tda 2.8

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ensuring children and young people’s safety and welfare in the work setting is an essential part of safeguarding. While children are at school, practitioners act in ‘loco parentis’ while their parents are away. As part of their legal and professional obligations, practitioners hold positions of trust and a duty of care to the children in their school, and therefore should always act in their best interests and ensure their safety – the welfare of the child is paramount (Children Act 1989). The Children Act 2004 came in with the Every Child Matters (ECM) guidelines and greatly impacted the way schools look at the care and welfare of pupils. Children and young people should be helped to learn and thrive and be given the opportunity to

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.

I ensure staff are kept safe within their day to day work by ensuring that they work to Health and Safety Law and Legislation and that this is kept up to date. I ensure risk assessments are in place and reviewed regularly for any changes or updates. I ensure staff are all treated equally and are given the same choices.

There are various organisational and legal requirements for supervising children on journeys, visits and activities outside of the school setting. These include policies and procedures which should be carried out by the school including risk assessments of areas that will be visited (New2teaching, 2013).

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 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

All schools in the UK have a health and safety policy, in which they have to adhere to requirements. There are many current health and safety legislations, policies and procedures. These include the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 which was created to protect those at work by following procedures in order to prevent accidents.

As a childminder I have a duty of care to keep all my minded children safe, healthy and comfortable while making sure their rights are guarded. I have a duty of care to keep children from harm whether physical or psychological. I carry out risk assessments in my home and when out and about to avoid potential hazards to children. Risk assessments are reviewed every year or when accidents/incidents happen and there is a need for review. The house is equipped with safety equipment to minimise risk of injury or harm. Stair gates, plug sockets and cupboard