2. Safer Working Practice

Every child must have a Key Person. This is the most effective way of ensuring that children and families develop a strong relationship with a significant adult in an early years and childcare setting.

A Key Person has a particular responsibility for reassuring the child and helping them feel secure and cared for. This includes helping a child to be familiar with their surroundings, feel confident, safe and emotionally secure

All settings should have a clear policy and guidance regarding Key Persons. Some job responsibilities require sensitive intimate and physical contact with children and a specific policy may be appropriate. Also settings must ensure that all adults work to agreed standards and practice guidance which must include:

• Recognition of every child's right to safety, privacy and dignity when contact of a physical or intimate nature is required. This includes arrangements to ensure that these rights are upheld in practice
• Procedures for intimate care, including nappy changing, that require logging of dates and times of nappy changes and any other potentially significant information about the child's health and wellbeing
• Identification of staff who have responsibility for intimate care, who will usually change the child's nappy e.g. the key person
• Requirements regarding in-house training, management monitoring, and enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks
• Ensuring that every child is supported as appropriate to their age, ability and emotional needs
• Practical recognition that children who have a physical or learning disability are especially vulnerable. This should include ensuring that agreed and child-specific care plans are in place
• Ensuring that parents or carers, and where possible the child, are involved in making arrangements for intimate care, and are informed of any issues that arise