Child protection
This is where you can find all the information you, your staff and your setting need about child protection and all things relating to safeguarding.
If you're worried a child is being abused, contact Enfield Children's MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) - Telephone 020 8379 5555.
For urgent safeguarding concerns that occur outside of normal working hours, contact the emergency Duty Team - Telephone 020 8379 1000.
For urgent child protection concerns, please call the MASH first before submitting a referral in writing.
For non-urgent referrals that still require a safeguarding response, please visit the Children's Portal and complete an online child protection referral.
For children and families that require early help and support please contact the Early Help service duty team on 020 8379 2002 or 020 8379 2525. The document previously called the green non-safeguarding early help form (EHF) will now be completed via the Family Hub icon on the Children's Portal. Referrals must be completed online.
All providers are required to meet the EYFS statutory guidance with regards to safeguarding and child protection.
Below is a list of all documentation to support providers to meet their duty:
- Disqualification under the Childcare Act 2006
- Apply to Waive Disqualification
- Children's Portal
- Child protection poster - May 2024 ( PDF, 167.91 KB)
- What to do if you're worried a child is being abused
- Disclosure and Barring Service DBS guidance
- DBS checks for childminders and childcare workers
- Disaqualification Statutory Guidance
- Female Genital Mutilation - If you are concerned that a child or young person may be in danger or risk of FGM, telephone 0800 0283 550 or email fgmhelp@nspcc.org.uk
- Female Genital Mutilation(FGM) the facts (PDF, 618.04 KB)
- FGM Mandatory report processing (PDF, 1238.86 KB)
- Inspecting safeguarding in early years, education and skills needs to be read alongside the Education Inspection Framework
- Keeping Children Safe in Education
- Ofsted poster: to display
- Prevent Duty 2015 - If children/young people are identified as being vulnerable to radicalisation, further advice and support can be found in The Prevent Duty. Serious concerns should be referred to the below Services:
Anti - Terrorism Hotline (Metropolitan Police Service) Tel: 0800 789321 (Metropolitan Police - Terrorism in the UK)
Local Authority Community Safety Unit Tel: 020 8379 4085/6137
Staff can raise concerns relating to extremism directly to the DFE Tel: 020 7340 7264 - Enfield Prevent Education Tool Kit (PDF, 4000.09 KB)
- Working Together to Safeguard Children
- Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners
- County lines guidance
- Cyber security for ‘Early Years' education and childcare practitioners
Ofsted contact information
Ofsted whistleblowing
Whistleblowing helpline: 0300 123 3155
Email: whistleblowing@ofsted.gov.uk
Ofsted Helpline
General enquires: 0300 123 1231 (8am to 6pm)
Concerns: 0300 123 4666 (8am to 6pm)
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD
NSPCC 24 hour emergency service
Tel: 0808 800 5000
Childline
Tel: 0800 1111
Early years and prevent duty
What is Prevent?
Prevent is part of the UK Government's Counter Terror Strategy, CONTEST. The Prevent Duty became law in 2015, which means that all schools and childcare providers must have 'due regard' to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism.
The government has defined extremism in the Prevent strategy as:
“Vocal or active opposition to fundamental British Values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of different faiths and beliefs.”
Read the Prevent duty guidance.
What does this mean for me?
In order to protect children in your care, you must be alert to concerns in the child's life, at home or elsewhere. This includes an awareness of extremism and radicalisation.
Childcare and Early Years Providers subject to the Prevent duty will be expected to demonstrate activity in the following areas:
- Assessing the risk of children being drawn into terrorism
- Demonstrate that they are protecting children and young people from being drawn into terrorism by having robust safeguarding policies.
- Ensure that safeguarding arrangements take into account the policies and procedures of the Local Safeguarding Children Board.
- Make sure that staff training gives them the knowledge and confidence to identify children at risk of being drawn into terrorism, and to challenge extremist ideas which can be used to legitimise terrorism.
- Expected to ensure children are safe from terrorist and extremist material when accessing the internet.
(For further reference please read British values and the Prevent duty by Pacey)
Where to get support
Enfield has a dedicated Prevent Education Officer (PEO) who works with settings across the borough to provide classroom workshops, resources, and staff training.
WRAP training (workshop to raise awareness of Prevent) is recommended every 2 years. To book training or find out more, please email prevent@enfield.gov.uk or visit Enfield Hub for more resources and available training!