Definitions:  Young person – anyone under the age of 18

1.   Opening statement

1.1.     The safety of young people and vulnerable adults is paramount and all, without exception, have the right to participate in the festival in a full, and age appropriate manner, and to be protected from abuse, coercion and exposure to inappropriate behaviour and language.

2.  Abuse, coercion and inappropriate behaviour.

2.1.     All suspicions and allegations of abuse or inappropriate behaviour on behalf of organisers, volunteers or public will be taken seriously, responded to swiftly and appropriately and all the festival’s organisers, workers and volunteers have a responsibility to report concerns.

2.2.     Any allegations of abuse, coercion or inappropriate behaviour are to be referred initially to the safeguarding officer. They will discuss the situation with the person concerned, their parent/guardian or carer if appropriate and other members of the organising team. In minor cases, such as concern about adult displays of public affection, a resolution will be sought on site. In more serious cases, or if abuse is suspected by parents/guardians/carers, local child protection services or police will be involved.

2.3.     All those working with young people and vulnerable adults should be advised on the signs, symptoms and prevention of abuse and neglect. This is the responsibility of the coordinator of the young people's activities and the safeguarding officer.

2.4.     If a worker is told something by a young person or vulnerable adult: they should listen, not directly question, not stop the free-flowing account, make notes that include time and place, record the conversation afterwards and sign and date it and contact the safeguarding officer. Unless they feel it is inappropriate they should tell the young person or vulnerable adult that they will be telling someone who can make things different. They need to be honest with the young person or vulnerable adult about how confidential the conversation they are having with them is going to be. If abuse is disclosed, then this cannot be kept confidential. 

3.  DBS

3.1.     All people involved with leading workshops and activities primarily aimed at young people or vulnerable adults must have an up-to-date DBS certificate. This must be shown to the safeguarding officer before the festival.

4.  Good practice.

4.1.     An adult in a responsible position, e.g. workshop leader, assistant, welfare team, steward, healer, should not be alone with a young person or vulnerable adult. They should not ask the young person or vulnerable adult to accompany them on their own and should not ask them to leave the designated workshop or welfare space. An adult should not initiate physical contact with young people.

4.2.     Workers should treat young people and vulnerable adults with respect at all times. They should not engage in physical play with them, do things of a personal nature for them that they can do for themselves, make suggestive comments to them or in any other way make them feel uncomfortable.

4.3.     During activities, if physical contact is needed to support an activity, then this should be carefully explained and the participant’s permission obtained.

4.4.     Activities that are primarily aimed at young people should have at least two adults running the session.  All adults working with young people should not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Workers should not smoke while working with young people.

4.5.     Anyone running craft based activities should refer and adhere to our craft guidelines.

5.  Workshops

5.1.     There will be three types of workshops:

(a) those suitable for all ages, which may be especially geared towards younger people.
(b) those that young people can attend with a parent/guardian
(c) those that are adult-only.

5.2.     It is the responsibility of workshop facilitators to make clear which type of workshop they are offering and this will be clearly advertised in programmes, on notice boards etc.

5.3.     If a workshop is adult only there must be a way of closing the workshop off so that young people are not inadvertently exposed to inappropriate contents.

5.4.     If a workshop leader is unsure whether someone is an adult, they are to refer to the type of wristband held by that person.

6.  Lost/missing young people and vulnerable adults

6.1.     Upon receiving a report of a missing/lost child, young person or vulnerable adult, the member of festival staff will notify the nearest person with a radio, the radio operator (or alternative) will then notify welfare, activities area, site office, info point and box office, using an agreed code.

6.2.     Found young people/vulnerable adult should be escorted directly to the Activities Area or Welfare Tent, whichever is appropriate, accompanied by two members of staff. Festival staff should notify welfare team or the activities area that they are bringing someone to them if they have radio access and as soon as is reasonably practicable. On receiving a lost child/young person, welfare or the activities area should phone the number on their wristband if possible. If this does not resolve the situation they should radio welfare, activities area, info point, site office and box office, using the agreed code. Also an announcement can be made from the stage at the marquee and at cafes.

6.3.     While in the care of the welfare team, every effort will be made to ensure the comfort, safety and well-being of the young person or vulnerable adult in a manner which does not violate their human rights. Efforts will be made to re-unite the individual with their parent/guardian or carer, as appropriate. If this is not possible or is deemed inappropriate, referral may be made to statutory agencies by the safeguarding officer, in consultation with the other organisers.

6.4.     It is to be noted here that the welfare team have no right to detain any person - be they young person or considered vulnerable adult - against their wishes.

6.5.     A written record will be kept of any procedures or incidents and this will be kept in accordance with the Data Protection Act for a period of one year, after which point they will be destroyed, unless an ongoing investigation is pending.

6.6.     Protocol for young people - Should a young person in the care of welfare or the activities area chose to leave, and if the parent/guardian is not reachable, then it may be appropriate to involve the Police or Health & Social care. The welfare team will liaise with the safeguarding officer and the security officer on duty. Security may be requested to organise monitoring the young person movements while the Police or Health & Social care are being contacted.

6.7.     Protocol for vulnerable adults -Should an adult considered vulnerable choose to leave our care, then Security will be notified. It may be necessary to monitor them for their safety and at this point discussions should be held whether to involve Police.
Any individual who is behaving, or expressing a serious intention to behave, in a manner likely to harm themselves or others should be considered at risk. Support from security and/or Police may be needed while the situation is assessed.

6.8.     Picking up young people -Should the young person seem afraid or unwilling to accompany the adult coming to pick them up, then the young person should not be handed over until assistance/advice from the Police has been sought. Equally, should the parent or guardian seem in any way unfit to care for that young person then assistance /advice from the Police should be sought.
If there are concerns that a parent may be under the influence of substances and therefore unable to provide safe care for the young person, staff should consult with the safeguarding officer who may seek assistance/advice from the Police if there are legitimate concerns.

7.  Care and support of vulnerable adults

7.1.     Any adult in the care of the welfare team who is deemed to be vulnerable, is entitled to be treated with dignity and respect.

7.2.     People under the influence of substances may present with challenging behaviours because of something they have taken. Stewards should deal with any behaviours and involve others such as a first-aider, security or the police if necessary to protect the welfare of the individual or the public.

7.3.     If a vulnerable adult is to be evicted from site, Welfare will work in conjunction with the security coordinator to ensure their safety and well-being is maintained. There will be a phone available so that all evictees get an opportunity to make a call to arrange for someone to collect them. All evictees must be offered this service. The festival may also offer support to assist a vulnerable adult off site e.g. escorting to taxi or person collecting them. This support should be offered in pairs and staff should ensure they take a radio or operational mobile phone with them. Should a vulnerable adult not wish this support but there are concerns about their well-being, welfare should hand over this information to security.

7.4.     Vulnerable adults who require practical support e.g. placing in the recovery position, should be involved in their own care at all times.
Consent should be sought in the first instance but if the individual is unable to give consent, practical and/or physical support should be verbalised and recorded in writing. All people who are unresponsive should be assessed by a first aider. People who may be affected by substance use and other vulnerable adults may request assistance with personal care. Should an individual require support with personal care, welfare team should inform the shift leader of this request.

7.5.     If any personal care support is to be given by a member of a different gender, the individual must be offered the option of a chaperone of their preferred gender. As there may be issues around capacity to process information, staff should continually seek consent for any required support and ensure they verbalise any physical support to them.
Personal care support must be recorded in the notes of the person, detailing names of which staff were involved in the support.

8.  Photography/video

8.1.     It is not permissible to take photographs or videos of young people or vulnerable adults without the express permission of the person concerned AND the parent/guardian of a young person.