balletLORENT Safeguarding Polcy
1. Policy Statement
This policy statement outlines balletLORENT’s commitment to safeguarding the wellbeing of everyone we work with. balletLORENT acknowledges the duty to act appropriately to any allegations, reports or suspicions of abuse and/or neglect. balletLORENT strives to excel in safeguarding attitudes, practices and procedures rather than merely meeting minimum legal standards. Therefore, we encourage meaningful involvement from our beneficiaries, staff, sub-contractors and stakeholders in our safeguarding practices.
It is important to have robust policy and procedures in place so we can all work to identify and prevent abuse and know what to do in the event of abuse and allegations of abuse.
balletLORENT’s Safeguarding Policy has been drawn up to enable balletLORENT to:
balletLORENT is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children, young people and adults we work with by taking all reasonable steps to protect them from neglect, physical, sexual or emotional harm.
Safeguarding is the responsibility of everyone. It is primarily the responsibility of the Board of Directors to ensure that balletLORENT safeguarding policy and procedures are current, relevant and adhered to.
balletLORENT provides safe, positive and empowering environments for all people who engage in our projects, programmes and events.
balletLORENT’s work with children, young people and adults aims to be fun, informative and inspirational. This can only be achieved in an atmosphere of trust, dignity and respect.
balletLORENT recognises there are a variety of approaches required to ensure an effective prevention from harm strategy which includes: creating the right environment, developing practice standards, empowering people, sharing information and developing our monitoring role.
Safe recruitment and selection guidance in Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (Schedule 10) sits alongside balletLORENT’s recruitment policy. The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), where Enhanced DBS checks are made for relevant personnel, is used to ensure safe recruitment decisions are made and to prevent unsuitable people from working with children and young people.
balletLORENT provides Safeguarding Awareness training at least every three years for all relevant personnel, and resources for regular training for our Designated and Deputy Safeguarding Officers.
balletLORENT personnel must always show respect for and understanding of the rights, safety and welfare of our beneficiaries and conduct themselves in a way that reflects this.
balletLORENT takes concerns, disclosures and suspicions seriously. Full support will be given to individuals who raise concerns and suspicions.
All balletLORENT personnel receive a copy of the Staff Handbook together with the following balletLORENT policies:
balletLORENT personnel must agree to adhere to the principles and procedures contained within these policies as a condition of their employment or engagement.
2. Legal Responsibility
Legislation sets out the legal responsibilities and guidance for ensuring the safeguarding of children, young people and vulnerable adults, including:
This policy sets out how balletLORENT’s practices and procedures comply with current legislation, and describes what our duty of care means in practice.
3. Children and Vulnerable Adult Definitions
This policy and procedures relate to the safeguarding of all children, young people and vulnerable adults working with balletLORENT.
For the purposes of this policy:
4. balletLORENT’s Defined Personnel
balletLORENT Personnel: balletLORENT employs people on full and part time, permanent, fixed and temporary contracts, and offers volunteering opportunities to anyone interested in furthering our aims and objectives. We provide work placements for students of all ages and abilities, mentor aspiring dancers and artists across the country, and work with established and new collaborators. We employ the services of freelance, independent and professional artists and offer training and performance opportunities to members of the local community.
Personnel with designated safeguarding responsibilities:
This policy applies to all of the above.
5. Policy Implementation
To implement this policy, balletLORENT will work:
balletLORENT will:
6. Safe Recruitment / Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Checks
balletLORENT is committed to safer recruitment of personnel regardless of contract type, paid or unpaid, job role etc. This may include DBS checks and ensuring references are taken up. Regular safeguard training is provided for personnel as appropriate.
balletLORENT personnel who regularly work with children and young people, or who have access to sensitive or personal information are required to hold a current clean DBS certificate. In line with DBS regulatory checking requirements, an enhanced disclosure with a barred list check is required for personnel carrying out regulated activity, and may include, but is not limited to Dance Teachers, Support Workers, Senior Staff with access to sensitive or personal information. (Section 120 of the Police Act 1997, Revised Code of Practice for Disclosure and Barring Service Registered Persons November 2015)
Contractors, Freelance Dance Teachers, Volunteers and other third parties engaged to work with children young people are required to hold a current clean DBS certificate, which must be presented prior to work commencing.
balletLORENT will work within the current legal frameworks for reporting personnel that are subject to any allegation(s) of abuse.
balletLORENT will adhere to current legislation (Data Protection Act 2018) regarding the handling of DBS related information, as outlined in our Data Protection Policy.
7. Introduction
These procedures have been designed to ensure the welfare and protection of all stakeholders accessing services provided by balletLORENT. The procedures recognise that abuse and neglect can be a difficult subject for personnel to deal with. balletLORENT is committed to the belief that the protection of adults and children from harm and abuse is everybody’s responsibility and the aim of these procedures is to ensure that all personnel act appropriately in response to any concern around abuse and allegations of abuse.
The one thing personnel must not do is NOTHING
8. Recognising the signs and symptoms of abuse
Abuse includes:
It is important to remember:
9. Physical Contact with Adults, Children and Young People (Appropriate and Safe Touch)
balletLORENT recognises that dance and theatre are physical activities that can require touch to support learning, and physical contact among participants. Our Appropriate and Safe Touch Policy outlines key principles balletLORENT believes create thriving opportunities to learn from the best persons available in the safest possible space. Please refer to our Appropriate and Safe Touch Policy for more information.
10. The 5 R’s of Safeguarding
Personnel should complete a Cause for Concern Form in all cases for recording incidents / concerns.
11. Designated Safeguarding Officer
balletLORENT has an appointed individual who is responsible for dealing with all safeguarding concerns. In their absence, a deputy is available. The Designated and Deputy Safeguarding Officers within balletLORENT are:
James MacGillivray - Designated Safeguarding Officer
Work Telephone number: 0191 233 1811
Emergency Contact Number: 07812 032 404
Hannah Moreno – Deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer
Work telephone number: 0191 233 1811
Emergency contact number: 07835 937 730
12. Role and Responsibilities of the DSO and DDSO
13. Definition of an allegation
An allegation is defined as where:
It is alleged that a person who works with children or adults has:
14. Responding to people who have experienced or are experiencing abuse
balletLORENT recognises its duty to act on reports, or suspicions of abuse or neglect and that taking action in cases of abuse is never easy.
How to respond if you receive an allegation:
If you witness abuse or abuse has just taken place the priorities will be:
All situations of abuse or alleged abuse must be raised with the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) or their Deputy (DDSO) within 24 hours, in person or by submitting a completed Cause for Concern Form. Cause for Concern Forms will be added to the Safeguarding Log by the Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) or their Deputy (DDSO).
§5. Raising an Alert
Regarding Newcastle residents:
For advice on whether to raise an alert in Newcastle for Adults contact:
Adult Social CarePoint
Phone: 0191 278 7878
Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm
For advice on whether to raise an alert in Newcastle for Children contact:
Initial Response Team
Phone: 0191 277 2500
Available Monday – Friday, 8.45am – 5pm
Out of Hours: 0191 278 7878
The Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) or (DDSO) may take advice at any stage from Newcastle’s Adult Safeguarding Unit on 0191 211 6748 or for Children’s Safeguarding on 0191 277 2500.
Northumbria Police
In the case of an emergency call 999.
In the case of a non-emergency call 101.
Details of Safeguarding Boards in other local authority areas can be found here: https://safeguarding-guide.nhs.uk/contacts/
Where the Company is delivering activity away from its Newcastle base, local safeguarding contacts will be provided to personnel.
16. Submitting a Referral
Once the decision has been made to submit a referral the following process must be initiated and adhered to.
An Adults Referral must be submitted using the form here:
A Children’s Referral must be submitted via the portal here:
This is a secure portal to protect peoples’ identities and confidentiality.
balletLORENT personnel submitting a referral must gather the contact details of whom the referral is made, along with the date and time. These details should be recorded in the safeguarding log.
Information on the alert progress should be provided to the individual. Personnel can signpost to other sources of help and information if felt appropriate, however, the alert process will also do this, therefore balletLORENT would prefer personnel not to signpost.
17. Managing an allegation made against a member of staff, volunteer or personnel
balletLORENT will ensure that any allegations made against a member of staff, volunteer or personnel will be dealt with swiftly, impartially and effectively.
Where an allegation is made, the following steps will be initiated:
The DSO or DDSO will then meet with the Board’s Safeguarding Lead and Senior Management to discuss and set the next steps, where disciplinary action may apply.
balletLORENT takes responsibility of safeguarding seriously whilst recognising that an allegation can be extremely upsetting for not only the individual, but the entire Company. Anyone receiving an allegation will be treated as English law states. Therefore, balletLORENT will adopt an “innocent until proven otherwise” approach.
balletLORENT aims to fully support personnel welfare throughout this stage of the process.
Where it is suspected a criminal offence may have been committed, the police will be informed. If a crime has been witnessed the police should be contacted immediately.
The safety of the individual(s) concerned is paramount. A risk assessment must be undertaken immediately to assess the level of risk to all beneficiaries posed by the alleged perpetrator. This will include whether it is safe for them to continue in their role or any other role within the Company whilst an investigation is undertaken.
The Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) or Deputy (DDSO) will liaise with the Board’s Safeguarding Lead, Senior Management and the Local Authority to discuss the next course of action. Senior Management will ensure balletLORENT’s disciplinary procedures are co-ordinated with any other enquiries taking place as part of the ongoing management of the allegation.
18. Record keeping and managing confidential information
All allegations/concerns will be recorded in the secure, confidential Safeguarding Log. The information should be factual and not based on opinions, record what the person tells you, what you have seen and witness details if appropriate.
The information that is recorded will be kept securely and comply with balletLORENT’s Data Protection policy.
19. Disseminating our policy and procedures
This Safeguarding Policy will be clearly communicated to all balletLORENT personnel. The Designated Safeguarding Officer and Deputy will be responsible for ensuring that this is communicated effectively.
This policy will be made available to balletLORENT’s beneficiaries and their parent/carers via our website. One hard copy will be available for parents/carers and participants to read at each session. Upon request balletLORENT will provide a copy of this policy to any enquirer.
20. Reviewing our policy and procedures
This Safeguarding Policy will be reviewed annually by the Designated / Deputy Safeguarding Officer and Senior Management. The Designated Safeguarding Officer and Deputy will ensure that all changes and updates are clearly communicated to all personnel. Beneficiaries and parents/carers will be informed of any significant changes.
balletLORENT will review any incidents during the year and take appropriate action to resolve them, adapting policies and procedures immediately if required.
21. Supplementary Documents
This policy should be read in conjunction with the following policies, which are available upon request:
Further supplementary documents include:
Reviewed: July 2026
Review due: July 2027
