Sensory Soft Play Admissions and Behaviour Policy -

ADMISSION POLICY
PLAY AND BEHAVIOUR POLICY
Policy on Accidents/ Illness and Emergencies
COMPLAINTS POLICY AND PROCEDURE
EQUAL OPORTUNITIES PROCEDURE
FIRE SAFETY AND RISK ASSESSMENT
HEALTH EATING PROCEDURE
HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
SECURITY
PROCEDURE FOR INTIMATE CARE
MANUAL HANDLING POLICY
MISSING CHILD PROCEDURE
PARTICIPATION POLICY (CHILDREN)
POLICY ON PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS
RISK ASSESSMENT POLICY
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN POLICY
SAFE RECRUITMENT USE
SECURITY POLICY AND PROCEDURE

ARRIVALS/DEPARTURES PROCEDURE

Smoking, Alcohol and Drugs

SPECIAL NEEDS AND INCLUSION POLICY

ADMISSION POLICY

A fully completed registration form is a legal requirement for each child attending the Club. This form contains information concerning your child and is confidential. If you have any queries or concerns regarding the information requested please discuss with Lisa Henderson.

The information provided will ensure that Staff are fully informed about all of your child’s individual requirements and enables us to get to know your child before they arrive, as well as update us with any personal information that may affect your child’s emotional and physical behaviour whilst in our care.

All the information provided is treated with the utmost confidence and will be securely filed to ensure maximum privacy and security of your personal data. Required Forms to be completed for each child:

Registration Form

Medical Form

Photograph Consent Form

PLAY AND BEHAVIOUR POLICY

These Principles establish the professional and ethical framework for playwork and as such must be regarded as a whole. They describe what is unique about play and playwork, and provide the playwork perspective for working with children and young people. They are based on the recognition that children and young people’s capacity for positive development will be enhanced if given access to the broadest range of environments and play opportunities.

All children and young people need to play. The impulse to play is innate. Play is a biological, psychological and social necessity, and is fundamental to the healthy development and well-being of individuals and communities.
Play is a process that is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated. That is, children and young people determine and control the content and intent of their play, by following their own instincts, ideas and interests, in their own way for their own reasons.
The prime focus and essence of playwork is to support and facilitate the play process and this should inform the development of play policy, strategy, training and education.
For playworkers, the play process takes precedence and playworkers act as advocates for play when engaging with adult led agendas.
The role of the playworker is to support all children and young people in the creation of a space in which they can play,
The playworker’s response to children and young people playing is based on a sound up to date knowledge of the play process, and reflective practice.
Playworkers recognise their own impact on the play space and also the impact of children and young people’s play on the playworker.
Playworkers choose an intervention style that enables children and young people to extend their play. All playworker intervention must balance risk with the developmental benefit and well-being of children

We actively welcome parents and invite their input into the Club in the following ways:

We collect information from parents which will help their child to settle at the club (via the Registration and Medical forms). Please see our Privacy Note and GDPR policy available at our website www.sensoftplay.co.uk
We involve parents in settling their children in at the Club, if required.
We consult fully with parents to establish the care requirements for children with additional needs.
We greet all parents when they arrive to collect their children, and exchange any relevant information (e.g. any accidents, participation in today’s activities, etc.)
We conduct satisfaction surveys with parents and children at the Club to gain regular feedback.
All of our staff wear a polo shirt so that children and parents can easily identify them.
We always seek and obtain parental permission for, photographs.
We can arrange for parental discussions with staff outside of Club hours if necessary.
We respect parents’ input and opinions by responding promptly and appropriately to any concerns arising.

BEHAVIOUR

Whilst at Sensory Soft Play we expect both children and adults to:

Use socially acceptable behaviour
Comply with Sensory Soft Play policies and procedures
Respect one another, accepting differences of race, gender, ability, age and religion
Ask for assistance if needed

The club will promote and actively encourage good behaviour by leading by example and by staff respecting each other and the children. It is believed that by adopting a culture of sharing and caring, engaging rules of action and consequence and by the adults leading by example, any incidents of bullying, name calling, or aggression will be minimised. By establishing clear boundaries according to the child’s level of understanding, children become aware of routines and settings and know what is expected of them. One child’s behaviour must not be allowed to endanger the other children in the group by absorbing or distracting the supervising staff. Parents are expected to provide suitable detail in terms of behavioural traits of their children when registering their child or when there is a significant change.

Children will be made aware of the effects of their behaviour on others and methods of discussion and distraction shall be used when confronting behaviour issues. No undue stress shall be placed on the child in terms of humiliation, segregation or any form of physical punishment. Incident sheets will be used to record any incident where handling or physical intervention is needed. Sheets will be kept on file and copies and made available to parents.

If a child’s behaviour is concerning Sensory Soft Play, the Team Lead Sessional Worker will ensure the following steps will be taken:

The child will be given a verbal warning and explanation about why their behaviour is unacceptable and be encouraged how to do this.
If this does not resolve the matter then the parent will be informed
In the unlikely event that the behaviour does not improve Sensory Soft Play reserve the right to exclude the child from the club on a temporary or permanent basis.
If at any time a child’s behaviour is harming others enjoyment, or is putting themselves in danger then temporary or permanent exclusion may be implemented immediately.
Sensory Soft Play will make sure that staff will receive training, if required, in respect of basic behavioural management and how to control situations to ensure the safety of the children.

Policy on Accidents/ Illness and Emergencies

At Sensory Soft Play we endeavour to deal promptly and effectively with any illnesses or injuries that may occur while children are in our care. We take all practical steps to keep staff and children safe from communicable diseases.

Medicine.

All parents or carers must complete the Medical Form when their child joins the Club, giving permission for emergency medical treatment for their child in the event of a serious accident or illness. Whilst we will endeavour to co-operate with parents in administering medicine to children at times due when they are attending the Club, this cannot be done without written consent with FULL instructions being provided by the Parent / Carer. All medicine must be handed over to staff. No child may keep any medicine / drugs on their person or in their possession (including school bags).

We will record any accidents or illnesses, together with any treatment given, on an Incident Record or Accident Record sheet as appropriate, which the parent or carer will be asked to sign when they collect the child.

Sensory Soft Play cannot accept children who are ill. If any children are ill when they first arrive at the Club we will immediately notify their parents or carers to come and collect them. Any children who have been ill should not return to the Club until they have fully recovered, or until after the minimum exclusion period has expired (see table at the end of this policy).

There is a first aid box available to all staft and at the Club. The designated First Aider team lead will regularly check the contents of the first aid box to ensure that they are up to date, appropriate for children and comply with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.

The manager will ensure that a first aid kit is taken on all outings and that at least one member of staff on the outing holds a current paediatric first aid certificate.

Procedure for a minor injury or illness

The sessional worker at the session will decide upon the appropriate action to take if a child becomes ill or suffers a minor injury.

If a child becomes ill during a session, the parent or carer will be asked to collect the child as soon as possible. The child will be kept comfortable and will be closely supervised while awaiting collection.
If a child complains of illness which does not impair their overall wellbeing, the child will be monitored for the rest of the session and the parent or carer will be notified when the child is collected.
If a child suffers a minor injury, first aid will be administered and the child will be monitored for the remainder of the session. If necessary, the child’s parent will be asked to collect the child as soon as possible.

Procedure for a major injury or serious illness

In the event of a child becoming seriously ill or suffering a major injury, the first aider at the session will decide whether the child needs to go straight to hospital or whether it is safe to wait for their parent or carer to arrive.

If the child needs to go straight to hospital, we will call an ambulance and a member of staff will go to the hospital with the child. The staff member will take the child’s Medical Form with them and will consent to any necessary treatment (as approved by the parents on the Medical Form).

We will contact the child’s parents or carers with all urgency, and if they are unavailable we will call the other emergency contacts that we have on file for the child.

After a major incident the manager and staff will review the events and consider whether any changes need to be made to the Club’s policies or procedures.

Communicable diseases and conditions

If a case of head lice is found at the Club, the child’s parents or carers will be discreetly informed when they collect the child. Other parents will be warned to check their own children for head lice, but care will be taken not to identify the child affected.

If an infectious or communicable disease is detected on the Club’s premises, we will inform parents and carers as soon as possible.

If there is an incident of food poisoning affecting two or more children looked after at the Club the Manager will inform Ofsted.

If there is an outbreak of a notifiable disease at the Club, we will inform the local health protection unit, HSE under RIDDOR (if appropriate), and Ofsted.

COMPLAINTS POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Sensory Soft Play is run for our users and value the opinions and suggestions of staff, parents/ carers and children alike. We run an open policy of discussion where we encourage all parties to freely discuss any matter relating to the wellbeing, happiness and safety of the children with any member of staff.

Verbal complaints will be logged by the relevant member of staff and brought to the attention of the Manager at the earliest opportunity. The manager will review the complaint and decide on any relevant action to be taken. It is our policy to resolve any minor issues that Parents / Carers or the children may have within 5 working days. Should an investigation be required into any matter reported, the manager may request the person making the complaint to complete a written form, which will be duly provided.

All written complaints will be acknowledged in writing within five working days of receiving the complaint and a full written response will be issued within 28 days, following full and thorough investigation of the complaint.

The Manager will follow the complaint guidelines stated below:

Every complaint will be afforded the strictest confidence and discussion will remain between the parties concerned and the Manager.

On receipt of verbal complaint, the Manager will contact the relevant person within 24 hours to acknowledge the details and clarify any queries.

The Manager will meet with all relevant parties to discuss the issues raised and endeavour to resolve any misunderstandings or correct any issue deemed to be agreed as needing action. A plan of action will be agreed and if required will be put into writing for both parties to acknowledge.

A full and thorough investigation will be carried out and documented by the Manager, through verbal interviewing and discussion with all relevant parties involved. Should the Manager consider that an accusation be deemed so serious as to question the safety of any child/ren in our care or that they may be at risk in any way, immediate action will be taken to remove the person involved, against whom the accusation has been made, or rectify / make safe any area that is of concern.

On completion of the investigation, within 28 days, the Manager will meet with all parties to discuss the complaint and the contents of that meeting will be documented. The manager will endeavour to resolve any issues or take appropriate action to rectify any upheld complaint.

All records of complaints will be held on file for inspection by parents /carers upon request

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES POLICY

At Sensory Soft Play Club, we will ensure that we provide a safe and caring environment, free from discrimination, for everyone in our community including children with additional needs.

To achieve the Club’s objective of creating an environment free from discrimination and welcoming to all, the Club will:

Respect the different racial origins, religions, cultures and languages in a multi-ethnic society so that each child is valued as an individual without racial or gender stereotyping.
Not discriminate against children on the grounds of disability, sexual orientation, class, family status and HIV/Aids status.
Help all children to celebrate and express their cultural and religious identity by providing a wide range of appropriate resources and activities.
Strive to ensure that children feel good about themselves and others, by celebrating the differences which make us all unique individuals.
Ensure that its services are available to all parents/carers and children in the local community.
Ensure that the Club’s recruitment policies and procedures are open, fair and non- discriminatory.
Work to fulfil all the legal requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

Racial harassment

The Club will not tolerate any form of racial harassment. The Club will challenge racist and discriminatory remarks, attitudes and behaviour from the children at the Club, from staff and from any other adults on Club premises (eg parents/carers collecting children).

Children with additional needs

Our Club recognises that some children have additional needs or physical disabilities that require particular support and assistance. We will take appropriate action to ensure that all children can access our services and are made to feel welcome.

FIRE SAFETY AND RISK ASSESSMENT

Sensory Soft Play understands the importance of vigilance to fire safety hazards. To this end:

Staff are aware of the location of all fire exits, the fire assembly point and where fire safety equipment is stored.

In the event of a fire

A member of staff will raise the alarm and call the emergency services.
The children will immediately be escorted out of the building to the assembly point using the nearest marked exit.
No attempt will be made to collect personal belongings, or to re-enter the building after evacuation.
All children and staff will be accounted for.

HEALTHY EATING POLICY

Sensory Soft Play will provide healthy, nutritious and balanced food and drinks. Food and drink will be safely prepared with regard to the dietary and religious requirements of the children in our care. We ask parents to notify us regarding any special dietary requirements or allergies when they register their child.

Sensory Soft Play will promote healthy eating and will lead by example. Staff responsible for food preparation, handling and storage will have received appropriate training.

We will provide suitable healthy snacks for all the children.
Children will be encouraged to develop good eating skills and table manners.
All children will be given plenty of time to eat.
Where appropriate, children will be involved in planning and preparing food and snacks.
Fresh drinking water will be available at all times.
The club will not regularly provide sweets for children.
We will avoid excessive amounts of fatty or sugary foods.
Children will not be forced to eat or drink anything against their will.

HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY

Sensory Soft Play considers health and safety to be of utmost importance.

The Club has appropriate insurance cover, including employer’s liability insurance and public liability insurance.

Each member of staff follows the Club’s Health and Safety policy and is responsible for:

Maintaining a safe environment

Taking reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others attending the Club

Reporting all accidents and incidents which have caused injury or damage or may do so in the future

Undertaking relevant health and safety training when required to do so by the manager.

Any member of staff who disregards safety instructions or recognised safe practices will be subject to disciplinary procedure.

9. SECURITY

Children are not allowed to leave the Club premises during the session unless prior permission has been given by the parents.

During Club sessions all external doors are kept locked, with the exception of fire doors which are alarmed. Staff monitor the entrances and exits to the premises throughout the session.

All visitors to the Club must sign the visitor’s book and give the reason for their visit. Visitors will never be left alone with the children.

If a visitor has no reason to be on the Club’s premises we will escort them from the premises. If the visitor refuses to leave, we will call the police. In such an event an Incident Record will be completed and the manager will be immediately notified.

Security procedures will be regularly reviewed by the manager, in consultation with staff and parents.

Toys and equipment

All furniture, toys and equipment are kept clean, well maintained and in good repair. We select toys, equipment and resources with care, and we carry out risk assessments before the children are allowed to use them. Broken toys and equipment are disposed of promptly.

Food and personal hygiene

Staff at the Holiday Club maintain high standards of personal hygiene, and take all practicable steps to prevent and control the spread of infection.

A generally clean environment is maintained at all times.
Toilets are cleaned daily and soap and hand drying facilities are always available.
Staff are trained in food hygiene and follow appropriate guidelines.
Waste is disposed of safely and all bins are kept covered.
Staff ensure that children wash their hands before handling food or drink and after using the toilet.
Cuts and abrasions (whether on children or staff) are kept covered.

Dealing with body fluids

Spillages of blood, vomit, urine and faeces will be cleaned up immediately in accordance with our Intimate Care policy.

Staffing levels

Staff ratios and levels of supervision are always appropriate to the number, ages and abilities of the children present, and to the risks associated with the activities being undertaken. A minimum of two members of staff are on duty at any time.

PROCEDURE FOR INTIMATE CARE

In intimate care situations, the child’s safety, dignity and privacy are of paramount importance. Children requiring intimate care will be treated respectfully at all times.

‘Intimate care’ covers any task that involves the washing, touching or carrying out a procedure to intimate personal areas and is associated with bodily functions and personal hygiene, including, toileting, washing, dressing, and menstrual care.

Sensory Soft Play staff who provide intimate care will do so in a professional manner. Staff are aware of safeguarding issues

Staff will work in partnership with parents or carers to provide care appropriate to the needs of the individual child and together will produce a care plan. The care plan will set out:

What care is required
- Number of staff needed to carry out the task (if more than one person is required, reasons will be documented)
- Additional equipment required
- Child’s preferred means of communication (eg verbal, visual)
- Child’s level of ability – what tasks they are able to carry out by themselves

Best practice

When intimate care is given, the member of staff will explain fully each task that is carried out, and the reasons for it. Staff will encourage children to do as much for themselves as they can.

If a child requires intimate care on a regular basis, it is a good idea for two members of staff to share the care between them. In this way the child should not become overly dependent on a single member of staff, and is less likely to become distressed if their usual carer is occasionally unavailable. However, parents’ views on the number of staff providing personal care to their child must also be taken into consideration – some children may simply be unable to cope with more than one carer.

If the setting has good policies in place that promote safe recruitment, together with regular supervision, and sound safeguarding and intimate care procedures, the child’s need for consistent care should not be compromised if only one member of staff provides the intimate care.

Protecting children

If a member of staff is concerned about any physical changes to a child, such as marks, bruises, soreness etc, they will inform The Safe Guarding lead (Lisa Henderson) immediately. The Safeguarding Children policy will then be implemented.

Should a child become unhappy about being cared for by a particular member of staff, the manager will look into the situation and record any findings. These will be discussed with the child child’s parents or carers in order to resolve the problem. If necessary, the manager will seek advice from outside agencies.

If a child makes an allegation against a member of staff, the procedure set out in the Safeguarding Children policy will be followed.

MANUAL HANDLING POLICY

Employee’s duties

It is the responsibility of all staff at Sensory Soft Play to:

Comply with any instructions and training provided in safe manual handling techniques
Not put their own health and safety or that of others at risk by carrying out unsafe manual handling activities
Report to the Manager any problems which may affect their ability to undertake manual handling activities, including physical and medical conditions (eg pregnancy, back problems).

In summary

Avoid Whenever possible, avoid manual handling situations.

Assess If avoidance is not possible, make a proper assessment of the hazard and risks.

Reduce Reduce the risk of injury by defining and implementing a safe system of work.

Review Review your systems regularly, to monitor the overall effectiveness of the policy

MISSING CHILD PROCEDURE

At Sensory Soft Play Holiday Club, our staff are always alert to the possibility that children can go missing during sessions.

If a child cannot be located, the following steps will be taken:

All staff will be informed that the child is missing.
Staff will conduct a thorough search of the premises and surrounding area.
After 10 minutes the police will be informed. The manager will then contact the child’s parents or carers.
Staff will continue to search for child whilst waiting for the police and parents to arrive.
We will maintain as normal a routine as possible for the rest of the children at the Club.
The manager will liaise with the police and the child’s parent or carer.

The incident will be recorded in the Incident Log. A review will be conducted regarding this and any other related incidents along with relevant policies and procedures. We will identify and implement any changes as necessary.

If the police or Social Care were involved in the incident, we will also inform Ofsted.

To report concerns about a child: Single Point of Contact: 01323 464222 Email: 0-19.SPOA@eastsussex.gov.uk Emergency Duty Service: 01273 335906 To report concerns out of hours, weekends and public holidays: To report concerns about a vulnerable adult: Tel: 0345 60 80 191 (office hours and out of hours) For further information go to: www.eastsussexiscb.org.uk OFSTED: 0300 123 1231

PARTICIPATION POLICY (CHILDREN)

At Sensory Soft Play we believe that actively promoting the participation of children in the decision-making process creates a sense of partnership and benefits everyone at the Club: children, staff and parents. We therefore involve the children whenever decisions are made that affect them.

We follow the principles set out in Articles 12 and 13 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which state that:

A child’s opinion should be taken into account in anything that affects them.
Children should have information disseminated in a way that enables them to make choices and decisions.

Involving and consulting children helps them to develop new skills such as negotiation, sharing, and understanding the perspectives of others. It helps them to understand how decisions are made, and shows them that their opinions are important. At the Club we actively consult the children and encourage them to participate in making decisions about the running of the Club through:

Asking questions and paying full attention to the child’s response, listening to what they are saying verbally (or through use of visual aids) and also observing their body language
Group discussions
Regular questionnaires and gathering other feedback on activities
Noticeboards
Regular Club Council meetings, between children and staff

The age and maturity of each child, together with the type of the decision being made, determine the extent and nature of their involvement, however, the basic assumption is always that children will be involved.

We make sure that we act on any consultation with the children so that they can see that their input has had visible outcomes. If children suspect that the consultation is just window-dressing they will disengage from the process.

At the Club the children have the opportunity to participate and make decisions on a day-to-day basis, including, but not limited to:

Choosing freely what type of play to engage in
Choosing what snacks to eat, as well as when and where to eat them
Preparing snacks themselves
Selecting new equipment for the club
Drawing up club rules
Using our resource library to select toys or activities that are not already set out
Using our suggestion box to request new resources, activities or other changes
Activity planning
Conducting risk assessments

14. POLICY ON PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

We value our relationship with parents/carers and are committed to working in partnership with you to provide top quality play and care for your children.

The staff are committed to discussing all aspects of our work in an open and honest manner with Parents / Carers and encourage any constructive comments and criticism, which will be discussed at staff meetings with a view to implementing positive change to improve the running of the Club.

The staff will endeavour to keep Parents / Carers informed about all aspects of the operation of the club that may impact on their planning and organisation for the care of their children. This includes holiday coverage, opening times, fees and charges, programmes of activities, menus, and procedures.

We must strive to be consistent and reliable to enable Parents / Carers the opportunity to plan with confidence and peace of mind.

Staff will share and discuss the children’s achievements, experiences, progress, and friendships, to enable Parents / Carers to be fully informed about their child’s time in our care. Whilst we do not provide written reports we will endeavour to ensure that parents / carers have a full and open forum to evaluate their child’s experience at the club.

Early Years children will have on-going observational assessment which will be documented and available for parents / carers to view upon request. The Key Worker will be responsible for the monitoring and updating of the booklets and may request other members of staff to add comments or relevant information that may be pertinent to the child’s overall development and wellbeing.

Staff should endeavour to make themselves available to discuss decisions about running the club with parents / Carers, however, during busy periods (at the end of the session) it may be necessary to ask Parents / Carers to make an appointment in order to devote attention to their queries / views. Staff should endeavour to devote a respectful amount of time to the Parents / Carers without detracting from the care of the children.

Sensory Soft Play would ask that Parents / Carers complete all the relevant request forms in order to ensure that staff are informed of their wishes relating to their individual child. No child shall be allowed to be taken on outings and special events without the written consent of the Parent / Carer..

Staff will listen to the views and concerns of Parents / Carers, with respect, courtesy and understanding to ensure that we continue to meet their needs and ultimately that of their children.

RISK ASSESSMENT POLICY

Sensory Soft Play uses its risk assessment systems to ensure that the Club is a safe and secure place for children and staff. All staff are expected to undertake risk assessments as part of their routine tasks.

In line with current health and safety legislation and the EYFS Welfare Requirements, the Club will carry out regular risk assessments and take appropriate action to deal with any hazards or risks identified. It is the responsibility of the manager to ensure that risk assessments are completed, logged and monitored.

Risk assessments will be carried out:

whenever there is any change to equipment or resources
- when there is any change to the Club’s premises
- when the particular needs of a child necessitates this.

If changes are required to the Club’s policies or procedures as a result of the risk assessment, the manager will ensure that the relevant documents are updated and that all staff are informed.

Play areas and equipment

All indoor and outdoor play areas are checked and risk assessed daily before the children arrive in accordance with our Risk Assessment policy.
The Club keeps an inventory of resources and equipment, which is updated regularly and reviewed to identify where any additional resources are required.
Children are involved in selecting additional equipment and resources for use at the Club.
Warning children in advance when an activity or game is due to end.

Daily checks

We will carry out a visual inspection of the equipment and the whole premises (indoors and out) daily, before any children arrive. During the course of the session, staff will remain alert to any potential risks to health and safety.

If a member of staff discovers a hazard during the course of a session, they will make the area safe (eg by cordoning it off) and then notify the manager. The manager will ensure that any actions needed to mitigate the immediate hazard have been taken and will implement measures to prevent the incident from recurring.

Recording dangerous events

The manager will record all accidents and dangerous events on the Incident or Accident Record sheets as soon as possible after the incident. If the incident affected a child the record will be kept on the child’s file. The Club will monitor Incident and Accident Records to see whether any pattern to the occurrences can be identified

Risk assessment checks will be carried out on a regular basis including the following areas:

· Building – to include steps, stairs, corridors, and access for DDA, fire, lifts fences & car park.

· Closing and locking up

· COSHH to include all chemicals and cleaning fluids

· Opening-up checks – indoors and outdoors

· Hot drinks

· Individual Healthcare Plans for children

· Lost child

· Medicines – storage, distribution and use

· Outings/trips – risk-assessment of outings and general walk

· Play equipment including climbing frames (critical height), cars, bicycles, trikes.

· Poisonous Plants

· Security

· Serving of food – hygiene and kitchen area

· Special Educational Needs children

· Staffing ratios – what to do if staff are absent

· Visitors to the setting – including contractors

SAFEGUARDING POLICY

Sensory Soft Play is committed to building a ‘culture of safety’ in which the children in our care are protected from abuse and harm.

The Club will respond promptly and appropriately to all incidents or concerns of abuse that may occur. The Club’s child protection procedures comply with all relevant legislation and with guidance issued by the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB).

The Club’s designated Child Protection Officer (CPO) is Mrs Doreen Taylor. The CPO coordinates child protection issues and liaises with external agencies (eg Social Care, the LSCB and Ofsted).

Forms of 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 a child from harm. The following are some signs often associated with particular types of child abuse and neglect. These types of abuse are more often found in combination than alone.

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 or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. 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, including penetrative or non-penetrative acts, or non-contact activities such as showing children pornographic materials, sexual activities, or encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways.
Neglect is the persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and emotional needs. Neglect can involve a failure to:
provide adequate food, clothing and shelter
protect a child from physical and emotional harm
ensure adequate supervision
allow access to medical treatment.

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 talk to them
Listen to the child but not question them
Give reassurance that the staff member will take action
Record the incident as soon as possible (see below).

If a member of staff witnesses or suspects abuse, they will record the incident straightaway. If a third party expresses concern that a child is being abused, we will encourage them to contact Social Care directly. If they will not do so, we will explain that the Club is obliged to and the incident will be logged according

Logging an incident

All information about the suspected abuse or disclosure will be recorded as soon as possible after the event. The record should include:

Date of the disclosure or of the incident 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, it is essential to use the child’s own words.
Name, signature and job title of the person making the record.

The record will be given to the Club’s CPO who will decide whether they need to contact Social Care or make a referral. If other staff feel that the incident has not been adequately followed up, they may call Social Care themselves.

Allegations against staff

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

The allegation will be recorded in the Incident Book. Any witnesses to the incident should sign and date the entry to confirm it.
The allegation must be reported to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and to Ofsted. The LADO will advise if other agencies (eg police) should be informed, and the Club will act upon the advice.
Following advice from the LADO, it may be necessary to suspend the member of staff pending full investigation of the allegation.

Promoting awareness among staff

The Club will promote awareness of child abuse issues throughout its staff training. The Club will ensure that:

All staff have a copy of the Safeguarding Children policy, understand its contents and are vigilant to signs of abuse or neglect
All staff are aware of their statutory requirements with regard to the disclosure or discovery of child abuse

NSPCC: 0808 800 500

17. Safe Recruitment Policy (Staffing, Students & Volunteers)

Sensory Soft Play uses safe recruitment practices to ensure that all people working with the children in our care are safe and qualified to do so. When recruiting paid staff or volunteers we will follow the procedures set out below.

Advertising the vacancy

We will advertise all vacancies, and any job advertisements will include a statement about our commitment to safeguarding children.

Initial enquiry

Upon enquiring about a vacancy, we will send potential candidates:

a job description
- a person specification
- an application form

The application form includes:

instructions that the application form must be completed by hand
- a declaration that all information is correct
- a section under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act that asks if the applicant has been awaiting a verdict, convicted, or cautioned for any relevant offence
- a request for the contact details of two referees one of which should be the last employer; (if this is the candidate’s first job, their course tutor is a suitable alternative)

In order to be considered for interview, all applicants must submit a hand-written application form by the stated closing date. We will only accept CVs if they are also accompanied by our standard application form completed as required.

Interview procedure

We will notify all candidates selected for interview by letter. All candidates will be asked to bring to the following items to the interview:

proof of identity, eg passport, driving licence or birth certificate
- proof of address, eg recent utility bill (not mobile phone) or bank statement
- proof of qualifications, ie the relevant certificates
- for non-British nationals, proof of the right to work in the UK (as required by the Asylum and Immigration Act)

The interview will be conducted by a minimum of two interviewers. All candidates will be asked the same set of questions. We will then ask additional questions about any other issues that arise from their application form, for example gaps in career history, etc.

Only when all candidates have been interviewed and observed in a session will we make our final selection.

When we have selected the successful candidate, we will

send him or her a written offer, which will clearly state that it is subject to the receipt of suitable references and a clear enhanced DBS check
- contact both referees for a reference, including asking them if they have any child protection concerns about the candidate.
- initiate an enhanced DBS check for the candidate
- notify any unsuccessful interviewees

We will also take photocopies of the new member of staff’s qualification certificates and proof of identity and keep these on file, together with their returned DBS check.

When a new member of staff starts work at Sensory Soft Play we will give him or her:

get them to sign their contract; a copy of their contract will be kept on file
- all our Club policies, and ensure that they sign a policy confirmation form to confirm that they have read and understood them; the signed form will be kept on file

DBS checks

New staff will only be allowed to work unsupervised with children when we have received a clear Enhanced DBS check for them. If we decide to allow a new member of staff to begin work pending the completion of their DBS check, we will complete a written risk assessment first and they will not be allowed unsupervised access to the children until their clear DBS check has been received.

All students and volunteers (age over 16 years) will be required to present a valid photographic evidence of ID and address verification (bill, bank statement showing name and address- within last month). Students will be responsible for providing their DBS from their college as well as a reference from their college Tutor, verifying the exact nature of the placement and to ensure that they are provided with the relevant tasks and duties applicable to their studies. They will be requested to wear their College ID at all times to identify them as such to children / parents & Carers. Volunteers will need to provide valid photographic form of ID and address verification (as above) and will be required to undergo the same checks as staff members (CRB).

No person may be allowed to work unsupervised with children until all relevant checks have been verified and completed.

DBS checks for all staff will be updated every three years. Information about the status of DBS checks for all staff is kept on our Central DBS Record form

SECURITY POLICY AND PROCEDURE

Sensory Soft Play considers the security of all staff and children to be of the utmost importance and takes steps to ensure that their health and safety is a priority, as detailed in the Health & Safety Policy adopted by the Club.

Whilst it is acknowledged that the club shares the facility and is not responsible for the maintenance of the building, the Manager will liaise with the Building Management Committee through the Parish Priest to report all identified any security risk to any member of staff and children in our care.

Children are not allowed to leave the Club premises during the session unless prior permission has been given by the parents (for example, to attend other extra-curricular activities). Children will be accompanied back to the Club from these activities by a member of staff, either from the staff or the person running the activity.

During Club sessions all external doors are to be secured, with the exception of fire doors which are alarmed. Staff will monitor the entrances and exits to the premises throughout the session.

All visitors to the Club must sign the visitor’s book and give the reason for their visit. Visitors will never be left alone with the children. If a visitor has no reason to be on the Club’s premises we will escort them from the premises. If the visitor refuses to leave, we will call the police. In such an event an Incident Record will be completed and the manager will be immediately notified.

Staffing Responsibilities:

Staff will follow the Daily Environment Risk checks (as defined in the Risk Assessment) to ensure that the building and equipment is safe and secure for use during the sessions.

Staff will follow the Arrival & Departure procedures to ensure the safety & security of all children whilst in transit and

Security procedures will be regularly reviewed by the manager, in consultation with staff and parents.

ARRIVALS/DEPARTURES PROCEDURE

Sensory Soft Play recognises that the safe arrival and departure of the children in our care is paramount.

The Manager will ensure that an accurate record is kept of all children in the Club, and that any arrivals or departures are recorded in the register. The register will be kept in an accessible location on the premises at all times. This process will be supplemented by regular head counts throughout the session/day.

Our staff will greet each child warmly on their arrival at the Club and will record the child’s attendance in the daily register straightaway, including the time of arrival. Parents must complete an online registration form prior to their child starting which also confirms the parent is happy to follow our medical processes in case of an emergency.

Parents must update any changes to contact information, medical information or other details by updating their child’s information on their account.

If a child arrives at the Club and is not on the register, staff must check with the team lead and the parent before turning the child away. If there is any doubt, ring your line manager Lisa Henderson for advice/confirmation.

It is the parents’ responsibility to inform Sensory Soft Play if they will be late collecting their children. If a child is not collected at the end of a session, and the parent or carer has not notified us that they will be delayed, we will implement the following procedures

After the advertised finish time of the club, the club manager will contact the parents.
The parent or carer will be informed that penalty fees may be charged.
If there is no response from the parent or carer, messages will be left requesting that they contact the Club immediately. The manager will then try to contact the emergency contacts listed on the child’s registration form.
While waiting to be collected, the child will be supervised by at least two members of staff.
When the parent or carer arrives they will be reminded that they must call the Team Lead to notify us if they are delayed, and that penalty fees will have to be charged.

Over 30 minutes late

If Staff have been unable to contact the child’s parents or carers after 30 minutes, the manager will contact the local Social Care team for advice.

The child will remain in the care of two of the Club’s members of staff, on the Club’s premises if possible, until collected by the parent or carer, or until placed in the care of the Social Care team.
If it is not possible for the child to remain at the Club’s premises, a note will be left on the door of the Club informing the child’s parent or carer where the child has been taken (e.g. into the care of a safeguarding agency) and leaving a contact number. A further message will be left on the parent or carer’s telephone explaining events.

Smoking, Alcohol and Drugs

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the premises of Sensory Soft Play, including outside play areas. This rule applies to everyone including staff, people collecting children or any other visitors. If we discover that a child has cigarettes in their possession while at the Club, we will confiscate the cigarettes and notify their parent or carer at the end of the session.

Alcohol

Anyone who arrives at the Club clearly under the influence of alcohol will be asked to leave immediately. If they are a member of staff, disciplinary procedures will follow.

If we discover that a child has alcohol in their possession while at the Club, we will confiscate it and notify their parent or carer at the end of the session.

Drugs

Anyone who arrives at the Club clearly under the influence of illegal drugs will be asked to leave immediately. If they are a member of staff, serious disciplinary procedures will follow.

If we discover that a child has illegal drugs in their possession while at the Club, we will inform their parent or carer.

If a member of staff is taking prescription drugs that may affect their ability to function effectively, they must inform the manager as soon as possible. The manager will then complete a risk assessment.

Safeguarding children

All members of staff have a duty to inform the manager and the CPO if they believe that a parent or carer is a threat to the safety of a child due their being under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs when they drop off or collect their child. The manager and CPO will decide upon the appropriate course of action.

If a parent or carer is clearly over the alcohol limit, or under the influence of illegal drugs, staff will do their utmost to prevent the child from travelling in a vehicle driven by them. If necessary the police should be called.

SPECIAL NEEDS AND INCLUSION POLICY

Sensory Soft Play recognises the individual needs, requirements and the uniqueness of every child.

Staff will endeavour to assist all children to reach their potential, feel included and welcomed and part of the Club, by providing the care and support appropriate to the needs and requirements of the individual child.

Every child will be given the attention they require and each will be determined on their own merits.

No child will be made to feel uncomfortable or at a disadvantage to any other child.

Children with additional needs

I hereby declare that I have read and understood Sensory Soft Play’s Respite Club Policy and Procedures.