Lockdown Policy & Procedure

What is a lockdown and when would we carry it out? A lockdown procedure is a standard health and safety procedure, similar to a fire drill. Our lockdown procedure would be used when there is a threat to the safety of children, staff and others in the nursey, and when it is safer for everyone to remain in the nursery than evacuate. The aim is to keep everyone safe by confining them to a secure place of safety. Situations where our lockdown procedure may be used include: An incident related to terrorism A potentially dangerous person or animal on the nursery site A disturbance or dangerous situation in the local community that could affect the nursery A nearby chemical incident or other risk of air pollution Our lockdown procedure is as follows: The manager or deputy will call out ‘lockdown, lockdown’ and asses the type of incident, directing staff to either stay inside or hide. All children and staff should gather in their nearest place of safety and security, if necessary, out of sight, preferably together in one place. If children are outside, staff will direct them immediately inside to the nearest room. If we need to stay inside, staff will direct children to the nearest suitable room. 73 WHYTEBEAMS NURSERY If we need to hide, staff will gather all children and adults together in the meeting room if possible, which has a lockable door and conduct a headcount, checking that all children and staff are accounted for. If it is not possible to gather everyone in one place, staff will find the safest place in the room they are in and take individual headcounts. The toilets, kitchen, disabled toilet may be used to hide. If safe to do so, staff will secure doors and windows, and pull the blinds down. The register, nursery mobile, medication trolley and first aid kit will be taken if safe to do so. The emergency services will be called and their advice followed. Parents may be notified about the lockdown and advised not to attempt to collect their child or phone the nursery until advised. Lockdown will remain in place until the all clear is given by the emergency services. The management team and emergency services will risk assess and decide whether children should be collected or if the nursery session can continue and parents will be notified. The building will be checked before re-entry to ensure it is safe and suitable. Usual security collection procedures will take place if children are to return home. A report will be made following implementation of any lockdown procedure and we will assess our polices and risk assessments if necessary. Instructions for parents in the event of a lockdown In the unlikely case that Whytebeams should need to use a real-life lockdown procedure, please take note of the following points: Parents will be informed that the nursery is in lockdown via the school’s website or by email. Keep calm and know that staff and the emergency services are doing all they can to keep children safe. Parents should not attempt to call or come to the nursery, as this may hinder the nursery’s effort to contact and work with the emergency services. Parents should not discuss the event on social media, as this may spread false information and create panic. If the lockdown continues beyond nursery hours, any changes to collection arrangements in this circumstance will be posted on the nursery website or by email. LOST CHILD PROCEDURE Lost child policy during group sessions Under Whytebeams protective ethos to ensure the safety and location of all children at all times, strict measures and checks are in place to ensure all children are marked in and out correctly and accounted for. The following precautionary measures are taken routinely: The entrance to the nursery is secured with a double bolted door. The door to the ladies toilet is bolted top and bottom. The garden is secure with a secure boundary and locked gate. Only contracted staff may open the door to let anyone in or out. 74 WHYTEBEAMS NURSERY Parents and visitors ARE NOT ALLOWED to let other persons into or out of the building. If you are in the foyer and the door is bolted you may not open it to allow other parents in or out. Staff have this sole responsibility. We have an arrival and departure procedure which all staff adhere to ensuring all children are accounted for. As set out in the Nursery Arrival, Departure & Collection Policy only persons named as collectors on the child's registration form are allowed to collect. A list of the children’s daily sessions is kept in the register and daily amendments to this are logged in register that is accessible to all staff. A simple ‘number of children’ board is displayed at all times so staff can easily carry out headcount checks. A sense of personal safety is regularly promoted to children within the curriculum. All children are supervised at all times as much as reasonably possible. Ratios are strictly adhered to. In the unlikely event of a child becoming lost or headcount being incorrect, the following steps would be taken: Staff must notify the manager or deputy manager immediately. The manager or deputy manager should check the register to ensure the child was indeed present and initiate a headcount. They should ask all the staff if an authorised person has collected the child. Children should be gathered together and a full children’s register would be called by staff at the correct ratio. The remaining staff should check all entrances and exits and search the building and outside area. An immediate inspection of the nursery building and surrounding area would take place. The remaining children would not be alerted to the incident, but they would be encouraged to share information they may have regarding the whereabouts of the missing child. If the child is not found immediately, the Police and Social Services will be notified without delay and actions taken as advised. Staff and visitors will be questioned. The parents must then be notified and informed of the action taken. The remaining children will be fully supervised at the correct ratio. Ofsted will be informed as required. Lost Child During An Outing: In the unlikely event of a child being lost during an outing the following procedure must be adhered to: The leader of the outing and the manager or deputy manager should be informed immediately. The security personnel of any venue/setting should be notified and a search should be undertaken. The remaining children will be fully supervised at the correct ratio in a safe place where a register and headcount are taken. Should the child not be found immediately the Police and Social Services should be notified. The parents must then be notified and informed of the action taken. Ofsted will be informed as required. The group should operate a ‘touch base’ policy, where a designated member of staff will inform the parents/carers.