Webinar - Safeguarding Adults in Physical Activity

As promised, we hosted another in our series of interesting and free Lunchtime Conversation webinars. 

We spoke to Cath Sykes and Laura Thorpe from the Ann Craft Trust (ACT), the leading centre for safeguarding adults in sport and physical activity. 

The webinar covered who comes under the category “safeguarding adults” (hint – it is more people than you think!), what this looks like in practice and the work being undertaken in the performing arts sector. It was also a chance to introduce the ACT roadmap and other resources. The roadmap has been designed to help organisations to develop effective safeguarding strategies (https://www.anncrafttrust.org/understanding-the-risks-in-your-sport-or-activity-organisation/).

This webinar was hosted by One Dance UK and a recording can be found here: https://youtu.be/a7kskVSd7Ds 

New resource: Eating Disorders and Dance

We have worked with SEED (the Eating Disorder Support Service) to adapt their work on this important issue.  You can find it here on our resources page.

Lunchtime conversation on information sharing

To complement the guidance on information sharing we hosted a webinar for the dance school industry. You can find it here on our YouTube Channel and on our resources page.

Guidance on information sharing if confronted with allegations about a dance teacher

Dance association leaders met with safeguarding experts, including Local Authority Designated Officers, to share expertise on this important topic. Safer Dance has summarised this into a handy guide.  This can be found on our resources page

New NSPCC / CPSU blog on safeguarding in dance

Our colleague Fiona Becker from the NSPCC has written a blog about safeguarding in dance: https://thecpsu.org.uk/news/2023-11-safeguarding-in-the-dance-sector/. 

A simple guide to Safer Recruitment in Dance

We have created a simple guide to help you ensure you recruit staff, visitors and volunteers safely. See our resources page

Updated government guidance for out-of-school settings including dance schools

Today the DfE published updated guidance, which can be found here , plus a code of practice which can be found here. Posters, leaflets and pdfs can be found on our resources page. 

Panorama programme on ballet schools

If anyone has any worries about safeguarding issues which may have happened or are happening in dance schools, please refer to our Where to find support page

A simple guide to Touch and Consent in Dance

We have created a simple guide to help you look after your dance students when you need to touch them to help them learn effectively. See our resources page.

The Power of Language session 2 - Mental Health

This session supports dance teachers who engage with young people who may have issues with poor mental health. Nicole Lekka (Consultant Psychiatrist), Will Centurion (Counselling and Life Coaching for Actors, Singers and Dancers) and Maria Kolitsida (University of Birmingham) were the presenters. See our resources page.

Mini-Guide to DBS for Dance Teachers

Following last year's DBS webinar led by Cathy Taylor (DBS webinar)  , we have created a summary with some examples from the world of dance schools to help you interpret the rules. See our resources page.

The Power of Language session 1 - Neurodiversity

Safer Dance hosted the first in a series of lunchtime conversations surrounding the theme of "The Power of Language". This session was led by Martin Wilson of TIN Arts on Neurodiversity. You can find it here on our YouTube Channel and on our resources page.

One-page reminder for dance teachers

Following a request for something simple and helpful, we have created a handy one-page checklist for dance teachers with a reminder of the key issues you need to address to keep your school safe. See our  resources page.

DBS Briefing on Barring

We were delighted that Cathy Taylor from the Disclosure and Barring Service gave us a second briefing - this time on Barring. This is now on our YouTube Channel and resources page.

Free Safeguarding in Sport & Physical Activity Course

We are pleased to introduce a free online course created by Paul Stewart, Safeguarding Trainer to the EFL/Premier League, and former professional footballer with England, Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. More details on our resources page. The course can be found here:  Free Safeguarding in Sport & Physical Activity Course 

DBS Briefing on Eligibility

We were very pleased that Cathy Taylor from the Disclosure and Barring Service joined us for a briefing on eligibility for checks. This is now on our YouTube Channel and resources page. A second briefing on barring will be on Tuesday 8th November from 1pm to 2:30pm.

NSPCC talk on Safer Recruitment in Dance

Our summer lunchtime talk on Safer Recruitment in Dance with Chloe Meaney of the NSPCC is now on our YouTube Channel

NSPCC create guidance on Preventing Abuse in Positions of Trust in Dance.

The law relating to children aged 16 and 17 has changed. We asked the NSPCC to create a version of their guidance document specifically for dance. Thank you to the NSPCC for this helpful document. 

Download the guidance on our Resources page.

Free Guide to Recruiting a Specialist Dance Teacher, created by industry experts, now available to support school leaders.

Primary and Secondary School leaders are encouraged to bring the transformational joy of dance into their schools, but they must not be dazzled by an impressive list of performances on a CV.

Download a free guide on our Resources page.

If you are worried about anything which may have occurred in or around the out-of-school dance school sector, please follow the recommended guidance (DfE link), namely:

If you have concerns about an organisation or event, first raise concerns with the provider. If the situation is not resolved, please escalate the issue by calling the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or by contacting the local authority designated officer (LADO). To find your local authority, go to Find your local council and enter the postcode of your setting.

Please note the LADO role exists in England only. In the devolved nations please contact:

· Scotland: contact the local social work team and Police Scotland

· Northern Ireland: Health and Social Care Trust Gateway Service Team and Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI)

· Wales: local child protection services and the police

If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, please call the police on 999.

If you're worried about a child, even if you're unsure, contact the NSPCC Helpline on

0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk.

Children and young people can call Childline (24-hour helpline) on 0800 1111 to talk over any worries.

For further information about child abuse see NSPCC guidance: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/reporting-abuse/what-if-suspect-abuse/

Abuse against adults

Any instances of abuse against adults can be reported to the local authority adult social care services. Contact details can be found on your local authority website.

Go to "Where to find support" page for further information.