Hampshire Cosplay for Charity (HCC) is committed to providing a safe, welcoming, and family-friendly environment at all our events. As a group of volunteers, we recognise the importance of safeguarding children and young people who participate in our activities. This Child Protection Policy outlines our procedures to ensure the safety and well-being of all under-18 participants.
The safety and welfare of children are paramount. All children under the age of 18 attending our events must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or an appropriate adult who is responsible for their care.
HCC events are designed to be inclusive and family-friendly. The costumes worn at our events should be age appropriate for all members. While we allow more adult-themed costumes on rare occasions, they are restricted to events clearly marked as suitable for mature audiences. Children under 18 must always wear age-appropriate costumes, and parents or guardians are responsible for ensuring this.
Parents and guardians have the primary responsibility for ensuring that their child’s costume is appropriate and that their behaviour aligns with the family-friendly ethos of HCC events. They should supervise their child at all times, ensuring they engage safely in all activities.
All children under 18 must be accompanied by a responsible adult at all times during our events. HCC volunteers are not responsible for supervising unaccompanied minors. Any unaccompanied child may be asked to leave the event.
All HCC volunteers will be informed of our Child Protection Policy and are encouraged to act in accordance with safeguarding best practices. Any concerns about a child’s welfare should be reported immediately to the event coordinator.
If any volunteer, participant, or attendee has concerns regarding a child's safety or well-being at one of our events, these should be reported to the designated safeguarding officer or event coordinator immediately. All concerns will be handled discreetly and according to safeguarding procedures.
All costumes worn by under-18 participants must be age-appropriate and respectful of the family-friendly environment. This responsibility lies primarily with the accompanying adult.
In events where more adult costumes are allowed, such guidelines will be clearly communicated in advance, and they will not apply to under-18 participants.
HCC reserves the right to refuse participation or ask any individual to leave if their costume or behavioUr is deemed inappropriate or in violation of our family-friendly standards.
Parents and guardians must provide appropriate consent for their child’s participation in any HCC event. Photographs and videos may be taken during our events; We have no control over the public taking images of us. By joining Hampshire Cosplay you are by default agreeing to pose for photos.
This Child Protection Policy will be reviewed annually or in response to any significant changes in safeguarding requirements.
By attending an HCC event, all participants, parents, and guardians agree to abide by this policy, ensuring a fun, safe, and enjoyable experience for everyone.