Elize Bridewell Unit 5: Keeping children safe 24/01/2018
Health, safety and safeguarding in early year’s settings.
Introduction:
During this report on health, safety and safeguarding in the early years I will be covering the
legal responsibilities and approaches to the children's health and safety in early year’s
settings, within this I will be referring to the approaches to promoting children's health and
safety. During the second half of my report I will be exploring the procedures for prevention
and control of infection in early year’s settings where I will also refer to the statutory
requirements for this.
Responsibilities to children's health and safety:
Every child has the right to be healthy and the right to feel safe and secure within a setting.
This is aright which is laid down in an international agreement known as the United Nations
Conventions on the rights of the child, this was made in 1989 and was made into a law in
the UK in January 1992. These laws were established to ensure children's rights were
maintained. The UNCR sets out all of the rights and freedoms of all children in 54 articles.
On UNICEF's official website article 19 is described as "Governments must do all they can to
ensure that children are protected from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and bad
treatment by their parents or anyone else who looks after them". https://www.unicef.org.uk/
wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Our-rights_UNCRC.pdf
The duty of care to protect children from harm and to promote their welfare:
A duty of care describes the standard care that is needed from the adults who work with the
children within a setting. It is a legal duty to act in a way which promotes the best interests
of the children and to keep them safe from harm while maintaining their welfare. The adult
is also obligated to do nothing to harm a child through their actions.
Legislation, regulations and guidance:
There are many legislation's, regulations and guidance that early year’s settings have to
follow in order to have a safe working practice and to prevent accidents. Failure to act in
accordance to this is seen to be an act of negligence.
Health and Safety at Work Act-1974:
This act covers everyone who is in employment and it means that they are covered
by protection that ensures their workplace is healthy and safe. This piece of
legislation is the reason why you may be asked to wear disposable gloves or aprons
1
Health, safety and safeguarding in early year’s settings.
Introduction:
During this report on health, safety and safeguarding in the early years I will be covering the
legal responsibilities and approaches to the children's health and safety in early year’s
settings, within this I will be referring to the approaches to promoting children's health and
safety. During the second half of my report I will be exploring the procedures for prevention
and control of infection in early year’s settings where I will also refer to the statutory
requirements for this.
Responsibilities to children's health and safety:
Every child has the right to be healthy and the right to feel safe and secure within a setting.
This is aright which is laid down in an international agreement known as the United Nations
Conventions on the rights of the child, this was made in 1989 and was made into a law in
the UK in January 1992. These laws were established to ensure children's rights were
maintained. The UNCR sets out all of the rights and freedoms of all children in 54 articles.
On UNICEF's official website article 19 is described as "Governments must do all they can to
ensure that children are protected from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect and bad
treatment by their parents or anyone else who looks after them". https://www.unicef.org.uk/
wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Our-rights_UNCRC.pdf
The duty of care to protect children from harm and to promote their welfare:
A duty of care describes the standard care that is needed from the adults who work with the
children within a setting. It is a legal duty to act in a way which promotes the best interests
of the children and to keep them safe from harm while maintaining their welfare. The adult
is also obligated to do nothing to harm a child through their actions.
Legislation, regulations and guidance:
There are many legislation's, regulations and guidance that early year’s settings have to
follow in order to have a safe working practice and to prevent accidents. Failure to act in
accordance to this is seen to be an act of negligence.
Health and Safety at Work Act-1974:
This act covers everyone who is in employment and it means that they are covered
by protection that ensures their workplace is healthy and safe. This piece of
legislation is the reason why you may be asked to wear disposable gloves or aprons
1
