Safeguarding

This policy sets out how Estrella Dance keeps young dancers (aged 14 to 17) and adults at risk safe at our events, classes, trips and in the Estrella Dance App.

Who and what this covers

Estrella Dance is a trading name of Claphmont Ltd (company number 16912791). This policy applies to everyone who works or volunteers for Estrella Dance: the owner, teachers, reviewers in the Estrella Dance App, event helpers and anyone running a trip.

It covers:

• Weekly social dance parties at London Bridge.
• Indoor classes, courses and private lessons.
• Dance trips and the festival in Benidorm.
• The Estrella Dance App: lessons, practice videos, teacher feedback, messages and community features.

A child is anyone under 18. Our events are for adults (18 and over) unless we say otherwise. In the Estrella Dance App, dancers aged 14 to 17 may join only with a parent’s or carer’s written consent. We do not accept dancers under 14.

Our commitment

Every dancer has the right to dance without harm, fear or pressure. The welfare of a young dancer always comes first, before any booking, event or business need.

We follow these principles:

1. We take every concern seriously and act on it the same day.
2. We never promise to keep a worry about a young dancer’s safety secret.
3. We work with parents and carers, and with the police and local authority when needed.
4. Adults who work with young dancers are checked, trained and know this policy.
5. We treat everyone equally, whatever their age, sex, race, religion, disability or sexual orientation.
6. We keep records safe and share them only with people who need them to protect someone.

This policy follows UK government guidance, including Working Together to Safeguard Children, and the Children Act 1989 and 2004.

Safeguarding lead

Our safeguarding lead is Elias Kareem, contact info@estrelladance.com. Elias holds a DBS check.

The safeguarding lead:

• Receives and records every concern, and decides what to do next.
• Refers concerns to children’s social care, the police or the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) when needed.
• Makes sure everyone who works with young dancers has a DBS check, has read this policy and completes safeguarding training.
• Keeps this policy up to date and reviews it every year.

Deputy safeguarding lead: none yet. One will be named when Estrella Dance has its first teacher or regular helper, so that someone is always available if Elias is away or a concern is about him.

Young dancers (14 to 17)

• Consent: a parent or carer must sign the Estrella Dance parent consent form before a young dancer’s account is opened. The parent’s account is linked to the young dancer’s account.
• Age check: we ask for date of birth at sign-up. If we learn a dancer is under 14, we close the account and delete their data.
• Parties: our parties are for adults only (18 and over). Young dancers do not attend.
• Trips: young dancers do not come on trips unless a parent or carer comes with them and we have agreed it in advance.
• Classes and private lessons: a young dancer’s parent or carer is told the time and place of every lesson, and may stay and watch. Private lessons with a young dancer take place in an open, public or visible space, never in a home or a closed room.
• No private contact: adults never contact a young dancer through personal phone numbers, personal social media or private messages outside the Estrella Dance App.

Estrella Dance App

• Practice videos: a young dancer’s videos are seen only by the dancer, their linked parent or carer, and a DBS-checked reviewer. They are never shown publicly, in the community or in marketing. We keep them for 24 months, unless the dancer or parent deletes them sooner.
• Reviewers: only DBS-checked teachers or reviewers may review a young dancer’s videos or give them feedback.
• Messages and community: young dancers cannot receive private messages from adults they are not linked to. Find dancers and practise-together features are limited to suitable matches, and their parent can see who they are connected with.
• Reporting: every dancer can report a message, video or person from the app. Reports go to the safeguarding lead.
• Records: the Estrella Dance App keeps an audit record of who viewed or reviewed a young dancer’s videos.
• Online abuse: if anyone shares or asks for sexual images of a young dancer, we keep the evidence, do not forward it, close the account and report it to the police and to CEOP (the National Crime Agency’s child protection command).

Events, classes and trips

• A clear person in charge: at every party, class and trip, one named member of the team is in charge and dancers know who to speak to.
• Consent on the dance floor: anyone can say no to a dance, at any time, without giving a reason. Unwanted touching, pressure or comments are not accepted; the person is asked to leave and may be banned.
• Alcohol and drugs: we never give alcohol to anyone under 18. Anyone who is drunk or under the influence of drugs is asked to stop dancing and may be asked to leave.
• Photos and videos: we tell people when we are filming. Anyone can ask not to be filmed. We never post photos or videos of a young dancer without a parent’s or carer’s written consent, and never with their full name or school.
• Trips: we do not take young dancers on trips without a parent or carer. On every trip, one person is in charge and carries the emergency contacts.
• Emergencies: if someone is hurt or in danger, we call 999 first, then tell the safeguarding lead.

Safer recruitment

Before anyone teaches, reviews videos or helps with young dancers, we:

1. Check their identity and right to work in the UK.
2. Ask for two references, including one from their most recent dance or teaching role.
3. Get an enhanced DBS check with a check of the children’s barred list, and renew it every 3 years (or use the DBS Update Service).
4. Ask them to read and sign this policy and the code of conduct below.
5. Ask them to complete basic safeguarding training before they start, and refresh it every 3 years.

No one starts working with young dancers until all five steps are done. We keep a record of each check for as long as the person works with us.

If you are worried about someone

Signs that something may be wrong include unexplained injuries, sudden changes in mood or behaviour, a young dancer seeming afraid of an adult, an adult giving a young dancer gifts or special attention, or an adult trying to contact a young dancer privately.

If a dancer tells you something worrying:

1. Stay calm and listen. Let them speak in their own words; do not ask leading questions.
2. Do not promise secrecy. Explain that you must tell the safeguarding lead to keep them safe.
3. Reassure them that they were right to tell you.
4. Write it down as soon as you can: date, time, what was said in their words, what you saw. Sign it.
5. Tell the safeguarding lead the same day. If someone is in immediate danger, call 999 first.

Do not investigate yourself, confront the person concerned, or tell other dancers.

If the concern is about someone who works for Estrella Dance, the safeguarding lead refers it to the LADO for the borough where it happened within one working day. If the concern is about the safeguarding lead, contact the LADO or the NSPCC directly.

Reporting and records

The safeguarding lead decides within one working day whether to refer a concern, and to whom. If in doubt, they ask children’s social care or the NSPCC for advice. Every decision, including a decision not to refer, is written down with the reason.

Safeguarding records are kept apart from other Estrella Dance records, locked or password-protected, and seen only by the safeguarding lead and anyone they must share them with to protect someone. They are kept until the young person’s 25th birthday, or longer if the police or local authority ask, which is longer than the periods in our Privacy policy.

Who	When	Contact
Police	Someone in immediate danger	999
Police	Not urgent, to report a crime	101
Children’s social care	A child may be at risk of harm	The council for the child’s home address
LADO	A concern about an adult who works for Estrella Dance	The council where it happened (London Bridge parties: City of London)
NSPCC helpline	Advice for adults worried about a child	0808 800 5000, help@nspcc.org.uk
Childline	For young people to talk in confidence	0800 1111
CEOP	Online sexual abuse or grooming	ceop.police.uk
Estrella Dance safeguarding lead	Any concern	Elias Kareem, info@estrelladance.com

Adults at risk

Some adult dancers may be at greater risk because of illness, disability or their situation. We follow the same steps for them, with their consent where possible. Concerns go to the adult social care team of their local council, or 999 in an emergency.

Code of conduct for everyone working with Estrella Dance

• Treat every dancer with respect; correct technique with words first, and ask before touching to adjust a position.
• Never be alone with a young dancer out of sight of others.
• Never contact a young dancer outside the Estrella Dance App, and never start a personal or romantic relationship with anyone under 18.
• Never give a young dancer alcohol, lifts home, gifts or personal favours.
• Never use bad language, make sexual comments or jokes, or share personal photos.
• Report any concern about another adult, even a friend, to the safeguarding lead.

Breaking this code may lead to removal from Estrella Dance and a referral to the LADO, the DBS or the police.

Review

This policy is reviewed every year, after any serious incident, and when the law or our activities change. Next review: October 2027.