An easy way to make practitioners aware of Safeguarding children
It is managers responsibility to ensure practitioners are fully aware of how to safeguard children. On induction the settings policies and procedures should be discussed, giving practitioners an understanding of what to do if they have a concern.
As safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility all managers and practitioners should attend a safeguarding course, this should be refreshed every three years, however with recent updates; it is now managers responsibility to ensure annual safeguarding children training is undertaken, this can be in the form of holding a full staff meeting tailored around safeguarding children. This is an opportunity to share any changes made to the legislation and ensure all Ofsted regulations for safegaurding are being met.
All settings should have a designated safeguarding lead; this person will take the lead on safeguarding for your organisation. All practitioners should be made aware of who this person is. It is good practice to display a photo of this person around the setting to notify practitioners. With recent changes to safeguarding children, designated safeguarding leads need to have safeguarding training every two years and their knowledge and skills should be refreshed at least annually.
As new issues are arising such as Female Genital Mutilation and Breast Ironing it is important that staff are made aware of these.
To help make practitioners aware of how to safeguarding children why not create a simple display. Include posters relating to current issues, e.g., breast ironing, FGM and signs and symptoms of Child abuse.