Safeguarding children young people and vulnerable adults

Policy statement

Our setting will work with children, young people and vulnerable adults, parents and the community to ensure the rights and safety of children and to give them the very best start in life.

Procedures

We carry out the following procedures to ensure we meet our commitments and duty of care, which incorporates responding to child protection concerns.

Key commitment 1

We committed to building a 'culture of safety' in which children young people and vulnerable adults are protected from abuse and harm in all areas of our service delivery.

• Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (a member of staff) who co-ordinates child young people and vulnerable adult protection issues is:

• When the setting is open, but the Designated Safeguarding Lead is not on site, a suitably trained deputy is available at all times for staff to discuss safeguarding concerns.

• The Designated Safeguarding Lead and officer and the suitably trained deputy ensure they have links with statutory and voluntary organisations with regard to safeguarding.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead (and the person who deputises for them) understands Hounslow Safeguarding Children Partnership safeguarding procedures, attends relevant training at least every two years and refreshes their knowledge of safeguarding at least annually.
• We ensure all staff are trained to understand our safeguarding policies and procedures and that parents are made aware of them too.
• All staff understand that safeguarding is their responsibility.
• All staff have an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues, are alert to the signs and symptoms of abuse, and understand their professional duty to ensure safeguarding concerns are reported to the local authority children’s social work team.
• All staff are confident to ask questions in relation to any safeguarding concerns and know not to just take things at face value but can be respectfully sceptical.
• All staff understand the principles of Early Help (as defined in Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2023) and are able to identify those children and families who may be in need of early help and enable them to access it.
• All staff understand the thresholds of significant harm and understand how to access services for families, including for those families who are below the threshold for significant harm, according to arrangements published by the Hounslow Safeguarding Children Partnership.
• All staff understand their responsibilities under the United Kingdom General Data Protection Regulation (UK-GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, and understand relevant safeguarding legislation, statutory requirements and local safeguarding partner requirements and ensure that any information they may share about parents and their children with other agencies is shared appropriately and lawfully.
• We will support families to receive appropriate early help by sharing information with other agencies in accordance with statutory requirements and legislation.
• We will share information lawfully with Hounslow Safeguarding Children Partnership and other agencies where there are safeguarding concerns.
• We will be transparent about how we lawfully process data.
• All staff understand how to escalate their concerns in the event that they feel either the local authority and/or their own organisation has not acted adequately to safeguard and know how to follow local safeguarding procedures to resolve professional disputes between staff and organisations.
• All staff understand what the organisation expects of them in terms of their required behaviour and conduct, and follow our policies and procedures on positive behaviour, online safety (including use of cameras and mobile phones and other electronic devices with imaging and sharing capabilities), whistleblowing and dignity at work.
• Children have a key person to build a relationship with, and are supported to articulate any worries, concerns or complaints that they may have in an age appropriate way.
• All staff understand our policy on promoting positive behaviour and follow it in relation to children showing aggression towards other children.
• Adequate and appropriate staffing resources are provided 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.
• Enhanced criminal records and barred lists checks and other suitability checks are carried out for staff and volunteers prior to their post being confirmed, to ensure that no disqualified person or unsuitable person works at the setting or has access to the children.
• Where applications are rejected based on information disclosed, applicants have the right to know and to challenge incorrect information.
• Enhanced criminal records and barred lists checks are carried out on anyone living or working on the premises. A criminal record check is needed for someone living on the premises unless there is no access to the part of the premises when and where children are cared for.
• Volunteers must:
  • be aged 17 or over,
  • be considered competent and responsible,
  • receive a robust induction and regular supervisory meetings,
  • be familiar with all the settings policies and procedures,
  • and be fully checked for suitability if they are to have unsupervised access to the children at any time.
• Information is recorded 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,
• and details of who obtained it.
• All staff and volunteers are informed that they are expected to disclose any convictions, cautions, court orders or reprimands and warnings that are not eligible for ‘filtering’ by the disclosure and baring service (DBS), which may affect their suitability to work with children (whether received before or during their employment with us).
• Staff receive regular supervision, which includes discussion of any safeguarding issues, and their performance and learning needs are reviewed regularly.
• In addition to induction and supervision, staff are provided with clear expectations in relation to their behaviour outlined in the employee handbook.
• We notify the Disclosure and Barring Service of any person who is dismissed from our employment or resigns in circumstances that would otherwise have led to dismissal for reasons of a child protection concern.
• Procedures are in place to record the details of visitors to the setting.
• Security steps are taken to ensure that we have control over who comes into the setting so that no unauthorised person has unsupervised access to the children.
• Steps are taken 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. Any images of children are held securely and in a locked filing cabinet when not in use. Staff do not use personal cameras or filming equipment to record images.
• Personal mobile phones are not used where children are present.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead in the setting has responsibility for ensuring that there is an adequate online policy in place.
• We keep a written record of all complaints and concerns including details of how they were responded to.
• We ensure that robust risk assessments are completed, that they are seen and signed by all relevant staff and that they are regularly reviewed and updated, in line with our health and safety policy.
• The designated officer will support the Designated Safeguarding Lead to undertake their role adequately and offer advice, guidance, supervision and support.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead will inform the designated officer at the first opportunity of every significant safeguarding concern; however this should not delay any referrals being made to the children’s social care, or where appropriate the LADO, Ofsted or RIDDOR.

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  Key commitment 2

  We are 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 2015) and the Care Act 2014.

  Responding to suspicions of abuse and disclosures:

• We acknowledge that abuse of children can take different forms - physical, emotional, and sexual, as well as neglect.
• We understand that children are not always ready or able to talk about their experiences of abuse and/or may not always recognise that they are being abused.  
• We ensure that all staff have an understanding of the additional vulnerabilities that arise from inequalities of race, gender, disability, language, religion, sexual orientation or culture and that these receive full consideration in relation to child, young person or vulnerable adult protection.
• When children are suffering from physical, sexual or emotional abuse, or 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 understand our responsibilities for identifying and acting on emerging needs and early help needs and how to access services for them.
• We understand that we should refer a child who meets the S17 Children Act 1989 child in need definition to local authority children’s social work services.
• We understand that we should refer any child who may be at risk of significant harm to local authority children’s social work services.
• We are aware of the ‘hidden harm’ agenda concerning parents with drug and alcohol problems and consider other factors affecting parental capacity and risk, such as social exclusion, domestic violence and controlling or coercive behaviour, mental Illness, drug and alcohol abuse (substance misuse), parental learning disability, radicalisation.

•  

• The designated safeguarding lead knows how to refer concerns about risks of extremism/radicalisation to the Prevent team.
• All staff working with children and young people understand how to recognise that someone may be at risk of violent extremism.
• We are aware that children’s vulnerability is potentially increased when they are privately fostered and when we know that a child is being cared for under a private fostering arrangement, we inform our local authority children’s social care team.
• We are prepared to take action if we have concerns about the welfare of a child who fails to arrive at a session when expected. The Designated Safeguarding Lead will take immediate action to contact the child’s parent to seek an explanation for the child’s absence and be assured that the child is safe and well. If no contact is made with the child’s parents and the Designated Safeguarding Lead has reason to believe that the child is at risk of significant harm, the relevant professionals are contacted immediately, and Hounslow Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures are followed. If the child has current involvement with social care the social worker is notified on the day of the unexplained absence.
• Staff are aware and receive training in other ways that children may suffer significant harm and stay up to date with relevant contextual safeguarding matters: abuse of disabled children, fabricated or induced illness, child abuse linked to spirit possession, sexually exploited children, children who are trafficked and/or exploited, female genital 
• mutilation, extra-familial abuse and threats, breast ironing, children involved in violent offending, with gangs and county lines.
• In relation to radicalisation and extremism, we follow the Prevent Duty guidance for England and Wales published by the Home Office and Hounslow Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures on responding to radicalisation.
• The Designated Safeguarding Lead completes online Channel training, online Prevent training and attends local WRAP training where available to ensure they are familiar with the local protocol and procedures for responding to concerns about radicalisation.
• We are aware of the mandatory duty that applies to teachers, and health workers to report cases of Female Genital Mutilation to the police. We are also aware that early years educators should follow local authority published safeguarding procedures to respond to FGM and other safeguarding issues, which involves contacting police if a crime of FGM has been or may be about to be committed.
• If we become concerned that a child may be a victim of modern slavery or human trafficking, we will refer to the National Referral Mechanism, as soon as possible and refer and/or seek advice to the local authority children’s social work service and/or police.
• We will be alert to the threats children may face from outside their families, such as that posed by organised crime groups such as county lines, child sexual exploitation (CSE), children at risk of exploitation (CRE), online use and from within peer groups and the wider community.
• Where we believe that a child in our care or that is known to us may be affected by any of these factors, we follow the procedures below for reporting child protection and child in need concerns which may include a referral to the police, and we will also follow the Hounslow Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures.
• Where such indicators are apparent, the child's key person makes a dated record of the details of the concern and discusses what to do with the member of staff who is acting as the Designated Safeguarding Lead. The information is stored on the child's personal file.
• In the event that a staff member or volunteer is unhappy with the decision made of the Designated Safeguarding Lead in relation to whether to make a safeguarding referral they must follow escalation procedures.
• We refer concerns about children’s welfare to the local authority children’s social care team and co-operate fully in any subsequent investigation. NB In some cases this may mean the police or another agency identified by the Hounslow Safeguarding Children Partnership.
• All staff know that they can contact the NSPCC whistleblowing helpline if they feel that or organisation and the local authority have not taken appropriate action to safeguard a 
• child and this has not been addressed satisfactorily through organisational escalation and professional challenge procedures.
• We have a whistleblowing policy in place.
• Staff/volunteers know they can contact the organisation Public Concern at Work for advice relating to whistleblowing dilemmas.
• We also make ourselves aware that some children and young people are affected by gang activity, by complex, multiple or organised abuse, through forced marriage or honour-based violence or may be victims of child trafficking. While this may be less likely to affect young children in our care, we may become aware of any of these factors affecting older children and young people who we may come into contact with.
• Where we believe that a child in our care or that is known to us may be affected by any of these factors, we follow the procedures below for reporting child protection concerns.
• 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 member of staff who is acting as the 'Designated Safeguarding Lead'. The information is stored on the child's personal file.
• We respond to any disclosures sensitively and appropriately and take care not to influence the outcome either through the way we speak to children or by asking questions of children (although we may check out/clarify the details with them of what we think they have told us).
• We take account of the need to protect young people aged 16-19 as defined by the Children Act 1989. This may include students or school children on work placement, young employees or young parents. Where abuse or neglect is suspected we follow the procedure for reporting any other child protection concerns. The views of the young person will always be taken into account, in an age/stage appropriate way, but the setting may override the young person’s refusal to consent to share information if it feels that it is necessary to prevent a crime from being committed or intervene where one may have been, or to prevent harm to a child or adult. Sharing confidential information without consent is done only where not sharing it could be worse than the outcome of having shared it.
• All staff are also aware that adults can also be vulnerable and know how to refer adults who are in need of community care services.

  Responding to marks or injuries observed

• If a member of staff observes or is informed by a parent/carer of a mark or injury to a child that happened at home or elsewhere, the member of staff makes a record of the information given to them by the parent/carer in the child’s personal file, which is signed by the parent/carer.
• The member of staff advises the Designated Safeguarding Lead as soon as possible.
• If there are concerns about the circumstances or explanation given, by the parent/carer and/or child, the Designated Safeguarding Lead decides the course of action to be taken after reviewing reporting form.
• If the mark or injury is noticed later in the day and the parent is not present, this is raised with the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• If there are concerns about the nature of the injury, and it is unlikely to have occurred at the setting, the Designated Safeguarding Lead contacts the parent. Form is completed as above, taking into consideration any explanation given by the child (where appropriate).

• Recording suspicions of abuse and disclosures

• Where a child makes comments to a member of staff that give cause for concern (disclosure), or a member of staff observes signs or signals that give 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, although it is acceptable to ask questions for the purposes of clarification.
• makes a written record that forms an objective record of the observation or disclosure that includes: 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 the 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 Safeguarding Lead' is informed of the issue at the earliest opportunity and always within one working day
• Where the Hounslow Safeguarding Children Partnership safeguarding procedures stipulates the process for recording and sharing concerns, we include those procedures alongside this procedure and follow the steps set down by the Hounslow Safeguarding Children Partnership.
• For a full policy pack, please contact the nursery.