1. Roles and Responsibilities

The registered person or governing body has responsibility for ensuring:   

Policies and procedures

• Safeguarding policy, procedures and guidance in accordance with local checks and national guidance/legislation are in place. These are available to staff, parents/ carers, students, volunteers and regular visitors and are understood and followed. Staff/volunteers sign a distribution sheet to confirm they have seen policy and will adhere to. This process should be repeated when any amendments are made.
• All policies and procedures including safeguarding policy are reviewed and updated on at least an annual basis to reflect changes to local and national guidance/legislation. As well as any changes which occur in the setting e.g. Staff changes. and changes in local and national guidance/legislation
• Policies and procedures are implemented, reviewed and up to date on an annual basis or in line with any changes in local and national guidance/legislation in conjunction with the manager
• Where individuals are visiting the setting the number and date of DBS check should be obtained
• Safer recruitment procedures are in place, followed and kept up to date. Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for all adults are maintained. A record of evidence that the DBS check has been completed is kept on a single central record and securely stored in the early years and childcare setting. See Safer Recruitment section for more details on DBS. Keep a note of the DBS number, issue date and name of the person that saw the original certificate.
• Where necessary Ofsted is informed of changes to staff, management and Committee and the required Ofsted documentation e.g. EY2 is completed and sent to Ofsted in line with requirements
• Procedures for managing allegations and concerns raised about adults are in place, understood and followed in line with Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and Ofsted guidance. There is a guidance leaflet for the setting to give to anyone who is the subject of an allegation, this can be downloaded from the NSCP website: Allegations Against Persons who Work/Volunteer with Children Policy | NSCP (norfolklscp.org.uk)
• NSCP website - LADO guidance documents and referral form https://www.norfolklscb.org/people-working-with-children/how-to-raise-a-concern/local-authority-designated-officer-lado/
• Organisations should also have in place clear policies in line with those from the NSCP (NSCP 8.3) for dealing with: "Allegations Against Persons who work / volunteer with children" - Allegations Against Persons who Work/Volunteer with Children Policy | NSCP (norfolklscp.org.uk)

• Whistleblowing - Providers need to have whistleblowing procedures in place to ensure staff can raise concerns about poor or unsafe practice. Everyone working or volunteering at the setting needs to be aware of these procedures, feel safe raising concerns and know that any concerns will be taken seriously. The procedures must include when and how to report concerns and the process that will be followed after a concern is reported.

If the concern is about the manager, the LADO and the named individual for the registered person, or governing body, should be referred to directly.

Safer working practice

• There is a code of conduct in place for all adults working in the setting which is understood and followed.
• They adhere to the setting code of conduct
• An identified member of the committee/registered person takes responsibility for Safeguarding and attends Safeguarding training
• Safeguarding should be a standing agenda item at all Committee/Staff meetings and staff supervisions
• A supervisory or senior member of staff is identified as the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) to take a lead responsibility for safeguarding children within the setting. The person identified has time and resources to carry out the role. A deputy is nominated and trained to fulfil the role in the absence of the DSL. Contingency plans must be in place to ensure that child protection concerns are dealt with at all times
• The DSL and deputy DSL are supported to ensure that safeguarding practice is in accordance with policies and procedures
• Induction of staff, students, volunteers and regular visitors takes place and safeguarding forms as part of the induction process
• Staff, students, volunteers and regular visitors have opportunities to discuss safeguarding policy and practice. They are updated and reminded on a regular basis about the setting's safeguarding policy and know what to do if they are worried that a child is being abused. The committee/registered person should ensure that this is taking place. Evidence of discussion should be recorded, for example in staff meeting minutes. Safeguarding should be a regular agenda item at staff meetings. This should not include discussion of individual cases
• Any action resulting from an allegation against a member of staff is acted upon in a timely manner including following the setting's disciplinary procedure

Training

• The identified member of the committee/registered person attends relevant training. The criteria for effective safeguarding training are set out in Annex C of the EYFS statutory framework.
• All staff are required and enabled to attend Safeguarding training that is appropriate to their role. Training needs are reviewed at supervision and appraisal
• Safeguarding training undertaken by practitioners working in a Norfolk setting should be approved by the Norfolk Safeguarding Children Partnership (NSCP)