Safeguarding Policy

1. Who this policy applies to

This policy applies to:

• Families - parents, guardians, or carers using Nannvo to find childcare
• Nannies - all childcare professionals registered on the Nannvo platform
• Nannvo Ltd - the company operating the platform and all staff involved in vetting and matching

Nannvo is committed to promoting the safety and wellbeing of every child, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, disability, or identity.

2. How Nannvo keeps children safe

Every nanny on the Nannvo platform must complete the following before being approved:

• Enhanced DBS check - the highest level of UK criminal background screening for those working with children, carried out through the Disclosure and Barring Service
• Identity verification - government-issued photo ID and right to work in the UK are verified for every applicant
• Professional reference checks - a minimum of two professional references are personally confirmed before any nanny profile is activated
• Suitability interview - all nannies complete an interview assessing their experience, approach to child safety, and knowledge of safeguarding responsibilities
• Paediatric First Aid - nannies are strongly encouraged to hold a current Paediatric First Aid certificate; this is highlighted on their profile
• Ongoing monitoring - Nannvo reviews DBS renewal status and takes immediate action if any concern is raised about a nanny's conduct

Nannvo will share safeguarding concerns with the relevant statutory agencies where required by law.

3. UK statutory safeguarding framework

Nannvo is not a school, college, or local authority - but our safeguarding standards are informed by the same UK statutory guidance that governs child protection across England. We review this policy whenever that guidance is updated.

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)

Keeping children safe in education is statutory Department for Education guidance for schools and colleges in England. Although it does not directly regulate nanny agencies or private childcare arrangements, it sets the national benchmark for:

• recognising signs of abuse, neglect, and harm to children
• safer recruitment and suitability checks for adults working with children
• responding appropriately when a child may be at risk
• online safety, peer-on-peer abuse, and contextual safeguarding risks

Nannvo's vetting process - Enhanced DBS screening, reference checks, identity verification, and suitability interviews - reflects the safer recruitment principles set out in KCSIE. We encourage nannies to familiarise themselves with current guidance; the 2025 edition has been in force since 1 September 2025.

Working Together to Safeguard Children

Working together to safeguard children is statutory guidance on multi-agency working to help, protect, and promote the welfare of all children under 18 in England. It applies to organisations and professionals with functions relating to children - and defines how concerns should be escalated to local authorities, police, and health partners.

Nannvo aligns its safeguarding procedures with this framework. When a concern is raised on our platform, we:

• treat the welfare of the child as the primary consideration
• escalate immediately to statutory agencies where a child may be at risk of harm
• cooperate fully with local authority children's services and police investigations
• share information lawfully where required to protect a child

The current edition is Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026, published by the Department for Education in March 2026. It replaces the 2023 edition.

For Scotland, nannies must hold PVG Scheme membership (the Scottish equivalent of Enhanced DBS). Safeguarding in Scotland is governed by separate national guidance through the Scottish Government and local Child Protection Committees.

4. Responsibilities for nannies

All nannies registered with Nannvo are expected to:

• Hold a current Enhanced DBS certificate and notify Nannvo if their status changes
• Hold, or work towards, a valid Paediatric First Aid qualification
• Complete relevant safeguarding training (e.g. the free NSPCC safeguarding awareness course) and keep it up to date - in line with the principles set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children
• Listen to children's concerns, take them seriously, and never dismiss or minimise what a child says
• Report any child protection or safeguarding concern immediately to the relevant local authority children's services or the police - do not wait
• Agree a photograph and video policy with families at the start of any placement, and adhere to it at all times
• Notify Nannvo immediately if they become aware of any safeguarding concern involving a child in their care

5. Responsibilities for families

Families using Nannvo are expected to:

• Provide nannies with clear information about any specific vulnerabilities, medical needs, or welfare considerations relating to their children
• Set clear expectations around photography, social media, and privacy at the start of any placement
• Report any concerns about a nanny's conduct to Nannvo promptly via safeguarding@nannvo.co.uk
• Before a permanent hire, many families arrange a paid trial shift — see our trial shifts policy
• Contact the relevant authorities directly if they believe a child is in immediate danger

6. How to raise a safeguarding concern

If you have a safeguarding concern - whether you are a family or a nanny - please act immediately. Do not wait.

If a child is in immediate danger

• Call 999 (police / emergency services) immediately
• Contact your local authority children's services - find yours at gov.uk/find-local-council

To report a concern to Nannvo

• Email safeguarding@nannvo.co.uk - this inbox is monitored daily and treated as urgent
• Or use our contact page and mark your message as a safeguarding matter

All safeguarding reports received by Nannvo are treated as confidential and escalated immediately. We will cooperate fully with any statutory investigation.

7. Key external contacts & resources

UK statutory safeguarding guidance:

• Keeping children safe in education (KCSIE): gov.uk - KCSIE 2025 - national safeguarding standards for education; informs Nannvo's safer recruitment approach
• Working together to safeguard children: gov.uk - Working Together 2026 - statutory multi-agency child protection framework for England

Helplines and practical support:

• NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5000 (24/7, free) - for concerns about a child's safety
• Childline: 0800 1111 - for children who need to talk
• Local authority children's services: gov.uk/find-local-council
• Government safeguarding guidance: gov.uk safeguarding resources - covering online safety, FGM, radicalisation, and more
• Child abuse concerns guide for practitioners: gov.uk guidance

8. Policy review

This policy is reviewed annually, or sooner if there is a change in legislation, statutory guidance (including KCSIE and Working Together), or following any safeguarding incident. The most recent version is always published on this page.

If you have feedback on this policy or believe something important has been omitted, please contact us at safeguarding@nannvo.co.uk.