Keeping Children Safe: Understanding Legislation in Early Years

• Mathematics
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)

Unit 5 Keeping Children Safe.

Understanding Legislation in Early Years

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Session 2

Learning Objectivess

At the end of the session all learners will be able to...

1. Understand the key legislation in Early Years and its role in ensuring the health and safety of children.

2. Engage in interactive tasks to support and promote understanding of learning.

3. Create a leaflet for parents to demonstrate understanding of legislation in Early Years.

Legislation?

Legislation is a word used to define the standards of care that are expected by adults who work with children, it is a legal requirement to promote best interests.

Non - compliance is illegal and can be considered an act of negligence. 

Legislation provides a standardised approach to Early Years practice, ensure all practitioners and settings are meeting the legal requirements. 

Acts - These are written laws that have been put in place. 

Regulations - legal requirement, predominantly for the health and safety executive.

Statutory guidance - The Early Years sector has special legal status and has to be considered by all providers. It must be followed.

Lets consider the implications of not following legislation? How will this affect the children in our care?

What do you already know about legislation in Early Years and how it can be used to keep children safe?

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (1989)

UNCRC (1989) promotes the rights of children and adolescence, ensuring children are promoting and their individual needs are met and promoted. 

The UNCRC was developed in 1989 but was implemented by the UK law in 1992, it consists of 54 articles and promotes children's rights, valuing children and promoting their uniqueness. 

As practitioners we must ensure we are maintaining and promoting the 'best interest if the child'. 

It is important to recognise the 4 key principles of the UNCRC 1989. 

1. Non - discrimination 

2. The best interests of the child.

3. The right to live and develop

4. The right to be heard.

UNCRC Child friendly

https://www.savethechildren.org.uk/content/dam/global/reports/uncrc-child-friendly-version1.pdf

Feedback
Choose 1 article, justify why you have chosen this article. Why is this article of importance?
I want a variety of answers please.

Health and Safety at Work Act (1974)

This legislation places a duty on employers to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of employees and others who may be affected by their work activities.

In line with this legislation practitioners may be asked to wear disposable gloves, aprons when changing nappies or serving food, it reduced the risk of spreading infection.

It is the employers responsibility to take reasonable steps to ensure all employee's are kept safe at work, this should include a safety policy and suitable procedures. 

Lets discuss the link between legislation, policy and procedures. 

The Workplace Regulations (1992)

These regulations cover various aspects of the workplace, including ventilation, temperature, lighting, and cleanliness.

Mostly focusing on the physical conditions that are provided by the employer, for example: is the staff room clean. 

This also includes the number of rest breaks provided in a working shift. 

Why is it important the physical sfaety of staff is considered?

Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations (1981)

These regulations outline the requirements for First Aid provision in the workplace, including the appointment of a designated First Aider.

All level 3 qualified members of staff need to be pediatric first aid trained. 

Ensuring there are sufficient staff to deal with any first aid incident. A first aid box must be clearly labelled and accessible.

Many first aid responsibilities in Early Years could consist of: preventing choking, head injuries or high temperatures. 

Risk assessment

Using the template provided we will now head to the sensory garden and complete our very first risk assessment. 

You will need a pen and something to lean on.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999)

These regulations require employers to assess and manage risks to the health and safety of their employees and others, for example carrying out a risk assessment on activities and equipment.

- Have an emergency procedure in place. for example: fire evacuation procedure. 

- Ensure all staff receive training to maintain the health and safety at work regulations. 

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1992)

These regulations aim to prevent musculoskeletal injuries by setting out requirements for the manual handling of loads.

The regulations are designed to protected employees, for example: lifting correctly.

All Early Years setting's will ensure staff and attending training courses and are provided clear instruction on how to keep safe.

How might practitioners approach lifting children on and off the changing facilities?

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order (2005)

This legislation places duties on employers to prevent and mitigate the risks of fire in the workplace, including conducting fire risk assessments and providing adequate fire safety measures.

Children and adults who are vulnerable should be considered with any fire related procedure. The Early Years setting must also have clear smoke alarms that should be checked. 

All setting's will have someone in charge of Health and Safety.

The Early Years Foundations Stage statutory framework (2023)

This framework sets the standards for Early Years education, including requirements for safeguarding, health, and safety. The EYFS is a statutory guidance, this means Early Years providers must follow and meet the requirements

Research task:

1. Research the EYFS health and safety requirements. (Section 3)

2. Take notes in your books ready to share for a group collab.

fhttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1170108/EYFS_framework_from_September_2023.pdf

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.