Safeguarding Approach

Here at Sunflowers Preschool, safeguarding is our main priority and we aim to work together to provide safeguarding support for your child. Government definitions of safeguarding and child protection are as follows:

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.

Defined for the purposes of guidance as:

Protecting children from maltreatment
Preventing impairment of children's health and development
Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

Child Protection

Part of safeguarding and promoting welfare. This refers to the activity that is undertaken to protect specific children who are suffering, or are likely to suffer, significant harm.

The barriers young children experience in communication can lead to misunderstandings and a difficulty of communicating need.

In many cases, children innocently say things that are misleading. Unfortunately, at the same time, some children often find it distressing, difficult and fearful to disclose their feelings and don’t know how to ask for help, leaving us in a position of trying to understand what they are actually telling us. Therefore, we adopt a transparent and honest approach to any safeguarding concerns we may have.

This means that we are duty bound to question, record and talk to parents about any safeguarding concerns or disclosures that may arise, no matter how uncomfortable. This is often a cause of distress to families, especially if things have been disclosed out of context and prove to be misleading or misinterpreted. However, our duty is to investigate, question and provide support, not jump to conclusions, judge or discriminate.

Equally, we would hope you find us approachable and supportive should you ever need support or advice yourself or for your family.

Please ask to speak to me if you would like to discuss our approach to safeguarding, or to read any of our safeguarding policies and procedures.

Angela Guy

Manager and Designated Safeguard Lead (DSL).

Harriet Pickup - Deputy Designated Safeguard Lead (DDSL)