Voted 'LEADING PERFORMING ARTS EXAM BOARD' 2025
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Safeguarding means protecting children, young people, and vulnerable adults by creating safe, respectful, and professional learning environments. In the performing arts, this is about everyday practice, clear boundaries, and shared responsibility.
I-PATH supports teachers and studio owners with straightforward guidance, processes, and policies that work in real-life teaching environments. Our aim is to help you feel confident, compliant, and supported - without unnecessary jargon or confusion.
Anyone working with children or vulnerable adults must have up-to-date safeguarding training. I-PATH provides specialist safeguarding CPD and resources, helping you meet your legal duties and maintain the highest professional standards.
A DBS check (Disclosure and Barring Service) is one of the main ways we protect children and vulnerable adults in the UK. It shows whether someone is suitable to teach, supervise or work closely with others.
If you are an I-PATH Member based in the UK, you must:
Using the Update Service is strongly recommended because:
Having an up-to-date DBS is a core safeguarding responsibility, not just a box to tick.
Once you’ve received your new DBS, we recommend adding it to the DBS Update Service for a small annual fee. This will keep your DBS certificate updated.
A DBS certificate must be added to the Update Service within 30 days of the certificate’s issue date.
If it is not registered within those 30 days, it cannot be added later, and the Update Service cannot be used for that certificate. In that case, a new DBS check will be required if you want Update Service coverage.
From a safeguarding best-practice point of view, I-PATH strongly recommends registering as soon as the certificate arrives, especially for teachers and freelancers working across multiple settings. This helps studios and organisations carry out ongoing status.
The DBS Update Service allows employers and studio owners to check whether a teacher or staff member’s DBS certificate is still valid and up to date, without needing to apply for a new one each time.
To carry out a check, you will need the individual’s permission, their DBS certificate number, Surname, and their date of birth. Once you have these, you can use the DBS Update Service to see whether there have been any changes to their certificate since it was issued. The result will clearly show whether the certificate remains current or if new information has been added.
This is a quick, secure, and recommended best-practice safeguarding tool, particularly for studios employing freelancers or working with visiting teachers. It helps ensure ongoing safeguarding compliance while reducing unnecessary repeat DBS applications.
A confidential declaration is a document in which an individual discloses relevant information about their background, including any criminal convictions, cautions, or safeguarding concerns. It supports safer recruitment by promoting transparency and helping organisations assess potential risks when working with children, young people, or vulnerable adults.
A confidential declaration does not replace a DBS or criminal record check. It is used alongside formal checks as an additional safeguarding measure. Information provided is handled sensitively and confidentially, in line with legal and regulatory requirements.
The DBS is a UK-specific system, so it does not apply in the same way outside the UK.
If you are an international teaching member, you are expected to:
Wherever you are based, I-PATH expects members to apply the highest safeguarding standards and to take personal responsibility for keeping their checks up to date.
To earn your 5 CPD points, you will receive an I-PATH Safeguarding Booklet and a Safeguarding Questionnaire to complete. Once finished, simply email your completed questionnaire to info@i-path.org. If you meet the required standard, you will receive your official I-PATH CPD Certificate, confirming your safeguarding training and CPD points.
The I-PATH Safeguarding Summit is our annual virtual CPD event, held every August, bringing together teachers, studio owners, examiners, and safeguarding professionals from across the performing arts industry. It is designed to keep safeguarding knowledge current, relevant, and sector-specific.
The Summit explores real safeguarding challenges, legal updates, emerging risks, and best practice across training and professional settings. Sessions are practical, accessible, and rooted in the realities of teaching and running performing arts organisations.
Attendance counts towards safeguarding CPD, helping you meet your legal responsibilities while staying confident, informed, and aligned with world-leading safeguarding standards.
At I-PATH, we strongly recommend that studio owners, teachers, examiners, and anyone acting as a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) completes specialist safeguarding training delivered by the NSPCC.
NSPCC DSL training is available both in person and via live online (Zoom) sessions, making it accessible to organisations across the UK and internationally. The course provides practical, up-to-date guidance on safeguarding responsibilities, responding to concerns and disclosures, managing allegations, and working effectively with external safeguarding agencies.
We highly encourage all studios and teachers working with children and young people to undertake this training as part of their wider safeguarding commitment.
Copyright © 2023 International Performing Arts & Theatre Limited - All Rights Reserved. Company Number: 7440007
I-PATH, 163 Herne Hill, London, SE24 9LR
General Enquiries: info@i-path.org
Exams & Global Operations: exams@i-path.org
Talent Agency: agency@i-path.org
Tel: 020 7078 8693
Patrons: Ross Campbell (Professor of Singing, Royal Academy of Music) & Layton Williams (West End Star & TV Actor)
Dr Adam Tate - Designated Safeguarding Officer
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