In outstanding childcare, safeguarding permeates all aspects of Early Years. The key features of outstanding practice include:
High-quality leadership and management, that makes safeguarding a priority across all aspects of a nursery
Stringent vetting procedures in place for staff
Rigorous safeguarding policies and procedures in place, which are written in plain English, compliant with statutory requirements and updated regularly; in particular, clear and coherent child protection policies
Child protection arrangements that are accessible to everyone, so that children and families, as well as adults in the nursery, know who they can talk to if they are worried
Excellent communication systems, with up-to-date information that can be accessed and shared by those who need it
A high priority is given to training in safeguarding, generally going beyond basic requirements, extending expertise widely and building internally
Robust arrangements for site security understood and applied by all staff, children and parents/carers
A curriculum that is flexible, relevant and engages pupil’s interests; that is used to promote safeguarding, not least through teaching children how to stay safe and how to protect themselves from harm
Courteous and responsible behavior by the children, enabling everyone to feel secure and well-protected
Well thought out and workable day-to-day arrangements to protect and promote children’s health and safety
Rigorous monitoring of absence, with timely and appropriate follow-up, to ensure that children attend regularly
Risk assessment is taken seriously and used to good effect in promoting safety
All staff and parents/carers are aware of the Safeguarding Lead and Safeguarding Deputy