NLMS tutor engagement form – 2026

Please read through our safeguarding policy at the bottom of this page, and then complete the short form below if you are available for the 2026 course.

Thanks!
Steve


    NLMS / NLMA Safeguarding Policy

    Introduction
    1. The Association is a registered charity and as such is regulated by the Charity Commission, principally under the provisions of the Charities Act 2011.
    2. The Association’s mission relates primarily to adult learners, and it will only permit children to join its activities exceptionally and if they are in the care of a responsible adult acting in loco parentis; nevertheless, it recognises that it has a general duty of care to such children and a specific responsibility regarding any vulnerable adults who declare their condition when registering with The Association.
    3. The Association also recognises that its staff may be vulnerable to malicious and erroneous allegations, and this policy and its associated code of conduct are therefore designed to help protect all who learn, teach, administer and manage at the NLMA. It aims to provide a framework within which children and vulnerable adults can participate safely and confidently in The Association’s activities, and in which staff have appropriate guidance and support when carrying out their duties.
    Definitions

    For the purposes of this document:

    1. a ‘child’ is a person under the age of 18 (as defined by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child)
    2. a ‘vulnerable adult’ is a person over the age of 18 ‘who is or may be in need of community care services by reason of mental or other disability, age or illness; and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation’ (Who decides?, Lord Chancellor’s Department, 1997)
    3. ‘clients’ are children and vulnerable adults engaged in NLMA activities
    4. ‘staff’ includes all NLMA employees, contractors, engaged artists, teachers, trustees and volunteers who encounter clients.
    Indicative sources

    This policy and the accompanying code of practice have been based on law and guidance that seeks to protect children and vulnerable adults, including:

    1. Children Acts of 1989 and 2004
    2. Data Protection Act 1998
    3. Sexual Offences Act 2003
    4. Protection of Freedoms Act 2012
    5. Relevant government guidance on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, including
      1. Keeping children safe in education, Department for Education, 2016
      2. Working together to safeguard children, HM Government, 2013
      3. No secrets, Department of Health, 2000, revised 2015
      4. Prevent Strategy, HM Government, 2011
      5. The Prevent Duty, Department for Education, 2015
      6. National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland, The Scottish Government, 2014
      7. Children and young people: rights to action, The Welsh Assembly Government, 2004
    6. Relevant policies and publications of other organisations including the NSPCC, the Incorporated Association of Musicians, and the National Youth Orchestra
    Policy statement
    1. The Association recognises that:
      1. it has a responsibility for the safety of its clients, protecting them from abuse or neglect
      2. good safeguarding policies and procedures are of benefit to everyone involved with its activities, including its staff
      3. the welfare of the client is paramount
      4. all clients, regardless of age, disability, gender, racial heritage, religious belief, sexual orientation, or identity have a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse
      5. some clients are additionally vulnerable because of the impact of previous experiences, their level of dependency, communication needs or other issues
      6. working in partnership with clients, their parents (where appropriate), carers and other agencies is essential in promoting clients’ welfare.
    2. The Association will seek to keep its clients safe by:
      1. valuing, listening to and respecting them
      2. adopting good safeguarding practices through a code of conduct for staff and volunteers
      3. providing effective management for staff and volunteers through supervision, support and training
      4. recruiting staff safely, ensuring that all necessary checks are made
      5. sharing information about safeguarding with clients, parents (where appropriate), and staff
      6. sharing concerns with agencies who need to know, such as the police, local authorities and/or children’s services as appropriate
      7. assessing risk in relation to all activities, focusing on preventing and minimising risk
      8. maintaining a standing Trustee-Management Safeguarding Group
      9. reviewing its policy and procedures annually.
    3. A culture of mutual respect between clients and staff is strongly encouraged, with staff being expected to model good practice. It is part of the NLMA’s responsibility in the duty of care towards its clients that anybody who encounters safeguarding concerns will be supported when they report their concerns in good faith.
    4. All staff who have unsupervised access to, or contact with, clients are required to be familiar with this policy and the associated code of conduct, and to:
    • recognise and accept their responsibilities
    • develop awareness of the issues that cause children harm
    • report concerns to the Designated Safeguarding Officer and/or, or the Senior Decision-Maker as soon as possible (see Procedure below for details).

    Procedure

    • Designated NLMA contacts (the Safeguarding Group)
    • Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) – Brenda Stewart (07966 686195; bas@con-brio.com) 
    • Senior Decision-Maker (SDM): Tessa Crilly (07866 303710; tessa.crilly@gmail.com) 

     

    • What is abuse?
    1. The Children Act 1989 defines four types of abuse:

     

    Physical abuse Includes: physical chastisement; deliberate malicious injuries; inappropriate restraint; lack of supervision resulting in accidents

    causing harm
    Neglect Persistent failure to meet a young person’s physical and psychological needs. Includes the failure to protect a child from

    exposure to any kind of danger resulting in the significant impairment of a child’s health or development
    Emotional abuse Includes: persistent ridicule; rejection; humiliation; creating an

    atmosphere of fear and intimidation; inappropriate expectations; bullying and scapegoating; low warmth and high criticism
    Sexual abuse Includes: providing access to pornographic materials; involvement in adult sexual activity; touching or talking in sexually explicit ways; speaking to the child about sex in ways that are inappropriate and

    which seek to gratify the needs of someone else

     

    1. These categories also apply to vulnerable adults.
    2. Further categories of abuse, some of which may be more likely to apply to vulnerable adults, although not exclusively so, include:

     

    Financial or material Theft; fraud; exploitation; pressure relating to wills, property, inheritance, or financial transactions; misusing property, possessions

    or benefits
    Discriminatory Based on gender, culture, age, disability, sexual orientation, or religion
    Domestic Threatening behaviour, violence or abuse (including any of the above) occurring between adults who are or have been in an intimate relationship or are family members – regardless of gender or sexuality

     

    • When to be concerned
    1. You should be concerned if: 
    • A specific disclosure is made by a client or member of staff
    • A complaint is made by a third-party
    • Observation or verbal hints suggest that inappropriate behaviour is taking place, or has taken place
    • A client or a member of staff seeks your advice regarding inappropriate behaviour
    • The behaviour, development, or appearance of a client or colleague is worrying
    • Evidence of an unusual injury; regularly unexplained injuries; confused or conflicting explanations of how injuries were sustained
    • Sexualised behaviour or language inappropriate to a client’s age
    • A client misinterprets something that you have done
    • You have needed to restrain a client
    • You accidentally hurt a client

     

    • NB If you are the subject of a disclosure or a complaint, see Section I. below for specific guidance


    • What to do immediately if you are concerned (see also sections H and J below for more detailed guidance)
    • Listen to any disclosure carefully and without prejudice or comment; make a detailed record of what is said
    • If you were involved in any way, make a detailed recorded of what happened
    • Share your concern with the DSO and/or SDM as soon as possible
    • If there is an immediate risk of significant harm or clear evidence of abuse: 
    • eliminate any remaining risk(s)
    • the relevant designated officer will notify the appropriate external agency/agencies immediately and inform the whole NLMA Safeguarding Group
    • if a designated officer cannot be contacted, contact the relevant agency (e.g. Police, or LADO) yourself
    • If the concern does not involve an immediate risk of significant harm or there is not clear evidence of abuse: 
    • the designated officer will consider the evidence and contact the relevant external agency for advice.


    • Good practice guidelines: Disclosure
    1. If a disclosure or a complaint is made to you, you should:
      1. Arrange to speak privately with the person who may have been abused [‘the person’ in this section] if possible, or, if you feel uncomfortable about this, refer the matter to the DSO or the SDM straight away (or another member of the NLMA Safeguarding Group if both the DSO and the SDM are involved)
      2. Reassure the person that she or he is doing the right thing by telling someone
      3. Listen calmly, keeping questions to a minimum and avoiding leading questions altogether as these may cause problems for the subsequent investigation(s) and any court proceedings
      4. Take the person seriously, but remain impartial; do not judge, comment, attempt to rescue, give advice, or act on her/his behalf (other than recording and reporting the concern as detailed below)
    2. If it becomes apparent that there is an allegation or suspicion of abuse:
      1. explain that it will not be possible for you to keep the conversation confidential as you will need to involve more qualified individuals in the process (individual staff should never deal with abuse disclosures in isolation and should always refer to one of the Safeguarding leads)
      2. make clear that, although you will need to inform the designated staff, you will not discuss details of the alleged incident(s) with others
      3. convey that the designated staff will need to assess the situation and will want to work with the person to determine what could/should happen next
      4. explain that the next stage of the process is for you to write a record together of what has been said to capture the relevant points for referral; the record should include date(s), time(s), any names mentioned, to whom the information was given, and be signed and dated by both you and the complainant
      5. report the matter to the DSO and/or SDM (or another member of the NLMA Safeguarding Group if both the DSO and the SDM are involved) as soon as possible, with the written record.
    3. If abuse is suspected, but the person chooses not to disclose formally, tell her or him about the support available, and offer access to a private telephone where the person can ring a confidential help line for support (see Section D of this code for contact details)
    4. The person may prefer to approach other sources of support with you, rather than alone; if this is the case, please help by being present at these meetings/discussions
    5. Be aware that the person may not accept an offer of help immediately, but may do so later, and this may be the best course of action at that time
    6. Be aware that hearing about abuse can be stressful, and that you might need help yourself afterwards; you can arrange this by speaking with the SDM.

     

    1. Referral
    1. Once a referral is made to a designated member of staff, she or he will:
      1. Check with the referring staff member that the client is not in any immediate danger, and assist in arranging medical attention if she or he is suffering from a serious injury
      2. Check that the client is aware of what action is going to be taken next and why, speaking to her or him directly if appropriate
      3. Where possible, discuss concerns with other designated staff for Safeguarding to make an appropriate decision based on their additional expertise and experience
      4. Report the situation to the appropriate external agency
      5. Be responsible for taking whatever decision is necessary to ensure the client’s safety and that of any other children or vulnerable adults who may be at risk
      6. Agree with the recipient of the referral what the client and parents will be told, by whom and when.

     

    1. Good practice guidelines for NLMA staff and trustees: general
    1. Foster an environment that is encouraging and supportive, and in which clients from all backgrounds feel comfortable, confident, and able to challenge inappropriate behaviour.
    2. Treat all clients equally and positively.
    3. Always maintain professional standards of behaviour and dress when dealing with, or in the presence of, clients.
    4. Physical contact may be appropriate in certain circumstances, but this should be kept to a minimum and in no way secretive. The DfE provides the following guidance for working with children, which may be extrapolated to adults as well:

     

    It is not illegal to touch a pupil. There are occasions when physical contact, other than reasonable force, with a pupil is proper and necessary. Examples of where touching a pupil might be proper or necessary:

    • when comforting a distressed pupil;
    • when a pupil is being congratulated or praised;
    • to demonstrate how to use a musical instrument;
    • to demonstrate exercises or techniques during PE lessons or sports coaching; and to give first aid.

     

    1. Before touching a client, for example when teaching breath control or posture, you should consider using other strategies such as demonstrating for the person to copy, or using a mirror. If you intend to use physical contact regularly in your teaching, you should state this in writing before the tuition begins and ask the client, or the parent or guardian to sign that she/he has read the document. Explain the type of touch involved, where on the body and why, and make sure that the student is aware of the reason for physical contact.
    2. You should not touch any intimate area of the body unless there is a justifiable reason such as administering first aid; and you should not kiss or hold hands with a client.
    3. In summary, touching should be:
    • With prior consent
    • In a normal and proper context
    • Necessary
    • Explained.
    1. If you are in doubt as to what constitutes appropriate touch, consult one of the designated safeguarding officers (see Section C of this Code).
    2. Communication with clients should be regarding Association business only; not for personal purposes and not individually via social media.
    3. Meetings with individual clients should be kept to the minimum required for the professional activity concerned, and should preferably take place in a public area – not at a member of staff’s private address unless in the presence of a chaperone; and if in a semi-public area, doors should be left open, and/or a chaperone should be present.
    4. Personal money should not be given to clients.
    5. Do not engage in gossip about, or criticism of, staff or clients, or otherwise seek to undermine them.

     

    1. What to do if an allegation is made against you
    1. Given the nature of their work, members of staff may on rare occasions become the subjects of allegations that they have breached the above guidelines in some way. While the Association’s primary duty of care is to its clients, it also has a duty of care to its staff and recognises that such allegations may be misguided, or even malicious. To fulfil its responsibilities to both parties, the following action will be taken:
      1. You will be suspended from further involvement in any Association activities that may bring you into contact with clients, as defined in this document, pending a formal resolution of the matter; NB This action is taken to protect you as much as the client(s): no presumption of guilt is thereby implied or intended
      2. The matter will be reported to the Safeguarding Group and to the relevant external agency or agencies for investigation.
    2. For your part, you should:
      1. Cease your involvement in any related Association activity immediately, first making sure that any client(s) are safe if the complaint arises during an activity
      2. Have no further contact whatsoever with the client making the allegation, or with any third party involved in the alleged incident(s), until the matter is resolved formally
      3. Report the matter to the DSO or SDM immediately
      4. Refer any direct approaches from parents, guardians or other interested parties to the DSO and/or the SDM – do not engage in discussion about the circumstances that led to the allegation being made
      5. Take advice from your union or professional association, and/or from a solicitor.

     

    • Bullying (see also the NLMA Bullying and Harassment Policy)
    1. The NLMA does not tolerate any form of bullying or intimidation.
    2. Any incident reported in good faith will be dealt with in line with the Association procedures outlined in the relevant policy; it is important to support the client and to prevent bullying from starting or escalating wherever possible.
    3. Any client or member of staff making a complaint will receive appropriate support and assistance throughout the process and will be protected from any negative repercussions wherever possible.
    4. Staff should:
      1. Take all signs of bullying very seriously
      2. Encourage people to share any concerns they may have by creating a safe and open environment
      3. Report any allegations of bullying and ensure any client experiencing bullying is safe
      4. Speak with the bully or bullies separately and explain to them the consequences of their behaviour
      5. Encourage and support the bully or bullies to change their behaviour.

     

    • Radicalisation
    1. Radicalisation is defined as the process by which people come to support terrorism and violent extremism and, in some cases, then to participate in terrorist groups.
    2. Radicalisation is different for every individual and is not a one-off event; it can take place over an extended period, or within a very short time frame. It is important that staff are able to recognise possible signs and indicators of radicalisation.
    3. Clients and colleagues may be vulnerable to exposure or involvement with groups or individuals who advocate violence as a means to a political or ideological end.
    4. People can be drawn into violence or they can be exposed to the messages of extremist groups by many means; these can include family members or friends, direct contact with member groups and organisations or, increasingly, through the internet, including through social media sites. This can put clients at risk of being drawn into criminal activity and has the potential to cause significant harm. Potential indicators identified include:
      1. Use of inappropriate language
      2. Possession of extremist literature
      3. Changes in behaviour, language, clothing or appearance
      4. The expression of extremist views
      5. Advocating violent actions and means
      6. Association with known extremists
      7. Seeking to recruit others to an extremist ideology.
    5. PREVENT is part of the UK’s counter terrorism strategy, it focusses on supporting and protecting vulnerable individuals who may be at risk of being exploited by radicalisers and subsequently drawn into terrorist related activity. PREVENT is not about race, religion or ethnicity, the programme is to prevent the exploitation of susceptible people.
    6. If staff are concerned about a change in the behaviour of an individual or see something that concerns them (this could be a colleague too) they should seek advice from the DSO who will contact the Local Authority PREVENT Lead for further advice.

     

    • One-to-One Lessons
    1. The nature of one-to-one lessons can lead to them feeling more personal than other types of lesson, for both the staff member and for the student. In addition, there is an increased potential for the innocent actions of a member of staff to be misconstrued by a student as inappropriate, and vice versa.
    2.  As there may be no other staff or students present, an allegation of inappropriate behaviour against a member of staff is more difficult to prove or disprove, and a student may more easily make a vexatious claim against a staff member.
    3. A student could also be at greater risk from a member of staff who intends to act inappropriately towards them.
    4. Careful consideration should be given to what is said to students in one to one lessons, for example when giving feedback, which will feel more personal and targeted to the recipient.
    5. Great care should also be taken by members of staff to ensure appropriate boundaries in relation to student counselling are not crossed. Given the personal nature of the teaching relationships, one to one tutors may be seen as confidantes by their students, and it is essential that staff do not attempt to counsel students who may share personal or psychological issues with them. Any member of staff with whom a client shares information of this kind must follow the Safeguarding Procedures and Guidelines appropriately.

     

    • Relationships Between Staff and Vulnerable Students
    1. It is acknowledged that personal relationships may develop between staff and students. Whilst the Association does not seek to regulate the personal lives of its members, staff and clients are required to respect and maintain the boundaries of personal and professional life. These guidelines apply to all members of staff and all clients.
    2. The Association has a legitimate interest in any personal relationships between staff and clients, and will seek to ensure that they do not affect proper teaching, its good running or reputation.
    3. All staff and clients should ensure that any personal relationship between them does not affect any aspect of the professional relationship through their work and study with the Association. This is particularly important when one of the parties involved in the relationship has a position of power or authority over the other party through their role with the Association or has a position that could affect the other party’s qualifications or future employment.
    4. There are three kinds of personal relationship between staff and clients:

     

    1. Business or family relationships. (These could include various types of musical work or collaboration unconnected to the Association, such as performing at concerts or contributing to recordings.) In the event that a relationship of this kind develops with a client, you should immediately declare it to the DSO. If the relationship involves the DSO, the declaration should be made to the SDM. The recipient of the information will consider who should be informed and what steps should be taken. This will vary from case to case, but the most important and overriding aim is to ensure any impact on the client is minimised. It is expected that, in the majority of cases of this kind, little or no formal action that would be required.
    2. Intimate relationships (meaning any sexual or romantic relationship) Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, sexual activity, whether consensual or otherwise, between a person aged 18 or over and a person under that age, is an offence where the older person is in a position of trust:
      1. The Association strictly prohibits intimate relationships between staff and clients under the age of 18.
      2. Any intimate relationship between a member of staff and a client, even where both parties are over the age of 18, has the potential to cause serious issues for the member of staff with regard to their engagement, and the client in relation to her or his studies; therefore The Association discourages intimate relationships between member of staff and clients, and expects all staff to be responsible and professional in their dealings with clients at all times.
      3. Any member of staff who develops an intimate relationship with a client must declare this to the DSO immediately. If the relationship involves the DSO the matter should be declared to the SDM. Failure to declare a relationship of this kind may lead to disciplinary action being taken, up to and including dismissal.
      4. The recipient of the declaration will consider who should be informed and what steps should be taken to remove any impact. This will vary from case to case, but the over-riding aim is to ensure that any potential impact on the client and his or her studies is minimised.

    External relationships formed prior to clients engaging with the NLMA If a member of the NLMA staff has a pre-existing relationship with a client, that member of staff should declare this to the DSO immediately on becoming aware that the client will be engaging with the NLMA. A pre-existing relationship will not necessarily prevent the member of staff working with the client, but it is important that the situation is reported openly and transparently, in order to protect the member of staff should any future concerns be raised.