tda 2.8

Children love to play and explore. For example while in a park a child will want to climb a ladder to go on a slide. Natural reaction may be to hold or even pick up a child and put them up. Children learn best when trying and experiencing things themselves. There is a risk of a child slipping and falling of the steps but a child also has a right to experience facilities to aid their development. Children need to learn how to predict and avoid dangerous situations.Another potential dilemma may be confidentiality. I must ensure that all personal information is kept confidential and is not shared with anyone else unless permission form is signed. But if there is a case of concern that a child’s welfare may be at risk social services have to be informed.There is also a possibility of conflict with parent’s wishes due to their culture and religion.

The main features of the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) is that it requires certain health and safety procedures to be maintained in a health and social care setting, for example, the act explains that there must be, safe operation and maintenance of working equipment, plant and system, maintenance of safe access to the workplace, safe use, handling and storage of dangerous/hazardous substances, training of staff to ensure that there is health and safety, to provide welfare for staff at work.

This means keeping children safe from accidents (i.e. road safety), crime and bullying and actively promoting their well-being in a healthy, safe and supportive environment. It also encompasses issues such as pupil health and safety and bullying, about which there are specific statutory requirements, and a range of other issues, for example, arrangements for meeting the medical needs of children with medical conditions, providing first aid, school security, drugs and substance misuse.

It is everybody’s responsibility to safeguard children – This means every single staff member within a setting; irrelevant of what role they may have there. This also includes non-staff members, such as volunteers, student’s third-party companies (visitors, service providers etc). Each setting should therefore adopt their own safeguarding policy, of which has to be kept up to date and followed at all times.

Staff carry out daily opening and closing checks must be done to make sure the premises is safe a secure for all at the setting.

Children and young people should feel happy, safe, respected and included in the school or early years setting environment and all staff should be proactive in promoting positive behavior in the classroom, playground and the wider community. Policies and practice which make sure the safety and wellbeing of children should already be in place and it is this legislation develop through many years and experiences, and mistakes, that underpin the working practices that are used today.

Risk assessments should be carried out regularly to make sure that there are no safe guard threats towards the children in the setting. Childcare settings need risk assessing for example is there entrances and exits to the building that an unauthorised person could use? Could a child leave the setting without anyone noticing? Could a child get seriously hurt due to a broken piece of equipment?

It emphasises the important principles to be followed when working with children and young people: settings must provide a safe and secure environment, if any children are identified as suffering from abuse or likely to suffer the appropriate action must be taken.

It is important to ensure children and young people are protected from harm within the setting, as the parents are leaving their children in your care with the expectation that they can trust you and your colleagues to keep their children from harm. It is difficult for parents to leave their children in an education or care setting and then go to work; they need to be confident that their children will be in safe supportive hands with people that will help them develop.

Health, Safety and security issues are extremely important in care settings in order to protect staff and children, and their families. Legislations and regulations ensure that guidelines are followed to enforce safety and security within an organisation. Legislation is law which has been created by a governing body. Before a piece of legislation becomes law it may be known as a bill, and may be broadly referred to as legislation while it remains under consideration to distinguish it from other business. Policies ensure that everyone must work within the law and meet the minimum care standards

As a level 3 practitioner it is important to take a balanced approach to risk management so that children are able to learn and develop. Practitioners need to be aware of the risks, however “if the activity is well planned and organised, with thought given to possible risks, the likelihood of an accident or injury should be minimal” (Tassoni et al, 2010, p144). Practitioners working with children have a duty of care towards the children and must make sure that they are safe at all times. They should plan the play environment and activity which is safe for the child, but there also needs to be a balance between the risks a child is able take. Children should be allowed to take risk they think they are able to achieve with adult support but not too much intervention, If they are not allowed to take risk they will not be able to develop the skills required to deal with risks and make judgement about their own strengths and skills which may affect their development, self-esteem and confidence. Avoiding risks and challenges may result in a very timid adult lacking in every day skills and abilities. Children can take risks in all different areas by following the seven areas of development which was introduced by the foundation phase, these areas are as follow:-

It is important that children and young people are allowed to exercise their rights and choices, whilst health and safety requirements are maintained. This can lead to a dilemma when children and young people wish to undertake a task that you may feel is not within their capabilities, or that is not safe for them to do so

2.1. There are many legislations relating to general health and safety in a health and social care work setting:

M1 – I am also going to describe how health and safety legislation, policies and procedures promote the safety of individuals in a health or social care setting.

The main piece of legislation affecting the management of health and safety in educational establishments across all sectors is the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 (HSWA). This Act provides a framework for