At Ludgershall Pre-School the health, safety and welfare of all children is of paramount importance.
Children in our care have the right to protection regardless of age, race, gender, culture, background or disability.
They have a right to be safe in our setting. This policy represents the agreed principles for safeguarding children at the setting.
Staffing
Children at the Pre-School are never left unsupervised. There is as minimum of two members of staff on site at any time. We operate within the agreed adult to child ratio defined in the EYFS Framework. Volunteers are never left to work unsupervised and are asked to sign a volunteer agreement. All staff have received relevant safeguarding training and know how to report a concern.
Our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) is our Manager, Claire Churchill.
Our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) is our Deputy Manager, Naomi French.
Our Committee Member responsible for overseeing Safeguarding is our Chairman, Stephen Smith.
Applicants for vacancies are informed of the need to carry out DBS checks and reference checks before a position can be confirmed. They are required to register their certificate with the DBS Update Service.
Security
We have measures in place to ensure that no unauthorised person enters our premises and all visitors are asked to sign the visitors book and are accompanied around the building.
Recognising and Responding to suspicions of abuse
We acknowledge that abuse of children can take different forms, sexual, physical, neglect and emotional. When children are suffering from sexual, physical or emotional abuse it can show through changes in their behaviour or play. Where such changes occur or if behaviour gives cause for concern the preschool will investigate according to procedures laid out in our Safeguarding Policy.
Where a child shows symptoms of "failure to thrive" due to neglect then the appropriate referrals will be made.
Allegations against staff
We ensure that all our staff know how to complain about staff and volunteers in the setting which may include allegations of abuse. A flowchart is displayed on the noticeboard in the corridor and throughout the Pre-School. We will follow procedures set out by our Local Area Board.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality is crucial to all our relationships but the welfare of the child is paramount. The law does not allow anyone to keep concerns relating to child abuse to themselves. All information collected on a child is kept in the safe and is accessed only by the DSL and DDSL