Safeguarding

"I love how welcoming and supportive everyone around us is and how the vibe is so positive!" Dancer, U.Dance South East Regional Platform 2024

Safeguarding
Please consider the safety and well-being of your dancers and refer to your organisation/school/group’s safeguarding policy and risk assessment when working with children and young people. 

Your dance piece must be appropriate for a family audience of all ages.

Content: Only include age-appropriate movements, themes and issues for your group or individual dancer.

Costumes: No revealing costumes, no costumes with a nude effect, no costumes that sexualise young people. 

Music: No swearing, no violent language and no explicit or age-inappropriate content.  

Check out the U.Dance Good Practise Film produced by our friends at Dance4.
 

Body Of Persons Approval (BOPA) and Supervising Adults / Chaperones
The event organisers, Dancin’ Oxford, will be applying for a BOPA from the local authority in Oxford for the U.Dance South East Regional Platform as part of Dancin' Oxford Spring Festival 2026. 

Please note: 

Each group must have a minimum of two chaperones / supervising adults.

It is recommended that large mixed gender groups have three supervising adults. 
Soloists must be accompanied by an adult who has an enhanced DBS check.

Any adults going backstage, including those helping with costume changes, must hold an enhanced DBS check.

All supervising adults must have an enhanced Disclosures & Barring Service (DBS) check whether accompanying dancers of compulsory school age or older.

All supervising adults must have an enhanced Disclosures & Barring Service (DBS) check within 1 year and/or be registered on the online DBS update service and be able to provide their DBS reference number. Supervising adults should be prepared to bring their DBS certificates with them on 7 March 2026.

The BOPA applies to soloists and groups with dancers of compulsory school age. 

If selected for the platform, group leaders/teachers with dancers of compulsory school age will be required to provide details for the BOPA. 

Dancers of school leaving age or older are not required to be included on the BOPA. 

The Safeguarding Lead at your organisation/school/group must be in receipt of two satisfactory references for each adult accompanying young people, including from their most recent employment or volunteer work that involved working with children/young people. 

For details of UK school leaving age please visit this site.

Dancin' Oxford will provide full details of what information to provide for the BOPA to all selected groups and soloists.

Public Liability Insurance and Risk Assessment 
Please be prepared to provide proof of Public Liability Insurance (PLI) cover and an up-to-date Risk Assessment if selected for the U.Dance South East Regional Platform as part of Dancin’ Oxford Spring Festival 2026. 

You may have your own individual PLI cover for working with your group, or this might be your school or organisation’s PLI that covers you/the group leader/teacher for working with this group. 

Soloists working independently and who are not as part of a school or group will not be required to have Public Liability Insurance cover. 

Please contact Sarah Kearney at South East Dance if you have any questions. 
Email contact: sarah.kearney@southeastdance.org.uk
 

Safeguarding training
For each group or soloists selected for the U.Dance Regional Platform, the Safeguarding Lead at their organisation should ensure that each supervising adult has undertaken training on safeguarding children and young people within the two-year period prior to the Regional Platform. 

NOTE: One Dance UK and Safer Dance have partnered with High Speed Training to provide a free safeguarding course so please pass on to group leaders & supervising adults who need it.

>> Return to U.Dance South East 2026 landing page