Opening Hours

Liffey Valley Shopping Centre 
Mon to Fri 10 am to 4.30 pm
Saturday 10 am to 4.45 pm
Sun & Bank Hol 12 noon to 4.45 pm 

Dundrum Town Centre
Mon to Fri 10 am to 4 pm
Saturday 10 am to 4.45 pm
Sun & Bank Hol 11 am to 4.45 pm

Mahon Point Shopping Centre Cork
Mon to Fri 10 am to 4.30 pm
Saturday 10 am to 4.45 pm
Sun & Bank Hol 12 noon to 4.45 pm

Child Safeguarding Statement

CHILD SAFEGUARDING STATEMENT (Updated 8th June 2022) 

Ready Steady Play is a registered Drop In Service providing the following services for children aged two years to 10 years: Drop In Creche/Play area facilities

The Management structure is: 

Director

Branch Managers 

Assistant Managers 

Childcare Creche Staff 


1. COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARD CHILDREN FROM HARM 

Our Service is committed to safeguarding the children in our care and to providing a safe environment in which they can play, learn, and develop.

Our service believes that the welfare of the children attending our service is paramount. We are committed to child-centred practice in all our work with children.

We are committed to upholding the rights of every child and young person who attends our service, including the rights to be kept safe and protected from harm, listened to, and heard.

Our policy and procedures to safeguard children and young people reflect national policy and legislation and are underpinned by Children First: National Guidance for the Protection and Welfare of Children, DCYA, 2017, Child Safeguarding: A Guide for Policy, Practice and Procedure, Tusla, 2018, and the Children First Act 2015.

Our policy declaration applies to all paid staff, volunteers, committee/ board members and students on work placement within our organisation. All committee board members, staff, volunteers, and students must sign up to and abide by the policies, procedures and guidance encompassed by this policy declaration and our child safeguarding policy and accompanying procedures. We will review our child safeguarding statement and accompanying child safeguarding policies and procedures every 2 years or sooner if necessary, due to service issues or changes in legislation or national policy.

Designated Liaison Person (DLP) for Child Protection

DLP: Carol Thuillier 

Deputy: Amanda Hevey 


2. RISK ASSESSMENT

In accordance with the Children First Act 2015, the Board of Ready Steady Play has assessed any potential for harm to a child while attending the service or participating in service activities. A written assessment setting out the areas of risk identified and the service procedures for managing those risks is summarised below:

Risk Identified
Policies and/or Procedures in place to manage Risk
Unauthorised Collection of Children
Child Collection Policy. Only the person who signs the child In can sign them back out again, there are no exceptions to this rule whatsoever.
Staff working with children
Recruitment policy: All staff are Garda vetted. Phone references sought and verified. Induction training provided. All staff must review policies and procedures. CCTV in all communal areas
Students working with children
Recruitment policy: All staff are Garda vetted. Phone references sought and verified. Induction training provided. All staff must review policies and procedures. CCTV in all communal areas
Very Young Children Attending our Service
We take children aged 2 to 10 (up until the day before their 11th birthday). We do take under 2’s who are age 15 months and up & steady on their feet, however, (for fire safety reasons) only at noticeably quiet times, never at the weekends when busy or in busy holidays for example Xmas and only two at any one time.
Outdoor Play Area Risks (where applicable)
We ensure that any child playing in our outdoor area has sun factor on them (given by the parents) prior to entry to Ready Steady Play. We seek permission on entry, to bring the sun factored child outside. If a child does not have sun factor on, we do not bring outside in hot sun. On sunny days and if we are bringing a child outside we do ask are they allergic to bee stings, if yes, we do not risk bringing that child outside as this is something beyond our control.
Food & Drink
Due to the risk of allergies and cross contamination, we do not allow food or drink to be brought into the Creche. We supply fresh drinking water for all children and ask at regular intervals if children would like some water
Covid 19 Infection Control (This is strictly applied only when Covid 19 is very prevalent in our Community, this can be at various times of the year). However, always throughout the year, Infection Control procedures are in place.
Some or all the items listed are applied depending on the severity of infection in the Community at the time: We do not allow anyone into Ready Steady Play that has been in contact with anyone with Covid 19 in the past 14 days. We do not allow anyone in who has been abroad in the past 14 days. All parents/guardians must sign a declaration on entry to clarify the above has not happened. All maintenance staff must sign a declaration on entry to clarify the above has not happened. All staff have been vaccinated. Hand Sanitiser is in place for children and all customers entering and leaving, Ready Steady Play. Additional Cleaning/Infection Control procedures are in place to deal with Covid 19 (see updated infection Control Policy). No staff member can come to work if displaying symptoms of Covid 19. Staff will be sent home if displaying symptoms of Covid 19 in work and all our Covid 19 Infection Control Procedures will be enacted. Some children’s play equipment has been taken out of service for now to help minimise the risk of the spread of Covid 19, for example, we have taken out all our ball pools (where applicable) and children’s dress up costumes in all branches. Policy/Procedures in Place to minimise risk
Water Temperature & Stagnated Water Controls (Regulation 29 of the Childcare Act).
Children must have access to clean running hot and cold water at all times. In line with HSE Guidelines, the water temperature should be no more than 43℃. For this purpose, our water is run by staff when we open each day and again once in the afternoon (checked twice daily for correct temperature, this also ensures no stagnation of water). All water temperatures are recorded twice daily, and records are kept for inspection purposes for a period of two years..

Note, wash hand basins are not used for rinsing soiled clothing, for cleaning equipment that is used for toileting or for disposing of any wastewater used in cleaning in our service.
Covid 19 Water Temperature & Stagnated Water Controls in a Lockdown situation due to Covid 19 (or any other incident requiring closure of more than two days).
In a lockdown situation of more than two days Management will conduct the following procedures and record it on the log sheet. * Water temperature checked in all sinks. * All toilets flushed at least twice. * Taps ran for at least 10 minutes (including kitchen and staff bathroom). * Centre Security informed this has been done so they can record the visit. 4 The above will be done at least once per week in a lock down situation and no longer than 7 days between intervals to ensure no stagnation of water.

Identifying Potential Risks.

 It is our mission to review and identify potential risks on an ongoing basis and treat risk assessment as a ‘live’ on going event. 

 The following form is what is filled in when a risk is identified

HAZARD
RISK
CONTROL MEASURES
WHO WILL DO
WHEN WILL IT BE DONE















This Policy Links in with; 

Infection Control Policy. 

Daily checklist policy (to include water temp etc). 

Administration of medication Policy. 

Policy on Managing Behaviour. 

Policy on Safe Sleep. 

Accidents and Incidents Policy 5 Policy on Authorisation to Collect Children. 

Policy on Outdoor Play. 

Policy On Recruitment. 

Supervision Policy. 

Ready Steady Play “Safety Statement.” 

Child Protection Policy. 

Risk Management Policy 2022. 

Covid 19 Updated Procedures 2021.

Person Responsible: …………………………………. (Manager) Date implemented: 30/08/21 

Document Author: Carol Thuillier: 

Document Approver = Amanda Hevey 

Signed by: Carol Thuillier on behalf of Management Manager, Owner, chairperson). 

Review Date: 24/04/2022. Revision number of this policy = 4




3. CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

As required by the Children First Act 2015 and Children First National Guidance for Protection and Welfare of Children, 2017 the following safeguarding policies/procedures/measures are in place 

  • Procedure to maintain a list of mandated persons under the Children First Act, 2015
  • A Relevant Person has been appointed
  • A Designated Liaison Person and Deputy have been appointed
  • Child Protection and Welfare Reporting Procedures Confidentiality Policy
  • Policy for Dealing with Allegations of Abuse or Neglect Against Employees
  • Procedure for Managing Child Protection Records
  • Recruitment Policy
  • Garda Vetting Policy
  • Code of Behaviour for Working with Children
  • Induction Policy (which includes procedures to inform new staff about the Child Safeguarding Statement and accompanying safeguarding policies and procedures)
  • All staff have completed the Tusla eLearning module – Introduction to Children First and relevant staff have attended Always Children First Child Protection Training.
  • Staff have access to regular Supervision and Support in line with the service policy
  • Complaints Policy for Managing Accidents and Incident


4. IMPLEMENTATION AND REVIEW 

  • We recognise that implementation is an ongoing process. Our service is committed to the implementation of this Child Safeguarding Statement and the accompanying child safeguarding policies and procedures that support our intention to keep children safe from harm while availing of our service.
  • This Statement will be reviewed every 2 years or as soon as practicable after there has been a material change in any matter to which the statement refers.
  • This statement has been published on the service website and is displayed in the service. It has been provided to all staff, volunteers and any other persons involved with the service. It is readily accessible to parents and guardians on request. A copy of this Statement will be made available to Tusla if requested.

Signed: Carol Thuillier, Ready Steady Play. 

Date: 8th June 2022

For further information on this Statement, contact Relevant Person: Carol Thuillier at Ready Steady Play, Phone No: 0863928143 or email: info@readysteadyplay.ie

You can download this Child Safeguarding Statement as a PDF document by clicking here