A little knowledge can be a frightening thing ...

When I first sent my son to his childminder the one thing that worried me more than any other was the subject of Child Protection.

Like all parents I had heard stories of children being removed from homes, or of parents being forced to move out, whilst investigations - subsequently unfounded - take place.

It scared the pants off me.

I was terrified by the thought of someone with very little training zealously examining my child for signs of abuse, ready to call in social services at every bruise they discovered.

When I became a childminder I based my Child Protection policy on those feelings.

CHILD PROTECTION
"As a registered childminder my first priority is the safety and protection of all children entrusted to my care.
Child abuse is a very sensitive subject but one that I must nonetheless address.
I am aware through training of the signs of child abuse and neglect, and it is a condition of my registration that any information I may have, regarding possible abuse of any child in my care, be reported by following the local area child protection committee procedures.
I keep my own secure records which must be available for Ofsted to inspect at any time, and I will ask parents/carers to sign a form to acknowledge, and to describe the cause, of any pre-existing injury that their child may arrive with.
This is for the protection of everyone with regard to any possible suspicions/allegations of abuse.
I also have a strict procedure to follow in the event of being myself accused of causing deliberate harm to any child in my care.
I am an experienced mother of four myself and my children have had numerous bumps, grazes and even the occasional fracture whilst growing up.
I would like to reassure you that I do not go looking for signs of abuse where none exist, and would only break confidentiality if there were overriding reasons for me to do so."