1. The policy is consistent with statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children (HM GOV 2023) and Keeping Children Safe in Education (HM GOV 2023); and local inter-agency safeguarding procedures issued by Warwickshire Safeguarding safeguardingwarwickshire.co.uk
2. All staff must read Part One and Annex A of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023.
3. All staff and volunteers must read both the RSC Safeguarding Children Policy and Procedures and the RSC Nursery Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and Procedures before starting work with children. These key principles serve only as a brief reference point for staff, parents, governors and other stakeholders.
4. All staff and volunteers must read the staff code of conduct and all other relevant policies before starting work with children. This document serves only as a brief reference point for staff, parents, governors and other stake holders.
5. The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)for the nursery is Kate Robinson: Head of Nursery. The deputy DSL’s are - Nicola Lambourn: Assistant Head of Nursery and Christine Green: Senior Nursery Practitioner.
6. The DSL will ensure that all staff and volunteers receive a robust induction into the nursery’s safeguarding arrangements, which will include a requirement that they read the key statutory guidance and safeguarding policies before starting work with children.
7. All staff and volunteers have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
8. All staff and volunteers must have a full and active understanding of section 5 and appendix 9 of the full nursery child protection and safeguarding policy - concerning child protection procedures, definitions and indicators of abuse - in order to safeguard children at nursery effectively.
9. The RSC Nursery is committed to offering Early Help to those children who need it. Staff are trained to be vigilant and to record and report all concerns and issues that indicate a child may require early help or that there may be a safeguarding issue to the DSL.  
10. The DSL will consider all such concerns and issues and will make a judgement about whether to monitor the child’s progress, discuss with parents/carers, offer early help or make appropriate referrals. The DSL will record actions and decisions taken and referrals that are made. If early help is appropriate the DSL will keep the case under constant review. 
11. Staff recognise that some children are particularly vulnerable and therefore more likely to require early help or safeguarding. Those children include children with special educational needs and disabilities; those who are looked after by a Local Authority; were previously looked after or have a social worker; those living in families experiencing adult substance abuse, adult mental ill health and/or domestic abuse; and children showing signs of engaging in anti-social or criminal behaviour; children experiencing mental health difficulties; and children exposed to serious violence.
12. The nursery recognises that children who go missing and/or have an unexplained pattern of absence from the setting are potentially vulnerable to abuse may suffer physical harm.   
13. The nursery will therefore work actively in partnership with parents/carers and other agencies to understand and improve poor attendance and address issues of children suddenly missing from the setting.
14. The nursery has a duty to teach children about safeguarding and how to keep themselves safe, including online, as part of providing a ‘broad and balanced curriculum.'
15. The RSC’s speaking up policy enables staff to raise concerns or allegations, initially in confidence, and for a sensitive enquiry to take place. 
16. Staff are expected to report all concerns about poor practice or possible child abuse by colleagues to the Head of Nursery. Concerns or complaints about the Head of Nursery should be reported to the RSC Designated Senior Safeguarding officer. Staff can also contact the Designated Officer in the Local Authority (LADO), who is responsible for the co-ordination of responses to allegations against people who work with children. For staff who do not feel able to raise concerns internally, relevant contact details for the LADO and also the NSPCC whistleblowing helpline are displayed in the staff room.
17. All staff including the Head of Nursery, volunteers and RSC safeguarding advisors will receive appropriate and regularly updated safeguarding and child protection training and at least annual updates to provide them with the requisite skills and knowledge to safeguard children.
18. The DSLs will attend bespoke training for newly appointed DSLs and refresher training every two years delivered by Warwickshire County Council. The DSLs will also update their knowledge and skills at least annually to keep up with any developments relevant to their role.
19. The RSC seeks to ensure that only ‘safe’ staff and ‘safe’ volunteers are recruited to work with children at the nursery by following statutory and Warwickshire Safeguarding guidance along with the RSC’s Recruitment and Selection policies by embedding safeguarding in recruitment and induction processes and the ongoing management of staff and volunteers.
20. Child protection issues warrant a high level of confidentiality. Staff will ensure confidentiality protocols are adhered to and information is shared appropriately. Although staff will discuss day-to-day concerns about a child with colleagues, they should report all child protection and safeguarding concerns to the DSL or Deputy DSL – in the case of concerns about the Head of Nursery – to the RSC Designated Senior Safeguarding Officer. However, any member of staff can contact and/or make a referral to Children’s Social Care via the Children and Families Front Door if they believe that is the only effective way to safeguard a child.
21. All staff and volunteers must be mindful of specific requirements in relation to the use of technology including online behaviour and the taking and storing of images of children
22. The DSL is responsible for ensuring that all staff and volunteers have a meaningful awareness of a range of specific safeguarding issues as defined in part 1 and Annex A of Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023. In particular, staff need to understand issues and risks in relation to radicalisation, extremism and the promotion of fundamental British values; child sexual exploitation; children who display sexually harmful or inappropriate behaviour including sexting; and so-called honour-based violence including female genital mutilation and forced marriage.
23. Additional support is available from the Local Authority Designated officer (LADO) lado@warwickshire.gov.uk 01926 745376

This is the Executive Summary of the RSC Nursery Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy and Procedures.

Download the full policy

As well as the Nursery Safeguarding Policy, the RSC also has a separate safeguarding policy, which covers all our work with children and young people. You can find and download this and other policies on our Policies webpage.