To provide guidance so that Hopscotch staff responsible for engaging contractors to work on the nursery grounds have made sure that those contractors have the appropriate level of DBS check to ensure sufficient safeguarding protection for our children and staff.
This procedure should apply to all contractors engaged by Hopscotch.
Any staff member arranging for work and services to be undertaken on Hopscotch premises.
Level of DBS check:
Contractors engaging in “regulated activity” will require an enhanced DBS certificate (including barred list information).
Regulated Activity:
It means:
- working in a nursery or childcare setting, such as Hopscotch operates
- frequently (once a week or more often), or on 4 or more days in a 30-day period
- by the same person, engaged in work for or in connection with the purposes of the establishment
- it gives the person the opportunity, in their work, to have contact with children
Exemption Applies:
- Activity by person contracted (or volunteering) to provide occasional or temporary services (not teaching, training or supervision of children).
- Activity undertaken regularly in different establishments, but only infrequently in each: each establishment is only arranging the activity infrequently, so each establishment is not a regulated activity provider in relation to that activity.
It is the responsibility of the member of staff (generally should only be the Nursery Manager, Deputy Manager, Head of Operations or Managing Director) engaging the contractor to ensure that the agreed principles and procedures set out in this document are in place. For each site specifically this will be the responsibility of the Nursery Management Team i.e., Nursery Manager and Deputy Manager(s) or a suitable stand-in.
Where the contractor is exempted, it is the responsibility of the Nursery Management Team engaging the contractor to determine the appropriate level of supervision depending on the circumstances. As a minimum the following actions will be put in place:
The contractor will be notified of the site H&S essential information including use of mobile phones and safeguarding protocol and asked to review the Code of Conduct for Contractors document (Appendix A).
The contractor will be given a red ‘Visitors’ lanyard with a ‘Temporary Contractor’ pass. This will indicate that the contractor is a visitor to site and may not hold an enhanced DBS check. Staff should be vigilant and should raise any concerns with their Nursery Management Team and refer any concerns.
The Nursery Management Team will check the identity of contractors and their staff on arrival. They will ensure a record is made of:
- name, organisation and contact number (in Visitors’ Book)
- time and date signed-in
- Visitor lanyard and pass issued
- name of the engaging member of nursery staff and purpose of role
- purpose of the visit and location of the works
- time signed-out, ID returned.
All contractors should be shown a copy of the Contractors Code of Conduct (APPENDIX A) and regular visitors on site should be asked to sign this document to show their understanding and acknowledgement of it.
This includes planned preventative and reactive maintenance:
General maintenance jobs within the nursery which might have to take place during normal operating hours where a contractor cannot be accompanied by staff throughout the duration of time on site.
Minimum requirement: enhanced DBS certificate (including barred list information) – if the same individual contractor visits Hopscotch sites on multiple occasions within a single month this would be considered ‘regulated’ activity due to the regular nature of the site visits and therefore the individual or individuals should be DBS checked.
Exceptions
There may be exceptions where at short notice different contractors will undertake planned maintenance due to holidays or absence or other reasons – in this case, the Nursery Management Teams should use their judgement about whether an individual is suitable to undertake the tasks in hand. If they are unsure they should discuss with the company Head of Operations and ensure the individual is supervised throughout their time on site.
Relevant to:
Any external contractor who is employed or appointed by the company to undertake any extracurricular classes at any Hopscotch site or to lead any class or event outside of nursery premises, but which has been organised by Hopscotch
Minimum requirement: enhanced DBS certificate (including barred list information) – we would expect any external teacher or activity organiser to have a full DBS check and certificate. There should be no exceptions to this.
This includes service contracts for:
boiler maintenance, fire alarm and emergency lighting checks, legionella checks, electrical tests, intruder alarms, gas heater maintenance i.e. where usually the contractor’s visit is planned and will be undertaking works over a period of hours or a couple of days involving a single or only a small number of workers. Normally there will be a contract in place for the provision of these services and the level of check will be specified within that document.
Minimum requirement: no DBS check required
Because this work is likely to be irregular in nature and not frequent and with different contractors undertaking different tasks and contractors would be supervised and accompanied throughout their time on site, no DBS is required.
This includes contracts for works such as:
reactive maintenance, emergencies (e.g. window breakages, plumbing/electrical repairs) i.e. where the contractor’s visit is unplanned and would normally be undertaking works over a period of hours involving a single or small number of workers.
Minimum requirement: no DBS certificate required. Arrangements described will apply.
Because there will not be children present during out-of-hours work then the requirement for a DBS is less essential but it remains preferable since the individual will still be working on a site where children are frequent visitors.
The procedure will be reviewed annually by the Hopscotch Senior Management Team.
Compliance with the procedure will be monitored by the Company Designated Safeguarding Leads and Nursery DSLs and also be open to any ongoing comment and input from any relevant stakeholder.
The member of staff making the arrangements for contractors to work at the Nursery is responsible for ensuring contractors are permitted to work in accordance with the conditions described in the policy. This should normally be a member of the Nursery Management Team unless in exceptional circumstances in which case staff should consult with the Head of Operations or Managing Director.
A copy of this procedure will be published via email to all main contractors and all Hopscotch nurseries and also be placed on the Nursery Staffshare, accessible to all Nursery Managers and Hopscotch staff.
- Observe this code at all times whist on Nursery premises
- Stay within designated work area agreed with the Nursery Management Team
- Obtain consent from the Nursery Management Team if access is required outside the designated site or work area
- Use only the agreed access routes and ask permission from the Nursery Management Team to change these
- Always be respectful and courteous to the Nursery Management Team and their staff
- Avoid contact with children
- NEVER be in contact with children without the contracting organisation’s supervision or a member of staff being present
- If you are spoken to by a child, be polite and friendly but do not engage in lengthy conversation
- If spoken to by a child, avoid physical contact (such actions could be easily misinterpreted or misconstrued)
- Do not use inappropriate or profane language
- Dress appropriately at all times
- Keep the Nursery Management Team informed or where you are and what you are doing
- Immediately report to the Nursery Management Team or a member of staff any matters out of the ordinary or of concern, involving children
- Do not give out addresses or mobile phone numbers to the children
- Do not arrange to meet with children outside of the Nursery premises
- Do not offer to buy / sell items from / to children
- Do not take photographs of children
- Do not bring alcohol onto the Nursery premises
- Do not share food or drinks with children
- Remember that your actions no matter how well-intentioned could be misinterpreted
- Sign-in and sign-out and to wear the issued ID at all times