Safeguarding Assessment - Wise Owls Childcare

Where do you work?

Farm View Day Nursery
Foxley Day Nursery
Maidenhead Day Nursery
Courthouse Breakfast and After School Club
Furze Platt Breakfast and After School Club
Oldfield After School Club
Holiday Club
Head Office

concerns childcare the

Who should all safeguarding concerns be reported to first?

The child’s parent
The room leader
The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)
OFSTED

If a staff member directly witnesses abuse in the nursery, what should they do?

Confront the person involved immediately in front of others
Wait until the end of the day to see if it happens again
Tell another colleague to deal with it instead
Prevent and stop the abuse, ensure the child is safe, report the incident immediately

When must a Report of Concern form be completed?

Within one week
When the Manager asks for it
Within 24 hours of the incident
Only if the concern is serious

Staff should never…

Comfort a distressed child
Shout or raise a hand to a child
Ask a child how they feel
Step in to provide care where necessary

When a visitor arrives on site, what is the correct process?

Allow them access if they say who they are
Ask them to wait in the room they are visiting
Check ID, ensure they sign in, and inform them of the DSL and fire procedures
Escort them directly to staff without documentation

What should you do if you see a parent or visitor on their mobile phone?

Mind your own business
Ask them politely to ensure they place their mobile phone in the designated area immediately
Ignore it and don’t worry if they start taking photos of the children
Tell them it’s ok but to leave it in their pocket

Which of the following may indicate a child is experiencing cyber abuse?

Sudden secrecy or worry around online activity
Talking about inappropriate videos, games, or websites
Showing distress or changes in behaviour linked to online interactions
All above the above

What should staff do if a child makes a disclosure? *

Promise the child they will keep it a secret
Ask lots of questions to get all the details
Listen, reassure, avoid judgement and report to the DSL
Speak to other staff to gather opinions first

If you notice bruising on a child’s private area, what should you do?

Ask the child how it happened and monitor it
Discuss it with another practitioner and decide what to do
Gain a second opinion and report it immediately to the DSL
Record it in the accident book and wait for the parent to raise it

What is the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)?

To manage staff rotas and supervise play
To escalate concerns to agencies, investigate appropriately, promote a strong safeguarding culture, and ensure staff knowledge is regularly refreshed
To record accidents and speak to parents only
To investigate concerns alone without external support

What systems are in place to ensure all people employed by Wise Owls within our childcare settings are suitable?

Informal interviews and probation periods only
Thorough vetting, DBS checks, right‑to‑work checks, and references
Staff experience and recommendations alone
On‑the‑job observation without formal checks

Which behaviour could indicate a child may be experiencing abuse or neglect? *

Unexplained changes in behaviour
Becoming withdrawn or anxious
Uncharacteristic aggression or poor social interaction
All of the above

Which of the following is part of Wise Owls’ expectations for staff safe care?

Carrying out personal tasks for children even if they can do them independently
Closing the door when alone with a child to protect their privacy
Allowing physical contact in private spaces where other staff cannot see
Ensuring doors remain open when alone with a child and being mindful of appropriate, necessary contact only

Which behaviour could indicate a child may be experiencing abuse or neglect?

Frequent absence or sudden decline in attendance
Uncharacteristic aggression or poor social interaction
Unexplained changes in behaviour, such as becoming withdrawn or anxious
All of the above

A child talks about watching inappropriate content at home and repeats language beyond their developmental level. What type of safeguarding concern does this scenario most likely represent?

Physical abuse
Emotional abuse
Online abuse / exposure to harmful content
Neglect only

Safeguarding Case Study

During outdoor play, a practitioner observes a colleague becoming increasingly frustrated with a group of children who are not tidying up quickly enough. The practitioner sees the colleague grab a child firmly by the arm and pull them towards the toy box, speaking sharply:

“If you don’t listen, you won’t be allowed to play tomorrow.”

The child looks distressed and begins to cry. This behaviour appears out of character for the colleague, but the level of force and tone causes concern.

What actions would you take?

Record the incident at the end of the day if the child seems fine
Wait until later to raise it with the staff member involved in the incident.
Calmly step in and redirect the situation, ensure the child is safe, check for any harm, and report the incident immediately to the DSL.
Do nothing, because the staff member is more senior and experienced than me.

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Staff Safeguarding Assessment

Safeguarding Case Study