Ascot &
Cranbourne
Pre – School
Policies
September 2012
CONTENTS
Child protection
1.1 Children’s rights and entitlements
1.2 Safeguarding children and child protection
1.2 a Multi professional bruising protocol and step up
1.3 Whistle blowing policy and procedure
1.4 Safeguarding Children BROADMOOR Policy
1.5 Looked after children
1.6 Uncollected Child
1.7 Missing child
1.8 Use of mobile phones and cameras
Suitable people
2.1 Employment
2.1a Social Networking Policy
2.1b Internet usage / e-policy
2.2 Student placements
Staff Qualifications, training, support and skills
3.1 Induction of staff, volunteers and managers
3.2 First Aid
Key Person
4.1 The role of the key person and settling-in
Staff : Child Ratios
5.1 Staffing
Health
6.1 Administering medicines
6.2 Managing children who are sick, infectious, or with allergies
6.3 Recording and reporting of accidents and incidents
6.4 Nappy changing
6.5 Food and hygiene
6.7 Basic kitchen opening and closing checklist checks template
6.8 a Body & Movement Policy (DMP)
Managing behaviour
7.1 Achieving positive behaviour
Safety and suitability of premises, environment and equipment
8.1 Health and general standards
8.2 Maintaining children’s safety and security on premises
8.3 supervision of children on outings and visits
8.4 Risk assessment
8.5 Fire safety and emergency evacuation
8.6 Animals in the setting
8.7 No smoking
Equal Opportunities
9.1 Valuing diversity and promoting equality
9.2 Supporting children with special educational needs
Information and Records
10.1 Admissions
10.2 Parental involvement
10.3 Children’s records
10.4 Provider records
10.5 Transfer of records to school
10.6 confidentiality and client access to records
10.7 Information sharing
10.8 Working in partnership with other agencies
10.9 Making a complaint
General Welfare Requirement: Safeguarding and Promoting Children’s Welfare
The provider must take necessary steps to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Safeguarding children
1.1 Children’s rights and entitlements
Policy statement
§ We promote children's right to be strong, resilient and listened to by creating an environment in our setting that encourages children to develop a positive self image, which includes their heritage arising from their colour and ethnicity, their languages spoken at home, their religious beliefs, cultural traditions and home background.
§ We promote children's right to be strong, resilient and listened to by encouraging children to develop a sense of autonomy and independence.
§ We promote children's right to be strong, resilient and listened to by enabling children to have the self-confidence and the vocabulary to resist inappropriate approaches.
§ We help children to establish and sustain satisfying relationships within their families, with peers, and with other adults.
§ We work with parents to build their understanding of, and commitment to, the principles of safeguarding all our children.
What it means to promote children’s rights and entitlements to be ‘strong, resilient and listened to’.
To be strong means to be:
§ secure in their foremost attachment relationships where they are loved and cared for, by at least one person who is able to offer consistent, positive and unconditional regard and who can be relied on;
§ safe and valued as individuals in their families and in relationships beyond the family, such as day care or school ;
§ self assured and form a positive sense of themselves – including all aspects of their identity and heritage;
§ included equally and belong in early years settings and in community life;
§ confident in abilities and proud of their achievements;
§ progressing optimally in all aspects of their development and learning;
§ to be part of a peer group in which to learn to negotiate, develop social skills and identity as global citizens, respecting the rights of others in a diverse world; and
§ to participate and be able to represent themselves in aspects of service delivery that affects them as well as aspects of key decisions that affect their lives.
To be resilient means to:
§ be sure of their self worth and dignity;
§ be able to be assertive and state their needs effectively;
§ be able to overcome difficulties and problems;
§ be positive in their outlook on life;
§ be able to cope with challenge and change;
§ have a sense of justice towards self and others;
§ to develop a sense of responsibility towards self and others; and
§ to be able to represent themselves and others in key decision making processes.
To be listened to means:
§ adults who are close to children recognise their need and right to express and communicate their thoughts, feelings and ideas;
§ adults who are close to children are able to tune in to their verbal, sign and body language in order to understand and interpret what is being expressed and communicated;
§ adults who are close to children are able to respond appropriately and, when required, act upon their understanding of what children express and communicate ; and
§ Adults respect children’s rights and facilitate children’s participation and representation in imaginative and child centred ways in all aspects of core services.
This policy was adopted at a meeting of / Ascot & Cranbourne Pre - School / name of settingHeld on / (date)
Date to be reviewed / (date)
Signed on behalf of the management committee
Name of signatory
Role of signatory (e.g. chair/owner)
General Welfare Requirement: Safeguarding and Promoting Children’s Welfare
The provider must take necessary steps to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Safeguarding children
1.2 Safeguarding children and child protection
(Including managing allegations of abuse against a member of staff)
Policy statement
Ascot and Cranbourne Pre - School will work with children, parents and the community to ensure the rights and safety of children and to give them the very best start in life. Our safeguarding policy is based on the three key commitments of the Pre-school Learning Alliance Safeguarding Children Policy.
Procedures
We carry out the following procedures to ensure we meet the three key commitments of the Alliance Safeguarding Children Policy.
Key commitment 1
The Pre - School is committed to building a 'culture of safety' in which children are protected from abuse and harm in all areas of its service delivery.
Staff and volunteers
§ Our designated person (a member of staff) who co-ordinates child protection issues is:
Hannah Myatt Manager or in absence Irene Still Supervisor§ Our designated officer (a committee member) who oversees this work is:
Chair person Tracy Verga / Donna Thompson
§ We ensure all staff and parents are made aware of our safeguarding policies and procedures.
§ We provide adequate and appropriate staffing resources to meet the needs of children.
§ Applicants for posts within the setting are clearly informed that the positions are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
§ Candidates are informed of the need to carry out 'enhanced disclosure' checks with the Criminal Records Bureau 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 by Ofsted requirements in respect of references and Criminal Record Bureau checks for staff and volunteers, to ensure that no disqualified person or unsuitable person works at the setting or has access to the children.
§ Volunteers do not work unsupervised.
§ We record information about staff qualifications, and the identity checks and vetting processes that have been completed including:
- the criminal records disclosure reference number;
- the date the disclosure was obtained; anddetails of who obtained it.
- We inform all staff that they are expected to disclose any convictions, cautions, court orders or reprimands and warnings which may affect their suitability to work with children (whether received before or during their employment with us).
- We abide by the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006) requirements in respect of any person who is dismissed from our employment, or resigns in circumstances that would otherwise have lead to dismissal for reasons of child protection concern.
§ We have procedures for recording the details of visitors to the setting.
§ We take security steps to ensure that we have control over who comes into the setting so that no unauthorised person has unsupervised access to the children.
§ We take steps to ensure children are not photographed or filmed on video for any other purpose than to record their development or their participation in events organised by us. Parents sign a consent form and have access to records holding visual images of their child.
Key commitment 2
The Pre - School is committed to responding promptly and appropriately to all incidents or concerns of abuse that may occur and to work with statutory agencies in accordance with the procedures that are set down in 'What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused' (HMG 2006).
Responding to suspicions of abuse
§ We acknowledge that abuse of children can take different forms - physical, emotional, and sexual, as well as neglect.
§ When children are suffering from physical, sexual or emotional abuse, or may be experiencing neglect, this may be demonstrated through:
- significant changes in their behaviour;
- deterioration in their general well-being;
- their comments which may give cause for concern, or the things they say (direct or indirect disclosure);
- changes in their appearance, their behaviour, or their play;
- unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse or neglect; and
- any reason to suspect neglect or abuse outside the setting.
§ We take into account factors affecting parental capacity, such as social exclusion, domestic violence, parent’s drug or alcohol abuse, mental or physical illness or parent’s learning disability.
§
§ Where such evidence is apparent, the child's key person makes a dated record of the details of the concern and discusses what to do with the setting leader or manager who is acting as the 'designated person'. The information is stored on the child's personal file.
§ We refer concerns to the local authority children’s social care department and co-operate fully in any subsequent investigation. Telephone number 01344 352020 and out of hours emergency duty team 01344 786543.
NB In some cases this may mean the police or another agency identified by the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board.
§ We take care not to influence the outcome either through the way we speak to children or by asking questions of children.
Recording suspicions of abuse and disclosures
§ Where a child makes comments to a member of staff that gives cause for concern (disclosure), observes signs or signals that gives cause for concern, such as significant changes in behaviour; deterioration in general well-being; unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse or neglect that member of staff:
§ listens to the child, offers reassurance and gives assurance that she or he will take action;
§ does not question the child;
§ makes a written record that forms an objective record of the observation or disclosure that includes: (child protection observation document)
§ the date and time of the observation or the disclosure;
§ the exact words spoken by the child as far as possible;
§ the name of the person to whom the concern was reported, with date and time; and
§ the names of any other person present at the time.
§ These records are signed and dated and kept in the child's personal file which is kept securely and confidentially.
§ The member of staff acting as the designated person is informed at the earliest opportunity.
§ Where the local safeguarding children board stipulates the process for recording and sharing concerns, we include those procedures alongside this procedure and follow steps set down by the local safeguarding board.
Making a referral to the local authority social care team
§ This is based on ‘What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused’ (HMG 2006).
§ We keep a copy of this document alongside the procedures for recording and reporting set down by our local safeguarding board and follow the detailed guidelines given.
Informing parents
§ Parents are normally the first point of contact. We discuss concerns with parents to gain their view unless we feel this may put the child in danger.
§ We inform parents when we make a record of concerns in their child’s file and that we also make a note of any discussion we have with them regarding a concern.
§ If a suspicion of abuse warrants referral to social care, parents are informed at the same time that the referral will be made, except where the guidance of the Local Safeguarding Children Board does not allow this, for example, where it is believed that the child may be placed in greater danger.
§ This will usually be the case where the parent is the likely abuser. In these cases the investigating officers will inform parents.
Liaison with other agencies
§ We work within the Local Safeguarding Children Board guidelines.
§ We have the current version of 'What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused' for parents and staff and all staff are familiar with what to do if they have concerns.
§ We have procedures for contacting the local authority on child protection issues, including maintaining a list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of social workers, to ensure that it is easy, in any emergency, for the setting and social services to work well together.
§ We notify the registration authority (Ofsted) of any incident or accident and any changes in our arrangements which may affect the well-being of children or where an allegation of abuse is made against a member of staff (whether the allegations relate to harm or abuse committed on our premises or elsewhere). Notifications to Ofsted are made as soon as is reasonably practicable, but at the latest within 14 days of the allegations being made.
§ Contact details for the local National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) are also kept.
Allegations against staff
§ We ensure that all parents know how to complain about the behaviour or actions of staff or volunteers within the setting, or anyone living or working on the premises occupied by the setting, which may include an allegation of abuse.