Safeguarding

[Guest]

Hi all I really hope there is someone on here that might be able to give me some advice. My school are due ofsted very soon and have been working with advisers to make sure we are ready. I know safeguarding is a big thing this time around and we the advisers have said we should have a book that lists everything that could potentially harm the children in the setting such as the plastic cutters in the playdough! I feel that if thats the case we could end up listing things like tables with corners and even laminated resources that have sharp edges. Has anyone else had this brought up in an ofsted? Also how do you deal with parents that insist on bringing their child into the setting themselves? Is this likely to be a safeguarding issue? Whilst I can see the point of some things this is surely going over the top? I'm sure someone on here will put this all into perspective for me soon

[Upsy Daisy]

Plastic cutters in the playdough? Harmful? Isn't that getting into the realms of ridiculous.

 

Would this book be in addition to your normal risk assessments? What would the reason for keeping this list be? I can't imagine what it would be used for - I'm sure Ofsted inspectors would be less than keen to sit and read through it.

 

It does sound like a rather pointless task. If you were to write down everything which could give any child the slightest knock or scratch you would be there forever.

 

I would ask a few more questions about the reasons behind it before I wasted any time on such a project.

[Guest]

thank goodness someone else is thinking like me. Unfortunately, I wasn't in this part of the meeting and the phase leader didn't ask! It is getting absolutely ridiculous and I really can't imagine for whose benefit it is. What will these people think of next? I'd just like to get on with my job.

[Guest]

Hi

We have had a big whole school safe guarding training session with all the staff, luch time supervisors, govenors etc. We discussed its importance and OFSTED focus. Items in the classroom and health and safety issues as such never really came up. It was more about you knowing who to go to within your school if issues such as neglect arise, including which govenor is responsible ( you could be asked if you know). It was even down to things like wearing staff badges, challenging strangers walking round your school etc.

I cant see parents bringing the children into the setting themselves as being a safeguarding issue as long as you know who they are and are careful about collection arrangements.

I think it will soon also be a legal requirement to go through a specific level of safeguarding training. We have been told that OFSTED may want to see proof you have this (i.e. a certificate).

 

Sorry can't be of more help right now as my brain is mush after a day full of the tiger who came to tea :-)

[Guest]

I agree with the other two posts on this thread Kathy.

 

Whilst safeguarding is about keeping the children safe it isn't about those issues concerning risks.............. the safeguarding training is about types of abuse, spotting abuse, likely risk factors, how to handle allegations etc......

 

As for parents in the setting being a safeguarding issue then I am having one everyday!!!!!

 

Who do adults concerned with their own child coming in, settling them etc, who do they pose a safeguarding risk to?

 

As for lists regarding anything that could be harmful.... well again risk assessments cover those and as for writing them down................ you could be doing that till the end of the year and still not thought about ALL of the what ifs........

 

Whilst safeguarding is a big issue and an important one the worries re OFSTED coming should be seen in context I think. Perhaps this is all just pre inspection nerves!!!!

 

We were inspected MAy 2008 (private nursery) and Feb 2009 (private and maintained nursery, along with school) and neither of the issues you are worrying about came up!

 

Good luck

[Guest]

It sometimes feels like advisers come up with this stuff just so they have something to do!

 

I'm with the others, how on earth could a kid hurt themselves with a plastic cutter. Stick to commonsense, you'll be fine.

[Rea]

Madness. Where do these people find the time to think up such problems?

I think the post a few days ago abot the death of common sense shouild be mandatory reading for every advisor, inspector and worrywort.

[Guest Spiral]

I heard a German Early years chap say that the UK is THE WORST for being over regimented!

 

He joked, 'you couldn't have a salami sausage hanging outside a delicatessen over here' he's right too!!

 

[catma]

Madness. Where do these people find the time to think up such problems?

I think the post a few days ago abot the death of common sense shouild be mandatory reading for every advisor, inspector and worrywort.

 

I like to think I operate with a rather hefty dose of common sense thanks.

 

Risk assessment - you have to have regard to the statutory guidance in the EYFS framework. Go there - evaluate your practice against it and then you'll be fine. http://nationalstrategies.standards.dcsf.g...976?uc=force_uj

 

Risk assessment

 

The provider must conduct a risk assessment and review it regularly - at least once a year or more frequently where the need arises.

 

The risk assessment must identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis: providers must maintain a record of these particular aspects and when and by whom they have been checked. Providers must determine the regularity of these checks according to their assessment of the significance of individual risks.

 

The provider must take all reasonable steps to ensure that hazards to children - both indoors and outdoors - are kept to a minimum.

 

Cx

Edited February 10, 2010 by catma

[Guest]

thanks so much for all your common sense advice. I agree all this risk assessment stuff is getting out of hand and I think people interpret it in different ways. As my Ta and NNEB said, if something is broken then we throw it away and we are always aware of what we put out for the children. I will be passing alot of this on to my phase leader for her to mull over!

[HappyMaz]

I'm puzzled by your question about parents who bring their children into the setting themselves - is this a problem in your setting?

 

I think that risk assessment is an important part of what we do, and having written risk assessments does keep Mrs Ofsted happy. We do need to keep risk into proportion though, which is where the common sense approach comes in. Our risk assessments should also take into account the need to teach children how to assess and manage their own risk and for some practitioners that is a much bigger challenge!

 

Maz