1 October 2025

At Scallywags, safeguarding isn’t just a policy—it’s the foundation of everything we do. Every child has the right to feel safe, secure, and supported, and it’s our duty as early years practitioners to ensure this.

With the EYFS 2025 safeguarding and welfare updates now in effect, we’ve taken time to reflect on what this means for us as a nursery, for our practitioners, and for the families who trust us with their children.

🌟𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀

Safeguarding is about more than responding to concerns. It’s about:

• Protecting children from abuse and neglect
• Supporting their health and development
• Creating safe environments where they can thrive
• Building the resilience and confidence they need to speak up and be heard

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. That means staff, parents, and the wider community all have a role to play.

👩‍🏫𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗳𝗳

As practitioners, we don’t just “know the policy”—we live it every day. Staff at Scallywags are expected to:

• Stay trained and vigilant: All team members complete accredited safeguarding training annually, plus refreshers throughout the year.
• Be present and engaged: Whether at mealtimes, play, or rest, staff must remain within sight and hearing of children, always ready to step in if needed.
• Promote safe eating: Following new EYFS guidance, food is prepared and served with choking risks in mind. Children sit down to eat, with staff supervising closely at their tables.
• Respect dignity in care routines: We strike a careful balance between safeguarding and children’s privacy, especially around toileting and changing.
• Act immediately on concerns: Any suspicion—no matter how small—is recorded, reported to our Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs), and escalated if necessary.
• Work as a team: We support each other in spotting signs of harm and share responsibility for keeping every child safe.
• Model positive behaviours: By promoting kindness, respect, and resilience, staff help children understand boundaries and what it means to feel safe.

🤝𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁

We know entrusting your child to nursery is a big step. Families can expect:

• Transparency: We communicate openly with parents about concerns, while also following legal requirements when information must be shared without consent (for example, if a child is at risk).
• Safe environments: From secure entry systems and visitor logs to daily risk assessments, safety is woven into our practice.
• Strong safeguarding team: We have five DSLs on site (Emma, Becky, Demi, Olivia, and Tara), so there is always a trained lead available.
• Attendance follow-ups: If your child is absent and we haven’t heard from you, we’ll be in touch. This isn’t about policing—it’s about making sure your child is safe.
• Healthy and safe routines: Whether it’s safer eating practices, hygiene standards, or safer sleep, you can be confident we follow national guidance every day.
• Partnership: We’ll always encourage you to let us know about changes at home (like a move, new sibling, or other transition) that might affect your child. The more we know, the better we can support them.

📢𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿

The EYFS 2025 changes strengthen areas that already matter deeply to us:

• Closer monitoring of attendance
• Safer mealtime practices
• Clearer guidance on toileting and privacy
• Even stronger safeguarding cultures in nurseries

At Scallywags, we see these not as “extra rules” but as opportunities to make our already strong safeguarding practice even better.

💬𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀

Safeguarding is at the heart of early years education. It’s about protecting children from harm, yes—but it’s also about empowering them to grow, learn, and flourish in safe, nurturing environments.

As staff, we hold a huge responsibility, and as parents, you deserve to feel confident in the care your child receives. Together, through strong partnerships and clear communication, we can make sure safeguarding is not just a policy on paper but a lived, daily practice.

✨ At Scallywags, safeguarding is not just something we do—it’s who we are.

Safeguarding blog written by Demi Eastment