The Willow on the Farm Nursery is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We are fully committed to ensuring that consistent, effective safeguarding procedures are in place to support families, children and staff at nursery.
All staff at The Willow on the Farm Nursery have undertaken Level 2 Awareness of Child Abuse & Neglect and Level 2 Early Years Generalist Safeguarding training, via the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children Board (OSCB). We currently have 9 members of staff with Paediatric First Aid (PFA) training, including our peripatetic Forest School Lead and Dance Teacher.
Our Designated Safeguarding Leads are:
Alice Clark – Headmistress/Manager
alice@willowonthefarm.co.uk
Training completed: June 2024
Sharron Sheppard – Swallow Class Teacher/Manager
sharron@willowonthefarm.co.uk
Training completed: February 2025
Early Help
At times children and families need a bit of extra support – and when that happens, it’s ok to ask for help.
Early Help is there to make sure worries don’t become bigger and you get the support you need at the right time. You may have found out about how early help can make a difference from a teacher, health visitor, midwife, early years practitioner, doctor or another trusted professional.
Early help brings together all the relevant services in Oxfordshire so they are working in a coordinated way to support families.
There are lots of different reasons you might need early help:
- You could be worried about your own or your child’s health, development or behaviour, or how things are going at nursery.
- You could be caring for others, or maybe you’ve had a bereavement in the family, and it’s made life a real challenge.
- Maybe you or your family are affected by domestic abuse, mental health, drugs or alcohol.
Oxfordshire Locality Community Support Service (LCSS) have produced the following guide to Early Help – Early Help Guide for Families
Oxfordshire County Council – Family Information Service:
FIS – Family Toolkit – Information, links, helplines and tools to support children, young people and families.
FIS – Strengthening Family Relationships – Information and tools that can help reduce or improve conflict at home. Please note conflict is NOT domestic abuse. Please use the following link if you or someone you know are a victim of domestic abuse – Domestic Abuse Support Services Oxfordshire
If you have any questions or concerns at all please speak to one of our DSL Team – Alice, Sharron & Naomi.
Alternatively, you can contact our LCSS Link Clive Wedlock directly clive.wedlock@oxfordshire.gov.uk for more information.
Raising a Concern
If you are concerned about the safety of a child, please contact either of our Designated Safeguarding Leads.
If your concern is URGENT, then please contact the Oxfordshire Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub on 0345 050 7666 to report your concern. Please visit Oxfordshire MASH for more information.
Childline – 0800 11 11
NSPCC Helpline – 0808 800 5000
If a child is in immediate danger, call the emergency services using 999
Online Safety
Children start using computers from a very early age and are increasingly using the Internet more and more whether it is at home, in school, on a mobile phone or on a games console. With this in mind, Internet Safety and knowing how to help protect children and young people online is essential. The following websites offer a wide range of information and resources for parents/carers:
NSPCC – Keeping Children Safe Online
Smartie the Penguin – Internet Safety stories for children 3-7
Digiduck – Internet Safety Stories for children 3-7
OFCOM Children’s Media Use and Attitudes Report 2025
UK Safer Internet Centre – KidSMART
Virgin Media Online Safety for Children
Pre School Online Safety – Internet Matters
Broadband Parental Control Guidance from Go Compare
Prevent Duty
The 2015 Counter Terrorism and Security Act places a duty on early years providers “to have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism”.
At The Willow on the Farm, we have a duty to care for the children and take note of any child who is at risk of radicalisation, regardless of their background. We aim to safeguard the children from extremist ideologies and ensure that our curriculum promotes the British values of Democracy, the Rule of Law, Individual Liberty and Mutual Respect & Tolerance.
All staff at The Willow on the Farm undertake Prevent Duty Training, via GOV.UK, which is refreshed annually.
Links to further information regarding Prevent Duty:
Oral Health
The EYFS framework states that early years providers must promote good oral health of children who attend their setting. Oral health is important, even with baby teeth. This is because children’s baby teeth:
- help them to bite and chew
- support speech and language development
- help them feel confident when they smile
- make space for and help to guide adult teeth
Good oral health also keeps children free from toothache, infection and swollen gums.
Children need to form good oral health habits from an early age to help avoid tooth decay. Tooth decay happens when sugars from food and drinks interact with bacteria in tooth plaque. This results in acid production, causing holes in teeth known as cavities.
If children have tooth decay, they may have yellow, brown or black marks on their teeth. They may also complain about their teeth hurting, particularly when eating or drinking.
Tooth decay is largely preventable, but it’s still a serious problem among young children. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities oral health survey of 5 year old children 2022 and Public Health England oral health survey of 3 year old children 2020 found that:
- nearly a quarter of 5 year olds in England have tooth decay, affecting 3 to 4 teeth on average
- children from more deprived backgrounds are more likely to have tooth decay
- 11% of 3 year olds in England have visible tooth decay, affecting 3 teeth on average
Having decayed teeth removed is also the most common reason for surgery under a general anaesthetic for children aged 6 to 10.
Please use the links below for more information:
Oral Health Foundation – EYFS Dental Buddy
Useful Documents & Websites
Early Years Safeguarding Policy Sept 2025
Digital & Online Safety Policy
Safeguarding Guide for Visitors
Keeping Children Safe in Education 2025 (KCSIE)
Early Years Foundation Stage Framework
National Crime Agency CEOP Education
FGM Information – Oxford Against Cutting
Infant & Toddler Forum – Ten Steps to Healthy Toddlers
Why good attendance is important?
WOTF Attendance Policy – September 2025
Children Heard & Seen – Support for children, young people and families impacted by parental imprisonment