Child Health Protection Information

This section contains information and guidance to help you deal with child illness within your setting.

Heat Wave Information

Heatwave Plan for England Guidance

Additional actions may be needed due to COVID-19 and specific resources are available below.  

Heat Risks and COVID-19: Actions to prevent harm

Appropriate language to use when discussing private body parts with young children

The current guidance from Pacey is that children should be taught the anatomically correct names for private parts. Adults should be clear and upfront about all parts of the body as this teaches children there is no shame and stigma attached to any part. In terms of safeguarding, ensuring children have a clear understanding of their body, especially their private parts, helps to equip them to ward off potential grooming and sexual abuse and increases the child’s sense of ownership of their body.

Teaching children about their private parts | PACEY

The NSPCC appreciates that this is a sensitive subject matter and suggest that early years settings should discuss their policy on this with parents.  There are some excellent resources on the NSPCC website ‘Talking PANTS with children aged three to five years’ with lesson plans, resources, guides for parents and a draft letter/email for EY and childcare settings to send home with the Talk PANTS guide. ‘Talk PANTS’ is the NSPCC campaign teaching children that what is inside their pants is private to them.

P – Privates are private.

A – Always remember your body belongs to you.

N – No means No

T – Talk about secrets that upset you.

S – Speak up, someone can help.

Guidance for early years and childcare settings (nspcc.org.uk)