1. Purpose and scope
This policy is designed to:
- Safeguard the welfare of all members and young people associated with Hexham Brass by following a code of practice that protects them.
- Introduce, maintain and apply agreed procedures across the organisation for protecting children, young people and vulnerable adults.
- Share clear guidelines with all members, officers, parents and volunteers on how to respond to a disclosure or discovery of abuse or harm.
- Identify and provide training for members, officers, parents and volunteers in implementing this policy and in best practice for the prevention of abuse.
- Make clear that any child, young person or vulnerable adult associated with Hexham Brass may talk to an independent person if they have a concern.
All aspects of this policy apply to vulnerable adults as well as to children and young people.
All children and adults at risk, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation, have an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse. Some individuals are additionally vulnerable because of previous experience, level of dependency, communication needs or other factors, and extra safeguards may be needed to keep them safe.
2. Legal framework
This policy has been drawn up with regard to the law and statutory guidance that protect children and adults at risk, including the Children Act 1989 and 2004, the Care Act 2014, and current UK data protection law. Guidance is also drawn from Working Together to Safeguard Children (HM Government) and the NSPCC.
England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales each have their own framework of child protection legislation and guidance, though all are based on similar principles. A summary is available from the NSPCC at learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-protection-system.
3. Our commitments and roles
We will seek to keep children and adults at risk safe by:
- Valuing them, listening to them and respecting them.
- Appointing a Safeguarding Officer for safeguarding.
- Recruiting staff and volunteers safely and ensuring all necessary checks are made (see Section 7).
- Providing effective support and training for those with safeguarding responsibilities.
- Sharing information about safeguarding and good practice with members, parents and volunteers.
- Making sure members and their families know where to go if they have a concern.
- Sharing concerns appropriately with agencies who need to know, including parents and children where appropriate.
- Following this policy's procedures when dealing with allegations against staff and volunteers.
- Providing a safe physical environment in line with health and safety law and guidance.
4. Code of conduct
We will always:
- Treat children, young people and vulnerable adults with respect and tolerance.
- Treat all members, officers, parents and volunteers with respect, setting a good example for others.
- Be non-judgemental and respect individual rights, opinions and the right to privacy.
- Recognise and encourage the achievements of all members.
- Challenge insults or verbal abuse from anyone; this will not be tolerated.
- Be vigilant when dealing with a sensitive matter or situation.
- Be aware that physical contact with children and young people, however well-intended, might be misinterpreted.
- Ensure children and young people are properly supervised at all times, wherever possible by more than one adult, and that activities take place within sight or hearing of others.
- Take reasonable precautions to protect children and young people from "outsiders", particularly at events or performances, and seek advice whenever in doubt.
We will not:
- Allow bullying, or allow anyone to be made to feel foolish in front of others.
- Make suggestive remarks, gestures or derogatory comments in the presence of children or young people.
- Exaggerate or trivialise abuse issues.
- Allow ourselves to be drawn into any situation that might appear improper.
- Jump to conclusions or "take a chance" where policy, practice or common sense suggests a more prudent approach.
5. Responding to a disclosure or concern
We will be proactive and ready to recognise signs and symptoms of abuse. If we suspect, or are told, that a child, young person or vulnerable adult is experiencing abuse, we do not investigate further. We refer to this policy and seek advice from specialist services.
We do not pass judgement on what is said, and we do not ask leading questions about what we might suspect. We reassure the person that we are available to listen and can offer support, while making clear that we must pass the information on.
Do not try to sort it out yourself.
If an allegation is made or a concern is raised, the person receiving it must record it — for example, using an incident report form — and report it immediately to the Safeguarding Officer.
6. Online safety and photography
Hexham Brass makes use of the internet, including its website, social media and email, to communicate with members and the public.
We will monitor website and social media activity as far as possible and safeguard email communications to prevent inappropriate or unwanted contact.
- Online communications with young members (including email and messaging apps such as WhatsApp) will be sent to parents, or to a group that includes parents, and not to a young member's individual number or account, until the young member turns 18.
- No one-to-one digital contact between an adult and a young member will take place outside of an authorised group or parent-inclusive channel.
- Photographs of members may appear on the website or social media with consent, but without identifying the member by name.
- Parental consent is required before a young person's photograph is published.
7. Safe recruitment and DBS checks
DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks will be undertaken for the Safeguarding Officer and any other member or volunteer who has significant and regular contact with children, young people or vulnerable adults, as determined by the Safeguarding Officer.
8. Administration and review
The Safeguarding Officer is responsible for running, monitoring and implementing this policy. It will be reviewed annually.
9. Useful contacts
- Hexham Brass Safeguarding Officer: Andrew Wright
- Local police: Northumbria Police — 101 (ask for Protecting Vulnerable People), or 999 in an emergency.
- Local authority children's social care (including out-of-hours): Northumberland County Council Onecall — 01670 536400 (24/7).
- NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000 or help@nspcc.org.uk
- ChildLine: 0800 1111 (textphone 0800 400 222) or www.childline.org.uk
- The Samaritans: www.samaritans.org
- National Domestic Abuse Helpline: www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk
Last reviewed: August 2026