Safeguarding

Safeguarding – Policies and Procedures

We comply with the Luton Safeguarding Children Board procedure and section 11 Children Act 2004. We intend to create at Woodland nursery an environment in which children are safe from abuse and in which any suspicion of abuse is promptly and appropriately responded to. In order to achieve this we will at Woodland nursery recognises that all children have equal right to protection.

  • Exclude known abusers
    • It will be made clear to applicants for posts within Woodland nursery that the position is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
    • All applicants for work within Woodland nursery, whether voluntary or paid, will be interviewed before an appointment is made and will be asked to provide at least two references. All such references will be followed up prior to the interview. In the case of applicants with unexplained gaps in their employment history, or who have moved rapidly from one job to another, explanations will be sought.  
    • All appointments, both paid and voluntary, will be subject to a probationary period
    • All staff, students and volunteers will be CRB cleared.
  • Seek and Supply Training
    • We will seek out training opportunities for all adults involved in the group to ensure that they recognise the symptoms of possible physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse and sexual abuse.
    • There will always be one named Safeguarding person available at all times. The Named Safeguarding person for the setting is Zainab Azim (Manager)
    • We ensure all staff members and support workers attend a Level 1 Safeguarding Children Training and ensure it is within validation, designated staff will attend training at the level appropriate to their role and target group.
  • Prevent abuse by means of good practice
    • Adults are never left alone at any time with individual children or with small groups. 
    • Children will be encouraged to develop a sense of autonomy and independence through adult support in making choices and in finding names for their own feelings and ways to express them. This will enable children to have the self-confidence and the vocabulary to resist inappropriate approaches.
    • The layout of Woodland nursery will permit constant supervision of all children.
    • The setting has CCTV cameras in the main play room and is on 24 hours a day which is monitored by LBC staff whom are CRB cleared.
    • Working Together to Safeguard Children (HM Government, 2006) defines four kinds of child abuse.
    • The setting has a safeguarding supervision policy and contract in place to support to individuals concerned in the care and education of children under the setting.
  • Physical Abuse 
    • Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating, or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.
  • Emotional Abuse
    • Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child, such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effect on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. 
    • These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. 
    • It may involve seeing or hearing the ill treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying, causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or in the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.
  • Sexual Abuse
    • Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, including prostitution, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative (e.g. rape, buggery, oral sex) or non penetrative acts. It may include non- contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or being involved in the production of, pornographic material, or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways. 
  • Neglect
    • Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse. 
    • Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food and clothing, shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment), failing to protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger, failing to ensure adequate supervision, including the use of inadequate care – takers, or failing to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs. 
  • Respond appropriately to suspicions of abuse
    • The first concern will be the child. Children whose condition or behavior has given cause for concern will be listened to, reassured and helped to understand that they themselves are valued and respected and have not been at fault.
    • Changes in children’s behavior/appearance will be look into and recorded in the setting Luton Safeguarding Chronology folder.
    • Parents will normally be the first point of reference, but if they are not in a position to allay any legitimate anxieties, the matter will also be taken up with the Social Care Department.
    • Where the child is deemed to be at significant harm the Social Care Department may be the first point of reference.
    • All such suspicions and investigations will be kept confidential in so far is possible, shared only with those who need to know. The people commonly involved will be the member of staff/key Person, the Safeguarding person and the manager.
    • Ofsted will also be informed of any allegations or incidents or events that occur by telephone and followed by written notification. Copies will be kept off all reports made.
    • During a time of absence where the nursery setting is closed for reasons out of the director’s control i.e. Pandemic closure, it is vital that staff/a staff member takes the necessary steps in forming contact with any vulnerable families that may be accessing child care at the nursery setting. If director form of contact between the nursery and family is difficult, the nursery should make forms  of contact with the external agencies involved such as EHA or MASH and gain/pass on information to ensure that the necessary precautions and protocols have been taken to ensure the families/child’s safety. Depending on the severity of the case, the nursery can determine how often there should be contact between the setting and the child.

Managing Allegations against staff

  • If a volunteer/student or a member of staff is accused of any form of child abuse, the manager will seek advice from LADO Paul James 01582 548069 the local safeguarding children’s board. Investigations will be in line with Local Safeguarding Children’s Board procedures. Confidential records will be kept off the allegation and of all subsequent proceedings. 
  • However allegations against the manager, following LADO procedures the interview will be conducted by Paul James parent will be informed to contact Paul James directly on 01582 548069.
  • The person against who the allegations is made will be informed of the allegations and will immediately by suspended on full pay while an investigation is carried out. Investigations will be in conjunction with The Local Safeguarding Children’s Board. Confidential records will be kept of the allegations and of all subsequent procedures.
  • Ofsted will be kept informed at all times.  

How to report

    • Whenever worrying changes are observed in a child’s behavior, physical condition or appearance, a specific and confidential record will be set up, quite separate from the usual on-going records of children’s progress and development. The record will include, in addition to the name, address and age of the child: timed and dated observations, describing objectively the child’s behavior/appearance, without comment or interpretation; where possible, the exact words spoken by the child; then dated name and signature of the recorder.
    • Adult who observe child in question will report any concern to named designated safeguarding person. Observation will take place of the child which who is being observed within the setting. Designated person will speak to parents in case of risk or significant harm to the child setting will seek advice from The Rapid Intervention & Assessment Team on 01582 547653. 
    • Such records will be kept in a separate A-Z file for chronologies concern and will not be accessible to people other than the Manager, Safeguarding person and Social Care department. Following Luton Case Recording Procedure.

Working in partnership/sharing information

Woodland nursery operates in accordance with guidelines laid down by the registering authority. Confidential records kept on children about whom the nursery is anxious will be shared with the Initial Assessment Team I Woodland nursery feels those adequate explanations for changes in the child’s condition have not been provided.

  • The Data Protection Act 1998 is not a barrier to sharing information but provides a framework to ensure that personal information is shared appropriately with multi agency and working professional. We are obliged to share confidential information without authorisation from the person who provided it or whom it relates where there is evidence that a child is suffering, or is at risk of suffering, significant harm we will share information with other professionals. 
  • An Early Help Assessment will be carried out if a concern of abuse or disclosure by a staff member/safeguarding person is raised and is then shared with Social Care department.
  • The Early Help Assessment (EHA) will be completed in co-operation with the parents. However depending on the nature of the concern the EHA form will be submitted to the social care department without parental authorisation. 
  • Up to date telephone numbers of social care initial assessment team are maintained and displayed.

Storage

Information security is an integral part of the Data Protection Act 1998. All staff/volunteers/student/children information is securely stored in a lockable cabinet within a locked room.

Any safeguarding files are stored in a lockable cabinet and are accessed by authorised person. All children’s information in regard to safeguarding is passed on to their new setting or school as part of their transition. Any information which is kept will be stored for 25 years. Documents can also be scanned and stored electronically on a secure portable hard drive.

All Staff CRB disclosure is authorised by staff for the nursery to keep their information on record and is kept in a lockable cabinet.