Currently I work alone as a child-minder and am therefore vulnerable to allegations of abuse being made against me or members of my family. I take the following precautions to protect myself and family from this happening:
· I ensure all members of my household over the age of 16 have been CRB checked.
· I keep note of any bruises / marks on children when they arrive and ask parents to inform me of any accidents that have occurred whilst outside my care.
· I record every accident or incident that occurs in my setting, inform parents and request them to sign my records.
· I ensure children are supervised at all times.
· I ensure all visitors to my childcare setting sign the visitors logbook and do not have unsupervised access to the children under any circumstances.
· I will endeavour, when possible, to arrange for any maintenance work to my property to be carried out at weekends or during non-minding hours.
· I keep contact diaries and accurate records for every child in my care.
Should an allegation of abuse be made against me or a member of my household, I will contact the following organisations for support and professional advice:
Procedure in the event of an allegation being made against me
1. Make clear written notes of the exact allegation or nature of concern, including when and where the alleged incident took place, this should be done ASAP
2. Contact my local authority designated officer (LADO) immediately on 01452 426994, then contact OFSTED on 0300 1231231 (EYFS Requirement)
3. The LADO will offer advice on immediate action required
4. If the allegation is of a serious nature this may result in a criminal investigation, social care investigation and it is normal practice that OFSTED and LADO will ask you to stop child-minder while investigations are being made
5. It is also normal practice for the parents to receive a letter from OFSTED explaining that they are investigating you, this is if the allegation is of a serious nature
6. Pacey NCMA members can receive support by calling 01253 777468
7. As I will be in Gloucestershire I can receive support from the area Early Years Consultant
I will also write a detailed report of all related incidents, recording what was said by whom including times and dates. I will make reference to my own documentation where relevant including children’s contact diaries, accident & incident reports, etc. I will also ask any witnesses (if there were any) to write a report detailing events and giving their contact details.
All this information shall be passed on to the relevant authorities as required.
Should you have any concerns regarding this policy, please do not hesitate to discuss them with me.