Safeguarding at Blue Bell Woods ~ Protecting our Children

Our robust Safeguarding, Child Protection, Health and Safety and Behaviour Management policies detail the overarching principles to support a safe and secure environment where children can thrive.

Who should I take my concerns to?


Designated Safeguarding Leads


Our named Designated Safeguarding Leads are 

 Nerys Evans (DSL) and Julie Alsop (Deputy DSL).


Nerys and Julie provide support to staff to carry out their safeguarding duties and liaise closely with other professionals, such as Children's Services.

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Recruitment, selection, induction and staff supervision procedures are good. Designated safeguarding lead staff attend training courses presented by representatives of the Local Safeguarding Children Board. They are aware of the duty to prevent children from being drawn into situations that may put them at risk of significant harm.
Ofsted, November 2017

Nerys Evans 

DSL

Julie Alsop

Deputy DSL

Our Commitment to Safeguarding

Under the Education Act 2002, we must make arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. Parents/carers should know that the law (Children Act 1989) requires all staff to pass on information which gives rise to a concern about a child’s welfare, including risk from neglect, physical, emotional or sexual abuse. Staff will seek, in general, to discuss any concerns with the parent/carer and discuss the need to make a referral to Children’s Social Care if that is considered necessary. This will only be done where such discussion will not place the child at increased risk of significant harm or cause undue delay. We will seek advice from Children’s Social Care when they have reasonable cause to suspect a child may be suffering or likely to suffer significant harm. Occasionally, concerns are passed on which are later found to be unfounded. Parents/carers will appreciate that the our Designated Safeguarding Lead carries out their responsibilities in accordance with the law and acts in the best interests of all children.

Useful websites:

Executive Summary of Key Principles for Staff, Volunteers, Supply Staff and Parents

Key principles
  1. The policy is consistent with statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (DfE 2018) and Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE 2021); and local inter-agency safeguarding procedures issued by the local multi-agency safeguarding partnership - West Midlands Child Protection and Safeguarding (Warwickshire).
  2. All staff and volunteers must read Part One of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2021. All senior staff members must also read Part Five and Annex A.
  3. All staff and volunteers must read the full safeguarding and child protection policy and the Staff Behaviour policy (code of conduct) before starting work with children. This document serves only as a brief reference point for staff, parents, governors and other stake holders.
  4. The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is NERYS EVANS. The Deputy DSL is JULIE ALSOP.
  5. The DSL will ensure that all staff and volunteers receive a robust induction into the nursery’s safeguarding arrangements, which will include a requirement that they read the key statutory guidance and safeguarding policies including the Behaviour Policy and responses to children who go missing from education before starting work with children.
  6. All staff and volunteers have a responsibility to establish and maintain a culture of safeguarding in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of children effectively.
  7. All staff and volunteers must have a full and active understanding of the nursery’s safeguarding policies - concerning child protection procedures, definitions, impact, indicators of abuse and referrals - in order to safeguard children at nursery effectively.
  8. The nursery is committed to offering early help to those children who need it. Staff are trained to be vigilant and to record and report all concerns and issues that indicate a child may require early help or that there may be a safeguarding issue to the DSL without delay.
  9. The DSL will consider all such concerns and issues and will make a judgement about whether to monitor the child’s progress, discuss with parents/carers, provide pastoral care and support, offer early help or make appropriate referrals. The DSL will record actions and decisions taken and referrals that are made. If early help is appropriate the DSL will keep the case under constant review.
  10. Staff recognise that some children are particularly vulnerable and therefore more likely to require early help or safeguarding. Those children include children with special educational needs and disabilities; those who are looked after by a Local Authority or were previously looked after; those living in families experiencing adult substance abuse, adult mental ill health and/or domestic abuse; ; children showing signs of engaging in anti-social or criminal behaviour; and children exposed to serious violence.
  11. The nursery has a duty to teach children about safeguarding and how to understand and recognise risk (online and offline) and the support available to them; as part of a ‘broad and balanced curriculum.'
  12. The nursery’s whistleblowing policy enables staff to raise concerns or allegations, initially in confidence, and for a sensitive enquiry to take place.
  13. Staff are expected to report all concerns about poor practice or possible child abuse by colleagues to the Nursery Manager. Concerns or complaints about the Nursery Manager should be reported to the Designated Officer in the Local Authority (LADO), who is responsible for the co-ordination of responses to allegations against people who work with children. For staff who do not feel able to raise concerns internally, relevant contact details for the LADO and also the NSPCC whistleblowing helpline 0800 028 0285 are displayed in the nursery and on our website.
  14. All staff will receive appropriate and regularly updated safeguarding and child protection training and at least annual updates to provide them with the requisite skills and knowledge to safeguard children.
  15. The DSL will attend bespoke training for newly appointed DSLs and refresher training every two years delivered by Warwickshire County Council. The DSL will also update their knowledge and skills at least annually to keep up with any developments relevant to their role.
16. The nursery seeks to ensure that only ‘safe’ staff and ‘safe’ volunteers are recruited to work with children at the nursery by following the statutory guidance and WS and the nursery’s Safer Recruitment policies by embedding safeguarding in recruitment and induction processes and the ongoing management of staff and volunteers.
17. Child protection issues warrant a high level of confidentiality. Staff will ensure confidentiality protocols are adhered to and information is shared appropriately. Although staff will discuss day-to-day concerns about children with colleagues, they should report all child protection and safeguarding concerns to the DSL– in the case of concerns about the DSL – to the LADO. However, any member of staff can contact and/or make a referral to Children’s Social Care if they believe that is the only effective way to safeguard a child.
18. All staff and volunteers must be mindful of specific requirements in relation to the use of technology including online behaviour and the taking and storing of images of children
19. The DSL is responsible for ensuring that all staff and volunteers have a meaningful awareness of a range of specific safeguarding issues as defined in paragraphs 31-54 and Annex A of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2021. The DSL will make a judgement about which staff are required to read and understand Annex A. In particular, staff need to understand issues and risks in relation to radicalisation, extremism and the promotion of fundamental British values; child sexual and criminal exploitation; peer on peer abuse and children who display sexually harmful or inappropriate behaviour including sexting; contextual safeguarding and so-called honour based violence including female genital mutilation and forced marriage.
Additional support is available from the Education Safeguarding Service at educationsafeguarding@warwickshire.gov.uk or by phoning 01926 742525.