Safety first

 to have a safeguarding policy that lays out in simple terms the steps that you can, and will, take to support families and also report any concerns.

NB: As an Alliance member, you can access our template policies and procedures for free on EYA Central at bit.ly/U5babyandtoddlerPnPs.

Safeguarding our youngest children is more than just having policies in place though – it takes effort and understanding and it’s about creating honest, open spaces where there is dialogue and positive action with a drive to improve the welfare and outcomes for all children.

Within a group, there needs to be a culture of safeguarding where everyone is vigilant and feels empowered to report any concerns they have, seeking support from experts, and sharing information appropriately when required. While parents/carers are at all times responsible for their children, the group leaders take responsibility for the overall environment and safety/wellbeing of those present. Uncomfortable though it may be, it’s important to recognise that safeguarding issues can occur anywhere at any time and so an attitude of “it could happen here” needs to be maintained.

To help to ensure that everyone works together, each local authority area will have a local safeguarding partners (LSP) website that will provide essential resources, contact information and the steps you will need to take to discuss or report a safeguarding concern for a child or vulnerable adult. You will be able to find this by searching using an online search engine for (your local authority’s name) Safeguarding Partner website. Each local authority is slightly different, but you will generally find information on:

• Support and information for families and friends who may be concerned about a child
  
  
• Resources and information for early years educators and other professionals/ organisations working with families
  
  
• Support for young people themselves
  
  
• Details on how to make a referral and what will happen next
  
  
• How to follow up on a concern you have raised
  

In the event of a safeguarding concern at your group, it can be a difficult and emotional time. Therefore, it is good practice to visit and become familiar with your LSP website so you are familiar with how to navigate it and the support available to you. Often the complete picture of a child’s or family’s circumstances are made up from smaller pieces of the 'jigsaw', and so it’s important to recognise that even that little niggle or worry you have could be a part of building the understanding of a child’s situation and how best to support them.

You can also contact the NSPCC to raise a concern on 0808 800 5000 (available 10am-4pm Monday-Friday) or email help@nspcc.org.uk to speak with specialists who can offer advice, support, or make referrals to children's services or police.

If a child is in immediate danger, you can call the police on 999.

Finally, do remember to take care of your own safety and wellbeing. Dealing with safeguarding concerns may trigger memories of personal experiences or upset and you will need to allow for time and space to access support for yourself and your team.

It is vital that as group leaders, you feel confident to deal with safeguarding issues. To support you, the Alliance offers baby and toddler group members free access to a basic safeguarding EYA Learn course in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements 2025.

This CPD-accredited course of four modules will support you to establish the underpinning knowledge you need to carry out your role and to respond in a timely and appropriate way when there are concerns. It can be accessed on EYA Central at bit.ly/U5EYALearnSafeguarding.

The Alliance Baby and Toddler Toolkit helps group leaders reflect on the service they offer to families and tailor their group for the families with whom they interact. If you would like to know more, please visit: bit.ly/BabyToddlerToolkitU5.