Silkysteps early years forum - planning ideas for play - how legislation, frameworks and codes of practice have informed settings current policies and procedures?

Hi a very warm welcome to the site.

From page 89 of this level 3 handbook: How legislation, frameworks and codes of practice have informed settings current policies and procedures

There is one aspect of working with babies, toddlers and young children that must always come first: the requirement to keep them safe, and to protect them from significsant harm. All early years settings are bound by the laws described above - and by many laws relating to health and ssafety. (read about them in this sample level 2 chapter)

Schools and early years settings are places where children spend a considerable amount of their live. Early years practitioners are some of the most important adults that young children will come into contact with. As a staff team. they can create an atmosphere and ethos which professionally affect the child's experience of being cared for, listened to, valued, guided and stimulated. Early years settings and schools therefore play a considerable part in promoting children's best interests.

An early years setting or school keeps children safe by: if children are encouraged to speak out when they feel unhappy or uncomfortable, they will be much less vulnerable to abuse.
Ensuring that children's intimate care - nappy changing, toileting, dressing and undressing - is coordinated by a key person. This reinforces the child's right to privacy, and the child would nto then expect that just anyone could take them aside and undress them.

Ask your setting for a copies of their safeguarding policy where you'll see how it's been developed to comply with EYFS (if you work in England) which itself reflects current law and guidance.

Best wishes