Imperial College London Early Years Education Centre: Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

This policy was last updated in August 2024
 
Key contacts
 

Head of Centre: Tracy Halsey

Designated Safeguarding Lead: Tracy Halsey 020 7594 5127 Mobile 07950549061

Deputy Safeguarding Lead: Liz-Anne des Vignes 020 7594 5120

Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO): 020 7641 7668

Westminster Duty and Assessment Team (DAT): 020 7641 7560

Emergency Out of Hours Duty and Assessment team: 020 7641 6000

Westminster Prevent Duty Team: 07817 054699 or 07790 980223

Westminster Early Years strategic lead Iraklis Kolokotronis 020 7598 4771

Nominated person for Ofsted Louise Lindsay 07872 850291

Ofsted: 0300 123 1231

Introduction

 The Early Years Education Centre at Imperial College London ('the Centre') educates and cares for up to 210 children whose parents work or study at the College and in the local community. The Centre's staff are dedicated to keeping children safe and the welfare of children is paramount in the day-to-day running of the Centre.  This is reflected in our policies and procedures and our planning and delivery of learning experiences for the children.

It is unacceptable for a child to experience abuse of any kind and we recognise our responsibility to safeguard the physical and mental welfare of all children, regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religious belief, sexual orientation or identity, and no child or group of children will be treated less favourably in being able to access services which meet their particular needs.  We are alert to the signs of abuse and neglect and follow our procedures to ensure that children receive effective support and protection. We will work with others involved in the child’s care, putting the child at the centre of all decisions.

Aims and objectives

Our aim is to safeguard and promote the welfare, health and safety of children who are cared for at the Centre by creating and maintaining an open, safe, caring and supportive atmosphere, and by supporting staff in achieving best practice.  The Centre achieves these aims by:

  • Valuing, listening to and respecting children
  • Teaching children to identify and manage risks in an age-appropriate way
  • Complying with applicable safeguarding rules and guidance by developing and implementing appropriate procedures, including a code of conduct for staff
  • Recruiting staff who are suitable to work with children and who have positive attitudes to safeguarding, and ensuring all necessary checks are made
  • Ensuring that at least one member of every interview panel has undergone safer recruitment training
  • Sharing information about child protection and good practice with children, parents, staff and volunteers
  • Sharing information about concerns with agencies who need to know, and involving parents and children appropriately, working together to ensure the welfare and safety of the child
  • Providing effective management for staff through supervision, support and training.

Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to all staff, including senior managers and committee members, volunteers, agency staff, students training at the Centre and anyone working at the Centre on behalf of Imperial College.

References to 'staff' throughout the rest of this policy shall be read to include references to all of these groups.

Parents and children will be informed of this policy and the procedures contained within as appropriate.

External guidance

This policy complies with:

  • Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (Published 8 December 2023. Effective 4 January 2024)
  • Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 (December 2023)
  • Keeping children Safe in Education 2024 (1 September 2024)

It also takes into account the following guidance:

  • What to do if you are worried a child is being abused – advice for practitioners (DfE, March 2015)
  • The Prevent duty Guidance: England and Wales (2023)
  • Information sharing: advice for practitioners providing safeguarding services (DfE July 2018)
  • The National Police Chief’s Council Child Centered Policing Guidance on When to Call the Police
  • Safeguarding children and protecting professionals in early years settings: online safety guidance for practitioners (DfE February 2019)

In child protection matters the Centre will follow also the inter-agency and child protection procedures laid down by the Bi-borough Local Safeguarding Children Partnership, which can be found here https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/sharedservices/lscb.aspx

Keeping this policy up to date

This policy is reviewed at least annually and was last updated on the date stated at the start of this policy.  If any changes are needed before the next annual review is due, these will be made as soon as reasonably practicable.

Other relevant policies

The following policies provide further information in relation to safeguarding, and can be found in the staff handbook

  • Health and Safety policy
  • Risk assessments
  • Garden Risk assessments
  • Outings risk assessment
  • Lost child policy
  • Uncollected Child policy
  • Code of Conduct.
  • Whistle blowing policy
  • Child on Child anti-bullying policy
  • Annex updates in light of coronavirus (Covid-19)
  • Sleep safe policy

How this policy is structured

The remainder of the policy is divided into two sections:

  1. Creating a safe environment for children
  2. Responding to child protection concerns.

These are followed by three appendices:

  1. Safer recruitment
  2. Types and signs of abuse
  3. Preventing radicalisation and extremism ('the Prevent Duty').

A: Creating a safe environment for children

B: Responding to safeguarding concerns

SAFEGUARDING AND CHILD PROTECTION POLICY APPENDICES

Appendix 1: Safer recruitment

Appendix 2: Types and signs of abuse

Appendix 3: Preventing radicalisation and extremism ('the Prevent Duty')

Updated by Tracy Halsey August 2024

Click on the Safeguarding Flowchart to download the document‌