Safeguarding for the childcare sector
It is the expectation that all providers have a sound understanding of safeguarding children and child protection.
Introduction
Here you will find local and national guidance and information to support you in meeting your statutory duties. Leicester’s Safeguarding Children Partnership Board (LSCPB) and HM Government publications can be found via the links below. These resources can be utilised by designated safeguarding leads in embedding quality safeguarding practice.
LSCPB guidance
- Online procedures
- Safeguarding Competency Framework
- Safeguarding training
- Threshold for access to services
- Report a concern
- Early help - Leicester City Council's offer
- Multi-Agency Referral Form - MARF (online form)
- Allegations against adults that work with children (LADO)
- Safeguarding Matters - OView the previously recorded briefing
- Children's Advice Support and Prevention team (CASP) 0116 454 1004. The service is open 24 hours, 7 days a week, all year. CASP-team@leicester.gov.uk
Should you have concerns about a child in your care that lives outside of the city boundaries, view Leicestershire County Council's reporting guidance
HM Government publications
- Working together to safeguard children
- What to do if you are worried about a child
- Information sharing: advice for practitioners
- Keeping children safe in education
- UKCIS Safeguarding Children and Protecting Professionals in Early
Years Settings (Online safety guidance for managers) - Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills settings - This document has been removed from the gov.uk website, however the content has been embedded within the Early years inspection handbook
- DBS Update Service
Prevent duty guidance and resources
- Prevent duty guidance: England and Wales (2023)
- Prevent duty guidance update: a briefing for schools and early years providers
- Prevent duty online training: learn how to support people susceptible to radicalisation
- Educate against hate resources
- Educate against hate Facebook page
- Refer someone to the Prevent team (leics.police.co.uk)
- Making a referral to Prevent
- Prevent Leicestershire Police
- Police Prevent team phone number: dial 101
There are some valuable new training opportunities added to the government Prevent offer, that supports Designated Safeguarding Leads with their referral responsibilities outlined within the Prevent Duty. This is in addition to Course 1 - Awareness Course.
Be sure to explore this free training opportunity: Course 2 - The Referral Course: Prevent duty training: Learn how to support people susceptible to radicalisation | Prevent duty training.
Leicester City Prevent Education Officer - Ailsa Coull Telephone: 0116 4546923 or 07962703743 Email: ailsa.coull@leicester.gov.uk
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
All early years providers are required to have a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).
As the designated lead, you are responsible for ensuring that all safeguarding concerns are appropriately managed, that staff feel supported in their safeguarding practice, that your settings safeguarding policies and procedures are up to date and are being effectively implemented.
Whilst this is not an exhaustive list of the tasks linked to the role of the DSL, it illustrates how far the scope of responsibilities stretch. For more information on what is expected of a DSL, see the Education Inspection Framework and EYFS statutory framework.
To ensure that you are a competent and confident DSL, it is strongly advised that you schedule time in your calendar (as frequently as you consider necessary) to explore the Local Safeguarding Children Partnership Board (LSCPB) website. There is a wealth of information available relevant to your role and being skilled in navigating the website and familiarising yourself with the content, will only improve your practice as a DSL. Not only will you keep your knowledge and understanding up to date, you will be better equipped to support your team (they too should often explore the site to keep themselves up to date), children, and their families.