These revised policies and procedures were published 26th October 2011
Accidents and emergencies
It is our policy to keep children safe whilst they are in our care.
Our premises have been checked by Ofsted and they meet the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. We also regularly review, update and practice fire evacuation procedures, recording dates and times of the fire drills.
As registered childminders, we are legally required to have a valid first-
Procedure in the event of an accident
We will make sure the children in our care remain safe, reassured and calm in the event of an accident, as we work together one of us can attend to the injured child whilst the other looks after the other children in our care.
If the accident is a minor one and requires only basic first aid then we will deal with it ourselves and tell you when you come to collect your child. If not we will ring 999 for help and contact you as soon as it is safe to do so.
If we have to accompany or take a child to hospital one of us will stay at home with the other children in our care until parents or emergency contacts are able to collect them. In the event of your child being taken to hospital we would contact you immediately and wait with them until you or your emergency contact arrived.
Accidents off-
If one of us were off-
We carry parents’ contact details with us when we are away from home, in order to follow procedures above should an accident occur off site.
Other emergencies
Should any other emergency occur (such as a flood, fire or a member of my family becoming ill in our home) we will contact you as soon as possible. We expect that you would also contact us in the event of any accident or emergency which may befall you.
Recording
All accidents and significant incidents are recorded in our ‘NCMA Accident, Incident and Medication Record Book’ and you will be asked to sign it and receive a copy, should anything need to be recorded. I will notify NCMA of all accidents which may result in an insurance claim e.g. one where we’ve needed assistance of a doctor or hospital visit. NCMA will log and acknowledge receipt of the correspondence and forward the information to the company providing our public liability policies to enable a claim number to be allocated.
We will inform Ofsted, the local child protection agency and the Health and Safety Executive of any significant injuries, accidents or deaths as soon as possible.
Emergency back-
By signing to say that you have read our policies and procedures, you are giving
you permission for the named emergency back-
Registered assistant Name: Jean Askew (Robert’s Mum)
Known responsible adults Name: Pat or Vic Wenman (Jacqui’s Parents)
Alcohol and other drugs
It is our policy to keep children safe when they are in our care.
In order to do this I will ensure that neither of us, nor anyone else who has contact with the children whilst at our setting, is under the influence of alcohol or any other drug which may affect our ability to care for children.
We will ensure that anyone who has contact with the children in our care whilst at our setting, who is taking medication which may affect their ability to care for children, will seek medical advice. They will only work directly with children if it is confirmed that their ability to look after the children will not be impaired.
We will ensure that alcohol and other drugs are kept safely under lock and key, away from children.
Bad weather
If we are able to open for business but you choose to keep your child at home with you then full fees are payable.
Behaviour management
We recognise the need to set out reasonable and appropriate limits to manage the behaviour of children in our care. Our expectations are flexible and realistic and are adjusted to the age, level of understanding, maturity and stage of development of the child. By providing a happy, safe environment, the children in our care will be encouraged to develop social skills to help them be accepted and welcome in society as they grow up. We aim to be firm and consistent and when saying “no” we explain the reasons why it is not appropriate and why it is considered unwanted behaviour so that children know and feel secure within the boundaries we set.
We will agree methods with you before the placement starts and wherever possible will try to meet your requests to care for your children according to your values and practices. We will work with you to ensure that there is consistency in the way your children are cared for, a consistent approach benefits the child’s welfare and helps ensure that they are not confused. We are happy to chat to you regularly about your child’s care and any issues or concerns, preferably when the child is not present.
We will not, administer physical punishment, cause pain, discomfort, humiliate or hurt any child in our care. We will only physically intervene, and possibly restrain, a child to prevent an accident, such as a child running into the road, or to prevent an injury or damage.
Encouraging appropriate behaviour by:
• We set a good example, acting as positive role models as children copy what they see. Children learn values and behaviour from adults and so we use good manners and show your child how to behave in a socially acceptable way and to understand the needs and rights of others.
• We readily praise, approve and reward wanted behaviour, such as sharing, to encourage
it to be repeated. Using praise helps to show that we value the child and it helps
to build their self-
• We will help children maintain their self-
• We encourage responsibility by talking to the children about choices and possible consequences.
• We praise children to their parents and other people when they have behaved as expected.
• We have involved children in setting and agreeing house rules, see below.
House rules
We are kind to each other
We are polite and respectful
We don’t hurt others
We take care of things and keep things tidy
We always tell the truth
We listen to others
We try our best
If a child displays undesirable behaviour we will explain to them why it is undesirable and show them the acceptable way to behave. We will speak to you confidentially about any unacceptable behaviour or language. Any significant behaviour incidents will be recorded in our incident book and we will discuss these with the parents of the child concerned so that we can work together to resolve any behavioural issues.
We expect parents to inform us of any changes in the child’s home circumstances, care arrangements or any other change which may affect the child’s behaviour, such as a new baby, parents’ separation, divorce, new partner or any bereavement. Any information shared will of course remain confidential unless there appears to be a child protection issue.
Collecting your child
If you are not able to collect your child, please let us know and tell us who will be collecting them. We are able to let them leave with the alternative named person(s) as detailed on your ‘Child Record Form’ after they have given the correct password. If they are being collected by someone not named on the ‘Child Record Form’ then we will take an authority from you and agree a password.
Under the Children’s Act 1989, parents in the process of separating or those already divorced retain rights of contact with their children unless the Courts have issued an order and we are made aware of this. Therefore we do not have the right to stop separated / divorced parents from collecting their child from our home.
(see also late collection)
Communications policy
You know your child better than anyone else so please talk to us about what they enjoy doing and any special routines they have at home. Being a ‘home from home’ and fully meeting the needs of your child as an individual are extremely important to us and a trusting partnership where we share information about your child will help us to achieve this. We will work together with you to make sure the care for your child is consistent and will discuss any changes in our or the child’s home circumstances which may impact on the child’s development or our ability to care for a child.
At the end of each day we are happy to chat about your child’s day with us, what activities they have taken part in, anything special we have noticed about their learning and development, what they have eaten and sleep times. We will also keep records of your child’s development and evidence of their achievements, you are welcome to see this and add to this at any time.
• Telephone -
• Text – you can send us a message on 07941218769 anytime. The phone is monitored between 7am and 9pm during the working week, however if it’s urgent please phone in case your message is not read immediately.
• E-
• We are always happy to meet with you, at our home or yours, to discuss any aspect of your child’s care and education, please let us know if you’d like to do this and we’ll make arrangements.
Complaints procedure
We aim to work in close partnership with all parents to meet the needs of their children. Maintaining good communication between both parties will aid this. If there is any aspect of our service you are not happy with or you have any concerns or worries please immediately bring these to our attention so that every effort can be made to resolve the matter. You can make a complaint to us verbally, or in writing.
It is a condition of our registration to investigate all written complaints relating to the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. If we received a formal written complaint we would inform Ofsted within 14 days that a complaint has been made and notify the complainant in writing of the outcome within 28 days of the receipt of the complaint.
We keep a written record of all complaints and their outcomes for the last three years. Confidentiality will be maintained but, as required, we will provide Ofsted, on request, with a written record of all complaints within a specified period and the action taken as a result of each complaint.
We will record the following information:
• The name of the person making the complaint.
• The Early Years Foundation Stage requirement(s) to which the complaint relates.
• The nature of the complaint.
• The date and time of the complaint.
• Any action taken in response to the complaint.
• The outcome of the complaint investigation (for example, ways the service has improved).
• Details of the information and findings that were given to the person making the complaint, including any action taken.
If the complaint cannot be resolved or if the complaint is of a serious nature and you feel you cannot discuss it with us you are very welcome to contact any of these bodies for impartial advice and guidance:
• Ofsted on 0300 123 4666 – their website also has guidance on the complainant’s rights to contact Ofsted
• National Childminding Association 0845 880 0044
• Pre-
If at any time you have a suggestion on how we can improve any aspect of the care your child receives or the opportunities they have to develop and learn through play please talk to us either when you drop off or collect your child or alternatively give us a ring. We are very approachable and would hope that any suggestions you have can be put into practice or any concerns resolved as soon as possible.
Confidentiality
All information on children and their families is kept securely and treated in confidence in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and our use of data is registered with the Information Commissioners Office. We would not disclose information without your permission, except as required by law, for example, where we feel that a child in our care is at risk of significant harm, or there are suspicions of sexual abuse, we are able to speak to other professionals without parental consent – please refer to our “Safeguarding Children” policy.
All records will be kept confidential and all paper records are kept secure in a locked cabinet. The details are easily accessible if any information is required for inspection by Ofsted.
Parents have the right to inspect our records about their child at any time.
We expect parents to inform us of any changes in the child’s home circumstances, care arrangements, who will drop off and collect the child or any other change which may affect the child’s behaviour such as a new baby, parents’ separation, divorce, new partner or any bereavement.
We expect you to keep private and confidential any sensitive information that you may accidentally learn about our family, setting or the other children and families attending, unless it is a child protection issue.
Contracts
We will draw up and sign a written contract with parents before the placement starts. The contract is signed by the parent/s and ourselves and dated, copies are provided. All contracts are reviewed every six months, or before if circumstances change, to ensure that they remain accurate and also to give us the opportunity to check that you remain happy with the service we provide and to discuss any changes you would like to make in the future. We are happy to talk through any aspect of your child’s learning, development and care in line with our Communications Policy, there is no need to wait until your contract is due for review.
We reserve the right to terminate a contract immediately, ahead of the notice period, where we feel that it is necessary to protect ourselves and those in our setting from abusive or threatening behaviour.
Early Years Foundation Stage
The Early Years Foundation Stage sets the standards for the learning, development and care for all children in England from birth to the 31st August after their 5th birthday. It’s compulsory for all schools and Ofsted registered settings. We will observe, assess and plan activities to ensure that each child gets the support they need in the way that is right for them.
In line with the EYFS principles, we respect that parents are children’s first and most enduring educators and when parents and practitioners work together the results have a positive impact on children’s learning and development.
The six areas of learning are:
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Communication, language and literacy
• Mathematical development
• Knowledge and understanding of the world
• Physical development
• Creative development
Play is vital for children and it’s through play that babies and young children learn, grow and have fun. It helps them understand the world and develop socially and emotionally. Singing songs, reading together, playing games with letters and numbers, and having fun with friends gives them the right foundation for life. We are happy to give you more information about this and regularly share with you our observations and plans for development.
Fees
Fees are due first monthly, unless stated otherwise on your contract and are welcome in the form of bank transfer, cash or childcare vouchers. If you ever need to change payment date please let us know in advance. Payments received late, without prior arrangement, will be subject to an additional fee of £15.
Food & Drink
It is our policy to provide children with healthy, balanced and nutritious snacks, lunches and drinks as recommended by the Food Standards Agency. We have both undertaken the necessary training in the safe preparation and handling of food holding “Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering”.
We are aware of our responsibilities under food hygiene legislation and have been inspected by the Castle Point District Council Environmental Health team.
When a new child joins us we will ask parents about their dietary requirements. Where parents provide food for their children to eat in our setting we will provide chilled storage for packed lunches and appropriate storage areas for other foodstuffs.
We will also provide children with clean and age-
We ensure that we, and the children themselves, are aware of good hand washing procedures and that these are always carried out.
If there is an outbreak of food poisoning affecting two or more children looked after on our premises we will notify Ofsted as soon as possible, within a maximum of 14 days of the incident occurring. We keep food receipts and so if there is an outbreak of food poisoning on our premises we can trace the outlet where the food was purchased.
Holidays
We will give you at least 4 weeks notice of any holidays we plan to take. We do not charge for any time we take off as we appreciate that you will incur costs for making alternative arrangements as our service is not available. However, we do charge the full fees normally payable whilst you are on holiday in order to retain your child’s place with us.
Hygiene
We will ensure all adults and children in our setting are aware of good hand-
All children have their own hand towel, with their name above, which we wash regularly.
We ensure there is a supply of tissues available for children.
We immediately clean up any spillage of body fluids using anti bacterial solution and disposable cloth and gloves.
Illness and Infectious Diseases
It is our policy to keep children safe when they are in our care, promote good health and take necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection within our childcare setting.
It is not possible to care for a sick child as it may put us and the other children we care for at risk of becoming unwell. We would ask that you let us know as soon as you can if your child becomes ill as we will need to notify the parents of the other children in our setting if a child we care for has a diagnosed infectious disease, keeping your child’s name confidential of course.
We will refer to the Health Protection Agency (www.hpa.org.uk) and NHS Direct (www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk)
for guidance on exclusion times where applicable and we reserve the right to exclude
a child until we are confident that any risk of cross infection has passed. As with
the normal policy for pre-
If your child has a ‘notifiable’ illness, identified as such in the Public Health Infectious Diseases Regulations 1988, we will act on the advice given by the Health Protection Agency and we will be unable to care for them until they are clinically well and any infectious period has fully elapsed. We are also required to inform Ofsted.
Full fees are payable whilst your child is absent due to an illness or infectious disease.
If your child becomes ill whilst in our care, or we believe they have an infectious illness or disease (for example a severe cold or stomach upset) we will contact you to arrange for the immediate collection of your child. If you are unavailable we will call the alternative contacts until we are able to reach someone that is authorised by you to collect your child. If we feel that it is something serious then we will take your child to hospital and contact you on the way.
If your child is on medication we are happy to administer this whilst they are in our care. Together we will complete the relevant parts of our Medication Record and this becomes your signed consent. At the end each day that medication is administered you will have a written slip to take home with you detailing times and volumes administered whilst in our care.
If there is a confirmed infectious disease in our family and we are unable to open we will notify you by text, or phone if between 7am and 9pm, as soon as possible to allow you to make other childcare arrangements. Under these circumstances fees paid will be credited back onto your next invoice. If we are able to open and you choose to keep your child at home with you then full fees are payable.
Inclusion
We make sure we actively include all children and their families, running an inclusive practice and ensuring we fully meet our responsibilities outlined within the Equality Act 2010 and the codes of practice set by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. We offer challenging and enjoyable activities for each child to learn and develop to their full potential.
We value diversity and ensure that we treat each individual as a person in their own right and with equal care. No child or family in our care will be discriminated against whatever age, developmental stage, ethnicity, gender, home language, family background, sexual orientation, religion/belief, mental or physical ability or during pregnancy or maternity leave – every child has an equal chance to develop and learn.
The children in our care have access to a range of books, toys and other resources which reflect positive images and examples of diversity of life in our society. We encourage questions and embrace diversity. We would challenge racist and other discriminatory remarks, attitudes or behaviours demonstrated by any children or adults with whom we have contact.
We are happy to discuss the needs of your child in more detail and aim to work alongside you to make sure the needs of your child are met in a supportive way. Where training is provided, we will endeavour to attend. We will not treat anyone less favourably and will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments so that all children can enjoy and participate in activities.
Late Collection
If a child is not collected within 30 minutes, of the agreed collection time, we will try calling you and any other parent/carer as detailed on the ‘Child Record Form’. If no response, we will telephone your emergency contact(s) as detailed on the ‘Child Record Form’. During this time we will continue to safely look after your child.
We will continue to try your contact numbers, but if we have heard nothing after 90 minutes from the agreed collection time, we will then inform Social Care Direct.
If you are late collecting your child and this has not been prearranged then there will be an additional fee of £2.50 per 15 minutes. If you have prearranged a late collection then this will be charged at our usual hourly rate.
Lost children
Before we go on outings or trips we undertake a risk assessment. We will safely supervise children when we go on outings or trips and we will teach them about safety when we are out and about and tell them what to do if they do become lost according to their age and stage of development e.g. stay where they are, meet at a certain place, ask a nearby responsible adult e.g. someone in uniform.
In the unlikely event of a child in our care becoming lost we will tell the police providing a detailed description and search the area. If a child goes missing in a public place e.g. soft play, library or shop we will alert the staff and security staff. We would contact parents and Ofsted, reassuring the other children in our care and keeping them safe.
Medicines
We have an effective procedure to meet the individual needs of a child when administering medicines. We keep written records of all medicines administered and will inform parents when a medicine has been administered including the time and dosage. We will obtain prior written permission from parents for each and every medicine to be administered before any medication is given.
We will store all medicines safely in the kitchen cupboard above the sink, unless they need to be refrigerated, and strictly in accordance with the product instructions and in the original container in which it was dispensed. If the administration of the prescription medicine requires technical/medical knowledge then we will attend training given by a qualified health professional for that specific child.
We will only administer non-
Outings
We will keep children safe on outings whilst in our care. The ratio of adults to children on any outing will never be less than 1:3 for children in the Early Years age range. We will carry out a full risk assessment prior to any proposed outing. We take written parental permission for children to take part in regular, local outings and specific written permissions for a longer outing
We take essential records and equipment for each child on outings as necessary, including contact telephone numbers for parents, doctors details, a first aid kit and a mobile telephone.
We have specific childminder car insurance on both our cars for the transportation of childminded children and are both named drivers on both vehicles. We will ensure that we use age/weight appropriate car seats for children requiring them.
Professional development
We both hold an ‘A’ Grade Diploma in Home Based Childcare and are ‘Accredited’ childminders which means that we are able to offer nursery education for 3 and 4 year olds and accept the government funding towards payment of your fees.
We are committed to doing the very best we can for your child and will take forward relevant training to develop further.
Safeguarding Children
Your child’s safety is our first priority and we have a professional duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in our care. We have received training to enable us to identify the signs and symptoms of possible abuse (refreshed September 2010) and we understand that child abuse can be physical, sexual, emotional, neglect or a mixture of these.
Where possible we will share our concerns with you, except where there are suspicions of sexual abuse or where we feel that a child in our care is at immediate risk of significant harm. In these cases we are required to report our concerns without speaking to you first. We would discuss our concerns with a parent if we notice:
• Significant changes in a child’s behaviour
• Bruising or marks not consistent with a reported accident
• Any comments made by a child which give us cause for concern
• Signs of neglect.
If we have any cause for concern we will refer to “What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused” booklet (copies are available if you would like one) and if appropriate we will make a report following The Essex Safeguarding Children Board procedures.
Children will only be released from our care to the parent/carer or to someone named and authorised by them. Where we have not met an individual before we may ask you to arrange a password that we can use to confirm their identity.
Please notify us of any concerns you have about your child and pre-
If a child tells us that they or another child is being abused, we will:
• Show that we have heard what they are saying, and that we take their allegations seriously
• Encourage the child to talk, but we will not prompt them or ask them leading questions. We will not interrupt when a child is recalling significant events and will not make a child repeat their account.
• Explain what actions we must take, in a way that is appropriate to the age and understanding of the child.
• Record what we have been told using exact words where possible.
• Make a note of the date, time, place and people who were present at the discussion.
Any reports made are confidential and are directed to Essex Social Care Direct:
• Mon – Fri office hours 0845 603 7627 – general enquiries
• Mon – Fri office hours 0845 603 7634 – immediate concerns
• Out of hours 0845 606 1212 – immediate concerns
We will notify Ofsted and the Children’s Safeguarding Service of any allegations of abuse, which are alleged to have taken place whilst children are in our care, including any allegations against me, or any members of my family, or other adults or children in my home who have had contact with minded children, and take their advise on the way forward.
It is not our responsibility to attempt to investigate the situation.
Smoking
We are both non-
Where the children in our care are expected to share a space that can be used for smoking, e.g. the park, then I will ensure that the children play clear of those smoking.
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
We are aware of the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice and have attended the relevant training. We will work closely with you to understand the needs of your child as to build on their previous experiences, knowledge, understanding and skills and provide opportunities to develop in the six areas of learning – outlined in Early Years Foundation Stage.
We will observe and monitor individual children’s progress throughout the Early Years Foundation Stage and where a child appears not to be making progress either generally or in a specific aspect of their learning we will present them with different opportunities or use alternative ways of learning.
If we identify that a child has special educational needs or a disability then we will use the graduated approach to learning as described in the code of practice, namely Early Years Action and Early Years Action Plus.
We are happy to discuss with you our observations and proposed plans and welcome your input as your knowledge and understanding of your child will ensure we meet your child’s needs in the best way and present them with appropriate experiences and activities.
With your permission we are able to use Individual Education Plans to record information about the short term targets set for your child, the teaching strategies and the provision to be put in place. These are continually reviewed and the outcomes recorded and shared with you for your input.
We will seek support from our Development Worker, who works for the Pre-
Tax credits
As we are registered with Ofsted, you may be able to claim back up to 80% of your childcare costs through tax credits, providing you work more than 16 hours a week.
Visit http://taxcredits.hmrc.gov.uk/HomeNew.aspx or call 0845 300 3900 to find out more.