Child Protection Policy Statement
Round Rock Community Choir 

Round Rock Community Choir (“RRCC”) administers the Round Rock Youth Choir (“RRYC”), a community-wide choir program for children and youth ages 9 through 17. RRCC is fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of all children and young people up to age 18 who are part of RRCC or RRYC. 

RRCC acknowledges its desire and legal duty to create a safe environment for children and youth in which they can learn the art and discipline of choral singing free from harm, abuse, and exploitation. To that end, RRCC‘s paid staff and volunteers will adhere to proper standards of behavior when dealing with children and youth, and will respond appropriately to allegations, reports, or suspicions of abuse. Paid staff and volunteers will endeavor to work together to encourage the development of a culture which embraces difference and diversity and respects the rights of children, young people, and adults.

RRCC Child Safety Principles

• The welfare of the child is paramount;
• All children, whatever their age, culture, disability, gender, language, racial origin, religious beliefs, or sexual identity have the right to protection from harm, abuse, and exploitation; 
• All suspicions and allegations of abuse should be taken seriously and responded to swiftly and appropriately; 
• All paid staff and volunteers of RRCC who work with children and youth should be trained on how to behave and respond appropriately. 

RRCC Implementation Guidance

• Communicate to all paid staff and volunteers who work with children and youth their legal and moral responsibility to protect children and young people from harm, abuse and exploitation; 
• Communicate to RRCC and RRYC members and volunteers their responsibility to work to the standards that are detailed in this document and the need to work at all times towards maintaining high standards of practice to protect children; 
• Ensure that all RRCC and RRYC staff and volunteers understand their duty to report concerns that arise about a child or youth, or a staff or volunteer’s conduct towards a child or teen, to the RRCC President.
• The RRCC requires that paid staff and volunteers working with children and youth must agree to and pass a background check prior to new employment or volunteer service with RRYC or RRCC.
• The RRCC requires that an adult will never be alone (one-on-one) with a child. At least two adults must be present when one child is present, or two children must be present in the room with one adult.
• If unsupervised contact is unavoidable, steps will be taken to minimize risk. For example, rehearsals will be carried out in a public area or in a designated room with a door open. 
• All children will be chaperoned at all times by a director or volunteer who has passed a background check.

RRCC Partnership with Parents 

• RRCC is committed to an active partnership between parents and RRCC. Parents are encouraged to be involved in the activities of RRCC or RRYC and to share responsibility for the care of children. 
• All parents will be given a copy of RRCC's Child Protection Policy. 
• All parents have the responsibility to collect (or arrange the collection of) their children after rehearsals or performances.

Requirements for Employees and Volunteers

• Complete and sign a written application for volunteer opportunities or employment;
• Provide at least two personal references for volunteers and at least two employment references for employees;
• Complete a personal interview with the RRCC President or their designee;
• Comply with all application review and reference check processes that will be conducted by the RRCC President or their designee;
• Note that all  required background checks will be completed by a volunteer or employee prior to working with children and youth and shall be documented in a dedicated file prior to the individual beginning service;
• Successfully complete a training program as well as educational sessions as directed by the RRCC President or their designee;
• Successfully pass all criminal record and background checks.

Suspicion of Abuse

• Any person who sees or suspects abuse of a child or youth who is involved with RRCC or RRYC, or is told by a child or youth that they are being abused, they must, by law, report this to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (TDFPS) via phone or online: 
  • If this is urgent or an emergency situation call 1-800-252-5400 to report.
    • An urgent or emergency situation is one in which someone faces an immediate risk of abuse or neglect that could result in death or serious harm.
      • Including, but not limited to: 
        • serious injuries
        • any injury to a child 5 years or younger
        • immediate need for medical treatment (including suicidal thoughts)
        • Sexual abuse where the abuser has or will have access to the victim within the next 2 hours
        • Children age five and under are alone or are likely to be left alone within the next 24 hours
  • To report online please use the  Texas Abuse Hotline https://www.txabusehotline.org/Login/Default.aspx
  • Please make sure you have as much information as possible about the situation and child involved. Your name and information are kept confidential by law.
• Once they have made the report to TDFPS, they should immediately report this to the RRCC President. 
• Anyone who makes such a report should document in detail, for their own records, what they witnessed as well as their response, in case there is follow-up in which that person is involved. 
• If an allegation of abuse is made against any member of RRCC or RRYC staff, or volunteer, action will be taken to ensure the individual who has allegedly engaged in inappropriate verbal, emotional, or physical conduct does not have further contact with the child or youth until the investigation is concluded. The individual will not have any unsupervised contact with any other children or youth in the organization during the course of the investigation.

Steps To Take Upon Disclosure of Abuse 

If a child confides that abuse has taken place: 

• Remain calm and in control but do not delay in taking action. 
• Listen carefully to what has been said. Allow the child to tell you at their own pace and ask questions only for clarification. Don't ask questions that suggest a particular answer. 
• Don't promise to keep it a secret. As soon as possible, report the abuse to TDFPS and share the information with the RRCC President. Make it clear to the child that you will need to share this information with others. Make it clear that you will only tell the people who need to know and who should be able to help. 
• Reassure the child that 'they did the right thing' in telling someone. 
• Tell the child what you are going to do next. 
• Speak immediately to the RRCC President. The RRCC President will confer with the Artistic Director and RRYC Director within 24 hours of an allegation, keeping in mind that privacy of the involved child or youth is important and should be protected while also addressing the alleged misconduct.
• The RRCC President, together with either the Artistic Director or RRYC Director, will communicate with the child’s parent or guardian, if they are not the alleged abuser, to share what that child has reported and how it is being handled by RRCC.
• Never investigate or take sole responsibility for a situation where a child makes a disclosure of abuse. 
• Document in detail what was said, using the child's own words. Note the date, time, any names that were involved or mentioned, and when you made the report to TDFPS. 
• Once the victim is being cared for, the reporter will document the incident on an Incident Report Form provided by RRCC.
• All information shall be treated in a confidential manner. Except in the case of a response to a report of suspicious activity, and then only to the extent necessary to comply with policy and procedures as well as all applicable local, state, and federal laws.
• Documents shall be kept in secure storage. 

Suspicious and Inappropriate Activities Include (But Are Not Limited To): 

• Any display or demonstration of sexual activity, abuse, insinuation of abuse, or evidence of abusive conduct towards a child, youth, volunteer or staff;
• Sexual advances or sexual activity of any kind between any adult and child, youth, staff or volunteer; 
• Infliction or physically abusive behavior or bodily injury to a child, youth, volunteer or staff; 
• Physical neglect of a child, children, youth, volunteer or staff including failure to provide adequate supervision in relation to the activities of RRCC and its program(s); 
• Causing mental or emotional injury to a child, children, youth, volunteer or staff;
•  Possessing obscene or pornographic materials at RRCC events 
• Possessing, advocating the use of, or being under the influence of any illegal drugs;
• Consuming or being under the influence of alcohol while leading or participating in a children’s or youth function or while engaging in activities while representing RRCC. 

Consequences of Violation 

• Any person accused of violating this policy, whether staff or volunteer, will immediately be suspended from participation in all RRCC activities. Such suspension shall continue during any investigation by law enforcement and child protection agencies. 
• Any person found guilty of violating this policy shall be prohibited from future participation in all RRCC activities and programs. If the person is an employee, such conduct may also result in termination of employment. 
• Failure to report an incident in a timely manner is against the law and shall be considered a violation of this policy and shall be grounds for termination of employment and dismissal from any current or future participation in all RRCC activities. 

Managing Sensitive Information 

• Permission will be sought by RRCC from the parents of children or young adults involved in RRYC for use of photographic material featuring RRYC children for promotional purposes.
• RRCC's web-based materials and activities will be carefully monitored for inappropriate use. 
• RRCC will ensure confidentiality in order to protect the rights of its members, including the safe handling, storage and disposal of any sensitive information such as criminal record disclosures.