procedures document
The review will include safeguarding roles and responsibilities, training compliance, reporting structures, and alignment with Charity Commission guidance.
The annual review will also include evaluation of safeguarding training, reflection on any incidents or near misses, and identification of opportunities to strengthen safeguarding culture.
Safeguarding records will be retained in line with Continuum’s data protection policy. Records will be stored securely, with access restricted to those with designated safeguarding responsibilities.

10. CHARITY COMMISSION COMPLIANCE

Continuum Choral Foundation recognises its safeguarding obligations under Charity Commission guidance. Trustees are responsible for ensuring that safeguarding risks are identified, mitigated, and reported appropriately. This includes oversight of safer recruitment, serious incident reporting, and governance monitoring.

We will regularly review our safeguarding practices to ensure continued alignment with regulatory expectations, including the Charity Commission’s guidance on safeguarding for charities and trustees.

Where a safeguarding concern meets the threshold for a serious incident, it will be reported to the Charity Commission in line with regulatory guidance.

11. REGULATORY GUIDANCE

This policy has been developed drawing on guidance from:

The Charity Commission’s safeguarding guidance – Safeguarding for charities and trustees
The Department for Education’s safeguarding framework – Working Together to Safeguard Children
Best practices from similar organisations
Arts Council England’s Safeguarding Policy Statement, with reference to the Care Act 2014 and UN Convention on the Rights of the Child

NCVO’s safeguarding resources for voluntary organisations, including safer recruitment and governance oversight.