Protecting children from harm, neglect and abuse is the responsibility of every practitioner – whether a staff member, committee member or volunteer – at the Cylch Meithrin. Every Cylch Meithrin has safeguarding policies which explains how the cylch seeks to ensure all children in their care are safe, happy and flourishing.
The cylchoedd promote an atmosphere and ethos which enables children, staff and volunteers to express openly any concerns they may have. The Cylch Meithrin's Child Protection policy and procedures conform to Wales Safeguarding Procedures 2020, Social Services and Wellbeing Act (Wales), The Children Act 1989 and child safeguarding guidance - Working Together under the Children's Act 2004.
The Wales Safeguarding Procedures are available to you as an app. It can be downloaded to a smart phone / ipad and it is important for each cylch to have access to the app (the procedures are also available to read online – www.safeguarding.wales ). The app can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. Type 'Wales Safeguarding Procedures' to search for it. It will update itself when the device it is on is connected to the internet. The procedures provide practitioners with clear guidance on safeguarding issues.
IF THERE IS ANY SUSPICION THAT A CHILD IS SUFFERING OR AT RISK OF SUFFERING ANY HARM THE CHILD SHOULD BE REFERRED TO SOCIAL SERVICES IMMEDIATELY
Policies and Training
- The committee must ensure that ALL practitioners receive training on safeguarding children. The training must be updated every three years.
- All practitioners must know who the setting’s Safeguarding Officer is (usually the Leader and the Responsible Individual / Registered Person) as they are the contact point for dealing with concerns about the safety of a child.
- You must ensure that staff are aware of the cylch's Child Safeguarding Policy and the Prevention Duty included in the policy – which is the duty to prevent violent extremism.
- You must ensure that parents are aware of the Cylch's Child Safeguarding Policy. It is good practice for parents to sign that they have read the policy. There is a confirmation form for parents on the Mudiad Meithrin intranet.
Procedures
- There is a duty to share information about concerns for a child’s safety with Social Services, and possibly the police or other relevant agencies.
- Read here the Seven Golden Rules for Information Sharing
- Advice can always be sought before making a report from the Social Services Child Safeguarding Team
- A report must be sent to Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) about any complaint relating to the protection of children.
- You must ensure that the contact numbers of the local Social Services are visible in the cylch.
- The Cylch should follow the code of practice in accordance with the cylch's Child Safeguarding Policy, which is summarised as a flow chart.
- Where an allegation is made against a practitioner they must be excluded from work while an investigation is carried out by the Social Services in cooperation with the Cylch Meithrin.
Useful briefings are available on these pages about different aspects of the safeguarding procedures, e.g. sharing information 7 minute briefings (northwalessafeguardingboard.wales)
Each cylch has a flow chart that shows how to process a child protection case.
Mudiad Meithrin's Child Protection policy and all the other policies are available to members on the Mudiad Meithrin intranet.
A Safeguarding File is also available which provides guidance about how to keep child safeguarding files. It includes a Safeguarding Incident Reporting Form, chronology form to put at the front of a file, guidance to follow when recording and when a child is disclosing maltreatment, and on-entry form.