Children’s Records

Policy statement

There are record keeping systems in place that meet legal requirements; means of storing and sharing that information take place within the framework of the Data Protection Act and the Human Rights Act.

This policy and procedure is taken in conjunction with the Confidentiality Policy and our procedures for information sharing

Procedures

We keep two kinds of records on children attending our clubs:

1.    Early Years Foundation Stage records

  • These include photographs and samples of their work.

  • These can be freely accessed and contributed to by staff, the child and the child’s parents.

2.    Personal records

  • These include registration and admission forms, signed consent forms, and correspondence concerning the child or family, reports or minutes from meetings concerning the child from other agencies, an ongoing record of relevant contact with parents, and observations by staff on any confidential matter involving the child, such as developmental concerns or child protection matters.

  • These confidential records are stored in a lockable file or cabinet and are kept secure by the Club Manager in an office or other suitably safe place.

  • Parents have access, in accordance with our privacy policy, to the files and records of their own children but do not have access to information about any other child.

  • Staff will not discuss personal information given by parents with other members of staff, except where it affects planning for the child's needs.  Staff induction includes an awareness of the importance of confidentiality.

  • We retain children’s records for three years after they have left the club; except records that relate to an accident or child protection matter, which are kept until a child reaches the age of 21years. These are kept in a secure place at the main office I Balham Community Centre.

Archiving children’s files

  • When a child leaves a club, we remove all paper documents from the child’s file and place them in a robust envelope, with the child’s name and date of birth on the front and the date they left. We seal this and place it in an archive box, stored in the office at Balham Community Centre for three years. After three years it is destroyed.

Other records

  • We keep daily records of the names of the children we are caring for, their hours of attendance. These are kept for three years, coinciding with the Ofsted inspection, and then destroyed.

  • Issues to do with the employment of staff, whether paid or unpaid, remain confidential to the people directly involved with making personnel decisions.

 

Students on recognised qualifications and training are advised of our confidentiality policy and are required to respect it.