Safeguarding and Child Protection

What is safeguarding and child protection?

 

‘Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.

Safeguarding means:

• protecting children from abuse and maltreatment;

• preventing harm to children’s health or development;

• ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care;

• taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.

 

Child protection is part of the safeguarding process. It focuses on protecting individual children identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. This includes child protection procedures which detail how to respond to concerns about a child.’ (NSPCC, 2023)

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Who is responsible for safeguarding?

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Every adult who works at Bubbles, including volunteers and temporary staff, have a responsibility to record and report concerns about children and follow policies and procedures. As lead childminders Tori Winter and Ginni Noice both share main responsibility for:

 

• recording notes about children’s welfare;

• liaising with the Local Safeguarding team, should we have any significant concerns;

• providing support and guidance, along with ongoing training for staff members in the setting;

• referring any safeguarding concerns involving another childminder or staff members;

• keeping ourselves up to date with relevant safeguarding training;

• identifying any potential signs of abuse or neglect in children and know how to respond if there are any concerns.

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‘Childminders must follow the statutory guidance in their nation. Ofsted has published guidance for those providing childcare, including childminders, regarding:

• reporting new adults in the home (Ofsted, 2020a)

• reporting children’s accidents and injuries (Ofsted, 2020b)

• reporting a serious childcare incident (Ofsted, 2020c)

• registration requirements for childminders and childcare providers (Ofsted, 2022)

• registering with Ofsted if you provide childcare for under 2 hours a day (Ofsted, 2020d)’

(NSPCC, 2023)

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If I or any other member of staff has a significant cause for concern about a child, We will report it to MASH (Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub), following their procedures. Wiltshire Safeguarding policies and procedures can be found at https://rightchoice.wiltshire.gov.uk/Page/21441. If there is a concern that a child is in immediate danger, we will call 999 to report it to the police. Parents can also report concerns about a child directly to MASH on 0300 456 0108.

 

What are the main types of abuse and how might abuse be identified?

 

Child abuse can be classified as physical, sexual, emotional or neglect and children can experience a combination of these. Domestic violence is also classified as a type of abuse in some publications. In addition to the main types of abuse, childminders will also be familiar with safeguarding terminology and specific threats. In a childcare setting, we are required to have thorough, regular training that ensures we are aware of the signs and indicators to look out for which may indicate abuse has occurred. We are also required to know what to do if we have any concerns, who to report them to and the correct procedures to follow.

 

Children may have visible marks from physical abuse and in some cases could disclose information about what has happened to them. The NSPCC website also lists other signs that can, in some cases, indicate abuse is happening:

• ‘unexplained changes in behaviour or personality;

• becoming withdrawn;

• seeming anxious;

• becoming uncharacteristically aggressive;

• lacks social skills and has few friends, if any;

• poor bond or relationship with a parent;

• knowledge of adult issues inappropriate for their age;

• running away or going missing;

• always choosing to wear clothes which cover their body.’

(NSPCC, 2023)

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These signs on their own do not necessarily mean that a child is being abused, there could be other explanations and other factors affecting their behaviour. However, if we have any concerns regarding a child's safety details of these concerns will be recorded on a Safeguarding Record of Concern form and this information will be shared with relevant local safeguarding teams when necessary.
 

What precautions are taken to protect children in the setting?

 

• All adults residing in the setting are DBS checked and registered with OFSTED as living on the premises. Any adults who enter the setting and spends time with children such as parents and volunteers will not be left alone with children other than their own at any time.

• All staff are aware of health and safety protocols and what to do in an emergency.

• Both Tori Winter and Ginni Noice hold Paediatric First Aid certificates which are kept up to date. We also undergo regular safeguarding and prevent training and keep up to date with updates and new information. As childminders, we must have valid safeguarding training qualifications, which we must renew at least every two years.

• Children are supervised at all times (within sight and/or earshot). Whilst eating, children will be within both sight and earshot at all times to minimise the risk of choking.

• No child can leave the house without an adult and nobody can enter the house without staff permission.

• Children are provided with a safe and welcoming environment, allowing them to feel comfortable talking to one of us about anything that is upsetting them.

• We will document accidents and incidents that happen whilst children are in our care, informing parents and requesting them to sign our records. We will keep accurate records and inform parents/carers of any important information about their child.

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We will ask parents/carers to inform us of any accidents/incidents that children have been involved in away from our setting and when necessary, take note of any pre-existing injuries using a Pre-Existing Injury Form, which a parent/carer must sign. Should a child fail to arrive or be collected from our setting, we will follow our Absent and Uncollected Child Procedure. Our setting is secure and measures are taken to ensure children can not leave the premises without an adult. In the unlikely event that this were to happen we would follow our Lost Child Procedure.

 

What happens if an allegation of abuse is made against Bubbles staff?

 

An allegation against a member of staff, volunteer or adult residing at the setting should be made to either Jeanette Noice (Ginni) or Victoria Winter (Tori). The details of the allegation will be recorded on an Allegations Against Staff form which we will ask the parent/carer and ourselves to sign and date. ​

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An allegation against Jeanette Noice can be made to Victoria Winter. If you feel you are not able to discuss the allegation with Tori Winter you can contact the Local Authority Designated Officer or OFSTED yourself. 

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An allegation against Victoria Winter can be made to Jeanette Noice. If you feel you are not able to discuss the allegation with Ginni Noice you can contact the Local Authority Designate Officer or OFSTED yourself.

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We will always report allegations made against ourselves to the relevant bodies and inform our insurance company and OFSTED.

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In all cases of allegations within one working day we will contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) -  

• Contact the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH): 0300 456 0108 and select Option 6 or email LADOservice@wiltshire.gov.uk

• Out of Hours Emergency Duty Service: 0300 456 0100 (5pm to 9am weekdays, 4pm Friday to 9am Monday)

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The LADO will:

1. Consider the relevant facts and concerns regarding the adult and child or children, including any previous history

2. Decide on next course of action - usually straight away, sometimes after further consultation with other multi-agency parties such as the Police and    HR.

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If the allegation threshold is met:

• A strategy meeting will normally be held.

• Usually, a senior manager/safeguarding lead, the LADO, HR, Police and social care are invited to attend.

• Relevant information is shared, risks to children are considered and appropriate action agreed eg child protection and other enquiries, disciplinary measures or criminal proceedings.

• A record of the meeting will be made, and regular reviews will take place until a conclusion is reached.

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If the allegation threshold is NOT met:

The LADO will agree an appropriate response, eg for the setting to undertake further enquiries or an internal investigation.

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Further information on what will happen can be found at: https://rightchoice.wiltshire.gov.uk/Page/21441

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Whistleblowing:

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Should any member of staff, volunteer or adult residing at the setting have cause for concern about another adult at the setting they can follow the above procedure to report these concerns. Should Victoria Winter have concerns about Jeanette Noice she will contact MASH and OFSTED to report these concerns within one working day. Should Jeanette Noice have concerns about Victoria Winter she will contact MASH and OFSTED to report these concerns within one working day. 

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What is Prevent Duty and how do childcare settings help to prevent radicalisation?

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The main aim of the Prevent Duty is to ‘tackle the ideological causes of terrorism‘. Settings have a duty of care to be vigilant to help prevent children from being drawn into terrorism and extremist ideologies. For childminders to fulfil the Prevent Duty requirements, they and their staff must be able to identify children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation and know what to do if they are identified. Protecting children from the risk of radicalisation is part of a childcare setting's wider safeguarding duties and is similar to protecting children from other abuse, whether these come from within their family or are the product of outside influences. We understand that there is no single way of identifying an individual who is likely to be susceptible to a terrorist ideology. As with all safeguarding issues, we will be alert to changes in children’s behaviour which could indicate that they may require help or protection. Any child, from any background, can be the victim of radicalisation and as such, we will report any concerns about a child. We will not discriminate based on the colour of a child’s skin, their social class, their cultural background or any other such factors. All concerns will be passed on to the Local Safeguarding team and relevant professionals. 

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What are ‘Fundamental British Values’ and how do they affect childminding settings?

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‘Childminders must also take into account the government's statutory guidance ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children’ and ‘Prevent duty guidance for England and Wales.’ (NSPCC, 2023) (EYFS Framework for Childminders, 2024)

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The Prevent Duty guidance states that all childcare settings must promote ‘Fundamental British Values’, which can build children’s resilience to radicalisation and help them gain the confidence to challenge extremist views in later life. They will have input into creating rules and codes of behaviour for our setting, ensuring that everyone is given equal opportunities and treated fairly. An ethos of total acceptance of all views, faiths, cultures and races will be created (except discriminatory), where children will appreciate and respect their own and others’ cultures. This part of the curriculum includes:

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‘teaching children to be respectful and to recognise those who help us, and contribute positively to society; developing children’s understanding of fundamental British values; developing children’s understanding and appreciation of diversity; celebrating what we have in common; and routinely challenging stereotypical behaviours and promoting respect for different people’ (Early Years Inspection Handbook, DfE, 2024)

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We will provide suitable, age-appropriate opportunities, which encourage children to respect each other’s views, beliefs and values, to understand that their opinions count and to talk about their feelings. We will reflect on our differences and how we are all unique and special. Activities will involve turn-taking, sharing and collaboration. Children will be encouraged to understand their own and others’ behaviour and its consequences.

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Useful Numbers:

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Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO): 0300 456 0108

Out of hours Emergency Service: 0300 456 0100

Local Prevent Number: 01278 647466

National Prevent Advice Line: 0800 011 3764

Ofsted: 0300 123 123 1

Ofsted Whistleblowing Hotline: 0300 1233155 or whistleblowing@ofsted.gov.uk

Police Emergency Number: 999

Police Non-Emergency Number: 101

Local Police Station: 01380 826614

NSPCC Child Protection Helpline: 0808 800 5000

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