Dance. Dream. Achieve.

Inspire Studios Code of Conduct

For owners, teachers, assistants, volunteers, freelancers and contractors working with students aged 3 to 18. Children’s welfare, dignity and safety guide every lesson, rehearsal, online interaction and performance.

Policy detail:

Studio name: Inspire dance Studio

Responsible owners: Natasha Hair and Isobel Hair

Studio Safeguarding Lead: Isobel Hair

Deputy safeguarding contact: Natasha Hair

Approved date and next review: October 2026 – October 2027

 1. Purpose and scope

Read this code alongside Inspire Studio’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. It applies during classes, private lessons, shows, trips, changing and collection, and to communications and relationships arising from studio work. It covers both owners in the same way as all other adults. The professional standards apply to students aged 18 as well as under-18s; safeguarding referral routes differ for adults.

2. Respectful professional teaching

• Treat students fairly and respectfully. Make reasonable adjustments for disability, SEND, communication and other needs. Challenge racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia and all discriminatory behaviour.
• Use constructive, age-appropriate feedback about technique and learning. Never humiliate, threaten, ridicule or shame a student about their body, weight, ability, identity or background.
• Keep choreography, music, costumes, language and performance expectations appropriate to age and development. Explain expectations clearly and allow questions and breaks.
• Respect a child’s wish to stop, report pain or ask for help. Encourage hydration, rest and a healthy relationship with food and movement. Never use food restriction, forced exercise or training through injury as discipline.

Raise concerns about possible abuse, unsafe teaching or boundary breaches immediately. A successful performance, parental approval or an owner’s instruction does not excuse a breach of this code.

3. Boundaries touch and safe care

Professional relationships

• Never pursue or engage in sexual or romantic behaviour with an under-18 student, including a 16- or 17-year-old. This is prohibited by studio policy regardless of any claimed consent or debate about the legal position of trust. Do not use teaching authority to pursue an adult student.
• No sexual comments, suggestive jokes, flirting, pornography, sexualised messages or requests for images. No secret-keeping, grooming, special treatment or gifts that create dependency or favouritism.
• Do not arrange private social meetings, home visits, babysitting, sleepovers or unnecessary lifts with students through your studio role. Declare pre-existing family or social relationships and agree boundaries with an unimplicated owner.
• Avoid isolated contact. Plan one-to-one lessons with parental knowledge and visible teaching arrangements. Never lock a child alone in a room with you. Report unforeseen isolated contact and record the reason.

Physical correction and safe technique

• Prefer verbal instruction and demonstration. Before necessary teaching contact, explain what you intend, ask permission and wait for agreement. Observe the child’s reaction and stop if they refuse, freeze, withdraw or appear uncomfortable.
• Keep contact brief, relevant and observable. Do not touch intimate areas, force stretching, manipulate through pain, use sexualised positioning or ask students to massage you.
• Do not hit, shake, drag, restrain as punishment or use painful control. In an immediate emergency, act only as necessary and proportionately to prevent injury, summon help and record and report the incident.

Toileting changing and first aid

• Respect privacy. Follow the agreed care plan for young children or students needing support. Explain help, encourage independence and ensure appropriate oversight without exposing the child.
• Do not enter changing or toilet areas without a justified care or safety reason. Explain entry where possible. No photographs, recordings or device use in these areas; adults must not change with children.
• Give first aid within training and competence, seek medical help when needed, and record treatment or exceptional personal care. Report any accidental contact, injury or incident that causes concern and tell parents appropriately.

4.  Communication images and supervision

Online and telephone contact

• Use approved business accounts and platforms. Contact parents or carers about under-18 students. Any authorised student group must have parental knowledge and oversight by another authorised adult.
• Do not use personal social media accounts, accept student friend requests, send private direct messages, use disappearing messages or communicate in secret. Keep relevant communication available for oversight.
• If a student contacts a personal account with a safeguarding concern, respond only as needed for immediate safety, preserve the relevant non-image record, report promptly and move further contact to the approved route. Never promise secrecy.
• For online lessons, use authorised links and suitable backgrounds; agree supervision arrangements with parents. No teaching from bedrooms or asking a child to participate in private or undressed settings.

Photographs video and recordings

• Check permission for the specific purpose and the child’s agreement before taking or using an image. Refusal must not affect participation. Obtain an adult student’s own consent.
• Use approved devices and secure storage. Never keep children’s images in personal galleries or cloud accounts, post to personal accounts or share with unauthorised people.
• Avoid identifying details, live locations and unsafe images. Follow show photography rules and identify children without permission through a discreet system known to authorised staff.
• Never ask to see, receive, copy or forward a child’s sexual image, including an AI-generated image. Report the information and seek police guidance about evidence; do not investigate it yourself.

Attendance collection and access

• Keep registers accurate and know who is in your care. Do not leave children unsupervised between sessions, in corridors, outside or backstage. Teenage assistants must not supervise alone.
• Release children only under agreed collection arrangements or recorded permission to leave independently. Follow the safeguarding procedure for late collection, unsafe collectors and missing children.
• Challenge unknown adults appropriately and follow visitor arrangements. Keep children out of residential flats and private areas. A familiar adult or someone with a DBS certificate does not automatically have permission to enter or supervise.
• Attend work fit to supervise. Do not work under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs; report any medication or condition that could affect safe working so adjustments can be agreed.

5.  Reporting concerns and responding to breaches

Act immediately on a safeguarding concern. Listen without leading questions, explain that information must be shared to keep the child safe, record facts and exact words, and follow the safeguarding policy. Do not investigate, confront the person accused or agree to keep abuse private.

Studio reporting route

Report promptly to the named Studio Safeguarding Lead or deputy. Report your own errors, accidental contact, boundary difficulties and situations that could be misunderstood. Record low-level concerns as well as serious allegations so patterns can be recognised.

For concerns about one owner, use the other owner only if unimplicated and safe. If both are implicated, there is a conflict of interest or action is inadequate, contact the external services directly. You do not need permission or a DSL qualification to report. Do not retaliate against someone for raising an honest concern.

External routes for Sunderland

Need Contact

Immediate danger or urgent medical help - 999

Concern about a child during office hours

Children’s Safeguarding 0191 561 7007
Mon–Thu 8.30am–5.15pm; Fri 8.30am–4.45pm

Evenings weekends and out of hours

Emergency Duty Team 0191 520 5560

Non-emergency police: 101

Allegation about a working or volunteering adult:

Designated Officer also known as LADO
designatedofficer@togetherforchildren.org.uk
Use the SSCP referral form; urgent child protection concerns must also be telephoned to the relevant service.

Report adult allegations to the Designated Officer without delay, normally the same day and no later than one working day. Contact police where a crime may have occurred and children’s social care for protection needs. An email to the Designated Officer is not an emergency response.

Consequences and confidentiality

The owners will address breaches proportionately, including advice, training, supervision, restrictions, disciplinary action, ending an engagement or external referral as appropriate. Safeguarding and fair process both apply; no internal process may delay protection or a required referral. Keep information secure and share only with those who need it to protect children or manage the concern lawfully.

Contacts checked 24 October 2026 using Together for Children Get in touch and the SSCP Designated Officer webpage. Full guidance links are in the safeguarding policy. Review both documents together annually and after significant changes.

6.  Expectations for families and students

Parents and carers

• Give accurate emergency contacts and tell the studio about medical, communication, disability or care needs and changes to collection arrangements.
• Arrive and collect as agreed. Notify the studio promptly about delays. Do not leave a young child before handover or expect staff to supervise outside agreed hours without arrangements.
• Treat teachers, other families and children respectfully. Do not threaten, intimidate, shame or confront another child. Report concerns to staff and use external safeguarding routes whenever necessary.
• Follow changing, access, photography and social media rules. Do not post identifiable images of other children without appropriate permission or enter restricted areas.

Children and young people

We explain these expectations in a way that suits each child’s age and understanding. A three-year-old is not expected to read or sign an adult policy.

• Be kind and respect other people’s bodies, belongings and differences. No bullying, unwanted touching, hurtful comments or pressure to share images.
• Follow safety instructions and tell a teacher if you are hurt, worried, need the toilet or want an activity to stop. You may say no to teaching touch and ask for another way to learn.
• Stay in the agreed areas and leave only under your collection arrangements. Follow the rules about phones and recording.

You can tell any trusted adult if something feels wrong, including something a teacher or owner does. You will be listened to. Adults may need to tell someone who can help keep you safe. You will not be blamed for abuse or for asking for help.

Adult staff and volunteer acknowledgement

I have read and understood this code and the studio’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy. I understand my reporting responsibilities, the route for concerns about an owner and the requirement to follow professional boundaries. I will seek clarification where needed and report concerns promptly.

Name and role __________________________________________________________

Signature ______________________________ Date  __________________________

Owner induction check completed by  _______________________________________

Families will receive this code and have an opportunity to discuss it. Acknowledgement does not remove the studio’s safeguarding responsibilities or a child’s right to report a concern.