The Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements
Content
1. Child protection
1.1 Child protection policy
1.2Allegation against a member of staff
1.3 Whistle blowing policy
1.4 Intimate care policy
1.5 Photography and mobile phones policy
1.6 Social networking policy
2. Suitable people
2.1 Safe recruitment and vetting policy
* Enhanced CRB
* Staff disclosure
* Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act
2.2 Smoking, alcohol and substance misuse policy
* Staff taking medication
*Collection of children under the influence
3. Staff qualification, training, support and skills
3.1 Staff induction and development policy
* Induction
* Development and training
* Appraisals and reviews
* Training
* Staff meetings
* Health Declaration
* Appraisals
3.2 Staffing policy
* Qualifications, experience and safety checks
* Standards of behaviour
* Staff to children ratios
* Staff deployment
* Managing absences
* Confidentiality
3.3 Student and volunteer policy
3.4 Manual handling policy
4. Key person
4.1 Key person policy
4.2 Settling in and child induction policy
5. Staff : child ratios
5.1 See 3.2 staffing policy
6. Health
6.1 Illness and accidents policy
* Illness and communicable diseases
* Asthma Policy
* First aid kit
* Accidents
* Riddor
* Incidents
6.2 Administering medication policy
* Medication Consent
* Prescription & Nonprescription Medication
* Medical/technical knowledge and training
* Safe storage
* Children self administering
* Medication Administration Procedure
6.3 Food and drink policy
* Healthy eating
* Allergies and dietary requirements
* Packed lunches
7. Managing behaviour
7.1 Behaviour management policy
* Lead practitioner
* Physical intervention
7.2 Anti-bullying policy
7.3 Suspensions and exclusions policy
8. Safety and suitability of premises, environment and equipment
8.1 Site securitypolicy
8.2 Health and safety policy
* Health & Hygiene
* Kitchen area
* Resources
* Safety
8.3 Emergency evacuation policy
* Emergency evacuation procedures
8.4 Fire safety policy
* Fire detection and control equipment
* Fire exits and fire doors
* Fire Drill’s
8.5 Suitable premises
* Space requirements
* Outdoor play area
* Adequate number of toilets
* PLI
8.6 Arrival and departure policy
* Collection of children from school & Register
* Arrival & Departure of Visitors & Parents
* Collection of Children from Link Club
8.7 Play policy
* Link Club Environment
* Equipment
* Planned Activities
8.8 Risk assessment policy
* Risk assessments
* Daily checklist
8.9 Visits and outings policy
8.10Snow and ice policy
8.11Animals on the premises policy
9. Equal opportunities
9.1 Equal opportunities policy
9.2Additional Needs
10. Information and records
10.1Information and records policy
* Information about the child
* Information for parents and carers
* Information about the provider
* Information Sharing
* Changes that must be notified to Ofsted
10.2Complaints policy
* Contacting Ofsted
* Written procedure
* Written records
10.3Involving parents and carers policy
* Regular flow of two-way information
10.4Child participation policy
10.5Client confidentiality and access to information policy
10.6Uncollected child policy
10.7Missing child policy
10.8Admissions and registration policy
11. Organisational Procedures
11.1 Club Fee’s and opening hours
* Fee’s and session times
* Extra/Ad hoc sessions
11.2Cancellation procedure
11.3Link Club invoicing and payments
* Standing orders
* Bank details
11.4 Holiday Club
11.5 JK Sports Club
11. 6 Booking and payments for holiday club
12. Poisonous Plants
13. Common Childhood Diseases
13.1 Chicken Pox
13.2 Whooping Cough
13.3 Fifth Disease (Slap Cheek)
13.4 Three day fever
13.5 Hand, foot & mouth disease
13.6Scarlett Fever
13.7Measles
13.8Tuberculosis
13.9Asthma
14. Useful Numbers
Policies and Procedures
JK Link Clubs Ltd - Mission statement
JK Link Clubs Ltd has a clear mission statement- to provide high quality childcare in an environment that is reasonably safe and stimulating. A Place where learning takes place through play and everyone is treated as an individual.
Safeguarding and welfare requirements
1. Child protection
1.1 Child protection policy
Statement
The welfare, safety and protection of the children in our care are always our first priority. We recognise that high self-esteem, supportive friends, confidence and good lines of communication with trusted adults help prevent child abuse. Link Club will, therefore, maintain an environment in which children feel secure, are encouraged to talk and are listen to.
We work within Warrington Safeguarding Children’s board guidelines. Our Local Safeguarding Children Board is known as the Warrington Social Care Team. We have regard for the “Working together to Safeguard Children 2013” by acknowledging safeguarding as: everyone who is in contact with that child having responsibility and being effective by having a clear understanding of the individual child's needs and views.
Staff will ensure the children know there are adults within the Link Club who they can approach if they are worried or in difficulty. Most of the knocks, scrapes and bruises that children suffer as part of their young lives are usually easily explained - accidents do happen. However, in some cases these and other more serious injuries are inflicted deliberately.
Types of Abuse
Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment – a person may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children and young people may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting, by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger.
●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 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 only in so far 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 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 involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact and non-contact activities. These could be: involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual on-line images, watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.
●Neglect is 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. Once a child is born it may involve a parent failing to:
– Provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)
–Protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger – ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care-givers) – ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment.
It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to a child’s basic emotional needs.
Procedure
1Staff must keep written concerns about children (noting date, event and action taken) in the confidential safeguarding folder. Ensure that all records are kept secure and in locked locations. Confidentiality, in line with current regulations, must be maintained at all times.
Staff’s concerns may be regarding:
●Any significant changes in a child’s behaviour
●Any unexpected bruising, marks or signs of possible neglect
●Any comments children make which give cause for concern
●Any deterioration in a child’s well-being
●Anything in relation to any of the above examples in “Types of Abuse”
●Any reasons to suspect neglect or abuse outside the setting for example in the child’s home: and/or
●inappropriate behaviour displayed by another member of staff, or any other person working with children. For example Inappropriate sexual comments, excessive one-to-one attention beyond the requirements of their usual role and responsibilities: or inappropriate sharing of images.
2Discuss your concerns with your manager or designated member of staff. Without necessarily identifying the child in question, discuss your concerns with the Warrington Social Care Team in order to gain an understanding of the child’s needs and circumstances. They may already have concerns about the child on their database.
3If your concerns are about a child who is already known to Warrington Social Care Team, the allocated social worker will be informed of your concerns. In addition to Warrington Social Care Team, the police and the NSPCC have powers to intervene in these circumstances.
4In general, seek to discuss your concerns with the child, as appropriate to their age and understanding. Inform their parents and seek their agreement to making a referral to Warrington Social Care Team unless you consider such a discussion would place the child at an increased risk of significant harm. Always follow advice from The Social Care Team.
5When you make your referral, agree with the recipient of the referral what the child and parents will be told, by whom and when.
6If you make your referral by telephone, confirm it in writing within 48 hours. Warrington Social Care Team should acknowledge your written referral within one working day of receiving it; so if you have not heard back within 3 working days, contact Warrington Social Care Team again.
7Once the social care team is involved, you may be called upon to contribute evidence to the case.
The designated officers for Safeguarding are as follows: -
Joyce Kernahan: 07889 515 335
Davina Ramsdale:07813 803 392
It is the lead practitioners responsibility to liaise with Warrington Social Care Team and the Local Statutory Children’s Services Agencies.
If the designated officers are not on the premises at the time, all Managers will assume responsibility and pass the information to the designated officer at the earliest possible time. A full list of Child Protection contact numbers are displayed in the register/notice board but the main numbers are as follows:
Warrington Social Care Team: 01925 444 239
Warrington Police Station:01925 652 222
OFSTED:0300 123 1231
All concerns will be kept confidential following the guidelines in “What to do if a child is being abused-summary” This booklet is available from our website.
If a child discloses details of abuse, the adult involved should-
●Reassure the child
●Find somewhere quiet and ask the child what happened
●Listen but do not push too hard for information
●Do not make promises-especially not to tell anyone
●Record full details of the disclosure with event, date and action taken
●Such details should be reported to the supervisor immediately who will contact the designated officer and follow the steps noted above
1.2 Procedures For Allegations Against A Member Of Staff.
Statement
It is intended that the principles contained in this policy will provide a positive supportive and secure environment in which each child will feel valued and in which any cases of abuse-either within or beyond Link Club-will be quickly identified and effectively responded to.
All staff must maintain a high professional standard and always work within our code of practice.
Planning
It is important for staff to avoid putting themselves in situations that may lead to allegations being made against them. Such situations may be:
●If alone with children
●When providing intimate care
●When disciplining children
●When not pursuing concerns
Whilst dealing with young children there will always be occasions when children will wet or soil themselves and need their underwear changing. This must be done with the full agreement of the child, with consideration also being given for the child’s need for privacy. We share the spare clothing that the schools have and so any cases where Link Club may need clean clothing for the children, staff must be aware where the clothes are held before an incident arises.
Procedure
In the event of an allegation being made it should immediately be reported to Davina Ramsdale who will:
- Obtain details of the allegation in writing signed and dated by the person receiving, and/or the person making the allegation. Record any details about times, dates, locations and names of potential witnesses
- Refer any such complaint immediately to the Warrington Social Care Team to investigate. We also report any such alleged incident to OFSTED and what measures we have taken. We are aware it is an offence not to do this if not as soon as reasonably practical then within 14 days.
- We co-operate entirely with any investigation carried out by the Warrington Social Care Team in conjunction with the police.
- Where management and Warrington Social Care agree it is appropriate in the circumstances, the member of staff will be suspended on full pay for the duration of the investigation. This is not the indication of admission that the alleged incident has taken place but is to protect the staff as well as the children and families throughout the process.
Disciplinary Action
Where a member of staff or volunteer is dismissed from the setting because of misconduct relating to a child, we notify the independent barring board administrators so that the name may be included on the protection of children and vulnerable adults barred list.
If an allegation should be made against the owner or manager then the member of staff should report this directly to the Warrington Social Care Team.
1.3 Whistleblowing policy
Statement
It is important to JK Link Clubs Ltd that any fraud, misconduct or wrongdoing by employees or people engaged in the organisations business, is reported and properly dealt with. JK Link Clubs ltd therefore encourages all individuals to raise any concerns that they may have about the conduct of others in the setting or the way in which the setting is run.
We recognise that effective and honest communication is essential if malpractice is to be effectively dealt with and the organisations success ensured.
Whistleblowing relates to all those who work with or within the setting, who may feel that they need to raise certain issues relating to the organisation, with someone in confidence.
Whistleblowing is separate from the complaints procedure. If you have a complaint about your own personal circumstances you should use the normal grievance procedure. If you have a concern about malpractice within the organisation then you should use the procedure outlined below.
Planning
All employees and those involved with the setting should be aware ofthe importance of preventing and eliminating wrongdoing within the organisation. You should be watchful for illegal, inappropriate or unethical conduct and report anything of that nature to that you become aware of.
Any matter you raise under this procedure will be investigated thoroughly, promptly and confidentially, and the outcome of the investigation will be reported back to you.
You will not be victimised for raising a matter under this procedure. This means that your continued employment and opportunities for future promotion or training will not be prejudiced because you have raised a legitimate concern.
Victimisation of an individual for raising a qualified disclosure will be a disciplinary offence.
Procedure
- Report any concerns to the Supervisor. If that is not possible, then report your concerns to the Directors: Davina Ramsdale or Joyce Kernahan
- Obtain details of the concern in writing signed and dated by the person receiving, and/or the person with the concern. Record any details about times, dates, locations and names of potential witnesses
- If misconduct is discovered as a result of any investigation under this procedure the settings disciplinary procedure will be used, in addition to any appropriate external measures.
- If staff make a maliciously, vexatious or a false allegation then this will he considered to be a disciplinary offence and disciplinary action will be taken against the member of staff making the allegation.
An instruction to cover up wrongdoing is itself a disciplinary offence. If you are told not to raise or pursue any concern, even by a person in authority such as a manager, you should not agree to remain silent. In this event you should report the matter to the Directors
1.4 Intimate Care Policy
In intimate care situations, the child’s safety, dignity and privacy are of paramount importance. Children requiring intimate care will be treated respectfully at all times.
Intimate care covers any task that involves the washing, touching or carrying out a procedure to intimate personal areas and is associated with bodily functions and personal hygiene, including, toileting, washing, dressing, and menstrual care.
JK Link Clubs Ltd staff that provide intimate care will do so in a professional manner. Staff are aware of safeguarding issues and will have relevant training (e.g. health and safety, child protection) before providing intimate care. No child should suffer distress or pain as a result of receiving intimate care.
Staff will work in partnership with parents or carers to provide care appropriate to the needs of the individual child and together will produce a care plan. The care plan will set out:
What care is required
Number of staff needed to carry out the task (if more than one person is required reasons will be documented)
Additional equipment required
Child’s preferred means of communication (e.g. verbal, visual)
Child’s level of ability – what tasks they are able to carry out by themselves
Best practice
When intimate care is given, the member of staff will explain fully each task that is carried out and the reasons for it. Staff will encourage children to do as much for themselves as they can.
The Club has good policies in place that promote safe recruitment, together with regular supervisions, and sound safeguarding and intimate care procedures ensuring that a child’s need for consistent care will not be compromised if only one member of staff provides the intimate care.
Protecting children