Getting in touch with Petits Kids Club

Phone number: 07 842 085 816

Petits Kids Club Safeguarding and Protection Policy

This safeguarding policy is a statement which clearly states how Petits Kids Club will keep pupils safe and how it will respond to any safeguarding concerns. It is a statutory requirement for all settings to have a safeguarding policy and this will be reviewed annually to reflect changes in government policy and recommended practice.

Petits Kids Club vision and ethos

Petits Kids Club Club and all its staff are aware that safeguarding and promoting children’s welfare is of paramount importance. Staff need to be vigilant, have a role in identifying concerns, sharing information and must act on any concerns they may have regarding the welfare of the children they are working with. If any member of staff has any suspicions about the treatment of a child they must immediately raise it with Petits Kids Club Director. The Director must make sure the appropriate course of action for that child can be initiated. All staff should familiarise themselves with Petits Kids Club Safeguarding Policy. It is the legal responsibility of every employee to report any suspicions they have regarding the treatment of the children in our care.

Safeguarding Children Policy

•   All staff will be alert to the basic signs of abuse be it physical, emotional, sexual or neglect. They will know who they should refer concerns or suspicions to and also be aware of the procedure to follow if a child discloses information to them regarding a situation in their life

• All staff will receive safeguarding training. Staff will be instructed to complete 2 hours of online training with a knowledge test. All staff must keep themselves up to date on safeguarding children issues and procedures as and when updates are delivered.

• Staff will be made aware of procedures regarding confidentiality and for sharing and receiving information, including the need for clear recording of any conversations had, complete with dates and any action to be taken

• The Director will be the designated person for the co-ordination of safeguarding children procedures within the setting and with guidance from Petits Kids Club for liaison with Social Services, and other agencies, e.g. Police, Health Services, Education Welfare Services and Ofsted

• The designated safeguard Lead takes the lead responsibility for safeguarding and child protection throughout Petits Kids Club and will ensure that all staff are aware of the safeguarding children procedures to follow. All staff have access to the procedure, essential contact numbers, and procedures for sharing and receiving information.

• The DSL will ensure that all safeguarding policies are kept up to date and reflect on currant guidance and that all members of staff receive the appropriate training on child protection and safer recruitment procedure.

• Staff should follow best practice at all times and should not display inappropriate behaviour which could be deemed as a safeguarding issue. All staff should be aware of any signs of inappropriate behaviour by colleagues and should continue to follow procedure.

• All safeguarding concerns are to be reported to The Director. The Director will lead a thorough investigation. If deemed necessary the case will be referred to the Local Safeguarding Children Board’s.

• Staff, visitors, parents and children are welcome to approach the Club Director or DSL if they have any concerns about the welfare of any of children at the club.

Best Practice

The behaviour of the staff must not be open to criticism. Staff should protect themselves against liability or allegations which could cause conflict between them, the child and the parent. Staff must ensure that they do not put themselves in a position that may inadvertently threaten or upset children in their charge, and use best practice in all they do.

Best practice refers to the actions of our staff whilst working with or near to children. It also refers to the manner in which they communicate with the children and the information that they give them.

Therefore our staff will:
Avoid shouting and derogatory comments
Use positive comments and feedback whenever possible
Keep physical contact to a minimum unless absolutely necessary

Treat all children equally and avoid favouritism
    Be non-judgemental when talking to or dealing with the children

Empathise with the children and understand their emotions

Relevant legislation and guidance

Keeping Children Safe in Education (please note that this document is updated regularly so schools should ensure that they are referring to the most recent version and that their policy reflects any changes);

The Children Act 1989 and 2004 amendment;

Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018);

Section 175 of the Education Act 2002; 

What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused: advice for practitioners.

Sharing information

Staff should never promise confidentiality to a pupil as it might be necessary to share information with others to keep them safe.

Staff should note that:

​the Data Protection Act (DPA) 2018 and UK GDPR does not prevent the sharing of information if this is necessary to keep children safe;

concerns about sharing information should not compromise the process of protecting pupils from harm;

if anyone has concerns or questions about sharing information, they should contact the school’s designated safeguarding lead (DSL).

General information about DPA and GDPR can be found here:

The Data Protection Act - GOV.UK

Guide to the General Data Protection Regulation - GOV.UK

The Department for Education has provided additional guidance on information sharing for safeguarding practitioners. This can be found here:

​​Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners

Types and Signs of Abuse

This section explains the different types of child abuse that pupils could experience, along with a definition of each. This includes neglect, sexual abuse, physical abuse and emotional abuse. 

It is to be noted that the signs of abuse within this policy are intended as examples; the lists are not exhaustive. Equally, just because a pupil is demonstrating one or more of the signs indicated, it does not necessarily mean that they are being abused.

General signs of abuse

Some of the signs of abuse are the same, regardless of the type of abuse that the child is experiencing. Examples include (but are not limited to):

changes in behaviour, such as angry outbursts, aggressive behaviour or becoming withdrawn or anxious;

changes in eating habits;

sleep problems or experiencing nightmares;

continence problems, such as bed-wetting or soiling themselves;

appearing afraid of particular individuals or making excuses to avoid people;

self-harming;

suicidal thoughts;

knowing about topics and issues that are not appropriate for their age;

not receiving adequate or timely medical care or treatment for injuries;

running away from home or going missing.

Neglect

Neglect is the failure to meet a child’s basic needs. Neglect is the most common form of child abuse and often takes place at the same time as other types of abuse.

Neglect can be difficult to recognise but it is important to be aware of and act on any indicators of neglect. Examples include a failure to:

provide adequate food, clothing and shelter;

receive appropriate medical and dental care;

ensure that a child is accessing regular education;

provide supervision that is appropriate to their age and stage of development;

meet their emotional needs – for example, to feel safe and loved.

The potential signs of neglect include (but are not limited to):

being unclean or ‘smelly’;

being hungry frequently;

losing weight or being underweight;

wearing inappropriate clothing;

reports of a child being left alone or unsupervised for a period of time that is unsuitable for their age or stage of development;

untreated injuries, medical conditions or dental issues;

poor language, communication or social skills;

not having many friends;

regularly complaining of tiredness;

not asking for medical help, e.g. when they have fallen over on the playground.

Physical abuse

Physical abuse is abuse that causes physical harm to a child. It may involve hitting, shaking, throwing, burning/scalding, drowning, suffocating, poisoning or otherwise. Physical harm may also be caused when a parent or carer fabricates the symptoms of, or deliberately induces, illness in a child.

Bruising and cuts are common on children, but it is important to view all injuries in a wider context and to be aware that some injuries may have been inflicted, rather than being accidental. 

The indicators of physical abuse include (but are not limited to): 

unexplained marks or bruising, or an explanation which is inconsistent with the injury;

multiple bruises;

burns, e.g. from a cigarette or mirroring the shape of an object;

scalds;

bite marks;

broken skin;

physically flinching from physical contact or touch;

not wanting to get changed.

Emotional abuse

Emotional abuse is the emotional maltreatment of a child which causes adverse effects on the child’s emotional development. It may involve telling a child that they are worthless or unloved, inadequate, or making them feel that they are not valued. 

Emotional abuse may also include:

not giving the child opportunities to express their views, deliberately silencing them, or belittling what they say or how they communicate;

age or developmentally inappropriate expectations being imposed on children that are inappropriate for their age of stage of development; 

serious bullying (including cyber-bullying), causing children frequently to feel frightened or in danger, or the exploitation or corruption of children.

Emotional abuse can be hard to identify due to there being no physical signs. It should be recognised that a child who appears well looked after could still be suffering from emotional abuse.

Some level of emotional abuse is involved in all types of maltreatment of a child, although it may occur alone.

The indicators of emotional abuse may include (but are not limited to): 

rocking;

sulking;

hair twisting;

being unable to play;

experiencing sudden speech disorders;

being fearful of making a mistake;

being withdrawn, anxious or depressed;

self-harm;

being fearful of a parent being spoken to about their changes in behaviour.

Sexual abuse

Sexual abuse involves forcing or enticing a child to take part in sexual activities. It can take the form of physical contact and/or non-contact activities.

Physical contact includes assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts, such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing, and touching outside of clothing.

Non-contact activities includes children looking at, or being involved in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse. 

Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse can be perpetrated by men, women or other children. The sexual abuse of children by other children is a specific safeguarding issue (also known as child-on-child abuse) and there is a separate section about this later in this policy.

Upskirting The Voyeurism (Offences) Act 2019, which is commonly known as the Upskirting Act, came into force in 2019. Upskirting is where someone takes a picture under a person’s clothing (not necessarily a skirt) without their permission and/or knowledge, with the intention of viewing their genitals or buttocks to obtain sexual gratification, or cause the victim humiliation, distress or alarm. 

Pupils of any gender can be victims of sexual abuse. Any child reporting sexual abuse needs to be taken seriously and listened to.

Signs of sexual abuse include (but are not limited to): 

pain or itching in the genital area;

stomach pains;

discomfort sitting down or walking;

sexually transmitted diseases;

bruising or bleeding in the genital area;

vaginal discharge or infection;

pregnancy;

having inappropriate sexual knowledge for their age;

sexual drawings or language;

bed-wetting;

having secrets which they say they cannot tell anyone;

having unexplained money suddenly;

not being allowed to have friends.

Specific Safeguarding Issues

Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) 

Child Sexual Exploitation is a form of sexual abuse. It occurs when an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity. An abuser will gain the trust of a child or control them through blackmail or violence.

CSE can happen in person or online. A child exploited online may be forced to:

distribute sexual images of themselves;

film or livestream sexual activities;

engage in sexual conversations.

The indicators of potential CSE can include (but are not limited to):

going missing;

not attending school;

having sexual knowledge that is inappropriate for their age;

using drugs or alcohol;

having unexpected gifts or money that they will not explain the source of;

concerns regarding sexual health;

becoming isolated from family and friendship groups;

struggling with trust;

declining emotional wellbeing.

Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE)

Child Criminal Exploitation is a form of abuse where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into criminal activity.

This can include children being involved in transporting drugs or money (county lines), working in cannabis factories, shoplifting or pickpocketing, as well as being forced or manipulated into committing crime, such as vehicle crime or threatening/committing serious violence to others. Children can be trapped in this kind of exploitation by being threatened with violence or coerced into debt. Children may also be coerced into carrying weapons, or may begin carrying a knife for protection from others. 

The indicators of potential CCE can include (but are not limited to):

going missing or travelling for unexplained reasons;

not attending school;

using drugs or alcohol;

being involved with gang activity or exhibiting signs of this, such as wearing clothing/accessories or using slang associated with gangs;

having unexpected gifts or money that they will not explain the source of;

committing ‘petty’ crime, such as shoplifting;

carrying a weapon;

becoming isolated from family and friendship groups;

unexplained injuries and refusal to seek medical help;

declining emotional wellbeing.

Serious violence

Children and young people can be involved with, and be at risk from, serious violent crime. This can be linked to Child Criminal Exploitation but can also occur separately.

The indicators of potential serious violent crime can include (but are not limited to):

regular or increased absence from school;

decline in academic performance or behaviour;

change in friendships or relationships, often involving older individuals or groups;

signs of self-harm;

being involved with gang activity;

signs of assault or unexplained injuries;

significant change in wellbeing;

any potential indicators of CCE.

Domestic abuse 

Domestic abuse can be, but is not limited to, psychological, physical, sexual, financial or emotional abuse. It can be an isolated incident or a series of incidents and children can be victims. They may see, hear or experience the effects of abuse at home and/or suffer domestic abuse in their own intimate relationships (teenage relationship abuse).

The indicators of potential domestic abuse can include (but are not limited to):

becoming anxious, withdrawn or depressed;

sleep difficulties;

bed-wetting;

complaining of physical symptoms, such as tummy aches;

behavioural issues, such as aggression or behaving in a much younger manner than their actual age;

low sense of self-worth or self-esteem;

self-harm;

alcohol or drug abuse.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)

Female Genital Mutilation involves procedures that intentionally alter/injure the female genital organs for non-medical reasons.

The school understands that staff have a mandatory duty to report to the police if they believe an act of FGM has been carried out on a girl under the age of 18. Failure to do this could result in disciplinary action for staff. 

The signs of FGM include (but are not limited to): 

not taking part in PE lessons;

appearing to be in pain or have restricted movements;

regularly going to the toilet for prolonged amounts of time;

unauthorised absence from school, especially holidays planned to countries which are known to practise FGM.

Section 5B(11) of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003, inserted under section 74 of the Serious Crime Act 2015, specifies that if staff suspect that FGM has been carried out on a pupil under 18 years of age, they have a statutory duty to report this to the police.

Statutory guidance on Female Genital Mutilation can be found here: 

Multi-agency statutory guidance on female genital mutilation - GOV.UK

Child-on-child abuse

The school understands that abuse can take place from one child to another child. Child-on-child abuse can take a number of forms including (but not limited to):

bullying, including discriminatory bullying and cyberbullying;

physical abuse;

sexual harassment, including online sexual harassment;

causing someone to engage in sexual activity without consent;

upskirting;

consensual and non-consensual sharing of nude and semi-nude images and/or videos (also known as sexting or youth-produced sexual imagery).

Sexual violence and sexual harassment can occur between two or more children of any age and sex. It can occur also through a group of children sexually assaulting or sexually harassing a single child or group of children. Sexual violence and sexual harassment exist on a continuum and may overlap; they can be both physical and verbal and can occur online and/or face to face. 

Staff should take a zero tolerance approach to sexual violence and sexual harassment. It is never acceptable and should not be tolerated. It should never be passed off as “banter”, “just having a laugh”, “a part of growing up” or “boys being boys”. Failure to do so can lead to a culture of unacceptable behaviour, an unsafe environment and encourage people to falsely believe that it is acceptable.

Staff should also challenge physical behaviour, such as grabbing bottoms, breasts and genitalia, pulling down trousers, flicking bras and lifting up skirts. They should recognise, acknowledge and understand the scale of harassment and abuse, and understand that even if there are no reports, it does not mean it is not happening.

The measures that we will take to reduce the likelihood of child on child abuse:

children will never be left alone or unsupervised

adults present in the room will constently be watching the children's behaviour

any suspicious behaviour will not be allowed to escalte

Children will be able to freely report to any adult any abuse they have received without consequences and each case will be treated confidentially;

Radicalisation and extremism

The Department for Education defines extremism, radicalisation and terrorism as follows:

Extremism is the vocal or active opposition to our fundamental values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and the mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs. This also includes calling for the death of members of the armed forces. 

Radicalisation refers to the process by which a person comes to support terrorism and extremist ideologies associated with terrorist groups.

Terrorism is an action that endangers or causes serious violence to a person/people; causes serious damage to property; or seriously interferes or disrupts an electronic system. The use or threat must be designed to influence the government or to intimidate the public and is made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause.

There is no single way of identifying an individual who is likely to be susceptible to a radical ideology. All school staff must be aware of changes in pupils’ behaviour which could indicate that they may be at risk. Staff should use their professional judgement in identifying students who might be at risk of radicalisation and always act proportionately and seek support if they are concerned.

The requirement for all staff, volunteers and governors to adhere to and understand their duties to prevent radicalisation is set out in the Prevent guidance which was published in 2015 and is updated regularly:

Statutory guidance on the Prevent duty

Schools should use mechanisms to establish the risk of radicalisation for the children in the school, ensure that staff understand the risk and understand how to deal with these issues. The importance and implementation of the Prevent duty needs to be communicated to and understood by all staff, volunteers and governors. 

Signs of radicalisation include (but are not limited to):

being unwilling to listen to different points of view;

becoming obsessive about conspiracy theories;

changes in appearance and clothing;

converting to a new religion;

changes in hobbies or pastimes;

becoming secretive;

spending a lot of time online or on the phone;

changing friends or becoming isolated;

showing an interest in extremist organisations;

accessing extremist content online;

expressing unusual views;

making discriminatory comments;

becoming unwilling to engage with people from different groups, religions, etc.

Online safety and the use of mobile and smart technology

The children will not have any access to any kind of smart technology. If any use of technology is necessary, it will be conducted and supervised by an adult at any time.

Pupils with SEND or medical needs

Any children with SEND or special medical needs will need to be discussed with the Director prior to enrolment in order to make sure that Petits Kids Club can provide a safe place for the children.

Safeguarding Roles and Responsibilities

All staff and volunteers who work directly with children must read Part one of the most recent version of Keeping Children Safe in Education. Staff and volunteers who do not work directly with children can read Annex A (a summary of Part one), where this is considered to be appropriate.

The designated safeguarding lead (DSL)

The DSL is the lead for child protection and safeguarding in the club. The safeguarding responsibilities of the DSL include: 

undertaking the training required to fulfil their role effectively, in line with statutory requirements;

ensuring that all staff are aware of key policies regarding safeguarding and that relevant policies are available on the club website;

ensuring that all staff are aware of the role that they have to play in safeguarding and child protection and are supported and adequately trained to fulfil this role;

being available, including being contactable online, to provide advice and support on child welfare, safeguarding and child protection matters; 

being the point of contact for staff who have a concern about a child’s welfare, safeguarding, or a child protection issue;

acting as a point of contact for local safeguarding partners;

taking part in and contributing to strategic discussions and multi-agency meetings, and supporting other staff to do so where relevant;

liaising with other staff to ensure that pupils are safeguarded effectively;

ensuring that account is taken of the risk to children outside of their families and considering whether children are at risk of exploitation and/or serious violence; 

managing referrals to the children’s services or other agencies (such as the police if a crime has been committed), or to the Channel programme, or the Disclosure and Barring Service (where someone has been dismissed or has left because of the harm they have caused or the risk of harm they pose);

liaising with other agencies and partners in cases where early help is considered the most appropriate response, and contributing to any ongoing support and further assessments;

working in close partnership with social care and social workers;

being aware of which pupils have or have previously had a social worker and promoting their academic progress and attainment; 

where there has been an allegation against a member of staff which is judged to meet the threshold for referral to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), ensuring the child is not at risk and determining whether or not the case should be referred to children’s social care as a suspected abuse case; 

being aware of local protocols and arrangements in respect of the Prevent duty; 

being aware of local arrangements for early help;

responding to any safeguarding concerns in line with local and national requirements;

keeping accurate, detailed and secure written records of safeguarding issues, including any actions that have been taken and how these have been followed up;

ensuring that child protection records are kept up to date, stored securely and only shared with those who need to know in line with data protection legislation;

ensuring that staff are aware of national and local safeguarding protocols and procedures;

supporting staff to complete accurate and detailed records of any concerns that they have;

providing support for staff so that they are confident about safeguarding, child protection and welfare issues;

supporting staff to implement any reasonable adjustments or extra support needed to assist pupils who have been affected by abuse, recognising that, even where statutory services support has ended, the child can suffer long-term consequences;

fostering a culture of listening and making sure the wishes and feelings of the children are considered;

ensuring that effective links are built with parents and carers to foster a culture of engagement and open and honest communication.

Processes and Procedures

Reporting concerns

early help processes;

reports should be confirmed in writing to the DSL with the date and full explanation of concerns

the DSL will take the responsibility to make referrals to social care;

the DSL will be maintaining accurate records;

Training and induction

All staff are aware of the school’s child protection procedures and safeguarding policy.

All members of staff receive safeguarding training as part of their induction. 

All staff have regular safeguarding updates and training on both general safeguarding and specific safeguarding issues.

The DSL undergo in-depth safeguarding training at least every two years.

Parents are supported to understand safeguarding issues and how the club can help.

Pupils are offered appropriate education and support to help keep them safe from harm.

Key Contacts

  Petits Kids Club Director: Amelie Chambrillon

Policy management and review

The policy will be reviewed at least annually and should be updated at any time when there are relevant government announcements, changes in legislation or changes in the local approach.

The policy is available on the club website, with paper copies provided by the club upon request.

The policy should be provided to and followed by all staff and volunteers.

Latest review and update of the policy: 13/01/2026