Safeguarding & Community Safety Policy

The Adventures of Gabriel | Coral Cove Club | StoryQuest Ltd

Last updated: 12 November 2026

1. Our Commitment to Children's Safety

Children are safest when they're heard.

Everything we do at StoryQuest Ltd and the Coral Cove Club is designed to give children the freedom to imagine, create and participate safely.

Every child's welfare comes first.

Our storytelling experiences encourage creativity, confidence and connection while protecting children's privacy, wellbeing and personal information.

We are committed to ensuring that:

Children can express their ideas without fear of being judged or corrected.

Children participate through a responsible parent, carer or teacher.

Children are protected from inappropriate contact and unsafe online interactions.

Personal information and creative contributions are handled responsibly.

Stories and submissions are reviewed before being published or shared.

Parents and carers remain involved in their children's participation.

These commitments apply to Coral Cove Club memberships, storytelling activities, school programmes and associated community experiences.

2. Who We Are and Safeguarding Responsibility

The Adventures of Gabriel and the Coral Cove Club are operated by STORYQUEST LTD, trading as Kate Markland and The Adventures of Gabriel.

Registered Company: STORYQUEST LTD

Company Number: 16741202

Registered in: England and Wales

Registered Office: Empress Business Centre, 380 Chester Road, Manchester M16 9EA, United Kingdom

Websites:

https://theadventuresofgabriel.com

https://katemarkland.com

Designated Safeguarding Lead

Our designated safeguarding lead is:

Kate Markland

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: +44 7360 270776

Deputy Safeguarding Lead: [NAME AND CONTACT DETAILS TO BE CONFIRMED]

The safeguarding lead is responsible for receiving concerns, coordinating appropriate responses, maintaining safeguarding records and ensuring our safeguarding procedures are followed.

3. Keeping Children Safe in the Coral Cove Club

The Coral Cove Club is designed so that children can enjoy storytelling without communicating directly with unfamiliar adults or other children online.

3.1 No Children on Screen

Children watch and listen to Club content but do not appear on camera or participate in live video calls.

3.2 Participation Through Adults

At home, children's ideas are submitted through a parent or carer.

At school, submissions are managed through the teacher and credited to the class.

Children do not need to communicate independently with our team to participate.

3.3 No Direct Contact With Children

We do not message children directly.

Children cannot message each other or adults through the Club.

Communications concerning children's participation are managed through parents, carers or teachers.

3.4 Protecting Children's Identities

We use children's first names only unless additional written permission has been obtained.

We do not publish a child's surname, school, photograph or location without the required written consent.

We also avoid collecting or sharing unnecessary identifying information about children.

3.5 Reviewing Submissions

Teachers review school stories before submission.

Our team reviews submitted material before it is shared or published.

Content that raises safeguarding concerns is handled under the procedures described in this policy.

3.6 Permission to Publish

A child's own story is not published without written parental permission.

Permission may be withdrawn, subject to applicable legal requirements and practical limitations for materials already distributed.

3.7 Adult-Only Community

The Campfire community is strictly for parents and carers aged 18 or over.

Children are not permitted to access or participate in the Campfire.

4. Children's Participation and Storytelling Guidelines

The Coral Cove Club encourages children to imagine freely, develop stories and share their ideas through a supportive storytelling process.

4.1 Imagination Comes First

Our approach begins with the belief that anything is possible in a child's own story.

Children are encouraged to explore their ideas without being rushed, judged or corrected during the creative process.

4.2 Adults Support the Story

Parents, carers and teachers are encouraged to listen, ask open questions and help children express their ideas.

Adults may write down a child's story or help them communicate it.

The child's imagination should remain at the centre of the experience.

4.3 Shared Coral Cove Stories

Children may contribute ideas or votes to collaborative Coral Cove storytelling activities through their parent, carer or teacher.

Selected contributions may become part of a shared story, with appropriate attribution and permissions.

4.4 Ownership of Children's Stories

Children retain ownership of their own original stories.

Participation does not automatically give other members, sponsors or visitors permission to copy, publish or distribute a child's independent creative work.

4.5 Parent and Carer Responsibilities

Parents and carers are responsible for supervising their children's participation.

They should:

Help children access appropriate Club materials.

Submit children's contributions through approved adult-managed channels.

Avoid sharing unnecessary personal information about their children.

Contact our team if any content or activity causes concern.

Ensure children do not access adults-only community spaces.

5. Safeguarding in Schools and In-Person Activities

Our storytelling programmes may take place in schools, classrooms and organised events.

We work alongside participating schools to help ensure that children can take part safely.

5.1 Working Alongside School Staff

During storytelling days and book launches, our team works alongside school staff and is not left alone with children.

5.2 DBS Checks

Team members working directly with children in person must hold appropriate enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks, renewed every three years under our operating policy.

5.3 Photographs and Recordings

Photographs and recordings involving children are only taken or published where the necessary parental permissions have been obtained.

Participation in a storytelling activity does not automatically constitute permission for photography, filming or publication.

5.4 School Safeguarding Procedures

We respect the safeguarding procedures established by participating schools.

Concerns identified during school activities are referred to the school's designated safeguarding lead through the appropriate channels.

6. Recognising and Responding to Safeguarding Concerns

Children may sometimes express worries or difficult experiences through their stories.

We take these concerns seriously.

If a submission, communication or activity suggests that a child may be at risk, we will follow these procedures.

6.1 We Do Not Investigate Ourselves

We avoid investigating safeguarding concerns or questioning the child ourselves.

6.2 Concerns Arising Through Schools

Where a concern arises through a school, we notify the school's designated safeguarding lead on the same day.

The school then follows its established safeguarding procedures.

6.3 Concerns Arising Outside Schools

For concerns involving children participating outside a school, we contact the appropriate local authority children's services where necessary.

6.4 Immediate Danger

If a child is in immediate danger, contact the police on 999.

6.5 Recording Concerns

We securely record:

The nature of the concern.

When it was identified.

Relevant information received.

Who was notified.

Actions taken and relevant dates.

Safeguarding records are handled