Safer Festivals Statement

CREATING SAFER FESTIVALS FOR EVERYONE
The Federation and its member Festivals use the following policies and procedures to provide Safer Festivals for children and young people.

1. A single, definitive Child Protection Policy adopted by all Federation Festivals.

2. One or more designated Festival Safeguarding Officers (FSO) appointed for each Federation Festival.

3. Best practice advice in the form of Safe Working Practice and Child Protection leaflets, support and training for all Federation Festival staff and volunteers reporting procedures for anyone with a concern about a child.

4. Appropriate recruitment and induction procedures followed for all new staff and volunteers responsible for providing safe environments for the children/young people attending/performing at our Festivals.

5. All Festival staff and volunteers wear a badge to identify their roles and all teachers/ parents/guardians are asked to report all incidents of any nature to any person wearing a Festival badge. All reported incidents will be handled in accordance with the Safe Working Practice and Child Protection best practice advice. In addition each Festival will ensure the availability of a quiet area/room where concerns can be expressed in private.

6. For the duration of a festival all parents/guardians/carers/teachers are responsible for the continuous care and supervision of their own children/pupils. If they are unable to attend personally, they must delegate their responsibilities to an identified adult and ensure that their children/pupils are aware of the identity and name of the person responsible for their care. This includes supervision throughout all Festival venues, performance, practice and changing areas that are provided. The festival cannot take any responsibility for property left unattended.

7. No unauthorised photography or video recording of children and young people is allowed at our festivals. Where parents/guardians/carers do not wish photos to be taken at all, then the responsible adult attending should ensure that their child is not included in official photos.

8. Some children may have specific needs in order to take part. If this is the case, we ask the responsible parents, guardians, carers or teacher to contact the festival organisers prior to arrival. Wherever possible the festival actively seeks to meet these needs, but must know beforehand in order to prepare support or to advise that help cannot be provided on this occasion.

9. The Festival’s Child Protection Policy and Creating Safer Festivals for Everyone statement will be published online. By completing an online entry, each parent, guardian carer or teacher of entrants under 18 years, confirm that they give or have obtained the necessary consents for the entrants to take part in the festival. Without consent, the entry to the festival cannot be accepted.

Updated to include recommendations by BIFF 12th February 2022.