Whitchurch Pre-School
SafeguardingChildren and Young People Policy and Procedure
AsaregisteredPreschoolwehaveadutytobeawarethatabusedoesoccurinoursociety.Thispolicylaysouttheprocedurestobefollowedifanyonehasareasontobelievethatachildinourcareissubjecttoanyformofabuseorneglect.
Ourprimaryresponsibilityisthewelfareandwellbeingofeachindividualchildinourcare.Assuchwebelievewehaveadutytothechildren,parents/carersandstafftoactquicklyandresponsiblyinanyconcernthatmaycometotheourattention.Itisthedutyofallpractitionerstoreportanysuspectedabusetotheleader.
Ifthereisaconcernaboutachildwehaveadutytocontact theLocal Authority Designated Officer – Patrick Crawford 01305 221122 and in addition, or with guidance from the LADO, seek advice from the Children’s Social Care (CSC) local office,linkedtotheareawhereachildlives:
- Dorchester01305221450
- Bridport01308422234
- Devon03451551071
- Outofhoursservice01202657279
TheleaderwouldspeaktotheCSCdutyofficer/socialworkertosharetheconcernoveranincidentoremergingpatternofconcerns.Thedutyofficer/socialworkerwilldiscusswiththeirownmanageranddecideuponfurtheraction,ifapplicable. Iftheinitialcontactistakenbythe CSCasareferral,thesettingwillsendawrittenreportwithin48hrs.
Will we also contact Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), on 01305 221122
PhysicalAbuse
Actionwillbetakenunderthisheadingifwehave anyreasontobelievethattherehasbeenaphysicalinjurytoachild,includingdeliberatepoisoning,wherethereisadefiniteknowledge,orreasonablesuspicionthattheinjurywasinflictedorknowinglynotprevented.
Procedure
- Anysignofamarkorinjurytoachildwhentheycomeinto ourcarewillberecorded,discussedwiththeparent,andtheparentaskedtocountersigntheexistinginjuryrecord.Parents/carersareinformedofthisprocedurewhentheyjointhesetting.
- Theobservedinstanceswillberecorded(seeappendixone)andanymarksrecordedonabodymapiftheinjuryiscleartoseeandthisaddstothedescriptionoftheinjury(seeappendixtwo).
- Ifthereappearstobeanydiscrepancyorqueryregardingtheinjury,ortheinjuryisdiscoveredaftertheparent/carerhasleft,andthechilddisclosesthenameofthepersoncausingtheinjury,thiswillbesharedwiththe LADOwhomaynotifythepoliceifthereisanyconcernthatthechildisindangerofsignificantharm.
SexualAbuse
Actionwillbetakenunderthisheadingifwewitnessoccasionswhereachildindicatedsexualactivitythroughwords,play,drawingorhasanexcessivepre-occupationwithsexualmattersoraninappropriateknowledgeofadultsexualbehaviour.
Procedure
- Theobservedinstanceswillberecorded
- ThematterwillbereferredtoLADOwhowillnotifythepoliceifthereisanyconcernthatthechildisindangerofsignificantharm.
Emotionalabuse
Actionwillbetakenunderthisheadingifwehavereasontobelievethatthereisasevere,adverseeffectonthebehaviourandemotionaldevelopmentofachildcausedbypersistentorseveremaltreatmentorrejection.
Procedure
- Theobservedinstanceswillberecorded
- ThematterwillbereferredtoLADOwhowillnotifythepoliceifthereisanyconcernthatthechildisindangerofsignificantharm.
Neglect
ActionwillbetakenunderthisheadingifIhavereasontobelievethattherehasbeenpersistentorsevereneglectofachild(forexample,byexposuretoanykindofdanger,includingcoldandstarvation)whichresultsinseriousimpairmentofthechild’shealthordevelopment,includingnon-organicfailuretothrive.
Procedure
1.Theobservedinstanceswillberecorded
2.ThematterwillbereferredtoLADOwhowillnotifythepoliceifthereisanyconcernthatthechildisindangerofsignificantharm.
TheChildrenActof1989placesadutyonCSCtoinvestigatesuchmatters.AsaregisteredPreschool,wewillfollowtheproceduressetoutbyDSCBandwilltakeguidanceofCSConfurtheractionorprocedurestobefollowed.Allrecordswillbekeptconfidentialonaneedtoknowbasis.
AllegationsofchildabuseorneglectcouldleadtoacriminalinvestigationsoIwillnotdoanythingtojeopardisethis,forexample,askachildleadingquestionsorattempttoinvestigateallegationsthemselves.IfinitialclarificationisneededorifrequestedbyCSC,Imayuseopenendedquestions(T.E.D.tellme,explaintome,describetome)butshouldbemindfulthatCSCandPoliceareresponsibleforchildprotectionmatters
Allegationsagainstanymemberofstaff.
Actionwillbetakenunderthisheadingifaconcernisraisedorallegationismadeagainstanyoftheabovewhichsuggeststhatachildhasbeenharmedorisvulnerabletoabuse.
Procedure
- Thisshouldalsobenotifiedtothe managerwhowillcontactCSCforadviceanddirectionofproceduretofollow. AlternativelyaparentorcarermaycontactCSC/ LADO themselves.
- Ofstedwill benotifiedoftheallegation within 14 days.
- Inallcasesarecordofthereport,whichistimed,datedandincludesaclearnameorsignaturemustbemade
- Suspensionofanymemberofstaffmaybeconsiderednecessaryif:
- thereiscausetosuspectachildisatriskofsignificantharm,or
- theallegationwarrantsinvestigationbythepolice,or
- theallegationissoseriousthatitmightbegroundsfordismissal
- FullDSCBguidanceandproceduresonManaging Allegationsisfoundin“WorkingTogethertoSafeguardChildrenandYoungPeople2010”
Ensuringsuitabilityofstaffthatworkwithchildren
InaccordancewiththeChildcareAct2006andEYFSWelfareRequirementsallstaffworkingatWhitchurchPreschoolwillbesubjecttorigorouschecksandreferences(DBScheck,healthcheck,referencecheckunderourSaferRecruitmentandSelectionPolicyandProcedures.AllstaffarecontractedtoattendtraininginSafeguardingChildrenandYoungPeopleandwillbeaskedtofamiliarisethemselveswiththisdocument.)
Wemust:
- Givecomfortandsupporttothechildasappropriate
- Notforcethechildtotalkabouttheabuseoraskleadingquestions
- Maintainconfidentialityfortheprotectionofthechildandfamily
- Speaktochildren’ssocialcaretoensurethatappropriateactioncanbetaken
- Record,usingclearlanguage,whathasbeenseenorheard
- Imustensurethatmyconduct(orthatofassistants/familymembers)isatalltimesexemplaryandindoesnotputchildrenindangerorbringthesettingintodisrepute
FullDSCBguidanceandproceduresonacodeofconductforpeopleworkingwithchildrenisfoundin“WorkingTogethertoSafeguardChildrenandYoungPeople2010”
Visitorsincludingstudentswhohavenotundergonethesecheckswillbefullysupervisedandneverleftalonewithchildren.
Visitorswillbeaskedtosigninandreadastatementregardingourcommitmenttosafeguardingchildrenandyoungpeople.
PleaserefertoourEmploymentandstaffing policy.
Workingwithparentsandcarers
Parents/carerswillbeprovidedwithacopyofthisdocumentwhentheirchildbeginswhichwillbeexplained inaclearwaysoasnottofrighten,upsetoraccusebuttoimpressuponthemthecommitmenttotheirchild’swell-being.
Parents/carerswillbereassuredthatallegationsagainstanymemberofstaffofabuseorneglectwillbetakenseriouslyandwillbereportedto LADO/CSCtoinvestigate.Theconcernshouldbemadetotheleaderortheleaderisthesubjectoftheallegation,directlyto the LADO and Children’sSocialCare.
Atalltimesthechildoryoungperson'swell-beingcomesfirst,wehavetherighttoseekadvice,regardingaconcerntheymayhaveaboutachild,beforediscussingitwiththechild'sparent. Ifthechildisthoughttobeatriskofsignificantharm,areferralmaybemadeto LADO and/or CSCwithouthavingfirstdiscusseditwiththeparent.
Followon
Ifaconcernorallegationisreportedtoanymemberofstaffthenadecisionwillbemaderegardingthenextstepwhichcouldbetodiscusstheconcernwiththeparent/carer;takefurtheradvice;ortoraisetheconcernwith LADO/CSC.ThedutyOfficer/socialworkerwilladvisemeonnecessaryprocedures,dependingontheseverityoftheconcern. The LADO/CSCmayinvestigateiftheconcernhasreachedthethresholdforthistobetakenforward.
TheLADOor CSCmayarrangeavisittothefamily/settingtoseethechildandparentsforthemselves.Ifthisleadsthemtosuspectachildhasbeenabusedorneglected,adviceandsupportwillbeofferedtoimprovethecareofthechild.
Wewillcontinuetoprovidethebestcareforthechildandworktosupportparents/carersinaconfidential,non-judgementalmanner.
WhistleBlowing
Everyoneconnectedto oursettingisawareoftheirdutytoraiseconcerns,wheretheyexist,aboutthemanagementofsafeguarding.Anysuchconcernsshouldberaisedwiththeleader or Committee Safeguarding Lead Katie Ward telephone 07817 690804.Ifyourconcernisabouttheleaderthenpleasecontact the LADO orChildren’sSocialCare.
PleaserefertoourWhistle-blowingPolicy.