Charity Number: 1044713

Ofsted Registration EY321131 Tel: 07871 480680

Safeguarding Children /Child Protection

Kingsland Pre-School believes that the welfare, and protection of children are our
primary responsibility. All staff and volunteers in the setting recognise their
responsibility towards those in their care, and are made aware of their individual roles
and understand the procedures they must follow if they suspect abuse or neglect.
At Kingsland Pre-School we ensure that children are growing up in circumstances
consistent with the provision of safe and effective care and undertaking the role so as
to enable those children to have optimum life chances.
We comply with the procedures approved by Herefordshire Safeguarding Childrens
Board (HSCB). We intend to create in our Pre-School an environment in which
children are safe from abuse and in which any suspicion of abuse or neglect is
promptly and appropriately responded to. We ensure that our child protection
arrangements meet the requirements of H.S.C.B. to Safeguard Children. (see booklet
What to do if youre worried a child is being abused Summary available to download
from www.education.gov.uk search for DFES-04319-2006) and on the Herefordshire
Safeguarding Children Board Inter-Agency Child Protection Procedures
w.w.w.herefordshire.gov.uk/hscb.
If we have any concerns about your child we will speak to you in the first instance.
In order to achieve this we will:

Exclude known abusers

It will be made clear to applicants for posts within the Pre-School that the position is
exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Kingsland PreSchool will not employ somebody who is knowingly barred because this is breaking the
law. (someone who is barred from working with children is breaking the law if they
work/volunteer or seek to work/volunteer with these groups).
All applicants for work within the Pre-School, whether paid or voluntary, will be
interviewed before an appointment is made and will be asked to provide two
references. All references will be followed up. Explanation of any gaps in employment
and/or rapid movement from one job to another will be sought. All staff and
volunteers will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Check and no
adult will be left alone with, or take a child to the toilet, until this check is complete.
All appointments, both paid and voluntary will be subject to a six month probationary
period and will not be confirmed unless the Pre-School is confident that the applicant
can be safely entrusted with children.

Training
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All staff/volunteers will have Safeguarding training Group 1 and 2 within 6 months of
starting, and existing staff to attend refresher training within 3 years, to ensure that
they recognise the symptoms of possible physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse
and sexual abuse. (HSCB Manual of child protection procedures (available online at
www.herefordshire.gov.uk/hscb.)

Safeguarding Children /Child Protection cont.

For Information courses available including e-learning courses) log into
www.herefordshirecpd.co.uk and choose the Safeguarding link.
At least one member of staff (the named child protection officer) shall have completed
the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) training.
Prevent abuse by the means of good practice (Unique Child and Positive
Relationships)
Adults will not be left alone for long periods of time with individual children or small
groups.
Children will be encouraged to develop a sense of autonomy and independence, with
adult support, in making choices and finding names for their own feelings and
acceptable ways to express them. This will enable children to have the self-confidence
and the vocabulary to resist inappropriate approaches. The layout of the Pre-School
and the deployment of staff, will allow constant supervision of all children.

Designated Member of Staff for Safeguarding (Juliet Pudge

and June Palmer)
The role of Designated Manager:

Will share information with the staff team confidentially

Access information and liaising with outside agencies to make sure information
is up to date.
Will collate information when there are concerns about a child
Will contact the appropriate professionals to make a referral or to seek further
advice and information.
One of the designated Managers will have up to date training Group 5 and will
have refresher training every 2 years.
The Designated Manager will have responsibility for regularly reviewing the
accident folder, incident book and any recorded concerns to monitor and/or
identify possible safeguarding children issues.
The Designated Manager will follow the procedure below if allegations are made
against a member of staff.
Record information about each child before their admission

Respond appropriately to suspicions of abuse

The Pre-Schools first concern will be the child.
Any concerns should be reported to the Designated Member of Staff (Superviser ).
Children whose condition or behaviour has given cause for concern will be listened to,
reassured, and helped to understand that they themselves are valued and respected
and have not been at fault. Children will not be directly questioned or asked leading
questions, but listened to objectively. This will be recorded in a diary, including
name(s), address(es), gender, date of birth, name(s) of person(s) with parental
responsibility (for consent purposes) and primary carer(s), if different, and keep this
information up to date.

All concerns will be recorded in writing, discussions about the child, decisions made,
and the reasons for those decisions. The childs records should include an up-to-date
chronology, and details of the lead worker in the relevant agency for example a
social worker, GP health visitor or teacher.
Changes in childrens behaviour/appearance will be investigated.
Parents will normally be the first point of reference if possible, but if they are not in a
position to allay any legitimated anxieties, the matter will also be taken up with the
HSCB Procedures to make a referral with the Childrens Services, in the event that
there are

Safeguarding Children /Child Protection cont.

concerns about the immediate welfare of a child. In this event a referral must be
made to the MASH Team (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) (tel: 01432 260800 or out
of hours 01905 768020).

Referring a child

The Designated Manager will telephone the MASH Team on 01432 260800 and
receive advice as to whether to refer a child.
If you are told that a referral is required, the information you have given will be
regarded as a referral and responded to as such.
If you want to make a referral outside of those office hours you should contact
the Emergency Duty Team on 01905 768020
If it is an emergency you may need to contact the Police as well.
When you make a referral to the appropriate authorities for investigation you
will need to know:
1. Details of the concern or allegation
2. Name, date of birth and address of the child.
3. Details of the setting, contact details of the manager on site and so on.
4. Additional relevant information regarding the child, if possible for
example ethnicity and details of other agencies involved.
An allegation of child abuse or neglect may lead to a criminal investigation, so
do not do any thing that may jeopardise a police investigation, such as asking a
child leading questions or attempting to investigate the allegations yourself.

All suspicions and investigations will be kept confidential, shared only on a need to
know basis. The people most commonly involved will be the member of staff/key
worker, the supervisor child protection officer and, sometimes, the management
committee Chairperson. Ofsted will be informed without delay of any allegations of
serious harm, abuse caused to the child.
Kingsland Pre-School understands the importance of taking every step in its power to
build up trusting and supportive relationships between families and staff and
volunteers in the group. Where abuse/neglect at home is suspected, the Pre-School
will continue to welcome the child and their family while investigations proceed. Help
and support will be offered and families will be informed of helpful services such as
Herefordshire Sure Start.
Confidential records kept on a child will be shared with parents, with the provision that
the care and safety of the child must always be paramount.
Kingsland Pre-School will do all in its power to support and work in partnership with the
childs family.

This policy aims to help children Stay Safe from maltreatment,

neglect, violence and sexual exploitation, by minimising the incidence
of child abuse and neglect.

Allegation against a member of staff

If there is an allegation against a member of staff the Safeguarding Officer will contact
Herefordshire Council Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) by telephoning 01432
261708.
LADOs are involved in the management and oversight of individual cases where it is
alleged that a person working with children (including a volunteer) has:
Behaved in a way that has harmed a child, or may have harmed a child or
Possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child or
Behaved to a child or children in a way that indicates s/he is unsuitable to work
with children.
Kingsland Pre-School will inform Ofsted about any allegations of serious harm or abuse
by any person working with children at Pre-School (whether that allegation relates to
harm or

Safeguarding Children /Child Protection cont.

abuse committed on the premises or elsewhere). Kingsland Pre-School will also tell
Ofsted about any other abuse, which is alleged to have taken place on the premises,
and the action we took in respect of those allegations.
Ofsted will be informed about these allegations as soon as is reasonably possible, but
ath the latest within 14 days of the allegations being made. (It is an offence if Ofsted is
not informed).
Kingsland Pre-School and social services and professional regulators are under a legal
duty to notify the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) of relevant information, so
that individuals who pose a threat to vulnerable groups, can be identified and barred
from working with these groups.
If Kingsland Pre-School dismisses or removes a member of staff/volunteer from
working with children (in what is legally defined as regulated activity) because they
have harmed a child we have a legal duty to inform the Independent Safeguarding
Authority (ISA). If the member of staff resigns during an investigation or before they
are dismissed, we will still inform the ISA. (By telling the ISA does not mean the
person will be automatically barred from working with children or vulnerable adults).
For more information go to www.isa-gov.org and search for referrals.

Speaking to Parents
Whenever worrying changes are observed in a childs behaviour, physical condition or
appearance If we have a concern about a child we will share these concerns with
parents/carers. However, if sharing these concerns puts the child at risk of significant
or further harm we will seek advice from Herefordshire Council staff within the MASH
Team. A specific and confidential record will be set up, and kept in the childs records
(locked filing cabinet) in the office. The record will include, in addition to the name,
address and age of the child: timed and dated observations, describing objectively the
childs behaviour/appearance, without comment or interpretation: where possible, the
exact words spoken by the child; the dated name and signature of the recorder.
Confidentiality is paramount.

Liase with other bodies

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Kingsland Pre-School operates in accordance with guidelines laid down by the

registering authority, and believes in an multi-agency approach in light of the Children
Act 2004 and the DfE document, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010
(available to download from www.education.gov.uk search for DCSF-00305-2010 and
update when revised Working Together document is available).
Confidential records on children about whom the Pre-School is anxious will be shared
with the Herefordshire Children's Department, Local Safeguarding Children Board and
if advised other professionals, if the Pre-School feels that adequate explanations for
changes in the childs condition have not been provided. Kingsland Pre-School will
maintain ongoing contact with the registering authority, together with the names,
addresses and telephone numbers of individual social workers/other professionals, to
ensure that it would be easy, in any emergency, for the Pre-School and the Social
Services to work well together. Ofsted will be informed of any serious allegations.