Working together to safeguard children (new guidance effective 15 April)

[Simona]

Don't forget to update your policies etc from tomorrow as the new guidance comes into effect

http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/w/working%20together-%20final%20check%20-%2011%20april.pdf

[JoRo163]

A little bit of light reading lol

[Katie1980]

Just printing it off how would I update procedures and is it just my safeguarding ones. Am due pre-reg any day

[sarah707]

Just printing it off how would I update procedures and is it just my safeguarding ones. Am due pre-reg any day

I don't recommend you print it!! :eek: It's pages and pages and pages long!!

Just have a copy in your files and know the key points :D

[Daisy1956]

I was going to print it until I saw it was 97 pages, I have just saved it to a file.

[clareelizabeth1]

I was going to read it and then noticed it was 97 pages to be looked at when Iam awake I think

[Simona]

No major changes just a reduction from the 400+ previous guidance ...make sure you mention in your policy you are following guidance according to the reviewed 'DfE March 2013' and follow your LSCB guidelines on what to do if you have concerns about a child

[cherry]

Thank you :thumbsup:

[dette]

thanks
i thought i would have a quick glance ...its a bit long ..save it for later.something to look forward to .:rolleyes:

[Toothfairy]

Thank you :thumbsup:

[Katie1980]

Cool will update later.. Have saved it 97 pages is massive..

[Simona]

The bit that refers to us in particular:Early Years is 2 paragraphs....short and to the point

Just out of curiosity ...did your EY team inform you by sending a link to this?

[lilac_dragon]

The bit that refers to us in particular:Early Years is 2 paragraphs....short and to the point

Just out of curiosity ...did your EY team inform you by sending a link to this?

Is that meant as a joke?
My EY team don't send me anything!

So, thank you for this.

[chezzagriff]

Nothing better than more paperwork to read through and update. Wouldnt have known if it wernt for this thread though so thanks

[Chatterbox Childcare]

Okay - I must admit I only read the EY bit on page 50 but don't we already have this under the revised EYFS. What else have I missed as I don't want to read it all?

[Simona]

I see what you are saying lilac_dragon...

The reason why I asked is because the LAs have a 'duty' under the Childcare Act 2006 to share information with the providers to support us in maintaining high quality ...that very duty is now under threat as the DfE intends to remove it in their consultations on the changing roles of LAs...
if and when that happens then we will not have to expect LAs to inform us anymore and we will research ourselves but until then it would be 'nice' for them to keep to what they are funded to do

I have been so patient in trying to engage with my LA but have come up against a brick wall...I really don't understand what their game is

For years they have got away with their 'in house' rules and regulation and 152 different ways of supporting cms...we are in this mess partly because of their own methods...having said that I know some LAs are fantastic...so why can't they all be the same and standardise their service to us???

[sarah707]

This is the advice I have given on my FB page - just sharing it here - I know it duplicates some of what Simona has said but some is new advice as well -

New document 'Working together to Safeguard Children' - things to do -

- Update safeguarding policy and procedures to state that you have a copy of the new document in your computer files (don't print it's 90+ pages!!);

- Note in your self evaluation that you have downloaded the new document and will follow the guidance in case of safeguarding concerns in the future;

- Update any LSCB documents you might have - we have to follow the LSCB model safeguarding policy;

- Remove any reference to 'What to do if you think a child is being abused' from your documents / files;

- Make sure you really do have a copy in your computer files in case Ofsted ask!!

https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DFE-00030-2013

[tori4]

As always a big thank for sharing xT

[tashaleee]

This is the advice I have given on my FB page - just sharing it here - I know it duplicates some of what Simona has said but some is new advice as well -

New document 'Working together to Safeguard Children' - things to do -

- Update safeguarding policy and procedures to state that you have a copy of the new document in your computer files (don't print it's 90+ pages!!);

- Note in your self evaluation that you have downloaded the new document and will follow the guidance in case of safeguarding concerns in the future;

- Update any LSCB documents you might have - we have to follow the LSCB model safeguarding policy;

- Remove any reference to 'What to do if you think a child is being abused' from your documents / files;

- Make sure you really do have a copy in your computer files in case Ofsted ask!!

https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DFE-00030-2013

Sarah does this mean that this document has now been deleted and booklets etc need to be binned?

[sarah707]

Sarah does this mean that this document has now been deleted and booklets etc need to be binned?

tricky question - some local safeguarding children boards are telling cms to throw it away.

others say hold onto it.

it is not mentioned in the eyfs.

it is mentioned in appendix C of the new safeguarding guidance.

it is clearly not as important as it once was and the new safeguarding doc is the eyfs requirement...

I suggest if in doubt ask for clarification from your lscb :D

[sarah707]

A number of childminders are worried about which documents to use / keep so I thought a history lesson might be helpful.

Make a coffee, are you sitting comfortably... :laughing:

What to do if you are worried a child is being abused - a history lesson

In 2006 the Department for Education published the document 'What to do if you are worried a child is being abused' - https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/Childrenandfamilies/Page11/DFES-04319-2006.

They told all childminders they MUST have a copy of this document and it was written into the EYFS as law.

Then in 2012 the DofE did 3 things -

1. They reviewed the EYFS

2. They brought together a number of safeguarding documents and rewrote them to form a new document called 'Working together to safeguard children'.

3. At around the same time the safeguarding training requirements changed - safeguarding had to be Local Authority approved via Local Safeguarding Children Boards...


The revised EYFS did not mention 'What to do if you are worried a child is being abused' - it refers us to 'Working together to safeguard children' which was under review in Sept 2012 when the revised Eyfs was published.

The new 'Working Together' document does mention 'What to do if you are worried...' but only in an appendix as an additional piece of information.

A number of LSCBs told their childminders to destroy 'What to do if you are worried...' and remove all mentions of the document from their safeguarding procedures... and just to use 'Working together' and any LSCB information if there was a concern about a child.

Some LSCBs told their childminders to hang onto 'What to do if you are worried...' as good practice.

Ofsted have not commented as far as I am aware.

What most childminders are doing is - changing their safeguarding procedures to talk about 'Working Together' because that is the statutory document... putting 'Working Together' in their computer files because it's too long to print... AND keeping 'what to do if...' in their files somewhere to cover all bases.

New 'Working Together' for your files - https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DFE-00030-2013.

Then, if there is a safeguarding problem, they refer it to LSCB anyway so it's not a problem.

I hope that helps explain it all :D

[Houlgated]

The more i come on this forum the more i realise i need to read up about - there are not enough hours in the day to catch up so thank you Sarah and others for all the helpful abbreviations and important bits.:clapping:

[janminder]

Many thanks for info. Have saved a copy and made a note to update policy:)

[loocyloo]

thank you!

just a little something else to think about !!!:D