Keeping everyone safe
Every child, every family and every member of our team has the right to feel safe with us. Keeping children safe is a responsibility shared by every adult in every Chalk nursery. We would always rather hear about a small worry than miss something that matters.
Who leads safeguarding
Sinead Johnson, our Chief Executive, is the Designated Safeguarding Lead for Chalk Nursery Group. Every nursery also has its own trained safeguarding lead, and their name is displayed in the nursery.
How we keep children safe
- Safer recruitment. We follow safer recruitment in full, including enhanced DBS checks and references for everyone we employ.
- CCTV. CCTV is a standard feature of a Chalk nursery. It helps keep children safe and supports our early educators to reflect on their practice. Access to footage is strictly controlled.
- Professional curiosity. We ask our early educators and leaders to be professionally curious: to notice, to ask questions and to follow up, even when something seems small.
- Always reflecting. We do everything the law and Ofsted require of us, and then we keep asking questions. Every concern raised is a chance to learn.
How to raise a concern
- If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
- If you are worried about a child at one of our nurseries, speak to the nursery manager or the nursery’s safeguarding lead. You can also email tellme@chalknurserygroup.co.uk.
- If your concern is about an adult who works with children, tell us straight away. We follow the local authority’s procedures, including referral to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
- You can contact Ofsted directly at any time on 0300 123 4666 or at enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk.
Making a complaint
If something is not right, please tell us. Speak to your nursery manager first. If you would like to take it further, ask your nursery manager for a copy of our complaints policy, which explains every step and how quickly we will respond.
Keeping our team safe too
Everyone in our team, in every role, deserves to feel safe at work.
- Everyone in our team, in every role, deserves to feel safe at work.
- Speak up without fear. Anyone who raises a concern in good faith will be supported, never penalised. Our whistleblowing policy explains how. You can also call the NSPCC Whistleblowing Advice Line on 0800 028 0285.
- CCTV protects you too. It gives an accurate record of what happened. That supports you as well as the children in your care.
- A fair process. If a concern is ever raised about you, we follow a fair and confidential process. We keep you informed as far as we are able, and we make sure you have support.
- You are never on your own. Every nursery has a safeguarding lead, and our group Designated Safeguarding Lead is there to back you up.