Safeguarding and safety

All adults, paid or unpaid, who work with children have a duty of care in that they are accountable for following their settings' safeguarding policy and procedures to safeguard children. In carrying out their work the child's welfare is paramount. This means that all adults have a duty to:

• Keep children safe and protect them from sexual, physical and emotional harm and neglect
• Treat children with dignity and respect at all times
• Take reasonable steps to ensure children's safety and wellbeing. Failure to do so may be regarded as neglect
• Ensure that the safeguarding policy is regularly reviewed in order to keep it up to date

Local Authority Designated Officer

If you have concerns about an adult, volunteer or a member of staff working with a child aged under 18 years those concerns must be reported to the appropriate service/authority - please see the LADO Practice & Process Guidance: norfolklscp.org.uk/people-working-with-children/how-to-raise-a-concern.

If the referral meets the LADO threshold a committee member, usually the Chair, would be asked to join the initial meeting and follow the direction given by the LADO.

NCC would advise that each committee nominate an individual to champion safeguarding within the setting. They should attend safeguarding for committee training to gain an understanding of their role and responsibility.

This is a useful website that has links to CADS, LADO and other useful information: norfolklscp.org.uk/people-working-with-children/how-to-raise-a-concern.

Information sharing- the committee will not be given specific details about a child protection concern. The committees role is to support the Senior Lead Practitioners (SLP) within the setting. Safer recruitment toolkit and information about workforce training including training for Committee members

UK GDPR

Each committee has a responsibility to ensure that they have a privacy notice. It should be made clear to families:

• What data you collect
• What you do with it
• Who you share it with
• How you store it
• How long you store it

Be clear that the data belongs to the family who have a right to request their information and you have a duty to return it with the exception of child protection records.

For more information visit the Information Commissioning Officer: ico.org.uk/for-organisations/.

Record retention

As early years setting you have to keep certain paperwork for set periods of time for eg, accident books, registers, child protection docs.

Safety

Premises

Committee have a responsibility to ensure that working premises are safe and suitable for both staff and children. HSE state that 'as an employer by law you are required to protect employees and others from harm'. For further information visit ico.org.uk/for-organisations. NCC advise that a member of the committee attend Health and Safety training.

Risk assessment

Through the completion of risk assessments the committee and staff must identify hazards and minimise the risk and record and rectify any issues identified. For specific guidance on risk assessments visit www.hse.gov.uk.

Visitors

Any visitors into the setting must sign in to allow staff to know which adults are on the premises.

Useful contacts

• Schools website: www.schools.norfolk.gov.uk/early-learning-and-childcare/early-years-safeguarding/safeguarding-guidance-and-reporting
• Norfolk Safeguarding Children's Partnership: norfolklscp.org.uk
• Safer programme: norfolklscp.org.uk/people-working-with-children/safer-programme