NEW STAGE PRODUCTIONS CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

Child Protection Policy

Here at New Stage Productions we ensure that your childs safety and happiness is our number one

priority.

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Policy Aims

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The aim of the New Stage Productions Child Protection Policy is to promote good practice in:

• Providing children and young people with appropriate safety and protection whilst in the care of New

Stage Productions

• Allow all staff/volunteers to make informed and confident responses to specific child protection issues

The New Stage Productions team believes that:

• The welfare of children is vital and that safety and welfare come first in all instances.

• All children, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs

and/or sexual identity have the right to protection from abuse

• All suspicions and allegations of abuse will be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and

appropriately

• All staff including cast, assistants and volunteers working for New Stage Productions have a

responsibility to report concerns to the producers of New Stage Productions

The New Stage Productions team has a duty of care to safeguard all children involved in our productions

from harm.

All children have a right to protection and the needs of disabled children and others who may be

particularly vulnerable must be taken into account.

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Promoting Good Practice

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The New Stage Productions team will encourage the following:

• Always working in an open environment (e.g. avoid private or unobserved situations and encouraging an

open environment i.e. no secrets)

• Treating all young people/disabled and adults equally, and with respect and dignity

• Maintaining a safe and appropriate distance with students (e.g. it is not appropriate to have an intimate

relationship with a child)

• Building balanced relationships based on mutual trust which empowers children to share in the decision

making process

• Making performing fun, enjoyable and promoting fair play

• Ensuring that all material (i.e scripts /scene content) is age appropriate and never makes a child feel

uncomfortable or concerned.

• Keeping up to date with the skills, qualifications and insurance in performing arts.

• Being an excellent role model – this includes not smoking or drinking alcohol in the company of young
people, always aiming to speak in a positive manner and remembering that building confidence and

ensuring the child is having a positive experience is always the main aim.

• Giving enthusiastic and constructive feedback rather than negative criticism

• Keeping a written record of any injury that occurs, along with the details of any treatment given in an

accident report book.

• Informing parents if any child is taken ill or injured during class.

• Never offering or allowing children to be transported home or to events in teachers cars.

• Allowing all students to have a cell phone on-site (in their bag) so that they can have easy

communication with parents/guardians at all times

The following practice not acceptable. A teacher should never:

• Engage in rough, physical or sexually provocative games

• Allow or engage in any form of inappropriate touching

• Allow children to use inappropriate language unchallenged

• Make sexually suggestive comments to a child, even in fun

• Reduce a child to tears as a form of control

• Allow allegations made by a child to go unchallenged, unrecorded or not acted upon

• Do things of a personal nature for children that they can do for themselves

Guidelines for use of photographic filming

Under no circumstances does New Stage Productions allow any filming or photographing to take place

UNLESS;

We have signed consent in advance from parents.

We do not allow parents to take photo’s of their children in shows, nor to make videos.

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Recruitment and selecting staff and volunteers

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The New Stage Productions Producer's recognises that anyone may have the potential to abuse children
in some way and that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure that unsuitable people are prevented from

working with children. When undertaking pre selection checks the following should be included:

* All adults working with the children in a teaching situation and as a supervisor will undertake a criminal record vetting, which will give New Stage Productions information about an applicant’s past and criminal record if any.

• Evidence of identity (passport or driving licence with photo)

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Responding to Suspicions or Allegations

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It is not the responsibility of anyone working for New Stage Productions in a paid or unpaid capacity to

take responsibility or to decide whether or not child abuse has taken place. However, there is a

responsibility to act on any concerns through contact with the appropriate authorities.The New Stage
Productions producers will assure all staff/volunteers that it will fully support and protect anyone,

who in good faith reports his or her concern that a colleague/volunteer is or may be abusing a

child. When there is a complaint against a member of staff there may be three types of investigation:

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• A criminal investigation.

• A child protection investigation.

• A disciplinary or misconduct investigation.

The results of the police and child protection investigation may well influence the disciplinary

investigation.

Action to help the victim and prevent bullying in performing

• Have a zero tolerance policy to bullying

• Take all signs of bullying very seriously

• Encourage all children to speak and share their concerns•

• Help the victim to speak out and tell the person in charge or someone of authority

• Create an open environment•

• Investigate all allegations and take action to ensure the victim is safe

• Speak with the victim and the bully/ies separately

• Reassure the victim that you can be trusted and will help them, although you cannot promise to tell

no one else

• Keep records of what is said (what happened by whom, when etc)

• Report any concerns to the Producers

Action towards Bullies

• Talk with the bully/ies explain the situation (with their parents present) and try to get the bully/ies to

understand the consequences of their behaviour•

• Seek an apology to the victim/s.

• Inform the bully’s parents

• Provide support for the teacher of the victim

• Impose sanctions as necessary

• Encourage and support the bully/ies to change behaviour

• Hold meetings with the families to report on progress

• Inform all appropriate members of the action taken

• Keep a written record of action taken (whom, when etc)

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Contact Details

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Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO)

Producers: Shane Brown, Vanessa Coogan, Michael Moran

Phone - 0226015033

Email: new.stagesvmproductions@gmail.com

Website: www.newstageproductions.com

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Why take theatre classes?

​

Unleash Creativity

Gain Confidence

Learn how to problem solve

Find your voice

Learn to be heard

Social Interaction

Work in a team

Build Stamina

Develop Rhythm

Understand Timing

Improve Self Presentation

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Last updated: January 2024

Next review: January 2025

 

Key Contact Agencies

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Police  

• Emergency: Ph 111

• Non Emergency: Ph 105

• Online reporting: 105.police.govt.nz

Oranga Tamariki

• Report of Concern: Ph 0508 326 459

• Email:  contact@ot.govt.nz

Youthline

• Ph: 0800 37 66 33

• Email: talk@youthline.co.nz

• Text: Free text 234