Child Protection & Online Safeguarding 

POLICY & CONTEXT

It’s Everyone’s Job
Roles and Responsibilities of DMS personnel in relation to Child Protection

“As children and young people, we have a right to
be protected and be safe from harm from others.”
 
National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland https://www.gov.scot/publications/national-guidance-child-protection-scotland-2021-updated-2023/

Drake Music Scotland shares the objective of promoting, supporting and safeguarding the wellbeing of all children and young people, including those who are most vulnerable.  We work with disabled children and young people and additional support needs, identified as one of the groups that can be more vulnerable to abuse.  We are part of a network of organisations involved with children, their families and carers.  We are also part of the wider community which is considered ‘collectively responsible’ for safeguarding the welfare of children and young people, providing a robust child protection system and reporting concerns about a child’s welfare to the statutory agencies (Police and Social Work). For the system to work effectively everyone needs to understand the contribution they can make and how those contributions fit together to provide the best outcomes for children and young people. Through our work we partner with many organisations including schools and out of school providers and will work with our partners on any Child Protection issues that arise to ensure that appropriate action is taken.

The Drake Music Scotland Board of Trustees is responsible for good governance and takes a close interest in Child Protection, ensuring it is up to date in its policies, practice and training.  Two named DMS Board Members have been appointed to have an overview of this area and will be made aware of any related matters, supporting the team in dealing with them when required.

Drake Music Scotland provides guidance and training to those working with us in any capacity so you can understand your role and responsibilities.  The Child Protection training is updated for all core staff and freelance musicians every three years and anyone joining the team is requested to do a suitable CP training course within the first few weeks of working with us.  We ensure that our Policy and Guidelines are kept up to date and made available to all. 
 
Reporting a Concern

The following Guidance includes information on reporting a concern about a child/young person. If you have a concern, inform one of the people in the DMS team named below.  If you receive a direct disclosure you should: LISTEN, OBSERVE, RECORD and REPORT as soon as possible to a senior member of the team.   The Designated Child Protection Co-ordinator for DMS is Thursa Sanderson, Chief Executive – Tel 0131 659 4766, Direct line 0131 659 2934, email: thursasanderson@drakemusicscotland.org

If Thursa Sanderson is unavailable you can contact: 
Emma Lines, Head of Learning - email emmalines@drakemusicscotland.org
Pete Sparkes, Artistic Director - email petesparkes@drakemusicscotland.org
Drake Music Scotland
SPACE, 11 Harewood Road, 
Edinburgh 
EH16 4NT 
Tel. 0131 659 4766
www.drakemusicscotland.org

The designated members of the DMS Board with an overview of Child Protection matters are Emma Murray and Alisha Kadir who can be contacted by email: emma.murray1@barclays.com & alisha.kadir@googlemail.com 

You can also contact the NSPCC Helpline anonymously on: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/our-services/nspcc-helpline/   

□	Introduction and Aims

Drake Music Scotland (DMS) provides opportunities for disabled people and additional support needs to take part in music making through a programme of projects and public performances. Our ethos embraces difference and diversity and we respect the rights of children and young people. Our work acknowledges Children’s Rights as outlined by Scotland’s Children and Young People’s Commissioner: https://www.cypcs.org.uk/rights

In our work we uphold the principles of:
□	UN Convention on the Rights of the Child - https://www.unicef.org.uk/what-we-do/un-convention-child-rights/
□	Education Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence - https://education.gov.scot/curriculum-for-excellence/
□	The SHANARRI indicators – Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible, Included: https://www.gov.scot/policies/girfec/wellbeing-indicators-shanarri/
□	GIRFEC - Getting it Right for Every Child: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/People/Young-People/gettingitright

The Policy applies to all aspects of the work of DMS with children and we have a separate Vulnerable Adult Protection Policy – both policies can be found at https://drakemusicscotland.org/policies/.  Together the two policies make up our overall Safeguarding Policy.  We recognise our responsibility to take all reasonable steps to protect children and vulnerable adults by:
□	Preventing harm, abuse or exploitation 
□	Promoting safe practice 
□	Reporting any instances of harm or suspected harm to the relevant authorities

It is important that DMS personnel - trustees, staff, freelance staff, trainees and volunteers - are familiar with the Policy and Guidelines and receive updated versions. We will disseminate this information to you and ensure you receive appropriate training, which will be refreshed every three years.  This ensures you are aware of the indicators of abuse and how to act if you observe or receive information about instances of harm or suspected harm, how to record it and who to report to. Consideration will also be given to your welfare and anyone working with us affected by incidents that occur will be given support.

Child Protection for Disabled Children and Young People
It is important that DMS all personnel are aware that deaf and disabled children can be at greater risk of abuse because of their difficulties with communication, dependence on carers and isolation from their peers.  

The most recent training received by DMS Staff was NSPCC training Child Protection for Children with Disabilities received by DMS staff in March 2024 by completing the online training course.  All staff concerned are encouraged to be proactive in this area and refresh their knowledge by taking NSPCC courses: https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/training/our-elearning-courses

Online Protection
Due to the Covid pandemic and the need for our services to be delivered online during that time, we implemented an additional policy on Online Safeguarding which was issued to all involved in delivering online sessions with children and vulnerable adults. This is in addition to the section within this Policy on awareness of Online Abuse (see Section 3). Some online delivery remains, so this policy is still in place.

A new addition to this policy is the Online Safety Act – https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/online-safety-act 

The Online Safety Act 2023 (the Act) protects children and adults online. It puts a range of new duties on social media companies and search services, giving them legal duties to protect their users from illegal content and content harmful to children. As of the 17th March 2025, platforms have a legal duty to protect their users from illegal content online. 

How the Online Safety act applies to DMS - We have reviewed our online services and have found that parts of the Figurenotes Accessible Music Hub (hub.figurenotes.org) fall within scope of the Online Safety Act 2023 as a 'user-to-user service'. In order to comply with the Online Safety Act, we are required to closely monitor any content posted there, and keep an up to date complaints procedure and annual risk assessment regarding this service at all times. Due to our small user base, no excessive measures are required at this time. Drake Music Scotland are also removing the Figurenotes Accessible Music Hub between August 2025 and March 2026 and replacing this with a non user-to-user service. Similar risk assessments would be done within 3 months of starting any new in-scope services. All of our other communication and services currently comply with regulation set out in the Online Safety Act.

Cultural Differences
It should also be noted that cultural sensitivities can deter people from reporting abuse, assuming that some practices are acceptable in a different cultural or ethnic context and therefore cannot be considered abusive. Consideration should be given to instances where cultural differences might prevent reporting of abuse.  

Creative Scotland - Creating Safety
Creating Safety child protection and safeguarding guidance was developed by Creative Scotland for those working in the arts and involved in delivering activities to children and young people and also includes safeguarding in an online context: 
https://www.creativescotland.com/__data/assets/pdf_file/0016/21373/Creating-Safety-2019-FINAL.pdf 
 
Information and training are available from sources such as Children in Scotland and the NSPCC including the NSPCC’s online training courses referred to above.  The DMS staff listed above are responsible for training and co-ordinating action as part of this Policy and Guidelines, and reporting to external statutory Child Protection agencies.  It is the responsibility of these agencies to investigate any reported concerns.

□	How Children and Young People will be Protected

DMS will ensure:
□	Safeguarding policies are reviewed every year and best practice is followed 
□	We keep up-to-date with national developments relating to care and protection of children, including the implementation of the UNCRC which will fully commence by 16th July 2024 following a 3 year implementation programme from 2021-2024.
□	All personnel understand their responsibility in relation to policies and procedures including Recruitment and PVG/Disclosure Checks (updated every 3 years), Child Protection, Film and Photography Permissions 
□	Safeguarding Children and Young People training is received by staff, core and freelance, trustees & volunteers and refreshed at least every 3 years
□	New members of staff receive training as part of their induction or as soon as possible after they start
□	Personnel understand their obligation to report concerns and not give participants assurances of confidentiality that cannot be met 
□	Senior staff understand their responsibility to refer any concerns to the appropriate statutory agency (Police and/or Social Work)
□	Participants are respected irrespective of gender, disability, race, sexual orientation, age, religious or political beliefs or offending background 
□	Participants have the opportunity to express their views and have them considered
□	Procedures relating to conduct of staff including freelance staff are made known to all
□	Complaints and disciplinary procedures are implemented in a fair, consistent and equitable manner 
□	Information is shared and discussed with parents, carers, support workers and staff of external organizations who will have access to guidelines and procedures including Child Protection and Complaints Procedures

Responsibilities of Individual Members of Staff/Freelance Personnel
Many activities take place in external venues in partnership with other organisations such as schools. External venues have their own Child Protection procedures in operation, and we will seek to ensure these are in place when entering agreements with partner organisations.  DMS personnel coming into contact with children being provided for by other organisations should ensure that any instance or cause for concern they have is shared with the people with responsibility for Child Protection at DMS who will discuss the issue and level of concern with you and agree action to be taken. The designated person at DMS will follow up with appropriate personnel at the school or venue.  You should be prepared to give information at a future time if you have reported a concern.  It is important that notes are made at all stages, which should be dated and signed.

Some activities take place at the DMS base (MusicSPACE). Some DMS participants attending sessions at the DMS base are accompanied by a parent or support person who is either present or available nearby. A conversation will take place about the most appropriate arrangement and if necessary we will ask those accompanying a participant to remain present. 

Some young people attend activities independently (in activity including MusicSPACE and Digital Orchestra: Youth programmes) and this is encouraged as part of the process of gaining independence.   Appropriate steps should be discussed and agreed with individuals who are at the stage of attending activities on their own i.e. a young person aged 16 who feels able to travel by public transport to attend a session. This will ensure that a suitable level of responsibility is given and at the same time participants’ safety and wellbeing is considered. DMS staff will communicate with young people, their parents, carers or other agencies to discuss how they can participate safely.  DMS core team members will be available onsite whenever young people are attending activities independently.  

□	Reporting a Concern about Possible Child Abuse

Forms of Child Abuse
Child Abuse is any action by another person – adult or child – that causes significant harm to a child.  It can take the form of physical abuse including physical injury resulting from assault or neglect; emotional abuse such as damage and distress resulting from persistent ill treatment, verbal abuse bullying and exploitation for any purpose which could also lead to any of the above.  It can also be a lack of love, care and attention – abuse ‘by omission’.  Abused children often experience more than one type of abuse, and it can happen over a period of time.  

Use of Mobile Phones/Internet Access & Online Abuse
In addition, online abuse including online sexual abuse can cause significant harm and can be difficult to detect due to its hidden nature. Increasingly abuse takes the form of online abuse and often involves the use of mobile phones, which gives others access to an individual that can be difficult to notice.  It is important that all concerned have an awareness of the various types of online abuse and signs of abuse.  

The NSPCC website has useful information about the indicators to look out for and online courses are available: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/online-abuse/

The National Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) has information about online abuse, information for those concerned about possible abuse and ways to report it: https://ceop.police.uk/safety-centre

The main point is that lines of communication are open so that children feel able to talk to you about concerns and you know how to act. There are several resources relating to Online Safety including: 
https://www.internetmatters.org/
https://www.childnet.com/
https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/online-mobile-safety/staying-safe-online/ 
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/share-aware/

DMS aims to minimize the risk of abuse through the use of mobile phones and sharing of inappropriate material on social media and online, which has the potential to harm.  Use of mobile phones during its music sessions is discouraged and access to the internet is used only for the purposes of music education activities.  However, you can encourage discussion about the responsible use of mobiles, social media and online activity in order to help young people make informed choices and gain an understanding of personal safety. These issues may be addressed when considered appropriate through the music-making activities e.g. lyric and song-writing with teenage groups. 

It can be more difficult for young people with additional support needs to understand these issues which increases their vulnerability. Communicating with them, their parents/carers, support workers, teachers, and other partners is key in order to create a safer environment for all.  Plain English and pictorial versions of information should be used e.g. the CYPPS ‘Your Rights in Pictures’ https://cypcs.org.uk/rights/uncrc/articles/

Signs of Abuse & How to Act if you have a Concern

A list of the most common signs of abuse is appended below (Appendix 2).  Please be aware that this is not a definitive list and that other signs, particularly changes in behaviour, can also indicate that abuse it happening.  

It is important to note that many of our participants have difficulty expressing themselves verbally.  Particular attention should be given to non-verbal signs of abuse or harm and changes in behaviour as sometimes a disabled child may not be able to say what is happening. You should be alert to the possibility of a child being threatened or bullied, including cyber-bullying, online abuse and grooming.  Some signs of abuse are listed in Appendix 2 below (not a comprehensive list).

Abuse can be disclosed in various ways.  You may have a concern because of something you have observed or overheard.  You may also receive information directly from an individual or third party or anonymously.  If you receive information that gives rise to a concern that abuse is taking place, report this to one of the people named above who will investigate it further.  If a participant or someone on behalf of a participant makes a disclosure of abuse or expresses a concern directly to you, and you are not in a position to refer it immediately to one of the people named above, you should LISTEN, OBSERVE, RECORD and REPORT.  

LISTEN
□	Listen with care and sympathy and take the person seriously
□	Reassure the person they are not to blame
□	Do not promise not to tell anyone as you will have to pass information on 
□	Try to respond without showing signs of disbelief, disapproval, anxiety or shock 
□	Encourage the person to use their own words and give them time to talk
□	Enquire briefly how any injury was sustained or why a person appears upset 
□	Use open-ended questions e.g. ‘Tell me about what happened…’  

OBSERVE
□	Note your observations regarding signs of abuse, behaviour and demeanour of the person/s concerned, others who were present etc. 

RECORD
□	Take written notes using the person’s actual words at the time or as soon after the incident as possible

REPORT
□	Report as soon as possible to the Child Protection Co-ordinator for DMS or other senior member of staff

How DMS will respond to a Concern
If a concern is reported to the Designated DMS Child Protection Co-ordinator or another senior member of staff will treat the disclosure as a matter of urgency.  The report will be discussed with you and anyone else who witnessed the incident.  Any other information will gathered as soon as possible, including notes from any previous discussions, and the level of concern will be assessed.  If the level of concern is considered to be high the Child Protection Co-ordinator or other senior team members will notify the Police or Social Work department, providing the following information:

□	Their name, designation, organisation name and contact details 
□	Full name, age, date of birth and address of child/young person concerned
□	Details of disclosure or reason for concern, and who is at risk
□	Copies of any written notes and other relevant information
□	Who is thought to have harmed or posed a threat to the child or vulnerable adult

A record of all information passed on to the authority will be made and kept securely, including date, time and name of person receiving the information on behalf of the relevant agency (Police or Social Work).  The personnel involved should make themselves available if required if the receiving agency requests further information.

If the disclosure involves DMS staff or volunteers, the DMS Child Protection Co-ordinator will report the matter to the Chair of the Board of Trustees as well as referring the matter to the appropriate agency.  The Chairperson and any other member of the Board as considered appropriate will liaise with the agency as they conduct their investigation. The Disciplinary procedure will be put into action.

If a concern is reported that involves staff of another organisation or that took place in a school or other setting where another organisation’s CP Policy is in place, the DMS Child Protection Co-ordinator will share and discuss the information with their counterpart there, and they will discuss how to deal with the situation and which organisation is taking lead responsibility. The other organisation should continue to follow up in order to ensure what has been agreed is put into effect and the best interests of the child are met.  

Appendix 1 – Definitions

A Child
A child can be defined as a person up to the age of 16, and for certain purposes, may also include a person up to the age of 18 years.  A full definition can be found in the Scottish Government’s published document National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland 2014 available on the Scottish Government website.  The Guidance was designed in response to the Key Principle of GIRFEC (Getting It Right for Every Child) - further information about GIRFEC can also be found at: https://www.gov.scot/policies/girfec/ More general information about guidance around young people can be found at:
 http://www.gov.scot/Topics/People/Young-People

□	Local authorities have responsibilities to support children and their families until the ‘child’ is 18
□	Where local authorities have been allocated parental responsibilities by a court order, these responsibilities last until the young person is 18
□	Young people between 16 and 18 who are subject to a Children’s Hearing supervision requirement are considered children 
□	Boarding schools have a welfare duty for young people between 16 and 18 in their charge and care
□	Child protection procedures may be extended to cover children with special needs (learning or physical disabilities) until the age of 18

Appendix 2 - Signs of Possible Child Abuse

It is important to remember that lists such as the one below are not completely definitive or exhaustive. The information in such lists has to be used in the context of the child or young person’s whole situation and in combination with a range of other information related to the child and his/her circumstances such as when there is a significant change in behaviour. There can be an overlap between all the different forms of child abuse and all or several may co-exist.  

Physical Abuse
□	Unexplained injuries or burns, particularly if they are recurrent 
□	Improbable excuses given to  explain injuries 
□	Refusal to discuss injuries 
□	Untreated injuries or delay in reporting them 
□	Arms and legs kept covered in hot weather
□	Fear of returning home, running away, fear of certain people
□	Aggression towards others

Physical Neglect
□	Constant hunger 
□	Poor personal hygiene 
□	Constant tiredness 
□	Poor state of clothing 
□	Frequent lateness/unexplained non-attendance 
□	Significant lack of growth 
□	Weight loss, Hair loss  

Emotional Abuse  
□	Low self-esteem, continual self-deprecation
□	Anxiety/depression  
□	Sudden speech disorder, refusal to speak 
□	Significant decline in concentration
□	Socio-emotional immaturity
□	Self-mutilation 
□	Untreated medical problems 
□	Poor peer relationships or indiscriminate friendliness
□	Stealing/Shop-lifting
□	Poor skin or muscle tone 
□	“Neurotic” behaviour (e.g. rocking, head-banging)
□	Extremes of passivity or aggression
□	Running away

Sexual Abuse
These are general indicators that the child may be troubled though not necessarily about a sexual assault. The child may have some of these problems or none at all. It is the combination, frequency and duration of signs that will alert you to a problem. It is important to remember that in sexual assault there may well be no physical or behavioural signs.

□	Lack of trust in adults or over- familiarity with adults 
□	Fear of a particular individual 
□	Social isolation, withdrawal or introversion, poor peer relations
□	Sleep disturbance 
□	Girls taking over the mothering role 
□	Reluctance or refusal to participate in physical activity or change clothes for activities 
□	Drug, alcohol or solvent abuse 
□	Display of sexual knowledge  beyond the child’s years, over-sexualised behaviour 
□	Bruises, scratches, injuries to the thighs or genital areas 
□	Itch, soreness, discharge, bleeding from genital areas 
□	Pain on passing urine or recurrent urinary infection 
□	Expressing affection in inappropriate ways e.g. “French kissing”
□	Fear of bathrooms, showers, closed doors
□	Abnormal sexualised drawing 
□	Developmental regression e.g. reverting to soiling or wetting 
□	Recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort/difficulty in walking or sitting

Online Abuse
□	Spending a lot of time online, texting, gaming or using social media or changing online habits 
□	Withdrawn, upset or noticeably outraged after using the internet or texting
□	Unusually secretive about what they are doing or who they are talking to online
□	Have lots of new texts, contacts, email addresses on their mobile