Safeguarding

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Safeguarding is defined in Working together to safeguard children 2023 as:

• Providing help and support to meet the needs of children as soon as problems emerge
• Protecting children from maltreatment, whether that is within or outside the home, including online
• Preventing impairment of children’s mental and physical health or development
• Ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
• Promoting the upbringing of children with their birth parents, or otherwise their family network through a kinship care arrangement, whenever possible and where this is in the best interests of the children 
• Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes in line with the outcomes set out in the Children’s Social Care National Framework

Those who work with vulnerable groups, including children, must always act in their best interests and ensure they take all reasonable steps to prevent harm to them. Having safeguards in place within an organisation not only protects and promotes the welfare of children but also it enhances the confidence of staff, volunteers, parents/carers.

At Harpers Nursery and Forest School safeguarding underpins all our policies and procedures and the welfare of the child is paramount.

For the purposes of child protection legislation the term ‘child’ refers to anyone up to the age of 18 years.