Safeguarding Policy
Cantamus
Website: Cantamus.com
Safeguarding contact:Cantamus68@gmail.com
Date of last revision: 31 August 2026
1. Our commitment
At Cantamus, we are committed to creating a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment in which everyone can participate in our activities, performances, rehearsals, events and online spaces.
We take the safeguarding and welfare of children, young people and adults seriously. We are committed to promoting a culture in which concerns about safety or wellbeing can be raised openly and are responded to appropriately.
This policy sets out our approach to safeguarding and explains how concerns can be raised.
2. Who this policy applies to
This policy applies to everyone involved with Cantamus, including:
Choir members
Children and young people who participate in Cantamus activities
Parents and carers
Trustees, committee members or other people responsible for the organisation
People who interact with Cantamus through our website or social media
Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility.
3. What we mean by safeguarding
Safeguarding means taking reasonable steps to protect people's health, wellbeing and human rights and to prevent harm, abuse or neglect.
This includes protection from, or concerns relating to:
Physical abuse
Emotional or psychological abuse
Sexual abuse
Neglect
Bullying, harassment or intimidation
Discrimination
Exploitation
Online abuse
We recognise that safeguarding concerns can arise in person, online, during rehearsals and performances, when travelling or attending events, or through communications connected with Cantamus.
4. Children and young people
Where children or young people participate in Cantamus activities, we will take appropriate steps to promote their safety and welfare.
We will:
Take reasonable steps to ensure that activities involving children and young people are appropriately planned and supervised.
Ensure that people working directly with children and young people are suitable for their role and that appropriate checks are undertaken where required.
Maintain appropriate boundaries between adults and children or young people.
Respond appropriately to concerns about a child's welfare.
Work appropriately with parents, carers and relevant professionals where necessary.
Follow relevant safeguarding guidance and legal requirements.
We recognise that children and young people may be particularly vulnerable to abuse, neglect, bullying and exploitation, including online.
5. Adults who may be at risk
We recognise that adults can also experience abuse, neglect or exploitation and that some people may be particularly vulnerable because of their circumstances or support needs.
We will seek to:
Treat everyone with dignity and respect.
Listen to concerns and take them seriously.
Respond proportionately and appropriately to safeguarding concerns.
Respect an individual's wishes and autonomy wherever possible while also taking appropriate action where there is a serious risk of harm or where we have a legal obligation to act.
6. Expected standards of behaviour
Everyone involved with Cantamus is expected to behave respectfully and appropriately.
We do not tolerate:
Bullying or harassment
Discriminatory behaviour
Threatening or abusive behaviour
Sexual harassment or inappropriate sexual behaviour
Behaviour that places another person at risk
Unwanted physical contact
The inappropriate sharing of personal information or images
Online abuse or inappropriate communication
Any form of exploitation or abuse
Where appropriate, concerns about behaviour may be dealt with through our organisational procedures, including asking an individual to leave an activity or event.
Serious concerns may be referred to the appropriate external authority.
7. Online safeguarding
We aim to maintain a safe and respectful online presence.
Users ofCantamus.com and our associated online channels should not use them to:
Harass, threaten or abuse others
Share offensive or discriminatory material
Share another person's personal information without permission
Share inappropriate images or material involving children or young people
Engage in inappropriate or exploitative contact with children or vulnerable people
Where safeguarding concerns arise through our website or online channels, we will take appropriate action and may remove content, restrict access or refer concerns to relevant authorities where necessary.
8. Photography, video and personal information
We recognise that photographs and video recordings can involve safeguarding and privacy considerations.
Where photographs or recordings are taken in connection with Cantamus activities, we will seek to handle them appropriately and in accordance with applicable data protection requirements and any relevant consent arrangements.
Personal information will be handled in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
We will take particular care when dealing with images or information relating to children and young people.
9. Reporting a safeguarding concern
If you have a safeguarding concern relating to a Cantamus member, volunteer, staff member, activity, event or online interaction, please report it as soon as possible.
Safeguarding contact:
Cantamus68@gmail.com
When making a report, please provide as much relevant information as you safely can, including:
What happened or what you are concerned about
Who is involved
When and where the incident or concern occurred
Any immediate risks to someone's safety
Any other information that may help us respond appropriately
You do not need to be certain that abuse or harm has occurred before raising a concern. If something concerns you, please report it.
If someone is in immediate danger, do not wait for a response from Cantamus. Contact the emergency services by calling 999.
10. Responding to concerns
All safeguarding concerns will be taken seriously.
When a concern is reported, we will consider:
The immediate safety and welfare of the person involved
Whether urgent action is required
Whether the concern should be referred to an external safeguarding service, the police or another appropriate authority
Whether parents, carers or other relevant people should be informed
Whether any temporary or longer-term measures are required to reduce risk
Whether the concern needs to be recorded and followed up
We will aim to handle concerns sensitively and confidentially. However, information may need to be shared where necessary to protect someone from harm or where there is a legal or professional obligation to do so.
We will not promise absolute confidentiality where doing so could place someone at risk.
11. Allegations involving Cantamus representatives
If a safeguarding concern or allegation relates to someone acting on behalf of Cantamus, including a member of staff, volunteer, tutor, musical director, committee member or other person in a position of responsibility, it will be handled appropriately and impartially.
Where necessary, we will seek advice from an appropriate external safeguarding organisation or authority.
Where a concern may involve criminal behaviour or an immediate risk of harm, we may refer the matter directly to the police or other relevant authority.
12. False or malicious reports
We encourage people to raise genuine safeguarding concerns in good faith.
We will not take action against someone simply because a concern they raise is subsequently found to be unsubstantiated.
However, deliberately malicious, knowingly false or vexatious allegations may be addressed through appropriate organisational procedures.
13. Record keeping and confidentiality
Safeguarding concerns and actions taken in response may be recorded securely and retained only for as long as necessary and appropriate.
Information will be shared only with people who need it in order to safeguard an individual, manage the concern appropriately or meet a legal obligation.
Safeguarding records will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and our Privacy Policy.
14. External support
Where appropriate, Cantamus may seek advice from or refer concerns to external organisations or statutory services, including:
The police
Local authority safeguarding services
Children's social care
Adult safeguarding services
The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS), where relevant
Other appropriate professional or safeguarding organisations
If you believe someone is in immediate danger, contact the emergency services on 999.
For non-emergency police matters, contact the police on 101.
15. Training and safeguarding awareness
Cantamus is committed to maintaining an appropriate level of safeguarding awareness among those responsible for organising and delivering our activities.
Where roles involve responsibility for children, young people or adults who may be at risk, appropriate safeguarding information, training or checks will be considered according to the responsibilities of the role.
16. Equality, dignity and inclusion
Cantamus is committed to treating people fairly, with dignity and respect.
Safeguarding and inclusion are closely connected. We do not tolerate abuse, harassment or discrimination on the basis of characteristics protected by law or because of a person's personal circumstances.
We aim to create an environment in which people feel safe to participate, raise concerns and ask for support.
17. Review of this policy
This policy will be reviewed regularly and whenever there are significant changes to Cantamus activities, safeguarding guidance or relevant legislation.
Policy owner: Cantamus
Safeguarding contact:Cantamus68@gmail.com
Date of last revision: 31 August 2026
Next review: 31st August 2027
18. Contact
If you have a safeguarding concern or would like to discuss an issue relating to this policy, please contact:
Cantamus Safeguarding Contact
Email:Cantamus68@gmail.com
If someone is in immediate danger, call 999.
Cantamus is committed to creating a culture where safeguarding is taken seriously, concerns are listened to, and everyone is treated with dignity and respect.