Safeguarding and child protection

Safeguarding requirements for grant holders 

Our Safeguarding Policy for Grant Holders provides applicants and grant holders with clarity about our expectations for effective safeguarding within the projects and programmes we fund. The policy is applicable to all grant holders, as well as to any organisation or individual applying for a grant, where their work is expected to engage with children, young people or adults at risk of abuse in any sort of capacity. 

All of our funding agreements also contain terms and conditions about safeguarding so that the requirements are clear. 

Read the Safeguarding Policy for grant holders.

If we receive an allegation

Safeguarding concerns or allegations about an organisation, individual or project we fund should be sent to our Customer Services team. If we receive an allegation, we will consider whether the incident may have breached our terms and conditions and we may contact relevant agencies for further advice or support. When we have fully considered the situation, along with any policies and procedures requested, we will let you know what, if any, action would be taken. 

Our Staff  

Arts Council staff are not expected to work directly with children, young people or adults at risk of abuse as part of their jobs, nor should they ever be left in sole charge of children, young people or adults at risk of abuse when visiting an organisation, individual, project or performance, and must refuse to do so if they are asked.  

Nevertheless, we recognise some of our staff may be involved in working with and/or supporting activities that engage with these groups. Although we do not require our staff to have Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, our Safeguarding Policy Statement sets out our commitment to ensuring children, young and adults at risk of abuse are protected when encountering or engaging with our staff and/or the individuals and organisations we fund, and outlines the processes and procedures we have put into place to respond to concerns should they arise. 

Read the Safeguarding Policy Statement.

Further information and support 

The Arts Council is not a regulator for safeguarding and we cannot offer advice or guidance about your safeguarding policies and procedures – you will need to take expert and/or legal advice, as appropriate.  

We recommend that you contact the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), who offer a range of information, advice, training and resources for organisations and individuals who work with children and young people, and adults at risk of abuse. 

If you are a registered charity then you should follow guidance set out by the Charity Commission.  

We have also created a supplementary information sheet for projects and programmes working directly with children, young people and adults at risk of abuse, for example as direct participants or performers. You can also find helpful resources for individuals here. 

Read the Additional safeguarding expectations

Find the Safeguarding policy statement and Safeguarding policy for grant holders below.