Statement of Intent

We firmly believe we have a duty to children, parents, carers and staff to act quickly and responsibly in any instance that comes to our attention. The nursery has a duty to report any suspicions of abuse to the local authority. The Children's Act 1989 (section 47) places a duty on the local authority to investigate such matters.

Our procedures are set out to fulfil local and national responsibilities as laid out in the local authority child protection procedures, the local safeguarding children's board procedure, and the document "What to do if you are worried a child is being abused" — a statutory requirement under the Children's Act 2006.

Our Aims

• To provide a safe and secure environment for all children.
• To create an environment which encourages children to develop a positive self-image regardless of race, language, religion, culture or home background.
• To enable children to have the self-confidence and vocabulary to resist inappropriate approaches.
• To work with parents and carers to build their understanding of and commitment to the welfare of our children.
• To address concerns at the earliest possible stage.
• To ensure adults close to children recognise their need and right to express and communicate their thoughts, feelings and ideas.
• To ensure adults can tune in to children's verbal signs and body language in order to understand what is being expressed.
• To respect children's rights and facilitate their participation in all aspects of care services in imaginative, child-centred ways.
• To support staff in recognising signs and symptoms of child abuse through training, building confidence in their own abilities.

Our Safeguarding Team

At Tiny Toez we have designated safeguarding officers responsible for overseeing all aspects of child protection. Either the designated lead, their deputy, or the third in charge will always be on site. In exceptional circumstances where all three are off site, they will be contactable by telephone.

Recognising Signs & Symptoms of Abuse

Staff are trained to recognise the indicators of a range of abuse types. Click each section below to view the indicators our staff are trained to look for. This information is also available to parents and carers as part of our commitment to transparency.

Referral Procedure

If any practitioner has concerns about a child in their care, they must report it to the safeguarding lead and/or management immediately. The practitioner and safeguarding lead will then discuss and share concerns, and if it is thought the child is at risk of harm, the local authority designated child protection team will be contacted.

Allegations Against a Member of Staff

• The person reporting will contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
• The LADO will decide the course of action and the setting will follow their guidance.
• Under no circumstances will the setting conduct an internal investigation unless specified by LADO.
• The allegation must be reported to Ofsted on 0300 123 1231.
• A referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service will be made if a staff member is dismissed or resigns due to harming or putting a child at risk.

E-Safety

We encourage children to use ICT equipment to further their development and skills, but we recognise that this brings risks. The following measures are in place to keep children safe online and to protect their privacy:

• All computers have virus protection software.
• Staff are not permitted to use computers for personal use without prior management permission.
• Children only have access to programmes suitable for their age.
• Computers are accessible to children but always in view of practitioners.
• Staff are not permitted to use personal mobile phones or personal cameras within nursery rooms.
• Staff interact with children during ICT use to support and educate safe usage.
• All photos taken for observations and displays are stored securely in the nursery office or in individual assessment files.

Visitors & Contractors

Visitors and contractors do not work unsupervised at any Tiny Toez setting and are accompanied by a suitable staff member at all times. We record the details of all visitors and take steps to ensure no unauthorised person has unsupervised access to children.

All visitors are asked to leave their mobile phone and any camera devices in the office, which is kept locked. If a visitor needs to use their phone to be contacted by their workplace, this is only permitted in a safe area such as reception, and must be witnessed by a staff member.

Mobile Phones, Smart Watches & Cameras

• Mobile phones and smart watches are not permitted to be used anywhere within the nursery.
• Staff mobile phones are stored as per the Mobile Phone Policy during working hours.
• Parents and carers are politely asked not to use mobile phones within the nursery building.
• All visitors' phones and smart watches capable of photography are kept in the office during their visit.
• On outings, staff carry the nursery mobile phone which has no camera function.
• Photos and videos of children are taken only on nursery cameras or tablets, and used for display, observations and assessment.
• Photos used for marketing purposes are only ever taken with prior written permission from parents and carers.
• The only photos taken by anyone other than nursery staff are those by pre-arranged professional photographers at parents' request.

Information Sharing & Confidentiality

All information shared is in accordance with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Human Rights Act 1998. We recognise that parents and carers have a right to know their information will be treated as confidential, and will always be informed of the circumstances when we are obliged to share it.

We are obliged to share confidential information without authorisation when it is in the public interest — specifically when:

• There is evidence that a child is suffering, or is at risk of suffering significant harm.
• There is reasonable cause to believe a child may be suffering or at risk of significant harm.
• Sharing is necessary to prevent significant harm to a child or serious harm to an adult, including the prevention, detection and prosecution of serious crime.

All suspicions and investigations are kept strictly confidential and shared only with those who need to know, under the guidance of the local safeguarding children's board.

Record Keeping

Record keeping systems comply with the Data Protection Act 2018, GDPR recommendations and the Human Rights Act 1998. The following types of records are maintained:

Safe Recruitment

All staff at Tiny Toez are committed to providing high-quality care. Every member of staff is rigorously checked for suitability before being permitted to work with children.

• All applicants complete a full application form and attend an interview with the management team.
• A minimum of two references are required, at least one from a current or most recent employer, followed up for authenticity.
• Relevant qualification documents must be provided — a recognised childcare qualification at Level 3 or above, alongside English GCSE or Functional Skills Level 2.
• An enhanced DBS check is carried out for every successful applicant before they begin work.
• No staff member is left unsupervised until all documentation has been received and verified.
• All new staff complete a three-part induction across their first month, in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018.
• Students and volunteers are supervised at all times by a nominated qualified staff member.
• Relief and bank staff follow the same recruitment procedure as permanent staff.