7. Safeguarding Policies

The safeguarding policy should be developed through discussion with all those involved in the setting. How the policy is organised, in order to be meaningful for those who need to read and understand it, will be a matter for each individual early years and childcare setting.

The following important information must be included in an early years and childcare setting safeguarding policy.

• Name of setting
• The aims of the policy

The aims of the policy should include:

• To ensure every child who attends the setting is safe and protected from harm
• To ensure all those working in the setting, either paid or unpaid, have a clear understanding of the legal responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children
• To ensure parents/carers have a clear understanding of the legal responsibilities relating to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children
• To prevent impairment of health or development
• To enable children to have optimum life chances and enter adulthood successfully

Setting ethos

Include details of how the setting will ensure the aims are met including:

• A philosophy where the child's welfare is central and children and young people are supported by safe and effective care
• Maintaining a culture where adults are encouraged to share concerns and can follow whistle-blowing and child protection referral procedures
• Where adults are well trained and knowledgeable about safeguarding issues
• Where positive relationships with parents/carers are an important part of practice
• Where those working in the setting, whether paid or unpaid, undertake their roles in a professional manner enabling children and young people to have optimum life chances

Include a statement making it clear that the policy has been written in accordance with the Norfolk Safeguarding Children Partnership (NSCP) guidance and the Early Years Foundation Stage (2024) requirements.

Name and contact details of Safeguarding Lead Practitioner (SLP) and their Deputy

• Include a contact number for each person and specify what times they are contactable on this number.
• Also include what needs to happen if they cannot be contacted

Roles and responsibilities

• Clearly state the roles and responsibilities of the SLP
• Make a statement about the duty of care that all paid and unpaid staff have towards all children and young people.
• Include information about the leadership roles for safeguarding within the setting by using the table opposite and giving a brief explanation of each role

For example:

Training

• Include the commitment for all those workers whether paid or unpaid in the setting to undertake appropriate training in line with NSCP guidance and their role and to keep this updated
• Include information about opportunities for staff to talk about procedures/ policy during staff meetings etc., and for regular updates to be shared by the SLP
• Make it clear in the policy how often each level of safeguarding training needs to be refreshed

Confidentiality and Records

Make a statement about confidentiality that makes it clear that all those working in the setting whether paid or unpaid will:

• Keep concerns confidential and only share them with those that need to know in order to protect children in line with the referral process
• When confidentiality can be broken e.g. Our organisation cannot guarantee confidentiality if there is a child safeguarding concern, as we will need to share these concerns with the Children's Advice and Duty Service or Police. It is an expectation that our organisation will seek consent to share information first unless to do so would place somebody at risk of harm or undermine a criminal investigation.
• Always keep records secure and accessible only to those who need to know in order to protect children
• Sign the safeguarding policy which includes the requirement for confidentiality

Safer Working Practices

Include in this section the following information:

• How staff, students, volunteers or regular visitors will be informed of the safeguarding  policy and practice
• Include a summary of what safer recruitment processes are in place and refer to the safer recruitment policy.
• Duty of care placed on all adults working with children whether paid or unpaid
• Information about adherence to a code of conduct
• Enhanced DBS checks, appropriate safeguarding training for their role, and induction which also includes safeguarding

Parents/carers

• How parents will be informed about the setting's duty of care and have access to policies
• Information to be provided by parents to support the child's needs during their time at the setting
• Parents should also be made aware of the following two points and sign to confirm this:
• The setting has a legal duty to assist other agencies with safeguarding enquiries and that we will we contact The Children's Advice and Duty Service (CADS) and or Police if we have concerns about the welfare of their child. 
• The setting will need to share information with the relevant authorities if we have concerns about the welfare of your child, and we do not have to seek parental consent if there are serious concerns about harm or likely harm to the child.
• Make a statement about the setting's commitment to working in partnership with parents/carers and how the setting will ensure parents/carers are made aware of the duty to promote the protection and welfare of children including how this will work in practice e.g. through information such as:
• Setting registration pack
• Policy documents
• Newsletters
• Parents' notice board
• Ofsted parents' poster
• Duty of care poster
• Allegations against staff process
• Ensure parents/carers sign to confirm they have been made aware of, and understand, the policies
• Include information about expectations with regard to sharing information about accidents and injuries that take place at home and in the setting so that parents are clear before their child starts that they need to inform the setting about injuries at home and that the setting has a responsibility to do so if an accident happens in the setting
• Include details about the types of form that will be used to note down the information and where it will be kept. Be open about the fact that if a Child Protection concern arises, a form will be completed and used in the best interests of the safety of the child

What is abuse and neglect?

Include in this section:

• A general statement about abuse and neglect followed by a brief description of each area of abuse. The example below is taken directly from 'Working Together to Safeguard Children' and it is recommended that this is used:
• 'Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting, by those known to them or, more rarely, by a stranger for example, via the internet. They may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children.'

Physical abuse - A form of abuse which 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.

Emotional abuse - 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 a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or 'making fun' of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a 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 (including cyber 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, though it may occur alone

Sexual abuse - Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse. Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.

Neglect - 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 abuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:

• Provide adequate food, clothing and shelter (including exclusion from home or abandonment)
• Protect a child from physical and emotional harm or danger
• Ensure adequate supervision (including the use of inadequate care- givers)
• Ensure access to appropriate medical care or treatment

It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child's basic emotional needs.

Settings will also need to include reference to additional safeguarding concerns as listed below, even if full details are included in other policies:

Additional safeguarding concerns to be aware of are:

• Child Sexual Exploitation
• Female Genital Mutilation - FGM
• Forced Marriage
• Honour Based Abuse
• County Lines
• Child Criminal Exploitation
• Radicalisation
• The Prevent Duty
• Online Abuse
• Domestic Abuse

Managing allegations against adults working or volunteering with children

Include the following information in this section:

• The setting's commitment to ensuring all adults involved in the early years and childcare setting are committed to safeguarding children
• A statement about whistle-blowing and that all staff are clear that they have a duty to share concerns about staff following the whistle-blowing policy (this could be an appendix to the policy)
• The process where there is an allegation against an adult in the setting or a person aged over 16 who is living or working on the premises (including the full Local Area Designated Officer (LADO) process and how to make a referral). The flowchart (including relevant contact details) that is followed where there is an allegation against a member of staff should be included in the body of the policy.
• Information for parents to include that the Ofsted 'parents' poster' is clearly displayed together with the management of allegations referral process
• You must report any allegation against an adult to Ofsted within 14 days best practice is immediately
• If the organisation is a charity the requirement to also report the allegation to The Chairty Commission
• Where needed the setting will making a Barring Referral to the DBS

Online Safety

• Online Safety includes the use of photography and video, the internet and social media sites, mobile phones and smart watches.
• Make reference to your online safety policy with particular regard to use of cameras, mobiles phones and smart watches 

Other relevant policies

Safeguarding children is much broader than child protection. In this section list the other available policies that come under the umbrella of safeguarding so that these can be referred to.

Key legislation and guidance

Include a list of the most recent legislation and guidance that has informed the policy to include:

• Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 Working together to safeguard children 2023: statutory guidance
• What to do if you're worried a child is being abused 2015 Child abuse concerns: guide for practitioners - GOV.UK
• Norfolk Safeguarding Children Partnership Policies and Procedures Polices & Procedures | Norfolk Safeguarding Children Partnership (norfolklscp.org.uk)
• Early Years Foundation Stage Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework - GOV.UK
• Children Act 1989 The Children Act 1989 guidance and regulations
• Children Act 2004 Children Act 2004
• Norfolk Continuum of Needs Guidance 2023 Norfolk Guidance to Understanding Continuum of Needs | NSCP | PWWC (norfolklscp.org.uk)
• The Online Safety Act 2023 Online Safety Act: explainer - GOV.UK
• Data Protection Act 2018 Data Protection Act 2018 - GOV.UK
• The Prevent Duty Guidance 2023 Prevent duty guidance: England and Wales (2023) - GOV.UK

Useful Contacts

• Norfolk Children's Advice and Duty Service (CADS) 0344 800 8021
• Norfolk Children's Services 24 hours 0344 800 8020
• Norfolk Police 101 / In an emergency 999
• Norfolk Local Authority Designated Officers (LADO) Team lado@norfolk.gov.uk
• Add in any others which are relevant e.g. Ofsted

Safeguarding procedures

Settings should follow on from their policy with a new page outlining the safeguarding procedures that all adults working in the early years and childcare settings must follow. It is important that this section is clear so that all adults will know what they need to do if they have concerns about a child.

The procedures should include the following information:

• What to do if you are worried a child is being abused

This section should be clear about what adults need to do if they have concerns about a child's welfare. It should cover:

• The referral process (who makes the referral, how this happens including the contact telephone numbers, what information to include). A copy of the CADS referral flowchart should be included in the appendices of the policy
• Recording concerns - where and how concerns will be recorded following information from the Children's Advice and Duty Service (CADS)
• Include a procedure for handling a disclosure from a child
• Storage of safeguarding information

Once you have written or updated the setting safeguarding policy/procedure you could use the questions below to test out how useful and clear it is to those who need to read and understand it: