Health and safety procedures
Staff personal safety
General
§ Members of staff who are in the building early in the morning or late leaving ensure that doors and windows are locked.
§ Where possible, the last two members of staff in the building leave together and arrange to arrive together in the morning.
§ Visitors are allowed access only with prior appointments and once identifications are verified.
A member of the committee takes cash to the bank, and are aware of personal safety. Cash is minimal. The setting manager carries out a risk assessment and develops an agreed procedure.
§ Staff make a note in the shared diary of meetings they are attending and when they are expected back.
§ The setting manager liaises with local police for advice on any issues or concerns.
Home visits
Home visits are done at the setting manager’s discretion under the following health and safety considerations:
§ Staff always do home visits in pairs.
§ Each home visit is recorded in the diary with the name and address of the family being visited, prior to the visit taking place.
§ Staff alert the manager when they are leaving to do the home visit and what time they are expected to return
§ If there is reason for staff to feel concerned about entering premises on a visit, they do not do so, for example, if a parent appears drunk or under the influence of drugs.
§ Members of staff contact the manager when the home visit is finished
§ If staff do not return from the home visit at the expected time the contact person attempts to phone them and continues to do so until they make contact
If no contact is made after a reasonable amount of time has passed, the contact person rings the police.
Dealing with agitated parents/visitors in the setting
§ If a parent or visitor appears to be angry, mentally agitated, or possibly hostile, two members of staff will lead them away from the children to an area less open but will not shut the door behind them.
§ If the person is standing, staff will remain standing.
§ Staff will try to empathise, for example: ‘I can see that you are feeling angry at this time’.
§ Staff offer to discuss the issue of concern and show they recognise the concern.
§ Staff will ensure that the language they use can be easily understood
§ Staff will make it clear that they want to hear issues and seek solutions.
§ If the person makes threats and continues to be angry, members of staff make it clear that they will be unable to discuss the issue until the person stops shouting or being abusive, avoiding expressions like ‘calm down’ or ‘be reasonable’.
§ If threats continue, members of staff will explain that the police will be called and emphasise the inappropriateness of such behaviour in front of the children.
§ Procedure of Threats and abuse towards staff and volunteers is implemented where staff feel threatened or intimidated.
§ After the event, it is recorded in an incidents file together with any decisions made with the parents to rectify the situation.
§ Any situation involving threats to members of staff are reported to the manager, following procedure Threats and abuse towards staff and volunteers.
Copies of correspondence regarding the incident will be kept in the incidents file.