Cyp_Core_3.4

1:Understand how to plan and provide environments and services that support children and young people's health and safety. 1.1 Describe the factors to take into account when planning healthy and safe indoor and outdoor environments and services. Most of the factors that need to be taken into consideration when planning the health and safety of an environment children will be in, be it the main setting or an off-site visit, are really a matter of common sense. It needs to remembered that everyone in the setting or on a school trip is an individual and may have needs that need to be taken into account. How a setting needs to be set out and planned depends on the age of the children present, how mobile they are, what is within their reach, and what is on their eye level. Some children have impairments that mean they may have difficulty in understanding explanations of health and safety, a child with lower mental faculties or with physical impairments such as hearing difficulty for example may need more one on one time with a practitioner to try and be sure they grasp the concepts presented to them. The wants and needs of a child or young persons parents or carers should always be considered and catered for. There should always be a focus on a settings duty of care, as it is the legal responsibility of any child orientated setting and of the practitioners within it. When any layout of a room, activities or off-site visits are being planned the children's safety and welfare should always be the priority within the said plan. There should be a clear goal and set of outcomes to be reached from activities that are planned for them. Activities should always be planned around the developmental stage of the children involved so they best match the required outcomes linked to their age. In children under the age of 5 the required outcomes would be set out by the EYFS. All the practitioners within a setting should be aware of the lines of responsibility and accountability. Everyone within the setting or involved with activities has a responsibility to the safety of the children but also of the other adults/staff present. 1.2: Explain how health and safety is monitored and maintained and how people in the work setting are made aware of risks and hazards and encouraged to work safely. All settings must have policies and procedures in place to cover all aspects of health and safety. Any rooms or equipment that will be used by children and young people should have checks made on them to ensure they are safe for children to be present in or to be used by them. In the case of electrical devices and wall sockets/outlets the checks are required to be made regularly by law and should be checked by a qualified electrician every year. It is vitally important that environments children will spend time in are checked before and during activities. Checks need to be made for: Does any of the equipment that the children will be using have broken parts or sharp edges' Are large pieces of equipment and large toys arranged so children of all sizes and capabilities can access them safely' Are outside play areas free of dangerous litter such as glass, nails and other harmful materials' Are the toilets and washing facilities clean and supplied with toilet paper, soap and hand towels' Are all locks, catches and other security devices that are in place to stop children leaving the building alone working and correctly implemented' Are harmful/dangerous items or substances such as knives, bleach, chemicals stored away safely out of reach from children' Are clear procedures in place for dealing with spillages of bodily fluids such as blood or urine' are there facilities available to deal with them' Are clear procedures in place for dealing with visitors to the setting' Do alarm systems work' are there visitors books and badges in place' Are the area where food will be prepared clean and suitable' are all implements within the food preparation area safe for use' Managers of a setting should always ensure regular checks are carried out. In the case of an accident or incident the failure to have checked equipment could have serious implications. Most settings will have visitors in the course of most days for various reasons. it is important that visitors follow the safety guidelines that are in place just as the practitioners who work there would. However while visitors need to abide by the guidelines and policies that are in place, they cannot be expected to be familiar with them as the staff of a setting would be. it is down to the staff of a setting to make sure the visitors are aware of what is expected of them, and those requirements are at least in part, defined by the role of the visitor and why they are in the setting and how long a duration they will be within the environment. 'The information they need depends on several factors: how long they are at the setting. which areas of the building they have access to. their role and responsibilities. contact with the children or young people at the setting. Someone who is coming to the setting for a half hour meeting with the head or manager needs only very basic information - mainly to protect themselves in case of a fire. A plumber who is mending the heating system and who needs to move around the building needs briefing on personal safety, but also on the importance of always having a member of staff around when there are children in the area' (children and young peoples work force, Heinemann, page 138) Someone who is in a setting as a regular volunteer or as part of a student placement should have a very good working knowledge of the health and safety polices and procedures that are in place. 1.3: identify sources of current guidances for planning healthy and safe environments and services. All settings should have copies of all the latest legislation and guidance for health and safety as well as their own polices and procedures. There are websites available on the internet that offer a good source of information specific to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people: Health and Safety Executive: www.hse.gov.uk/ Child Accident Prevention Trust: www.capt.org.uk/ Department for Education: www.education.gov.uk/ England and Wales - www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/eyfs/site/requirements/index.htm There are also many publications and books that are available as points of reference. 1.4 Explain how current health and safety legislation, polices and procedures are implemented in own work setting or service. All early years workers and practitioners within child orientated settings have a responsibility for the safety of the children in their care. There are a number of legal and regulatory requirements that help to protect children and adults within any setting. The most important piece of legislation in effect at the moment is the Early Years Foundation Stage. The EYFS has been in effect since 2008 and works in sync with health and safety legislation. The EYFS covers every aspect of the welfare of children in early years settings. The Statutory Framework is the responsibility of the educational authority of the relevant UK country. In the case of England this is the Department for Education (DfE). The standards are monitored by the inspectorates, which in England is OFSTED. There are variations in the application of the different health and safety legislations in each of the countries in the UK, and a practitioner should be familiar with the differences if they find themselves working in, for example, Scotland rather than England. All those who are working in a child orientated setting should be familiar with: Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 Product safety marking Motor vehicles (wearing of seat belts) (Amendment) Regulations 2006 Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 Childcare Act 2006 - this states the framework to be used in settings and health and safety in the EYFS which has been in force since 2008 Food hygiene legislation 2006 The Health and Safety at Work Act covers all places of employment within Great Britain and puts the over all responsibility for health and safety onto the employer, but also lays out what is expected of employees as well so everyone has some level of responsibility towards the safety of everyone else present. The act requires that: buildings should be well maintained and designed with the safety of the users in mind the working environment should be clean and safe equipment must be used and stored safely working practices must promote the health and safety of children the workplace should be and not pose a threat to employees health safe systems of working should be in place adequate welfare facilities should be available articles and substances should be stored and used safely appropriate information, training and supervision should be made for the health and safety of employees any protective clothing required should be provided and be free of charge first aid facilities should be provided there should be a health and safety representative that can be consulted about issues affecting safety in the workplace. Many of the products in use in places of work and within home environments have been tested for safety by by the British Standards Institution (BSI). Any product bearing the mark of the BSI has been independently tested by them and cleared as being safe for use in compliance with the current health and safety requirements. The BSI kitemark is not a legal requirement but many products bear them as a mark of quality and reliability. Some products such as toys also bear a CE mark which verifies them as being safe for sale within the European Union to show it meets european safety rules. some products have both the CE and the BSI markings. The COSHH regulations cover all substances which can cause ill health. COSHH lays down rules and guidelines to help and prevent serious injury or harm from dangerous substances. All harmful substances must have labels that state the ways the substance is harmful and that they need to be stored in appropriate containers and securely. 3: Understand how to support children and young people to assess and manage risk for themselves. 3.1: Explain why it is important to take a balanced approach to risk management. Any activity children engage in has risk involved in it at some level, even activities as simple as painting and modelling with play doh. Any activities should be carefully planned with thought given to possible risks. The potential for accidents and injuries should be reduced to the minimum. It is however important to find a balance between risk management and risk taking. Risk and challenge are very important to children's development, and the removal of all challenging or reasonable risks could result in a negative effect that continues into adult hood causing them to become timid and wary of tackling new or unusual events in their life and lacking the drive needed to make the most of themselves. Within a setting risks should be present but in a controlled fashion. It would be easy to remove all risks from a setting but it would also create a sterile and unappealing environment that did not feed the children's minds and natural need for stimulus. Every time children go to play outside there is a risk of injury from falls and other mishaps, but children need to release pent up energy and be able to feel the joy of running with wild abandon, and as such it is worth the risk of tears and skinned knees. If the setting both indoors and out has been well checked then any true risks to the children's health and safety should not be present. 3.2: Explain the dilemma between the rights and choices of children and young people and health and safety requirements. Children and young people have the right to learn and develop and to be safe from harm, as defined by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. While children learn from taking risks, making choices and experiencing new things they do not have the ability to always make safe choices for themselves. Practitioners have the responsibility of identifying potential hazards and deal with them, and to be able to judge when children should be able to make choices for themselves. Some children rely on risk taking and making their own choices more than others do. A child from an over protective home could find the opportunity to explore risk in a well run setting that they cannot find at home, being able to take well managed risks that will help to build their confidence and develop more fully as a result. In a well-controlled setting children can be encouraged to explore and try out new skills and be safe from hazards as they do so. 3.3: Give examples from own practice of supporting children or young people to assess and manage risk. Children are normally quite astute in recognising risks and deciding for themselves what is safe and what is not. They may need some adult guidance but for the most part children do not put themselves into situations they do not feel safe to be in. Peer pressure can sometimes push children into actions that their own common sense would warn them against and they would not push themselves beyond their capabilities. Within my own setting the children i work with have just recently been introduced to the use of large play equipment such as climbing frames. It allows them to take risks but in a well managed way that has removed the potential for serious injuries as much as possible. While some guidance was given to them such as not jumping down from the frame as oppose to climbing down, and to be aware of others around them, the children can feel free to be able to judge for themselves how far they with to push themselves both physically and mentally. Again such large play time during PE allows children to feel free to make choices that perhaps over protective parents would not allow them to do. There are some things a practitioner can do to help and support children in their own risk management: 'Let young children take appropriate responsibility for safety decisions in a controlled environment. Increase levels of risks as children grow and mature. Support and help parents to encourage their children to manage risks for themselves. Be aware of timid children who are reluctant to take risks and help them to develop the skills. Most children have an inbuilt level of self-protection.' (Children and young peoples work force, Heinemann, page 146) 4: Understand appropriate responses to accidents, incidents emergencies and illness in work settings and off site visits. 4.1: Explain the policies and procedures of the setting or service in response to accidents, incidents, emergencies and illness. Young children frequently have accidents, their lack of co-ordination alone accounts for bumps, falls and scrapes. Children are upset when they have had an accident, even more so in the case of a more serious injury. People working in a child orientated setting will have to know what to do in such instances as it is their responsibility to act accordingly in an emergency. Going about the task calmly and confidently will prevent the injury becoming any worse than necessary. In the case of an accident and the administration of initial first aid it may be that the child or children involved need to go to hospital in the case of more serious injuries. A child's parents or carers should be informed as soon as such a decision has been made, and all children in a setting should have emergency contact details on file for the use in just such events. The emergency contact should be informed of where the child is being taken. Someone the child knows well should go with them to the hospital to both reassure and calm the child and to and to be a point of contact for the parents or carers when they arrive. All child orientated settings should have well stocked first aid kits stored somewhere easy to reach in the case of accidents and all staff should know where the first aid kit is located. Someone should have the duty of monitoring the supplies within the kit so that something needed is not missing when needed. Sometimes children fall ill rather than suffering an injury. CHildren can arrive at school seeming safe and well and deteriorate quite rapidly later in the day, sometimes to the point of raising serious concerns and in truly serious cases a real concern for their life. if needed a child's parents or carers can be contacted to take them home, or to a doctor if needed. It is important to be able to recognise when a child is seriously ill as time is a factor in such cases and rapid and correct response could well save a child's life. A call for medical attention should be made if: A child has difficulty breathing. has become limp and unresponsive. has become unconscious. if a child with asthma has an attack and does not improve after five minutes of having used their inhaler. there are reasons to suspect a child has meningitis. Signs of an older child (or adult) possibly having meningitis include: Fever - cold hands and feet, vomiting, headache, stiff neck, dislike of bright light, joint/muscle pain, drowsiness, and seeming to be confused. As part of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 any setting that employs 5 or more people should have its own safety policy in place. The policy should cover the required actions in the event of fire, accidents or other potential emergencies such as a child going missing. There should also be evacuation procedures in place so if such action is required everyone will be able to know how to proceed. There are various reasons why an evacuation can be called. The most common is a fire alarm being activated but it could also be called in the event of a gas leak or a bomb scare. it is usual practice for one member of staff being responsible for evacuation procedures and for making all staff aware of how they need to proceed. Practices of evacuations should be held regularly in preparation for actual emergencies occurring, and should always be taken seriously as such dry run help to identify difficulties and flaws that need to be addressed. As stated the most common reason for an evacuation is fire. In the case of a fire certain actions should be taken such as closing doors and windows while also trying to make sure children exit by normal routes, making sure children are not left unattended, and calling the fire brigade as quickly as possible. A well run child care or educational facility should never find itself in the situation of having a child that has gone missing. Children should not be able to exit the setting themselves as the exits should be monitored and the ingress and egress of people from the building/s should be controlled. Any adult travelling through a setting should be sure they secure doors and other portals they move through are properly closed, or locked if it is a more secure entrance. Strict procedures should be in place that ensure children only ever leave the setting with parents or authorised carers. In the case of off-site visits there should be the correct ratio of adults to children so they can be monitored and controlled. However in the event that a child does go missing there should be policies to be followed in place in the setting. This should include: Making sure all the other children are safe and secure and with responsible adults. Making sure all external exits are secured and controlled. The head or manager of the setting is informed immediately. Implementing a systematic search for the missing child starting from where they were last seen and working out to other areas. Informing the child's parents. informing the local police force. The child having gone missing may have a mundane explanation, such as wondering off on an excursion. But a child going missing can have more sinister connotations and in those cases rapid and correct response really can be a matter of life and death. 4.2: Identify the correct procedures for recording and reporting accidents, incidents, injuries, signs of illness and other emergencies. In certain circumstances accidents may need to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive. This would include: A child suffering a major injury such as electrocution, broken limbs and head trauma resulting in unconsciousness. If a child is absent from the setting for more than 3 days as a result of injuries they have suffered. All settings should have an accident book where all injuries, even minor ones, are recorded. More serious injuries and accidents require a full report to be completed. After any such event the Head or manager should look into the circumstances to identify what could be done to ensure similar incidents do not occur again. Preventative measures can be quite simple such as a change to a rooms layout or having more staff on hand for outside play. the changes could be more drastic such as realising equipment needs to be updated or replaced or that the provisions in place are lacking and need to be brought up to a higher level.