Understand The Importance Of Safeguarding Essay

When working practitioners must not only protect the children they work with when in the school setting and off site, but also themselves. Whether in school or off-site the school safeguarding policy should be referred to, to give guidance and adhered to at all times. Under the health and safety act everyone should be thinking about how to keep themselves, others and the environment they work in safe. Adults have a duty of care and should encourage the children to also do this, this will help increase their own awareness of what they are doing and where.

At all times practitioners should behave in a open professional manner, the children copy adults around them and the adults should be setting a good example of how to behave appropriately

All physical contact with the children should ideally be avoided but in some situations this is not avoidable. E.g young children sometimes need a hug if they have hurt themselves, and at times the children will make physical contact an adult without warning. In these situations the adult should be aware of where they are and who is nearby. The adult should aim to never be left alone with a child (although in some situations this may be unavoidable such as personal care) and if they are the adult must go to lengths to protect themselves, such as leaving the doors open, telling other member of staff where and why they are going to be alone with a child. Ensuring they are observed from another adult if possible, even if at a distance. Any physical contact with a child should always be as a response to the child initiating it.

Another way to protect practitioners is to report any issues that may arise regarding safeguarding. A child may say something that could raise concerns or the adult may observe something, such as marks or suspicious bruising. Reporting this issue immediately may not only help the child experiencing safeguarding issues but also protect the adult from a child saying they had reported something at a later