KING BERT PRODUCTIONS LIMITED
Child Protection Policy – MALORY TOWERS: SERIES 6A & 6B
1. Introduction
King Bert Productions Limited (and all of its wholly-owned group companies and subsidiaries) (“the Company”) is committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and young people in production and programme making. This policy sets out principles and responsibilities that should be adhered to when working with children and young persons.
1.1 Who does this policy apply to?
This policy applies to all staff regardless of role and/or seniority, working for the Company as a permanent member of staff, a contractor or a freelancer, either in UK or abroad (‘staff’). This policy shall be made available to all of the aforementioned and also to anyone who is a contributor on a production or programme for the Company. A copy of this policy will be provided to you when you sign your contract and it will also be available in the production office and on our website: https://kingbert.co.uk
In this policy, children and young persons refers to anyone under 18 years of age.
1.2 What does this policy contain?
This policy seeks to reflect the principles of UK legislation.
The relevant legislation that applies to the safeguarding of children is as follows:
- Children and Young Persons Act 1933: Applies to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Children and Young Persons Act 1963: Applies to England, Scotland and Wales. Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1995: Applies to Northern Ireland.
- Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006: Applies to England and Wales. Children and Families Act 2014: Applies to England and Wales.
- Children and Young People 2014: Applies to Scotland.
- The Children (Performance and Activities) (England), Regulations 2014 (‘the English Regs’)
- The Children (Performance and Activities) (Scotland) 2014 (‘’the Scottish Regs’)
- The Children (Performance and Activities) (Wales) regulations 2014 (‘the Welsh Regs’)
- Children (Public Performances) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996 (‘the N.I. Regs’).
The key principles arising from the legislation are:
- The welfare of the child is paramount.
- No child or group of children must be treated any less favourably than others in being able to access services which meet their particular needs.
- All children without exception have the right to protection from abuse regardless of
- gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or beliefs.
1.3 What is the objective of this policy?
- To ensure that production companies are aware of their obligations when it comes to working with children.
- To inform all permanent staff, freelancer, contractors and contributors of the principles. To ensure staff know how to report concerns and non-compliance with this policy, as well as whom to speak to for advice and support in all matters relating to the
- safeguarding of children and young persons.
1.4 Responsibilities under this policy
All persons on the production of Malory Towers Series 6A&6B will receive a copy of this policy and be made aware of its contents. All persons who work on the production with children have a responsibility for children and young persons that work or are involved in productions produced by the Company. If there are any concerns, whether about a child’s welfare, an adult’s behaviour towards a child or young person, or in any way a non-compliance of this policy and the principles set forth within, you have a responsibility to let a senior staff member know. The responsibility applies regardless of how and when the information, suspicion or concern came to your knowledge.
The Company has nominated David Collier (Producer) as its Child Protection Officer for this production.
2. Principles of Good Practice
The Company shall seek to:
- Treat children and young people with care, respect and dignity;
- Recognise that those working for the Company will be perceived by children and young people as trusted persons and therefore all staff must comply will this policy;
- Use its reasonable endeavours to be so transparent in its communication, so that the children and their parent/ legal guardian are given sufficient information to make an informed decision about being involved in the production;
- Assess the risks posed to children when undertaking activities;
- Ensure staff, contractors and artists avoid physical contact with children and young people except for reasons of health and safety, or under supervision;
- Respond to any allegations appropriately and implement a disciplinary process as appropriate;
- Review this policy on a regular basis. This policy was last updated on 20th August 2024.
3. Risk assessments and background checks for staff and freelancers
Risk Assessments are generally carried out when a programme is commissioned to ensure that the Company has considered the physical and emotional welfare of people under 18 who will be taking part in the filming. Producers are required to consider the risks and potential harms that may arise from the child’s participation and to take steps to mitigate those.
For more information on risk assessments, please see section 11.7 in Pact’s ‘Guidance on filming with children’ http://www.pact.co.uk/asset/A059AF62-0D3E-44AE-8AE88E5AABC47478/
The Company requires a background check to be performed in order for staff to work with children on our programmes/ productions.
A background check will enable the Company to reveal a person’s criminal history (‘DBS Check’). The DBS Check applies to England and Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. The DBS equivalent in Scotland is Disclosure Scotland, whereas the equivalent in Northern Ireland is Access Northern Ireland.
The need for enhanced disclosure checks shall be a commercial matter for the Company to decide on a case by case basis.
For more information regarding background checks, please see this document http://www.pact.co.uk/asset/4FA63696-A387-4C69-9AA38E63DC195217/.
4. Management responsibility – Child Protection Officer
The Company has appointed David Collier (Producer) as the Child Protection Officer at the Company for this production. The Child Protection Officer shall be the focal point for all child protection issues.
The Child Protection Officer or alternative senior member of staff on the production should be contacted if staff believe that a child involved in the production may be at risk of harm, and/ or if anyone are told by a child or young person of a child welfare issue or if there are any concerns about an adult’s contact with children.
5. Safeguarding children during filming/ production: Legal Requirements
The Company will be required to obtain a license for working with children and young persons. In circumstances where the Company is exempt from obtaining a license or it has chosen not to apply for a license, this decision should be documented.
For more information on legal requirements when working with children, please be referred to Pact’s ‘Guidance on Filming with Children’ http://www.pact.co.uk/asset/A059AF62-0D3E-44AE-8AE88E5AABC47478/.
The Company will liaise closely with those editorially responsible for the programme and with the broadcaster’s compliance and legal officers, as appropriate.
6. Safeguarding children online
Abuse and exploitation of children can happen online, through social networks, sharing of information, playing games online and so forth. We recognise that it is our responsibility to a reasonable extent to safeguard children and young persons in services we host online and on social platforms, such as photos, film, and through information in conjunction with our programmes/ productions.
For more information on how to keep children safe online, please visit this link: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety
7. Data protection
We acknowledge that children’s data constitutes special category data under the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 as it forms part of the law of England and Wales by virtue of Section 3 of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (and thereafter any successor legislation applicable in the UK) and the Data Protection Act 2018, as amended from time to time. We take extra care when collecting and processing children’s and young persons’ data as they may be less aware of the risks involved in providing such data. We inform the children and young persons we work with, as well as their parent/ legal guardian, about their rights under the data protection legislation.
More about how we collect and process data, can be found in our privacy policy: https://kingbert.co.uk/privacy-policy/
8. Documentation and record-keeping
The Company will document all decisions taken in relation to safeguarding when filming with children and young persons. The Company has the overall responsibility for this documentation.
9. Concerns and allegations
Here are some numbers and/ or websites that might be able to help you if you have concerns about safeguarding and/ or a child or young person’s welfare.
National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)
Helpline: 0808 800 5000
E-mail: help@nspcc.org.uk Website: www.nspcc.org.uk Report Concern Form: https://forms.nspcc.org.uk/content/nspcc-report-abuse-form/
Childline
Helpline for children and young persons (run by the NSPCC)
Helpline: 0800 1111
10. Other useful links
Broadcaster’s policy for this production: BBC Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/editorialguidelines/pdfs/Childprotectionpolicy.pdf
Dated: 20th August 2024