Safeguarding

Safeguarding- Child Protection

 he following is the Lucy Lockets policy for Safeguarding Children Procedures.  Working in conjunction with the Sefton Safeguarding Children partnership

Specific Responsibilities

Louise Graham is the designated person and takes lead responsibility along with the Managers (Lisa Frith and Michelle Green) for safeguarding children in the setting.  This includes attending Child Protection training courses and liaising with local (Sefton) statutory children’s services agencies.

 Recognising and responding to an allegation

There are a number of sources from which a complaint or an allegation might arise including from:

  • A child or an adult

  • A parent

  • Member of the public

  • A Disciplinary investigation

Any member of staff who is told of any incident or strong suspicion of any serious harm or abuse occurring in the nursery, or to a pupil of the nursery at home or outside the nursery (or who him/herself knows or suspects such abuse) must report the information the same day to the designated member of staff. In the absence of the Managers, the immediate report should be made to the Deputy Nursery Manager, who will inform: 

The MASH TEAM SEFTON       0151 934 4388

OFSTED (0300 123 1231) and

Sefton Safeguarding Children partnership (access team - 0151 934 3506, Emergency duty team - 0151 934 8234) ensuring confidentiality is upheld. 

Also referring to the document “What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused”.

 If the allegation or suspicion is about the Nursery Managers the report should be made to the Deputy Manager who will notify the Directors, OFSTED and the Sefton Safeguarding Children’s partnership

All staff will be aware of the need to report allegations of child abuse such as:

* Significant changes in children’s behaviour

* Deterioration in a child’s general well-being

* Unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse

* Neglect

* The comments children make which give cause for concern to the nursery managers or Designated Safeguarding Person.This is best done through explanation initially and followed up in writing.

Outlined below are our procedures:-

Investigation of Allegations

Lucy Lockets staff (including the designated safeguarding person) should not investigate reports of harm or abuse themselves.  Alleged victims, perpetrators, those reporting the abuse and others involved should not be interviewed by staff beyond the point at which it is clear that there is an allegation of abuse.

 The Children Act was designed to ensure that Local Child Protection Procedures are followed in cases of alleged child abuse.  These are required to ensure that the interviewing of children and adults involved is carried out by specially trained staff only.

Procedures for dealing with the investigation

Limit any questioning to the minimum necessary to seek clarification only, strictly avoiding leading the child or adult who has approached them by making suggestions or asking questions that introduce their own ideas of what may have happened. 

Tell the informing child or adult that the staff member will now make sure that the appropriate people are brought in to follow the problem up, these will include the Sefton Safeguarding Children partnership and OFSTED, who may need to involve the police.

 Ask the informing child or adult what steps they would like to be taken to protect them now that they have made an allegation, and assure them that the nursery will try to follow their wishes.

Refer the matter the same day, with all relevant details, to a member of the nursery management team.  If this cannot be done, the staff member should contact OFSTED (0300 123 1231) and the Sefton Safeguarding Children partnership (access team - 0151 934 3783, emergency duty team - 0151 920 8234) by making a written record as soon as possible of what they have been told, and make a copy of this available to the Manager

The designated staff member (or Manager) receiving the allegation of abuse should:

Take any steps needed to protect the child involved from risk of immediate harm.  This may involve allocating an appropriate member of staff, as far as possible to a person chosen by the child him/herself, to stay with him or her.  Similarly an inspector receiving an allegation of abuse at the nursery may stay with the child concerned until suitable arrangements for his or her protection are made.

 Do not interview or investigate the allegation further, but refer the matter to the Safeguarding Children Board and inform OFSTED.  He/she should speak personally to the Inspecting Officer, and not rely on leaving a message.  If the Inspecting Officer is not available, then the Head of the Unit should be informed.

 Consult the Inspecting Officer and follow their advice about contacting parents, other staff, police, doctor or alleged perpetrator or witnesses direct.  Agree with them any necessary next steps in relation to:

 Informing a child’s parents (there are circumstances where it would be inappropriate to inform parents immediately when an allegation has been made).

Medical examination or treatment for the child (again, there are circumstances where medical evidence will be needed).

 Contacting the local authority, who will initiate an independent investigation if this proves to be necessary, and arrangements within pre-set time limits for the involvement of the relevant specialist police personnel. If necessary, a meeting of the agencies who may need to be involved, together with the nursery will be arranged.