Early Years and Childcare Special Newsletter
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Friday 1 November 2024
Following a number of safeguarding concerns raised with us in the last few weeks, we want to share some information to support all early years and childcare providers. The key themes highlighted to us are:
- acting on concerns
- record keeping
- safer recruitment
It is important for all providers to ensure that they know, understand and follow the statutory guidance and the local safeguarding procedures. Please read this newsletter carefully, reflecting on your current policies and procedures to identify any actions for you and your setting.
Safeguarding records
It is important children receive the right help at the right time to ensure safeguarding risks are addressed, to prevent issues escalating and promote children’s welfare.
Keeping children safe in education 2024 outlines the duty early years and childcare providers have to keep clear records of all safeguarding concerns. Paragraphs 66 to 68 give specific guidance on what safeguarding records should include.
The NSPCC provides child protection records, retention and storage guidelines. From page 3 of this guidance, you will find useful information relating to accurate record keeping. They also have useful information on how to recognise and respond to child abuse and neglect.
It is vital that all relevant details of a safeguarding concern are recorded, regardless of whether concerns are shared with police or children’s social care. It is important that all recorded concerns are clear and factual, only recording the events that occurred without interpretation. They must always be signed and dated by the person making the report. A template for recording safeguarding concerns can be useful, to ensure all necessary information is collected.
If you are unsure about the next steps to address your safeguarding concerns, you can request support or raise a concern about a child, and contact the Integrated Front Door and consult a duty social worker by calling 01403 229900 If you believe a child’s safety may be at risk, it is your responsibility to take action.
To support you in recording your concerns, any actions taken and your reasoning for decisions, the following templates can be adapted and used in your setting.
The Safeguarding Children Partnership (WSSCP) Continuum of Need/Threshold Guidance will help you identify when to make a referral and how to clearly communicate your concerns.
When making a referral for a child, ensure that you submit all relevant details, even if you have previously referred the same child or family member. Do not assume that professionals will be able to use past information to inform their decision. Presenting a complete and clear chronology will support effective decision-making.
If you are unhappy with the outcome of a referral, review the referral and consider if it clearly outlines the level of need and your concerns. You can re-submit your referral with additional information, reaffirm your position and challenge the decision. If you still disagree with the outcome of your referral, please consult the WSSCP Professional Curiosity and Escalations guidance.
Safeguarding records should be passed on to a new provider alongside other documentation which you share with them. This is a protective factor to enable the new setting to have a full picture to support them in keeping the child safe.
Photographing injuries
We are aware that some settings take photographs of children’s injuries to include in safeguarding records. However, we strongly advise against this for several reasons:
- parents/carers must be fully aware and in agreement with the specific use of any photographs of their child,
- recording injuries on a body map is sufficient,
- it is the role of police and/or forensic or medical photographers to photograph injuries as evidence, and
- taking photographs of a child’s body could lead to staff in a setting being accused of inappropriate behaviour, particularly if the injury is an area of the body that would normally be covered by clothing.
If you are unsure of any of the issues raised in this article, please access additional training. The West Sussex County Council early years training and support programme has been developed and quality assured by safeguarding professionals to reflect current guidance and local procedures.
Safer recruitment
We are aware that a local setting recently received a job application from an early years and childcare practitioner which contained several discrepancies. These issues only became apparent during the interview stage. By following their safer recruitment process, the setting successfully prevented an unsuitable person from being appointed, avoiding a potential safeguarding issue.
If you are currently recruiting, or about to begin the process, please be extra vigilant. There are significant challenges with recruitment and retention in the sector, and there may be some people who take advantage of this situation to gain employment.
In the setting involved in this case, the concerns were identified by:
- observing the practitioner interacting with children as part of the interview process,
- addressing discrepancies between the candidate’s application and their interview answers,
- the candidate had gaps in their knowledge which would not be expected from someone with their qualifications, and
- addressing information gaps such as employment history, and missing paperwork.
We have also been alerted to several early years and childcare providers receiving applications from seemingly qualified applicants. However, they have completed training that is not full and relevant and is not included in the early years qualifications list.
You must remain vigilant and ensure only staff with the relevant qualifications and experience are appointed to specific roles. Your safer recruitment process should include checking qualification evidence and completing safeguarding checks before staff are employed and begin working with children.
Training
All staff involved in recruitment must be confident in the skills and knowledge required to safely and fairly recruit new staff. We recommend that at least one staff member, involved in the recruitment process, completes safer recruitment training. The Safer Recruitment, Selection, and Induction course takes three hours to complete, and is self-led.
Policy and Procedure
All settings should have a clear Recruitment and Selection Policy and process in place. A job application pack should include a job description, person specification and an application form as well as a clear statement about your safer recruitment practice. All applicants should be reviewed, and only suitable candidates should be offered the post. Offers of employment should be conditional on the successful completion of the safer recruitment process.
Pre-employment checks
Before finalising job offers, it is essential for safer recruitment that correct pre-employment checks are carried out along with Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks.
You must refer to the Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework to support your safeguarding and safer recruitment processes. Additional guidance on recruitment and hiring is available from the government.
To assist with safer recruitment record-keeping, we have included a template document. This single central record helps maintain all essential checks in one place, supporting regular monitoring of staff suitability.
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