Nairn Book and Arts Festival Children and Vulnerable Adults Protection Policy 

Our aims as stated in our Articles of Association: To promote for the benefit of the public the arts (literary, visual, musical, dramatic or any other arts provided in each case they are of recognised cultural aesthetic or educational value); 

To foster, promote and increase public appreciation of and knowledge of and to improve public taste and interest in the arts, in particular the active encouragement and development of public taste and interest in the cultural heritage of the North East of Scotland; 

To support, encourage and promote authors, writers, artists musicians and practitioners of any of the arts by providing them with opportunities to perform and display their talents. 

The purpose of this policy statement is: 

• to protect children and young people who are involved with Nairn Book and Arts Festival’s events -whether as participants or audience -from harm. 
• to provide staff and volunteers, as well as children and young people and their families, with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection. 

This policy applies to anyone working on behalf of Nairn Book and Arts Festival, including senior managers and the board of trustees, paid staff, volunteers, sessional workers, agency staff and students. 

Legal framework : This policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in Scotland. A summary of the key legislation is available from nspcc.org.uk/learning. 

This policy statement should be read alongside our organisational policies, procedures, guidance and other related documents contained within our Festival Handbook. These include: 

• Role description for the designated safeguarding officer
• Dealing with disclosures and concerns about a child or young person
• Managing allegations against staff and volunteers
• Recording concerns and information sharing
• Child protection records retention and storage
• Code of conduct for staff and volunteers
• Photography and sharing images guidance
• Safer recruitment
• Online safety and Anti-bullying
• Managing complaints
• Health and safety

We believe that: Children and young people and vulnerable adults should never experience abuse of any kind We have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children, young people and vulnerable adults, to keep them safe and to practise in a way that protects them. 

The festival works with children and vulnerable adults in the following ways: 

• Organising creative workshops in schools 
• Organising creative workshops in other venues 
• Organising free outdoor events for families including portrait sketching, creative activities such as mandala making, book readings, magic shows and public parades. 
• Commissioning Dance and dramatic performance led by local dramatic arts groups 
• Performances by organisations with young participants such as Feis Nairn 
• Organising creative workshops for care home residents, in particular but not exclusively those with dementia 

We commit to the following, in addition to more detailed procedures contained within the Festival Handbook as listed above. 

• The Festival’s Board, organising committee and Artistic Director will ensure that any festival activity involving children or vulnerable adults, such as creative workshops, are led by suitably qualified practitioners who hold the correct PVG certification to work for children and have gone through the required Safeguarding checks. 
• We do not ask Festival volunteers to work directly with children or vulnerable adults. 
• To ensure safety and security of children at festival events, the festival organisers insist that a responsible parent or guardian must accompany children and vulnerable adults at all times. 
• Any participants under the age of 16, for example young people’s dance performance groups, must be supervised by their company Director. 
• Workshops in schools: authors must be able to demonstrate that they have the correct PVG certification for working with children before being employed by the festival. 
• Workshops with the elderly/vulnerable: all creative practitioners must provide proof that they hold the correct certification for working with vulnerable adults 
• Photography and image sharing: the festival has an official appointed photographer who will be taking general photographs at the festival’s public events. They will seek permission from parents before taking any close-up shots of children. Ticketed events: photographs will be taken, clear signage regarding our photography policy will be displayed. Parental permission is sought by schools regarding closed events such as workshops. For workshops held at other locations such as the Community and Arts Centre we would seek parental permission to photograph children. 
• The festival will have an appointed Child Safeguarding Officer on site at events involving young people. The named person is currently Tanera Bryden, Artistic Director. 
• Any incidents involving children should be reported in the first instance to the CSO. They will refer to the Board of Trustees who may contact the NSPCC for further guidance, and thereafter to the Police. 

We will make sure all participating adults and children are aware of, understand and can access our safeguarding policies online via our website. 

Board of Directors, Nairn Book and Arts Festival. 

16 June 2021
Reviewed 16 January 2024
Next review date 16 Jan 2025