At Club Kingswood nursery we aim to create an environment in which all children feel safe from any kind of abuse and in which any suspicion of abuse is promptly and appropriately responded to.
Definitions and types of abuse:
Physical abuse:
Physical abuse is defined as a non-accidental trauma or physical injury caused by punching, beating, kicking, biting, burning or otherwise harming a child, physical abuse is the most visible form of child maltreatment.
Neglect:
Neglect is the ongoing failure to meet a child's basic needs. A child might be left hungry or dirty or without proper clothing, shelter, healthcare or supervision. This can have a negative impact on a child's physical and mental well being and can end up putting a child in danger.
Emotional abuse:
Emotional abuse is any type of abuse that involves the continuous emotional mistreatment of a child. It can often be referred to a psychological abuse this can include someone trying to scare, humiliate, isolate and ignore a child. This is also known as active emotional abuse. Where as passive emotional abuse is where a parent/carer denies their child the love and care they need in order to be healthy and happy. This is more difficult to identify as it comes from the lack of knowledge and understanding on the parent/carer.
Sexual abuse:
Sexual abuse is when a child or young person is forced, tricked or manipulated into sexual activities to lead to a parent/carers arousal. The child/ young person may not understand that what is happening is sexual abuse and may not tell anyone. This may involve intercourse, touching, exposure of sexual organs, showing pornographic material and improper conversations.
Child sexual exploitation:
Child sexual exploitation is a form of sexual abuse that involves the manipulation and/or coercion of young people under the age of 18 into sexual activity in exchange for things i.e money, gifts, accommodation, affection or status. Children and young people are often tricked into believing they're in a loving and consensual relationship so the sexual activity may appear consensual. This is called grooming and is a type of abuse. They may trust their abuser and not understand that they're being abused. Child sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact and can sometimes occur through the use of technology.
Online abuse:
Online abuse is any form of abuse that happens via the internet whether it be through social networks, playing online games and using mobile phones. Children and young people can experience different types of abuse this way for example bullying and cyberbullying.
Domestic violence:
Domestic violence is between adults or intimate partners or family members show threatening behaviours, violence or abuse (psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional).
Female genital mutilation (FGM):
FGM is the partial or total removal of external female genitalia for on-medical reasons. It may also be known as female circumcision, cutting or sunna. There may be religious, social, cultural reasons given for FGM however it is a form of child abuse.
Radicalisation:
Radicalisation is the process through which a person comes to support or be involved in extremist ideologies. It is in itself a form of harm.
Substance abuse (including alcohol and drug abuse):
Substance abuse also known as drug abuse and substance use disorder is a patterned use of a drug in which the user consumes the substance in amounts or in methods which are harmful to themselves or others and is a form of substance-related disorder.
Who is at risk?:
Any child can be at risk regardless of age, sex, religion, race, disabilities or background. All children have core needs such as parenting, health and education- children are supported by their family and in universal services to meet all their needs.
Some common factors for abuse are:
- Children and families with additional needs
- Children with significant impairment of function/ learning and or like limiting illnesses.
- Children whose parents and wider family are unable to care for them.
- Families involved in crime/ misuse of drugs at a significant level.
- Families with significant mental or physical health needs.
- Someone with a disability resulting in complex needs.
- Exhibit anti-social/ challenging behaviours.
- Suffer neglect or poor family relationships.
- Someone who has poor engagement with key services such as school and healthcare.
- Someone who is not in education or work for long periods of time.
In order for the nursery to follow safeguarding procedures we have appointed a safeguarding officer who is listen on our staff notice board in which is visible to all staff and parents. The designated safe guarding lead's safeguarding training is updated every 2 years. We also adhere to The Children's Act 1989/2004 in which is defines "harm" in section 31 (9) as; ill treatment, the impairment of health and the impairment of development (definition includes impairment suffered from seeing or hearing the ill treatment of another).
All of our safeguarding children procedures apply to any child who has experienced or it likely to experience one or more types of abuse.
Procedures
At club Kingswood Nursery we adhere to the following procedures:
It will be made clear to all applicants for any posts available within the nursery that the position is exempt from the provisions for rehabilitation of offenders act 1974. All staff are interviewed before being offered a position in the nursery. There is a requirement of two references and is followed up, all employees are subject to a CRB check before starting and no member of staff must be left on their own or is not allowed to change any nappies before having a CRB check.
Training opportunities
Training opportunities are available for all staff to ensure that they recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse. All staff are provided with a minimum of a level 2 in safeguarding training alongside side FGM and Prevent Duty. These are then updated every 2/3 years.
Prevention
No member of staff/adult will be left alone with individual children or with small groups. A adult who needs to take a child to the side will do so with another member of staff there (independent care). No adult will be allowed to take a child to the toilet or change their nappies if they have not had a CRB check..... children are supervised at all times.
Responding to a concern
We will respond appropriately to suspicions of abuse within the nursery. Any changes in a child's behaviour or appearance will be investigated. Nursery staff will share their concerns with the nursery manager and the safeguarding lead and/or the nursery owners. The staff will support the parent/care if the concern supports this. Parents will usually be the first point of reference by the nursery manager, if a satisfactory explanation is not received, all suspicions will be referred too both Ofsted and Social care. All such suspicions will be kept confidential in a lock cabinet and information will only be shared with relevant parties within the nursery and externally. The people usually involved will be all the staff that work with the child and relevant agencies.
Record keeping
Any concerns, however minor must be written in the worry book and overseen by the designated safeguarding lead and manager for any patterns, this is done on a monthly basis to ascertain whether normal childhood occurrences are occurring too frequently or if there is anything that causes concern. These are kept separate from the child's usual ongoing development records. All records contain the following; Child's name, D.O.B, date and time, description of the child's behaviour and appearance without opinion, comment or interpretation. When ever possible the exact words of the child should be recorded. The person who records the concern dates and signs the report. All decisions made or action taken, and information given or received are recorded and kept in a lock cabinet in a safe guarding file. These records are again noted as too what information was shared with, when and why. If consent of the parent is not sought or given, then records must be kept to as why.
Confidentiality
The safety and welfare of the child overrides all other considerations, including the following: confidentiality, the gathering of evidence, commitment or loyalty to relatives, friends and colleagues. The overriding consideration must be the protection of the child and for this reason it is important that confidentiality cannot and should not be promised to anyone. If suspicions or allegations are about relatives, friends or colleagues, professional or otherwise, the concerns must not be discussed with them before making the referral. Individual members of the public who make a referral may prefer not to give their names or alternatively they may disclose their identity but not wish for it to be revealed to the parents/carers of the child concerned. Wherever is possible, children's social care workers receiving referrals from a member of the public should request the referrers request for anonymity. However, referrers should not be given any guarantee of confidentiality under certain circumstances the identity of the referrer may have to be give i.e The criminal or family court arena.
REFERRALS MADE BY A PROFESSIONAL CAN NEVER BE ANONYMOUS!!
Listening to children
At club Kingswood nursery we ensure to always listen to the children. If a child makes and allegation or discloses information which raises concern about significant harm, the initial response should be too listen to the child. If a child is freely recalling events then the response should be to listen and don't stop listening.If a child has an injury but no explanation is given then it is reasonable to enquire how the injury was sustained.However the child should not be pressed for information nor should they be led or cross examined it is important that you clarify all concerns, record all concerns and never make promises that you can't keep.
Information sharing
(liaising with other bodies and a duty to refer)Children's confidential records will be shared with he relevant authorities when it is felt by the nursery that a child welfare is at stake and a child is in danger. The nursery will keep in contact with Ofsted keeping them up to date. The nursery has a duty to refer. Professionals, employees, managers, helpers, carers and volunteers must make referrals too:
- Children's and families hub 03456037627
- Essex social care 08456061212 (out of hours) and ask for a Local Authority designated officer
- LADO (reporting staff) 03330139797 lado@essex.gov.uk
- Ofsted 03001231231Local
- Police 07773933635
ALL PROFESSIONALS MUST CONFIRM VERBAL AND TELEPHONE REFERRALS IN WRITING WITHIN 48 HOURS OF IT BEING MADE.
When there are concerns about significant harm, then the referral must be made immediately. The greater the level of perceived risk, the more urgent the action should be. The suspicion or allegation may be based on information which comes from different sources. It may come from a member of the public, the child themselves, another child, a family member or a professional. It may relate to a single incident or can accumulation of lower-level concerns. The information may also relate to harm caused by another child, in which case both children i.e the suspected perpetrator and the victim must be referred. A referral must be made even if it is known that the safeguarding board are already involved with the child/family.Advise and consultation may be sought about the appropriateness of the referral from the local safeguarding board or if the case is open, from the allocated social worker. Alternatively, advice may be sought from the designated or named professional from within the referrer's own agency. Where consultation is sought and the safeguarding board then conclude that a referral is required, the information so far must be regarded and responded too as a referral, the referrer must be advised accordingly and confirm their referral in writing.
WHEN IN DOUBT CONCERNS MUST BE RAISED!
Urgent medical treatment
If a child is suffering from a serious injury or requires treatment, medical attention must be sought immediately by calling an ambulance, you must never drive a child to accident and emergency in your own vehicle. The duty consultant paediatrician must be informed of the nature of the concerns and a referral must be made in accordance with this procedure as soon as possible!
Ensuring immediate safety
The safety of the children paramount in all decisions relating to their welfare. Any action taken by staff should also consider whether action is required to protect a child. All agencies should also consider whether action is required to safeguard and protect the welfare of any other children in the sae household or related to the household or the household of an alleged perpetrator or elsewhere e.g a work environment such as a school. the law empowers anyone who has care of a child to do all that is reasonable in the circumstances to safeguard his/her welfare. All reasonable steps should be taken to immediately protect the child from harm. Where abuse is alleged, suspected or confirmed in children admitted to hospital they must bot be discharged until a referral has been made to the relevant children social care team in accordance with this procedure and a decision made as to the need for immediate protection.
Parental consultation
Professionals should in general discuss concerns with the family and where possible seek the families agreement to making a referral unless this may either delay the process or prompt a negative behavioural response that could put the child at harm, or any other reason that may be cause for concern to not tell the parents if the child could be put at increased harm.A decision by any professional not to seek parental permission before making a referral to children's social care must be approved by their manager, recorded and the reasons given. Where a parent has agreed to a referral, this must be recorded and confirmed on the relevant referral form.
Where a parent has been consulted and refuses to give permission for the referral further advice and approval should be sought from the manager, unless to do so would cause undue delay or harm to a child. The outcomes of the consultation and any further advice should be fully recorded. If, having taken full account of the parents wishes, it is still considered that there is a need for a referral: 1) the reasons for proceeding without parental agreement must be recorded 2) the children's social care team should be told that the parent has withheld his/her permission 3) the parent should be contacted by the referring professional to inform him/her that after considering their wishes a referral has been made.
Making a referral
Referrals must be made in the following ways in person or by telephone:
- Children's and families hub (for a child)03456037627
- LADO (for staff member) 03330139797
- Essex Social care (out of hours) 08456061212
- NSPCC 08088005000
- Local Police 07773933635
- Police child abuse investigation team 01245491491
Remember that all professionals must confirm verbal and telephone referrals in writing within 48 hours of it being made.
In the event that an agency does not agree with the response and decisions about the referral by the local safeguarding board, the referring agency should discuss their concerns immediately with the line manager of the social worker, as soon as possible to seek a resolution. Referrals should be made to the duty officer at the local children's social care team where the child is living or is found. If the child is known to have a allocated social worker, referrals should be made directly to the allocated worker or in her/his absence, the manager or a duty officer in that team.
The person making the referral should provide the following information if available (note that absence of information must not delay a referral):
- Full name, any aliases, D.O.B, and gender of child/children
- Full family address and any known previous address
- Identity of those with parental responsibility
- Names, D.O.B, and information about all household members, including any other children in the family and significant people who live outside the child's household
- Ethnicity, first language and religion of children and parent/carers
- Any needs for an interpreter, signer or other communication aid
- Any special needs of the child/children
- Is the child registered at a school or regularly attending a school? Identify the school
- Any significant/ important recent or historical events/incidents in the child's or families life
- Has the child recently spent time abroad or have they recently moved to the area
- Cause of concern including details of any allegations, their sources, timing and location
- The identity and current whereabouts if known of the suspected perpetrator
- The child's current location and emotional and physical condition
- Whether the child is currently safe or is in need of immediate protection because of any approaching deadlines (e.g the child is about to be collected by alleged abuser)
- The child's account and the parents response if known
- The referrers relationship and knowledge of, and agreement to, the referral
How referrals will be received
Children's social care will ensure that a duty worker is available to receive child protection referrals; outside normal working hours, the emergency duty team will receive referrals.
Children's social care will deal with the referral in accordance with the local common assessment framework and the framework for the assessment of children in need and their families and determine whether a referral should be responded to on the basis that the child is in need of support under section 17 of the children act 1989 or in need of protection under section 47 oft the children act 1989.
The worker receiving a referral will establish:
- the nature of the concern
- how and why it has arisen
- what the child's and family's needs appear to be
- whether the concern involves any risk of significant harm
- whether there is any need for any urgent action to protect the child, any other child in the same household or any child in contact with an alleged perpetrator.
Where this is or may be crime committed
If the referral relates to a situation in which a crime has or may have been committed, including sexual or physical assault or physical injury caused by neglect, the worker receiving the referral must discuss the referral with the police at the earliest opportunity. The police in consultations with Children; s Social care services and any other agencies involved with the child must consider whether there should be a criminal investigation and/ or a children's social care led intervention. Whilst the responsibility to instigate criminal proceedings rests with the police, they should consider the view expressed by other agencies. In some circumstances with less serious cases, it may be agreed that the best interests of the child would be served by a children's social care led intervention rather than a full police investigation.
The outcome of a referral and feedback
The local safeguarding board team will decide upon and record their next steps of action within one working day of receiving a referral.The decision about future action will take into account of the discussion with the referrer, consideration of information held in existing records and discussion with any other professionals or services as necessary (including the police where a crime against a child may have been committed).
The outcome of the referral will be:
- the child appears to be a (child in need) and there are concerns about the child's health and development or concerns of significant harm
- that emergency protective action should be taken to safeguard the child or children
- where the child is already known and new information suggests that the child is or many be suffering harm.
- that no further action is required.
Where the significant harm has been caused by a person who was not previously known to the child or by another child, the decision whether to take further action under these procedures will depend on the following;
- is the alleged perpetrator likely to pose a risk of significant harm to this or any other children?
- did the parent or carer by omission or commission contribute to the abuse?
The duty social worker should acknowledge a written referral within one working day of receiving it. If the referrer has now received an acknowledgment within 3 working days he/she should contact the manager in the children's social care team. Feedback on the outcome of the referral should be provided to the referrer, including where no further action is to be taken. In case of a referral by a member of the public, feedback should be provided in a way which will respect and confidentiality of the child.
Emergency protective action
Where there is a risk to the life of a child or the possibility of immediate harm, the police officer or social worker must act with urgency to secure the safety of the child.
Immediate protection may be achieved by:
- an alleged abuser agreeing to leave the home
- the removal of the alleged abuser
- a voluntary agreement for the child to move to a safer place
- application for an emergency protection order
- removal of the child under powers of police protection
- gaining entry to the household under police powers
The agency taking protective action must always consider whether action is also required to safeguard other children in the same household or in the household od/in contact with an alleged perpetrator or elsewhere.
Local safeguarding board should only seek the assistance of the police to use their powers of police protection in exceptional circumstances where there is insufficient time to seek an emergency protection order or other reasons relating to the child's immediate safety.Planned immediate protection will normally take place following a strategy discussion.
Recording
The referrer should keep written record of:
- the child's account
- discussions with the parents
- discussions with managers
- information provided to the duty social worker
- decisions taken (clearly timed, dated and signed)
- Records should be reviewed with regular intervals to ensure that decisions taken are followed through)
The referrer should confirm verbal and telephone referrals in writing within 24 hours, using relevant referral forms. The duty social worker receiving the referral should keep a written record of:
- discussions with the referrer
- discussions with any other professionals or agencies involved (including the police where a crime against a child may have been committed)
- any other relevant information which was taken into account
- discussions with managers
- decisions taken (clearly time, dated and signed)
