Safeguarding & Child Protection Policy

1. Our commitment

The welfare of every child in our care comes before every other consideration. This policy applies to everyone who works, volunteers or spends time at Arinola Childcare Ltd, and it is written in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children, Keeping Children Safe in Education where relevant, and the safeguarding requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework.

2. Designated Safeguarding Lead

Arinola Aderibigbe is the Designated Safeguarding Lead. She is responsible for recording and referring concerns, liaising with children's social care and the police, and making sure everyone here is trained and knows what to do.

3. Recognising a concern

We are alert to physical, emotional and sexual abuse, neglect, and to wider risks including female genital mutilation, radicalisation under the Prevent duty, county lines exploitation and domestic abuse in the home. We record changes in a child's behaviour, unexplained marks, disclosures, and anything a parent tells us that raises a worry.

4. What we do

• The concern is written down the same day, in factual language, with dates, times and the child's own words where given.
• It goes straight to the Designated Safeguarding Lead.
• Where the threshold is met, a referral is made to the Royal Borough of Greenwich's Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub, followed up in writing within 24 hours.
• Where a child is in immediate danger, we call 999 first.
• We tell parents we are making a referral unless doing so would place the child at greater risk.
• We never promise a child that we will keep a disclosure secret.

5. Allegations against an adult here

Any allegation against a member of staff, a volunteer or a household member is referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer within one working day, and to Ofsted within 14 days. The person will not work unsupervised with children while the matter is investigated. We will not investigate it ourselves first.

6. Safer recruitment

Enhanced DBS checks with children's barred list, two references taken up directly, identity, right-to-work and qualification checks, a full employment history with gaps explained, and an annual re-declaration. No one is left alone with a child before those checks are complete.

7. Daily safe practice

• Registers at arrival, before and after outings, and at collection.
• Named collectors and an agreed password; no child released to an unknown adult.
• Personal mobile phones and cameras are not used in areas children occupy.
• Risk assessments for the premises, the garden and every outing.
• Nappy changing and toileting carried out with dignity, in sight or hearing of another adult where possible.

8. Whistleblowing

Anyone here can raise a concern about practice without fear of losing their job. If they do not feel able to raise it internally, they can contact Ofsted's whistleblowing line on 0300 123 3155.

9. Concerns and contacts

• Speak to Arinola Aderibigbe first: 020 0000 0000.
• Royal Borough of Greenwich Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub — for concerns about a child.
• Ofsted: 0300 123 1231.
• NSPCC helpline: 0808 800 5000.
• Emergency: 999.

10. Review

This policy is reviewed every year, and immediately after any safeguarding incident or change in statutory guidance.