The NDNA has been concerned at the serious allegations against aPlymouth nursery worker. While it is important not to speculate and toallow a full investigation to take place, there may already berepercussions from the media reports in terms of parental anxiety andnurseries worried if this will mean they need to change their approachto practice.
We have been helping members to check and review their safeguardingpolicies, and reminding nurseries to ensure that staff are fully awareof this and the procedures to follow. It is right that nurseries arereassuring parents and sharing more about their own approach tosafeguarding. Providing a high-quality environment for children requiresa real position of trust with their parents. Settings must ensure thatparents understand that they can speak to their nursery about anyconcerns so these can be quickly addressed.
The vast majority of nursery staff do their jobs because they arepassionate about delivering high-quality care and early learning and arerewarded by seeing young children flourish. Practitioners must not beafraid to continue to cuddle, comfort and enjoy time with children intheir care. Appropriate touch forms an integral part of high-qualitypractice.
There have been questions put to NDNA about whether settings should betaking pictures of children. Digital cameras form a useful part ofhigh-quality practice and it can be a lovely way for parents to see whattheir child has been doing at nursery. It is of course important thatnurseries follow a set policy, such as only using nursery cameras andensuring that photographs are safely stored, but taking away the use ofsuch technology will hinder practice.
Personal mobile phones are a different matter. NDNA recommends that theyshould not be allowed when a member of staff is working in the nursery.This is because staff should not be communicating or texting whilecaring for children. All nurseries should review their policies onmobile phone use.
Children and families rely on the warm, caring environment you provideand while it is good practice to review policies, procedures and staffknowledge of safeguarding, it is vital to be proud of communicating withparents too.
Purnima Tanuku is chief executive of the National Day NurseriesAssociation
