Chatham Nursery School Birth to Five

Missing Child Policy

Aim of the policy:

To ensure, in the event of a child going missing from the Nursery School, the correct procedure is in place and that the requirements for doing so are known, understood and implemented by the staff and parents/carers

Procedures 

2-3’s
• Staff will meet and greet at door at the beginning and end of session
• Children will self-register
• Staff will sign children in on register
• Numbers are recorded on a whiteboard and are updated as and when children leave

3-4’s
• Staff will meet and greet at door at the beginning and end of session
• Children will self-register
• Teacher will take register
• Numbers are recorded on a whiteboard and are updated as and when children leave

SEN Resource Base
• Staff will meet and greet at door at the beginning and end of session
• Teacher will take register

Door to entrance of nursery will be manned by staff member at the beginning and end of session Reception area is manned by staff at all times

• We will regularly check during the day that the numbers of children registered are present. It is essential that the registration procedures are followed at all times to allow staff to know the number of children in their care.
• Garden/outdoor areas should be inspected prior to outside play activities taking place to ensure that the area is safe and secure.
• A headcount should be undertaken prior to outside play and regularly check numbers during the session
• A further headcount should be undertaken at the end of the session.
• All exit doors from the building should be secure at all times.
• Signs should be displayed alerting Parents/Carers and visitors to the building of the importance of closing doors and preventing unauthorised access.
• Staff ratios in respect of outings will be adhered to for all visits off the premises. All relevant information relating to staff, children, route, destination and mobile contact numbers will be recorded and given to a member of the Leadership Team prior to the outing/visit.
• If a child is missing, we will gather together all the children in a safe and caring way, to minimise any distress. The Manager on duty, Assistant Head Teacher and Head Teacher should be informed immediately. The staff will search the whole setting, together with any storage areas, toilets, outside play areas, etc.
• If the child is still missing, the search will be widened to the whole Centre. All staff will be asked to take part in the search in the centre and in the wider area outside. It is essential that the people searching for the child know him/her and are known to the child.
• Having identified that the child is not on the premises or within the immediate area, the parents / carers and the police will be informed.
• The search will continue under the direction of the police who attend the incident.
• If any national or local paper makes contact with reference to the incident we would refer them to the Press Office within the local authority..
• Following the incident we will inform Ofsted of the circumstances and the outcome via phone and followed with an email. We will assess our practice, taking advice from the police, the local authority health and safety officer and identify how the incident happened and how we can prevent any such incident happening again.
• Clear and accurate records should be compiled in respect of the incident – written statements should be obtained from all parties.
• We would offer support and counselling for the family and the staff, seeking advice from the relevant professionals.

Monitoring and review 

This policy was agreed and implemented on 6th July 2023 and is due for review July 2024