Safeguarding policy

Version 1, published 6 November 2026. Butyros Limited, trading as Fox & Fable Toysellers (company no. 16497512), 5 Station Approach, Purley Oaks Road, South Croydon CR2 0QD.

Who this covers

This policy covers every session and event we run that someone under 18 might come to: painting sessions, learn-to-play and game days, demos in the shop, leagues and tournaments, visits to schools and clubs, events away from the shop, and our social media and any online group we run.

In this policy a child is anyone under 18. It applies to our whole team, to volunteers, and to guests who help at a session. It also covers vulnerable adults, meaning anyone who may need extra protection, for example because of a learning disability or because someone is controlling them.

If a child is bullied or harassed at one of our sessions, the team stops it, tells the lead or deputy, and tells the child's parent or carer unless that could put the child at risk.

Who looks after safeguarding

In shop hours, tell the lead, or the deputy, about any worry. The lead or deputy decides what happens next and keeps the records. If your worry is about the lead, tell the deputy. Outside the phone hours above, or if you can't reach either of them, don't wait for us: ring Croydon Council's children's services yourself (out of hours: 020 8726 6400, then press 5), or 999 in an emergency. Anyone can raise a worry: our team, parents, visitors or a child. Nobody will be in trouble for raising one honestly. You can always ring the council, the NSPCC or the police yourself, whatever the lead decides.

DBS checks and training

A DBS check is the criminal record check used for people who work with children. Everyone who runs or helps run a session for children has the highest level of DBS check the law allows for their role, before they start. For regular sessions that is an enhanced check, with the children's barred list check (a check against the list of people barred from working with children) where the role qualifies. We see the certificate, note the date, and renew the check at least every three years. We also check ID and take up references before anyone new runs or helps at a session.

Anyone without a check does not run or help at a session for children. Before their first session, everyone reads this policy and completes a safeguarding course. They repeat the course every two years.

Two adults, never alone

• At our sessions, no member of our team is ever alone with a child or a group of children. In the shop at other times, none of our team takes a child out of sight of others or behind a closed door. We don't give lifts.
• Every session open to children has two adults in the room. That means two of our team, with two exceptions. A parent who stays can be the second adult, but only when every child there has a parent staying. On a school or club visit, their own staff can be the second adult. Anyone under 18, and any helper or guest we haven't checked, doesn't count. If we can't cover it, we don't run the session for children.
• No more than eight children for each member of our team.
• Sessions run on the open shop floor, where the team and other customers can see. If we ever use a separate room, the door stays open.
• We don't take a child into a toilet or storeroom.
• We don't touch a child except to keep them safe or give first aid. We don't give a child personal gifts or money, and we never ask a child to keep a secret. Prizes and session materials are given out openly to everyone.

In the shop and online

• If a child is alone, lost or upset in the shop, a team member stays with them in view of others, asks a colleague to join them, and helps them find a parent or carer. If we can't, we ring Croydon Council's children's services, on the numbers below, or the police on 101.
• We follow the law on age-restricted goods, for example no aerosol paint to under-16s and no knives or blades to under-18s.

Parents, consent and collection

Every child needs a consent form from a parent or carer before their first session. It asks for emergency phone numbers, any medical needs or allergies, who may collect the child, and separately whether we may take photos and whether we may use them on our website or social media. We keep the forms at the shop.

• Under 12. A parent or carer stays for the whole session. On a school or club visit, their own staff stay instead.
• Under 16. A parent, or an adult named on the form, collects the child at the end. We hand a child to someone named on the form who is 18 or over. If anyone else comes, the child stays with two of us while we phone the parent. We hand the child over only if the parent agrees and we are satisfied the person is safe. We don't send under-16s home on their own.
• 16 and 17. They can come without a parent, and leave on their own, if the form says so.
• No form. A child without a form doesn't take part until a parent or carer has filled one in. We phone the parent. Until a parent comes, the child waits in the shop with two of our team.

Our care starts when a session starts and ends when it ends, so please bring children on time and collect them promptly. If nobody has come 15 minutes after the session ends, or 15 minutes after a child without a form arrives, two of us stay with the child and keep trying the parent's numbers, from the form or the booking. If we still can't reach anyone, we ring Croydon Council's children's services, on the numbers below, or the police on 101.

Photos and filming

• We don't photograph or film anyone under 18 without written consent from a parent or carer for that use. For 16 and 17-year-olds we ask the young person as well.
• No faces of under-18s go on our website, our social media or in-store displays without that consent. We never publish a child's full name next to a photo.
• Where we can, we photograph the models and the painting, not the child.
• Photos are taken on a shop device and kept there, not on a team member's personal phone. We delete them when we no longer need them.
• If a parent says no, the child still takes part. We make sure they are not in the shot.
• A parent can withdraw consent at any time by telling the lead. We take the image down as soon as we can. We can't recall copies other people have saved.
• Parents may photograph their own child. Please don't photograph, film or post other people's children.

Online safety

• Our team never have private conversations with under-18s: no personal messages, texts, calls, friend requests or private gaming chats.
• Anything about a session goes to a parent or carer, or through the shop's email or social media account, where another team member can see it. We contact under-13s only through a parent or carer.
• We never ask a child for personal details such as an address or school.
• If we run an online group or league that includes under-18s, a parent can join it, at least two of our team are in it, and nobody sends private messages through it.
• If a message from a child worries us, we pass it to the lead or deputy the same day.

School and club visits

We visit a school or club only when they have asked us in writing, and we send them this policy first. One of their staff stays in the room throughout, and counts as the second adult. We follow their safeguarding rules as well as ours, and we show our DBS certificates when we arrive. We contact pupils and members through the school or club leader. When a school or club brings a group to our shop, we agree beforehand who is responsible for them, and their teacher or leader stays with the group.

For leagues and tournaments, under-18 players follow the same rules on consent, collection and photos as at any other session. Adult players don't take a child aside or ask for their details. If you see it, tell a team member.

If you are worried

1. Emergency. If a child is in immediate danger or needs urgent medical help, call 999.
2. Listen. Stay calm and let them talk. Don't ask leading questions, promise to keep a secret or confront anyone. Say you need to tell someone who can help.
3. Tell the lead the same day. If your worry is about the lead, tell the deputy. If it is about the deputy, tell the lead. If it is about both, or about a director, or you can't reach either, ring Croydon Council yourself on the numbers below. You don't need proof to make a call. Whoever you tell does the lead's part in steps 4 and 5.
4. Write it down. Note what you saw or heard, with the date and time, using the child's own words. Sign it and give it to the lead.
5. The lead decides. If there is any doubt, the lead contacts Croydon Council's children's services the same day (out of hours, on the out-of-hours number below). If the child lives in another borough, the council passes it on if needed. If the lead rings, they also send the council's online referral form within 24 hours. We don't investigate ourselves, and we don't warn anyone involved if that could put a child at risk.

If your worry is about someone who works with children, including one of our team, tell the lead, or the deputy if it is about the lead. They tell the council's Local Authority Designated Officer, known as the LADO, who deals with worries about adults who work with children. If it is about both of them, or about a director, email the LADO yourself. You can email the LADO about anyone yourself, whatever the lead decides. If an adult tells us someone is hurting or controlling them, we listen, the lead is told (the deputy if it is about the lead), and they ring the council's adult social care.

Numbers to ring

If you can't get through and someone may be at risk, ring 999.

We checked these numbers on 4 November 2026.

Records and privacy

The lead, or the deputy where the worry is about the lead, writes down every worry, what we did and why. Paper forms are kept in a locked drawer at the shop, and the records of worries in a restricted file that only the lead, the deputy and a director of the company can open. Anyone a worry is about does not see that record. We share information only with people who need it to keep someone safe, such as the council's children's services or the police. See our privacy policy for how we handle personal data.

Review

The lead reads this policy again once a year, and after any worry or change in the rules. Next review by 6 November 2027.