Well done, you made the correct decision.
Here are some points that you need to consider. You should have included all of these in your reflective activity.
- You did the right thing when you found your manager and told her about Tommy’s behaviour. This is important and it was right to interrupt the meeting. You have taken appropriate action to assess and manage a potential risk to Tommy’s health. You are able to recognise signs of illness in children and respond according to work setting requirements.
- You made a mistake earlier when you assumed Tommy had not drunk any milk and you did nothing. Even if you are not sure whether a child’s health has been put at risk, you must act quickly to protect him.
- You should revisit your employer’s policies and procedures for monitoring and maintaining health and safety. These are designed to keep children safe and to uphold their right to be protected from danger and harm.
- You should recognise and use responsibly the power that comes from your work with children. You must not put children at unnecessary risk. Always seek additional support in relation to health and safety issues when necessary.
- You need to improve your approach to promoting health and safety. You must understand the responsibility everyone has to raise concerns about any possible harm that may have come to a child.
- The effectiveness of a team is built on trust, respect and open communication. You need to learn when information needs to be urgently passed on.
- It is essential to show children, their families and your colleagues you are trustworthy and reliable. Think about whether your actions show you have these qualities.
When you first realised it was possible Tommy had drunk some milk, the right thing to do would have been to immediately tell your manager and closely monitor Tommy. You can find out why this was the right thing to do here.
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