We comply with the procedures approved by the Area Child Protection Committee. We intend to create in our Nursery an environment in which children are safe from abuse and in which any suspicion of abuse is promptly and appropriately responded to. 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.
All applicants for work within the Nursery, whether voluntary or paid, will be interviewed before an appointment is made and will be asked to provide at least one reference. All such references will be followed up. In the case of applicants with unexplained gaps in their employment history, or who have moved rapidly from one job to another, explanations will be sought.
All appointments, both paid and voluntary, will be subject to a probationary period and will not be confirmed unless the Nursery is confident that the applicant can be safely entrusted with children.
Seek and supply training
We will seek out training opportunities for all adults involved in the group to ensure that they recognize the symptoms of possible physical abuse, neglect, emotional abuse and sexual abuse.
Prevent abuse by means of good practice
Adults will not be left along for long periods with individual children or with small groups. An adult who needs to take a child aside – for example, for time out after behaviour which needs improvement – will leave the door ajar.
Adults who have not been registered as ‘fit’ persons will not take children unaccompanied to the toilet.
Children will be encouraged to develop a sense of autonomy and independence through adult support in making choices and in 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 Nursery will permit constant supervision of all children.
Respond appropriately to suspicions of abuse
The first concern will be the child. 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.
Changes in children’s behaviour/appearance will be investigated.
Parents will normally be the first point of reference, but if they are not in a position to allay any immediate anxieties, the matter will also be taken up with the Social Services Department.
In exceptional circumstances, the Social Services Department may be the first point of reference.
All such suspicions and investigations will be kept confidential, shared only with those who need to know. The people most commonly involved will be the member of staff/key person, the Supervisor and the management committee chair.
If a volunteer or member of staff is accused of any form of child abuse, s/he will be interviewed immediately by the person in charge of the group. The person accused may choose to attend the interview accompanied by a friend or colleague and to seek advice from a union representative. The interview will usually be with the Supervisor, but if the allegation is against the leader, the interview may be conducted by the chair. The person against whom the allegation is made will be informed of the allegation and will immediately be suspended on full pay while an investigation is made. Investigations will be in line with Area Child Protection Committee procedures and conducted in conjunction with the Area Child Protection Committee. Confidential records will be kept of the allegation and of all subsequent proceedings.
Keep records
Whenever worrying changes are observed in a child’s behaviour, physical condition or appearance, a specific and confidential record will be set up, quite separate from the usual on-going records of children’s progress and development. The record will include, in addition to the name, address and age of the child: timed and dated observations, describing objectively the child’s behaviour/appearance, without comment or interpretation; where possible, the exact words spoken by the child; the dated name and signature of the recorder.
Such records will be kept in a separate file and will not be accessible to people other than the Supervisor, chair and designated member of staff.
Liaise with other bodies
The pre-school operates in accordance with guidelines laid down by the registering authority. Confidential records kept on children about whom the Nursery is anxious will be shared with the Social Services Department if the Nursery feels that adequate explanations for changes in the child’s condition have not been provided.
The group will maintain ongoing contact with the registering authority, together with names, addresses and telephone numbers of individual social workers, to ensure that it would be easy, in any emergency, for the Nursery and the Social Services Department to work well together.
Records will also be kept of the local NSPCC contact, or other contact(s) as appropriate.
Support families
The Nursery will take every step in its power to build up trusting and supportive relationships between families and staff and volunteers in the group.
Where abuse at home is suspected, the Nursery will continue to welcome the child and family while investigations proceed.
Confidential records kept on a child will be shared with parents.
With the proviso that the care and safety of the child must always be paramount, the Nursery will do all in its power to support and work with the child’s family.