This policy is subject to the laws relating to data protection and document retention.
We are required under legislation to keep certain records about children, parents and also staff members. Because of this legislation we are required to keep this information for a set amount of time.
Below is a brief overview of the information we keep and for how long. This policy should be used in conjunction with the Access and Storage of Information policy, the Data Protection and Confidentiality policy and the Privacy Notice.
Application forms
Application forms are collected and kept in a locked cabinet. These are kept to maintain child ratios when appointing new children. Only the management team, the chair of the committee and the Bursary will have access to the application forms. The application forms will be kept until the last day of January each year. Applicants must notify us in writing, if they wish their application to remain on file for the following year. Any applications that are not renewed by this deadline will be destroyed. When a child takes up a place in the nursery, the application form will be kept as part of the child’s records, for three years after the child has left the setting. Ofsted may request to see these during an inspection and it is a legal requirement to keep them.
Children’s records
We collect children’s information on their induction forms. We use this information to care for the child appropriately i.e. allergies etc. We also may need to use this information to identify a child when reporting a child protection concern. This information is locked in a cabinet. Only the management team and the chair of the committee will have access to this information. If there is a safeguarding concern the Safeguarding designated lead will also have access. ‘Records should be kept for a reasonable period of time after children have left the setting’ .We follow the NDNA guidance and keep children’s records for three years after children have left the setting, or until their 25th birthday if there is a safeguarding concern. Ofsted may request to see these during an inspection. OSCB, Ofsted or the police may request to see this information in cases of child protection and it is a legal requirement to keep them.
Records relating to individual children, e.g. care plans, speech and language referral forms
We keep this information to be able to care for the child appropriately and to also make their transitions from nursery, either to another nursery or to school, as smooth as we can. This information is kept in a SEND folder locked in a cabinet whilst they attend the setting and then the copies in the child’s individual folder once they leave. Only the SENCo, management team and key person will have access to this information. We will pass these on to the child’s next school or setting following our Local Authority’s protocols for transition and sharing of sensitive records.
Copies will be kept for a reasonable period. We will follow the Local Authority procedure here and this states they should be kept for three years. The OCC SEND team or a health visitor may request to see this information and it is a legal requirement to keep them.
Accidents and pre-existing injuries
We have an accident book which we store on a shelf in the nursery, so it is accessible when we need it. This gets locked away every evening. We use the accident book to record accidents and injuries and any first aid given. All staff have access to the accident book and parents are only shown the individual accident form when they are requested to sign it. We keep our old accident books in a secure locked filing cabinet. OSCB, Ofsted or the police may request this information in cases or child protection concerns. In the case of a serious injury we will share this information with Ofsted. It is a legal requirement to keep the records until the child’s 25th birthday, to be able to have the relevant information we will keep them for 26 years.
Safeguarding records and cause for concern forms
We will log a record of cause for concern that relate to child protection and keep it in a locked cabinet. Only designated safeguarding leads will have access to this information. We will keep until the child has reached 25 years old, or 75 years old for a looked after child. We will share any serious cause for concern with OSCB or the police. It is a legal requirement to keep this information for this period.
Records of any reportable death, injury, disease or dangerous occurrence (for children)
Type of accidents include fractures, broken limbs, serious head injuries or where the child is hospitalised. This information will either be on an accident form, which has the relevant RIDOOR section and/or in our RIDDOR folder, which is kept in a locked cabinet. Only management will have access to this information. As these incidents could result in potential negligence claims, or evolve into a more serious health condition, we keep records until the child reaches the age of 21 years or longer if we deem it necessary. It is a legal requirement to keep this information.
Records of any reportable death, injury, disease or dangerous occurrence (for staff)
Type of accidents include fractures, broken limbs, serious head injuries or where the person is hospitalised. This information will either be on an accident form, which has the relevant RIDOOR section, and/or in our RIDDOR folder, which is kept in a locked cabinet. Only Management will have access to this information. As these incidents could result in potential negligence claims, or evolve into a more serious health condition, we keep these records for three years from the date of the last entry, or longer if we deem it necessary. It is a legal requirement to keep this information.
Observation, planning and assessment records of children
Our observations are kept online with Tapestry, which the child’s parents can download as a PDF file once the child leaves. When they have left, and their parents, if chosen to have downloaded the PDF, then they will be deleted from our system. Ofsted may request this information on an inspection. It is a legal requirement to keep the child’s observations for the whole time they have been at the nursery.
Planning is kept in each key person’s individual folder whilst the child is still here and then after that is kept in a folder in the office. Care will be taken to make sure children cannot be identified with this information. Ofsted may request this information on an inspection.
Two-year checks and tracking will be kept in the tracking folder which is kept locked away in a cabinet. This will also be online on the OCC tracking system, which is password protected; only management and the child’s key person will have access to this information. We use this information to track children’s progress. Ofsted may request tracking information or a two-year check on an inspection. It is a legal requirement to keep this information for three years after the child has left the setting, or until their 25th birthday if there is a safeguarding concern.
Personnel files and training records (including disciplinary records and working time records)
Staff personal information is kept in a folder in a locked cabinet. It is a recommendation that this information is kept for six years after their employment ceases. Only management will have access to this information.
Personal information regarding a staff member’s pension will be kept until 12 years from the ending of any benefit payable under the policy and will be kept in their personal file in a locked cabinet at the College.
Visitors/signing-in book
We have a visitors book which is kept near the front door throughout the day and then locked away in the evening. All staff have access to this information. We keep the visitors book for up to 26 years as part of the child protection trail.
This policy will be reviewed annually and amended according to any change in law/legislation.
19 November 2024