Policies

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Little People’s Academy is a registered preschool service providing full day care and early childhood education for children aged 12 months to 6 years within our Hill Street branch; and providing sessional preschool care and education for children aged 2 years and 6 months to 6 years of age within both our Gardiner street branch and our Bray branch.

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Policy Statement  

Little People’s Academy is committed to safeguarding the children in our care and providing a safe environment in which they can play, learn and develop. We believe that the welfare of the children attending our service is paramount. We are committed to child-centred practice in all our work with children.

 

Little People’s Academy are committed to upholding the rights of every child and young person who attends our service, including the rights to be kept safe and protected from harm, listened to, and heard. Our policy and procedures to safeguard children reflect national policy and legislation and are underpinned by Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017, the Tusla Children First - Child Safeguarding Guide 2017, and the Children First Act 2015.

 

In accordance with the requirements of the Children First Act 2015, Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children 2017 and Tusla Guidance on the preparation of Child Safeguarding Statements, the management of Little People’s Academy has agreed the Child Safeguarding Statement set out in this document.

 

1. The management of Little People’s Academy has adopted and will implement fully and without modification Little People’s Academy Child Safeguarding Procedures as part of this overall Child Safeguarding Statement.

2. The Designated Liaison Person (DLP) is the company’s General Manager. The Deputy Designated Liaison Person (DDLP) is the Branch Manager of the service.

3. Our safeguarding policy statement applies to all paid staff, volunteers and students on work placement within our organisation. All staff, volunteers and students must sign up to and abide by the policies, procedures and guidance encompassed by this policy declaration and our child safeguarding policy and accompanying procedures.

4. Little People’s Academy Management recognises that child protection and welfare considerations permeate all aspects of preschool life and must be reflected in all the early-years services policies, procedures, practices and activities.

In its policies, procedures, practices and activities, Little People’s Academy will adhere to the following principles of best practice in child protection and welfare:

 

Little People’s Academy will:

• Recognise that the protection and welfare of children is of paramount importance, regardless of all other considerations.

• Fully comply with its statutory obligations under the Children First Act 2015 and other relevant legislation relating to the protection and welfare of children.

• Fully co-operate with the relevant statutory authorities in relation to child protection and welfare matters.

• Adopt safe practices to minimise the possibility of harm or accidents happening to children and protect workers from the necessity to take unnecessary risks that may leave themselves open to accusations of abuse or neglect.

• Develop a practice of openness with parents and encourage parental involvement in the care and education of their children; and

• Fully respect confidentiality requirements in dealing with child protection matters.

 

5. At Little People’s Academy, we wish to create an environment in which children and staff are free from abuse and feel safe. To do this, the following procedures/measures are in place:

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• In relation to any member of staff who is the subject of any investigation (howsoever described) in respect of any act, omission or circumstance in respect of a child attending the early years service; Little People’s Academy adheres to the relevant procedures set out in Chapter 7 of Little People’s Academy Child Safeguarding Policy and Procedures and to the relevant agreed disciplinary procedures for preschool staff which are set out in personnel contracts of employment.

• In relation to the selection or recruitment of staff and their suitability to work with children, Little People’s Academy adheres to the statutory vetting requirements of the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016.

• In relation to the provision of information and, where necessary, instruction and training to staff in respect of the identification of the occurrence of harm (as defined in the 2015 Act) Little People’s Academy:

• Has provided each member of staff with a copy of Little People’s Academy’s Child Safeguarding Statement and Risk Assessment.

• Has made available each member of staff with a copy of the services Child Safeguarding Policies and Procedures.

• Ensures all new staff are provided with a copy of the services Child Safeguarding Statement.

• Encourages staff to avail of relevant training.

• Encourages management to avail of relevant training.

• Maintains records of all staff and management training.

• In relation to reporting of child protection concerns to Tusla, all company personnel are required to adhere to the procedures set out in the Child Safeguarding Procedures for Little People’s Academy.

• In relation to mandated reporting under the Children First Act 2015, the above named DLP has been appointed as the ‘relevant person’ (as defined in the Children First Act 2015) to be the first point of contact in respect of the early-years’ service child safeguarding statement.

 

6. All company staff employed by the Little People’s Academy are mandated persons under the Children First Act 2015.

 

7. In accordance with the Children First Act 2015, the branch manager and regional manager of Little People’s Academy has carried out an assessment of any potential for harm to a child while attending the early-years service or participating in preschool activities. A written assessment setting out the areas of risk identified and the services’ procedures for managing those risks is included below; The risk assessment document can be updated as often as necessary.

 

8. The various procedures referred to in this Statement can be made available on request to the early-years’ service. Some procedures will be included within our parent handbook as well as on our website. This statement will be included in our parent handbook, staff handbook and has been provided to all members of Little People’s Academy personnel. A copy of this Statement will be made available to Tusla and the Department of Education and Skills if requested.

 

9. This Child Safeguarding Statement will be reviewed annually or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which this statement refers.

 

Implementation

We recognise that implementation is an on-going process. Little People’s Academy is committed to the implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement and the procedures that support our intention to keep children safe from harm while availing of our service.

For queries, please contact the General Manager who is the ‘Relevant Person’ under the Children First Act 2015.

 

Signed:   Tara Hutchinson Furey (GM)       Date: 04th January 2022

                        (On behalf of the company Little People’s Academy)