We are committed to building a ‘culture of safety’ in which the children in our care are protected from abuse, harm and radicalisation.The setting will respond promptly and appropriately to all incidents or concerns regarding the safety of a child that may occur. The child protection procedures comply with all relevant legislation and with guidance issued by Hounslow Safeguarding Children’s Partnership.

There is a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) available at all times while the setting is in session. The DSL coordinates safeguarding, and child protection issues and liaises with external agencies (e.g. Social Care and Ofsted). The setting’s designated DSL is Taz Virdee.

Child abuse and neglect

Child abuse is any form of physical, emotional or sexual mistreatment or lack of care that leads to injury or harm. An individual may abuse or neglect a child directly, or by failing to protect them from harm. Some forms of child abuse and neglect are listed below.

Emotional abuse is the persistent emotional maltreatment of a child so as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve making the child feel that they are worthless, unloved, or inadequate. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, though it may occur alone.

Physical abuse can involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may be also caused when a parent or carer feigns the symptoms of, or deliberately causes, ill health to a child.

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. This can involve physical contact, or non- contact activities such as showing children sexual activities or encouraging them to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.

Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and emotional needs. It can involve a failure to provide adequate food, clothing and shelter, to protect a child from physical and emotional harm, to ensure adequate supervision or to allow access to medical treatment.

Signs of child abuse and neglect

Signs of possible abuse and neglect may include:

•  significant changes in a child’s behaviour

•  deterioration in a child’s general well-being

•  unexplained bruising or marks

•  comments made by a child which give cause for concern

•  reasons to suspect neglect or abuse outside the setting, e.g. in the child’s home, or that a girl may have been subjected to (or is at risk of) female genital mutilation (FGM), or that the child may have witnessed domestic abuse

•  inappropriate behaviour displayed by a member of staff, or any other person. For example, inappropriate sexual comments, excessive one-to-one attention beyond the requirements of their role, or inappropriate sharing of images.

If abuse is suspected or disclosed

When a child makes a disclosure to a member of staff, that member of staff will:

•  reassure the child that they were not to blame and were right to speak out

•  listen to the child but not question them

•  give reassurance that the staff member will take action

•  record the incident as soon as possible.

If a member of staff witnesses or suspects abuse, they will record the matter straightaway using the ‘Logging a concern’ form. If a third party expresses concern that a child is being abused, we will encourage them to contact Hounslow Children’s Services Front Door directly. If they do not do so, we will explain that the setting is obliged to and the incident will be logged accordingly.

Female genital mutilation (FGM)

FGM is an illegal, extremely harmful practice and a form of child abuse, and is therefore dealt with as part of our existing safeguarding procedures. All of our staff receive training in how to recognise when girls are at risk of FGM or may have been subjected to it.

If FGM is suspected or disclosed

We will follow the same procedures as set out above for responding to child abuse.

Child on child abuse

Children are vulnerable to abuse by their peers. Child on child abuse is taken seriously by staff and will be subject to the same child protection procedures as other forms of abuse. Staff are aware of the potential uses of information technology for bullying and abusive behaviour between young people.

Staff will not dismiss abusive behaviour as normal between young people. The presence of one or more of the following in relationships between children should always trigger concern about the possibility of peer-on-peer abuse:

•  Sexual activity (in primary school-aged children) of any kind, including sexting

•  One of the children is significantly more dominant than the other (e.g. much older)

•  One of the children is significantly more vulnerable than the other (e.g. in terms of

• disability, confidence, physical strength)

•  There has been some use of threats, bribes or coercion to ensure compliance or secrecy.

If child on child abuse is suspected or disclosed

We will follow the same procedures as set out above for responding to child abuse.

Extremism and radicalisation

All childcare settings have a legal duty to protect children from the risk of radicalisation and being drawn into extremism. There are many reasons why a child might be vulnerable to radicalisation, e.g.:

•  feeling alienated or alone

•  seeking a sense of identity or individuality

•  suffering from mental health issues such as depression

•  desire for adventure or wanting to be part of a larger cause

•  associating with others who hold extremist beliefs

Signs of radicalisation

Signs that a child might be at risk of radicalisation include:

•  changes in behaviour, for example becoming withdrawn or aggressive

•  claiming that terrorist attacks and violence are justified

•  viewing violent extremist material online

•  possessing or sharing violent extremist material

If a member of staff suspects that a child is at risk of becoming radicalised, they will record any relevant information or observations on a Logging a concern form and refer the matter to the DSL.

Logging a concern

All information about the suspected abuse or disclosure, or concern about radicalisation, will be recorded on the Logging a concern form as soon as possible after the event. The record should include:

•  date of the disclosure, or the incident, or the observation causing concern

•  date and time at which the record was made

•  name and date of birth of the child involved

•  a factual report of what happened. If recording a disclosure, you must use the child’s own words

•  name, signature and job title of the person making the record.

The record will be given to the setting’s DSL who will decide on the appropriate course of action.

For concerns about child abuse, the DSL will contact Hounslow Children’s Services Front Door. The DSL will follow up all referrals to Social Care in writing within 48 hours. If a member of staff thinks that the incident has not been dealt with properly, they may contact Hounslow Children’s Services Front Door directly.

For minor concerns regarding radicalisation, the DSL will contact the Prevent Team in Hounslow. For more serious concerns the DSL will contact the Police on the non-emergency number (101), or the anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321. For urgent concerns the DSL will contact the Police using 999.

Allegations against staff

If anyone makes an allegation of child abuse against a member of staff:

•  The allegation will be recorded on an Incident record form. Any witnesses to the incident should sign and date the entry to confirm it.

•  The allegation is referred immediately to the Safeguarding Advice and Allegations Management (SAAM). The Duty systems include the Child Protection Chairs who are the people who take part in the SAAM Duty structure. They identify designated officer (DO) cases.

•  The LADO will advise if other agencies (e.g. police) should be informed, and the setting will act upon their advice. Any telephone reports to the LADO will be followed up in writing within 48 hours.

• Following advice from the LADO, it may be necessary to suspend the member of staff pending full investigation of the allegation.

•  If appropriate, the setting will make a referral to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

• Promoting awareness among staff

The setting promotes awareness of child abuse and the risk of radicalisation through its staff training. The setting ensures that:

•  the designated DSL has relevant experience and receives appropriate training in safeguarding and the Prevent Duty, and is aware of the Channel Programme and how to access it

• designated person training is refreshed every two years and refreshes their knowledge of safeguarding at least annually

• safe recruitment practices are followed for all new staff

•  all staff have a copy of this Safeguarding policy, understand its contents and are vigilant to signs of abuse, neglect or radicalisation

•  all staff are aware of their statutory duties with regard to the disclosure or discovery of child abuse, and concerns about radicalisation

•  all staff receive basic safeguarding training, and safeguarding is a permanent agenda item at all staff meetings

•  all staff receive basic training in the Prevent Duty

•  staff are familiar with the Safeguarding File which is kept [insert location]

•  the setting’s procedures are in line with the guidance in ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023)’ and staff are familiar with ‘What to Do If You’re Worried A Child Is Being Abused (2015)’.

Use of mobile phones, cameras and other electronic devices with imaging and sharing capabilities

Photographs will only be taken of children with their parents’ permission. Only the setting’s camera will be used to take photographs of children at the setting, except with the express permission of the manager. Neither staff nor children nor visitors may use their mobile phones to take photographs at the setting.

We promote the safety and welfare of all children in our care. We believe our staff should be completely attentive during their hours of working to ensure all children receive good quality care. To ensure the safety and well-being of children we do not allow staff to use personal mobile phones, smartwatches and/or Fitbits (that receive calls and messages) during working hours. We use mobile phones supplied by the setting to provide a means of contact in certain circumstances, such as outings.

Staff must adhere to the following:

•  Smartwatches/Fitbits are either turned off or on silent and not accessed during working hours.

• Smartwatches/Fitbits can only be used on a designated break and this must be away from the children.

• Smartwatches/Fitbits should be stored safely in staff lockers at all times during working hours.

• During outings, staff will use mobile phones belonging to the setting.

• Photographs must not be taken of the children on any personal phones or any other personal information storage device.

• Only setting owned devices will be used to take photographs or film videos.

• Setting devices will not be taken home with staff and will remain secure at the setting when not in use.

Other electronic devices with imaging and sharing capabilities- Parents and visitors

Whilst we recognise that there may be emergency situations which necessitate the use of an electronic device, in order to ensure the safety and welfare of children in our care, we ask parents and visitors to refrain from using their devices whilst in the premises or when collecting and dropping off their children. We do this to ensure all children are safeguarded and the time for dropping off and picking up is a quality handover opportunity where we can share details about your child. Visitors are requested to leave their smart watches in the safety of the office where they will be locked away safely. Parents are requested not to allow their child to wear or bring in devices that may take photographs or record videos or voices. This includes smart watches with these capabilities. This ensures all children are safeguarded and also protects their property as it may get damaged or misplaced at the

setting.

Contact numbers:

Safeguarding Advice and Allegations Management (SAAM): 0208 583 5730

LADO (Hounslow has two Local Authority Designated Officers): Grace Murphy 0208

583 4933 / Sarah Paltenghi 0208 583 3423 and 07970198380

Hounslow Children’s Services Front Door: 020 8583 6600

Hounslow Children’s Services out of hours contact: 0208 583 2222

Hounslow Safeguarding Children’s Partnership: 0208 583 3068

Hounslow Prevent Lead: Joan Conlon 07817 079190

Police: 101 (non-emergency) or 999 (emergency)

Anti-terrorist hotline: 0800 789 321

NSPCC: 0808 800 500

Ofsted: 0300 123 1231

Implementation

The Directors have specific responsibility for the effective implementation of this policy. We expect all members to abide by the policy and help to create the equality environment, which is its objective.

In order to implement this policy we shall:

• Communicate the policy to all members through our work with staff and our behaviour management strategies in groups.

• Creative Spaces London will endeavour through appropriate training to ensure that it will not consciously, or unconsciously discriminate in the selection or recruitment of applicants for membership of the group

• Incorporate specific and appropriate duties in respect of implementing the equal opportunities policy into roles and responsibilities of board members

• Incorporate equal opportunities notices into general communications practices (e.g. announcements, annual report at annual general meeting, notices and newsletters). This policy will be read out to all members at each annual general meeting

• Ensure that adequate resources are made available to fulfil the objectives of the policy

Monitoring and Review

We will establish appropriate information and monitoring systems to assist the effective implementation of our equal opportunities policy. The effectiveness of the equal opportunities policy will be reviewed on an annual basis and action taken as necessary.

This policy is fully supported by the Directors and was adopted by the company on the 29th June 2019 and reviewed on the 29th June 2024

Date: 29th June 2024
Signature: Rachel Doherty, Artistic Director.

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