Safeguarding best practice: a guide for early years educators

CURA, a safeguarding management solution for vulnerable children and adults, shares the key elements of safeguarding best practice for the early years

Ensuring the safety and protection of children in early years settings – whether in a nursery, pre-school, or childminding setting – is vital for their wellbeing and development. Safeguarding revolves around creating a secure environment by recognising risks and taking prompt, appropriate action when concerns arise.

But what does best practice look like in this context?

Safeguarding refers to protecting children from harm and ensuring they grow up in a safe, supportive environment. This includes their physical, emotional, and psychological safety, in addition to the promotion of healthy development.

In the UK, early years settings must comply with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework and align with key documents like Working Together to Safeguard Children and Keeping Children Safe in Education. These frameworks emphasise the importance of recognising signs of abuse, neglect, and exploitation, and highlight what exactly educators should look out for.

Creating a secure environment is fundamental to safeguarding. Early years educators must conduct regular risk assessments to identify and mitigate hazards, while also ensuring the space is clean and well-maintained to reduce the risk of accidents and infections.

Beyond physical safety, fostering an atmosphere of trust is crucial. Children should feel comfortable and confident in their surroundings, knowing that the adults caring for them will protect and support them. Educators should be approachable, responsive, and consistent in their interactions with children, building a sense of security.

However, it’s crucial to ensure that any disclosures made by children are not answered with leading questions that could be seen as suggestive – always make sure that children are using their own words and that you are simply listening and recording key information.

A key responsibility for all early years staff is recognising signs of abuse or neglect. These can be physical (e.g., unexplained bruises) or behavioural (e.g., withdrawal or aggression). Early years educators should be alert to various forms of abuse:

Physical abuse: Deliberate physical harm, like hitting, pinching, pushing or shaking.

Emotional abuse: Persistent emotional maltreatment, harming a child’s self-esteem, which may include ignoring, putting them down, or treating children as peers/friends.

Sexual abuse: Involvement in sexual activities or exposure to sexual material.

Neglect: Failure to meet basic needs, including nutrition and appropriate clothing, medical care, or educational support.

Staff must be trained to spot indicators and follow clear procedures for reporting concerns.

Every early years setting should have safeguarding policies that outline roles and responsibilities, including the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), who manages concerns and liaises with external agencies.

Clear reporting steps for suspected abuse or neglect are essential. Staff must document concerns accurately, ensuring the child’s welfare remains the priority.

Regular safeguarding training is essential to keep practices current. All staff should receive ongoing training, including how to handle disclosures from children. Scheduled continuous professional development (CPD) ensures that staff are equipped to protect children effectively as safeguarding policies evolve.

A collaborative approach to safeguarding – involving open communication with parents and carers – is key. Early years educators should work closely with families to identify any issues that may affect a child’s wellbeing; providing support or directing families to external services is vital in closing the gaps that can lead to safeguarding concerns in families.

Technology plays an important role in safeguarding. CURA, for example, is a safeguarding software designed to help educators manage concerns efficiently. It uses referral systems to notify relevant staff in real-time about potential issues, ensuring that safeguarding obligations are met.

By fostering vigilance, clear communication, and a secure environment, early years educators can effectively protect the children in their care.