All staff and volunteers at Fixation Academy of Performing Arts (FPA) have a duty of care to keep children/young people safe and protect them from physical or emotional harm. This document gives guidance of acceptable behaviour and the correct way to conduct yourself. This Code of Conduct links to our Safeguarding Policy and more information about the Code of Conduct can be found in the Job Role Descriptions.
This policy is based upon the government’s Department of Education ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018’, in which you can find useful examples of acceptable and unacceptable conduct, together with discussion of the issues raised.
All adults working/volunteering at FPA should know the FPA Designated Officer(s), who is Laura Davitt & Carly Pryke and be familiar with local safeguarding arrangements and understand their responsibilities to safeguard and protect children at FPA:
- The child’s welfare is paramount (as enshrined in the Children Act 1989, 2004 and Childcare Act 2006).
- Staff/volunteers working at FPA are responsible for their own actions and behaviour and should avoid any conduct which would lead a reasonable person to question their motivation or intentions.
- Staff/volunteers must work and be seen to work in an open and transparent way.
- Staff/volunteers will not be obscene, defamatory, racist, contrary to law, any license or any legally enforceable restriction. Staff/Volunteers should discuss and/or take advice promptly from Management at FPA about any incident which could give rise to concern. This would include reporting infatuations by a child/young person for that or another member of staff, to ensure that such situations can be handled promptly and sensitively.
- FPA will investigate and take the appropriate actions where upheld. In instances where behaviour is considered a safeguarding concern, it should be noted that FPA will notify the relevant governing bodies and relevant organisations.
- A record will be kept of any such incident and of decisions made/further actions agreed.
- Staff/volunteers should apply the same professional standards regardless of gender or sexuality.
- Staff/volunteers should be aware that breaches of the law and other professional guidelines could result in criminal or disciplinary action being taken against them.
1.1 All staff, volunteers and visitors at FPA must:
Be familiar with and work in accordance with FPA’s policies, particularly:
- Safeguarding
- Behaviour, Anti Bullying and Cyberbullying
- E-Safety
- Health and Safety
- Mobile Phone
- Whistleblowing
More policies are available on request and are also available within the policy folder.
1.2. Provide a good example and be a positive role model to children/young people.
1.3. Never promise complete confidentiality and explain that you need to tell someone else to help them.
1.4. Never pass on personal and confidential information to anyone outside the setting.
1.5. Physical contact should never be secretive or for personal gratification or of a type which may be considered indecent.
1.6. Behave in a mature, respectful, safe, fair and considered manner. For example, you must ensure that you:
- Do not use sarcasm.
- Do not make remarks or ‘jokes’ to children of a personal, sexual, racist, discriminatory, intimidating or otherwise offensive nature.
- Do not embarrass or humiliate children.
- Do not swear at or in front of children.
- Try and defuse situations without using physical intervention.
- Do not put yourself in a vulnerable position or a secluded area of the venue, making sure other staff can see you, you are in an open space if possible, doors are open and that you are never left alone with a child.
- Never use the children’s toilets, use the separate designated staff/volunteer toilets. If you need to enter the children’s toilets, then you must announce your intentions of coming in, you must knock and be supported by another member of staff.
1.7. Do not discriminate favourably or unfavourably towards any child. For example; never build ‘special’ relationships or favour a child.
1.8. Do not give or receive personal details and do not give or receive (other than token) gifts. These need to be declared to Fixation Management.
1.9. Ensure that your relationship with children remains on a professional footing. For example, you must:
- Only touch children for professional reasons, and when this is necessary and appropriate for the children’s wellbeing or safety.
- Not behave in a way that could lead a reasonable observer to question your conduct, intentions or suitability to care for other people’s children.
- Never transport a child in your own car, unless you have appropriate consent and insurance to do so.
- Not contact, communicate or meet with children outside of Fixation Theatre Company (this includes exchange/use of email, text, other messaging systems and social media).
- Not develop ‘personal’, ‘befriending’ or sexual relationships with children, parents and carers from sessions. Never discuss your own sexual preferences or sexual relationship with or in the presence of children. In particular your attention is drawn to the provisions of the Sexual Offences Act 2003, which outlines a criminal offence of abuse of a position of trust (when a person aged 18 or over is in a ‘position of trust’ with a person under 18 and engages in sexual activity with or in the presence of that child, or causes or incites that child to engage in or watch sexual activity).
2.0. Children’s Rights
The aim of this code is also to ensure that children and young people have the right to:
- respect
- information about themselves;
- be protected from harm;
- have a say in their life;
- a good start in life; and
- be and feel secure.
Failure to comply with this code of conduct and/or the governments Department of Education guidance ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018’, could lead to a disciplinary procedure and ultimately dismissal.
The staff/volunteer agrees that their work and behaviour during the period covered by the Service level agreement and the above information in this Code of Conduct will always compliment the ethos of the Company therefore the following is required under the terms of the Freelancing contract with FPA;
- The freelancer/staff will be expected to wear the FPA T-Shirt and skirt/leggings/trousers etc. suitable for the environment and flexible enough to allow the appropriate movement along with their ID badge.
- The freelancer/Staff is not permitted to smoke cigarettes or be under any illegal substances or legal highs. The freelancer /staff is prohibited to bring any drugs or alcohol into the workshop premises or while working for the Company.
- If the freelancer/staff needs to take medication during the session FPA must be made aware of this in writing, in advance of any agreed delivery. It is the Freelancers/Staff responsibility to ensure that it is kept safely and securely with them at all times.
- Personal property and belongings remains the freelancer/Staff’s liability, this includes mobile telephones, jewellery and clothing etc.
- Chewing gum is not permitted during sessions.
- Freelancers/staff are only to use their personal mobile phones in an emergency when working with members. Freelancers/Staff are not permitted to take personal digital recording on any personal device at any time unless given written consent from the director’s of FPA.
- Freelancers/Staff are not allowed to give out personal information, or exchange contact information with any members
Complaints/Grievance Procedures
If any complaints or matters of grievance arise throughout the duration of this project, the Freelancer should:
- In the first instance speak with the Project Manager who is their immediate line-manager
- When requested, the Freelancer/Staff will put in writing information for the Project manager
The Project Manager will use his/her best endeavours to deal with the matter fairly, taking into consideration all parties involved as quickly and effective as possible and bring it to a satisfactory conclusion. The Freelancer/Staff will be notified throughout the process and given information where appropriate.
