The London Canal Museum welcomes visitors of all ages and abilities.
We define children as persons under 18 years of age. Those aged under 14
years are regarded as needing a higher degree of protection than those aged
14-17. We believe it to be our responsibility to ensure the protection of
children on our premises and engaged in activities under our direct control.
The welfare of children is paramount and any suspicion or allegation of
abuse will be taken seriously. All our staff, volunteers and trustees have a
responsibility to raise any concerns or suspicions that may arise.
Most children visit in school groups or with a responsible adult such as
a relative or youth group leader. (We refer to this adult in this document as
the child's carer). They may visit to tour the galleries, take part in
children's activities, or an organised educational programme. They may also
take a boat trip provided by a third party.
The museum's policy is never to take the place of the child's carer.
Children aged under 14 are not allowed on the premises without a carer in
attendance. Children aged 14-17 are permitted to visit the museum alone.
We aim to provide a healthy and safe environment for all our visitors
including children. The wellbeing of children is considered as part of our
health and safety management process. Children will also be protected from
physical, emotional, or sexual abuse to the best of our ability whilst on our
premises.
The primary responsibility for the care of children in the museum rests
with the adult carer, however the museum seeks to ensure that its activities
and policies also afford as much protection as is reasonably practicable.
We will ensure that this protection is effective by the following
measures:
- Volunteers and staff who are recruited specifically to work with
children are selected with care and caution and their references are checked.
- CRB checking is used in the case of those working in the field of
education, who are mainly working with children.
- We have procedures that minimise the opportunity for abuse. In
particular this means that we work in an open environment, avoiding unobserved
secluded locations or situations.
- We obtain the carer's, parent's, or guardian's consent in writing
prior to taking photographs of children in the museum.
- We treat children with dignity and respect
- We do not conduct education of any sort on a one-to-one basis.
- First aid treatment is wherever possible carried out with more than
one adult present except in the rare situation of serious injury where any
delay in providing urgent first-aid pending the arrival of medical aid would be
harmful to the child. ·
- We ensure our staff are aware of this policy and we brief them on it
and on good practice in respect of child visitors.
- We have designated our Education Development Officer as responsible
for child protection issues, reporting to the Chair of the trustees who in turn
accepts responsibility for ensuring that child protection issues are taken
seriously and any incidents or suspected incidents are thoroughly investigated
and appropriate action taken.
- We involve teachers, parents and carers whenever possible in the
museum's work with children.
- We require our staff and volunteers to be good role models and they
may not use offensive language, make sexually suggestive comments, smoke or
drink alcohol in the presence of child visitors.
- We avoid the following unacceptable practices both for the protection
of children and the safeguarding of our own staff and volunteers:
- Spending excessive time with individual young people
- Taking children home (theirs or the adult's) or in a private
vehicle, other than in a group.
- Engaging in rough play, horseplay, or games of physical contact.
- Being closeted in a toilet or any private room with an
individual child
- Doing things of a personal nature, that the child can do for his
or her self or with the assistance of a carer.
- Physical restraint, other than to prevent danger to the child or
others, damage to property, or to prevent a criminal offence or serious
anti-social behaviour.
Other Policies Online
Collection related
policies
Access Policy
Equal Opportunities Policy
Health and Safety Policy
