Shiny Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 I have just bought the PSLA's revised EYFS policy book and in their Safeguarding Children policy they have a line saying: 'Our designated officer (a committee member) who oversees this work is: ____________________________________________________________ telephone number' I feel a bit uncomfortable about this as child protection is a very sensitive issue and I am not sure I would want to involve a committee member. As a governor at a Primary School we have a designated governor for Safeguarding. Does anyone else name a committee member in their policy? How do others feel about this? Any opinions/comments would be much appreciated.
lynned55 Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 Just in the middle of updating some of our policies with the new PSLA book. Have to admit to not getting to that one yet. Our named CP officers are myself (manager) & deputy. becuase of the sensitive nature of CP I would never consider anyone else taking this role and to be honest it has never occurred to me to have a committee member named. I think when we do ammend our policy I will omit that phrase about committee member. Apart from the confidentiality aspect, from a purely practical point we are advised that a CP officer should have the relevant training and be aware of any new legislation etc. Our committee mostly change from year to year, having to find someone different & willing to do this training every year is ridiculous, finding people just to be on the committee can be difficult enough without giving them the added responsibility of CP issues as well. I'm really surprised at PSLA naming a committee member for this.
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 we have decided to ask our committee to volunteer to undertake the training as we felt it would be helpful for a member of the committee to know how we might have to deal with a situation. However the two senior staff will continue to be the designated officers. Mypersonal thinking was it would be helpful for support or if a member of staff were to be involved in some way negatively with a safeguarding issue. Fortunately we can access the training for free in our LA and two members of the committee both expressed an interest.
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 Not sure if this is widespread but when we had our Ofsted inspection last month the inspector just wanted to know if the named people had had recent CP training. She was fine that it was 2 named members of staff - never mentioned the role of committee members in this. Cheers RR
lynned55 Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 I have just checked the policies and our current Safeguarding Children policy states • Our named person (a member of staff or a committee member) I must admit to never noticing the committee member bit before. Obviously if you can get committee members to do the training, great- but I dont think we would.
Inge Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 Think this really has a lot to do with individual circumstances as to if a committee member can be nominated person. We had a committee which changed each year for ages... by the time they were approved they would move on.. by the same token if they did any training they would have moved on by the time they had completed it.. even a basic one... before I left we had some very dedicated parents who had been with us for a while and were willing to continue.. one a childminder so she did the training and it sorted our problem out....she is willing to stay on committee as long as we need her. a rare person.willing to listen, learn and work with staff not try to dictate to us........she is actually the treasurer as we felt this position needed someone who was reliable and constant after all the problems we had with the bank over change of signatories on the account.... If they all changed each year this would be an impossible task.. how can you ask a volunteer with no experience to take on training and this task along with having the CRB and other things thrown at them.. we will all end up with no one willing to take on the enormous responsibility... PS my old group have already muted could I become chair/ take on this role.. or something.... but I am still on staff as a supply/emergency so will not work! Inge
Guest Posted February 24, 2009 Posted February 24, 2009 hi in our policy we just have the name of the CP officer who is the manager!!! i have just bought the policy book and have the task of updating all the policies over the nxt few weeks!!!! puja
Beau Posted February 25, 2009 Posted February 25, 2009 I can't imagine there would be many PVI groups where it would be appropriate for a member of the committee to be the named person. I really wish the PSLA would join the real world. What I would stress is these policies issued by PSLA are there for guidance and need to be adapted to suit your own circumstances. Your written policies and procedures should reflect your current practice and if this is different from what is written down by the PSLA then that is fine, providing they are well thought out and you have good justification for working the way you do.
Guest Posted February 25, 2009 Posted February 25, 2009 your dead right beau we are not members and have never looked at their policies.
Guest Posted February 25, 2009 Posted February 25, 2009 Hi all Well we too used to have comm member as designated person as well as supervisor. When I renewed policies comm member asked for her name to be removed as she had never received any training and did not feel comfortabe with it. Both the supervisor and myself have had training and so we have put our names on the policy. However, do you remember that welfare training course i went on...they said there should be a member of the committee as designated person...we chose to ignore that one! They change every year! Getting on training is a nightmare In fact just doing a summary hand out of my course to give to other staff members (they already have policy) and also devising a little quiz that fits into our setting. Thinking of doing this every 6 months or so at staff meeting just so we keep refreshed and up to date.
Shiny Posted February 25, 2009 Author Posted February 25, 2009 Thanks for all of your replies!! Feel much better now about not having a committee member as a designated officer as well as a member of staff!! I thought it was a bit strange, I havn't managed to get a committee member to agree to training for anything as yet!! Its hard enough to get them to sign up for the committee let alnoe to enforce actul responsibility!! Come September we have no committee anyway, their children all leave for school!! Beau, I totally agree about the PSLA having to join the real world!! I wonder what they will do with all my children in September when we can no longer run as we have no committee and no one will to be the suitable person!!
Guest Posted February 25, 2009 Posted February 25, 2009 http://www.foundation-stage.info/forums/in...&hl=Welfare This is a recent thread which alerted me to the issue you mention. Marley pointed out that "A member of the committee needs to be a designated person for safeguarding children (as well as staff) They need to attend the relevant course before taking on the role. Was suggested that this be a role in itself for comm member." This is a non-statutory part of the EYFS Welfare Requirements and she also commented that on her course it was recommended we consider this a statutory requirement although it isn't one. For some of us this is easier than others I'm sure. I am fortunate that our Chair (the vicar) has a thorough working knowledge of Safeguarding and therefore he is our named person.
Guest Posted February 25, 2009 Posted February 25, 2009 We too are fortunate with our current committee and they will be in place for at least next two years. I am hoping that by introducing this now we will be able to carry it on in the future when we recruit new members.
Guest Posted February 25, 2009 Posted February 25, 2009 that is the whole crux of the matter committee members come and go and i feel it would not be fair to ask a member of the committee to be a designated person. You would get them on a course and it would need to be for designated person not just a safe guarding course for non designated people AND then they would leave it is not an easy role as we are all aware. I have not read in the welfare requirments where it says a com member should be a designated person
blondie Posted March 5, 2009 Posted March 5, 2009 we have also been told we need a committee member to be designated person for this by our preschool development worker and at committee meetings the chair has to ask "are there any child protection issues?" "are there any health and safety issues?" i answer the questions and according to the pdw this then absolves the committee of any blame if something happened.
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