Safeguarding Audit 2015

Statistics

• The audit was sent to 295 settings, 121 childminders (who receive council funding), and 137 out-of-school providers.
• Over 70% of settings and funded childminders returned a completed audit by the deadline, and 100% after chasing.
• Only 66% of out-of-school providers returned an audit, after being chased. The Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (OSCB) expects all out-of-school providers to complete an audit so we will be aiming for 100% in 2016.

The audit will be updated in line with new legislation for 2016 (e.g. the Prevent duty will be added).

Despite completing an audit, there are still settings receiving inadequate inspection judgements for safeguarding reasons.

A recent example is:

‘Effectiveness of the leadership and management is inadequate: Safeguarding arrangements are not effective. The management team has failed to comply with the Early Years Foundation Stage requirements regarding the recruitment of staff’.

Please make sure you check that all members of staff understand your safeguarding policy and that it is being implemented rigorously and effectively, for example in your recruitment.