SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT FROM THE TRUSTEES

Keeping everyone safe

The Trustees of the Gibraltar Music Trust are committed to keeping children, young people and adults at risk safe whenever they come into contact with our work. Music should be a joyful, welcoming experience for everyone. Safeguarding is everyone's responsibility, and every adult acting for the Trust puts the child's safety and welfare first.

The Trust collects, restores and lends musical instruments to schools. We do not teach, supervise or look after children: schools, parents and guardians stay responsible for the children in their care at all times. We meet children only when we deliver instruments to schools, run occasional workshops, arrange instrument loans with parents and guardians, and at events and flag days.

OUR COMMITMENTS

How we keep children safe

• Never alone with a child

  Children are always with their school, parent or guardian, and at least two adults from the Trust are present at workshops.

• Every volunteer is checked

  Before they start, everyone who volunteers with the Trust completes a Royal Gibraltar Police vetting check, gives two references and shows proof of identity and address.

• Everyone is trained

  Volunteers receive a safeguarding briefing before they start. Our safeguarding leads hold Gibraltar's multi-agency Safeguarding Children training, and training is refreshed every two years.

• We follow each school's rules

  In schools, we sign in at reception, wear Trust ID lanyards, and a member of school staff is present whenever children are around.

• Loans agreed with adults

  Every instrument loan is agreed and signed by a parent or guardian aged 18 or over. Instruments are handed over at school or with the parent or guardian present.

• We talk to adults, not children

  We communicate with parents, guardians and schools only. We never contact children directly, by phone, message or social media.

• We work with others

  We follow the safeguarding practice of Gibraltar schools, guided by Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026, and we work with schools, the Care Agency and the Royal Gibraltar Police whenever a child may be at risk.

PRIVACY

Photographs and personal information

• Consent first

  We only take or use photographs or video of a child with the written consent of their parent or guardian. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.

• No names, no tags

  We never publish a child's name with their photograph, and we never tag children on social media.

• As little as possible

  We keep a way to contact a child's parent or guardian and, for an instrument loan, the child's first name and class only. We delete these when the loan ends.