Ask the Expert: Unexplained bruising

A child has presented at the nursery with a bruise on his inner thigh. When asked he said his daddy hurt him.

The welfare of the child is always paramount, which means we need to balance our response. Assuming the worst is as dangerous as taking no action. The bruise could be a safeguarding issue but it could be the result of an accident. Consider the situation, age and stage of the child. His communication and understanding of context is critical to the explanation. Check if the parent has mentioned it. If they haven’t, ring them to check the explanation. It could be that the child fell at the swimming pool and the dad grabbed him to save him, leaving a bruise.

But if you have concerns about the family, log the incident and think through your response. Consider any previous concerns, history, relevance, and the veracity of the explanation, whether there is a social worker or history of domestic violence.

If the child has a social worker, contact them and explain your concerns. If not, contact the area safeguarding team for advice. If there are any allegations of child abuse, registered providers are expected to inform Ofsted. Failure to comply is an offence.

Answered by June O'Sullivan, chief executive of the childcare charity and social enterprise, the London Early Years Foundation

Email questions, marked “Experts”, to cypnow@markallengroup.com