Barnabas' Policies

A full copy of our policies can be emailed upon request or can be seen in the setting. 

Please see below the full contents of our policies and below that two policy documents in full; 1.2 Safeguarding Children and Child Protection and 9.1 Valuing Diversity and Promoting Equality.

1.0            CHILD PROTECTION
1.1              Children’s rights and entitlements
1.2              Safeguarding children and child protection ** In full below**
1.3              Looked after children
1.4              Uncollected child
1.5              Missing child
1.6              Use of mobile phones and cameras
1.7              Social networking policy
2.0            SUITABLE PEOPLE
2.1              Employment
2.2              Student and volunteer
3.0            STAFF QUALIFICATIONS, TRAINING, SUPPORT AND SKILLS
3.1              Induction of employees and volunteers
3.2              First aid
4.0            KEY PERSON
4.1              The role of the key person and settling-in
5.0            STAFF : CHILD RATIOS
5.1              Staffing
6.0            HEALTH
6.1              Administering medicines
6.2              Managing children who are sick, infectious, or with allergies
6.3              Recording and reporting of accidents and incidents
6.4              Nappy changing
6.5              Food and drink
6.6              Food hygiene
7.0            MANAGING BEHAVIOUR
7.1              Promoting positive behaviour
8.0            SAFETY AND SUITABILITY OF PREMISES, ENVIRONMENT AND EQUIPMENT
8.1              Health and safety general standards
8.2              Maintaining children’s safety and security on premises
8.3              Supervision of children on outings and visits
8.4              Risk assessment
8.5              Fire safety and emergency evacuation
8.6              Animals in the setting
8.7              No-smoking
9.0            EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
9.1              Valuing diversity and promoting equality **in full below**
9.2              Supporting children with special educational needs
10.0        INFORMATION AND RECORD
10.2           Admissions
10.3           Fees policy
10.5           Parental involvement
10.6           Children’s records
10.7           Provider records
10.8           Transfer of records to school
10.9           Confidentiality and client access to records
10.10         Information sharing
10.11         Working in partnership with other agencies
10.12         Making a complaint
10.13         Whistle-blowing policy
10.14         Staff disciplinary policy

These are the two policy documents in full; 
1.2 Safeguarding Children and Child Protection and  9.1 Valuing Diversity and Promoting Equality

1.2 Safeguarding children and child protection
 
Policy statement:  Our setting will work with children, parents and the community to ensure the rights and safety of children and to give them the very best start in life. Our Safeguarding Policy is based on the three key commitments of the Pre-school Learning Alliance Safeguarding Children Policy.

Procedures: We carry out the following procedures to ensure we meet the three key commitments of the Alliance Safeguarding Children Policy.

Key commitment 1

We are committed to building a 'culture of safety' in which children are protected from abuse and harm in all areas of our service delivery.

• Our designated person who co-ordinates child protection issues is:

Deborah Branch (07530 325068)

• Our designated officer who oversees this work is:

Melanie Gitsham

• We ensure all staff are trained to understand our safeguarding policies and procedures and that parents are made aware of them too.

• All staff have an up-to-date knowledge of safeguarding issues.
• Adequate and appropriate staffing resources are provided to meet the needs of children.

• Applicants for posts within the setting are clearly informed that the positions are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
• Enhanced criminal records and barred lists checks and other suitability checks are carried out for staff and volunteers prior to their post being confirmed, to ensure that no disqualified person or unsuitable person works at the setting or has access to the children.

• Where applications are rejected based on information disclosed, applicants have the right to know and to challenge incorrect information.

• Enhanced criminal records and barred lists checks are carried out on anyone living or working on the premises.
• Volunteers do not work unsupervised.
• Information is recorded about staff qualifications, and the identity checks and vetting processes that have been completed including:

-          the criminal records disclosure reference number;
-          the date the disclosure was obtained; and
-          details of who obtained it.

• All staff and volunteers are informed that they are expected to disclose any convictions, cautions, court orders or reprimands and warnings which may affect their suitability to work with children (whether received before or during their employment with us).

• We notify the Disclosure and Barring Service of any person who is dismissed from our employment, or resigns in circumstances that would otherwise have led to dismissal for reasons of a child protection concern.

• Procedures are in place to record the details of visitors to the setting.
• Security steps are taken to ensure that we have control over who comes into the setting so that no unauthorised person has unsupervised access to the children.

• Steps are taken to ensure children are not photographed or filmed on video for any other purpose than to record their development or their participation in events organised by us. Parents sign a consent form and have access to records holding visual images of their child.

Key commitment 2

We are committed to responding promptly and appropriately to all incidents or concerns of abuse that may occur and to work with statutory agencies in accordance with the procedures that are set down in 'What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused' (HMG 2006).

 Responding to suspicions of abuse

• We acknowledge that abuse of children can take different forms - physical, emotional, and sexual, as well as neglect.
• When children are suffering from physical, sexual or emotional abuse, or experiencing neglect, this may be demonstrated through:

-          significant changes in their behaviour;
-          deterioration in their general well-being;
-          their comments which may give cause for concern, or the things they say (direct or indirect disclosure);
-          changes in their appearance, their behaviour, or their play;
-          unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse or neglect; and
-          any reason to suspect neglect or abuse outside the setting.

• We take into account factors affecting parental capacity, such as social exclusion, domestic violence, parent’s drug or alcohol abuse, mental or physical illness or parent’s learning disability.

• We are aware of other factors that affect children’s vulnerability such as, abuse of disabled children; fabricated or induced illness; child abuse linked to beliefs in spirit possession; sexual exploitation of children, such as through internet abuse; and Female Genital Mutilation; that may affect, or may have affected, children and young people using our provision.
• We also make ourselves aware that some children and young people are affected by gang activity, by complex, multiple or organised abuse, through forced marriage or honour based violence or may be victims of child trafficking. While this may be less likely to affect young children in our care, we may become aware of any of these factors affecting older children and young people who we may come into contact with.

• Where we believe that a child in our care or that is known to us may be affected by any of these factors we follow the procedures below for reporting child protection concerns.
• Where such evidence is apparent, the child's key person makes a dated record of the details of the concern and discusses what to do with the member of staff who is acting as the 'designated person'. The information is stored on the child's personal file.
• We refer concerns to the local authority children’s social care department and co-operate fully in any subsequent investigation. NB In some cases this may mean the police or another agency identified by the Local Safeguarding Children Board.
• We take care not to influence the outcome either through the way we speak to children or by asking questions of children.
• We take account of the need to protect young people aged 16-19 as defined by the Children Act 1989. This may include students or school children on work placement, young employees or young parents. Where abuse is suspected we follow the procedure for reporting any other child protection concerns. The views of the young person will always be taken into account, but the setting may override the young person’s refusal to consent to share information if it feels that it is necessary to prevent a crime from being committed or intervene where one may have been, or to prevent harm to a child or adult. Sharing confidential information without consent is done only where not sharing it could be worse than the outcome of having shared it.

Recording suspicions of abuse and disclosures

• Where a child makes comments to a member of staff that give cause for concern (disclosure), or a member of staff observes signs or signals that give cause for concern, such as significant changes in behaviour; deterioration in general well-being; unexplained bruising, marks or signs of possible abuse or neglect; that member of staff:

-          listens to the child, offers reassurance and gives assurance that she or he will take action;
-          does not question the child;
-          makes a written record that forms an objective record of the observation or disclosure that includes: the date and time of the observation or the disclosure; the exact words spoken by the child as far as possible; the name of the person to whom the concern was reported, with the date and time; and the names of any other person present at the time.

• These records are signed and dated and kept in the child's personal file, which is kept securely and confidentially.
• The member of staff acting as the 'designated person' is informed of the issue at the earliest opportunity.
• Where the Local Safeguarding Children Board stipulates the process for recording and sharing concerns, we include those procedures alongside this procedure and follow the steps set down by the Local Safeguarding Children Board.

Making a referral to the local authority children's social care team

• The Pre-school Learning Alliance's publication Safeguarding Children contains procedures for making a referral to the local children's social care team, as well as a template form for recording concerns and making a referral. 
• We keep a copy of this document alongside the procedures for recording and reporting set down by our Local Safeguarding Children Board, which we follow where local procedures differ from those of the Pre-school Learning Alliance.

 Informing parents

• Parents are normally the first point of contact. Concerns are discussed with parents to gain their view of events, unless it is felt that this may put the child in greater danger.
• Parents are informed when we make a record of concerns in their child’s file and that we also make a note of any discussion we have with them regarding a concern.
• If a suspicion of abuse warrants referral to social care, parents are informed at the same time that the referral will be made, except where the guidance of the Local Safeguarding Children Board does not allow this, for example, where it is believed that the child may be placed in greater danger.
• This will usually be the case where the parent is the likely abuser. In these cases the social workers will inform parents.

Liaison with other agencies

• We work within the Local Safeguarding Children Board guidelines.
• The current version of 'What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused' available for parents and staff and all staff are familiar with what they need to do if they have concerns.
• We have procedures for contacting the local authority regarding child protection issues, including maintaining a list of names, addresses and telephone numbers of social workers, to ensure that it is easy, in any emergency, for the setting and children's social care to work well together.
• We notify Ofsted of any incident or accident and any changes in our arrangements which may affect the well-being of children or where an allegation of abuse is made against a member of staff (whether the allegations relate to harm or abuse committed on our premises or elsewhere). Notifications to Ofsted are made as soon as is reasonably practicable, but at the latest within 14 days of the allegations being made.
• Contact details for the local National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) are also kept.

Allegations against staff

• We ensure that all parents know how to complain about the behaviour or actions of staff or volunteers within the setting, or anyone living or working on the premises occupied by the setting, which may include an allegation of abuse.
• We respond to any inappropriate behaviour displayed by members of staff, volunteer or any other person living or working on the premises, which includes:

-          inappropriate sexual comments;
-          excessive one-to-one attention beyond the requirements of their usual role and responsibilities, or inappropriate sharing of images.

• We follow the guidance of the Local Safeguarding Children Board when responding to any complaint that a member of staff or volunteer within the setting, or anyone living or working on the premises occupied by the setting, has abused a child.
• We respond to any disclosure by children or staff that abuse by a member of staff or volunteer within the setting, or anyone living or working on the premises occupied by the setting, may have taken, or is taking place, by first recording the details of any such alleged incident.
• We refer any such complaint immediately to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) to investigate: LADO 01473 581871         OFSTED 0300 123 1281 (name and phone number)
• [We/I] also report any such alleged incident to Ofsted, as well as what measures we have taken. We are aware that it is an offence not to do this.
• We co-operate entirely with any investigation carried out by children’s social care in conjunction with the police.
• Where the management team and children’s social care agree it is appropriate in the circumstances, the member of staff or volunteer will be suspended for the duration of the investigation. This is not an indication of admission that the alleged incident has taken place, but is to protect the staff, as well as children and families throughout the process.

Disciplinary action
Where a member of staff or volunteer has been dismissed due to engaging in activities that caused concern for the safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults, we will notify the Disclosure and Barring Service of relevant information, so that individuals who pose a threat to children and vulnerable groups can be identified and barred from working with these groups.

Key commitment 3

We are committed to promoting awareness of child abuse issues throughout our training and learning programmes for adults. We are also committed to empowering young children, through our early childhood curriculum, promoting their right to be strong, resilient and listened to.

Training

• Training opportunities are sought for all adults involved in the setting to ensure that they are able to recognise the signs and signals of possible physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect and that they are aware of the local authority guidelines for making referrals.
• We ensure that designated persons receive training in accordance with that recommended by the Local Safeguarding Children Board.
• We ensure that all staff know the procedures for reporting and recording any concerns they may have about the provision.

 
Planning

• The layout of the rooms allows for constant supervision. No child is left alone with staff or volunteers in a one-to-one situation without being visible to others.

Curriculum

• We introduce key elements of keeping children safe into our programme to promote the personal, social and emotional development of all children, so that they may grow to be strong, resilient and listened to and so that they develop an understanding of why and how to keep safe.
• We create within the setting a culture of value and respect for individuals, having positive regard for children's heritage arising from their colour, ethnicity, languages spoken at home, cultural and social background.
• We ensure that this is carried out in a way that is developmentally appropriate for the children.

Confidentiality

• All suspicions and investigations are kept confidential and shared only with those who need to know. Any information is shared under the guidance of the Local Safeguarding Children Board.

Support to families

• We believe in building trusting and supportive relationships with families, staff and volunteers.
• We make clear to parents our role and responsibilities in relation to child protection, such as for the reporting of concerns, information sharing, monitoring of the child, and liaising at all times with the local children’s social care team.
• We will continue to welcome the child and the family whilst investigations are being made in relation to any alleged abuse.
• We follow the Child Protection Plan as set by the child’s social care worker in relation to the setting's designated role and tasks in supporting that child and their family, subsequent to any investigation.
• Confidential records kept on a child are shared with the child's parents or those who have parental responsibility for the child in accordance with the Confidentiality and Client Access to Records procedure and only if appropriate under the guidance of the Local Safeguarding Children Board.

Legal framework:

Primary legislation

• Children Act (1989 s47)
• Protection of Children Act (1999)
• Data Protection Act (1998)
• The Children Act (Every Child Matters) (2004) 
• Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act (2006)

Secondary legislation

• Sexual Offences Act (2003)
• Criminal Justice and Court Services Act (2000)
• Equalities Act (2010)
• Data Protection Act (1998) Non Statutory Guidance

Further guidance

• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2013) 
• What to do if you’re Worried a Child is Being Abused (HMG 2006)
• Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (DoH 2000)
• The Common Assessment Framework for Children and Young People: A Guide for Practitioners (CWDC 2010)
• Statutory guidance on making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children under section 11 of the Children Act 2004 (HMG 2007)
•  Information Sharing: Guidance for Practitioners and Managers (HMG 2008) (HMG 2006)
• Disclosure and Barring Service: www.gov.uk/disclosure-barring-service-check

This policy was adopted by: BARNABAS PRE-SCHOOL
On: September 2014
Date to be reviewed: September 2015
Signed on behalf of the provider
Name of signatory: Deborah Branch
Role of signatory: Owner

9.1 Valuing diversity and promoting equality

Policy statement
We will ensure that our service is fully inclusive in meeting the needs of all children. We recognise that children and their families come from diverse backgrounds. All families have needs and values that arise from their individual, social, economic, ethnic, cultural or religious backgrounds and situations.

Children grow up in diverse family structures that include two parent and one parent families; some children have two parents of the same sex. Some children have close links with extended families of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins; while others may be more removed from close kin, or may live with other relatives or foster carers. Some children have needs that arise from a disability, or may have parents that are affected by disability. Some children come from families who experience social exclusion or severe hardship; some have to face discrimination and prejudice because of their ethnicity, the languages they speak, their religious or belief background, their gender or their impairment.

We understand that these factors affect the well-being of children and can impact on their learning and attainment. We are committed to anti-discriminatory practice to promote equality of opportunity and valuing diversity for all children and families. We aim to:

• provide a secure and accessible environment in which all children can flourish and in which all contributions are considered and valued;
•  include and value the contribution of all families to our understanding of equality and diversity;
• provide positive non-stereotyping information about gender roles, diverse family structures, diverse socio-economic, ethnic and cultural groups and disabled people;
• improve our knowledge and understanding of issues of anti-discriminatory practice, promoting equality and valuing diversity;
• challenge and eliminate discriminatory actions; 
• make inclusion a thread that runs through all of the activities of the setting; and
• foster good relations between all communities.

Procedures

Admissions 
Our setting is open and accessible to all members of the community.

• We advertise our service widely.
• We reflect the diversity of our society in our publicity and promotional materials.
• We provide information in clear, concise language, whether in spoken or written form.
• We provide information in other languages (where ever possible).
• We base our Admissions Policy on a fair system.
• We ensure that all parents are made aware of our Valuing Diversity and Promoting Equality Policy.
• We do not discriminate against a child or their family, or prevent entry to our setting, on the basis of a protected characteristic as defined by the Equalities Act (2010). These are:

-          disability;
-          race;
-          gender reassignment;
-          religion or belief;
-          sex;
-          sexual orientation;
-          age;
-          pregnancy and maternity; and
-          marriage and civil partnership.

• We do not discriminate against a child with a disability or refuse a child entry to our setting for reasons relating to their disability.
• We ensure, wherever possible, that we have a balanced intake of boys and girls in the setting. 
• We make adjustments to ensure that disabled children can participate successfully in the services offered by the setting and in the curriculum offered.
• We take action against any discriminatory behaviour by our staff, volunteers or parents whether by:

-          direct discrimination – someone is treated less favourably because of a protected characteristic e.g. preventing families of some racial groups from using the service;
-          indirect discrimination - someone is affected unfavourably by a general policy e.g. children must only speak English in the setting;
-          association – discriminating against someone who is associated with a person with a protected characteristic e.g. behaving unfavourably to someone who is married to a person from a different cultural background; or
-          perception – discrimination on the basis that it is thought someone has a protected characteristic e.g. making assumptions about someone's sexual orientation because of their mannerisms or how they speak.

• Displaying of openly discriminatory and possibly offensive materials, name calling, or threatening behaviour are unacceptable on, or around, our premises and will be dealt with immediately and discreetly by asking the adult to stop using the unacceptable behaviour and inviting them to read and to act in accordance with the relevant policy statement and procedure. Failure to comply may lead to the adult being excluded from the premises. 

Employment
We advertise posts and all applicants are judged against explicit and fair criteria.

• Applicants are welcome from all backgrounds and posts are open to all.
• We may use the exemption clauses in relevant legislation to enable the service to best meet the needs of the community.
• The applicant who best meets the criteria is offered the post, subject to references and suitability checks. This ensures fairness in the selection process. 
• All our job descriptions include a commitment to promoting equality, and recognising and respecting diversity as part of their specifications. 
• We monitor our application process to ensure that it is fair and accessible.

Training

• We seek out training opportunities for our staff and volunteers to enable them to develop anti-discriminatory and inclusive practices, which enable all children to flourish.
• We ensure that our staff are confident and fully trained in administering relevant medicines and performing invasive care procedures when these are required.
• We review our practices to ensure that we are fully implementing our policy for Valuing Diversity and Promoting Equality.

Curriculum 
The curriculum offered in our setting encourages children to develop positive attitudes about themselves as well as people who are different from themselves. It encourages children to empathise with others and to begin to develop the skills of critical thinking.

Our environment is as accessible as possible for all visitors and service users. If access to the setting is found to treat disabled children or adults less favourably, then we make reasonable adjustments to accommodate the needs of disabled children and adults. We do this by:

• making children feel valued and good about themselves and others;
• ensuring that children have equality of access to learning;
• undertaking an access audit to establish if the setting is accessible to all disabled children and adults;
• making adjustments to the environment and resources to accommodate a wide range of learning, physical and sensory impairments;
• making appropriate provision within the curriculum to ensure each child receives the widest possible opportunity to develop their skills and abilities, e.g. recognising the different learning styles of girls and boys;
• positively reflecting the widest possible range of communities in the choice of resources;
• avoiding stereotypes or derogatory images in the selection of books or other visual materials;
• celebrating  locally observed festivals;
• creating an environment of mutual respect and tolerance;
• differentiating the curriculum to meet children’s special educational needs;
• helping children to understand that discriminatory behaviour and remarks are hurtful and unacceptable;
• ensuring that the curriculum offered is inclusive of children with special educational needs and disabled children;
• ensuring that children learning English as an additional language have full access to the curriculum and are supported in their learning; and 
• ensuring that children speaking languages other than English are supported in the maintenance and development of their home languages.

Valuing diversity in families

• We welcome the diversity of family lifestyles and work with all families.
• We encourage children to contribute stories of their everyday life to the setting.
• We encourage mothers, fathers and other carers to take part in the life of the setting and to contribute fully.
• For families who speak languages in addition to English, we will develop means to encourage their full inclusion.
• We offer a flexible payment system for families experiencing financial difficulties and offer information regarding sources of financial support.
• We take positive action to encourage disadvantaged and under-represented groups to use the setting.

Food

• We work in partnership with parents to ensure that dietary requirements of children that arise from their medical, religious or cultural needs are met where ever possible.
• We help children to learn about a range of food, and of cultural approaches to mealtimes and eating, and to respect the differences among them.

Meetings

• Meetings are arranged to ensure that all families who wish to may be involved in the running of the setting.
• We positively encourage fathers to be involved in the setting, especially those fathers who do not live with the child.
• Information about meetings is communicated in a variety of ways - written, verbal and where resources allow in translation – to ensure that all mothers and fathers have information about, and access to, the meetings.

Monitoring and reviewing

• So that our policies and procedures remain effective, we monitor and review them annually to ensure our strategies meet our overall aims to promote equality, inclusion and to value diversity.
• We provide a complaints procedure and a complaints summary record for parents to see.

Legal framework

• The Equality Act (2010)
• Children Act (1989) & (2004)
• Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (2001)

This policy was adopted by: BARNABAS PRE-SCHOOL
On: September 2014
Date to be reviewed: September 2015
Signed on behalf of the provider
Name of signatory: Deborah Branch
Role of signatory: Owner