The importance of safeguarding within wraparound care provision. Why it is so crucial today.

 

Last month, the BBC published an article which revealed that in the last five years, 84 referrals were made about extra-curricular clubs.

However, while any referral is a cause for concern, what we must not lose sight of is that wraparound care provision can be a significant benefit to the safeguarding of children.

Safeguarding is critical when it comes to recognising potential warning signs and liaising effectively and efficiently with the relevant authorities in order to support and help those who are victims of abuse.

Here, Cassie Blackwood, a B11 consultant specialising in Early Years and wraparound care, talks about the crucial role that wraparound care plays in safeguarding children and what you, as a provider, can do to enhance your safeguarding provision.

Continuous support

Wraparound care teams are in regular contact with children and young people throughout much of the year. They are therefore in a very strong position to identify any signs of maltreatment, abuse and neglect.

Wraparound care provides an extension service to school, in a professional and supportive manner and, crucially, in a ‘safe space’ that is familiar to the children that attend.

Safety

First and foremost, it is crucial that wrapround care staff understand the significance of safeguarding children, whilst providing the appropriate environment to keep pupils safe.

The safeguarding policies and procedures of wraparound care providers should be in absolute harmony with those of the school to which the service is attached. Careful consideration should be given to ensure that this is the case – thus providing seamless safeguarding of the children who attend through extended school days.

Such alignment of policies and practice ensures that all staff and volunteers on site are confident and know what action to take when it comes to identifying and responding to any concerns that may arise.

Robust systems

The Department of Education estimates that more than 600,000 children are under surveillance from social care services. Therefore, there is a high probability that staff will be working with vulnerable children in wraparound care. This makes it imperative that teams are well equipped to deal with any situation that they encounter.

Safeguarding in wrapround care

Safeguarding in wraparound care is a vital process that protects children and adults from any harm, abuse, and neglect. Staff must know what action to take in the event of a safeguarding issue, and how children, staff or indeed, the whole provision can be affected if cases are missed.

For every pupil to remain safe, all employees must be trained appropriately so that they can carry out their safeguarding duties in line with statutory guidance.

Staff must be vigilant for potential signs of abuse and neglect to prevent;

• An increase in abuse cases.
• Vulnerable children not being treated with compassion or empathy.
• Increased confusion and distress for individuals suffering abuse, because they have no one to turn to.

Safeguarding principles

There are six safeguarding principles within the Care Act 2014. These are:

1. Empowerment: Ensuring people are confident and supported in making their own decisions and giving informed consent. Empowerment gives individuals choice and control over decisions that are made.
2. Protection: Providing support and representation for those greatest in need. Organisations can implement measures to prevent abuse from occurring and support those at risk.
3. Prevention: It is imperative to act before harm occurs, preventing neglect, harm or abuse. Organisations work to prevent abuse from happening by raising awareness, staff training and making information accessible. They also encourage individuals to ask for help if they feel at risk.
4. Proportionality: Explores what the least intrusive response to a situation is in correlation to the risk. This aims to ensure the individual’s life is impacted as little as possible by accurately assessing the risk.
5. Partnership: Forming partnerships with local communities can create solutions as they can assist in preventing and detecting abuse.
6. Accountability: Safeguarding is everyone’s duty and people who are in contact with a vulnerable person should be responsible for noting any risks. 

Ofsted requirements

• Most childcare providers looking after children under the age of eight must register with Ofsted and adhere to the statutory requirements when looking after children. While there are exemptions, it is advisable to join the voluntary register to demonstrate your commitment to providing an excellent standard of service, including in relation to safeguarding. When you are Ofsted registered, you must file reports on any incidents or complaints that happen to children during your care (no matter how minor they may seem).
• Typically, there needs to be a minimum of one staff member for every eight children under eight years old.

Once you are Ofsted registered, you can expect an Ofsted inspection of your provision within 30 months of your registration. Some questions you could be asked in your inspection are:

• What are your attitudes to child protection and safeguarding?
• Can you tell me about a time when a child behaved in a way that caused you concern?
• Have you ever had concerns about a colleague’s ability to deal with children?
• Can you provide some examples of how you would contribute to making the school a safer environment for children?

Responsibility

While the compulsory part of the childcare register requires you to appoint a lead practitioner with responsibility for safeguarding, a positive action that any wraparound care provider can take is to assign a Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). A DSL is a member of staff who will be responsible for liaising with the school on a daily basis and ensuring arrangements for procedures and policies are in place. The DSL should always be on site to provide support, guidance, and additional help to members of staff in relation to child welfare and protection matters.

The Department for Education (DfE) document entitled Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE September 2021) is safeguarding guidance for childminders and people working in nurseries, pre-schools, schools and colleges (including academies). This includes volunteer roles, too, such as being a member of a governing body.

Anyone working in wraparound care provision who is concerned about a child’s safety and wellbeing must report it as a possible safeguarding issue. Ideally, report the details of your concern to your school’s Designated Safeguarding Lead, or if unavailable, one of the Deputy Safeguarding Leads.

Expert guidance

Here at B11 Education, we understand the vital importance of keeping children safe in education. Through our Safeguarding Audits, we are proud to be supporting education providers across the country with reviews of their safeguarding procedures and processes.

We hope this blog has helped you feel a little more aware and informed of the necessary requirements of safeguarding in wraparound care. Should you have any concerns , please contact us to start a conversation.