Safeguarding Policy for Childminders Essay Example for Free

Safeguarding Policy for Childminders Essay Safeguarding refers to keeping children safe – protecting them from harm/abuse, unsafe circumstances and impaired health/development, ensuring that they have the best possible opportunities in their lives. As a childminder it is my responsibility to ensure the safety and welfare of all children in my care. In doing so, I must:- †¢ Keep a confidential written record of any warning behavioural indicators/changes, signs/symptoms giving cause for concern. I will use body maps to indicate locations of bruising or other injuries to children who arrive at my setting with existing injuries. †¢ Not question children, allowing them to tell me things in their own time and their own way, using their own words. †¢ Ensure confidentiality – not discussing with any other party, particularly the parents of a child I suspect may need safeguarding if that may put the child at risk. †¢ Contact the local safeguarding or Social Services if I have concerns regarding the safety/welfare of a child in my care. †¢ Seek support for myself if I find a safeguarding situation distressing, whilst maintaining confidentiality. Mobile phones and cameras:- Any photographs I take in the course of my childminding work (to be used for the purposes of observing the children and keeping records of their development/progress) will be saved securely (with passwords) on my computer and be unavailable to others to view. Once printed these photographs will be deleted from my phone/camera/computer immediately. Others living in or visiting my home will be informed that, in accordance with this policy, they should not take photographs/videos in my home whilst I have children in my care. Regulatory requirements for safeguarding children in home-based childcare:- To comply with safeguarding regulations, as a registered Childminder I have completed the following:- †¢ Child Protection training. †¢ This Safeguarding Policy which is to be reviewed regularly and shared with parents of all children in my care. †¢ Enhanced CRB Disclosure for all adults (over 16 years) living at the registered property. Signs, symptoms, indicators and behaviours that cause concern in the context of safeguarding:- Physical abuse – bruises in unusual places, of different ages in the same place, of the same shape in different places; outline bruises (hand/belt/shoe prints); bruising of non-mobile babies; fractures; injuries which have not received medical attention; burns; bites; inconsistent accounts of injuries; reluctance to change clothes or uncover parts of body (eg rolling up sleeves). Neglect – dirty skin/hair; untreated headlice; dirty, soiled, ill-fitting clothing or that which is inappropriate for the weather; left alone/unsupervised frequently; lack of medical care/treatment; frequent hunger; frequent tiredness; stealing food; withdrawn behaviour. Sexual abuse – allegations made by child; inappropriate knowledge/play/actions displayed (incl provocative behaviour); speaking/drawing/playing displaying sexual activity; recurrent urine infections; unexplained recurrent stomach pain; severe sleep disturbance with fears, nightmares; eating disorders. Emotional abuse – low self-esteem (incl commenting negatively about self); self-harm; attention seeking/obsessive behaviour; inability to mix with other children; sleep/speech disorders; aggression/depression/extreme anxiety; changes in mood/behaviour (esp becoming withdrawn/unwilling to be away from carer); extreme shyness; nervous behaviour. In the event that I believe (with good reason) that any child(ren) in my care is(are) subject to abuse it is my duty to report this to the Duty Social Worker in my local authority area’s Local Safeguarding Children Board. Under such circumstances it will be necessary for me to share confidential information regarding the child(ren) concerned with OFSTED, Social Services and the Police if requested, superseding any confidentiality agreements held between myself and the child(ren)’s parents. Protecting my own position – I will keep clear records of any injuries sustained by children in my care, as well as any pre-existing injuries they have sustained outside of my care. Unless exceptional circumstances indicate that this would put the child at risk of harm, a child’s main carer will usually be asked to sign my notes as an official record of the injury. This does not indicate any negativity towards or suspicion of the child’s family or personal circumstances, but is intended as protection for myself and my own family/household members against potential allegations made about our treatment of the children in my childcare setting. Carers will also be asked to sign any entry made in my accident book in the event of their child sustaining injury whilst in my care, as a record that I have made them fully aware of the incident and any resulting injury. Useful telephone numbers:- Childcare Services (Access and Referral Team): Duty Social Worker: Police (Pennines): The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage states that:- â€Å"Registered providers must inform OFSTED of any allegations of serious harm or abuse by any person living, working, or looking after children at the premises (whether that allegation relates to harm or abuse committed on the premises or elsewhere), or any other abuse which is alleged to have taken place on the premises, and of the action taken in respect of these allegations. Registered providers must inform OFSTED of these allegations as  soon as is reasonably practicable, but at the latest within 14 days of the allegations being made. A registered provider who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with this requirement, commits an offence.† Should any allegations be made against any member of my household I will report this to OFSTED as a matter or urgency within the prescribed 14 days.

The Importance of Censorship Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Essays

The Importance of Censorship   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Censorship affects our society in many different ways, it affects the music we listen to, the movies we watch, the books we read, and many other aspects of our everyday lives. Even though many might argue that censorship doesn't really have a place in a society that emphases freedom of speech and the freedom to express oneself, but censorship is an essential and needed part of our growing society, it's needed in the television industry, the Internet, and the music industry. Censorship helps to make our world a better place because it creates a better environment for us to live in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Censorship is an important and essential part of television. Without the presence of censorship television would be unsuitable for our younger viewers because censorship helps to filter out the appearances of nudity, real life violence, the use of profanity and other obscene gestures during the youth viewing hours. However, during the prime time viewing hours it?s a different story. The method the television stations use is a mere waste of time and money because a little symbol in the corner of the screen is not going to prevent a child from watching the program. The only way this method can work is if the parents/guardian is there to change the channel but let?s be realistic, how many parents/guardians actuarially have the time to monitor everything there children watch. So most children do end up viewing these programs anyway, and whether we like it o...

Architecture and Environment Paper Essay

Architecture and the environment help to shape one another so they must be describe together. To build architecture constructors take from the environment but both architecture and the environment serve the people of the world. To fully understand the interactions of architecture, the environment, and the effects of each on human behavior one must view as variables of one whole. The Impact Physical Structures have on Human Behavior It only takes visiting a beautiful place like a Maine coast light house, a Scottish castle, or a villa in Greece to feel the profound affects it has on ones mental condition. Worries are melted away and the soul is refreshed. Lighter or brighter spaces tend to increase alertness and even guard against depression. Rooms that are intended for relaxation should have dark colors with carpeting and few sharp edges. Low ceilings typically improve focus on detail-oriented tasks where conversely high ceilings increase creativity. Views of nature such as trees and open green spaces significantly inspire creativity, concentration, and memory. Clearly, it is significant to construct buildings that are sensitive to the needs of a user and should also compensate for ones inability to spend time outside. Certain human populations spend more time indoors than outdoors, which can have an unpropitious effect ones well being, health, and even comfort. This is why it is so important to create indoor en vironments that suit and meet ones basic needs (Pultar, 1997). Architecture Directing Human Behavior Architecture not only influences human action but can also help to direct that action. Research has proven that the way a person lives can affect their social interaction with others. One study showed those who live in apartments that were close to one another were less interested in social interaction surrounding them and had possession of limited space. The interest for knowing what was around them was not present nor the need to share who they are with others. Places of worship and places of work are perfect examples of how architecture can impact human behavior. Churches specifically use designs and furniture when building a church that will elicit the appropriate response when the congregation is attending. However, doing this the reverence of the God they want others to understand and know about is an exciting learning experience that the people want to continue to  come back and worship at that church. (Bro & Popow, 2000) Environmental Psychological Implications of Design Everyone is impacted to some degree by building design, so it is to no ones surprise that the involvement of environmental psychology in design is enormous. The way ones surroundings are arranged can provide either possibilities or limitations. Therefore, when creating any kind of space, it is very significant to know for what and who will use it. It is important to know where to build, how much space will be needed, and its purpose. The building needs to be matched with his or her user so that the best functionality can be established while meeting certain criteria such as quality, safety, and performance. Environmental psychological implications of commercial design are being designed these days very often depends on public demands. Without the involvement of the user, a designer will be unable to construct a building that will meet everyone’s needs and will pay attention to aspects such as safety and flexibility. For instance, there are several intentions of a hospital. A hospital must first provide the right kind of care to its patients but at the same time, it needs to consider the needs of its employees by providing a sufficient work environment. One of many concerns when designing a hospital is providing the most efficient care for patients without sacrificing effective care. Therefore, the layout of a hospital contributes greatly the care of a patient. It has been researched that the distance between a nurse’s station and a patient’s room plays a vital role in the kind of care the patient receives and the speed with which he or she receives it. Besides space, another concern existing in a work environment, such as a hospital, is privacy. Privacy is very difficult to be maintained in such an environment and is important for the well being of a patient and staff. It has been acknowledged that short periods of privacy improved the productivity of nurses. At the same time, allowing privacy for patients contributes to more interactions that are social. In addition, the amount of noise, the kind and quantity of light, facility indoor colors, more windows and nicer views, and availability of gardens are just few of the many features that can improve the well-being of a patient and contribute to better employee productivity (Kesan, 2000). Environmental Psychological Implications of Residential Design When constructing a  residential property, it is very important that the design will encourage and best performance to those using this living place. The user is vital in the process of creating a residential layout because he or she will be spending a lot of time in this property. Therefore, it is very important that a residential property meets ones needs, is well made, safe, functional, and cost efficient. Recent research concluded that it is important to create a unity between the built environment and a user because the design of a home can affect ones way of living (Tappendorf, 2002). When designing a residential area, one must be aware that he or she is not only creating a building for space but he or she is also producing a place, which must provide residential satisfaction and will help express identity. Space supplies the user with dimensions for living, the needed amount for privacy, and room for others. Place is personal individually influenced, and makes one feel at home. Creating a life space requires various implementations and considerations such as where, for whom, and for what purpose the house is built, how to organize the support spaces like the kitchen and bathrooms, and how many and where to place the support systems like lightning, windows, and others. In addition, when organizing a living space, one should decide between an open or closed plan. A closed plan means more divided rooms allowing for more privacy, whereas an open plan allows for more flexibility within a living space but less privacy. In the end, providing a home that is functional and meaningful at the same time will allow the owner to become attached to it (Tappendorf, 2002). Whatever the decision one makes in his or her residential area, this chance of doing so will most likely change over time. Importance of Architectural Development supporting Sustainable Development Various factors contribute to the importance of architectural development being necessary to support sustainable development. For far too long, this has been not a significant matter because the main focus was to create a higher standard of living, which caused enormous and irreversible damage to the environment. However, with the continuously rising numbers of people on this planet and the increasing shortage of natural supplies and resources, the paradigm shifted to make a change. Sustainable building is without question one of the most cost-efficient solutions to reduce the rapidly depleting natural resources and adverse impact on the environment. Clearly, when build anything; it is crucial to think about the future and  therefore, the environment. As seen in the past, humanities decisions have impaired the ability to sustain and in some cases done irreversible damage to the environment. Continuing on this path is impossible because it will destroy the ecosystem for future generations. The ecosystem will be unable to restore itself and make it impossible for future generations to survive on this planet. According to the U.S. Department of Energy constructing and maintaining manmade environment is responsible for half of all greenhouse gas emissions and more than half of annual energy consumption in North America (Moore, 2009). This news is shocking and definitely requires a major change in the way future architecture develops. Fortunately, research agrees and it is progressing to implement more environmentally sound aspects when designing architecture. Conclusion In conclusion architecture design plays a big role as to how humans respond to their surrounding as we know work, school, hospitals, and churches all has its effects on person whether it is the furniture, lighting, colors, or structure. The world buildings are being designed with the given understanding to promote and motivate people to want to remain where they are. Designs are always evolving to match what the environment is putting out.

Genetic Engineering The Solution to Hunger and Disease...

Genetic Engineering: The Solution to Hunger and Disease In case you were not sure, we don’t live in a perfect world. Millions of people die every year. Two significant causes of death are hunger and disease (I am aware that there are more causes such as war and crime, but they are irrelevant to this essay). There are about 5.6 billion people on earth; all of whom need to eat. However, only a certain amount of food (less that what everyone needs) can be produced. With the use of pesticides, much of the food that is produced is not as nutritional as it could be. Food production costs are also inordinately high due to the crop’s weaknesses to pests, pesticides, and weather fluctuations. On an ascetic level, tomatoes are†¦show more content†¦GE can come pretty close to ending hunger. The goal here is to improve the quantity of food from plants and improve the amount of milk and meat that cattle produce. There are three ways in which ‘agricultural engineering’ can be done. Scientists can mass produce the bac teria that plants need for nitrogen fixation. Another method of agricultural engineering entails the growing of individual plant cells in cultures in order to screen for genetically superior traits. A third method, and perhaps the most efficient, pertains to splicing new genes into plants and animals themselves (Weintraub 156). With respect to the third approach of plant engineering, scientists are working on splicing the genes needed for the production of 1- lysine, an amino acid which has nutritional value for humans. By enhancing the nutritional value of corn in some Third World countries, an expansion of food supplies would be unnecessary (Ellis 153). Other possibilities of gene engineering that evolve from gene splicing is the manipulation of a plantÕs genes that regulates photosynthesis, which increase plant productivity. As a direct consequence of higher yield in plants, the demand for fertilizer will diminish (Weintraub 158). 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