Safeguarding
Matters.

Purpose and commitment

This policy explains how Rebekah Gould, trading as The Music Room by Rebekah, works to safeguard children and young people under 18 during in-person and online tuition.

Rebekah holds an Enhanced DBS certificate. Parents and carers are welcome to view the original certificate on request.

Safeguarding means promoting a child’s welfare, preventing harm and acting when there is reason to believe a child may be at risk. Child protection is the action taken to protect an individual child where there are concerns about abuse, neglect or exploitation.

The child’s welfare is the first consideration. Concerns will be responded to without discrimination and with respect for the child’s identity, communication, culture, disability and individual needs.

How lessons are kept safe

Professional boundaries are maintained at all times. Teaching is purposeful, age-appropriate and respectful. Physical contact is avoided unless it is necessary for safe instrumental guidance, has been explained and the learner is comfortable. An alternative explanation or demonstration will be used whenever possible.

Parents and carers are told where and how lessons will take place. They are welcome to discuss arrangements and should remain contactable during a child’s lesson. A child will only leave with the parent, carer or arrangement agreed for them.

Bullying, harassment, sexualised behaviour, discrimination, intimidation and degrading language are not accepted.

Communication with children

Lesson bookings, fees, cancellations and important updates are communicated through the parent or guardian. Direct communication with a child will be limited to what is necessary for their music learning and will use an agreed channel that the parent or guardian can access.

Private or disappearing-message accounts will not be used for lesson communication. Contact will take place at reasonable times and professional boundaries will be maintained online and in person.

Online lessons

A parent or guardian must know when an online lesson is taking place and a responsible adult should remain available in the home. Lessons should take place in a suitable shared or observable space rather than a child’s bedroom wherever reasonably possible.

The learner should use an appropriate display name and avoid showing private family information in the background. Links and joining details should not be shared publicly. Neither person should record an online lesson without prior agreement from the parent or guardian and Rebekah.

If anything inappropriate, unsafe or unexpected happens online, the lesson may be ended and the parent or guardian contacted.

Photography and recordings

Photographs, audio or video involving a child will only be created for an agreed purpose and with appropriate permission from the parent or guardian. The child’s own wishes will also be respected.

Images or recordings will not be published on the website, social media or promotional material without specific permission. Consent can be withdrawn for future use by contacting Rebekah.

If a child shares a concern

If a child says that they or another child may have been harmed, Rebekah will listen calmly, take what they say seriously and avoid asking leading or investigative questions. She will not promise to keep the information secret.

A clear factual record will be made as soon as possible, using the child’s own words where relevant. Information will only be shared with people who need it to protect the child. The parent or guardian will normally be informed unless doing so could increase risk or interfere with safeguarding action.

Responding and referring

Rebekah will consider the information available and seek safeguarding advice where needed. A concern will be reported to children’s social care, the police or another appropriate service when this is necessary to protect a child. Consent is not required where seeking it could place a child at greater risk.

In Shropshire, urgent concerns can be reported to the Council’s First Point of Contact service on 0345 678 9021. Urgent concerns outside office hours can be reported to the Emergency Social Work Team on 0345 678 9040, selecting option 1. Call 999 where a child is in immediate danger or needs emergency medical help.

A concern about Rebekah

A child, parent or carer should not feel that they must report a concern about Rebekah to Rebekah herself. If her conduct has caused concern, or it is believed that she may have harmed a child, behaved in a way that indicates a risk to children or possibly committed an offence involving a child, the concern should be reported directly to Shropshire Council Children’s Services or the police.

Call 0345 678 9021 for Shropshire Children’s Services, 101 for non-emergency police assistance or 999 in an emergency. The relevant authority can decide whether the police, children’s social care or Local Authority Designated Officer procedures need to be involved.

Records and confidentiality

Safeguarding records are factual, dated and stored securely, separately from ordinary teaching notes. Access is limited and information is retained only for as long as there is a lawful safeguarding reason to keep it.

Confidentiality cannot take priority over a child’s safety. Information may be shared without consent where this is necessary and proportionate to protect a child or another person from harm. Personal information is otherwise handled in line with the Privacy Notice.

Learning Room safety

The Learning Room uses parent-managed accounts. A parent creates and controls each learner profile. Activities do not include public messaging, public profiles or communication between children.

Learners should not enter personal, sensitive or safeguarding information into practice records or activity notes. A child who needs help or wants to report something should speak to a trusted adult rather than use the Learning Room to do so.

Useful support

Reviewing this policy

This policy is reviewed at least annually and sooner if guidance, the teaching service or safeguarding arrangements change. It has been written with reference to the Department for Education’s guidance for providers of out-of-school settings and current multi-agency safeguarding guidance for England.