Safeguarding

Band Safeguarding Policy

The policy is part of the process that makes our Band a safe hobby and activity for our members and protects those who give their time, energy and expertise to make it happen.  

In BYMB safeguarding and independence should complement each other rather than compete. The aim is to keep young people safe while helping them develop confidence, responsibility and decision-making skills.

The safeguarding policy and procedures will be reviewed at least annually and following any significant safeguarding incident, change in legislation or statutory guidance, significant organisational change, or learning arising from an incident or near miss. 

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT:

The safety of children and members of other vulnerable groups is paramount and all, without exception, have the right to protection from abuse. Our top priority is to provide safe and supervised activities.

All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately.

All of the Band’s Management Team, Tutors, Adult Volunteers and Helpers know that they have a responsibility to report concerns.

There are clear minimum safeguarding and child protection standards that organisations should meet, which are based on statutory guidelines. But minimum standards aren’t the full picture. Safeguarding is embedded into BYMB as a continuously developing practice. 

Safeguarding should enable young people to participate safely, not prevent them from gaining the confidence and independence that we aim to develop.

BYMB takes a balanced approach to safeguarding, recognising that young people need both appropriate protection and opportunities to develop confidence, independence and resilience. The Band does not seek to eliminate all risk; instead, it assesses and manages risks proportionately, taking account of the age, maturity and experience of members. 

The Band recognises that controlled and age-appropriate challenge is an important part of young people's development. Risk assessments therefore consider not only how to protect members from harm, but also how to avoid unnecessarily restricting their opportunities to learn, develop and become more independent. 

For the Band this means progressively increasing independence while maintaining safeguarding procedures, appropriate supervision and clear communication with parents and members.

Safeguarding at BYMB is everyone's responsibility. It is not simply a set of rules or procedures. The Band seeks to create an environment in which young people feel safe, respected, listened to and able to raise concerns without fear of embarrassment, retaliation or being ignored. 

BYMB will listen to children and young people and take their views seriously when developing safeguarding arrangements. 

The Trustees retain overall responsibility for ensuring safeguarding arrangements are implemented and effective. 

TO WHOM DOES THIS POLICY APPLY?

This policy applies to members of the Band who are children under the age of 18 years and members of vulnerable groups of any age who are identified to the Band Management Team.

In recognising the needs of children and vulnerable adults from all ethnic groups and those who are disabled, the Band actively seeks to meet needs notified by parents, guardians or carers.

ENVIRONMENT:

The Bournemouth Youth Marching Band usually rehearses at Kinson Community Centre on Wednesday evenings from 6.30pm to 9pm. Occasionally meetings are held elsewhere. There are Sunday afternoon rehearsals at Poole Harbour once a month. Rehearsals are run by members of the Band Management Team or tutors. We need to be informed if young people are being picked up by someone who is not their parent. There is occasionally a weekend Training Camp.

The Band performs regularly in public and members are transported to events by coach or by parent transport if an event is local.

It is our policy to ensure that all the Volunteers and Tutors who are in charge of children or vulnerable adults are enhanced DBS checked.

BYMB uses proportionate risk assessments as part of its safeguarding arrangements. Risk assessments do not replace safeguarding procedures, statutory requirements or the responsibility of individuals to report concerns. 

Parents and friends are invited to take part in some of our events. When they are working with our children or vulnerable adults they are supervised as appropriate by Adult Volunteers or Helpers from the Band.

Adults should avoid unnecessary one-to-one situations with young people. Where a private conversation is necessary, it should normally take place in a location where the adult and young person remain observable or easily accessible to others. The adult should inform another appropriate adult that the conversation is taking place and record any safeguarding concern arising from it. 

ACTIONS IN THE EVENT OF A DISCLOSURE:

Listen carefully to what they are saying Be patient and focus on what you’re being told. Try not to express your own views and feelings. If you appear shocked or as if you don’t believe them it could make them stop talking and take back what they’ve said.

Give them the tools to talk If they're struggling to talk to you, show them The Letter Building Tool from Childline. It uses simple prompts to help them share what's happening and how they're feeling.

Let them know they've done the right thing by telling you Reassurance can make a big impact. If they’ve kept the abuse a secret it can have a big impact knowing they’ve shared what’s happened.

Tell them it's not their fault Abuse is never a child’s fault. It’s important they hear, and know, this.

Say you'll take them seriously They may have kept the abuse secret because they were scared they wouldn’t be believed. Make sure they know they can trust you and you’ll listen and support them.

Don't confront the alleged abuser Confronting the alleged abuser could make the situation worse for the child.

Explain what you'll do next For younger children, explain you’re going to speak to someone who will able to help. For older children, explain you’ll need to report the abuse to someone who can help.

Report what the child has told you as soon as possible Report as soon as possible after you’ve been told about the abuse so the details are fresh in your mind and action can be taken quickly. It can be helpful to take notes as soon after you’ve spoken to the child. Try to keep these as accurate as possible.

If a child is in immediate danger, call the police on 999 straight away.

If a child reveals abuse to you, it's important to take it seriously, listen and report. it's vital you take the next steps to help keep them safe.

BYMB does not investigate whether abuse has occurred. Its role is to recognise concerns, record them and pass them to the appropriate safeguarding authority. 

You can contact NSPCC online 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Their telephone lines are open Monday to Friday 8am – 10pm and 9am – 6pm at the weekends. 0808 800 5000 or online https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/reporting-abuse/report

The person raising the concern must not investigate it themselves.

I have a concern → Listen → Don't investigate → Record → Report to DSL / Band Management Team → Emergency = 999 

BYMB will have a confidential Safeguarding Concern Record covering:

• date/time;

• who raised concern;

• who was involved;

• factual description;

• exact words where possible;

• actions taken;

• who was informed;

• referrals;

• outcome;

• follow-up;

• secure storage.

Safeguarding records will be kept separately from ordinary member records and only accessed by people who need the information for safeguarding purposes. 

PERFORMANCE and CHANGING AREAS:

These areas will be supervised by Adult Volunteers and Helpers of the Band. Access to the Band in these areas will be limited to authorised people only.

PHOTOGRAPHY / VIDEO etc:

Permission will be sought as part of our Consent Forms for photography and video. These may be used by the Band for purposes such as recruitment, education, training and publicity. They will be the property of the Band. They will be stored securely and will not be offered for public sale.

BEHAVIOUR:

The scope applies to BYMB activities, events, rehearsals, performances, tours, camps, meetings, communications or other activities organised, authorised or undertaken on behalf of the Band. 

The Band requires its members to behave towards each other in a friendly, cordial and respectful manner. 

Members should feel welcome and included and nobody should feel that they are being made fun of or victimised through name calling or in any other way.

A high standard of appearance, deportment and discipline is expected as in uniformed cadet organisations.

We expect members to be polite to each other and to all visitors and to respond appropriately if visitors ask you any questions.

ADULTS SHOULD:

• treat members with dignity and respect

• maintain professional boundaries

• avoid favouritism

• communicate openly

• report concerns

• challenge inappropriate behaviour

• follow risk assessments

• respect privacy

• use approved communication channels.

Adults must not:

• be alone unnecessarily with a young person

• privately message young people

• form inappropriate relationships

• use inappropriate language

• engage in inappropriate physical contact

• photograph/film members outside approved arrangements

• ignore safeguarding concerns

• use alcohol or other impairing substances while responsible for members.

MESSAGING:

In common with other youth organisations adult members should not communicate with children via text message or private social networking.

Permitted

• Band-managed WhatsApp Community Groups;

• official Band email;

• Band website;

• communications involving parents/carers;

• transparent group communications.

Not permitted

• private messaging between an adult volunteer and a young member;

• disappearing messages;

• personal social-media contact;

• secret or deliberately hidden communications.

CONTACT NUMBERS:

NSPCC Adult helpline on 0808 800 5000 or Childline for young people on 0800 1111

Bandmaster Andrew Kinch 07999 521745 and the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSL) Andrew Turtle 07469 190828. The Bandmaster has safeguarding oversight and members of the Management Team will act as deputy DSLs if necessary. 

Anyone can report a safeguarding concern directly to the DSL. 

TRAINING:

The BYMB benchmark qualification is the National Youth Agency Course – Level 2 - Safeguarding in a Youth Work Setting. This is an online course.

For a qualification to be accepted as equivalent or above the BYMB benchmark, it falls to the member to provide evidence that their training is current and covered the majority of these areas:

1. Safeguarding and child-protection principles

2. Types of abuse and neglect

3. Indicators/signs of abuse and exploitation

4. Responding to a safeguarding concern

5. Reporting and referral procedures `

6. Safeguarding legislation and statutory responsibilities

7. Organisational safeguarding policies and procedures

8. Duty of Care

9. Professional boundaries

10. Position of trust

11. Safe relationships with children and young people

12. Roles and responsibilities of safeguarding personnel

13. Relevant support / referral agencies

Where equivalence cannot be established, additional safeguarding training may be required.

PROCEDURES:

All those who work with our Band will respect the rights and feelings of children and any vulnerable adults.

We will ensure that our Adult Volunteers, Tutors and Helpers take all reasonably practicable steps to protect them and to promote their welfare within a relationship of trust. 

A set of detailed Procedures underpin these aims and these will be adhered to by the Management Team, Tutors, Adult Volunteers and Helpers.

Andrew Kinch

Date: 2nd October 2026

Next Review: 1st October 2027

UPDATE

From 1 September 2026, an important change to the law will affect some organisations that involve volunteers working with children.

The supervision exemption is being removed, which means that volunteers who regularly teach, train, instruct, care for or supervise children may now be classed as carrying out regulated activity, even if they are supervised by another adult. 

As a result, many volunteers who were previously not eligible will now require an Enhanced DBS check with children's barred list information if they volunteer frequently (more than three days in a 30-day period) or overnight.