Child Protection Policy | Made of Music

MADE OF MUSIC LIMITED

CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

Made of Music Limited is fully committed to providing a safe environment for children and young people, and to safeguarding the wellbeing of our young students. School faculty should, at all times, show respect and understanding for the rights, safety and welfare of students and conduct themselves in a way that reflects the principles of the School.

The aim of the Made of Music Limited Child Protection Policy is to promote best practice in protection and set out a procedural framework to ensure that members of staff are equipped to make informed responses to specific issues and minimise risk with regard to protection and welfare issues.

In implementing its policy, we follow the recommendations of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs in these documents Children First – National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, and Our Duty to Care – The Principles of Good Practice for the Protection of Children and Young People.

Following are the Made of Music Limited procedures covering:

Code of Behaviour for Staff
Procedures for Reporting Suspected Cases of Abuse
Allegations of Misconduct or Abuse by Staff
Recruitment and Selection Practices
Complaints and Accidents Procedure

These are explained in more detail below.

Code of Behaviour for Staff

Made of Music Limited staff must be mindful of the risks involved in working one-to-one with children and should conduct themselves in a manner that prioritises student safety and wellbeing.
CCTV for Safeguarding: To further promote a safe learning environment, Made of Music Limited operates CCTV cameras in the waiting area and all teaching rooms. These cameras record video images only; no audio is captured. The purpose of CCTV use is to enhance security, support safeguarding, and assist in the investigation of complaints or serious incidents. CCTV footage will never be used for lesson observation or staff evaluation. All recordings are stored securely for a limited retention period in compliance with the Data Protection Acts 1988–2018 and GDPR, with access restricted to the Designated Liaison Person (DLP) and authorised senior management. Footage may be shared with Tusla, An Garda Síochána, or other statutory agencies where required for safeguarding purposes.
While physical contact may sometimes be necessary to demonstrate instrument technique, it must be directly relevant to the lesson, appropriate to the situation, and acceptable to all concerned. Physical contact as a means of comfort, reassurance, or concern for a child should also only occur when acceptable to all parties.
Staff must never physically punish or verbally abuse a child, nor make jokes or comments of a sexual nature in the presence of children. Staff should remain alert to the risk of developing favouritism, becoming over-involved, or spending disproportionate amounts of time with any one child.
Children and/or parents should be encouraged to report any concerns to the School’s Child Protection Officer or a staff member of their choice. All complaints will be brought to the attention of the School Director (Mary Power) and will be responded to promptly.
All individuals associated with Made of Music Limited must respect the personal space, safety, and privacy of others at all times.

Procedures for Reporting Suspected Cases of Abuse

Child abuse can be categorised into four types: neglect, emotional, physical and sexual. Children First – National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children includes the following definitions of child abuse:

Neglect. This is where a child suffers significant harm or impairment of development by being deprived of food, clothing, warmth, hygiene, intellectual stimulation, supervision and safety, attachment to and affection from adults, or medical care.
Emotional Abuse. This is normally found in the relationship between a caregiver and a child. It occurs when a child’s needs for affection, approval, consistency and security are not met.
Physical Abuse. Physical abuse is any form of non-accidental injury that causes significant harm to a child.
Sexual Abuse. Sexual abuse occurs when a child is used by another person for his or her gratification or arousal, or for that of others.

Any person who suspects that a child is being abused or is at risk of abuse has a responsibility to report their concerns to the health board (via the School’s Child Protection Officer - Mary Power). The Protection for Persons Reporting Child Abuse Act (1998) provides immunity from civil liability to persons who report child abuse ‘reasonably and in good faith’ to designated officers of health boards or any member of An Garda Síochána.

Within Made of Music Limited, the report should be made to the Child Protection Officer (Mary Power). If there are any grounds for concern, the health board or An Garda Síochána will be contacted. The person who first reported the matter will normally be required to talk to the duty social worker. When reporting, as much information as possible should be provided, i.e. names, addresses, full account of the concern for the child, dates of incidents, circumstances, and the child’s own statement, if relevant.

In cases of emergency, where a child appears to be at immediate and serious risk, An Garda Síochána will be contacted.

A suspicion, which is not supported by any objective signs of abuse, would not constitute a reasonable suspicion, or reasonable grounds for concern.

Any information provided to the health board and An Garda Síochána will remain confidential.

Allegations of Misconduct or Abuse by Staff

The following actions are to be taken if an allegation is made against a member of staff:

The applicable employment contract and the laws of natural justice are to be followed.
The School Director (Mary Power) will be informed as soon as possible.
The first priority is that no child is exposed to unnecessary risk, and the School Director will take the relevant protective measures.
These measures will be proportionate to the level of risk, and will not unreasonably penalise the staff member. Where protective measures, such as suspension, do penalise the staff member, early consideration will be given to the case.
Any action following the allegation of abuse against a staff member will be taken in consultation with the health board and An Garda Síochána. An immediate meeting with these two agencies will be arranged.
After these consultations, the accused person will be informed by the Director of his/her future in Made of Music Limited.
Made of Music Limited will ensure that all is done to assist the health board and An Garda Síochána in their investigation of the matter.

Recruitment and Selection Practices

When a vacancy becomes available, a clear description of the job is to be provided. The minimum level of personal qualities required to fill the post are to be made clear.
Applicants are interviewed by our school Director (Mary Power). The information supplied by the applicant and any other information supplied on their behalf will only be seen by persons directly involved in the recruitment procedure.
Applicants are to supply the names of two referees who will testify as to their character, their suitability to the job and any other issues, which may affect their ability to perform the required tasks. At least one referee should have first-hand knowledge of the applicant’s previous work or contact with children.
The applicant will be required to confirm his/her identity against some documentation, which gives his or her full name and address together with a signature or photograph.

Complaints and Accident Procedure

Emergency numbers are known by all staff members.
Teachers always have mobile phones on hand for emergency purposes.
A first aid box is kept close at hand.
All accidents and complaints are to be reported to the Child Protection Officer, who will then enter them in a logbook.
The School Director (Mary Power) will be informed of any new entries in this book.

Questions?

Questions about our Child Protection Policy?