Safeguarding Policy

The children’s Act 1989 and the Early Year’s Foundation Stage state that ‘the registered person must comply with the local child protection procedures approved by the local safeguarding children’s boards and ensures that all adults working and looking after children in the provision are able to put the procedures into practice.”

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility!

Safeguarding – Is what we do to prevent harm

Child Protection – Is the way in which we respond to harm

Safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare: The welfare requirements within the statuary framework for the early year’s foundation stage require providers to take the necessary steps to safeguard and promote the welfare of the children in their care. They are required to implement an effective safeguarding children’s policy. The providers must ensure that any one working with them understands the safeguarding policy and procedure.

Providers should follow the guidelines set out in the booklet “what to do if you are worried a child is being abused” produced by the department for children, schools and families (DCFS).

We will also follow the guidelines of the Durham Safeguarding Children’s Partnership Threshold Document (2020), which supports the Durham Staircase and Continuum of Need and Single Assessment Procedures.

The Childcare Act 2006, The Children Act 2004, Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018, Keeping Children Safe in Education 2022 and the Prevent Duty for England and Wales 2015 places statutory responsibility that as a childcare provider, manager, or member of staff in a day care setting, you are in a unique position to observe any changes in a child’s behaviour or appearance. If there are any reason to suspect that a child in your care is being abused or neglected or is likely to be abused you must take action on behalf of the child and contact an agency that has a ‘duty’ to make enquiries.

‘The Working together to Safeguard Children March 2018 DfE’states in its introduction as follows:

Whilst Local authorities play a lead role, safeguarding children and protecting them from harm its everyone’s responsibility. Everyone who meets children and families has a role to play.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children is defined for the purposes of this guidance as:

- protecting children from maltreatment

-preventing impairment of children’s health and development

-ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care:

-taking actions to enable all children to have the best outcomes

Dawn till Dusk Childcare keeps up to date with all legislation and use the Working Together To Safeguard Children document (DfE) which was last updated 4th July 2018.

This policy is also based on EYFS Framework (2021) and the requests set out in the Children Act 2004 ('Every Child Matters').

The health, safety and welfare of all our children are of paramount importance to all the adults who work in our setting. Our children have the right to protection, regardless of age, gender, race, culture or disability. They have a right to be safe in our setting.

Children learn best when they are healthy, safe and secure, when their individual needs are met, and when they have positive relationships with the adults caring for them. We believe every child should be able to participate in all of the setting’s activities in an enjoyable, safe and stimulating environment and be protected from harm. This is the responsibility of every adult employed by, or invited to deliver services at Dawn till Dusk Childcare. As an organisation, we recognise that child abuse can be an emotive subject and therefore it is important to understand the feelings involved and not to allow them to interfere with judgment about any action that needs to be taken.

We recognise that abuse and neglect can result in underachievement. We strive to ensure that all our children make good progress within their learning and development.

Aims and objectives

Our aims are:

To provide a safe environment for children to learn in;
To establish what actions the setting can take to ensure that children remain safe, at home as well as at the setting;
To raise the awareness of all staff to these issues, and to define their roles and responsibilities in reporting possible cases of abuse;
To identify children who are suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm;
To fulfil the Prevent Duty and promote British Values, identifying children who may be vulnerable to radicalisation and know how to help them;
To ensure effective communication between all staff on child protection issues;
To set down the correct procedures for those who encounter any issue of child protection.

Types Of Abuse

Child abuse takes a variety of forms, the 4 main areas being:

Physical abuse involves the hitting, shaking or other treatment of a child that can

cause actual bodily harm.

Physical Observations

Bruising: on the trunk or body, upper arms, shoulders, or neck that is consistent with gripping, or fingertip imprints or marks from grabbing or prodding
Burns /scalding: cigarette burns, multiple or linear burns marks, or burns from over exposure to extreme heat
Others: bite marks, fractures (especially spiral or twisting fractures), swelling and lack of comfortable use of limbs, inconsistent explanations of serious injuries or conflicting explanations.
Untreated injuries, missed appointments and failure to address basic medical needs such as dental care fall into this category

Behavioural observations

Unusually fearful of adults.
Unnaturally compliant to adults.
Refusal to discuss injuries and fear of medical assistance.
Withdrawal from any physical contact.
Aggression towards others and the use of inappropriate threats.
Wearing “cover up” clothing, despite changes in the heat and seasons.

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child into sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware what is happening. This includes non-contact situations, such as showing children pornography, watching sex, encouraging inappropriate sexual behaviour or grooming, including via the internet.

Physical Observations:

Damage to genitalia, anus or mouth, including excessive soreness in these areas.
Sexually transmitted diseases including genital warts.
Unexpected pregnancy in young girls.
Unexplained urinary tract infections or discharges or severe abdominal pains. *Problems with jaw caused from oral sexual activity.

Behavioural Observations:

Inappropriate sexual knowledge for age.
Sexual activity demonstrated through play.
Sexual promiscuity and provocative behaviours.
Use of sexualised language and behaviour.
Loss of interest in activities such as hobbies/school.
Sudden changes in personality.
Lack of concentration, restlessness and aimlessness.
Socially withdrawn behaviour.
Overly compliant behaviour.
Acting out aggressive behaviours for no apparent reason.
Lack of trust in adults and carers.
Regressive behaviours including soiling and wetting.
Insecure and clinging behaviour.
Running away/absconding.
Suicide attempts, self-harming and self-disgust.
Eating disorders.

Emotional abuse- is the persistent emotional ill-treatment of children, such as frightening them, or putting them in positions of danger. It is also an abuse to convey to children the feeling that they are worthless or unloved.

Physical observations

Physical, mental or emotional delay in overall development
Incontinence, bedwetting (particularly when previously dry)
Acceptance of excessive punishments
Over reaction to mistakes made by themselves, such as fear and anger
Continual self-depreciation
Sudden speech disorders
Fear of new situations
Drug, solvent or alcohol use/dependency

Behavioural Observations:

Inappropriate emotional response to various situations
Neurotic behaviours such as rocking, hair twisting and thumb sucking
Self-harm and self-mutilation
Fear of parents/carers being contacted for any reason at all
Extremes in behaviour passive/aggressive
Running away/absconding

Neglect – Persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and psychological needs likely to result in serious impairment of a child’s health or development. May occur in pregnancy as a result of substance misuse. May involve failure to provide adequate food, clothing, shelter including exclusion from home or abandonment. Failure to protect them from physical harm or danger, access appropriate medical care or treatment. Failure to provide adequate supervision. May also include neglect of basic emotional needs.

Physical Observations-

Poor growth and development
Failure to thrive
Constant hunger
Obesity
Inadequate clothing
Poor hygiene
Constant tiredness
Failure of carer to seek and/or follow medical advice for a child
Being left alone without proper supervision

Behavioural Observations

Absence from the setting or lateness
Destructive tendencies
Low self-esteem and self-worth
Neurotic behaviours
No social relationships
Running away/absconding
Stealing or scavenging

There are also several other forms of noticeable abuse, which everyone needs to be aware of.

Domestic Abuse/Violence

Any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive or threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those aged 16 or over who are or have been intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. This can encompass but is not limited to the following types of abuse: psychological, physical, sexual, financial, emotional.

How does this affect children?

The legislation “Every Child Matters” looks at five major outcomes for children. Children exposed to domestic violence will experience severe delays and damage in all these outcomes.

Being healthy, Making a positive contribution, Staying Safe, Achieve economic well-being, Enjoying and Achieving.

Children may:

Experience symptoms of stress, but often learn to keep these to themselves
Not talk to the people close to them about their feelings or fears
Feel insecure, frightened and confused
Have difficulty at school
Become aggressive
Have trouble sleeping or suffer nightmares
Become 'model' pupils because they have become anxious about 'conflict' or they may be worried about making things worse at home
Start to suffer from ill health.

FGM – Female Genital Mutilation

FGM comprises all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to female genital organs. It is illegal in the UK and a form of child abuse. As of October 2015, the Serious Crime Act 2015 (Home Office, 2015) introduced a duty on teachers (and other professionals) to notify the police of known cases of female genital mutilation where it appears to have been carried out on a girl under the age of 18. Our setting will operate in accordance with the statutory requirements relating to this issue, and in line with existing local safeguarding procedures. All evidence will be recorded on a blue form.

To create an awareness and support the statutory requirements relating to FGM all staff have undertaken FGM E-Learning training.Staff will follow the safeguarding procedures of Dawn till Dusk Childcare. A full written record will be taken as evidence.

CSE - Child Sexual Exploitation

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a type of sexual abuse. When a child or young person is exploited they're given things, like gifts, drugs, money, status and affection, in exchange for performing sexual activities. Children and young people are often tricked into believing they're in a loving and consensual relationship. This is called grooming. They may trust their abuser and not understand that they're being abused.

Children and young people can be trafficked into or within the UK to be sexually exploited. They're moved around the country and abused by being forced to take part in sexual activities, often with more than one person. Young people in gangs can also be sexually exploited. Sometimes abusers use violence and intimidation to frighten or force a child or young person, making them feel as if they've no choice. They may lend them large sums of money they know can't be repaid or use financial abuse to control them. Anybody can be a perpetrator of CSE, no matter their age, gender or race. The relationship could be framed as friendship, someone to look up to or romantic. Children and young people who are exploited may also be used to 'find' or coerce others to join groups.

To create an awareness and support the statutory requirements relating to CSE all staff have undertaken CSE E-Learning training.

Faith Abuse / Witchcraft (CALFB – child abuse linked to Faith or Belief)

This is a form of abuse linked to faith or belief where concerns for a child’s welfare have been identified and could be caused by, a belief in witchcraft, spirit or demonic possession, ritual or satanic abuse features. Or when practices linked to faith or belief are harmful to a child.

Signs that a child is undergoing abuse linked to faith or belief could be:

* a child’s body showing signs or marks, such as bruises or burns from physical abuse.

* a child becoming noticeably confused, withdrawn, disorientated or isolated.