Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) states that every adult in Scotland has a role in ensuring all children live safely and can reach their potential. Nursery staff provide support to children and have a vital role in helping to protect them from harm.

Our nursery has a child protection policy and co-ordinator who responds to concerns for children’s safety and wellbeing.

If you have any concerns regarding the safety and wellbeing of a child you must share this with our co-ordinator or any other member of staff. When a young child is at risk of abuse or neglect, confidentiality is not an option.

If we suspect that a child is in need of protection, we are required to inform additional services, such as social services, to assist in the safety and welfare of that child. We will endeavour to speak with you prior to liaising with other agencies.
No single individual can protect children by acting alone. It is the sharing of information, collective thinking, and collaborative action that enables decisions to be made in the best interests of children.

Child Welfare & Safety and Child Protection
All education establishments and services must take positive steps to help children and young people protect themselves by ensuring that programmes of health and personal safety are central to the curriculum and should have in place a curriculum that ensures that children have a clear understanding of the difference between appropriate and in-appropriate behaviour on the part of another person, no matter who. As with other areas of the curriculum, you will be kept informed of the health and personal safety programme for your child’s establishment. Education establishments and services must create and maintain a positive ethos and climate which actively promote children and young people’s welfare and a safe environment by:

• Ensuring that children and young people are respected and listened to.
• Ensuring that programmes of health and personal safety are central to the curriculum
• Ensuring that staff are aware of child welfare & safety and protection.
• Ensuring and maintaining close working relationships and arrangements will all other agencies to make sure that professionals collaborate effectively in protecting children and young people.

Should any member of staff have concerns regarding the welfare or safety of any child or young person, they must report these concerns to the Head of Establishment, the child protection co-ordinator or a member of the management team. After judging that there may be grounds for concern regarding the welfare or safety of any child or young person must then immediately advise social work services of these concerns.