Norfolk Organists’ Association • Safeguarding Policy
The Norfolk Organists’ Association (NOA) welcomes among its members and guests, young people (i.e. under the age of 18) and vulnerable adults. The NOA, therefore, cooperates with young people, vulnerable adults, parents, carers and all members, in supporting the safeguarding rights of young people and vulnerable adults, by creating and maintaining a safe environment for them. The following statements apply to Student Members of the BCOA and to any young people or vulnerable adults attending or accompanying a member to an event or meeting.
We aim to achieve effective safeguarding in our meetings and events by:
• Recognising that all children and vulnerable adults have the right to freedom from abuse and harm.
• Promoting joint working with parents/carers in the interest of the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.
• Ensuring that our volunteers are aware of and accept responsibility for helping to prevent the abuse of children & vulnerable adults.
• Designating a Safeguarding Officer who takes specific responsibility for the protection, safety & well-being of children & vulnerable adults.
• Supporting all our volunteers in bringing concerns to the designated Safeguarding Officer.
• Responding quickly and appropriately to all suspicions or allegations of abuse.
• Providing parents/carers, children & vulnerable adults with the opportunity to voice any concerns they may have.
• Adopting positive behaviour management strategies which are non-violent and do not impose humiliation.
• Reviewing the effectiveness of our Safeguarding Policy and Procedures regularly.
It is the responsibility of all members present at a meeting to ensure that no-one present suffers physical, sexual, verbal or psychological abuse, particularly directed towards young people under the age of 18 or vulnerable adults.
Any concerns about abuse must be brought to the attention of the Safeguarding Officer, or another committee member, who will then pass this on to the Safeguarding Officer. Concerns must then immediately be referred to the committee and, when appropriate, to the police.
Young people under the age of 18 are welcome to attend all our events, either accompanied by a parent or carer, or by another responsible adult acceptable to the parent or carer and to the NOA. For unaccompanied attendance, subject to the agreement of the NOA, the written consent of a parent or carer is required; a single communication may cover all attendances.
A parental consent form must be completed if deemed necessary. Parental consent must be obtained in writing if a young person is to be shown in any photographs that are taken at a meeting and intended for publication in printed form or on-line.
Members are advised not to drive a young person to a NOA meeting unless they are closely related to the young person, or unless an adult, not related to the driver, is present in the vehicle. Parental consent in writing should be obtained. In any case it is good practice for the young person to sit in a back seat of the vehicle.
Currently some officers and committee members have recent Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) clearance, completing regular safeguarding training as part of their other roles outside the NOA.
The committee reserves the right to terminate any person’s membership of NOA with immediate effect, after a majority decision has been reached by a quorum of voting committee members, if any NOA member’s conduct at a NOA event or promoted activity is deemed inappropriate by the committee on safeguarding grounds.
Currently there is no nominated NOA Safeguarding Officer, so any concerns should be directed in confidence to a member of the committee in the first instance.
This Safeguarding Policy Statement will be reviewed by the committee at the first committee meeting after the AGM.
Agreed and ratified by the NOA Committee / AGM on 13th July 2026.