Safeguarding is about keeping children safe and protecting them from all types of harm. We have a duty to follow statutory guidance to meet the requirements as part of our registration as a provider and Ofsted inspect us to ensure children have the best possible care.

Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy

Seymour House has a child-centred approach to child protection recognising that the welfare, safety and protection of children is paramount. Seymour House builds a culture of safety in which children are protected from abuse and harm in all areas.  

The purpose of the policy statement is to:

• Ensure the suitability of adults who have contact with children; promote good health; manage behaviour; and maintain records, policies and procedures.  

• Ensure all staff recognise their duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children. 

Seymour House provides parents, team, visitors with the overarching principles that guide our approach to child protection. Policies and procedures apply to all children regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, sexuality or religion.

The policy has been drawn up on the basis of legislation, policy and guidance that seeks to protect children in England. We have due regard to and follow the procedures and to seek advice on all subsequent steps to take in the event of concerns. To read a full version of our safeguarding policy and procedure please speak to the Nursery Management Team.

Who safeguards children?

All adults working with or on behalf of children have a responsibility to protect them and to provide a safe environment in which they can learn and achieve their full potential.  Each nursery has their own Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL); this is usually the Nursery Manager or in their absence the Head of Early Years Practice. The DSL role involves taking responsibility for child protection and safeguarding within the nursery, liaising and working with local statutory children’s services agencies and being the point of contact for local safeguarding partners. As well as monitoring wellbeing and attendance and giving support and guidance where needed.

Should the DSL have any concerns about a child, they will confidentially share theseconcerns with parents in an open and transparent way and be available should parents wish to raise any concerns. They also have a legal duty to report any worries if they suspect a child may have been harmed.

All our team receive safeguarding training as part of their induction and annual refresher training thereafter.

To read more about our approach, view our Safeguarding page.

We know that every child settles in at their own pace, so we work closely with families to make the journey from home to nursery feel exciting, reassuring, and full of smiles.

Before your child’s first day, we invite you to join us for settling-in sessions. These special visits give your child the chance to explore their new homebase room, meet friendly faces, discover exciting experiences, and begin building a happy bond with their Key Person. It’s also a wonderful opportunity for parents to get to know our nursery team and feel confident about the days ahead.

Every child is unique. Some children settle quickly while others need a little more time, and that’s perfectly okay! Our settling-in approach is flexible and tailored to your child’s individual needs. During your first visit, we’ll talk about how we can help your little one feel happy, safe, and ready to start their nursery adventure.

Meeting your Child’s Key Person
Before your child starts nursery, their Key Person will give you a call to arrange a face-to-face meeting at the nursery. This is a lovely opportunity to share all the little things that make your child special, from favourite games and stories to individual sleep routines.

Your Key Person will spend time playing with your child while chatting with you about their interests, routines, and developmental milestones. Together, we’ll complete an “All About Me” Starting Points Report, helping us create a personalised beginning to your child’s learning journey. We’ll also cover important information, such as health details, emergency contacts and permissions, as well as giving you a glimpse into the exciting experiences your child will enjoy each day. Of course, there will always be plenty of time to ask questions too!

The information you share becomes part of your child’s e-learning development record, which parents can easily access and enjoy through the Seymour House App. If your child already attends another early years setting, we can work together (with your permission) to share information and support a smooth and positive transition.

Stay Connected Every Step of the Way
Once your child’s settling-in sessions begin, you’ll receive updates through the Seymour House App, so you can share in all the fun! By logging in, you’ll be able to follow your child’s day and see their nursery journey unfold, including meals, naps, nappy changes, photographs, videos, and those magical everyday moments.

We can’t wait to welcome your family and help your child begin their nursery journey with confidence, curiosity, and lots of happy memories.

We ask that children are dressed suitably for the nursery day where they will take part in fun creative sessions that involve paint, cornflour and glue for example. Outdoor learning takes place daily so suitable seasonal clothing is essential, for example, a warm coat, hat and wellington boots in the winter months, and a hat and sun cream in the summer (from April). Sun cream should not contain nuts as we are a nut-free nursery.

Unfortunately, we cannot take responsibility for personal items, but we will do our best to ensure these items are placed into your child’s bag at the end of the day.

Parents with young children will also need to provide nappies, wipes, nappy cream, or equivalent. You are welcome to bring these items in your child’s bag each day or bring some in bulk to store at the nursery – we’ll let you know when we’re running low.

For babies requiring formula milk, we prefer ready to use cartons. We ask that all formula bought in, either bottle, carton or box be sealed so we know when it was opened. Mothers are welcome to drop in throughout the day to breast feed whenever possible, or to bring in expressed breast milk. The nursery will provide sterilised bottles and teats. We provide cow’s milk and can provide bottles, unless you prefer to bring your own.

Your child’s Key Person will let you know if there is anything else you need to bring.

A child will only be released into the care of someone who is known to be the child’s parent or an appropriate authorised person. If parents wish to authorise another person to pick up their child they can to this by adding additional contacts for pick up in the Seymour House App, a clear identifiable photo of the person is required. We do ask that you inform the nursery if someone different for the normal person is collecting, even if they are an authorised person, this helps us to plan for their arrival. We will only ever release a child from our care to a person that is authorised to pick up, when we have been informed and we have the necessary details in the Seymour Houe App.

Parents (or authorised persons) must always sign their child in and out of the nursery on the device in the lobby, all parents and authorised persons to pick up will be issued with a unique sign-in pin code to use to sign their child in and out.

Controlled entrance procedures must be adhered to in order to ensure the safety of all the children. Only members of the nursery team are permitted to open the door to allow access into the setting. It is strictly forbidden for parents to open the door and allow access to others, including parents they may recognise. We ask all parents to be vigilant by ensuring the front door is secured behind them as they are leaving the premises and other people do not tailgate when arriving. If in any doubt please speak to a member of our team.

Your child’s Key Person will be a familiar face, a trusted adult, and your main point of contact throughout their time in each homebase. They will be there to support, encourage, and celebrate your child every step of the way.

Your Key Person will:

• Arrange settling-in visits and prepare for your child’s first day, helping everyone feel confident and excited about the transition.
• Spend quality time getting to know your child, creating a warm and nurturing relationship that helps them feel safe, valued, and secure.
• Respond sensitively to your child’s feelings, interests, ideas, and behaviours. For our youngest children, wherever possible, their Key Person will also support personal care routines such as feeding and changing, helping to build trust and provide consistency.
• Facilitate engaging play and learning based on your child’s interests, observations, and stage of development. Through our unique 5Cs curriculum, they will support your child’s learning, development, and growing confidence every step of the way.
• Share special moments, achievements, and observations through your child’s Journey tab on the Seymour House App, so you can celebrate their progress alongside us. Development updates are shared twice a year, along with the statutory Progress Check at Age Two.
• Encourage you to be involved in nursery life through events, Stay and Play sessions, and Parent Partnership Discussions, because we believe the best outcomes happen when we work together.
• Monitor your child’s development and, when the time is right, discuss moving to a new homebase room. They will arrange transition visits and introduce your family to your child’s new Key Person, ensuring this next step feels comfortable and familiar.

To ensure continuity of care, each child is also assigned a secondary Key Person within the same homebase room. This familiar team member will step in whenever the Key Person is unavailable, ensuring your child continues to feel supported, secure, and cared for.

Complaints Procedure
If at any time parents wish to make a complaint, they should contact the Nursery Management Team, who will endeavour to work with families to resolve the matter promptly and effectively. Written complaints received will be responded to in writing within 28 days of the date the complaint was made.

In the rare event a resolution cannot be reached, and the matter relates to Funded Early Education Entitlement (FEEE) parents are able to contact the local authority for assistance at FEEEQueries@essex.gov.uk or earlyyears@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Contact details for Ofsted are displayed on the Parents Notice Board in the entrance area.

Data Protection Complaints
If you wish to make a data protection complaint or a Subject Access Request, you can do so by emailing information_complaints@seymourhouse.co.uk. We will acknowledge your complaint/request within 30 days.

Comfort and Care
Babies aged 12 months and under are offered a cot for rest, while children aged over 12 months are offered a sleep mattress. All sleep equipment meets British Safety Standards.

We provide everything your child needs for a cosy, comfortable and safe sleep, so there is no need to bring bedding from home. Each child has their own designated bedding, which is stored safely in their individual sleep bag and laundered regularly so fresh and clean. If you would prefer your baby to use their own well-fitted sleep bag from home, we will check the manufacturer’s recommendations, including the Thermal Overall Grade (TOG), to ensure it is suitable and safe.

Our approach to sleep is nurturing and responsive. Research shows that sleep plays a vital role in brain development, helping children process new experiences, consolidate learning, and recharge for the adventures ahead. We never leave children to cry themselves to sleep, instead offering comfort and gentle reassurance as they settle. While we always consider parents’ wishes and preferences, we also respond sensitively to each child’s needs on the day. We never force a child to stay awake or wake them before they are ready.

Safe Sleep Always
Your child’s safety is our highest priority. Our safer sleep practices follow the latest guidance from the NHS and The Lullaby Trust, helping to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) in babies and promote safe sleep practices for older children.

Every member of our team receives safer sleep training as part of their induction, with practices regularly monitored through observations and audits. This includes:

• Safe sleep positioning
• Appropriate sleep equipment and environments
• Suitable clothing and room temperatures
• The use of comforters
• Continuous supervision and regular sleep checks

Sleeping children are always supervised. This is one of the reasons we choose not to have separate sleep rooms. Our team remain close by, carrying out regular checks to ensure children are safe, comfortable and settled throughout their rest, helping them wake refreshed, happy and ready for the next part of their day.

Families looking for additional advice and guidance for home can find a wealth of information from the Lullaby Trust, which offers practical support for safer sleep for babies and young children.

Read our Sustainability Policy

Our commitments fit perfectly with the DFE’s sustainability and climate change strategy for education, which expects all education settings to have a climate action plan in place. Last year we committed to fitting solar power to a number of our nurseries, converted conventional lighting to LED, installed air conditioning as a more energy efficient way of heating the nurseries & started an energy monitoring scheme with Best Energy to better understand the consumption and identify waste. Alongside teaching children how to care for the environment, promoting and modelling these values and sustainability commitments, we are doing our bit to help create a brighter world and future for our children. You’ll continue to see us develop our sustainability practices, watch this space, there’s more to come!

In the event of sickness and diarrhoea children may not be admitted back into the nursery for 48 hours after the last bout of illness, this is to help stop the spread to other children and the team. It’s important we note if a child contracts an infectious or notifiable disease, as we have to follow the Guidance outlined in Health Protection in Education and Childcare settings, produced by the UK Health Security Agency. If your child is likely to be absent for a prolonged period we ask you to discuss this with the Nursery Management team, we may be able to support you with some home learning activities.

From time to time, children may become unwell whilst at the nursery, if this should happen, we will inform you immediately and agree a course of action. We ask families provide at least contacts for each child to ensure we can contact a parent or carer if we need to.

There are times when a child may need to continue a course of medicine whilst in our care. Seymour House will administer prescribed medicines if the Nursery Management Team feel that the team have been given sufficient information and training to do so. A temperature reducing medicine such as Calpol will be given as a single dose in an emergency, provided consent has been given from a parent/carer. A record of all medication administered to children is kept and shared with parents.

Parents are responsible for ensuring that the nursery has up to date information about their child’s medical needs..