Child Safeguarding Statement

Name of Service: Blossom’s Childcare

This Statement is available at all times and communicated to parents, guardians, and school age

children.

1. Service Description and Principles

This service provides school age childcare to children aged [insert age range, e.g., 4–12 years]

outside of regular school hours, including before school, after school, and during school holidays. We

are committed to safeguarding all children in our care and ensuring that their well-being,

development, and safety are our top priorities.

Our service is guided by the principles of:

  • Child-centred practice

  • The best interests of the child

  • Equality and non-discrimination

  • The right of children to be heard

2. Risk Assessment

We have conducted a thorough risk assessment in accordance with Section 11 of the Children First

Act 2015. The purpose is to identify potential risks of harm to children while attending our service

and to put in place procedures to manage and reduce these risks.

Identified risks and management strategies include:

Risk Identified Procedure/Policy in Place to Manage Risk

Risk of harm due to staff or volunteer

behaviour

Child Safeguarding Policy, Code of Behaviour, Garda

Vetting

Risk of harm through inadequate

supervision Staff Ratios Policy, Supervision Policy

Risk of bullying among children Anti-Bullying Policy, Behaviour Management Policy

Risk of harm from unauthorised

collection Collection Policy, Sign-in/Sign-out Procedures

Risk of harm due to online/technology

use

Acceptable Use Policy (AUP), No personal device

policy (if any)

Risk of harm due to a medical

emergency First Aid Policy, Trained First Aid Responders

Affinity Childcare Group Ltd T/A Blossoms Childcare

3. Child Safeguarding Policies and Procedures

This service has the following policies and procedures in place to safeguard children:

 Child Protection and Welfare Policy

 Policy for Responding to Child Protection Concerns and Allegations

 Safe Recruitment Policy (including Garda Vetting)

 Code of Behaviour for Staff and Volunteers

 Confidentiality Policy

 Supervision and Ratios Policy

 Complaints Policy

 Induction and Training Policy

 Record Keeping Policy

Procedures

 Our Child Safeguarding Statement has been developed in line with requirements under the

Children First Act 2015, Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of

Children (2017), and Tusla’s Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Procedure and Practice.

In addition to the procedures listed in our risk assessment, the following procedures support

our intention to safeguard children while they are availing of our service:

 Procedure for the management of allegations of abuse or misconduct against

workers/volunteers of a child availing of our service;

 Procedure for the safe recruitment and selection of workers and volunteers to work with

children;

 Procedure for provision of and access to child safeguarding training and information,

including the identification of the occurrence of harm;

 Procedure for the reporting of child protection or welfare concerns to Tusla;

 Procedure for maintaining a list of the persons (if any) in the relevant service who are

mandated persons;

 Procedure for appointing a relevant person.

 All procedures listed are available upon request.

4. Reporting Procedures

Affinity Childcare Group Ltd T/A Blossoms Childcare

All staff are mandated persons under the Children First Act 2015. If a staff member has a concern

about a child’s welfare or protection, they are required to report it to the Designated Liaison Person

(DLP), who will assess and, if necessary, report to Tusla using the standard reporting procedures.

 Designated Liaison Person (DLP): [Lorraine Mellon 087 7995505]

All staff have completed Children First eLearning and receive regular training in safeguarding

procedures.

5. Implementation and Review

This Child Safeguarding Statement will be reviewed every 2 years or sooner if there is a material

change in the service. All staff, parents/guardians, and relevant stakeholders are informed of its

contents.

We recognise that implementation is an on-going process. Our service is committed to the

implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement and the procedures that support our intention

to keep children safe from harm while availing of our service.