06     Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults policy

Alongside associated procedures in 06.1-06.10 Safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults, this policy was adopted by WEMBURY PRE-SCHOOL on 31/07/2022.

Designated person/lead for safeguarding is: TRACEY BROWN

Designated officer is: DEBBIE TWIDDY

Aim

We are committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults and will do this by putting young people and vulnerable adult’s right to be ‘strong, resilient and listened to ‘at the heart of all our activities.

The Early Years Alliance ‘three key commitments’ are broad statements against which policies and procedures across the organisation will be drawn to provide a consistent and coherent strategy for safeguarding children young people and vulnerable adults in all services provided. The three key commitments are:

1. The Alliance is 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 its service delivery.
2. The Alliance 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 are worried a child is being abused’ (HMG 2015) and ‘No Secrets (updated by the Care Act 2014) and Working Together 2018.
3. The Alliance is committed to promoting awareness of child abuse issues throughout its training and learning programmes for adults. It is also committed to empowering children, young people, and vulnerable adults, through its curriculum, promoting their right to be ‘strong, resilient and listened to’.

NB: A ‘young person’ is defined as 16–19-year-old. In an early years setting, they may be a student, worker, or parent.

A ‘vulnerable adult’ (see guidance to the Care Act 2014) as: ‘a person aged 18 years or over, who is in receipt of or may need community care services by reason of ‘mental or other disability, age or illness and who is or may be unable to take care of him or herself, or unable to protect him or herself against significant harm or exploitation’. In early years, this person may be a service user, parent of a service user, or a volunteer.

Key Commitment 1

• We have a ‘designated person’, sometimes known as the designated lead for safeguarding, who is responsible for carrying out child, young person, or adult protection procedures. (It is recommended that this person is the setting manager.)
• The designated person reports to a ‘designated officer’ responsible for overseeing all child, young person or adult protection matters. (It is usually the person who line manages the manager)
• The ‘designated person’ and the ‘designated officer’ ensure they have links with statutory and voluntary organisations regarding safeguarding children.
• The ‘designated person’ and the ‘designated officer’ ensure they have received appropriate training on child protection matters and that all staff are adequately informed and/or trained to recognise possible child abuse in the categories of physical, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect.
• The ‘designated person’ and the ‘designated officer’ ensure all staff are aware of the additional vulnerabilities that affect children that arise from inequalities of race, gender, disability, language, religion, sexual orientation or culture and that these receive full consideration in child, young person or adult protection related matters.
• The ‘designated person’ and the ‘designated officer’ ensure that staff are aware and receive training in social factors affecting children’s vulnerability including
• social exclusion
• domestic violence and controlling or coercive behaviour
• mental Illness
• drug and alcohol abuse (substance misuse)
• parental learning disability
• radicalisation
• The ‘designated person’ and the ‘designated officer’ ensure that 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
• children involved in violent offending, with gangs and county lines.
• The ‘designated person’ and the ‘designated officer’ ensure they are adequately informed in vulnerable adult protection matters.

Key Commitment 2

• There are procedures in place to prevent known abusers from coming into the organisation as employees or volunteers at any level.
• Safeguarding is the responsibility of every person undertaking the work of the organisation in any capacity.
• There are procedures for dealing with allegations of abuse against a member of staff, or any other person undertaking work whether paid or unpaid for the organisation, where there is an allegation of abuse or harm of a child. Procedures differentiate clearly between an allegation, a concern about quality of care or practice and complaints.
• There are procedures in place for reporting possible abuse of children or a young person in the setting.
• There are procedures in place for reporting safeguarding concerns where a child may meet the s17 definition of a child in need (Children Act 1989) and/or where a child may be at risk of significant harm, and to enable staff to make decisions about appropriate referrals using local published threshold documents.
• There are procedures in place to ensure staff recognise children and families who may benefit from early help and can respond appropriately using local early help processes and Designated persons should ensure all staff understand how to identify and respond to families who may need early help.
• There are procedures in place for reporting possible abuse of a vulnerable adult in the setting.
• There are procedures in place in relation to escalating concerns and professional challenge.
• There are procedures in place for working in partnership with agencies involving a child, or young person or vulnerable adult, for whom there is a protection plan in place. These procedures also take account of working with families with a ‘child in need’ and with families in need of early help, who are affected by issues of vulnerability such as social exclusion, radicalisation, domestic violence, mental illness, substance misuse and parental learning disability.
• These procedures take account of diversity and inclusion issues to promote equal treatment of children and their families and that take account of factors that affect children that arise from inequalities of race, gender, disability, language, religion, sexual orientation, or culture.
• There are procedures in place for record keeping, confidentiality and information sharing, which are in line with data protection requirements.
• We follow government and Local Safeguarding Partners guidance in relation to extremism.
• The procedures of the Local Safeguarding Partners must be followed.

Key Commitment 3

• All staff receive adequate training in child protection matters and have access to the setting’s policy and procedures for reporting concerns of possible abuse and the safeguarding procedures of the Local Safeguarding Partners.
• All staff have adequate information on issues affecting vulnerability in families such as social exclusion, domestic violence, mental illness, substance misuse and parental learning disability, together with training that takes account of factors that affect children that arise from inequalities of race, gender, disability, language, religion, sexual orientation, or culture.
• We use available curriculum materials for young children, taking account of information in the Early Years Foundation Stage, that enable children to be strong, resilient, and listened to.
• All services seek to build the emotional and social skills of children and young people who are service users in an age-appropriate way, including increasing their understanding of how to stay safe.
• We adhere to the EYFS Safeguarding and Welfare requirements.

Legal references

Primary legislation

Children Act 1989 – s 47

Protection of Children Act 1999

Care Act 2014

Children Act 2004 s11

Children and Social Work Act 2017

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015

General Data Protection Regulation 2018

Data Protection Act 2018

Modern Slavery Act 2015

Sexual Offences Act 2003

Serious Crime Act 2015

Criminal Justice and Court Services Act (2000)

Human Rights Act (1998)

Equalities Act (2006)

Equalities Act (2010)

Disability Discrimination Act (1995)

Data Protection Act (2018)

Freedom of Information Act (2000)

Legal references

Working Together to Safeguard Children (HMG 2018)

Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage 2021

What to Do if You’re Worried a Child is Being Abused (HMG 2015)

Prevent duty guidance for England and Wales: guidance for specified authorities in England and Wales on the duty of schools and other providers in the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’ (HMG 2015)

Keeping Children Safe in Education 2018

Education Inspection Framework (Ofsted 2019)

The framework for the assessment of children in need and their families (DoH 2000)

The Common Assessment Framework (2006)

Statutory guidance on inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children (DfE 2015)

Further guidance

Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners (DfE 2018)

The Team Around the Child (TAC) and the Lead Professional (CWDC 2009)

The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) – guide for practitioners (CWDC 2010)

The Common Assessment Framework (CAF) – guide for managers (CWDC 2010)

Multi-Agency Statutory Guidance on Female Genital Mutilation (HMG. 2016)

Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) (Ministry of Justice, National Offender Management Service and HM Prison Service 2014)

Safeguarding Children from Abuse Linked to a Belief in Spirit Possession (HMG 200)

Safeguarding Children in whom Illness is Fabricated or Induced (HMG 2007)

Safeguarding Disabled Children: Practice Guidance (DfE 2009)

Safeguarding Children who may have been Trafficked (DfE and Home Office 2011)

Child sexual exploitation: definition and guide for practitioners (DfE 2017)

Handling Cases of Forced Marriage: Multi-Agency Practice Guidelines (HMG 2014)