Whistleblowing Policy & Procedure

Amico Dance Academy

At Amico Dance Academy, we are committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and ethical environment for all our students and staff/volunteers. We believe in open communication and transparency, and we encourage our community to speak up if they witness any wrongdoing or unethical behavior within the school. This policy outlines our procedures for reporting and addressing whistleblowing concerns.

What is Whistleblowing?

Whistleblowing is when someone reports wrongdoing on the basis that it is in the public interest for the concern to be brought to light. This is usually something they’ve seen at work but not always. The situation or incident that needs reporting might have happened in the past, be happening now, or be something the whistleblower is concerned may happen in the near future.

We take all whistleblowing concerns seriously and will not tolerate any form of retaliation against individuals who report in good faith.

Reporting Procedure

If you have witnessed or have knowledge of any wrongdoing within the school, we encourage you to report it immediately. You can do so by following these steps:

Speak to one of us (Rachel or Sarah). We will listen to your concerns and take appropriate action to address the issue.
If you are uncomfortable speaking to one of us or if you feel your concerns are not being addressed, you can reach out to the NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice Line on 0800 028 0285. They are trained to handle whistleblowing concerns and will ensure confidentiality throughout the process.

Investigation Process

Once a whistleblowing concern is reported, we will conduct a thorough investigation. This may involve gathering evidence, interviewing relevant parties, and consulting with legal advisors if necessary. We will keep the whistleblower informed of the progress and outcome of the investigation as far as possible.

Protection For Whistleblowers

We understand that speaking up about concerns or wrongdoing can be daunting and we want to assure you that your identity will be kept confidential throughout the reporting process. We also have a zero tolerance policy for any retaliation against whistleblowers.

We are committed to protecting the rights of whistleblowers and ensuring that they are not subjected to any form of discrimination or harassment for speaking up about their concerns.

False Accusations

Making a false or malicious accusation is a serious offence and will not be tolerated. If it is found that a whistleblower has made a false or malicious accusation, appropriate action will be taken.

Conclusion

We are committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and ethical behaviour at Amico Dance Academy. We encourage our community to speak up and report any concerns they may have without fear of retaliation.

Together, we can create a safe and respectful learning environment for everyone.