Changes to the welfare requirements place a new responsibility on all managers and staff to exercise their own professional judgement, when it comes to ensuring the wellbeing and safety of children.
With their emphasis on training about safeguarding and supervision, the new Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements represent an integrated approach to welfare, aiming to raise staff awareness and close gaps in knowledge.
While the sector has welcomed the move towards less paperwork for risk assessments, it recognises that these are by no means precluded. If anything, individual practitioners now carry more responsibility when making professional judgements, and assessing and managing risk.
Calvin Hanks, quality director at Acorn Childcare Training, supports this view. 'Due diligence will require practitioners to be able to show that they took reasonable steps to protect those under their care, and while the EYFS suggests that repeat risk assessments are not required for repetitive activities, any new activity will require a risk assessment as the EYFS does not override health and safety law,' he says.
Mr Hanks stresses the importance of training for staff. 'These practitioners must ensure that they are adequately trained to understand all areas of this subject. The revised EYFS is not a "get out of jail free" card but a move towards responsible, practitioner-led assessment of risk and use of professional judgement as to what is reasonable.'
He adds, 'Risk assessment is also about reducing the risk "so far as is reasonably practicable". It is up to the practitioner to define practicable.'
Nursery managers will also have to respond to the stated need for effective supervision. Staff teams will be charged with acquiring a deeper understanding of what it means and how it can be implemented.
Sue Meekings, director of childcare at the Childcare Corporation, says 'The supervision requirement should not be a surprise as the Plymouth Serious Case Review signposted the importance of this area, and it has always been a vital aspect of practice.
'We are tightening up our system and refreshing staff training. The two-year-old health check will also receive attention, primarily to ensure staff are confident with this area of working with parents, and this will feed in to safeguarding and welfare.'
At Phoenix Day Nursery, owner Janet Elnaugh says high standards will be maintained by continuing to only employ Level 3 qualified staff. 'I also have my management team, comprising manager, deputy and senior nursery nurse, as a team responsible for supervising the whole setting with regard to practice, quality, CPD, outcomes and resources,' she says.
For Bright Horizons, a series of early years supervision workshops will ensure that supervision is given the attention it deserves. Director of early years, Nicola Amies, says, 'Our quality improvement manager Penny Ainge and learning and development manager Helen Mitchell are playing a lead role in developing training.
'Our workshops will outline what supervision is, explore how to facilitate an effective supervision conversation and provide practice of these. Workshops will also help staff to observe one of these conversations and feed back on them, and complete a written record of the conversation.'
Stella Ziolkowski, director of quality and workforce development at the NDNA, believes that an stronger focus on supervision will ultimately have great benefits for providers. 'Supervision may already be important but the new requirements will encourage nurseries to give it more structure. Ensuring it is done well will mean more investment in staff development, resulting in higher retention of staff and better relationships with parents.'
What's changed? At a glance guide
The change of name to the Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements reflects a sharper focus on child protection and all issues relating to safeguarding. While the sector has welcomed the reduction in paperwork around risk assessments, there is a greater responsibility placed on practitioners to exercise their professional judgement.
Those of 17 years of age can still be counted in ratios if a provider wishes them to, and while concerns were expressed about the 1:30 ratio in reception year, the Government has not changed the existing requirement but says it will continue to monitor the situation.
Key areas:
Child protection
- The revised EYFS includes examples of adult behaviour which might be signs of abuse and neglect. If staff become aware of any such signs, they should respond appropriately in order to safeguard children.
- Providers must have, and implement, a safeguarding policy and procedures. These should be in line with the guidance and procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children's Board.
- The EYFS now requires that safeguarding policies and procedures must cover the use of mobile phones and the use of cameras in the setting.
Suitable people
- The requirement for providers to check the suitability of managers has been simplified. From September 2012, providers will be responsible for obtaining criminal record disclosures on managers. Currently Ofsted obtains these. Providers must obtain an enhanced criminal records disclosure in respect of every person aged 16 and over who works directly with children, lives on the premises on which the childcare is provided and/or works on the premises on which the childcare is provided (unless they do not work on the part of the premises where the childcare takes place, or do not work there at times when the children are present).
- Ofsted is responsible for checking the suitability of childminders and of persons living or working on their premises.
Staff qualifications, training, support and skills
- A requirement has been introduced in relation to staff supervision. Providers must give staff opportunities for coaching and training, mutual support, team work, continuous improvement and confidential discussion of sensitive issues. Supervision should provide opportunities for staff to discuss issues, particularly concerning children's development or wellbeing, identify solutions to issues and receive coaching to improve personal effectiveness. Providers should ensure regular staff appraisals are carried out to identify training needs.
- The requirement for childminders to complete training in the EYFS has been strengthened. In future they must have completed a local authority-approved training course which helps them to understand and implement the EYFS before they can register with Ofsted.
Staff: child ratios
- The age of those who can be included in ratios remains 17 under the new requirements. Students on long-term placement and volunteers (aged 17 or over) may be included if the provider is satisfied that they are competent.
- There is clarification of the circumstances in which there may be exceptions to the child:staff ratios for childminders caring for children of mixed ages. If they can demonstrate to parents or carers and inspectors that the individual needs of all children are being met, then exceptions to the usual ratios can be made when childminders are caring for sibling babies, or when caring for their own baby. If children aged four and five only attend the childminding setting before and/or after a normal school day, and/or during school holidays, they may be cared for at the same time as three other young children. But in all circumstances, the total number of children under the age of eight being cared for must not exceed six.
Safety and suitability of premises
- Requirements in relation to risk assessment have been adjusted to clarify that it is for providers to judge whether a risk assessment needs to be in writing. Providers must determine where it is helpful to make some written risk assessments in relation to specific issues, to inform staff practice, and demonstrate how they are managing risks if asked by parents and/or carers or inspectors. Risk assessments should identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis, when and by whom those aspects will be checked, when and by whom those aspects will be checked, and how the risk will be removed or minimised.
- When it comes to outings, providers must assess hazards and identify steps to remove, minimise and manage them, but it is up to providers to judge whether this needs to be in writing.
KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR TRAINING
By Mandy Terry, senior consultant, Acorn Childcare Training.
- Any training around the protection of children needs to enable practitioners to identify signs of possible abuse and neglect as early as possible.
- The new framework emphasises the need for practitioners to be alert to inappropriate behaviour displayed by other people in their team or other adults working with children. Ensure any training includes information and examples regarding this aspect.
- Training needs to ensure practitioners know how to respond appropriately and quickly to any concerns they may have about a child, and in accordance with Local Safeguarding Children Board's advice.
- Safeguarding training needs to include discussion around the need for policies and procedures to be in place regarding the use of mobile phones and the use of cameras.
- Effective supervision of staff which provides opportunities for staff to discuss sensitive issues confidentially, and receive training and coaching to support them in continuously improving, is now a key part of the safeguarding and welfare requirements. Thus some managers may need support and training themselves, in order to deliver this.
- The new framework now enables providers to judge whether to put an assessment in writing. However, despite the reduction in paperwork around risk assessments, providers still need to have clear policy and procedures regarding risks to children's safety, review them on a regular basis, and decide when a written assessment would be helpful.
- In addition to the above, it is important to ensure that the designated lead practitioner for safeguarding is able to provide advice and support to other team members.
GUIDE TO SAFEGUARDING AND WELFARE COURSES
ABC Medical Services
- Paediatric First Aid/Early Years First Aid Training
Armadillo Training
- Risk Assessment Awareness
Acorn Childcare Training
- - 'Safebook' Safeguarding and Social Media (SB) Training Course. Understanding the purpose of social media and the risks involved in using social networking sites. Two and a half hour course at £500.
- Child Protection and Domestic Violence (CPDV) Training Course. A one-day course to help delegates understand what is meant by domestic violence, and its impact on children and young people.
- Child Protection and Parents who Substance Misuse (CPPSM)
Childcare Consultancy
- EYFS Overview of the revised safeguarding and welfare requirements. Covers what the new EYFS safeguarding and welfare requirements arrangements will mean for providers and what they need to do in order to meet the legislative requirements.
- EYFS Welfare and Safeguarding Requirements: One-on-One-Supervision. This interactive course will discuss why effective staff supervision is now a requirement and how to implement it (7 July).
The Childcare Company
- Managing Safeguarding. Managing safeguarding focuses on communication and information sharing as well as highlighting the need to evaluate policies and practices. The course includes practical exercises designed to enable practitioners to support all areas of safeguarding through reflection and promotion of multi-agency working. This Level 4 course is suitable for practitioners working in child care settings.
- Introduction to Safeguarding. The concept of safeguarding and its importance in a childcare setting.
Jace Training
- Paediatric first aid
- Emergency aid
- Food safety
NDNA
- The NDNA is offering Quality Clinics and one-to-one sessions, addressing areas including supervision and safeguarding
Sue Overton & Associates
- Recruitment and staffing
- Risk Assessment
Pen Green
- The Reflective Practitioner
- Mentoring, supervision and professional development
Catherine Rushforth & Associates
- Safer Recruitment workshop (London, 21 June)
Pre-School Learning Alliance
Free courses, including:
- Child Protection Awareness in Education. An introduction to child abuse and how to report it.
- Safer Recruitment. Takes participants through the recruitment process, from pre-planning to vigilance with new recruits.
- Children's Rights. Insight into what children's rights are and how they apply to anyone who comes into contact with children and young people.
- Child Neglect. Suitable for those with some training in child protection, raising awareness about how to help neglected children.
Safeguarding Children e-Academy
www.safeguardingchildrenea.co.uk
- Safeguarding Children Refresher Training. The changes to practice over the past three years, different levels of harm and appropriate safeguarding processes to be followed, and issues around safeguarding children.
- eSafety - Guidance for Practitioners. Develop awareness of ways in which children and young people use the internet and mobile technology.
- Think Safe, Be Safe, Stay Safe
- Safeguarding Children from Abuse by Sexual Exploitation
- An Introduction to Safeguarding Children
For our comprehensive directory of training providers go to: http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/go/careersandtraining/news/1011506/ Directory-training-providers/
- Don't miss two new series coming in Nursery World:
Guide to Safeguarding, starts 14 May
Effective Supervision, written by trainers at Pen Green Research Centre, starts 28 May
