CACHE LEVEL 2 INTRODUCTION TO EARLY YEARS EDUCATION AND CARE Unit 3 Use legislation relating to the health and safety of children

LO1 Understand legislation and guidelines for health and safety. AC 1.1 List current legislation and guidelines relating to the health and safety of children. LO2 Understand policies and procedures for health and safety. AC 2.1 Identify policies and procedures relating to the health and safety of children. AC 2.2 Explain how legislation and guidelines for health and safety inform day to day practice with children. AC 2.3 Describe roles and responsibilities when keeping children safe.

Starter activity Time: 15 mins Do you think you see accidents before they happen? Consider: A wobbly slab in the pavement Something on the stairs Hazards in the kitchen at home When a group of young children are playing on a climbing frame Hazards around a swimming pool.

Legislation and guidelines are in place to support practitioners to keep children safe and healthy. They include: Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2004 Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 Childcare Act Current legislation and guidelines

Each setting will have its own set of policies and procedures to keep children safe and healthy, including: Health and safety policy Accident policy Illness and injury policy Arrival, departure and registration policy Disposal of nappies, aprons and gloves Fire drill and evacuation policy Lost or missing child policy Dietary needs policy Risk assessments. Policies and procedures

Group activity Time: 15 mins You will be given two or three of the identified policies to discuss. For each one consider: What the policy is about What it might tell practitioners to do Why it is important How it keeps everyone safe.

All current legislation and guidelines for health and safety inform day-to- day work with children, for example: The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 includes: The safety of the building and how clean and safe the environment is Everyone working together to make sure children are kept safe and healthy, including carrying out risk assessments. The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 includes: First aiders and first aid boxes Accident and incident book Informing parents/carers of accidents or incidents. How health and safety legislation and guidelines inform practice

Pairs activity Time: 15 mins Discuss how risk assessments are carried out in the setting. Consider: Who carries out risk assessments in your setting? How often are they carried out? How are individual activities risk assessed? What happens if a risk is identified? What do you do if you see a risk or hazard?

Classroom discussion activity Time: 15 mins Discuss any accidents or incidents you have seen in the setting. Consider: Why did the accident or incident happen? Could it have been avoided? How was the child (or children) dealt with? Were you involved in helping the children or staff? What have you learnt about your setting’s first aid policies and procedures? How confident do you feel about dealing with an incident or accident?

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 includes: Reporting major injuries to the local authority and Ofsted Reporting the outbreak of certain illnesses or diseases such as meningitis Reporting anything dangerous in the setting that could have caused an accident even if no injury happened Reporting of a child who was admitted to hospital because of an accident in the setting. Current legislation and guidelines

Everyone at the setting has a responsibility to know and follow the health and safety policies and procedures. There will be designated people for specific roles such as first aid, safeguarding and fire drills, and it is important that everyone knows who they are. Everyone has a duty to ensure that all children are kept safe. Roles and responsibilities

All practitioners need to keep themselves and others safe when at work, for example. All practitioners need to respond to any incidents or accidents. Risk assessments should be carried out on a regular basis, according to the policies of the setting. Practitioners will be continually risk assessing the area they are in, so as to ensure the children are safe at all times. Roles and responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities – a summary To know and work within the policy/procedures of the setting To know when and how to respond when concerns are raised To appreciate the guidance of the relevant Local Safeguarding Children Board To supervise children within set ratios To be up to date with safeguarding trainingTo appreciate the limits and boundaries of their role and know the reporting process for successful referral To have the knowledge and expertiseTo make clear and appropriate judgements and ensure that they are passed to the most appropriate local agencies, in line with the Munro Review of child protection To identify behavioural changes in the children they care for To observe and monitor children to ensure they are growing in confidence To work as a key person and actively engage with the family in order to develop positive relationships and develop trust To contribute to a safe and stimulating environment where all children develop and learn To engage in positive partnership workingTo work as part of a professional team To monitor children’s health and general wellbeing To role model positive behaviour To be suitably qualified with full DBS clearanceTo promote healthy practice and healthy living To protect children from harm from social media/internet etc. To maintain attendance records

Reflection activity Time: 15 mins Do you feel you need more information about specific areas of health and safety in the setting? Consider: Would you know what to do if there was an accident? How would you deal with an ill child? Do you know how to carry out a risk assessment before running an outdoor activity? What would you do during a fire drill?

Extension activity Time: 15 mins You have been asked to create a risk assessment form for the outdoor area in your setting. When creating this form consider: The outdoor space Equipment in the outdoor area Security Safety Cleanliness Remember to include spaces for important information such as date, time and name.

Legislation supports everyone to stay safe. Guidelines, policies and procedures on health and safety will support the day-to-day practice of the setting. There will be designated roles and responsibilities for health and safety in the setting, for example a named first aider.

1. What does COSHH stand for? 2. Name three policies that cover health and safety in the setting. 3. What is the purpose of a risk assessment?