Privacy Policy
Important Details
Pointe Dynamic Arts Child Protection Policy (1 of 4)
Touch
- As we aim to have a high level of care for our students’ learning and safe dance practices it may be necessary for a teacher to need to place their hands on a child to correct alignment so to allow the child to work safely and correctly in the techniques they are learning.
- Teachers may touch the shoulders, ankle, foot and knee to encourage correct placement.
- Teachers will ask permission of the student in class to touch if needed.
- Teachers will respect the child/parents wishes if they do not wish to be touched.
- Where possible teachers will employ different teaching methods to teach correct alignment rather than touch. For example, use of Thera-bands or yoga balls to teach pelvic stability or stickers on shoes and knees to encourage alignment and teach self-correction.
Open Class Room and Waiting Areas
- Our studio doors are always open for parents to enter and view class.
- Waiting areas are open so parents may sit and see their children during classes but also with the presence of a divider to encourage independent learning.
- We run Open Weeks where families are encouraged to come and view classes and get to know the students’ teachers, building trust and encouraging communication between parents, teachers and students.
- Assistant teachers are placed in larger classes to ensure students are well supervised at all times.
Physical Environment
- We care for physical safety of our students by ensuring they have a dance safe space to learn in with sprung flooring, ample lighting and all fixtures such as barres and mirrors are professionally installed and secure.
- We minimise risk by ensuring all food and drink is kept in the foyer carpeted area to avoid slip hazards.
Important Details
Pointe Dynamic Arts Child Protection Policy (2 of 4)
- All electrical equipment is checked regularly and replaced if showing signs of wear.
- Our building conducts regular fire drills and safety inspections. They ensure all fire safety measures are met and have a set evacuation policy posted throughout the building.
- We ensure all students are physically warmed up before class to minimise the risk of injury.
Psychological Safety
- Creating an encouraging and supportive environment for student and parents is essential to the psychological wellbeing of the children in our care.
- Ensuring there is clear and open communication between teachers, students and parents helps to avoid or resolve any conflicts peacefully and with a mutual respect and understanding.
- Our studio director has completed a course in Mental Health First Aid, giving further insight into the warning signs in young people at risk.
- If a student is displaying at-risk behaviour the parents are informed so they can seek the appropriate help and records are kept of all conversations.
- If a student is showing signs of at-risk behaviour relating to abuse or neglect, then the guidelines under “Reporting” are followed.
First Aid
- Full First Aid kits are supplied in each dance studio.
- All teachers have a current First Aid Certification including CPR and EpiPen Training
- It may be necessary for a teacher to touch a student to administer First Aid, this will be done in accordance to DRSABCD guideline.
- Parents/Guardian or Emergency Contact will be contacted and informed of any injury or First Aid Treatment given in class. (e.g. Ice on a sprained ankle)
- If it is an emergency, 000 will be called as well as the parent/guardian/emergency contact.
Important Details
Pointe Dynamic Arts Child Protection Policy (3 of 4)
Safety before and after class
- Our studio has a strict sign in and out policy for students when off site.
- Teachers mark the role for each class to check attendance.
- Parents must walk their children to the studio before their classes and no student is permitted to leave the studio unaccompanied without written permission from their parents.
- As we live in a small town area, many students catch the school bus or walk to the studio from school. Parents are asked to advise the studio if their child will be making their own way to and from the studio.
- If a student is not present in class an SMS is sent to the parents to confirm that they are not attending classes that day and confirm their location ensuring they are safe at all times.
Photography and Video
- Parents and guardians are to indicate on their enrolment whether they give permission for a students’ image to be taken and used on our social media, advertising and rehearsal videos.
- Staff or other hired professionals (photographers/videographers) are advised of students that are on the “no photography and video” list for when taking images in class, at performance or events etc and all images are then approved by the director before publication to ensure no prohibited students appear in images published.
- If images are to be taken it is done via the use of our studio tablet or a professional photographer or videographer. The use of personal devises to take images is strictly prohibited.
- If staff wish to share their work, they may do so by re-sharing posts from the official Pointe Dynamic Arts Facebook and Instagram pages only.
- Rehearsal videos are a useful learning tool for students, staff are permitted to film rehearsal videos of choreography using the studio tablet to be then approved and shared with the students/parents by the studio director to ensure they are in line with our policies.
Important Details
Pointe Dynamic Arts Child Protection Policy (4 of 4)
Working With Children’s Checks
- All teachers, staff and volunteers have a current WWCC and are expected to follow all guidelines set out but the NSW Children’s Guardian and this Child Protection Policy.
Reporting
- According to the Child Protection Fact Sheet published by Ausdance and by the Children’s Guardian, teachers and staff must be aware of the indicators of abuse or neglect and understand the obligations to report suspected risk of harm.
- Each teacher, staff member or volunteer is provided with this information on induction for future reference should a situation arise.
- Teachers, staff members and volunteers are to report all incidents or concerns to the studio director.
- Records are kept of all incidents in the studio log and reported to the NSW Protection Agency.