|
health
safety
staff
Parents
|
Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and Procedure Wild Monkeys Childcare, Nature nursery and Beach Nursery
This policy was adopted on May 2026 Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and Procedure Wild Monkeys Childcare, Nature Nursery and Beach Nursery This policy was adopted on May 2026 This policy is due for review on May 2026 Key contactsForest setting Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Rebecca Todd – 07818505469 [email protected] Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) Katie Fossella – 07818505469 [email protected] Named person for dealing with allegations Valerie Hill/Jenny Lelliot – 07818505469 [email protected] Beach setting Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Katie Fossella – 07818505469 [email protected] Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) Rebecca Todd – 07818505469 [email protected] Named person for dealing with allegations Valerie Hill/Jenny Lelliot – 07818505469 [email protected] Nature Setting Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Rebecca Todd – 07818505469 [email protected] Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) Katie Fossella – 07818505469 [email protected] Named person for dealing with allegations Valerie Hill/Jenny Lelliot – 07818505469 [email protected] Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO and Assistant LADO) Referrals into Early Help and Social Care
NSPCC Whistle blowing Advice line - 0800 028 0285 Prevent police advice line - 0800 011 3764 Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy 1. Introduction 1.1 Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who has contact with children and families has a role to play. Our whole setting approach to safeguarding is based upon an understanding of the local context and an attitude of ‘it could happen here.’ This policy applies to all members of staff in our setting including all:
1.2 Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined in Keeping Children Safe in Education as: · Providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge. · Protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online. · Preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development. · Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care. · Taking action to enable children to have the best outcomes. 1.3 Child protection is the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm. 1.4 Our children’s welfare is our paramount concern. We always take a child centred approach to our work and ensure that we listen to the voice of the child so that all children feel heard and understood. 1.5 The registered person or body will ensure that the setting will safeguard and promote the welfare of children. We will work together with other agencies to ensure that our setting has robust arrangements to:
1.6 The use of technology has become a significant component of many safeguarding issues. We teach children to stay safe online whether they are at the setting or at home. We have a separate Online Safety Policy which covers this area of work. 1.7 We recognise that abuse may occur in a range of situations:
1.8 Our setting is a community and all those directly connected have an essential role to play in making it safe and secure. This includes:
2.1 We believe that our setting should provide a caring, positive, safe, and stimulating environment that promotes the:
2.3 We recognise that all adults within the setting have a full and active part to play in protecting our children from harm. This includes
3.The legal framework 3.1 Under section 10 of the Children Act 2004, there is the requirement to cooperate with the local authority to improve the well-being of children in the local authority area. This includes all:
3.2 Under section 14B of the Children Act 2004, the East Sussex Safeguarding Children Partnership (ESSCP) can require a provider to supply information to perform its functions. This includes:
3.3 Under section 40 of the Childcare Act 2006, registered providers must comply with the welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This includes:
3.4 This policy and the accompanying procedure have been developed in accordance with the following statutory guidance and local safeguarding procedures:
4. Roles and responsibilities 4.1 The setting’s lead person with overall responsibility for child protection and safeguarding is the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). The name of the DSL will be clearly advertised in the setting with an explanation of their role including referring and monitoring safeguarding concerns. 4.2 The DSL will be a member of our management team. The role of DSL will be explicit in their job description. To carry out their role the DSL will have the appropriate authority and be given sufficient:
4.4 There is a named person for dealing with allegations of abuse made against staff members. If an allegation is made against the named person, then staff should speak to either the DSL of the setting or LADO or the NSPCC. 4.5 The DSL will ensure that the policies and procedures are fully implemented. Resources and time will be allocated to enable staff to discharge their safeguarding responsibilities. 4.6 All new staff will be required to read this policy as part of their induction. Existing staff are expected to read the policy at least annually, familiarising themselves with any updated practice. In either circumstance staff are expected to read the document in its entirety to ensure that they are aware of not just their own role and responsibilities but also the role of other key members of staff such as the DSL. 4.7 All staff members, volunteers, and external providers know:
5. Supporting children 5.1 Our setting will support all children by:
5.2 Additional vulnerabilities and characteristics can include:
5.3 Children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or certain health conditions can face additional safeguarding challenges and additional barriers can exist when recognising abuse and neglect in this group of children. These can include:
5.4 Children who have a social worker due to safeguarding or welfare needs may be vulnerable to further harm due to experiences of adversity and trauma, as well as educationally disadvantaged in facing barriers to:
5.5 Mental health problems can, in some cases, be an indicator that a child has suffered or is at risk of suffering:
Our setting takes a trauma informed approach to supporting children, considering their lived experience, and factoring this into how we can best support them with their welfare and engage them with their learning. 6. Categories of Abuse 6.1 Abuse: a form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm or by failing to act to prevent harm. Harm can include ill treatment that is not physical as well as the impact of witnessing ill treatment of others. This can be particularly relevant, for example, in relation to the impact on children of all forms of domestic abuse, including where they see, hear or experience its effects. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. Children may be abused by an adult or adults or by another child or children. 6.2 Physical abuse: a form of abuse which may involve:
6.3 Emotional abuse: the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are:
6.4 Sexual abuse: involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as:
They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in:
Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children. The sexual abuse of children by other children is a specific safeguarding issue in education and all staff should be aware of it and of their settings policy and procedures for dealing with it. 6.5 Neglect: the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy, for example, due to maternal substance abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:
It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs. 7. Recognition – what to look for 7.1 Staff members should refer to the detailed information about the categories of abuse and risk indicators in the Sussex Child Protection and Safeguarding Procedures Manual for further guidance. 7.2 In an abusive relationship, the child may:
7.4 Safeguarding practice reviews have found that parental substance misuse, domestic abuse, and mental health problems, if they coexist in a family could mean significant risks to children. Problems can be compounded by poverty; frequent house moves or eviction. 8.Child protection and safeguarding procedure 8.1 We have developed a structured procedure in line with:
8.2 In line with these procedures and the Continuum of Need the setting will identify the level of need and take appropriate action. The Children’s Social Care Single Point of Advice (SPoA) will be contacted as soon as there is
The setting will discuss concerns with the family and health visitor. A family may be signposted to their local Family hub for further support. 8.3 We have procedures for recording the attendance details of:
8.4 We will ensure that all parents and carers are aware of the responsibilities of staff members to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and act in the best interests of children by publishing the policy and procedures on our website (if applicable) and by referring to them in our introductory nursery materials. 9.The management of safeguarding 9.1 We will ensure that the DSL is kept informed of any incident of physical intervention with a child and will be aware of behaviour plans for specific children. 9.2 We will ensure that the DSL is kept informed of attendance patterns, and where there are concerns for individual children the response to this will be considered within the context of safeguarding. Unexplained absences must immediately be followed up with parents/carers. Sustained absences will be monitored according to circumstances. The absence policy will be shared with parents when they enrol their child. 9.3 We will ensure that the DSL is kept informed of arrangements for first aid and children with medical conditions and is alerted where a concern arises. For example:
9.4 Systems are in place to ensure that hate incidents are reported and recorded. They will be considered under safeguarding arrangements by the DSL. For example:
9.5 Under the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 we have a duty to refer any concerns of extremism to the police (in Prevent priority areas the local authority will have a Prevent lead who can also provide support). This may be a cause for concern relating to a change in behaviour of a child or family member, comments causing concern made to a member of the team (or other persons in the setting) or actions that lead staff to be worried about the safety of a child in their care. We have a Prevent Duty and Radicalisation policy in place. Please refer to this for specific details. 10.Reporting concerns and record keeping 10.1 All safeguarding and welfare concerns, discussions and decisions made will be recorded in writing and kept in line with the ESSCP Keeping Records of Child Protection and Welfare Concerns Guidance. Record Keeping Guidance 10.2 The DSL will ensure that child protection files are kept up to date and that information will be kept confidential and stored securely. 10.3 Records will include:
10.4 The DSL will ensure that files are only accessed by those who need to see them. Where files or content are shared, this will happen in line with information sharing advice and guidance. 10.5 We will continue to support any children leaving the setting about whom there have been concerns by ensuring that all appropriate information, including welfare and safeguarding concerns, is forwarded under confidential cover to the child’s new setting or school as a matter of priority, and within 5 working days. (ESCC best practice is that this should be actioned within five working days.) 10.6 When a child is due to transfer to another setting the DSL will consider if it would be appropriate to share any information with the new school or setting in advance of the child leaving. For example, information that would allow the new school or setting to have support in place for when the child arrives e.g., a child who has or has had a social worker involved. 10.7 When a new child joins our setting and there is a record of safeguarding or welfare concerns, we will ensure that this information is shared appropriately with the DSL and other relevant staff. 11.Safer workforce and managing allegations against staff, volunteers, or household members 11.1 Our setting has robust safer recruitment procedures to help prevent unsuitable people from working with children. Please see employment of suitable people policy for further details. 11.2 All individuals living or working in any capacity at our setting will be subjected to safeguarding checks in line with the EYFS Statutory requirements and Working Together to Safeguard Children. 11.3 We will ensure that agencies and third parties supplying staff provide us with written reassurance that they have made the appropriate level of safeguarding checks on individuals working in our setting. We will also ensure that any agency worker presenting for work is the same person on whom the checks have been made. In addition, suitable checks are obtained for regular visitors or volunteers. 11.4 Every job description and person specification will have a clear statement about the safeguarding responsibilities of the post holder. 11.5 We will ensure that the person conducting the interview has completed safer recruitment training. 11.6 We have a procedure in place to handle allegations against members of staff and volunteers in line with EYFS Statutory requirements and Working Together to Safeguard Children. We follow the ‘Managing allegations or concerns about individuals who work or volunteer with children flowchart guidance.’ Managing allegations flow chart and flow chart guidance can be found in the LADO information. 12.Staff induction, training, and development 12.1 All new members of staff will be given an induction which includes the following:
Part 1 and Annex B of Keeping Children Safe in Education is kept with the safeguarding policy for reference alongside the policy. 12.2 The safeguarding induction and ongoing safeguarding training of staff will include the content stipulated in Annex C of the EYFS. 12.3 The DSL will undergo updated safeguarding and child protection training every two years (criteria for training content is listed in Annex C). In addition to this, knowledge and skills will be updated regularly, to keep up with developments relevant to the role. 12.4 All staff members of the setting will receive appropriate safeguarding and child protection training which is renewed every two years. Providers must consider whether any staff need to undertake annual refresher training during any two-year period to help maintain basic skills and keep up to date with any changes to safeguarding procedures or because of any safeguarding concerns that occur in the setting. 12.5 The DSL will provide briefings to the setting on any changes to safeguarding and child protection legislation and procedures and relevant learning from local and national serious case reviews as required. Safeguarding should be on the agenda for every staff meeting. 12.6 We will ensure that staff members provided by other agencies and third parties, e.g., dance tutor, have received appropriate safeguarding and child protection training commensurate with their roles before starting work. 12.7 On the first occasion when staff members provided by other agencies and third parties come to our setting to work, they will be provided with details of the safeguarding arrangements at our setting. This will include identifying the DSL and the process for reporting welfare concerns. 12.8 The setting will maintain accurate records of staff induction and training. 13.Confidentiality, consent, and information sharing 13.1 We recognise that all matters relating to safeguarding and child protection are confidential. 13.2 The setting leader or the DSL will disclose any information about a child to other members of staff on a need-to-know basis, and in the best interests of the child. 13.3 All staff members, volunteers or students are aware that they cannot promise a child to keep secrets which might compromise the child’s safety or wellbeing. 13.4 All staff members have a professional responsibility to share information with other agencies to safeguard children. 13.5 All our staff members, who have contact with children, will be given appropriate training to understand the purpose of information sharing to safeguard and promote children’s welfare. 13.6 The DSL will ensure that staff members are aware of what they can and should do under the law, including how to obtain consent to share information and when information can be shared without consent. 14.Inter-agency working 14.1 We will develop and promote effective working relationships with other agencies, including agencies providing early help services to children, the police, and Children’s Social Care. 14.2 We will ensure that relevant staff members participate in multi-agency meetings and forums, including child protection conferences and core groups meetings. 14.3 We will participate in safeguarding practice reviews, other reviews and file audits as and when required to do so by the ESSCP. We will ensure that we have a clear process for gathering the evidence required for reviews and audits, embedding recommendations into practice, and completing required actions within agreed timescales. 15.Contractors, service and activity providers and student placement providers 15.1 We will ensure that contractors and providers are aware of our safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures. We will require that employees and volunteers provided by these organisations use our procedure to report concerns. 15.2 We will seek written notification that employees and volunteers provided by these organisations and working with our children have been subjected to the appropriate level of safeguarding check in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children. If assurance is not obtained, permission to work with our children or use our premises may be refused. 15.3 When we commission services from other organisations, we will ensure that compliance with our policy and procedures is a contractual requirement. 16.Whistle blowing and complaints 16.1 We recognise that children cannot be expected to raise concerns in an environment where staff members fail to do so. 16.2 We will ensure that everyone is aware of their duty to raise concerns about the management of safeguarding and child protection, which may include the attitude or actions of colleagues (including low level concerns). This includes:
Should staff not feel able to raise concerns they can call the NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice helpline on 0800 028 0285. 16.3 We have a clear reporting procedure for children, parents, and other people to report concerns or complaints, including abusive or poor practice. This is outlined in our compliments and Complaints Policy. 17.Site security 17.1 The setting’s site is secure to reduce the risk of unauthorised access or egress. Where the site is shared with other service users, we always ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to keep children safe. 17.2 All staff members have a responsibility to ensure our buildings and grounds are secure and for reporting concerns that may become known. 17.3 We check the identity of all visitors and volunteers coming into the setting. Visitors are expected to sign in and out in the visitors’ log. Any individual who is not known or identifiable will be challenged for clarification and reassurance. 17.4 The setting will not accept the behaviour of any individual, parent, or anyone else, that threatens our security or leads others, child, or adult, to feel unsafe. Such behaviour will be treated as a serious concern and may result in a decision to refuse the person access to the site. 18.Quality Assurance 18.1 We will ensure that systems are in place to monitor the implementation of and compliance with this policy and accompanying procedures. This will include periodic audits of welfare concern and safeguarding files and records by the DSL. 18.2 We will complete the management of safeguarding audits relating to the setting’s safeguarding arrangements regularly or when management or DSL changes.. Improvement Audits 18.3 The setting’s management team will ensure that action is taken to remedy without delay any deficiencies and weaknesses identified in safeguarding and child protection arrangements. 19.Policy review 19.1 This policy and the procedures will be reviewed annually. All other linked policies will be reviewed in line with the policy review cycle. 19.2 The DSL will ensure that staff and parents are made aware of any amendments to policies and procedures. 20.Linked policies and procedures
21.Useful links
|
