National Minimum Standards for Regulated Day Care - Open Access Play for children aged 5 years to 12 years: statutory guidance - Audience and overview
Standards of care open access play providers must meet to look after children age 5 years to 12 years.
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Standard 15: Safeguarding
Child’s Voice: The staff make sure this is a safe place to play and that I’m protected from harm.
Well-being Outcome: Children are safeguarded from harm, abuse and neglect.
The registered person is responsible for ensuring that:
15.1 Safeguarding of the child is the first priority; it is everybody’s responsibility.
15.2 There is a written child safeguarding policy in place. The policy must adhere to Welsh Government Guidance for all individuals, groups and organisations that provide activities for children and adults in Wales. All organisations should also adhere to the Wales Safeguarding Procedures. In producing this policy, the registered person must also be familiar with the Welsh Government’s statutory guidance on safeguarding children under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014.
15.3 The child safeguarding policy is made available to parents on request and clearly state staff responsibilities for reporting suspected harm, abuse or neglect. It includes contact names and telephone numbers and the procedures to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff or volunteer and the implications for disclosure of information.
15.4 A policy about privacy and confidentiality will be made available to parents on request. Any requests by third parties for information will be discussed with parents and information only shared with their consent. An exception can be made where there is a requirement to report concerns about the welfare or safety of the child, for example in relation to safeguarding.
15.5 All staff have accessed safeguarding training relevant to their work role. A designated member of staff has attended safeguarding training courses and is responsible for liaison with statutory services such as social services in any child safeguarding situation.
15.6 Any persons working and looking after children are able to can put the policy into practice and are aware of safeguarding and child protection issues, as set out in the Wales Safeguarding Procedures, including physical abuse (including physical punishment), neglect, emotional abuse and sexual abuse and are able to are deemed competent to implement the procedures.
15.7 Staff are aware of their responsibility to report concerns about a child’s safety or wellbeing according to Wales Safeguarding Procedures without delay.
15.8 If a child is identified as a child in need of care and support (section 21 of the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act 2014), the registered person, with parents’ permission, gives appropriate information to referring agencies.
15.9 All staff are suitably trained for their role. Annex C, Safeguarding Guidance: Roles and Responsibilities detail the types of roles in playwork and the safeguarding training appropriate to different roles within the sector.
To assist providers, the principal regulatory requirements underpinning this standard are outlined below, followed by relevant guidance. Providers should note that neither list is exhaustive, and that providers must have regard to all standards relevant to their service and the circumstances concerned.
Related Regulations
Further Guidance
National safeguarding training, learning and development standards – Social Care Wales
Statutory Guidance-working-together-to-safeguard-people-volume-i-introduction-and-overview.pdf
Statutory Guidance- working-together-to-safeguard-people-volume-5-handling-individual-cases-to-protect-children-at-risk.pdf
Non-statutory guidance- Working together to safeguard people: code of safeguarding practice | GOV.WALES