Definition of Safeguarding (Working Together to Safeguard Children)

• Protecting children from maltreatment
• Preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development
• Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances with the provision of safe and effective and care
• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

Policy statement

Our setting will work with children, 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.

Key commitment 1

We are committed to building a ‘culture of safety’ in which children are protected from abuse and harm in all areas of our service delivery.

• Our designated person (a member of staff) who co-ordinates child protection issues is:

Sonam Verma

• Our designated officer (a member of the management team) who oversees this work is:

Tasneem Ramji

• We ensure all staff are trained to understand our safeguarding policies and procedures and that parents are made aware of them too.
• 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.
• 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 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 do not work unsupervised.
• 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 which may affect their suitability to work with children (whether received before or during their employment with us).

Changes came into force on the 28th November 2020 to take into account a judgement by the Supreme Court. These changes are:

• Cautions given to under 18s are no longer legally disclosed
• The multiple conviction rule has been removed so that each offence should be considered individually
• Applicants must be told how to get independent, confidential advice on which cautions or convictions they must disclose and be given time to obtain advice

Enhanced DBS certificates will always include the following:

• All convictions for specified offences*
• Adult cautions for specified offences*
• All convictions that resulted in a custodial sentence

*Specified offences: sexual crimes, violence, terrorism and safeguarding offences.

 

• All staff and volunteers are not required to notify us if anyone in their household (including family members, lodgers, partners etc.) has any relevant convictions, court orders, reprimands and warnings or has been barred from, or had registration refused or cancelled in relation to any childcare provision or have had orders made in relation to care of their children.
• 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 or to share updates with parents who have agreed to use social media platforms. Parents sign a consent form and have access to records holding visual images of their child.
• Any personal information is held securely and in line with data protection requirements and guidance from the ICO
• 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 person to undertake their role adequately and offer advice, guidance, supervision and support.
• Any existing injuries that a child comes to the setting with are recorded and parents are requested to sign this record, where applicable this information may be notified to the local child protection agencies.
• The designated person 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 worker services, the LADO, Ofsted or Riddor.
• 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.

 

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).

Responding to suspicions of abuse

• We acknowledge that abuse of children can take different forms – physical, emotional, sexual & neglect which includes controlling and coercive behaviour from perpetrators of domestic abuse, and the impact this has on children.
• Domestic abuse has a significant impact on children as a victim in their own right

witnessing the impact the abuse has on the non-abusive parent; and

as they may also be forced to participate in the abusive behaviour.

• 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.
• In addition, we look at child abuse linked to faith or belief research

 

There are four categories of abuse: physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect.

Physical abuse

Physical abuse may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces illness in a child (this used to be called Munchausen’s Syndrome by Proxy, but is now more usually referred to as fabricated or induced illness).

Emotional abuse

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child, such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to children that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate or valued only for meeting the needs of another person. It may feature age – or developmentally-inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond the child’s developmental capability, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying, causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone.

Sexual abuse

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, including prostitution, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including penetrative and non-penetrative acts. They may include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, pornographic material or watching sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

Neglect

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and/or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance misuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to provide adequate food and clothing or shelter, including exclusion from home or abandonment; failing to protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger; failure to ensure adequate supervision, including the use of inadequate care-takers; or the failure to ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment. It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.

Domestic Abuse

The latest version of Working Together says, ‘Practitioners should also continue to develop their understanding of domestic abuse, which includes controlling and coercive behaviour from perpetrators of domestic abuse, and the impact this has on children. Domestic abuse has a significant impact on children:

• as a victim in their own right
• witnessing the impact the abuse has on the non-abusive parent; and
• as they may also be forced to participate in the abusive behaviour.

 

(Definitions taken from Working Together to Safeguard Children)

Indicators of abuse and what you might see

It is vital that staff are aware of the range of behavioural indicators of abuse and report any concerns to the designated person.  I/we are aware that it is my/our responsibility to report concerns. It is not my/your responsibility to investigate or decide whether a child has been abused.

A child who is being abused and/or neglected may:

• have bruises, bleeding, burns, fractures or other injuries
• show signs of pain or discomfort
• look unkempt and uncared for
• change their eating habits
• have difficulty in making or sustaining friendships
• appear fearful
• be reckless with regard to their own or other’s safety
• self-harm
• frequently be absent or arrive late
• show signs of not wanting to go home
• display a change in behaviour – from quiet to aggressive, or happy-go-lucky to withdrawn
• become disinterested in play activities
• be constantly tired or preoccupied
• be wary of physical contact
• display sexual knowledge or behaviour beyond that normally expected for their age.

We understand that there are indicators of child abuse; however, these should not be considered as a definitive list, but used when considering the possibility of abuse in children.

• We take into account factors affecting parental capacity, such as social exclusion, domestic violence, parent’s drug or alcohol abuse, mental or physical illness or parent’s learning disability.
• We are aware of other factors that affect children’s vulnerability such as, abuse of disabled children; fabricated or induced illness; child abuse linked to beliefs in spirit possession; sexual exploitation of children, such as through internet abuse; and Female Genital Mutilation; that may affect, or may have affected, children and young people using our provision.

 

• 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 person’. 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 person in relation to whether to make a safeguarding referral they must follow escalation procedures.
• We refer concerns to the local authority children’s social care department 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 (HSCP)
• We take care not to influence the outcome either through the way we speak to children or by asking questions of children.
• 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 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, 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.

 

 

 

 

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;
• 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 person’ is informed of the issue at the earliest opportunity
• Where the HSCP 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 HSCP

 

Making a referral to the local authority children’s social care team

• The Early Help Hounslow assessment Children Family Assessment Notification (CFAN) format contains procedures for making a referral to the local children’s social care team.
• For advice when you have a concern that a child maybe being abused call Hounslow Children’s Services Front Door 020 8583 6600.
• We keep a copy of this document alongside the procedures for recording and reporting set down by our HSCP.

 

 

Escalation process

• If we feel that a referral made has not been dealt with properly or that concerns are not being addressed or responded to, we will follow the Hounslow Safeguarding Children’s Partnership escalation process.
• We will ensure that staff are aware of how to escalate concerns.

 

Informing parents

• Parents are normally the first point of contact. Concerns are normally discussed with parents to gain their view of events, unless it is felt that this may put the child or other person at risk or may interfere with the course of a police investigation, or may unduly delay the referral, or unless it is otherwise unreasonable to seek consent.
• Advice will be sought from social care, or in some circumstances police, where necessary.
• Parents are normally informed when we make a record of concerns in their child’s file and that we also make a note of any discussion we have with them regarding a concern.
• If a suspicion of abuse warrants referral to social care, parents are informed at the same time that the referral will be made, except where the guidance of the HSCP does not allow this, for example, where it is believed that the child may be placed in greater danger.
• This will usually be the case where the parent is the likely abuser.
• If there is a possibility that advising a parent beforehand may place a child at greater risk the designated person should seek advice from children’s social work services, about whether or not to advise parents beforehand, and should record and follow the advice given.

 

Liaison with other agencies

• We work within the HSCP guidelines.
• The current version of ‘What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused’ available for parents and staff and all staff are familiar with what they need to do if they have concerns.
• We have procedures for contacting the local authority regarding child protection issues, including maintaining a list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of social workers, to ensure that it is easy, in any emergency, for the setting and children’s social care to work well together.
• We notify Ofsted of any incident or accident and any changes in our arrangements which may affect the well-being of children or where an allegation of abuse is made against a member of staff (whether the allegations relate to harm or abuse committed on our premises or elsewhere). Notifications to Ofsted are made as soon as is reasonably practicable, but at the latest within 14 days of the allegations being made.

 

Allegations against staff

We respond to any disclosure by children or staff that abuse by a member of staff or volunteer within the setting, or anyone living or working on the premises occupied by the setting, may have taken, or is taking place, by first recording the details of any such alleged incident. We refer any such complaint immediately to the Safeguarding Advice and Allegations Management (SAAM) The Duty Desk Person on: 0208 583 5730

It may be that if it is clear from the onset that the matter is complex and would require meetings, in that case the Duty person will advise the setting that the LADO will have to become involved, however the majority of enquiries are straight forward and can be dealt with by the duty staff member on the day. Duty staff are Independent Reviewing Officers (Child Protection Chairs) in the Safeguarding and Quality Assurance team.

Grace Murphy (LADO) 020 8583 4933 Grace.Murphy@hounslow.gov.uk

Sarah Paltenghi (LADO) 0208 583 3423 Sarah.Paltenghi@hounslow.gov.uk

 

• We ensure that all parents know how to complain about the behaviour or actions of staff or volunteers within the setting, or anyone living or working on the premises occupied by the setting, which may include an allegation of abuse.
• We respond to any inappropriate behaviour displayed by members of staff, volunteer or any other person living or working on the premises, which includes:
• inappropriate sexual comments;
• excessive one-to-one attention beyond the requirements of their usual role and responsibilities, or inappropriate sharing of images.

 

• We follow the guidance of the HSCP when responding to any complaint that a member of staff or volunteer within the setting, or anyone living or working on the premises occupied by the setting, has abused a child.
• We ensure that all staff or volunteers know how to raise concerns about a member of staff or volunteer within the setting. We respond to any concerns raised by staff and volunteers who know how to escalate their concerns if they are not satisfied with my/our response
• We also report any such alleged incident to Ofsted, as well as what measures we have taken. We are aware that it is an offence not to do this.
• We co-operate entirely with any investigation carried out by children’s social care in conjunction with the police.
• Where the management team and children’s social care agree it is appropriate in the circumstances, the member of staff or volunteer will be suspended for the duration of the investigation. This is not an indication of admission that the alleged incident has taken place, but is to protect the staff, as well as children and families throughout the process.

Agency Staff

• We will induct all Agency staff and signpost them to this policy and other policies deemed relevant for them to carry out their duties, safely and consistently.
• The ‘Allegations against staff and persons in position of trust’ will apply to agency staff. Whilst we are not the employer of agency staff, we will ensure allegations are dealt with properly and we will be fully involved and co-operate in any enquiries from the LADO, police and/or children’s social services.

Disciplinary action

Where a member of staff or volunteer has been dismissed due to engaging in activities that caused concern for the safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults, we will notify the Disclosure and Barring Service of relevant information, so that individuals who pose a threat to children and vulnerable groups can be identified and barred from working with these groups.

Key commitment 3

We are committed to promoting awareness of child abuse issues throughout our training and learning programmes for adults. We are also committed to empowering young children, through our early childhood curriculum, promoting their right to be strong, resilient and listened to.

Training

• Training opportunities are sought for all adults involved in the setting to ensure that they are able to recognise the signs and signals of possible physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect and that they are aware of the local authority guidelines for making referrals.
• Designated persons receive training in accordance with that recommended by the HSCP.
• We ensure that all staff know the procedures for reporting and recording any concerns they may have about the provision. Training to be refreshed annually.

Planning

• The layout of the rooms allows for constant supervision. No child is left alone with staff or volunteers in a one-to-one situation without being visible to others.

Curriculum

• We introduce key elements of keeping children safe into our programme to promote the personal, social and emotional development of all children, so that they may grow to be strong, resilient and listened to and so that they develop an understanding of why and how to keep safe.
• We create within the setting a culture of safety, value and respect for individuals, having positive regard for children’s heritage arising from their colour, ethnicity, languages spoken at home, cultural and social background.
• We ensure that this is carried out in a way that is developmentally appropriate for the children.

Confidentiality

• All suspicions and investigations are kept confidential and shared only with those who need to know. Any information is shared under the guidance of the HSCP

Support to families

• We believe in building trusting and supportive relationships with families, staff and volunteers.
• We make clear to parents our role and responsibilities in relation to child protection, such as for the reporting of concerns, information sharing, monitoring of the child, and liaising at all times with the local children’s social care team.
• We will continue to welcome the child and the family whilst investigations are being made in relation to any alleged abuse.
• We follow the Child Protection Plan as set by the child’s social care worker in relation to the setting’s designated role and tasks in supporting that child and their family, subsequent to any investigation.
• Confidential records kept on a child are shared with the child’s parents or those who have parental responsibility for the child in accordance with the Confidentiality and Client Access to Records procedure and only if appropriate under the guidance of the HSCP.

 

 

Further guidance

• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015) updated 2020
• What to do if you’re Worried a Child is Being Abused (HMG 2015)
• Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (DoH 2000)
• The Common Assessment Framework for Children and Young People: A Guide for Practitioners (CWDC 2010)
• Statutory guidance on making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children under section 11 of the Children Act 2004 (HMG 2007)
• Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners 2018
• Disclosure and Barring Service: gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check

§  Further Information

• Guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order
• 1974 (Ministry of Justice)
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitationof-offenders-act-1974
• New filtering rules for DBS certificates (from 28th November 2020 onwards)
• (Disclosure and Barring Service)
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/filtering-rules-for-criminal-recordcheck-certificates/new-filtering-rules-for-dbs-certificates-from-28-november-2020onwards
• DBS filtering guide (Disclosure and Barring Service/ Ministry of Justice) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-filtering-guidance
• Filtering process flowchart, DBS vetting (NACRO)
• https://www.nacro.org.uk/news/nacro-news/dbs-filtering-regime-changes-to-comeinto-effect-end-of-nov/
• What will be filtered by the DBS (UNLOCK)
• https://hub.unlock.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/What-will-be-filtered-by-the-DBS.pdf
• List of offences that will never be filtered from a DBS certificate (Disclosure and Barring Service/Home Office)
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dbs-list-of-offences-that-will-neverbe-filtered-from-a-criminal-record-check

Reviewed on: 28^th June 2022

By: Tasneem Ramji via Early Years Adviser Welfare and Safeguarding Hounslow