Whistle Blowing policy

Whistle blowing

 

Whistle blowing is another way of saying “staff that make a disclosure in the public interest”

 

The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 protects workers who “blow the whistle” about wrong doing. It applies where a worker has reasonable belief that their disclosure tends to show one or more of the following offences or breaches:

• A criminal offence:
• The breach of a legal obligation:
• A miscarriage of justice
• A danger to the health and safety of any individual:
• Damage to the environment
• Deliberate covering up of information tending to show any of the above.

 

Castle Daycare and Preschool strongly supports measures which protect whistleblowers from any form of victimisation. Castle Daycare and Preschool has a procedure to ensure concerns are dealt with effectively and efficiently and will do all that they can to preserve the confidentiality of workers who raise such concerns.

 

If you genuinely believe that people you work with are behaving in a way that seems wrong or have a serious concern about an aspect of service, you will be doing your duty and acting in the public interest by speaking out.

• If you are concerned about staff members or a working practice you are requested to speak to your Manager.
• The Manager will investigate the complaint and you will be informed of the outcome of the investigation. The Nursery will deal with a concern within ten days of receiving the concern.
• If it is the Manager you have a concern about, or the Manager has not dealt with any issues satisfactorily, you need to inform the Area Manager, who will then undertake an investigation.

 

Area Manager, Natalie Chrystie: 077 89 26 82 41 or 01293 772561

 

• If the matter is still not dealt with in a satisfactory way or the issue is very serious you can contact the Ofsted whistle blowing number:

0300123 3156

• Depending on the outcome of the investigation other agencies such as Ofsted or Surrey Safeguarding board may need to be contacted.

 

 

 

Castle Daycare and Preschool will respond to any concerns raised and will make every effort to not reveal the whistleblower’s identity, if they so wish. However during the investigation it may be necessary to make the origin of the complaint known to the person or persons the allegations concern. All concerns raised within the investigation process will be assessed to determine if the confidentiality extends to withholding the name of the complainant.

 

Whistleblowers should understand that their identity may be revealed by inference.

 

Castle Daycare and Preschool accepts that the deciding to report a concern can be very difficult and uncomfortable. If a member of staff makes an allegation in good faith, but it is not confirmed by the investigation, no action will be taken against him/her. If however a member of staff makes an allegation frivolously, maliciously of for personal gain, disciplinary action may be taken against them.

 

This may be a stressful time for the whistle blower so Castle Daycare and Preschool would recommend that support groups such as the Samaritans on: 08457 90 90 90 may be able to give impartial support.