This page outlines the guidelines and standards that the company follows in various areas such as privacy, security, sustainability, refund, and returns policies, among others. It serves as a reference point for customers or clients to understand the expectations from the business and can be used as a tool to build trust and credibility.
At S4A we will deal promptly and effectively with any illnesses or injuries that occur while children are in our care. We take all practical steps to keep staff and children safe from communicable diseases.
All parents or carers must complete a Medical Form / Medicine Consent Form when their child joins the Club, if their child has a medical condition or needs medication.
If a child arrives with a pre-existing injury, parents must fill in an Existing Injury Form.
We will record any accidents or illnesses, together with any treatment given, on an Incident Report Form, which the parent or carer will be asked to sign when they collect the child.
S4A cannot accept children who are ill. If any children are ill when they first arrive at the Club we will immediately notify their parents or carers to come and collect them. Any children who have been ill should not return to the Club until they have fully recovered. For illnesses which have caused vomiting and/or diarrhoea, children must be symptom free for 48 hours before returning to Club.
First aid
The designated First Aider has a current first aid certificate and has attended a 12 hour paediatric first aid course. Other members of staff have also received first aid training.
Procedure for a minor injury or illness
The first aider at the session will decide upon the appropriate action to take if a child becomes ill or suffers a minor injury.
If a child becomes ill during a session, the parent or carer will be asked to collect the child as soon as possible. The child will be kept comfortable and will be closely supervised while awaiting collection.
If a child complains of illness which does not impair their overall wellbeing, the child will be monitored for the rest of the session and the parent or carer will be notified when the child is collected.
If a child suffers a minor injury, first aid will be administered and the child will be monitored for the remainder of the session. If necessary, the child’s parent will be asked to collect the child as soon as possible.
Procedure for a major injury or serious illness
In the event of a child becoming seriously ill or suffering a major injury, the first aider at the session will decide whether the child needs to go straight to hospital or whether it is safe to wait for their parent or carer to arrive.
If the child needs to go straight to hospital, we will call an ambulance and a member of staff will go to the hospital with the child. The staff member will take the child’s Medical Form with them if necessary. We will contact the child’s parents or carers with all urgency, and if they are unavailable we will call the other emergency contacts that we have on file for the child.
After a major incident the manager and staff will review the events and consider whether any changes need to be made to the Club’s policies or procedures.
All major incidents should be reported to Matt Ogle or Adam Kirkup, and should be reported via CPOMS.
Communicable diseases and conditions
If a case of head lice is found at the Club, the child’s parents or carers will be discreetly informed when they collect the child. Other parents will be warned to check their own children for head lice, but care will be taken not to identify the child affected.
If an infectious or communicable disease is detected on the Club’s premises, we will inform parents and carers as soon as possible.
In the case of food poisoning, if two or more children looked after at the Club are affected, the Manager will inform Ofsted within 14 days.
The club will also notify Ofsted of any serious accident, illness, injury or death that occurs.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 23/1/24 To be reviewed: 23/1/27
If a child attending an S4A Holiday Club or Football camp requires prescription medication of any kind, their parent or carer must complete a consent to administer medication form in advance. Staff at the Club will not administer any medication without such prior written consent.
Ideally children should take their medication before arriving at the Club. If this is not possible, children will be encouraged to take personal responsibility for their medication, if appropriate.
If children carry their own medication (eg asthma inhalers), the Club staff will offer to keep the medication safe until it is required. Inhalers must be labelled with the child’s name. Parents must also complete a consent to administer medication form.
S4A can only administer medication that has been prescribed by a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist. All medication provided must have the prescription sticker attached which includes the child’s name, the date, the type of medicine and the dosage.
A designated staff member will be responsible for administering medication or for witnessing self-administration by the child. The designated person will record receipt of the medication on the consent to administer medication form, will check that the medication is properly labelled, and will ensure that it is stored securely during the session.
Before any medication is given, the designated person will:
When the medication has been administered, the designated person must:
If a child refuses to take their medication, staff will not force them to do so. The manager and the child’s parent or carer will be notified, and the incident recorded on the Medicine Record Form.
Certain medications require specialist training before use, e.g. Epi Pens. If a child requires such medication the manager will arrange appropriate training as soon as possible. It may be necessary to absent the child until such training has been undertaken. Where specialist training is required, only appropriately trained staff may administer the medication.
A child’s parent or carer must complete a new consent to administer medication form if there are any changes to a child’s medication (including change of dosage or frequency).
If a child suffers from a long term medical condition the Club will ask the child’s parents to provide a medical care plan from their doctor, to clarify exactly what the symptoms and treatments are so that the Club has a clear statement of the child’s medical requirements.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 23/1/24 To be reviewed: 23/1/27
S4A has a clear and simple behaviour management strategy that is seen in every setting and every school. All staff must adhere to this strategy so it is consistently used by all members of the team and so children understand and respect the boundaries, without getting confused about what is expected of them.
In every school and setting, S4A expect children to:
Encouraging positive behaviour
At S4A positive behaviour is encouraged by:
It is inevitable that as children develop and learn, there are times when they need support and guidance to understand that their behaviour is not acceptable. Staff at S4A will try to determine the cause or triggers of the inappropriate behaviour to prevent the situation from recurring.
Dealing with inappropriate behaviour at our settings
Challenging behaviour will be addressed in a calm, firm and positive manner by S4A staff.
We will undertake a 3 step process for minor disruptions:
If there is an issue between children within the setting, staff will encourage and facilitate mediation between these children to try to resolve conflicts through discussion and negotiation.
If the inappropriate behaviour appears to be as a result of boredom, staff will consult with the child to find activities that more fully engage them.
However, we will not:
Recording Behavioural Incidents
Team members will record any behavioural incidents that have reached step 3 on a behavioural incident form. These forms will be uploaded onto the shared drive and a hard copy will be signed by and given to parents upon collection. If parents do not collect, the setting manager will call them the same day as the incident has occurred.
Incidents will also be recorded onto a master log by settings managers, recording days incidents occur and a brief description so that any patterns in behaviour can be identified.
If a pattern of incidents indicates possible abuse, we will implement child protection procedures in accordance with our Safeguarding policy.
3 Strike Rule
If after consultation with parents and the implementation of behaviour management strategies, a child continues to display inappropriate behaviour, the Club may decide to exclude the child for a length of time if there are 3 occurrences. The reasons and processes involved will be clearly explained to the child and parents.
Physical intervention
Physical intervention will only be used as a last resort, when staff believe that action is necessary to prevent injury to the child or others, or to prevent significant damage to equipment or property. If a member of staff has to physically restrain a child, the operations manager will be notified and an Incident record will be completed. The incident will be discussed with the parent or carer the same day.
If staff are not confident about their ability to contain a situation, they should call the manager or, in extreme cases, the police.
Corporal punishment
Corporal punishment or the threat of corporal punishment will never be used at any S4A setting.
We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that no child who attends our Club receives corporal punishment from any person who cares for or is in regular contact with the child, or from any other people on our premises.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 23/1/24 To be reviewed: 23/1/27
S4A CANCELLATIONS / CREDIT POLICY
At S4A, we do not issue cash refunds for cancellations. However, we offer the flexibility to transfer cancelled sessions to another day or to receive a credit note, which remains valid for six months from the date of issue.
Parents must contact us within 48 hours of making a booking to apply credit to that booking. After this, credit cannot be applied to the booking and payment must be paid in full.
For breakfast clubs and holiday clubs, kindly notify us before the session begins in order to qualify for a credit note or transfer. Unfortunately, if the cancellation occurs after the session has started, no credit will be issued.
For after school wraparound care and clubs, kindly notify us before 12:00 on the day of the session in order to qualify for a credit note or transfer. Unfortunately, if the cancellation occurs after 12:00 on the day of the session, no credit will be issued.
This applies to all sessions by S4A Group Ltd.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 5/1/26 To be reviewed: 5/1/29
S4A acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice.
The policy recognises that the welfare and interests of children are paramount in all circumstances. It aims to ensure that regardless of age, gender, religion or beliefs, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation or socioeconomic background, all children have a positive and enjoyable experience of sport at S4A in a safe and child centred environment and are protected from abuse whilst participating in any of our clubs or sessions or whilst outside of the activity.
S4A acknowledges that some children, including disabled children and young people or those from ethnic minority communities, can be particularly vulnerable to abuse and we accept the responsibility to take reasonable and appropriate steps to ensure their welfare.
As part of our safeguarding policy S4A will promote and prioritise the safety and well-being of children and young people. Our aim is:
Monitoring
The policy will be reviewed a year after development and then every three years, or in the following circumstances:
Although we take the utmost care, S4A cannot be held responsible for any injury during our clubs.
We cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage to personal belongings. An appropriate adult must register and sign-out each child.
Safeguarding Children Policy
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 23/1/24 To be reviewed: 23/1/27
S4A coaches and volunteers involved in sport for children and young people have a great opportunity to be a positive role model and help build an individual’s confidence.
Staff and volunteers are expected to:
Staff and volunteers have the right to:
Any minor misdemeanours and general misbehaviour will be dealt with immediately and reported verbally to the designated person.
Serious or persistent breach of the code will result in disciplinary action and could lead to dismissal from S4A.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 23/1/24 To be reviewed: 23/1/27
How to complete the complaints record
You are not required to use this complaints record but whatever format is used must include all of the information held in this record. Ofsted will check your complaints record during inspection.
When completing the record you should bear in mind that it must be shared with any parent who asks to see it as well as with Ofsted. It is important to maintain appropriate confidentiality when filling in the record. This means that you should not name the person making the complaint or any persons (adults and children) that the complaint relates to.
Source of complaint
You need to record here who made the complaint. Where people complain to Ofsted, they will normally be referred back to the Early Years provider. Where Ofsted carries out an investigation into your continued suitability to provide childcare following a complaint, they will tell you of the outcome of their investigation. Where they do this, you should enter Ofsted as the source and the Ofsted complaint number, if known.
Nature of complaint
The record is intended only for complaints relating to the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or Childcare Register. You must record one or more requirements to which the complaint refers. If you are unsure you should refer to the EYFS or the Requirements of the Childcare Register. You must include all details associated with the complaint, taking care not to name individuals.
How it was dealt with
You must provide information on how you investigated the complaint. You will need to record:
Actions and outcomes
You must provide details about the outcome of your investigation. You will need to record:
You must share an account of the findings of your investigation and the action, if any, that you took or you intend to take as a result of your investigations with parents at the setting. You must do this within 28 days from the date the complaint was made. You can do this by sharing this record. If they ask you to do so, or if you think it is appropriate, you should send a separate letter to the parent who made the complaint giving more details.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 06/3/26 To be reviewed: 06/3/29
At S4A, we respect the privacy of children attending our setting and the privacy of their parents/carers, as well as the privacy of our staff. Our aim is to ensure that all those using and working at S4A, can do so with confidence that their personal data is being kept secure.
At S4A we handle personal data relating to a living individual who can be identified from that information, ie Name and DOB. We also hold Sensitive Personal Data which is any data that can be used in a discriminatory way, ie: religion, ethnicity, medical conditions, behavioural needs, (anything that can be viewed as information that can be used to bully). At S4A, data is held in electronic format.
Data Protection Law:
The Data Protection Act 1998 and Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR compliance describes how organisations such as S4A must collect, handle and store personal information. This Policy is to comply with both the Law and Good Practice of S4A and respect individual rights and will include: Staff, Individual Children and Families of S4A.
These rules apply regardless of whether data is stored electronically, on paper or on other materials. To comply with the law, personal information must be collected and used fairly, stored safely and not disclosed unlawfully.
The Data Protection Act is underpinned by eight important principles. These say that personal data must:
This Policy applies to information held at/by S4A at their offices in Buckingham Industrial Estate, Buckingham and Maids Moreton House, Maids Moreton and online at individual settings in schools.
This Policy supports and protects S4A from data security risks, including:
Responsibilities:
S4A recognise that there may be issues that arise which are sensitive and should not be discussed in an open forum. Management, Staff and volunteers are expected to maintain confidentiality about all issues relating to individuals, families, children and staff contracted by S4A.
Data Protection forms part of staff’s induction. There will be times when staff will discuss particular issues within a staff meeting or other meetings, but these are not to be discussed outside the meeting/setting. The Management will also discuss matters relating to staff and these discussions will also be kept to the confines of the meeting/setting.
S4A recognises that personal information is given to us for specific reasons only and we take our duty of care regarding confidentiality very seriously. All records are kept confidential and secure on and off site. Everyone who works for S4A has a responsibility for ensuring data is collected, stored and handled appropriately. Each staff member that handles personal data must ensure that is handled and processed in line with this Policy, Data Protection Principles and Data Protection Registration Requirements. Data will only be shared with third parties for the safety and well-being of the children in our care. We will only share information about a child/ren with outside agencies on a need-to know basis and with consent from parents, except in cases relating to safeguarding children, criminal activity, or if required by legally authorised bodies (eg Police, HMRC, etc). If we decide to share information without parental consent, it will be accurate and up to date information and we will record this, clearly stating our reasons. Our primary commitment is to the safety and well-being of the children in our care.
Confidentiality:
At S4A we respect confidentiality in the following ways:
Right to Erasure:
We will only delete photos/digital images and videos from our website, promotional material and Facebook page if it is reasonable to do so and is not going to involve disproportionate effort. We refuse to destroy any data that we must hold for statutory reasons, such as Health and Safety and Safeguarding data and there might be times when we refuse to comply with a request for erasure for certain reasons. Data that S4A collects is to protect the interests of parents/carers/children/staff and we ensure we are not using data in ways that are deemed as intrusive or which could cause harm unless we have very good reason.
Subject Access Request:
Parent’s/carers/children/staff have a right to request and see all of their data that S4A holds about them. We will provide the requested information in easy formats such as PDF/XLS/CSV or as soon as practicable or within 30 days (whichever is the sooner) If our data is found to be incorrect or out of date, we will update it promptly.
Parents/carers can ask us to delete data, but this may mean that we can no longer provide care to the child, as we have a legal obligation to keep certain data. In addition, even after a child has left our care, we have to keep some data for specific periods, so won’t be able to delete all data immediately. Similarly, Staff/ volunteers can ask us to delete their data, but this may mean that we can no longer employ them, as we have a legal obligation to keep certain data. In addition, even after a staff member has left our employment, we have to keep some data for specific periods, so won’t be able to delete all data immediately. . If any individual about whom we hold data has a complaint about how we have kept their information secure, or how we have responded to a subject access request, they may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Data Auditing and Monitoring
S4A will undertake regular monitoring of the data we hold, what it is being used for and how long it is stored. Data obtained will be used to inform future policies and procedures, target marketing and to ensure compliance with GDPR guidelines and the Data Protection Act. If any data is no longer needed it will be destroyed as set out below.
Data Storage and destruction:
S4A’s data is stored on site securely in a locked fireproof cabinet; staff personnel records are also stored in this way and/or on S4A’s Secure Electronic Database. This electronic data is protected from unauthorised access, accidental deletion, and malicious hacking attempts. All servers and computers used by S4A are protected by a firewall and security/ encryption software.
Once a child/parent/carer/staff/volunteer/visitor has left S4A, their data will be held for 2 months after the current academic year has ended and a further 2 years thereafter. After which, all data will be destroyed unless the data is regarding Health & Safety and Safeguarding purposes. When S4A retains data that is relating to Health & Safety /Safeguarding, it will not be shared unless required by Law. Any electronic data will be deleted after the referred to time period and removed from the recycle bin which will also be emptied at this time. Paper data will be shredded using a crosscut shredder within the referred to time period. Any personal and payroll data forms part of HMRC requirements and will be kept for legal reasons.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
E-Safety encompasses internet technologies and electronic communications such as mobile phones and wireless technology. It highlights the need to educate children and young people about the benefits and risks of using new technology and provides safeguard and awareness for users to enable them to control their online experiences.
S4A’s e-safety policy will operate with other policies including those for behaviour, bullying and safeguarding.
Good Habits:
E-safety depends on effective practice at a number of levels;
Why is internet use important?
The purpose of the internet in S4A is to raise educational standards and a necessary tool for learning. Access to the internet is therefore an entitlement for children who show a responsible and mature approach to its use. Our club has a duty to provide children with quality internet access.
Children will use the internet outside of the club and will need to learn how to evaluate internet information and to take care of their own safety and security.
How can internet use enhance learning?
World Wide Web
If staff or children discover unsuitable sites, time and content must be reported to the manager so action can be taken. Staff will ensure that the use of internet derived materials by children, and staff complies with copyright law.
Social Networking
Filtering
The club will work in partnership with the primary school and the local authority to ensure filtering systems are in place.
Managing emerging technologies
Emergency technologies will be examined for educational benefit and risk assessment will be carried out before use in the club is allowed. Mobile phones are not allowed in the club with children. If a child is found with a mobile phone it will be taken from them and placed in a locked cupboard, parents will then be contacted and it will be the parents’ responsibility to collect the phone from the club.
Published content and the school website
The contact details of the website should be the clubs address, email and telephone number. Staff or children’s personal information will not be published. The Manager or nominee will take overall editorial responsibility and ensure that content is accurate and appropriate.
Information system security
Protecting personal data
Personal data will be recorded, processed, transferred and made available according to the Data Protection Act 1998.
Assessing Risks
The club will take reasonable precautions to prevent access to inappropriate material. However, due to the international scale and linked internet content, it is not possible to guarantee that unsuitable material will never appear on the clubs computer. The club cannot accept liability for the material accessed or any consequences of internet access. The club should audit ICT use to establish if the e-safety policy is adequate and that the implementation of the e-safety policy is appropriate.
Handling e-safety complaints
E-Safety Rules
These e-safety rules help to protect children and the club and describing acceptable and unacceptable computer use.
The club owns the computer network and can set rules for its use.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 06/3/26 To be reviewed: 06/3/29
S4A will make every effort to keep the Club open, but in exceptional circumstances, we may need to close at short notice. This decision will not have been taken lightly and may well have been determined by an external body such as the local authority. Should this situation arise, we will make every effort to minimise the inconvenience, to staff, children and parents, and will aim to re-open as soon as is practicable.
Possible reasons for emergency shutdown of the Club include, but are not limited to:
Should we need to evacuate the premises whilst the Club is in session, we will follow our Emergency Evacuation procedure, as outlined in our Fire Safety policy.
Notifying parents of closure
If the Club is forced to close at short notice the Manager will use the emergency contact details we have on file to notify parents as soon as possible by phone, email, text or social media.
To ensure that all parents receive the information, we will post a notice on the main entrance door of the Club premises. In addition, we will notify the feeder schools, and ask that they display a notice informing parents of the closure.
If the Club has been forced to close for a specific period of time, we will also inform parents of the planned date for reopening.
Session fees
There will be no refund of fees if the Club closes for a one-off short-term incident eg a snow day.
In the event of a prolonged forced closure, we must ensure that the Club remains financially viable. We have fixed costs which continue even when the club is closed.
If the closure is forced by an event that is covered by our insurance, we will not charge for sessions when we are closed. Unfortunately, not all events can be insured against, so in situations that are not covered by our insurance we must still charge full fees. Please feel free to contact info@s4aclub.co.uk if you wish to query this further.
Related documents
Emergency Evacuation procedure as outlined in our Fire Safety policy, Admissions and Fees policy
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 06/3/26 To be reviewed: 06/3/29
At S4A we are committed to anti-discriminatory and inclusive practice for all children, families and staff. We respect and value the diversity which exists within our setting and in the wider community. We are committed to challenging attitudes that promote discrimination, ensuring respect for all and preparing all children for life in a diverse society.
The legal framework for this policy is the Equalities Act 2010. The legislation provides protection against discrimination for people who share the following protected characteristics:
S4A Aims:
To achieve the Club’s objective of creating an environment free from discrimination and welcoming to all, the Club will:
In order to fulfil these aims we strive to:
Attendees
Our setting is open to all members of the community: We welcome all families equally. We advertise our service in the community. We reflect the diversity of members of our society in our publicity and promotional materials. We provide information in clear, concise language, whether in spoken or written form. We do not discriminate against any children, parents or carers on any grounds. We ensure that all parents and carers are made aware of our equalities policy.
We will ensure that everyone attending our setting is equally valued, treated with equal respect and concern, and that the needs of each individual are addressed. We will ensure that each child and family has equal access and entitlement to all available opportunities for learning, experiences and resources.
Children’s Rights
Central to all good inclusive practice are children’s rights. By using the principle that inclusion is a right for all children, S4A aims to make sure that every child:
Children with additional needs
Our Club recognises that some children have additional needs or physical disabilities that
require particular support and assistance. We will assess the individual needs of each child in consultation with their parents prior to their attending the Club, and will make reasonable adjustments to ensure that children can access our services and are made to feel welcome, supported and safe.
Ethos and Atmosphere
The success of S4A in achieving equality can be judged by the atmosphere within each setting. Everyone should feel welcome, secure and confident at all times. We treat everyone with respect and with consideration of their diverse needs. We provide a welcoming atmosphere with approachable staff – everyone is welcomed on arrival and wished well on departure in a way that is appropriate for them.
Equality is about seeing and accepting each other and all families as unique, and making sure that everything possible is done to give all children and their families the chance to develop their full potential, in an atmosphere of mutual respect. We have a commitment to promoting good relations between different groups. We have a commitment to challenging and eradicating prejudice. S4A are committed to ensuring that all adults are good role models for the children.
The settings manager is committed to the active participation of children, parents/carers, staff and others to ensure good quality provision and to ensure each individual’s needs are met. Action will be taken against discrimination and offensive remarks will be dealt with by way of further training or disciplinary proceedings if necessary. We encourage parents and carers to be aware of our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy.
Diets
Our main aim is that meal times should be a pleasurable and rewarding experience. We believe that food is a very important part of the day and should meet each child’s nutritional, cultural and emotional needs. Individual diets are catered for in consultation with parents and carers and, if necessary, other health professionals.
We feel very strongly that we have a responsibility to honour parents’ and carers’ wishes and cultural requirements, such as special diets on religious or other grounds. We also feel it is vital that no child should be made to feel self-conscious about special dietary requirements, so we try to offer foods which meet all needs wherever possible.
Children are encouraged to participate in cooking and tasting dishes from various cultures. Cooking and sharing food is a very enjoyable and social activity which allows for a great deal of practical work, and stimulates talk related to the senses of feeling, smelling, tasting and seeing food change during the cooking process. Children also have opportunities to learn about health, safety, hygiene, measuring, science, nutrition and to develop their vocabulary and language generally.
Staff and Employment
We are an equal opportunity employer; posts are advertised and all participants are judged against explicit and fair criteria. All job descriptions include a commitment to equality and diversity as part of their specifications. We will consider positive action when recruiting to posts, to attract people from under-represented groups into our workforce.
All new staff will receive an induction which includes reading policies and participating in inhouse training. All staff are expected to abide by the principles of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy. Should staff encounter discrimination against themselves, the grievance procedure is detailed in the staff handbook.
Training
We seek out training opportunities for staff and volunteers to enable them to develop practices which enable all children to flourish. We review our practices to ensure that we are fully implementing our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy. We ensure that all staff have an understanding and knowledge of equality and diversity, and the characteristics of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Policy.
All staff are aware that attitudes, environments, structures and policies should not disadvantage particular children, parents or staff. We actively seek ways to counter the learning of negative attitudes and behaviour towards differences. We check that our resources reflect diversity and do not promote negative stereotypes.
Taking Action Against Discrimination
Discrimination can take several forms:
All staff are expected to abide by the principles of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy. If a member of staff fails to challenge discriminatory behaviour, then this will be investigated and appropriate action will follow, either more training and support or disciplinary action.
It is not acceptable to make fun of any aspect of a person’s identity, such as their skin colour, their name, their disability, their gender, their religion, language/dialect/accent, etc. Anyone who breaks the rule, adult or child, should be told that we do not allow behaviour or talk like that in the setting, and they should be helped to see how they have given offence. By supporting them with explanations (especially if it’s their first time their prejudice has been challenged) rather than blaming them personally, it is more likely to help them change their ideas and behaviour. At the same time it must be clear to people, especially to the victim of such behaviour, that we are not excusing it, that we take it very seriously and do not expect it to happen again.
Whenever such an incident occurs, support for the victim comes first. We need to show we care about their feelings by saying so “I know it hurts when people call you names. He/she was wrong to say that and I will tell him/her not to do it again” – with a cuddle if appropriate. Remarks are dealt with within a framework created by this policy and our knowledge of it to challenge discrimination and offensive attitudes.
There is no longer a requirement to report racial incidents to the Local Authority. All practitioners will have relevant training on ways of dealing with incidents. We understand that it is essential that young children’s curiosity and questions about physical and cultural differences are not avoided, but answered simply and honestly in a way that they can understand. We aim to handle questions about differences honestly, sensitively and openly.
Challenging inappropriate attitudes and practices
We will challenge inappropriate attitudes and practices by engaging children and adults in
discussion, by displaying positive images of race and disability, and through our staff
modelling anti-discriminatory behaviour at all times.
A. HEAR If you hear it, don’t let it pass or walk away. Challenge it. Practitioners must always actively intervene if children, students or staff are laughed at, called names or injured because they are different in some way.
B. SUPPORT The victim must be given immediate comfort and the issue addressed with the perpetrator in a sensitive and supportive way immediately after the incident. It must be clearly explained to the perpetrator that what has happened is wrong and hurtful and that it will not be condoned.
C. RESPOND Say at once that this behaviour is not allowed in the Nursery. D. INFORM Point out untrue statements and give correct information.
E. ACTION: Anyone listening or overhearing the incident must be helped to understand that what was said or done was wrong, hurtful and unacceptable (this can be done through group circle time).
A member of the senior team will inform the parent/carer of both the perpetrator and the victim of any discriminatory incident in a non- threatening way as soon after the incident.
Equal Opportunities Named Coordinator
The Club’s Equal Opportunities Named Coordinator (ENCO) is Matthew Ogle. The ENCO is responsible for ensuring that:
Complaints
Please refer to our complaints policy.
Monitoring
The data from all complaints will be used to identify trends and areas of concern, allowing the organisation to continually improve its equality practices.
We ensure that all employees are aware through training and regular communication. We can provide information on external resources or agencies that employees can turn to if they believe that any issues were not adequately addressed within the company.
At S4A, we are committed to adhering to all relevant laws and regulations related to complaint management and discrimination. We encourage employees to provide feedback on the complaints process and how their concerns or suggestions will be taken into account for future improvement.
All policy management and procedures will be reviewed regularly and updated to ensure that they remain effective and aligned with the best practices.
Our organisation has a commitment to addressing issues promptly and transparently, fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 01/11/24 To be reviewed: 01/11/27
S4A is committed to meeting the requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage 2017 (EYFS). EYFS applies to all children from birth through to the end of their reception year. More information about EYFS is available from the Department for Education’s website.
There is designated EYFS coordinator at each setting is who is responsible for:
The Club provides a mix of adult-led and child-initiated activities. The Club always follows play principles, allowing children to choose how they occupy their time, and never forces them to participate in a given activity.
We recognise the four overarching principles of EYFS:
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 23/3/24 To be reviewed: 23/3/27
Written in accordance with the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2017): Before/after school care and holiday provision [3.40] and Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements: Information for parents and carers [3.73] and The Learning and development requirements, Footnote 5, p7
EMERGENCY EVACUATION OF THE BUILDING MUST FOLLOW THIS PROCEDURE, eg fire, gas leak, bomb alert
It is imperative that all fire doors are used only in the event of an emergency and are kept closed at all other times
IF YOU DISCOVER A FIRE- Immediately operate the nearest fire alarm call point.
ON HEARING THE ALARM:
Assembly Point:
All to assemble on the school field for roll call and report to the person in charge.
In the event of it being impossible to return to the building, the manager will contact parents to come and collect the children.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 23/3/23 To be reviewed: 23/3/27
Policy statement
This policy applies to any individual preparing food at any S4A setting. S4A will provide and/or serve food for children on the following basis:
We maintain the highest possible food hygiene standards with regard to the purchase, storage, preparation and serving of food.
Food Safety
It is the responsibility of S4A to ensure that all food brought on to the premises complies with the Food Safety (1990) Act and that only reputable suppliers are used.
A risk assessment must be completed to minimise any possible risk of food contamination.
In accordance with the Food Safety (Temperature Control) Regulations (1995) S4A team members will be responsible for ensuring that adequate provision is made for storage of all food at all times.
All food handlers are trained in food hygiene matters as required by the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995.
All settings and equipment used for the preparation, serving or storage of food shall be in an appropriate sanitary state.
All food handlers must be medically fit for the purpose of handling food.
When preparing food, staff (kitchen or general) will observe current legislation regarding food hygiene and training by:
How food is stored
Food is bought on a weekly basis and is stored in lines with the storage labels on the food. Refrigerated food is stored at 8 c or below. Fresh food will be stored in the fridge.
Cleaning of Food Storage Areas
Every week the fridge is thoroughly cleaned and all items in the fridge are checked for freshness, and all food past their use by or best before date are correctly disposed of.
Cleaning of food preparation surface
Good Food Practices
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 06/03/26 To be reviewed: 06/03/29
S4A considers health and safety to be of utmost importance. We comply with The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 at all times.
S4A has appropriate insurance cover, including employer’s liability insurance and public liability insurance.
Each member of staff follows S4A’s Health and Safety policy and is responsible for:
Any member of staff who disregards safety instructions or recognised safe practices will be subject to disciplinary procedures.
Responsibilities of the registered person
Responsibilities of the manager
The Club’s manager is responsible for ensuring that at each session:
Security
Children are not allowed to leave the Club premises during the session unless prior permission has been given by the parents (for example, to attend other extra-curricular activities).
During Club sessions all external doors are kept locked, with the exception of fire doors which are alarmed. Staff monitor the entrances and exits to the premises throughout the session.
All visitors to the Club must sign the Visitor Log and give the reason for their visit. Visitors will never be left alone with the children.
Security procedures will be regularly reviewed by the manager, in consultation with staff and parents.
Toys and equipment
All furniture, toys and equipment are kept clean, well maintained and in good repair. We select toys, equipment and resources with care, and we carry out risk assessments before the children are allowed to use them. Broken toys and equipment are disposed of promptly.
We ensure that any flammable equipment is stored safely.
Food and personal hygiene
Staff at Out of School Club maintain high standards of personal hygiene, and take all practicable steps to prevent and control the spread of infection.
Dealing with body fluids
Spillages of blood, vomit, urine and faeces will be cleaned up immediately in accordance with our Intimate Care policy.
Staffing Levels
Staff ratios and levels of supervision are always appropriate to the number, ages and abilities of the children present, and to the risks associated with the activities being undertaken. A minimum of two members of staff are on duty at any time.
Related Policies
See also our related policies: Accident or Illness, Emergency Evacuation as outlined in our Fire Safety policy, Healthy Eating, Safeguarding, Administering Medication, Risk Assessment and Moving and Handling Children.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 01/09/24 To be reviewed: 01/09/27
Policy Statement: S4A welcomes all children and is committed to providing experiences and activities that support the full access and participation of each and every child. We believe that each child is unique and work in partnership with families and other professionals involved with the child to provide the support every child needs to reach their full potential.
Procedures:
Admissions
Children of all abilities are accepted into S4A and families interested in having their child attending the club will be given an equal opportunity for admission.
Inclusive Environment
S4A use developmentally appropriate practices and consider the unique needs of all children when planning activities. Staff will make every attempt to make any adaptations or modifications necessary to meet the needs of the children. Schedules, routines and activities are and any adaptations will be reviewed with families and other professionals supporting the child if necessary.
Confidentiality
Confidentiality applies to all verbal and written information about potential, enrolling and previously enrolled children and their families. All staff will be briefed on the need for confidentiality and will be expected to fulfill their obligation to respect the protection of privacy.
Written records will be stored in a secure location with access limited to the director. No information will be released about a child and the parent/legal guardian during enrollment or transition to another receiving program or school without first receiving the written permission of the parent/guardian.
Professional Development and Support for Staff
Training and support is provided to ensure that all staff are comfortable, confident and competent to meet the needs of all children. The director provides additional support and resources as appropriate.
Collaboration with Other Professionals
Many children with disabilities or other special needs are supported by developmental and educational professionals such as therapists, teachers and others. S4A welcomes those professionals and works with them to assure the child’s success and determine the best strategies to support the child in the group setting.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 23/1/24 To be reviewed: 23/1/27
S4A Late Collection Policy
Ensuring the smooth conclusion of your child’s session is crucial to us at S4A. We kindly remind parents and carers of their responsibility to collect their child promptly, with the latest collection time being 18:00.
If you’re running late, please let us know by contacting the specific venue your child is at or by calling 01280 460 560. We appreciate your proactive communication and request that you make alternative arrangements for collection.
If a child is collected later than the agreed time for their slot, an additional charge may be incurred, at S4A’s discretion. The charge will be based on the next booking slot rate.
Please be aware that a late collection charge of £5.00 per 10 minutes per child will be applied for collections after the final session end.
For your child’s safety, it is essential that each of our Wraparound Care settings have up-to-date emergency contact information. Please ensure that these contacts are individuals authorised for communication, in case you are unable to arrive by the close of the club.
Should a child be persistently collected later than the agreed time (more than 3 times in one-half term), S4A reserves the right to withdraw the child’s place from any supervision.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 1/12/25 To be reviewed: 1/12/28
The safety of pupils is paramount and is the highest priority at all times. Every attempt is made to ensure the security of pupils is maintained at all times. Registration is taken periodically throughout sessions as well as head counts. Entrance and exit procedures have been put in place in order to maximise the safety of all children attending S4A.
If a child cannot be located, the following steps will be taken:
If the police or Social Care were involved in the incident, we will also inform Ofsted.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 23/3/24 To be reviewed: 23/3/27
S4A has a clear policy on the acceptable use of mobile phones and watches that is understood and adhered to by everyone: staff, children and parents. Abiding by the terms of the club’s mobile phone policy ensures that we all:
Staff use of mobile phones and watches
If a member of staff needs to make an urgent personal call they can make a personal call from their mobile in the staff kitchen or outside.
Children’s use of mobile phones and watches
S4A actively discourages children from bringing their phones and other electronic devices into the club. The club does not accept any responsibility for loss or damage to mobile phones brought to the club by the children.
Children must not use their mobile phone to take photographs of any kind whilst at the club. If they want a photograph of a particular activity they can ask a member of staff to take one using the club camera.
Visitors use of mobile phones and watches
Parents and all other visitors must not use their mobile phone – or any other device – to take photographs within the club. This includes taking photographs of their own children. If they want to have a photograph of their child involved in an activity or at play, parents can ask a member of staff to take one using the club camera.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 23/3/24 To be reviewed: 23/3/27
S4A uses its risk assessment systems to ensure that the Club is a safe and secure place for children and staff. All staff are expected to undertake risk assessments as part of their routine tasks.
Risk assessments that will be carried out are:
Note that not all risk assessments need to be written down. Staff will decide, in consultation with the manager, which risk assessments need to be formally recorded.
If changes are required to the Club’s policies or procedures as a result of the risk assessment, the manager will ensure that the relevant documents are updated and that all staff are informed.
Daily Checks
We will carry out a visual inspection of the equipment and the whole premises (indoors and out) daily, before any children arrive. During the course of the session, staff will remain alert to any potential risks to health and safety.
If a member of staff discovers a hazard during the course of a session, they will make the area safe (e.g. by cordoning it off) and then notify the manager. The manager will ensure that any actions needed to mitigate the immediate hazard have been taken and will implement measures to prevent the incident from recurring.
Recording Dangerous Events
The manager will record all accidents and dangerous events on the Incident or Accident Record sheets as soon as possible after the incident. If the incident affected a child the record will be kept on the child’s file. The Club will monitor Incident and Accident Records to see whether any pattern to the occurrences can be identified.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 15/05/23 To be reviewed: 15/05/26
S4A is fully committed to safeguarding and protecting the welfare of all children. We recognise our responsibilities to take all reasonable steps to promote safe practice and to protect children from harm, abuse and neglect.
S4A acknowledges its duty to act appropriately with regards to any allegations towards a member of staff, volunteer or work experience student, or towards any disclosures or suspicion of abuse.
S4A recognises its duty of care to safeguard children as detailed under the Children Acts’ 1989 and 2004 and Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018.
S4A believes that:
S4A will ensure that:
S4A’s behaviour management strategy has been designed so children are kept safe and happy within our settings and there is mutual respect between staff and children.
This policy has been developed in accordance with the principles established by the Children’s Act 1989 and 2004 and in line with the following:
The Companies Designated Safeguard Leads are Matt Ogle; matt.ogle@s4aclub.co.uk 07989467850, Adam Kirkup; adam.lirkup@s4aclub.co.uk, and Adam Bone; adam.bone@s4aclub.co.uk. They can all also be contacted via the office on 01280 460560.
If a Safeguarding Lead is not available, advice should be immediately sought from: The First Response Team on 01296 383962 (outside of office hours call: 0800 999 7677) email: secure-cypfirstresponse@buckscc.gov.uk
All S4A team members are fully DBS checked and on the update service and hold a current safeguarding certificate.
Child abuse and neglect
Abuse: A form of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by inflicting harm, or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused in a family or in an institutional or community setting by those known to them or, more rarely, by others. Abuse can take place wholly online, or technology may be used to facilitate offline abuse. Children may be abused by an adult or adults, or another child or children.
Physical Abuse: A form of abuse which may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning or scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise causing physical harm to a child. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.
Emotional Abuse: The persistent emotional maltreatment of a child such as to cause severe and persistent adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve conveying to a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or valued only insofar as they meet the needs of another person. It may include not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them or ‘making fun’ of what they say or how they communicate. It may feature age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children. These may include interactions that are beyond a child’s developmental capacity, as well as overprotection and limitation of exploration and learning, or preventing the child participating in normal social interaction. It may involve seeing or hearing the ill-treatment of another. It may involve serious bullying (including cyberbullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children. Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone.
Sexual Abuse: Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex), or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing. They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse. Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children.
Neglect: The persistent failure to meet a child’s basic physical and / or psychological needs, likely to result in the serious impairment of the child’s health or development. Neglect may occur during pregnancy as a result of maternal substance misuse. Once a child is born, neglect may involve a parent or carer failing to:
It may also include neglect of, or unresponsiveness to, a child’s basic emotional needs.
Child Sexual Exploitation: This is a form of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity: (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator. The victim may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Child sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.
Female genital mutilation: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a procedure where the female genitals are deliberately cut, injured or changed, but there’s no medical reason for this to be done. It’s also known as female circumcision or cutting, and by other terms, such as sunna, gudniin, halalays, tahur, megrez and khitan, among others.
It is a criminal offence: To excise, infibulate or otherwise mutilate the whole or any part of a girl or woman’s labia majora, labia minora or clitoris in accordance with the Serious Crime act 2015.
Child Criminal Exploitation: As set out in the Serious Violence Strategy, published by the Home Office, where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into any criminal activity: (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial or other advantage of the perpetrator or facilitator and/or (c) through violence or the threat of violence. The victim may have been criminally exploited even if the activity appears consensual. Child criminal exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.
Modern Slavery: S4A are committed to protecting and respecting human rights and have a zero-tolerance approach to slavery and human trafficking in all its forms. We recognise that modern slavery is a significant global human rights issue and includes human trafficking, sexual exploitation, forced and bonded labour, some forms of child labour and domestic servitude.
Our commitment starts from protecting and respecting human rights and taking action to prevent slavery and human trafficking in all its forms. We will act ethically and with integrity in all our relationships, and use all reasonable endeavours to take action within our direct operations and our wider sphere of influence to ensure slavery and human trafficking are not taking place. We are committed to continue researching, teaching and raising awareness on modern slavery issues.
Extremism: Extremism goes beyond terrorism and includes people who target the vulnerable – including the young – by seeking to sow division between communities on the basis of race, faith or denomination; justify discrimination towards women and girls; persuade others that minorities are inferior; or argue against the primacy of democracy and the rule of law in our society. Extremism is defined in the Counter Extremism Strategy 2015 as “the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. We also regard calls for death of members of our armed forces as extremist.”
County Lines: As set out in the Serious Violence Strategy, published by the Home Office, County Lines is a term used to describe gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas within the UK, using dedicated mobile phone lines or other forms of ‘deal line’. They are likely to exploit children and vulnerable adults to move and store the drugs and money, and they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons.
Covid 19: What is recommended to do to reduce the risk of COVID-19 in the workplace?
Keeping workplaces clean reduces the risk of infection and can reduce sickness in a workforce. It’s especially important to clean surfaces that people touch a lot.
Staff can be supported to maintain a clean working environment by providing them with cleaning products, soap and hot water, and/or sanitiser. If worse comes to worse and an outbreak happens all staff will be given the appropriate step by step guide to safeguarding children and themselves. If a parent requires their child to wear a face covering for protection all club settings will support this decision.
Signs of child abuse and neglect
Signs of possible abuse and neglect may include:
Signs of radicalisation
Signs that a child might be at risk of radicalisation include:
If a member of staff suspects that a child is at risk of becoming radicalised, they will record any relevant information or observations on a Logging a concern form, and refer the matter to the CPO.
If abuse is suspected or disclosed
When a child makes a disclosure to a member of staff, that member of staff will:
If a member of staff witnesses or suspects abuse, they will record the matter straightaway using the Logging a concern form. If a third party expresses concern that a child is being abused, we will encourage them to contact Social Care directly. If they will not do so, we will explain that the Club is obliged to and the incident will be logged accordingly.
Logging a concern
All information about the suspected abuse or disclosure, or concern about radicalisation, will be recorded on the Logging a concern form as soon as possible after the event. The record should include:
The record will be uploaded to CPOMS and the Club’s CPO who will decide on the appropriate course of action. For concerns about child abuse, the CPO will contact Social Care. The CPO will follow up all referrals to Social Care in writing within 48 hours. If a member of staff thinks that the incident has not been dealt with properly, they may contact Social Care directly. For minor concerns regarding radicalisation, the CPO will contact the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) or Local Authority Prevent Co-ordinator.
For more serious concerns the CPO will contact the Police on the non-emergency number (101), or the anti-terrorist hotline on 0800 789 321. For urgent concerns the CPO will contact the Police using 999.
Allegations against staff
If anyone makes an allegation of child abuse against a member of staff:
Promoting awareness among staff
The Club promotes awareness of child abuse and the risk of radicalisation through its staff training. The Club ensures that:
The Club’s procedures are in line with the guidance in ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018)’ and staff are familiar with ‘What To Do If You’re Worried A Child Is Being Abused (2015)’.
Promoting British Values
Use of mobile phones and cameras
Photographs will only be taken of children with their parents’ permission. Only the club camera phone will be used to take photographs of children at the Club, except with the permission of the manager. Neither staff nor children nor visitors may use their mobile phones to take photographs at the Club. For more details see our Mobile Phone Policy.
E-safety
S4A’s e-safety policy will operate with other policies including those for behaviour, bullying and safeguarding.
Good Habits:
E-safety depends on effective practice at a number of levels;
More information can be found in our E-Safety Policy.
Whistleblowing
Whistleblowing is when an employee of an organisation passes on information that they reasonably believe shows wrongdoing or a cover up by that organisation. This might be about activity that is:
All staff, students and volunteers have the right to raise concerns about perceived unacceptable practice or behaviour.
The Whistle-blower should address their concerns in writing, however if they feel uncomfortable doing this, they can arrange a meeting or telephone call with a member of the management team,
The setting will do its best to protect a whistle-blower’s identity when he/she raises a concern and does not want his/her name to be disclosed. However, if the concern raised needs to be addressed through another procedure, e.g. disciplinary procedure, the worker may be required to provide a signed statement as part of the evidence.
In some circumstances the setting may have to disclose the identity of the worker without his/her consent, although this will be discussed with the worker first.
Appropriate advice and support will be made available to staff, students and volunteers who raise concerns. Those who raise concerns will be kept informed of the progress and outcome of any investigation.
Concerns are taken seriously and dealt with quickly and appropriately. Staff and volunteers are reassured that they will be protected from reprisals or victimisation for whistle-blowing in good faith.
More information can be found in our Whistle-blowing policy.
Visitors
All visitors must sign the visitor log at the front desk of the S4A childcare setting. They will be notified that mobile phones must not be used and professionals must show their IDs in order to be checked by a member of staff.
Record Keeping and retention
Staff will record any welfare concern that they have about a child on the setting’s safeguarding incident/concern form (with a body map if injuries have been observed) and pass them without delay to the DSL. Records will be completed as soon as possible after the incident/event, using the child’s words and will be signed and dated by the member of staff.
All safeguarding concerns, discussions and decisions (and justifications for those decisions) will be recorded in writing. If members of staff are in any doubt about recording requirements, they should discuss their concerns with DSL.
Incident/Welfare concern forms are kept in the setting’s safeguarding folder.
Safeguarding records are kept for individual children and are maintained separately from all other records relating to the child in the setting. Safeguarding records are kept in accordance with data protection legislation and are retained centrally and securely by the DSL. Safeguarding records are shared with staff on a ‘need to know’ basis only.
Confidentiality
Personal information about children and families held by professionals and agencies is subject to a legal duty of confidentiality (Data Protection Act 1998) and should not normally be disclosed without the consent of the family. The law does however permit the disclosure of confidential information without permission if it is necessary to safeguard a child or children; this includes cases of Safeguarding.
At S4A:
When sharing the information it should be:
Necessary and proportionate – When making decisions about what information to share, you should consider how much information you need to release. Not sharing more data than is necessary to be of use is a key element of the GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018, and you should consider the impact of disclosing information on the information subject and any third parties. Information must be proportionate to the need and level of risk.
Relevant – Only information that is relevant to the purposes should be shared with those who need it. This allows others to do their job effectively and make informed decisions.
Adequate – Information should be adequate for its purpose. Information should be of the right quality to ensure that it can be understood and relied upon.
Accurate-Information should be accurate and up to date and should clearly distinguish between fact and opinion. If the information is historical then this should be explained.
Timely – Information should be shared in a timely fashion to reduce the risk of missed opportunities to offer support and protection to a child. Timeliness is key in emergency situations and it may not be appropriate to seek consent for information sharing if it could cause delays and therefore place a child or young person at increased risk of harm.
Secure – Wherever possible, information should be shared in an appropriate, secure way.
Recorded – Information sharing decisions should be recorded, whether or not the decision is taken to share. If the decision is to share, reasons should be cited including what information has been shared and with whom, in line with organisational procedures. If the decision is not to share, it is good practice to record the reasons for this decision and discuss them with the requester.
Related Policies and Procedures
S4A’s Child Protection Policy has been written in line with the Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children Partnership.
Contacts
Concerns about an adult: safeguardingadults@buckscc.gov.uk, 0800 137 915
Concerns about a child: cypfirstresponse@buckscc.gov.uk, 01296 383962
Outside normal office hours: Ring the Emergency Duty Team on 0800 999 7677
Police: 101 (non-emergency) or 999 (emergency)
Anti-terrorist hotline: 0800 789 321
NSPCC: 0808 800 500
Ofsted: 0300 123 1231
Authors – S4A Director Matt Ogle
Written in accordance with:
The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2017): Safeguarding and Welfare requirements: Child Protection [3.4-3.8] and Suitable People [3.9-3.13].
BSCP Children protection toolkit
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 6/3/26 To be reviewed: 6/3/29
S4A uses safe recruitment practices to ensure that all people working with the children in our care are safe and qualified to do so. When recruiting paid staff or volunteers we will follow the procedures set out below.
Advertising the vacancy
We will advertise all vacancies, and any job advertisements will include a statement about our commitment to safeguarding children.
Initial enquiry
Upon enquiring about a vacancy, we will send potential candidates:
Interview procedure
We will notify all candidates selected for an interview by letter. All candidates will be asked to bring to the following items to the interview:
All candidates will be asked the same set of questions. We will then ask additional questions about any other issues that arise from their application form. For example, the interviewers will follow up on any gaps in the candidate’s employment history rigorously and ensure that they are satisfied with the explanation given, undertaking additional checks if necessary.
When we have interviewed and observed all candidates, we will make our final selection.
Appointing a new member of staff
When we have selected the successful candidate, we will make him or her an offer, which will clearly state that it is subject to the receipt of suitable references and full sight of a satisfactory enhanced DBS certificate contact referees for a reference, including asking them if they have any child protection concerns about the candidate. We will also Initiate an enhanced DBS check for the candidate, or if the candidate is subscribed to the DBS Update Service, review their current DBS certificate and check their status online.
We will also notify any unsuccessful interviewees.
We will also take photocopies of the new member of staff’s qualification certificates and proof of identity and keep these on file.
When a new member of staff starts work at S4A we will give him or her: our terms and conditions, and get them to sign their contract; a copy of their contract will be kept on file with all our Club policies, and ensure that they sign a policy confirmation form to confirm that they have read and understood them; the signed form will be kept on file.
We will conduct a full induction and orientation programme with all new members of staff.
DBS checks
We will obtain enhanced DBS disclosures for all staff, students and volunteers who will work unsupervised with the children on a regular basis, or who have access to children’s information, If candidates have subscribed to the DBS Update Service we will carefully review their current DBS certificate and then check their status online. If there has been a change in their status since their last DBS certificate was issued we will obtain a new DBS disclosure for them.
New staff will only be allowed to work unsupervised with children when we have had full sight of a satisfactory DBS certificate for them.
Disqualification
The Club will not employ staff or volunteers who have been convicted of an offence or have been subject to an order that disqualifies them from registration under regulations made under section 75 of the Childcare Act 2006. If a member of staff becomes disqualified we will terminate their employment.
Immigration status
The management is aware of Asylum and Immigration Act requirements and will check the ability of all new starters to work in the UK. Candidates are expected to provide documents confirming their status, usually a driving licence, passport, and NI number.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 06/3/26 To be reviewed: 06/3/29
S4A expects all members of staff to follow our Staff Behaviour Policy, which sets clear guidance on the standards of behaviour required from our staff and volunteers. The guidance aims to encourage staff to meet the highest possible standards of conduct. Club staff are in a position of trust and influence as role models for the children in their care, and as such must demonstrate behaviour that sets a good example to all users of the setting.
Club staff also have a responsibility to maintain their reputation and the reputation of S4A, both during and outside of working hours.
Behaviour
Our staff team are ambassadors for S4A and we expect them to conduct themselves professionally at all times. Staff should treat anyone attending the Club (children, parents/carers and visitors) courteously and with respect.
We expect staff to value all the children as individuals and to comply with the Club’s Equalities policy at all times.
Swearing and abusive behaviour are not tolerated from anyone at the Club. If any member of staff exhibits such behaviour they will be subject to the Club’s disciplinary procedures.
Dress Code
Whilst working at S4A staff will need to help to set up and pack away the setting, prepare food, facilitate craft activities and engage in physical activities with the children. The clothing and footwear worn should be chosen accordingly, taking into account comfort, health and safety, and practicality. Revealing or excessively tight clothing is not acceptable.
Whilst on duty all staff should wear the approved S4A clothing at all times.
Confidentiality and Social Media
Staff must not pass on any information about children attending the Club, or their parents and families, to third parties without their permission. The only exception to this rule is information sharing with specific external agencies if there is a safeguarding issue. (‘Third parties’ includes other parents, friends, other children at the Club, the press, etc.)
Posting any material relating to the Club or its users on social media sites (unless expressly permitted by the Manager) is forbidden. Any staff who breach this rule will face disciplinary action.
See our E-Safety and Safeguarding policies for more details.
Use of Mobile Phones and Cameras
Staff personal mobile phones must be kept in a staff box and placed out of the way during working hours.
If a member of staff needs to make an urgent personal call they can use the Club phone or make a personal call from their mobile in a permitted area.
If a member of staff has a family emergency or similar and needs to keep their mobile phone to hand, they must obtain prior permission from the Manager or Deputy.
Staff may only use the club camera to take photographs of children at the Club, except with the express permission of the Manager.
Staff must never use their personal mobile phones or cameras to take photographs at the Club during working hours. Doing so will be considered gross misconduct and may result in instant dismissal.
See our Mobile Phone policy and Safeguarding policies for more details.
Smoking, Alcohol and Drugs
Staff are not permitted to smoke anywhere on the Club premises, including the outside play areas.
Staff are not permitted to bring alcohol or illegal drugs onto the Club premises. If a member of staff arrives at work under the influence of alcohol or drugs they will be asked to leave immediately and disciplinary action will be taken.
If a member of staff is taking prescription drugs which might affect their ability to function effectively, they must inform the Manager immediately.
Any prescribed medication needed by a staff member whilst at the Club, must be stored safely in the medical box which will be out of reach and sight of the children attending the Club.
See our Smoking, Alcohol and Drugs policy for more details.
Gross Misconduct
Staff will be dismissed without notice if they are found to have committed an act of gross misconduct. Examples of gross misconduct include, but are not restricted to:
The Manager will investigate the alleged incident thoroughly before any decision to dismiss is made.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 23/3/23 To be reviewed: 23/3/27
Written in accordance with the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2017): Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements: Child Protection [3.4-3.8], Suitable people [3.11, 3.13, 3.19] and Disqualification [3.14-3.16], Safety and suitability of premises, environment and equipment [3.56], Information and records [3.70]
S4A endeavours to ensure that all children are collected by a parent or carer at the end of each session. If a child is not collected, and the parent or carer has not notified us that they will be delayed, we will follow the procedure set out below:
Over 15 minutes late:
Over 30 minutes late
Managing persistent lateness
The settings lead will record incidents of late collection and will discuss them with the child’s parents or carers. Parents and carers will be reminded to follow their contingency plans if they cannot collect their child as well as get in contact with the settings lead.
If a child is persistently collected late then they may lose their place at the club or wraparound setting for between 2 week to a term.
See our Late Collection policy for more details.
This policy was adopted by: S4A
Date: 23/3/24 To be reviewed: 23/3/27
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