Safeguarding Policy

Our Commitment

At Cheeky Minds, we prioritise the safety and well-being of all children. We collaborate with parents, external agencies, and the community to create a safe, inclusive, and nurturing environment.

Safeguarding Principles

• Protection from Harm: Children have the right to be protected from abuse.

• Preventive Measures: Implement policies to prevent harm to children’s health and development.

• Respect and Inclusivity: Promote acceptance of different beliefs and cultures.

• Shared Responsibility: Everyone, including childminders, assistants, and visitors, shares responsibility for safeguarding.

Our Practices

• DBS Checks: Enhanced checks for all childminders, assistants, and regular visitors.

• Training: Regular training for staff to recognise and respond to signs of abuse.

• Communication with Parents: Maintain open communication and share necessary information for child safety.

• Reporting Procedures: Concerns are reported to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and, if necessary, to external agencies.

• Confidentiality: Safeguarding information is confidential and shared only on a need-to-know basis.

Definitions of Abuse

• Physical Abuse: Acts causing physical harm.

• Emotional Abuse: Persistent emotional harm affecting development.

• Sexual Abuse: Involving children in sexual activities.

• Neglect: Failing to meet basic needs.

Reporting Procedures

At Cheeky Minds we will ensure to

• Report to DSL: Report concerns immediately to the DSL or Deputy DSL.

• Record Details: Document observations or disclosures accurately.

• Contact Authorities: Report to local authorities or police if necessary.

• Confidentiality: Share information only with those who need to know.

Early Help and Collaboration

• Early Help: Collaborate with agencies to provide early assistance.

• Contact Information: Immediate concerns should be reported to:

• Local Authority Children's Social Care Team: 020 8461 7373

• Tiney safeguarding helpline: 020 4579 9271 (emergency use only)

• The local authority we live in is Borough of Bromley 020 8313 4044

• MASH (or equivalent) team contact details: 020 8461 7373 /7309. Bromley Children and Families Hub (C&F Hub) mash@bromley.gov.uk 

• LADO (or equivalent) contact details: 020 8461 7775 Or email your completed referral form to LADO@bromley.gov.uk

• Morten Michel Insurance: 03300589861

• National Prevent advice line: 0800 011 3764

• NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000

Regular Reviews and Updates

• Policy Reviews: Regularly update policies to comply with current legislation and best practices.

Specific Concerns

• Fabricated Illness: When a caregiver fabricates or induces illness. Report concerns to children’s social care.

• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Illegal and harmful alteration of female genital organs. Report to police and children’s social care.

• Breast Ironing/Flattening: Physical abuse involving flattening a girl's chest. Report concerns to children’s social care.

• Spirit Possession and Witchcraft: Harmful practices based on beliefs in possession or witchcraft. Report concerns to children’s social care.

• Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE): Coercion of children into criminal activities. Report concerns to DSL and authorities if necessary.

• County Lines: Exploitation involving drug transportation across regions. Report concerns to DSL and authorities if necessary.

• Cuckooing: Criminals taking over a vulnerable person's home for illegal activities. Report concerns to DSL and authorities if necessary.

• Prevent Duty: Part of the UK's counter-terrorism strategy to prevent radicalization. Report concerns to DSL and authorities if necessary.

Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

• Role and Responsibilities: Lead safeguarding efforts, document and report concerns, provide training, collaborate with agencies.

• Training and Competency: Regular comprehensive training and updates.

• Deputy DSL: Acts in DSL's absence to ensure continuity in safeguarding.

Our Commitment to Safeguarding Children

As childminders registered with tiney, we are the Designated Safeguarding Lead in the setting and must take lead responsibility for safeguarding children. The welfare of children in our care is paramount. Therefore, our primary responsibility will always be to the child. We also ensure that any person we work with is suitable to do so, has the relevant training, and has passed any required checks to fulfill their roles.

Myself and any assistants follow the guidance set out in ‘Working together to safeguard children’ and ‘Prevent duty guidance for England and Wales’. In addition, we ensure our policies are in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework for Childminders and other relevant legislation.

What the EYFS States:

• 3.1: Children learn best when they are healthy, safe, secure, when their individual needs are met, and when they have positive relationships with the adults caring for them.

• 3.2: This section of the framework sets out the safeguarding and welfare requirements childminders must meet. They are designed to help childminders create a high-quality, welcoming, and safe setting where children can enjoy learning and grow in confidence.

• 3.3: Providers must take all necessary steps to keep children safe and well.

The NSPCC Definition of Safeguarding and Child Protection:

• Safeguarding: The action taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.

  • Protecting children from abuse and maltreatment.

  • Preventing harm to children’s health or development.

  • Ensuring children grow up with the provision of safe and effective care.

  • Taking action to enable all children and young people to have the best outcomes.

• Child Protection: Part of the safeguarding process focusing on protecting individual children identified as suffering or likely to suffer significant harm.

Our Responsibility as a Designated Safeguarding Lead

• Recognise, Record, Refer:

  • Update safeguarding training regularly and at least every three years.

  • Identify, understand, and respond appropriately to the signs of possible abuse and neglect.

  • Record any cause for concern promptly and accurately.

  • Notify the local authority children’s social care team (MASH or equivalent) in emergencies. Contact the police if necessary.

  • Notify the LSP (Local Safeguarding Partnership), tiney, and my insurer in the event of a serious accident, injury, or death.

Household Members, Assistants, and Regular Visitors:

• Ensure every person aged 16 or over in our home, including assistants and regular visitors, has passed required checks and has relevant training (where appropriate). DBS certificates are available for parents/carers to view on request.

• Do not allow anyone whose suitability has not been checked, including through a criminal records check, to have unsupervised contact with the children being cared for.

Allegations

Report any allegations of abuse committed on our premises or elsewhere against anyone living, working, or looking after children at the premises to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) or equivalent and tiney immediately.

If we Suspect a Child is Being Abused:

• Significant changes in children's behavior.

• A decline in children’s general well-being.

• Unexplained bruising, marks, or signs of possible abuse or neglect.

• Concerning comments from children.

• Inappropriate behavior from assistants, or any other person working with the children.

• Any other concerns I may have about abuse occurring in the child’s home, including regular non-attendance.

If doing so would not cause additional risk to the child, we will initially speak directly to the parent/carer about our concerns. If our concerns persist, we will report them to the local authority children’s services and the police if appropriate and follow their advice. In these circumstances, we will provide all the information required to the relevant authority, including any confidential information that may be appropriate.

If We Are Made Aware of Private Fostering Arrangements:

If we suspect a child in our care is subject to a private fostering arrangement, we have a legal duty to report it to the local authority where the child is resident. We will contact them on 0208 461 7373. Civic center, Stockwell Cl, Bromley BR1 3UH. https://www.bromleysafeguarding.org/articles.php?id=638.

If We Suspect a Child and/or a Parent/Carer is at Risk from Radicalisation:

We will contact the national Prevent advice line to seek advice for anyone we suspect is vulnerable to being drawn into terrorism. We will also ensure we actively assess the risk of children in our setting being drawn into terrorism, including support for extremist ideas that are part of terrorist ideology.

Drugs and Alcohol:

• Ensure no one in my home is under the influence of drugs or alcohol that could affect their ability to care for children.

• Do not release a child from our home into the care of an adult suspected to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If no one is available to collect the child, we will contact the local authority children’s services team and follow their advice.

Use of Mobile Phones, Cameras, and Other Electronic Devices:

• We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as a data controller.

• Use mobile phones or other digital devices during the working day in certain circumstances. Devices are password protected and stored safely to minimize the risk of being lost or stolen.

What We Will Do:

• Ensure contactable in the event of an emergency.

• Take necessary phone calls to do with our business.

• Use the tiney app for secure messaging, taking photographs to help with learning and development assessments, and securely storing personal data and child records.

• Use our phone’s camera function to take photographs of the children for use in their secure, online learning journals.

• Delete any photos we take on my phone once they have been uploaded to the child’s online learning journal.

What We Will Not Do:

• Share information, photos, or videos of children and their families with anyone outside of my setting without parental consent.

• Make or receive personal calls during work time that could interfere with the quality of care provided to the children in our setting.

• Use a mobile phone or other digital device to take photos of the children outside the setting or my home.

• Access, upload, or send any material deemed inappropriate or illegal.

• Allow children in our setting to use any of our devices.

• Use personal social networking accounts to communicate with children and/or their parents/carers.

What Parents/Carers Should Do:

• Contact us on our mobile phone during business hours if necessary.

• Text, call, or use the tiney app to communicate with us.

• Provide written consent for photographs and videos to be taken of their children and displayed in their child’s online learning journal.

• Understand that in exceptional circumstances, such as a family emergency, we may need to briefly make or receive personal calls.

What Parents/Carers Should Not Do:

• Take or share any photographs of other children and/or staff during pick-ups, playdates, or other activities in our setting or our home.

• Use mobile phones or other digital devices while attending a meeting in our setting, to avoid disrupting the children’s play and learning time.

Please be aware that all mobile phones and digital devices in our setting are kept out of reach of children at all times.