This article by Portobello graduate Rosie Hegarty emphasises the paramount priorities and responsibilities pertinent to early years practitioners and safeguarding children.

It highlights the vast amount of legislation and policy developments and illustrating what it means to have policies in place to protect and safeguard children. 

In support of Children First Awareness Week, which runs from 1-7 November, Portobello Institute is sharing the early year's practitioner's perspective on safeguarding children.

Read more: Portobello Institute Supporting Children First Awareness Week

Key Terms  

Child: The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) defines a child as anyone under the age of 18 years (CRA, 2010, Tusla, 2019).   

Safeguarding: Establishing, appropriately responding, and promoting safe transparent practices and protocols to ensure the child’s safety and well-being and providing quality optimal opportunities for the child to develop and achieve to their fullest potential (Tusla, 2019).

Prerequisites and Policy Development 

Prerequisites of an early years practitioners either in a paid or voluntary capacity include Garda/police vetting, qualifications, child protection training, knowledge of key legislation, adhering to regulations, and being up to date with the mandatory ECCE policies and procedures within the setting.   

In tandem with the landscape of early childhood care and education, the safeguarding of children has positively evolved.  

The priority of safeguarding children from harm and risk has progressively transformed over the last two decades; now comprehensive legislative acts are enshrined to protect, promote and safeguard children from abuse, danger, risk, and harm.  

A sample of the extensive pieces of legislation and policy documents illustrated by Tusla (2019) demonstrating the priority and development to safeguard and protect children in a national context are listed at the end of this blog. 

What Does It Mean to Have Policies in Place That Keep Children Safe? 

It is the practitioner’s duty of care and responsibility to ensure that the safety and wellbeing of every child in their care are safeguarded. From a practitioner’s perspective, the value of policies and procedures in practice is vital.  

These crucial policies are the guiding principles that set out a clear and transparent manner that support the commitment, correct procedures, protocols, appropriate response to keep children safe from potential risks, harm, and danger and provide opportunities for optimal growth and development. 

One example of a key piece of policy in practice is The Child Safeguarding Statement it is guided by the Children First Act 2015 and Children First National Guidance for Protection and Welfare of Children 2017; This key document is also a legal requirement since March 2018. 

It stipulates legislations, regulations in the area of child protection, such as the Designated Liaison Person (DLP) includes a risk audit, extensively lists the mandatory policies and procedures that practitioners implement and maintain to safeguard all children attending the setting.

The priority and focus of children's welfare and safety are at the forefront. Early years practitioners endorse many prerequisites (i.e, vetting, qualifications, training, and adhering, implementing, and responding appropriately in their role in safeguarding children). 

This is crucial, these aforesaid prerequisites, protocols, and practices ensure children are safe from abuse, harm, neglect, risk this is vital to a child’s safety, wellbeing, growth, development, for the child now and later into adulthood.   

Outlined is this article is the progressive transformation in comprehensive national legislation and policy pertinent to protecting and safeguarding children, subsequently resulting in positive and better outcomes for children to reach their full potential.

Picture Yourself Working in Early Years Education?

Working in early years education comes with the responsibility of creating a safe, nurturing environment where children can learn and thrive.

At Portobello Institute, our early years programmes prepare you for the realities of working in the sector, whether you're taking your first steps into the profession or looking to progress your career.

Explore our early years faculty or book a call with a Career Pathway Consultant for personalised guidance.