Little Flowers Nursery – POLICY NUMBER 13

Policy: Child Protection

NURSERY AIMS AND VALUES

Our main objective at Little Flowers Nursery is to provide a high quality childcare provision where children are encouraged and supported to undertake stimulating experiences, challenges and educated risks in an environment where they can express feelings in a positive manner, build confidence, independence, self esteem and be secure as they develop into motivated effective contributors, successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens in our community.

STATEMENT DETAILING LOCAL GUIDELINES WE WILL FOLLOW

  • We will follow Renfrewshire Council’s Child Protection Committee guidelines (Standard Circular 57).
  • We have a copy of the Renfrewshire Council’s Child Protection Committee guidelines (Standard Circular 57) available for staff and parent/carers to view in the nursery staff room and in our main entrance hall.
  • We have a copy of The Renfrewshire Council’s Child Protection Committee protocols to follow.
  • The legal framework for this is: The Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003, The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, Regulation of Care Act (Scotland) 2001, Human Rights Act 1998, Data Protection Act 1984

STATEMENT DETAILING THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF OUR DESIGNATED CHILD PROTECTION CO-ORDINATORS

  • Our named Child Protection Co-ordinators are Sandra Duffy (Nursery Manager) and Lynsey Cuthbert (Senior Nursery Nurse)
  • Child Protection Co-ordinators ensure staff are aware of Renfrewshire Council’s Child Protection Committee guidelines
  • Child Protection Co-ordinators ensure staff are aware of what they should do they suspect abuse
  • Child Protection Co-ordinators ensure staff know where to access Little Flowers Nursery Child Protection folder (in labelled file on shelf in nursery office)
  • Child Protection Co-ordinators ensure Standard Circular 57 and Grounds For Concern Action Guidance is displayed in staff room and in nursery main entrance hall
  • Child Protection Co-ordinators ensure all staff are trained to Part One Level in Child Protection
  • We provide adequate and appropriate staffing resources to meet the needs of the children
  • Applicants for posts within Little Flowers Nursery are clearly informed that the positions are exempt form the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Candidates are informed of the need to carry out checks before posts can be confirmed.
  • Where applications are rejected because of information that has been disclosed, applicants have the right to know and to challenge incorrect information.
  • We abide b the Care Commission requirements in respect of references and police checks for staff and volunteers, to ensure that no disqualified person or unfit person works at Little Flowers Nursery or has access to the children
  • Volunteers do not work unsupervised
  • We abide by the Protection of Children Act requirements in respect of any person who is dismissed form our employment, or resigns in circumstances that would have otherwise lead to dismissal for reasons of child protection concern.
  • We have procedures for recording the details of visitors to Little Flowers Nursery
  • We take security steps to ensure that we have control over who comes into Little Flowers Nursery so that no unauthorised person has unsupervised access to the children

STATEMENT DETAILIING WHAT LITTLE FLOWERS NURSERY WILL DO IF THERE ARE SUSPICIONS OF ABUSE / NEGLECT

  • Little Flowers Nursery has access to Health Visitor’s based in Renfrew Health Centre when concerns of abuse are identified for support and advice. Initial contact at Renfrew Health Centre is with two staff nurses: Gail Douglas (0141 314 4644) and Lesley Stewart (0141 314 4641) who are available for general support and advice with regards to the well being and health of children.
  • Where a child makes a disclosure to a member of staff, that member of staff will: offer reassurance to the child, listen to the child and give reassurance to the child that he or she will take action
  • The member of staff will not question the child
  • Where a staff member has a suspicion of abuse when neither of Little Flowers Nursery Child Protection Co-ordinators are present and cannot be contacted staff have permission from management to call Social Work Department and seek advice and guidance on how to proceed with the concern they have
  • Where relevant Little Flowers Nursery will notify SCSWIS of any incident or accident and any changes in our arrangements which affect the well being of children.
  • Where relevant Little Flowers Nursery will notify Renfrewshire Council, police, Social Work and any other relevant Local Authority on child protection issues
  • If a report is to be made to the authorities , Little Flowers Nursery act within the Renfrewshire Child Protection guidance in deciding whether we must inform the child’s parents at the same time
  • Where a member of staff or a volunteer is dismissed from the nursery or internally disciplined because of misconduct relating to a child, we notify the relevant authority so that the name may be included on the List for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults

STATEMENT DETAILING WHICH INFORMATION WILL BE RECORDED IN THE EVENT OF CONCERNS REGARDING CHILD PROTECTION

  • Staff make a record of:

The child’s name

The child’s address

The age of the child

The date and time of the observation or disclosure

The place of the observation or disclosure

An objective record of the observation or disclosure

The exact words spoken by the child

The name of the person to whom the concern was reported, with date and time

The names of any other person present at the time

These records are signed and dated and filed in a separate and new confidential case file if monitoring a situation that does not have enough grounds for concern to refer. Records in this case file should be kept in chronological order

STATEMENT DETAILING ARRANGEMENTS TO ENSURE STAFF HAVE AWARENESS OF CHILD PROTECTION ISSUES

  • Little Flowers Nursery ensures that all adults involved in the nursery have access to Part One Level training in child protection from Renfrewshire Council
  • All adults involved in the nursery are involved in an annual update of their child protection training
  • The Renfrewshire Council Child Protection Committee guidelines are reviewed annually and all staff have access to the outcome of the review
  • All adults involved in Little Flowers Nursery read and sign to their understanding of our child protection policy
  • All staff and volunteers are issued at induction with Little Flowers child protection policy and induction training to part one level is organised promptly
  • All staff are made aware of the location of Standard Circular 57, Grounds for Concern Action Guidance sheet and the nursery child protection folder.
  • All staff at induction are issued with their own copy of the National Care Standards, The Children’s Charter, The Framework for Standards and SSSC document
  • All staff are made aware of procedures to follow with regards to child absences and how this is logged and monitored
  • All staff are issued with a set of contact numbers if an out of hours child protection situation arises and also a pocket guide copy of the Safe and Well Scottish Government handbook

STATEMENT DETAILING LOCAL SOCIAL WORK AND POLICE CONTACT NUMBERS

  • Sharon Glasgow email: 0141 842 5125
  • PAISLEY AREA TEAM

Address: Kelvin House, Rivercart Walk, Paisley, PA1 1YS

Email:

Phone: 0141 842 5151

Fax: 0141 842 4136

Areas covered: Paisley Centre, Foxbar, Gallowhill, Ferguslie, Glenburn, Hunterhill, Seedhill, Ralston, Shortroods, Lochfield or Whitehaugh

  • RENFREW AREA TEAM

Address: Manse Street, Renfrew, PA4 8QH

Email:

Phone: 0141 886 5784

Fax: 0141 886 8340

Areas covered: Renfrew Town Centre, Erskine, Inchinnan, Bishopton, Moorpark, Dean Park or Langbank

  • JOHNSTONE AREA TEAM

Address: Floors Street, Johnstone, PA5 8TL

Email:

Phone: 01505 342 300

Fax: 01505 342 380

Areas covered: Johnstone Centre, Howwood, Johnstone Castle, Spateston, Corseford, Kilbarchan, Lochwinnoch, Bridge of Weir, Linwood, Elderslie, Brookefield or Houston

The Area Teams are open:

Monday to Thursday inclusive: 8.45 am – 4.45 pm

Friday: 8.45 am – 3.55 pm excluding public holidays and weekends

Emergency Contact: If you need to contact Social Work urgently out with office hours, please phone Social Work Standby: Freephone 0800 811 505

Other Contacts:

Dr Mandani (Consultant Paediatrician) Panda Centre 0141 889 9171

Dr Richard Woolfson (Principal Psychologist) 0141 840 3777

Alan Locke (Senior Advisor – Children and Families) 0141 842 5000

Police 0141 532 5900

Child Line: 0800 11 11

Child Protection Line: 0800 022 3222

Parent Line: 0808 800 222

STATEMENT DETAILING THE RIGHT OF CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE, STAFF OR PARENT/ CARERS TO MAKE COMPLAINTS

  • At Little Flowers Nursery we ensure information is accessible by detailing the relevant information required in our brochure, induction process and policies should children, young people, staff, parents or carers wish to complain
  • Within these we ensure that children, young people, staff, parents and carers are made aware of their right to complain to other relevant agencies such as Care Commission, Renfrewshire Council or any other relevant Local Authority
  • We ensure that all parents / carers know how to complain about staff or volunteer action within Little Flowers Nursery, which may include an allegation of abuse
  • We follow Renfrewshire Child Protection Committee guidelines when investigating any complaint that a member of staff or volunteer has abused a child
  • We follow all the disclosure and recording procedures when investigating an allegation that a member of staff or volunteer has abused a child as if it were an allegation of abuse by another person
  • We acknowledge that abuse of children can take different forms – physical injury, emotional abuse / neglect, sexual abuse, physical neglect and non organic failure to thrive
  • When children are suffering from abuse this may be demonstrated through changes in behaviour, or in their play. Where such changes in behaviour occur, or where children’s play gives cause for concern, the nursery investigates
  • We allow investigation to be carried out with sensitivity. Staff in the nursery take care not to influence the outcome either through the way they speak to children or ask questions of the children
  • Where a child shows signs and symptoms of “failure to thrive” or neglect we make appropriate referrals

STATEMENT DETAILING ARRANGEMENTS FOR REGULAR REVIEW OF CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

  • This policy will be reviewed annually or as required when recommendations are made.

Review Due: August 2012 (unless required sooner)

Reviewed by : Sandra Duffy