Safeguarding Children at Castle Lane Day Nursery and Forest School
Your child’s well-being and development is of paramount importance to us, therefore all staff are trained to a high level in safeguarding.
If we feel your child’s health and well being is being compromised while in their home environment we have a duty of care to make a referral to local social services. However, we will always discuss with parents beforehand any concerns we may have.
Please be aware that as a setting we are here to support parents and children, our staff are here to help and support if you have any concerns regarding yourself or your child.
Safeguarding Policy For Children at Castle Lane Day Nursery and Forest School
Our nursery will work with children, parents, external agencies and the community to ensure the welfare and safety of children and to give them the very best start in life.
Children have the right to be treated with respect and to be safe from any abuse in any form. The Nursery has a duty to be aware that abuse does occur in our society.
We provide many hours of care, so the Nursery staff will often be the first people to sense there is a problem. They may well be the first people to whom a child will confide about abuse.
It is the policy of the Nursery to provide a secure and safe environment for all children in our care.
It aims to:
- Ensure that children are never placed at risk while in the charge of the Nursery staff.
- Ensure that confidentiality is maintained within a need to know circle of staff and outside organisations.
- Ensure that all staff members are familiar with Safeguarding Children issues and procedures.
- Regularly review and update this policy.
- All our staff will receive training on safeguarding children.
- It is the policy of the nursery to provide a secure and safe environment for all children; the nursery will therefore not allow an adult to be left alone with a child if that adult has not received their enhanced DBS check clearance.
The following statement lays out the procedures that will be taken if we have any reason to believe that a child in our care is subject to abuse or discloses abuse to a member of staff.
“Our prime responsibility is the welfare and wellbeing of all children in our care. We believe we have a duty to the children, parents/carers and staff to act quickly and responsibly in any instance that may come to our attention. The Nursery has a duty to report any suspicions about abuse to the Local Authority who has a duty to investigate such matters. The Nursery will follow the procedures set out in the Local Authority Safeguarding Children Documents, Early Years foundation Stage (EYFS) and Working Together under the Children Act 2004. The nursery will seek their advice on all steps taken subsequently.”
Physical abuse
Action will be taken under this heading if Nursery staff has reason to believe that there has been a physical injury to a child, including deliberate poisoning, where there is definite knowledge, or reasonable suspicion that the injury was inflicted or knowingly not prevented.
Sexual Abuse Action will be taken under this heading if the Nursery staff have witnessed occasions where a child indicated sexual activity through words, play, drawing or had an excessive pre-occupation with sexual matters or had an inappropriate knowledge of adult sexual behaviour.
Emotional abuse
Action will be taken under this heading if the staff team have reason to believe that there is severe, adverse effect on the behaviour and emotional development of a child caused by persistent or severe ill treatment or rejection.
Neglect
Action will be taken under this heading if the staff team have reason to believe that there has been persistent or severe neglect of a child (for example, by exposure to any kind of danger, including cold and starvation) which results in serious impairment of the child’s health or development, including failure to thrive.
Procedure for dealing with suspected abuse
Should any member of staff have concerns for the welfare of any child they will immediately inform the Nursery Manager, Vikki Gamble, who is also the named Safeguarding designated officer. A nursery nurse’s responsibilities do not include investigating the suspected abuse. However, the staff will keep accurate records of their observations and of anything said to them by the child or others in connection with the suspected abuse. It is always important to listen to children. Strict confidentially will be observed at all times. The Nursery Manager will then report any findings to the local safeguarding children board and OFSTED.
Clear procedures that we will follow
All signs of marks/injures to a child, when they come into nursery, will be recorded as soon as noticed by a staff member. (Existing injury form)
- The incident will be discussed with the parent/carer at the earliest opportunity.(excluding suspecting sexual abuse or extreme circumstances)
- Such discussion will be recorded and the parent /career will have access to such records.
- If concerns are present the safeguarding officer (Vikki Gamble) will be informed and she will examine all the evidence and decide the next suitable step.
- If there still appears to be any queries regarding the injury, the safeguarding children’s board in the local authority and OFSTED will be notified.
In the event of a child disclosing abuse the staff member involved must remember to:
- Listen to what the child has to say.
- Do not lead the child or question them.
- Do not make false promises that you cannot keep.
- Support the child; do not make them feel that they have done anything wrong by telling you what has happened.
- Keep an accurate record of the incident detailing date, time and circumstances.(on an incident form).
- Report what has happened straight away.
- Inform other staff to ensure all are aware.
- Follow procedure for suspected abuse.
- There may be instances where discussion with parents may put the child at further risk and under these circumstances we will contact the Local Safeguarding Children Board directly.
Allegations of abuse from staff
Action will be taken under this heading if at any time we have reason to believe a member of staff is abusing a child; either physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse or neglect.
Procedure:
- The employee will be suspended immediately as per the disciplinary policy.
- The Nursery Manager will immediately inform Ofsted and the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) who is based at the local safeguarding board to support setting in dealing with alleged abuse from staff. The LADO will provide advice, guidance and help to determine what procedures to follow. They also help co-ordinate information-sharing with the right people and will also monitor and track any investigation. It is also the responsibility of the manger to make a referral to the local children safeguarding board.
- All records and observations will be recorded on the employee’s personnel file.
- Recommendations from Ofsted, ISA and LADO will be followed.
Responsible Person (Safeguarding Children): Vikki Gamble/ Harriet Gray
Responsibilities include:
- Supporting staff
- Being Approachable
- Making Decisions with regards to appropriate actions
- Ensure confidentiality
- Keep knowledge and training up to date
- Implement policy
- To liaise with other agencies
- To liaise with parents
- Ensure all staff know and implement the policy
- Ensure that all staff receive appropriate training
The local contact number for the Local Safeguarding Children Board (L.S.C.B.) is 0116 305 0005 and they are based at County Buildings, Leicester Rd., Melton Mowbray, LE13 0DA. 0r 01163055500 (advice line)
The contact number for Ofsted is 0300 1234666
Whistle blowing
As a nursery, we see the great importance of being able to allow our staff to feel secure and confident enough to whistle blow.
This means we encourage staff to know they can voice their safeguarding concerns directly to the Leicestershire and Rutland Children’s Safeguarding Board.
If staff do not want to relay safeguarding concerns to Vikki as the Designated Safeguarding Officer, they can call directly on 0116 3050005 to report a safeguarding concern.
Photos
We aim to ensure all photos of children are printed on the nursery computer. However if cameras do have to be taken home, they will be by Vikki Gamble. No other staff member takes the camera home so that photos can be regulated and confidentiality can be maintained.
Learning Journeys
Learning Journeys are all done electronically and worked on during staff’s working hours.
Staff are forbidden to sign in and work on the learning journeys whilst at home or anywhere other than at Castle Lane
Mobile phones
All staff mobile phones are to be kept in the office or locked in their locker, which are located in the office, whilst they are at work.
The only exception are those whose phones do not have cameras built in.
However it is expected that no staff member uses there phone to make or receive call during their working day.
Smart Watches
Now that smart watches are becoming more popular, management have made the decision to ban staff from wearing them based on the same policy as mobile phones.
E-Safety
All new castle lane staff members have an induction into E-safety; they receive this once they have started at the nursery. The training is given in house by Vikki Gamble. Vikki uses power point and booklets to aid her with the inductions and a check list is given out to all staff.
Babysitting
It has come to our attention that some of our parents are asking our staff to babysit during evening and weekend.
We have concluded that we are happy to allow this, however we have no part in their arrangements.
This is a private arrangement between parent and worker and we hold no responsibility for any incidents or accidents occurring during babysitting hours.
All rooms have a list of children who are NOT allowed on Facebook.
This then ensures no child has their photo taken and added to Facebook or any social media site that without parental permission.