The Cradle Nursery has a responsibility for the welfare and well-being of all children in our care and we have robust procedures in place to keep them safe and protect them from maltreatment. We endeavour to provide a safe and welcoming environment where children are respected and valued. We are alerted to the signs of abuse and neglect and we have a duty of care to the children, parents and staff to act quickly and responsibly in any instance that may come to our attention. We will work with children, parents, external agencies and the community to ensure the welfare and safety of children and to give them the very best start in life.
We will follow the advice and procedures of our Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB). A copy of ‘What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused,’ has been produced by the Department of Health in collaboration with a number of other government departments, including Ofsted and is available in all settings.
Practitioners have a duty to protect and promote the welfare of children. Due to the many hours of care we are providing, staff will often be the first people to sense that there is a problem. They may well be the first people in whom children confide about abuse. This policy lays out the procedure that will be followed if we have any reason to believe that a child in our care is subject to welfare issues including physical, sexual emotional abuse or neglect.
Safeguarding is a much wider subject than the elements covered within this single policy, therefore this document should be used in conjunction with the nursery’s other policies and procedures. Should anyone believe that this policy is not being upheld; it is their duty to report the matter to the nursery manager or a member of senior management at the earliest opportunity.
The legal framework for this policy is based on:
Roles and Responsibilities
All early year’s settings must nominate a senior member of staff to coordinate child protection arrangements.
The setting will ensure that the Designated Safeguarding Lead:
The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) at the Nursery is TahiraQalib
The Second Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) at the Nursery is Isma Liaqat
Good Practice Guidelines
To meet and maintain our responsibilities towards children, the setting agrees to the following standards of good practice:
Intimate/Personal care
Children’s dignity will be preserved and a level of privacy ensured. The normal process of nappy changing should not raise child protection issues. There are no regulations that indicate that a second member of staff must be available to supervise the nappy changing process to ensure that abuse does not occur, but we ensure that staff do not leave themselves vulnerable and will always work in an open environment by avoiding private or unobserved situations or closing doors to toilet areas.
Ensure that children are appropriately dressed.
Ensure parents and carers are not permitted to take photographs or videos of the children in the setting unless prior consent has been obtained by the manager for example for a special event, such as Christmas play etc.
Ensure all cameras and electronic devices are open to scrutiny.
Further information on use of cameras is included in our E-Safety Policy which also covers :
We also have a dedicated staff policy on the use of Mobile phones, Social Networking and Internet.
Safer Recruitment
We practice robust recruitment procedures in checking the suitability of staff and volunteers suitability to work with children. Please refer to our Safer Recruitment Policy for further details.
Staff Induction and on-going Professional Development
All new members of staff will undergo an induction that includes familiarisation with the setting’s Safeguarding Policy and identification of their own safeguarding training needs. They will receive initial safeguarding training during their induction period.
All staff receive a full induction which includes our code of conduct, policies and procedures. Staff sign to say they have read and understood and will work towards our policies and procedures. Failure to follow our code of conduct, policies and procedures can result in disciplinary action and may constitute gross misconduct which could result in dismissal.
Safeguarding training is mandatory for all staff. The DSL will ensure that the staff’s knowledge, understanding and practice of safeguarding children are current and up to-date at all times. Where gaps are identified support and training will be mandatory. We ensure that staff are alert to the signs of abuse, understand what is meant by child protection and are aware of the different ways in which children can be harmed including by other children i.e bullying, discriminatory behaviour. This includes the procedures for reporting and recording concerns and creating a safe and secure environment for the children in the nursery.
The DSL and deputy DSL will receive updated training at least every three years, including training in inter-agency procedures.
Protection of staff from Allegations of Abuse
Whilst caring for other people’s children, we are in a position of trust and our responsibilities to them must be uppermost in practitioners’ minds at all times. Staff may be vulnerable to allegations and have responsibility to keep themselves safe by ensuring they follow nursery’s procedures.
Staff will:
Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures
Recognising abuse
To ensure that our children are protected from harm, we need to understand what types of behaviour constitute abuse and neglect. We will ensure all staff understands their responsibilities in being alert to indicators of abuse and their responsibilities for referring any concerns to the designated person responsible for the child protection.
There are four categories of abuse: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect.
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 deliberate induces illness in a child ( this used to be called Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy, but is now more usually referred to as fabricated or induced illness ).
Emotional Abuse
Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child, such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued for meeting 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 over protection 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 the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all type of maltreatment of a child, although 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 the child is aware of what is happening or not. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative and non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities , such as involving children in looking at, or 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 the child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, which is likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of Mother’s substance misuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food and clothing or shelter, including exclusion from home or abandonment, failing to protect a child from physical or emotional harm or danger, failure to ensure adequate supervision, including the use of inadequate care-takers, or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to a child’s basic emotional needs.
(Definitions taken from Working Together to Safeguard Children 2015)
Indicators of abuse and what you might see:
It is vital that staff are aware of the range of physical and behavioural indicators of abuse and report any concerns to the designated person. We are aware that it is our responsibility to report concerns, but that it is our responsibility to investigate or decide whether a child has been abused.
A child who is being abused and/or neglected may:
Individual indicators will rarely be in isolation, provide conclusive evidence of abuse. They will be viewed as part of a jigsaw and each small piece of information will help the DSL decide how to proceed. It is very important that you report your concerns, you do not need “absolute proof “thatthe child is at risk.
Recording Suspicions of Abuse and Disclosures
Staff should make an objective record on the Safeguarding Record Log paperwork (supported by the nursery manager or DSL) of any observation or disclosure and include:
If a child starts to talk to an adult about potential abuse it is important not to promise the child complete confidentiality as this promise cannot be kept. It is vital that the child is allowed to talk openly, and the disclosure is not forced, or words put into the child’s mouth. Do not examine the child or ask leading questions. Remain calm and don’t allow your own feelings (such as anger, pity or shock) to surface.
It may be thought necessary that after discussion with all the concerned the matter needs to be referred to the local authority social care team and/or that first response and Early help team. If a referral is to be made, the manager and DSL complete the relevant local authority referral form and phones the social care team, this must be recorded in writing within 24 hours. We will keep a copy of this document and will follow the detailed guidelines given. If a First Response or Early Help is deemed the appropriate means of support and the MARF form will be completed with informed consent from the parent/carer wherever possible.
When a referral is made a senior manager must be notified as soon as possible.
Parental Partnership
If a suspicion of abuse is recorded, parents are informed at the same time as the report is made, except where the guidance of the LSCB does not allow this. This will usually be the case where there is suspected sexual abuse and the parent or family member is the likely abuser, or where the child may be endangered by this disclosure. Where we decide not to seek parental permission before making a referral the decision will be recorded in the child’s file with reasons, dated and signed.
We will continue to welcome the child and the family and treat them with respect in a non-judgmental manner whilst investigations are being made in relation to any alleged abuse. We will make clear to parents our role and responsibilities in relation to child protection, such as for the reporting of concerns, providing information, monitoring of the child, and liaising at all times with the local children’s social care team. We follow the Child Protection Plan as set out by the child’s social care worker in relation to the setting’s designated role and tasks in supporting that the child and their family, subsequent to any investigation.
Parents must notify setting regarding any concerns they may have about their child and any accidents, incidents or injuries affecting the child, which will be recorded. We will involve parents and carers wherever possible and ensure they have an understanding of the responsibilities placed on the setting for safeguarding children by setting out its statutory duty in the nursery’s policy and procedures, prospectus, notice board and newsletter.
Confidentiality and Sharing Information
All suspicions and investigations are kept confidential and shared only with those who need to know. Any information is shared under the guidance of the Local Safeguarding Children Board.
We know the importance of teamwork and multi-agencies working together to safeguard all children. If a child leaves us and had a current safeguarding case (on CP or CIN Plan) all information will be passed on to the relevant school or nursery wherever possible. Social worker will be informed of child leaving our nursery.
All staff understand that child protection issues warrant a high level of confidentially, not only out of respect for the child, but the staff involved but also to ensure that being released into the public domain does not compromise evidence. Staff should only discuss concerns with the DSL or manager. Manager will then decide who else needs to have the information and they will disseminate it on a “need to know basis”.
Child protection information, record of concern forms and other written information will be stored in a locked facility and any electronic information will be password protected and only made available to relevant individuals as per confidentiality, Data Protection and Information Sharing Policy.
We will develop effective links with relevant agencies and cooperate as required with any enquires regarding child protection matters including attendance of case conferences, core groups ad child in need meetings.
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