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                                                 RJ Management

                                              

                                                                                         Safeguarding Policy



Childrens and Adults at Risk Safeguarding Policy:

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Important Contacts:

 

RJ Management
Email address: info@rjmanagement.co.uk
 

Emergency – 999


Non-emergency – 101

 

NSPCC Helpline - 0808 800 5000

 

RJ Management abides by the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people and is committed to safeguarding practice that reflects moral and legal obligations, statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best agency practice requirements.

 

  • We recognise the welfare of children is paramount in our representation we provide.

  • All children, regardless of age, additional needs, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, gender, or sexual orientation has an equal right to protection from all types of harm or abuse.

  • Some children are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences outside of our management, their level of dependency, communication needs or other personal challenges.

  • Fundamentally, working in partnership with represented talent; children, young people, their parents/carers, adults, clients and other agencies, is essential in promoting and safeguarding children’s welfare.

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Legal Definition of child:

 

The Children Act 1989 definition of a child is: anyone who has not yet reached their 18th birthday, even if they are living independently, are a member of the armed forces or is in hospital.

 

Purpose of the Policy:

 

This policy is intended to protect every child who receive any service from RJ Management.

 

RJ Management will:

 

  • Protect children and young people who receive RJ Management’s representation services from harm. This includes the children of adults who use our services.

  • Provide actors, models and clients we use access via our website, to our Child Protection Policy.

 

This policy applies to all represented by RJ Management, staff at RJ Management and clients who use our services and actors and models. Failure to comply with the policy and related procedures will be addressed without delay and may ultimately result in dismissal/exclusion from RJ Management.

 

RJ Management is committed in the prevention of any child experiencing abuse or harm and is committed to the protection of children and young people. Our policy is intended to provide guidance of our ethos, values and principles to those who we represent and clients we work with, to guide our approach within child protection and safeguarding.

 

 

Adult at Risk:

 

  • An adult who has needs for care and support (whether the authority is meeting any of those needs or not).

  • Is experiencing, or is at risk of, abuse or neglect, and as a result of those needs is unable to protect himself or herself against the abuse or neglect or the risk of it.

 

Legal Definition of Adults at risk:

 

The Care Act 2014 definition of an adult at risk is:

 

Anybody who is aged 18 years or over; who may be, in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of himself or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation.

 

Child and Adult Abuse:

 

Children and adults may be vulnerable to neglect and abuse or exploitation from within their family and from individuals they come across in their daily lives and it is important to remember they need protection. There are 4 main categories of abuse, which are: sexual, physical, emotional abuse, and neglect.

 

  • Sexual Abuse - Forcing or enticing a child/young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not they are aware of what is happening, may involve: physical contact, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts;
    non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of pornographic material or watching sexual activities; or
    encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

  • Physical Abuse - May involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning or suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates or induces illness in a child whom they are looking after.

  • Emotional Abuse - The persistent emotional ill-treatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional and behavioural development. It may involve conveying to the child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only in so far as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age and developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. It may involve causing children to feel frightened or in danger, for example witnessing domestic abuse within the home or being bullied, or the exploitation or corruption of children. 
    Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of ill treatment of a child, though it may occur alone

  • Neglect - Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. It may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food, shelter and clothing, failing to protect a child from physical harm or danger, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

 

It is important to recognise abuse and harm of children can cover a wide range of circumstances and behaviours and to be aware of more specific types of abuse that fall within these categories, they are:

 

  • Bullying and cyberbullying

  • (FGM) female genital mutilation

  • Child sexual exploitation

  • Child Criminal exploitation and exposure to behaviours such as violence or criminal behaviour

  • Self-harm

  • Child trafficking and modern slavery

  • Exposure to or infliction of Domestic abuse

  • Harm when engaging with activities without adequate supervision

  • Female genital mutilation

  • Grooming

  • Historical abuse

  • Online abuse

 

The causal factors of such harm and/or abuse can also be wide ranging. Such as, a child may be unknowingly placed at risk by family members or by members with the community. RJ Management is committed to preventing such harm and direct all our casting directors and clients to have knowledge of this safeguarding policy and follow their own safeguarding regulations set out within their organisation also.

 

Safeguarding principles:

 

Safeguarding children from harm and abuse is an essential responsibility for RJ Management. We are committed to ensure all children and adults at risk, who are represented by our agency and use our services are safeguarded to the best of our abilities.

 

EVERY PERSON UNDER THIS POLICY MUST ENSURE THEY ADAPT AN ACTIVE ROLE IN ENSURING, CHILDREN AND ADULTS AT RISK ARE CORRECTLY SAFEGUARDED.

 

All represented actors, models and clients who use RJ Management’s services have a responsibility to:

 

  • Guard children and adults at risk against harmful environments.

  • Remain alert and aware of safeguarding risks.

  • Maintain the safety and wellbeing of actors and models we represent.

  • Challenge and report inappropriate or harmful behaviour of any of person.

  • Act appropriately, professionally and lawfully in the presence of children and adults at risk.

  • To not take inappropriate risk.

  • To not smoke, drink or take any form of illicit substances in the presence of children or adults at risk.

  • To not participate or encourage any sexual activity encounters, such as kissing etc around children or adults at risk and to always remain professional.

  • Report all concerns expeditiously and appropriately, in line with child protection procedures.

  • Abide by confidentiality and GDPR policies.

 

Client’s responsibilities:

 

Clients are responsible for the welfare and safeguarding of children and adults at risk, when attending a casting or booking talent for model and acting employment activities. All model cards and information of our talent provided by RJ Management must be used for the purpose of its request and not breach this safeguarding policy.

 

Prevention:

 

The welfare of children and adults at risk is paramount when we represent them within the entertainment industry.

 

RJ Management will therefore:

 

  • Act, accordingly, abiding by legislation set out within the Children’s Act 1988 & 2004, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015, The Children’s (Performances and Activities) (England) Regulations 2014 & The Care Act 2014.

  • Allow whistleblowing and assign a senior member of staff as a safeguarding lead for any concerns raised, to be handled by professionally and confidentially.

  • Treat all our actors, models and clients with dignity, respect, compassion and equal.

  • Ensure children are cared for and supervised appropriately and professionally at casting or employment activities and safeguarded.

  • Ensure professional chaperones if used are registered with the local authority in which they reside and have DBS check that is valid and up to date.

  • Inform clients of their legal duties to safeguard our actors and models they book, ensuring DBS checks of there staff, where appropriate.

 

Legal Framework (Legislation, Policy & Guidance):

 

This policy has been drawn up based on UK legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England.

 

RJ Management will adhere to current legislation when working with children and young people under the age of 18 and Adults at Risk, as outlined in the following legislation:

 

  • Children Act 1989

  • Children Act 2004

  • Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015

  • The Care Act 2014

RJ Management developed this policy to reflect current UK legislation and the importance of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people as well as adults at risk.

 

Confidentiality and Information Sharing:

 

All personal information in relation to our registered actors and models will be available on our website and presented to clients for the sole purpose of the nature of our industry and our services we provide, to secure castings and work for represented talent. RJ Management will abide by GDPR regulations, and our website displays our GDPR policy.

 

Responding to a safeguarding concern:

 

Where a child or adult at risk is in immediate risk of serious harm, any child with ability to do so or child present should call 999 for assistance. Thereafter, contact RJ Management to report the safeguarding concern to management at info@rjmanagament.co.uk when appropriate and safe to do so and no later than the end of that same day.

 

If a child or adult at risk makes any disclosure relating to harm or abuse to an adult, it Is important to:

 

  • Listen calmly and carefully

  • Provide reassurance

  • Do not interrogate them and do not ask any probing or intrusive or leading questions. Listen and make a mental note of what is being said. This sis important in criminal proceedings that you remain a listener, you are not police or investigators. This is the difference in justice in a UK criminal proceeding, that you have not asked or probed any information or said anything that can mislead their disclosure.

  • Avoid making false promise of confidentiality or to keep a secret, it Is important trust is not breached. Reassure them if asked what will happen next, etc, that you will do all you can to keep them safe.

  • Make a confidential written record of the discussion immediately after the discussion. Including key details of what was disclosed, times, date, place and people concerned. Do not audio or video record the person making a disclosure!

  • Make a note of log numbers if you contact the police and provide the agency with a. copy of this.


DO NOT worry that you might be mistaken or if you feel the person making the disclosure may not be being truthful. You have a responsibility to pass on your concerns following a disclosure. Never think abuse is impossible, or that an accusation about a person you may even know well and trust is bound to be wrong or a perpetrator.

            

Upon a disclosure being made to RJ Managements attention, information may be shared with the Local Authority and relevant authorities if a child or adult at risk is deemed to be at risk of harm or we may contact the police if they are in immediate danger, or a crime has been committed.

 

Recording and Record Keeping:

 

RJ Management will keep a written record regarding any safeguarding concern regarding an adult at risk or a child. Additionally, any concerns relating to any adults we represent, should a complaint be made against them. This will include details of the person involved, the nature of the concern and the actions taken, decision made by RJ Management or other authorities.

 

All records must be signed and dated. All records must be securely and confidentially stored in line with General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

 

Social Media and website content:

 

All Represented actors and models will be displayed on our website and social media platforms, as agreed in the contract between the people we represent and our agency contract. Social media platforms hold the responsibility for content uploaded to their platforms and have their own safeguarding policies in place. Please report directly to them any safeguarding concerns, alongside the agency.

 

Photography:

 

RJ Management uses the images of our registered actors and models on our agency website, on our casting platforms such as Spotlight, Casting Networks, Mandy, and other platforms on social media. On model cards, which are sent directly to clients and other available options, to promote our actors and models for employment opportunities within the entertainment industry. The way we use images provided to us is written in our agency contractual agreement upon joining our representation.

 

Images are made available to the wider public view, as our website and social media platforms are public view. Which carries risk that the images may be re-used, shared or downloaded by 3rd parties not associated with RJ Management.

 

To safeguard the images as best the agency can, the agency will:

 

  • Password protect where relevant, some areas of the website.

  • Have written permission within the agency contract to share images.

  • Store photos in accordance with our GDPR policy.

 

Whistleblowing:

 

It is important that staff within or agency or represented talent within RJ Management, have the confidence to come forward to speak or act if they are unhappy with anything. Whistle blowing occurs when a person raises a concern about dangerous or illegal activity, or any wrong- doing within the organisation. This includes concerns about another employee or actor/model or volunteer. Whistleblowing is kept confidential by management to protect the whistleblower.

 

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