Safeguarding policy

Purpose and scope

ReAct Theatre Co. is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children, young people and adults at risk who take part in our work. This policy applies to everyone acting on behalf of ReAct — co-owners, tutors, freelance practitioners, guest artists, chaperones, volunteers and administrative staff — in every setting we work in, including third-party venues and online spaces such as this members’ space.

It reflects the Children Act 1989 and 2004, Working Together to Safeguard Children, Keeping Children Safe in Education, the Care Act 2014 and the Children (Performances and Activities) Regulations 2014.

Our principles

• The welfare of the child or adult at risk is the paramount consideration.
• All children and adults at risk have an equal right to protection, whatever their age, disability, gender, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation or background.
• Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility — it is never someone else’s job to pass a concern on.
• Children and young people have a right to be heard, believed and taken seriously.
• We work in partnership with parents, carers, venues and statutory agencies.
• Concerns are acted on promptly; we do not wait to be certain before seeking advice.

Designated Safeguarding Leads

The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is responsible for managing safeguarding concerns, liaising with statutory agencies and keeping records. In their absence, the Deputy DSL takes on the role.

Jack Dickson

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Co-owner

07984 336443

• Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead — Luke Lambert, Co-owner · 07495 056984
• Co-owner — Joe Harrison · 07593 864311

All three hold enhanced DBS clearance and undertake safeguarding training appropriate to their role, refreshed at least every two years.

Safe recruitment and training

• Everyone working unsupervised with children or adults at risk holds a current enhanced DBS check, with a barred list check where the role is regulated activity.
• We take up references and verify identity and relevant qualifications before someone starts.
• Guest practitioners and industry visitors are supervised by a DBS-checked member of ReAct staff at all times when young people are present.
• All staff are briefed on this policy, our Behaviour Policy and our Anti-Bullying Policy when they join, and know who the DSL is.
• We maintain a single record of checks, training dates and renewal dates.

Safe working practice

• Never alone. Staff avoid being alone with a child out of sight of others. Where one-to-one work is necessary, it takes place in a room with visibility, with another adult nearby and with the parent or carer’s knowledge.
• Physical contact. Contact is only used where necessary for the work or for safety, is explained and consented to first, and is never hidden.
• Supervision ratios and chaperones. Sessions for under-18s are staffed at ratios appropriate to the age, needs and activity of the group, with licensed chaperones where the law requires them.
• Registers, collection and pick-up. Attendance is recorded. Young people are only released to a parent, carer or named adult agreed in advance.
• Medical and access needs. Parents and carers disclose medical conditions, allergies and additional needs before the first session, and we hold emergency contact details for every participant under 18.
• First aid and incidents. A first-aid trained member of staff is present at sessions; accidents and near-misses are recorded and shared with parents or carers.
• Changing and personal care. Young people change in supervised, appropriate spaces with adults kept out; personal care is only given with prior written agreement.
• Behaviour. Discipline is positive and proportionate. Physical punishment, humiliation and shouting are never acceptable.

Online safety and the members’ space

• Membership accounts are held by adults. Where a participant is under 18, a parent or guardian holds the account and makes bookings.
• Staff communicate with young people through official ReAct channels only — never through personal phones, personal social media accounts or private direct messages.
• Staff and administrators can see all class chats and the network chat, and moderate them.
• Safeguarding concerns must never be raised in a group chat; they go directly to the DSL.
• Member data in the members’ space is access-controlled, and directory visibility is in each member’s own control.

Photography, filming and social media

• No photograph, film or recording of a child is taken or used without the written consent of a parent or guardian, and consent can be withdrawn at any time.
• Images are taken on ReAct devices only, stored securely, and never on personal phones.
• We do not publish a child’s full name alongside their image, or any information that could identify where they live or study.
• Participants and parents must not film or photograph sessions, or post images of other people’s children, without permission.
• Images are deleted when they are no longer needed or when consent is withdrawn.

Recognising and reporting a concern

Concerns may arise from something you see, something a young person tells you, or a change in behaviour. The categories of abuse are physical, emotional, sexual, neglect, and specific risks including bullying, child sexual and criminal exploitation, female genital mutilation, radicalisation, domestic abuse and online harm.

If a young person discloses to you

1. Listen calmly and let them speak in their own words. Do not interrupt.
2. Take it seriously and tell them they were right to speak up.
3. Do not ask leading questions, promise to keep it secret, or investigate.
4. Explain, honestly, that you have to pass it on to keep them safe.
5. Record what was said as soon as possible, in their words, with the date, time and your name.
6. Report to the DSL the same day — immediately if there is a risk of harm.

What happens next

The DSL decides on the response, seeking advice from the local authority children’s social care team or the LADO where needed, and refers to social care or the police where the threshold is met. Parents or carers are informed unless doing so would place the child at greater risk. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999 first and tell the DSL straight away.

Allegations against staff

Any allegation that someone working for ReAct has harmed a child, behaved towards a child in a way that indicates they may be unsuitable, or committed a relevant offence, is reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead immediately — or, if the allegation concerns the DSL, to another co-owner.

The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) is contacted within one working day and their advice is followed before any internal investigation. The person may be suspended as a neutral act while matters are assessed. Where someone is dismissed or would have been dismissed for harm to a child, we make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Whistleblowing

Anyone who believes a safeguarding concern is not being handled properly must escalate it. Raise it with another co-owner, or go directly to the Local Authority Designated Officer or the NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice Line on 0800 028 0285. Raising a concern in good faith is protected — no one will be penalised for it.

Records and confidentiality

Safeguarding records are factual, dated, signed and kept separately from other records, in encrypted storage accessible only to the DSL and Deputy DSL. Information is shared only on a need-to-know basis, and with statutory agencies where the law allows or requires it. Records are retained in line with statutory guidance and our Data Protection Policy; concerns about a child are kept until the person’s 25th birthday as a minimum.

Key contacts

• DSL Jack Dickson — 07984 336443
• Deputy DSL Luke Lambert — 07495 056984
• Co-owner Joe Harrison — 07593 864311
• ReAct office — hello@reacttheatreco.com
• Ealing LADO, Emmanuel Adofo — 020 8825 8930
• NSPCC Helpline — 0808 800 5000 · Childline — 0800 1111
• Police / emergency services — 999 (101 for non-emergency)

Related policies: Community guidelines, Terms & conditions, Privacy policy. Our Anti-Bullying, Behaviour, and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion policies are published on reacttheatreco.com and available on request.