4.1 Setting's Health And Safety Policies And Procedures
Box 1 4.1: Setting’s health and safety policies and procedures
Legislation and regulations guide practitioners how they must work within the nursery. They are also important because they communicate to practitioners how the nursery should run. The nursery must interpret the law and the regulations that apply to them. Settings do this by inventing policies that explain how the setting will work in line with the law and the regulations. Policies also let other professionals, parents/carers and children know how the setting works. It is important you understand that you understand all of the policies in the nursery and you must work within them. To ensure that policies and procedures are effective, it is good practice for nurseries to review them regularly, at least once a year. Practitioners should check that their policies and procedures still reflect current legislation and regulations, since these are updated from time to time. Practitioners should consider whether the ways of working outlined in the policies successful. This should be done in consultation with colleagues and when appropriate, parents/ cares, children and outside professionals. …show more content…
It is important to make sure that practice reflects the policy-there is no benefit in having good policies and procedures if they are not followed. Sometimes, practice and policy do not match up because practice has evolved over time. In this case it will be appropriate to change policy/procedures to reflect the new ways of working. However, if it is the practitioners work that is not up to appropriate standards, further explanation of the policy/procedures and further training will be necessary.
4.4: Sleep procedures in the setting
The Foundation for the Study or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (FSIDS) provided guidelines to reduce the risk of SIDS. Parents should not smoke during pregnancy, including the fathers. Anyone who wishes to smoke should smoke outside the house, where the baby is not present. Babies should be placed on their backs to sleep, not on their front as they may struggle to breathe or become to hot. Babies don’t necessarily need a blanket when they sleep, avoid making them too hot. Babies’ heads should be uncovered and they should be placed at the bottom of the cot so they don’t wriggle down under their covers. If the baby is unwell, medical advice must be sought. For the first six months, it is safe for the baby to sleep in the parent’s room, in their cot. Babies should not share the bed with the parents and it is dangerous to sleep with the baby on a sofa or armchair. Sleeping babies must be regularly checked every 10 minutes and in nursery a record must be kept.
2.4: Monitoring and reviewing health and safety risk assessments
An accident that has left any kind of marking on a child must be recorded, no matter how big or small. This is to provide evidence of the incident and also to protect you from any accusations that may be made later on. If a mark has been noticed and no one knows the cause of the mark, it should be recorded and mentioned to the parent/carer. You must write, the date and time of the accident so parents and practitioners are aware of how long the child has had this marking for. Where it took place, so we can review it in our risk assessments and also we can make any possible alterations to the layout if possible. Also, this is so parents understand where in the nursery it happened. It is vital that any bruising, markings, bleedings etc are recorded, so we have a record of the injury and it also protects practitioners. Also, in case of any worsening of any injuries we are aware of the early stages and we can monitor how things can change – e.g. behaviour if it was a bump to the head, bleeding and open wounds. Regularly reviewing polices and procedures are essential for good practice in the nursery and set a good example of how the nursery is run. It reviews how current policies and procedures are working within the nursery and any adaption’s that can be made to them, to further improve them. It is important to keep up with current legislation as practitioners can improve on their skills and work up to good standards. All practitioners need to work up to the guidelines of legislation in order for them to be doing their job properly.
1.2: Monitoring and maintaining health and safety
In a nursery our priority is to protect the children from all kinds of harm. That includes any strangers from coming in to the nursery, even those who are just visitors. All visitors to the nursery must sign in to the visitor’s book and sign out again. They are never to be left alone with children within the nursery. All staff should be made aware of this, as they could mistake someone as a parent. In some cases where someone who is not a parent is coming to collect a child, they are normally given a password from the parent and they must mention this on collection of the child. This is for the benefit of the nursery that it is safe to allow the person to enter the nursery and collect the child. Also, this benefits the parent so they are comfortable that their child is with someone they allowed and for the child so they feel safe they are with someone they know. Any new staff members, volunteers, parent helpers or anyone who is working with the children, must sign in to the visitor’s book and out and also hold a valid CRB check. This is for the same reason that we need to make sure they are safe to enter the nursery. All staff should be given the correct training they require in order to complete their tasks as a nursery nurse accurately. Staff training can be reviewed and updated every year so nurseries can improve the way in which practitioners work with children and parents. Within the nursery, everyone has the responsibility of following health and safety regulations (the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974) and other relevant legislation. This may be as small as moping water off the floor or changing the layout of the room, because of recurrent accidents. Health and safety regulations are put into place to establish and maintain a safe and healthy environment throughout the nursery and uphold safe working procedures amongst staff and children. Routine health and safety assessments are done throughout the day for indoors and outdoors, to keep a safe and secure environment. The nursery must provide required information, instruction and supervision for all employees where necessary. Ensure the safe handling and use of substances and following COSHH. Employees must be competent to do their role and to receive adequate training where needed. In the nursery we deliver safety education to the children so they know how to safeguard themselves as well. There are many dangers that children are unaware about, but children have no real recognition of how important it is to keep safe. In the nursery we teach the children about “stranger danger”, this is so they know what to do in the case of an emergency and to not communicate with anyone they don’t know, even if they look friendly. Other things we teach them are road safety, the importance of holding parents hands when crossing roads. We teach them about looking out for cars, the green man, a lollipop lady and remembering to press the button. When we take them on outings, we allow them to press the button and this way they know where it is located and they recognise the word “wait” that lights up. When we take them on outings they comprehend that they must hold hands and listen to the staff.
Box 2 U4 1.4/U4 3.1 1.4: Implementing health and safety legislation, policies and procedures
In the nursery we follow The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
It is the employer’s duty to put policies and procedures into place to ensure that the setting is meeting the standards of The Health and Safety at Work Act and ensure they are being followed. By following this we are making sure that the indoor and outdoor environment is well maintained, clean and safe. Equipment is stored correctly and is regularly checked to ensure it is safe. Hazardous materials and equipments are locked away and we follow COSHH. COSHH is the law that requires employees to control substances that are hazardous to health. Substancs that can be hazardous to health are bleach, washing up liquid, washing powder, washing tablet etc. If any substances are in sight they must be locked away, and out of reach of
children. The Children Act 1989 aimed to ensure that the welfare of the child was dominant, working in partnership with parents to protect the child from harm. The Act was intended to strengthen the child’s legal position; to give them equal rights, feelings and wishes; and to ensure children were consulted and kept informed. The Children Act 2004 aims to further improve children’s lives and gives the legal underpinning to ‘Every Child Matters: Change for Children’ (2004).The children act 2004 identifies and places a responsibility on child practitioners to work together to help a child meet the following five priority outcomes, be healthy; stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic wellbeing. To achieve this aim, emphasis is placed on identifying and addressing a child’s needs at an early stage, before they become problematic and intractable. This will require some change to the way that child practitioners have worked up to now. There have been a few changes in response to the Children Act 2004 which mean that, from April 2006, education and social care services for children have been brought together under a director of children's services in each local authority. The Children and Young Person Act 2008 has also been introduced. Its main purpose is to result the approval set out in the White Paper ‘Care Matters: Transforming the Lives of Children and Young People in Care’.
We have systems in place to ensure the safety of the children at all times i.e. fire procedure, accidents and illness procedure. We provide adequate facilities to suit the needs and abilities of all children and young people. All members of staff are qualified, CRB checked and given regular training. Gloves and aprons are worn at all times when dealing with bodily fluids to prevent cross-infection. All accidents and incidents are recorded are reported to the correct person. We follow RIDDOR (Reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations) 1995.
Employers are required by law to report specified workplace incidents, such as work-related deaths, major injuries, 7-day injuries (those causing more than seven day’s inability to carry out normal duties), work related diseases, and dangerous occurrences (near miss accidents). It is a legal requirement to report incidents and ill health at work and the information gathered enables the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and other agencies to gather the information about how and why risks arise and to investigate serious incidents. Practitioners are first aid qualified and are able to deal with minor injuries within the setting. This follows the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. First aid boxes and fire extinguishers are in every room following the Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1997. Staff members are given guidance on how to protect themselves throughout day activities and also regarding manual handling. When handling and storing food we follow The Food Handling Regulations 1995. This means we correctly follow the hygiene standards, including tying hair back, wearing aprons and washing hands. Also, it is necessary to make sure you use the correct coloured board for the correct foods.
3.1: A balanced approach to risk assessment
Part of providing children with adequate challenge is permitting them to take appropriate risks. A balanced approach to taking a risk assessment is important. Although children are energetic, it is impossible to control all possible risks, especially in the garden. In order to provide a safe environment, being a good role model to children can help reduce any risks. Children like to copy adults, therefore when playing with the children; you need to be careful that they don’t hurt themselves. During a game of run and catch, it is easier for an adult to avoid getting hurt, but for children they have more excitement to join in than to protect themselves from falling. Physical play is always a high risk of children getting hurt, however it would be inappropriate of practitioners not to allow children to run around outside in case they hurt themselves. Children have a lot of energy and it would be unfair and difficult for children to not run and enjoy themselves. They wouldn’t be getting any exercise or fitness and they may lack confidence and general well being. Although children hurt themselves due to running or other circumstances, the injuries normally tend to be minor. However, by properly managing the area it can be avoided. It would be sensible to remove or reduce risks by making sure children have sufficient space to run around. With activities that include glue, scissors, sand and paints, the age of the children and their needs should come into consideration. Good supervision must be in account when the use of these equipments is set out. For a child who has special needs, you would need to take into account what could be a possible hazard to their health and safety. Scissors are a big risk especially for a child who hasn’t grasped the concept of using them correctly, or a child who needs special attention. Sand can be a choking hazard and lead to other injuries, such as irritation to the eyes. A child with very sensitive skin may be allergic to paint or certain materials. Practitioners must use their initiative to decide what would be suitable for the children in the nursery. Take into account the children’s ages and what their abilities are. Scissors would not be used with the babies and young toddlers, as they are too young to know how to use them and it is dangerous. Although, they can be used with the elder children, as they are learning to use scissors and learning to be independent, but we must still monitor them and provide additional help when needed.
Box 3 3.2: Dilemma between rights and choices of children and health and safety requirements
A balanced approach is very important in risk taking so that the children aren’t over protected, they should be allowed to safely explore and make decisions about risks with the guidance of the staff within the setting. Children need to learn by themselves how to control risks. This can be learnt by teaching what safe boundaries are and how to recognise risks and dangers in the safest way possible. Any necessary staff training can be given so their knowledge is up to date. When children are doing new tasks to improve their development it can create a conflict or dilemma between the duty of care and the children’s rights. As a practitioner risk assessments should always be undertaken on the activities and the surrounding environments, making sure that the activity is age appropriate and taking extra care with children with additional needs. If something goes wrong there must be a balanced decision between the risks and the children’s rights. Within the nursery activities are both child-led and adult-led and all activities are risk assessed. In the school room the children are often provided with free-flow play, and the. The children are expected to wear appropriate clothing in the garden, but are free to go in and out of the garden as long as there is enough staff to supervise. In the garden they are able to choose to play with cars and bikes, hula-hoops and in the big garden there are climbing frames and age appropriate swings. During the free-flow play the staff are generally scattered evenly, unless there is conflicting ratios.
Box 4 U4 2.3: Health and safety risk assessment
A health and safety risk assessment, reduces the chance of an accident. It identifies possible hazards and solutions to remove he hazard. Firstly, the area in the setting is checked for any hazards, including outside. If there has been an identified hazard, you need to decide who might be at harm and how and how this is hazard can create a risk. Next, you need to get rid of the hazard, or if not, control the hazard by using correct equipment and procedures – floor signs. You than must record the risk, including what it were, and how it was managed. It would than be reviewed and updated if necessary. An example may be a child couldn’t reach their cup off side drawer and spilled it on the floor. The risk is someone falling and hurting themselves. The solution would be to mop it up and put a wet floor sign own. The management would be to provide a station suitable for their height to access their drinks, e.g. a table. This would be recorded and later reviewed.
1.3: Guidance for planning healthy and safe environments and services
There are sources of guidance for planning healthy and safe environments. The HSE also known as Health and Safety Executive is the national independent watchdog for work-related health, safety and illness. They are an independent regulator and act in the public interest to reduce work-related death and serious injury across Great Britain’s workplaces. In the event of an emergency arising, by visiting their website, it can guide you to your next steps. ST Johns Ambulance is a charity, to provide people with first aid training. They provide all the training you would need in order to become a volunteer to help save someone’s life. The British Red Cross are a volunteer-led humanitarian organisation that helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. They enable vulnerable people at home and overseas to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their own communities. When the crisis is over, the British Red Cross help people recover and move on with their lives. They provide training courses on first aid to help people understand what actions to take in an emergency. They also provide information on preparing for disasters and what to do. In circumstances of someone missing they can assist you to getting back in touch with them.
Box 5 U4 1.1/U4 1.3 1.1: Planning healthy and safe indoor and outdoor environments and services
The most important thing in a nursery is the duty of care of the children. Their safety is of all top priority. Therefore when planning any activities, it must be overlooked first for any possible hazards to the children and staff. Taking into account many things such as how the activity will be set up. A decision on where the activity will be set out either on tables, on the floor or on the walls and therefore considering how much space there is in the room. There must be a sufficient amount of space for the children to move around and take part at the same time, as it could get crowded and become a hazard in itself and it makes it easier to supervise with a set number of children at a time. A child who has special needs has the right to be able to participate in any activity. All activities and tasks have to be made suitable for all needs of the children. The project can be modified in many ways to allow the child to join in. For example if there were scissors out, you would need to supervise them at all times and give them big pieces to cut out rather than small bits to avoid them cutting their fingers. Even though they are curious, they could pose as a hazard to themselves. Other things that need to be reflected upon are where it will take place, whether it is in the garden, inside the room or even on an outing. Activities done indoors may include playing with scissors or paints and need to be properly controlled. There should be a small number of children doing this task at one go and there should only be only 2 pairs of scissors. A child with a disability may not understand the instructions of the project or, therefore they would need a lot more attention the same as a child who hasn’t grasped the concept of using a pair of scissors. When taking children on outings, the first thing to consider is the ratio of staff to children. There must be 1 staff to 2 children depending on how many children are going. For children who have disabilities, it may be easier to take them in a push chair, so they don’t get tired and it is easier to manage. A risk assessment needs to be undertaken so you can be sure the area is safe to take the children to. It is a lot harder to do a risk assessment on an outing as you need to look out for more things such as dog was, glass, beer cans and other waste and you have to supervise the children at the same time. In this instance, staff training will be crucial so all staff are up to date on how to do a correct risk assessment on an outing. For all kinds of activities and depending on where they take place, accurate supervision must be correct. If there is water play out in the garden, there are possible hazards of drowning. Also with other children running around, it is difficult to focus on one thing. To avoid risks, it is sensible to check the equipment is safe to use, suitable for the project and managed appropriately, so no one gets hurt. Moreover, the ratio of staff to children must be right, so you can focus more on one thing. Staff training may need to be refreshed on any particular things such as the use of equipment that may be difficult to work with, the way activities work and how they are set up. And refreshers on what activities are allowed and follow the EYFS and what activities are not. In addition, the overall question to any activity, its layout and where it takes place is whether it is safe, doing a risk assessment can help answer this. If it is not safe for whatever reason, it must be modified and until it has passed all of the risk assessment it can not take place. Furthermore, other subjects that need to be thought about when planning an activity is whether it meets regulatory requirements. The EYFS has 7 areas of learning but 3 main areas which are communication and language, physical development and personal, social and emotional development; thus the activity that has been prepared must cover at least one of these areas. The other four areas of learning are literacy, mathematics, understanding of the world and expressive arts and design. The task must cover the areas of the EYFS to help further their development. As part of the EYFS you are required to complete observations, assessments and planning. You also need to know children’s starting point and track their progress. The early learning goals summarise the knowledge, skills and understanding that all young children should have gained by the age of 5. Practitioners must consider the individual needs, interests, and stage of development of each child in their care, and must use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all of the areas of learning and development. The three prime areas reflect the key skills and abilities all children need to develop and learn effectively, and become ready for school. It is expected that the child will have a more balanced approach towards a more equal focus on all areas of learning as they grow in confidence and capability within the three prime areas. Every Child Matters (ECM) is a UK government scheme for England and Wales that began in 2003, in response to the death of Victoria Climbié. It is one of the most important policy projects and development programmes in relation to children. Every Child Matters covers children and young adults up to the age of 19, or 24 for those with disabilities. Its main aims are for every child, whatever their background or circumstances, to have the support they need to, which are to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being. Each of these themes has a detailed structure attached whose outcomes require multi-agency partnerships working together to achieve. The agencies in partnership may include children's centres, early years, schools, children's social work services, primary and secondary health services play work, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHS). In the past it has been argued that children and families have received poorer services because of the failure of professionals to understand each other's roles or to work together effectively in a multi-disciplinary manner. ECM seeks to change this, stressing that it is important that all professionals working with children are aware of the contribution that could be made by their own and each other's service and to plan and deliver their work with children and young people accordingly.
In cases where children are abused in any way, the correct measurements should be taken in order to protect the child and prevent any further harm to them. We follow the What to Do if you are Worried a Child is Being Abused (2006). We also work in partnership with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). We notify the registration authority (OFSTED) of any incident or serious accident and any changes in our arrangements which may affect the wellbeing of children. If a situation does occur where someone is harmed then responsibility must be taken. The staff member who the child has disclosed to must make a record of the child’s name, age, address, the date and time of the conversation, the name of the staff who recorded the conversation and any other witnesses and an objective record of the disclosure in the exact spoken words of the child. These records must be signed and dated and kept in the child’s personal file. This information must be passed onto management where it then gets passed onto LADO. If a suspicion of abuse is recorded, parents are informed at the same time as the report is made, except where the guidance of the local safeguarding children board does not allow this. This will be the case where the parent is likely the abuser, i. In these cases the investigating officers will inform parents.
LADO, OFSTED and the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) will be informed immediately in order for it to be investigated. In the event of a staff member being accused of abuse, we follow the HM Government guidance in Working together to safeguard children. The nursery reserves the right to suspend any member of staff involved during the investigation.
Legislation and regulations guide practitioners how they must work within the nursery. They are also important because they communicate to practitioners how the nursery should run. The nursery must interpret the law and the regulations that apply to them. Settings do this by inventing policies that explain how the setting will work in line with the law and the regulations. Policies also let other professionals, parents/carers and children know how the setting works. It is important you understand that you understand all of the policies in the nursery and you must work within them. To ensure that policies and procedures are effective, it is good practice for nurseries to review them regularly, at least once a year. Practitioners should check that their policies and procedures still reflect current legislation and regulations, since these are updated from time to time. Practitioners should consider whether the ways of working outlined in the policies successful. This should be done in consultation with colleagues and when appropriate, parents/ cares, children and outside professionals. …show more content…
It is important to make sure that practice reflects the policy-there is no benefit in having good policies and procedures if they are not followed. Sometimes, practice and policy do not match up because practice has evolved over time. In this case it will be appropriate to change policy/procedures to reflect the new ways of working. However, if it is the practitioners work that is not up to appropriate standards, further explanation of the policy/procedures and further training will be necessary.
4.4: Sleep procedures in the setting
The Foundation for the Study or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (FSIDS) provided guidelines to reduce the risk of SIDS. Parents should not smoke during pregnancy, including the fathers. Anyone who wishes to smoke should smoke outside the house, where the baby is not present. Babies should be placed on their backs to sleep, not on their front as they may struggle to breathe or become to hot. Babies don’t necessarily need a blanket when they sleep, avoid making them too hot. Babies’ heads should be uncovered and they should be placed at the bottom of the cot so they don’t wriggle down under their covers. If the baby is unwell, medical advice must be sought. For the first six months, it is safe for the baby to sleep in the parent’s room, in their cot. Babies should not share the bed with the parents and it is dangerous to sleep with the baby on a sofa or armchair. Sleeping babies must be regularly checked every 10 minutes and in nursery a record must be kept.
2.4: Monitoring and reviewing health and safety risk assessments
An accident that has left any kind of marking on a child must be recorded, no matter how big or small. This is to provide evidence of the incident and also to protect you from any accusations that may be made later on. If a mark has been noticed and no one knows the cause of the mark, it should be recorded and mentioned to the parent/carer. You must write, the date and time of the accident so parents and practitioners are aware of how long the child has had this marking for. Where it took place, so we can review it in our risk assessments and also we can make any possible alterations to the layout if possible. Also, this is so parents understand where in the nursery it happened. It is vital that any bruising, markings, bleedings etc are recorded, so we have a record of the injury and it also protects practitioners. Also, in case of any worsening of any injuries we are aware of the early stages and we can monitor how things can change – e.g. behaviour if it was a bump to the head, bleeding and open wounds. Regularly reviewing polices and procedures are essential for good practice in the nursery and set a good example of how the nursery is run. It reviews how current policies and procedures are working within the nursery and any adaption’s that can be made to them, to further improve them. It is important to keep up with current legislation as practitioners can improve on their skills and work up to good standards. All practitioners need to work up to the guidelines of legislation in order for them to be doing their job properly.
1.2: Monitoring and maintaining health and safety
In a nursery our priority is to protect the children from all kinds of harm. That includes any strangers from coming in to the nursery, even those who are just visitors. All visitors to the nursery must sign in to the visitor’s book and sign out again. They are never to be left alone with children within the nursery. All staff should be made aware of this, as they could mistake someone as a parent. In some cases where someone who is not a parent is coming to collect a child, they are normally given a password from the parent and they must mention this on collection of the child. This is for the benefit of the nursery that it is safe to allow the person to enter the nursery and collect the child. Also, this benefits the parent so they are comfortable that their child is with someone they allowed and for the child so they feel safe they are with someone they know. Any new staff members, volunteers, parent helpers or anyone who is working with the children, must sign in to the visitor’s book and out and also hold a valid CRB check. This is for the same reason that we need to make sure they are safe to enter the nursery. All staff should be given the correct training they require in order to complete their tasks as a nursery nurse accurately. Staff training can be reviewed and updated every year so nurseries can improve the way in which practitioners work with children and parents. Within the nursery, everyone has the responsibility of following health and safety regulations (the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974) and other relevant legislation. This may be as small as moping water off the floor or changing the layout of the room, because of recurrent accidents. Health and safety regulations are put into place to establish and maintain a safe and healthy environment throughout the nursery and uphold safe working procedures amongst staff and children. Routine health and safety assessments are done throughout the day for indoors and outdoors, to keep a safe and secure environment. The nursery must provide required information, instruction and supervision for all employees where necessary. Ensure the safe handling and use of substances and following COSHH. Employees must be competent to do their role and to receive adequate training where needed. In the nursery we deliver safety education to the children so they know how to safeguard themselves as well. There are many dangers that children are unaware about, but children have no real recognition of how important it is to keep safe. In the nursery we teach the children about “stranger danger”, this is so they know what to do in the case of an emergency and to not communicate with anyone they don’t know, even if they look friendly. Other things we teach them are road safety, the importance of holding parents hands when crossing roads. We teach them about looking out for cars, the green man, a lollipop lady and remembering to press the button. When we take them on outings, we allow them to press the button and this way they know where it is located and they recognise the word “wait” that lights up. When we take them on outings they comprehend that they must hold hands and listen to the staff.
Box 2 U4 1.4/U4 3.1 1.4: Implementing health and safety legislation, policies and procedures
In the nursery we follow The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
It is the employer’s duty to put policies and procedures into place to ensure that the setting is meeting the standards of The Health and Safety at Work Act and ensure they are being followed. By following this we are making sure that the indoor and outdoor environment is well maintained, clean and safe. Equipment is stored correctly and is regularly checked to ensure it is safe. Hazardous materials and equipments are locked away and we follow COSHH. COSHH is the law that requires employees to control substances that are hazardous to health. Substancs that can be hazardous to health are bleach, washing up liquid, washing powder, washing tablet etc. If any substances are in sight they must be locked away, and out of reach of
children. The Children Act 1989 aimed to ensure that the welfare of the child was dominant, working in partnership with parents to protect the child from harm. The Act was intended to strengthen the child’s legal position; to give them equal rights, feelings and wishes; and to ensure children were consulted and kept informed. The Children Act 2004 aims to further improve children’s lives and gives the legal underpinning to ‘Every Child Matters: Change for Children’ (2004).The children act 2004 identifies and places a responsibility on child practitioners to work together to help a child meet the following five priority outcomes, be healthy; stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic wellbeing. To achieve this aim, emphasis is placed on identifying and addressing a child’s needs at an early stage, before they become problematic and intractable. This will require some change to the way that child practitioners have worked up to now. There have been a few changes in response to the Children Act 2004 which mean that, from April 2006, education and social care services for children have been brought together under a director of children's services in each local authority. The Children and Young Person Act 2008 has also been introduced. Its main purpose is to result the approval set out in the White Paper ‘Care Matters: Transforming the Lives of Children and Young People in Care’.
We have systems in place to ensure the safety of the children at all times i.e. fire procedure, accidents and illness procedure. We provide adequate facilities to suit the needs and abilities of all children and young people. All members of staff are qualified, CRB checked and given regular training. Gloves and aprons are worn at all times when dealing with bodily fluids to prevent cross-infection. All accidents and incidents are recorded are reported to the correct person. We follow RIDDOR (Reporting of injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences regulations) 1995.
Employers are required by law to report specified workplace incidents, such as work-related deaths, major injuries, 7-day injuries (those causing more than seven day’s inability to carry out normal duties), work related diseases, and dangerous occurrences (near miss accidents). It is a legal requirement to report incidents and ill health at work and the information gathered enables the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and other agencies to gather the information about how and why risks arise and to investigate serious incidents. Practitioners are first aid qualified and are able to deal with minor injuries within the setting. This follows the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. First aid boxes and fire extinguishers are in every room following the Fire Precautions (workplace) Regulations 1997. Staff members are given guidance on how to protect themselves throughout day activities and also regarding manual handling. When handling and storing food we follow The Food Handling Regulations 1995. This means we correctly follow the hygiene standards, including tying hair back, wearing aprons and washing hands. Also, it is necessary to make sure you use the correct coloured board for the correct foods.
3.1: A balanced approach to risk assessment
Part of providing children with adequate challenge is permitting them to take appropriate risks. A balanced approach to taking a risk assessment is important. Although children are energetic, it is impossible to control all possible risks, especially in the garden. In order to provide a safe environment, being a good role model to children can help reduce any risks. Children like to copy adults, therefore when playing with the children; you need to be careful that they don’t hurt themselves. During a game of run and catch, it is easier for an adult to avoid getting hurt, but for children they have more excitement to join in than to protect themselves from falling. Physical play is always a high risk of children getting hurt, however it would be inappropriate of practitioners not to allow children to run around outside in case they hurt themselves. Children have a lot of energy and it would be unfair and difficult for children to not run and enjoy themselves. They wouldn’t be getting any exercise or fitness and they may lack confidence and general well being. Although children hurt themselves due to running or other circumstances, the injuries normally tend to be minor. However, by properly managing the area it can be avoided. It would be sensible to remove or reduce risks by making sure children have sufficient space to run around. With activities that include glue, scissors, sand and paints, the age of the children and their needs should come into consideration. Good supervision must be in account when the use of these equipments is set out. For a child who has special needs, you would need to take into account what could be a possible hazard to their health and safety. Scissors are a big risk especially for a child who hasn’t grasped the concept of using them correctly, or a child who needs special attention. Sand can be a choking hazard and lead to other injuries, such as irritation to the eyes. A child with very sensitive skin may be allergic to paint or certain materials. Practitioners must use their initiative to decide what would be suitable for the children in the nursery. Take into account the children’s ages and what their abilities are. Scissors would not be used with the babies and young toddlers, as they are too young to know how to use them and it is dangerous. Although, they can be used with the elder children, as they are learning to use scissors and learning to be independent, but we must still monitor them and provide additional help when needed.
Box 3 3.2: Dilemma between rights and choices of children and health and safety requirements
A balanced approach is very important in risk taking so that the children aren’t over protected, they should be allowed to safely explore and make decisions about risks with the guidance of the staff within the setting. Children need to learn by themselves how to control risks. This can be learnt by teaching what safe boundaries are and how to recognise risks and dangers in the safest way possible. Any necessary staff training can be given so their knowledge is up to date. When children are doing new tasks to improve their development it can create a conflict or dilemma between the duty of care and the children’s rights. As a practitioner risk assessments should always be undertaken on the activities and the surrounding environments, making sure that the activity is age appropriate and taking extra care with children with additional needs. If something goes wrong there must be a balanced decision between the risks and the children’s rights. Within the nursery activities are both child-led and adult-led and all activities are risk assessed. In the school room the children are often provided with free-flow play, and the. The children are expected to wear appropriate clothing in the garden, but are free to go in and out of the garden as long as there is enough staff to supervise. In the garden they are able to choose to play with cars and bikes, hula-hoops and in the big garden there are climbing frames and age appropriate swings. During the free-flow play the staff are generally scattered evenly, unless there is conflicting ratios.
Box 4 U4 2.3: Health and safety risk assessment
A health and safety risk assessment, reduces the chance of an accident. It identifies possible hazards and solutions to remove he hazard. Firstly, the area in the setting is checked for any hazards, including outside. If there has been an identified hazard, you need to decide who might be at harm and how and how this is hazard can create a risk. Next, you need to get rid of the hazard, or if not, control the hazard by using correct equipment and procedures – floor signs. You than must record the risk, including what it were, and how it was managed. It would than be reviewed and updated if necessary. An example may be a child couldn’t reach their cup off side drawer and spilled it on the floor. The risk is someone falling and hurting themselves. The solution would be to mop it up and put a wet floor sign own. The management would be to provide a station suitable for their height to access their drinks, e.g. a table. This would be recorded and later reviewed.
1.3: Guidance for planning healthy and safe environments and services
There are sources of guidance for planning healthy and safe environments. The HSE also known as Health and Safety Executive is the national independent watchdog for work-related health, safety and illness. They are an independent regulator and act in the public interest to reduce work-related death and serious injury across Great Britain’s workplaces. In the event of an emergency arising, by visiting their website, it can guide you to your next steps. ST Johns Ambulance is a charity, to provide people with first aid training. They provide all the training you would need in order to become a volunteer to help save someone’s life. The British Red Cross are a volunteer-led humanitarian organisation that helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. They enable vulnerable people at home and overseas to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their own communities. When the crisis is over, the British Red Cross help people recover and move on with their lives. They provide training courses on first aid to help people understand what actions to take in an emergency. They also provide information on preparing for disasters and what to do. In circumstances of someone missing they can assist you to getting back in touch with them.
Box 5 U4 1.1/U4 1.3 1.1: Planning healthy and safe indoor and outdoor environments and services
The most important thing in a nursery is the duty of care of the children. Their safety is of all top priority. Therefore when planning any activities, it must be overlooked first for any possible hazards to the children and staff. Taking into account many things such as how the activity will be set up. A decision on where the activity will be set out either on tables, on the floor or on the walls and therefore considering how much space there is in the room. There must be a sufficient amount of space for the children to move around and take part at the same time, as it could get crowded and become a hazard in itself and it makes it easier to supervise with a set number of children at a time. A child who has special needs has the right to be able to participate in any activity. All activities and tasks have to be made suitable for all needs of the children. The project can be modified in many ways to allow the child to join in. For example if there were scissors out, you would need to supervise them at all times and give them big pieces to cut out rather than small bits to avoid them cutting their fingers. Even though they are curious, they could pose as a hazard to themselves. Other things that need to be reflected upon are where it will take place, whether it is in the garden, inside the room or even on an outing. Activities done indoors may include playing with scissors or paints and need to be properly controlled. There should be a small number of children doing this task at one go and there should only be only 2 pairs of scissors. A child with a disability may not understand the instructions of the project or, therefore they would need a lot more attention the same as a child who hasn’t grasped the concept of using a pair of scissors. When taking children on outings, the first thing to consider is the ratio of staff to children. There must be 1 staff to 2 children depending on how many children are going. For children who have disabilities, it may be easier to take them in a push chair, so they don’t get tired and it is easier to manage. A risk assessment needs to be undertaken so you can be sure the area is safe to take the children to. It is a lot harder to do a risk assessment on an outing as you need to look out for more things such as dog was, glass, beer cans and other waste and you have to supervise the children at the same time. In this instance, staff training will be crucial so all staff are up to date on how to do a correct risk assessment on an outing. For all kinds of activities and depending on where they take place, accurate supervision must be correct. If there is water play out in the garden, there are possible hazards of drowning. Also with other children running around, it is difficult to focus on one thing. To avoid risks, it is sensible to check the equipment is safe to use, suitable for the project and managed appropriately, so no one gets hurt. Moreover, the ratio of staff to children must be right, so you can focus more on one thing. Staff training may need to be refreshed on any particular things such as the use of equipment that may be difficult to work with, the way activities work and how they are set up. And refreshers on what activities are allowed and follow the EYFS and what activities are not. In addition, the overall question to any activity, its layout and where it takes place is whether it is safe, doing a risk assessment can help answer this. If it is not safe for whatever reason, it must be modified and until it has passed all of the risk assessment it can not take place. Furthermore, other subjects that need to be thought about when planning an activity is whether it meets regulatory requirements. The EYFS has 7 areas of learning but 3 main areas which are communication and language, physical development and personal, social and emotional development; thus the activity that has been prepared must cover at least one of these areas. The other four areas of learning are literacy, mathematics, understanding of the world and expressive arts and design. The task must cover the areas of the EYFS to help further their development. As part of the EYFS you are required to complete observations, assessments and planning. You also need to know children’s starting point and track their progress. The early learning goals summarise the knowledge, skills and understanding that all young children should have gained by the age of 5. Practitioners must consider the individual needs, interests, and stage of development of each child in their care, and must use this information to plan a challenging and enjoyable experience for each child in all of the areas of learning and development. The three prime areas reflect the key skills and abilities all children need to develop and learn effectively, and become ready for school. It is expected that the child will have a more balanced approach towards a more equal focus on all areas of learning as they grow in confidence and capability within the three prime areas. Every Child Matters (ECM) is a UK government scheme for England and Wales that began in 2003, in response to the death of Victoria Climbié. It is one of the most important policy projects and development programmes in relation to children. Every Child Matters covers children and young adults up to the age of 19, or 24 for those with disabilities. Its main aims are for every child, whatever their background or circumstances, to have the support they need to, which are to be healthy, stay safe, enjoy and achieve, make a positive contribution and achieve economic well-being. Each of these themes has a detailed structure attached whose outcomes require multi-agency partnerships working together to achieve. The agencies in partnership may include children's centres, early years, schools, children's social work services, primary and secondary health services play work, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health services (CAMHS). In the past it has been argued that children and families have received poorer services because of the failure of professionals to understand each other's roles or to work together effectively in a multi-disciplinary manner. ECM seeks to change this, stressing that it is important that all professionals working with children are aware of the contribution that could be made by their own and each other's service and to plan and deliver their work with children and young people accordingly.
In cases where children are abused in any way, the correct measurements should be taken in order to protect the child and prevent any further harm to them. We follow the What to Do if you are Worried a Child is Being Abused (2006). We also work in partnership with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). We notify the registration authority (OFSTED) of any incident or serious accident and any changes in our arrangements which may affect the wellbeing of children. If a situation does occur where someone is harmed then responsibility must be taken. The staff member who the child has disclosed to must make a record of the child’s name, age, address, the date and time of the conversation, the name of the staff who recorded the conversation and any other witnesses and an objective record of the disclosure in the exact spoken words of the child. These records must be signed and dated and kept in the child’s personal file. This information must be passed onto management where it then gets passed onto LADO. If a suspicion of abuse is recorded, parents are informed at the same time as the report is made, except where the guidance of the local safeguarding children board does not allow this. This will be the case where the parent is likely the abuser, i. In these cases the investigating officers will inform parents.
LADO, OFSTED and the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) will be informed immediately in order for it to be investigated. In the event of a staff member being accused of abuse, we follow the HM Government guidance in Working together to safeguard children. The nursery reserves the right to suspend any member of staff involved during the investigation.