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RUNNING A DISCO

ADVICE ON SAFE PRACTICE

Parents have always been concerned that children should come to no harm.   Now, over and above the usual worries about children hurting themselves, getting run over or being ill, there’s the added concern of protecting children from adult predators.  

Disclosure checks

One system of protection is provided by disclosure checks for those adults whose “normal” duties put them in a child care position.    This involves a check being done on a person’s police record to see whether they have a relevant conviction.  People who undergo checks include teachers and those who run children’s clubs.   (For more information, including if/when you may need a check, see our leaflet SPTC Advice on the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act and police checks for PTAs and Parent Councils.) 

The Limits of Disclosure checks

Disclosure checks only tell you what is known about what someone has done in the past; they do not tell you what someone may have done that has not been discovered or what someone may do in the future.  

Risks to Adults - False Accusations

A recent query gave an interesting new slant to the question of “child protection”.    This time the concern was “adult protection” against false accusations by a child at events like school discos.   As the phone call came in just after we had heard of an actual case, it made a lot of sense.  

Good Practice for running a disco

This is where it starts to make sense to think through your procedures for a disco or similar children’s event because good planning should provide protection to both children and adults. The following is good practice.

• The starting point is to have enough helpers.  This will depend on the age of the children, but you should always have enough so that no one feels under pressure and you can spare one helper to deal with a child on a one-to-one basis, if necessary.
  
• Before an event, all helpers should be advised of safety procedures.
  
• Helpers should be consciously aware of each other and operate a system of mutual supervision.   (This is similar to the advice that we give for counting money where having two people not only ensures accuracy; it also protects against false charges of fraud.)
  
• There should be an incident log book and each event should have a separate entry recording the date and type of event.   The details of any incident etc. should be recorded at the time, with the time and date, and signed by two helpers.  If any queries come up later, the log book should be evidence as to what happened on the night.  If there are no incidents, this should also be noted and signed by two helpers.
  
• It is important to anticipate situations that might leave an adult alone in charge of a child and have agreed procedures.   For example, if a parent helper needs to deal with a child with a nose bleed, they should inform another adult what they are about to do and why, and then report back to that same adult when they and the child return.  The incident should be recorded in the log book.
  
• If a child approaches an adult and makes a complaint about another adult, the child should be listened to, the incident recorded in the log book and followed up as appropriate.
  
• It’s important to work out what will happen at the end of the event.   This will depend on the age of the youngsters.   If you decide that all children should be collected, it is important to make sure that parents are aware of this from the start.    If a parent feels that their child can go home alone or with a friend, you should ask the parents to give written notification - providing a tear-off slip might be useful.
  
• If you have an “adult must collect” policy, work out what you will do if a child gets left behind - another situation that should be logged in the incident report book.

Finally, most discos go off absolutely fine, so don’t worry and do enjoy it.  The worst that is likely to happen is that you will suffer noise fatigue!

Discos and Public Liability

Quite apart from any risks to children, there can be risks of ordinary physical injury from disco equipment and trailing wires etc.   If a parent, friend or pupil at the school is providing the disco, then the liability for such risks is covered by your public liability insurance if that is held through SPTC’s membership scheme.  (If you are not part of our scheme, you would need to check with your insurer.)

However, if you hire in a disco provider, then risks for the equipment etc. stay with him/her and you should check that he/she has the necessary cover.   If he/she does not and you are a member of the SPTC membership scheme, you can take out extended public liability insurance to cover this risk at your event.  

Other SPTC leaflets available

• What is a PTA?
• A Model Constitution (PTAs)/A Model Constitution (Parent Councils)
• Charities, Constitutions & Confusion
• Money matters
• The Qualifications Mystery Tour!
• Advice on Disclosure Checks

ABOUT S.P.T.C.

You may be interested to know that our membership insurance scheme covers:

• Public Liability
• Personal Accident
• Fidelity Guarantee
• Employer's Liability
• Extended Public Liability for hired-in entertainers
• All-Risks (for equipment purchased by the PTA/Parent Council)
• Short-term all-risks insurance for special events.

September 2007

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