Policies & procedures
All policies are available to view, please ask.
Please take the time to read these policies. When signing a contract or update you are signing to say that you have read, understand, and accept them.
All policies reviewed and edited 11/08/2021
DROPPING OFF AND COLLECTION POLICY.
THE HANDING OVER OF RESPONSIBILITY POLICY.
PERSONAL POSSESSIONS POLICY. CHILDMINDING OVER 8’s POLICY.
INDEPENDENT ARRIVAL.
Dropping Off
Please let us know in advance if you intend to arrive at a different time from the contracted one.
If you arrive unexpectedly early we may not be ready to care for your child.
If you are late, we may have to take children to school/pre-school and will not be able to wait for you.
Please discuss with us if you need to change your contracted hours.
Collection
We will only release your child from our care to adults who have permission to collect him/her.
We will therefore need you to provide us with a list of people authorised to collect.
It would be helpful, if they are not known to us, to include a description or a photograph for us to keep on file.
In the event of an emergency, we can operate a password system where you can send someone not authorised to collect your child but who is able to give the password.
Please discuss with us if you would like to use this system.
It is important that you arrive at the contracted time to collect your child. Even very young children learn our routine and know when their parents are due. They can become distressed if you are late.
We know sometimes delays are unavoidable, especially if you are relying on public transport.
If you are delayed, for whatever reason please contact us and let us know when you expect to arrive. We will normally be able to accommodate the additional care, however if we are unable, we will contact other adults from the authorised list and arrange for them to collect your child.
We will reassure your child that you are on the way and if necessary organise additional activities and a meal.
If we have not heard from you and you are very late we will try and make contact with you. We will also attempt to contact the emergency numbers provided. If we are unable to make contact with anyone we will inform Social Services and follow their advice. (In the case of a terrorist attack or National Emergency then this procedure will not be put into practice - see separate policy)
We reserve the right to make an additional charge for late collection.
Research has shown that more accidents/incidents occur when both the Childminder and parents are present.
This is for a variety of reasons:
The child senses that neither adult feels comfortable taking responsibility and tests boundaries further than they would normally. The child may feel that with both adults talking they are being ignored, therefore they misbehave to gain attention.
No one is supervising the child sufficiently and accidents occur.
We feel it is therefore best that we discuss this situation before the matter arises and an accident occurs.
It is important that a decision is reached and the child is helped to understand who is responsible for them and when this responsibility changes to another adult.
If the parent is to take responsibility as soon as they arrive, they will be expected to adhere to our Childminding House Rules whilst in our home.
Alternatively, we are prepared to take responsibility of the child until s/he leaves our premises.
If you have any concerns over this issue please do discuss them with us.
We provide a wide range of toys and activities for all the children in our care, catering for different needs, abilities and ages. Whilst it is not necessary for children to bring additional toys with them to play with we can appreciate that sometimes a child may have a particular comfort toy that they wish to bring or a toy that they have been playing with just before they left home.
We will endeavour to keep all children’s toys and resources safe, however we are sure you appreciate with several children in our care at any one time, it is not always possible to keep an eye on their belongs when we are out and about. Whilst losses are rare we would advise that if a toy is very special or expensive that it remains safely at home as we will not be held responsible for loss or damage to them.
If your child does have a comfort toy that they are very attached to, we would recommend that additional ‘copies’ are purchased as this can prevent great upset if it becomes lost.
As Ofsted registered Childminders both of us are registered to care for 6 children under the age of 8 years, of which no more than 3 can be under the age of 5, and of these no more than 1 can be under the age of 1.
We are permitted to care for children aged 8 years and over, providing the care we provide for them doesn’t impact on the care for the children we are registered to care and providing it falls within the total number of children we are insured for. We are insured through the PACEY scheme to care for a maximum of 11 children.
We are happy to mind children aged 8 years and over and will provide them with age appropriate resources and a quiet area for studying if required, however we do require that they set an excellent role model for the other children in our care, being polite, saying please and thank you etc.
We like the older children to work in partnership with us to write a child/childminder/parent agreement, like those often completed at school: school/parent/child agreements. This will be in addition to the normal childminding contract but will help the child(ren) to be more involved in their care arrangements.
We would never ask an older child to care or look after another minded child.
We are fully responsible for all the children whilst they are in our care.
We are happy to mind older children who are at secondary School and who wish to arrive at our home independently, however we can’t be held responsible for your child’s safety until s/he arrives into our care.
We will need to know in advance details of their anticipated times of arrival, if they are staying at school for a club, sports fixture or detention we will need to be notified. If there are any unexpected changes please let us know or ask your child to let us know by text.
If your child fails to arrive at the anticipated time, we will try to contact them on their mobile phone to confirm their whereabouts. If we are unable to make contact we will contact you for further guidance. If you are unavailable we will contact the school. In the unlikely event that we have been unable to locate your child we will contact the police for further guidance.
These procedures are not meant to alarm you but to reassure you that we are providing the best care possible for your child.
If you are planning for your child to arrive independently to us please let us know so we can ensure that all parties involved are fully aware of these procedures and any alterations made to them. We will require you to sign a copy of this policy to confirm your agreement of it.
ILLNESS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES POLICY. MEDICINES POLICY,
ASTHMA POLICY. ALLERGIES. HEAD LICE
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 and while we are off site.
Sick children
If there is a child in our setting who becomes ill whilst in our care, or whom we believe has an infectious illness or disease (for example a severe cold or stomach upset) we will;
Contact the parents as agreed to arrange for the immediate collection of the child
Ensure the child is excluded from our setting until they have been well for 48 hours, or in accordance with Health Authority guidelines.
If we believe a child in our setting is suffering from a disease or illness which requires notification, we will inform the parents/guardians of our concerns and act on advice given by the Health Protection Agency (details of which can be found at www.hpa.org.uk) as to when they will be able to return to our setting. We will also inform Ofsted of any action taken.
We make parents aware of our sickness exclusion policy and keep a record of the arrangements for the exclusion of a child should they become ill whilst in our setting.
In accordance with the contract agreed with parents we require payment for the child’s place even if they are excluded from our setting due to an illness or infectious disease.
If either of us or one of the members of our family, has a confirmed infectious disease, we will inform parents as soon as we are able.
If we cannot find alternative arrangements with other registered childminders and are not able to offer our childminding service then we do not charge parents for the time the service is unavailable, as agreed in the contract.
We will inform the parents of the other children in our setting if a child we care for has a diagnosed infectious disease.
Exclusion periods:-
Sickness and diarrhoea 48 hours after last episode
Chickenpox 5 days after rash appears
German measles / measles 5 days after rash appears
Mumps 5 days after swollen glands start
Impetigo until lesions are healed or crusted
Hygiene
We ensure all adults and children in our setting are aware of good hand-washing procedures, before eating or handling food and after using the toilet.
We ensure there is a supply of tissues available for children.
We immediately clean up any spillage of body fluids using a disposable cloth and gloves.
We wear disposable gloves for changing nappies. We will discard these gloves after each change.
We ensure that any animals on the premises are safe to be around children and do not pose a health risk.
As childcare providers, we will ensure that we implement an effective procedure to meet the individual needs of a child when administering medicines.
In order to achieve this we will do the following:
•Keep written records of all medicines administered to children in our care.
•Inform parents when a medicine has been administered including the time and dosage.
•All medicines will be stored in our utility room and kept strictly in accordance with the product instructions and in the original container in which it was dispensed.
•We will obtain prior written permission from parents for each and every medicine to be administered before any medication is given.
•We will work in partnership with parents to ensure the correct medication, dosage etc is given.
•If the administration of prescription medicine requires technical/medical knowledge then we will attend training from a qualified health professional. The training should be specific to the child in question.
•If either of us is involved in the administration of a prescription medicine that requires technical/medical knowledge then we will ensure that we have attended individual training from a health care professional, specific to the child in question.
•Prescription medication will only be administered to the child it is prescribed for by a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist.
•Non-prescription medication such as pain and fever relief will only be administered with parents’ previous written consent and only when there is a health reason to do so.
•We will never administer medicines containing aspirin to a child under the age of 16 unless they have been prescribed by a doctor.
•If we do not administer the medicine whilst the child is in our care we will inform parents of who will be responsible for the administration of medicines to their child.
•If we have a child in our care with long-term medical needs then we will ensure that we have sufficient information about the child’s medical condition and will work in partnership with parents to assist the administration of any prescribed medication.
We are willing to care for a child who has asthma and have put together the following policy and procedures. We recognise that asthma is an important condition that affects many children.
We will:
• encourage and help children with asthma to participate fully in activities
• ensure children have immediate access to reliever inhalers
• ensure the environment is favourable to children with asthma
• ensure that other children in my care understand that asthma can be serious
• ensure that we know what to do if a child has an asthma attack to protect the child’s welfare in the event of an emergency
• work with parents of children with asthma to ensure that their children are in a safe and
caring environment
We will ask parents to tell us about their child’s asthma symptoms, how to recognise when
their symptoms are getting worse and how to help them take their reliever medicine.
We will record this information on the child’s personal record form.
• Allow children with asthma immediate access to their reliever medicine whenever
they need it. This may include allowing them to carry it on them either in their pocket
or inhaler pouch, if they are mature enough to do this. We would request that we are also given an inhaler to keep at our house, in case the child forgets to bring it back with them.
Please let us know if your child needs to be reminded to take their inhaler and if they need to do it privately (We appreciate that some children are shy about taking their medication in front of others).
We will always inform parents if their child has experienced asthma symptoms and had to use their reliever medicine.
If, after discussion between the parents/carers and the doctor or nurse, it is believed that a particular child is too young to carry their inhaler, we will keep it with us.
We need parents to:
• Provide written information detailing:
• what asthma medicines the child takes and when
• what triggers the child’s asthma and what to do if the child’s asthma gets worse
• emergency contact details
We will ensure any spare medicines stored by us are labelled and have not passed the expiry date.
We have no problem of minding children with an allergy. We need to know all details of allergy.
Parents should supply any specialist food stuff.
Foods that cause allergic reactions are called allergens. Even a tiny amount of an allergen can cause a reaction. Allergic reactions usually occur after a child eats a food that she or he is allergic to.
Cross-contact occurs when a food allergen comes in contact with food or an item not intended to contain that allergen. Small traces of allergens can cause allergic reactions.
There are several precautions we take to avoid food mix-ups and accidental cross-contact.
If we have both "safe" and "unsafe" versions of similar items (like soy milk and cow’s milk) we do not store these products next to each other. We designate particular shelves or cabinets for storing the "safe" foods.
Hands – We teach everyone to wash their hands with soap and water before foods.
Their hands could have allergens on them and they could make a safe food become unsafe.
Utensils – We do not allow allergen-covered utensils to touch our "safe" foods.
For example, if a knife used on butter gets inserted into a jar of jam, the jam is no longer safe for a dairy-allergic individual to eat. If you spread butter on wheat bread toast and then dip your knife into the butter again, the butter will now contain traces of wheat.
Countertops and other surfaces – We clean all surfaces after preparing food and clean countertops before preparing food. Countertops could have traces of allergens on them.
•If we are preparing both “safe” and “unsafe” food for the same meal, we prepare the safe meal first.
•We do not use the same utensils to prepare allergenic and non-allergenic dishes.
•Place utensils, plates and cutting boards directly into the sink or the dishwasher immediately after use.
We wash pans, utensils and dishes in hot, sudsy water before using them to prepare food for someone with food allergies.
Head Lice can affect people from any socio-economic background and ethnicity and do not imply a lack of hygiene or cleanliness of the infested person.
In order to try and prevent other children becoming infected we have put together the following procedure.
We hope that as Parents you too will work with us to prevent and treat the spread of head lice.
No Child will be excluded from our care because they have head lice and weI ask that all children and parents are sensitive and understanding towards the child. It is not their fault they have head lice.
We request that all children with long hair wear their hair up to prevent the spread of Head Lice
We request that parents check their children’s hair once a week with a special head lice comb to aid early detection.
We request that parents inform me immediately if they have discovered that their child has head lice.
We will provide information on the effective treatment and detection of Head Lice, via our website.
We will inform all parents using my service if a child has head lice but we will not say who to respect confidentiality.
We are happy to support parents with the manual removal of head lice using a special comb, please discuss this with us.
We will assist in the prevention of Head Lice by ensuring the children only use their own hairbrushes and combs and that the play dressing up hats are regularly cleaned.
HEALTHY EATING POLICY. DENTAL HYGIENE POLICY.
FOOD, DRINK, DRUGS, SMOKING POLICIES. RISK, HEALTH AND SAFETY.
A good balanced diet is vital for children to develop healthily along with fresh air and regular exercise.
We are happy to provide all children in our care with healthy meals, snacks and drinks, or to cook/serve food provided by their parents.
We encourage children to choose healthy options and to experiment by trying new foods from other cultures. Older children are encouraged to help in the preparation of food and meals.
We are happy to discuss menus with parents and cater for children with different food allergies and cultural/religious requirements. If your child has any particular dislikes or favourite dishes please let us know.
We will record what your child has eaten and approximate amounts in the daily contact book.
If you have any concerns regarding diet/menu/quantity please do not hesitate to discuss it with us.
We are happy to support you if you are weaning your baby. We have a blender and are willing to make pureed dishes if required or assist in baby lead weaning.
We do not permit children to have fizzy drinks, unless it is a special occasion and parents have given permission. Children are offered water, milk or fruit juices.
We do not encourage children to eat sweets on a regular basis, however we do sometimes offer sweets for special occasions. Please let us know what, if any sweets you permit your child to eat.
Recent research shows that 38 % of five year olds in England had experienced tooth decay.
As an Ofsted Registered Childminder we are very aware of the need to follow good oral hygiene practices and to avoid eating foods and drinks with high sugar content.
We would like to support you in training your child to clean their teeth regularly by helping him/her clean their teeth after meals whilst in our care.
We would therefore request that you provide us with a suitable toothbrush, toothpaste and a small plastic beaker. These will all be stored in a small plastic container in our utility room and we will help your child clean his/her teeth regularly.
We will advise you when the toothpaste is running low or the brush needs replacing.
We also ensure that the children in our care are not given food containing high levels of sugar. We do not permit fizzy drinks and will wean children from drinking from bottles with teats as continued sucking of juice can damage teeth. We will work with you to encourage your child to drink from a beaker or trainer cup.
Further information and support can be found on the website: www.stop-the-rot.co.uk
Food and drink
It is our policy to provide children with healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks.
Those responsible for the preparation and handling of food will be competent to do so.
Before a child is admitted we will obtain information about any special dietary requirements, preferences and food allergies, and any special health requirements
We will collect, record and act on information from parents about a child’s dietary needs.
Where parents provide meals 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-appropriate crockery and eating utensils.
We will respect the diversity of practice around mealtimes e.g. use of chopsticks or fingers for eating.
We will provide children with healthy meals, snacks and drinks as appropriate and recommended by the Food Standards Agency literature.
We will ensure fresh drinking water is available at all times, both in and outside our setting.
As a provider of meals and snacks we are aware of our responsibilities under food hygiene legislation.
This includes, if necessary, registration with the relevant Local Authority Environmental Health Department.
If this is the case then we are happy to have our premises inspected by a food safety officer.
We will detail any allergens that are present in the food that we prepare for children in accordance with EU Information for Consumers Regulation 2014 and share this with parents/carers
We will list any allergens in ingredients that are present in any food that we produce, as well as being aware when we take children out to eat at other settings.
All registered food businesses will have to comply with the legislation so we will make sure we are aware of any allergens contained and make this part of our risk assessment.
We will ensure suitable sterilisation equipment for babies’ food.
Baby changing facilities will not be near food preparation areas.
We will ensure that both of us and everyone caring for children, as well as the children themselves, are aware of good hand washing procedures and how these are carried out.
We will not undertake laundry during times of food preparation and we will ensure that any detergents or soiled clothing will not come into contact with food preparation areas.
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 but definitely within 14 days of the incident occurring in order to comply with regulations.
We will keep all food receipts, including those under £10, so that if there is an outbreak of food poisoning on our premises we will be able to trace the outlet where the food was purchased.
Alcohol and other drugs
It is our policy to keep children safe when they are in our care.
In order to do this we 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 away from children.
Smoking
It is our policy to ensure that children are in a smoke-free environment whilst in our care.
We will ensure that:
No-one smokes in any room where the children in our care are present or about to be present, either in our home or in any other setting.
Where reasonably possible, we will ensure that no-one smokes in an outside play area when the children in our care are present or about to be present (although this may be difficult, for example at a public park).
If, in exceptional circumstances, the children in our care are expected to use any space that has been used for smoking then we will ensure that there is adequate ventilation to clear the atmosphere.
The Early Years Foundation Stage requires childcare providers to conduct risk assessments.
We check our home and garden every morning before the minded children arrive to ensure that it is a safe environment for the children to play in.
We also risk assess any environment that we take the children into, for example walking to school, the shops, library and toddler groups etc.
If we are planning to take the children into environments that are unknown to us, we try to do a risk assessment in advance so we are aware of any potential hazards, although this may not always be possible.
It is our policy to promote and ensure the good health and safety of children in our care in line with the requirements laid out in the EYFS Framework, and Health and Safety Executive.
Safety and suitability of premises, environment and equipment
In order to ensure children’s safety in our setting we have a range of safety equipment e.g. stair gates, fire guards which are regularly checked to ensure they are in good repair.
Our smoke alarms are tested regularly and fire drills are carried out and recorded.
We have a fire blanket in our kitchen and children and parents are aware of our emergency evacuation procedure.
Our premises are secure to ensure children’s safety and prevent intruders and we have a procedure for checking the identity of visitors.
We will ensure that we take all reasonable steps to ensure any staff and children in our care are not exposed to risks and we will demonstrate how we manage risk.
Our risk assessments will identify aspects of the environment that need to be checked on a regular basis, when and by whom these aspects will be checked and how we will remove or minimise the risk.
All equipment used in our childminding business is regularly checked for damage and wear and tear and replaced when necessary, for example high chairs, buggies, cots.
Our car is regularly serviced has an up to date MOT and insured for business use.
All car seats are checked regularly and used correctly in accordance with seat belt regulations.
All gardening equipment is locked in the garage and dangerous plants have been removed.
We both hold current paediatric first aid certificates.
Health
Fiona holds a level 4/5 food hygiene / safety certificate.
We encourage children to learn about good hygiene by promoting regular hand cleansing.
When providing meals and snacks children are encouraged to make healthy choices and the benefits of an active lifestyle are promoted, e.g. access to outdoor play daily.
Baby changing mats are cleaned after each use.
We have registered with our local environmental health department, and ensure correct storage, hygiene of food preparation areas and preparation of food.
All areas accessible to children including toys and equipment are regularly cleaned and checked for damage.
This policy also links with our accident and emergency procedures, illness, risk assessment, no smoking and outings policy.
Sandpit Policy
Whilst sandpits can provide great play and learning opportunities they can also pose several health and safety risks.
*We will only use sand that is suitable for play and purchased from a recognised source.
*We will regularly ensure the sand is changed; in between we will sieve for foreign bodies and rinse through with a diluted sterilising agent if applicable.
*We will ensure the sandpit has adequate drainage to prevent the sand from becoming water logged. Insects can live in damp sand and may bite or sting children.
*We will dispose of spilt sand.
*We will ensure the sandpit is covered to prevent it being used as a litter tray by cats and other visitors to the garden. Toxoplasmosis can be spread from cats to humans through dirty sandpits. Toxoplasmosis can harm an unborn child, but is usually a mild illness in children and adults. It causes a rash, swollen glands, fever and feeling unwell.
*We will ensure that the children are closely supervised whilst playing in the sandpit.
*We will teach them about keeping the sand low to avoid it getting in their own and others eyes.
*If you would like your child to wear a hat whilst playing in the sand then please let us know.
BEHAVIOUR, DISCIPLINE AND BULLYING AND BITING POLICIES.
SUPPORTING CHILDREN WHO ARE EXPERIENCING LOSS OR CHANGE IN THEIR LIVES
Managing Behaviour Policy
Promoting positive behaviour is very important and we do this by:
*Giving lots of praise for good behaviour.
*Giving the children individual attention so they feel valued.
*Setting a good example, being a good role model.
*Listening to what the children have to say.
*Rewarding good behaviour (choosing next activity etc).
We help the children understand our house rules, which are realistic and we are consistent in the enforcing of them.
We do not give out confusing signals, Saying No means No!
We are aware of the different reasons why children misbehave and will endeavour to keep to routines so that your child feels safe and is not over tired or hungry.
Discipline
However all children will misbehave at some time.
We have developed several different strategies on how to deal with a child misbehaving and use different ones depending on the age/stage of ability of the child and the situation:
*Distraction. Remove the child from the situation and give them an alternative activity.
*Ignore. Depending on the situation we may ignore the bad behaviour if we feel it is being done to get a reaction.
*Discuss with Child. If the child is able to understand we will discuss their behaviour and try and get them to appreciate the consequences of their actions on others. We inform them that it is their behaviour we do not like, not them.
* ‘Take 5’. This is a chair, situated in the same room, where after one warning the child is placed.
They are asked to sit in the chair and, whilst at their level, it is discussed with them what lead them to be there.
We then ask them to repeat back the reason, to show understanding of their actions.
(Example…… We don’t take toys off other people, it’s not nice and it upsets them, you don’t like it when people take things you’re playing with do you? So why are you sat here?
Then they are left for 5 minutes – they are not excluded and can still see and listen to what is happening in the room, and after their 5 minutes they are free to then join in).
As we don’t want to work in isolation, it would prove extremely useful if this system was continued in home situations so it will be discussed and explained
We will never smack, shake or hurt your child. We will not humiliate your child.
If a child misbehaves we will let you know by either writing it in their contact book or by ringing you later after collection. Some children can become upset if the incident is retold in front of them. We will also inform you of how the matter was dealt with.
If you have any concerns regarding the managing of your child’s behaviour, please do not hesitate to contact us.
It is important that we work together on managing behaviour in order not to confuse your child.
Bullying Policy
We will not permit any form of bullying in our home
Bullying can be:
*Physical: pushing, kicking, hitting, biting etc
*Verbal: Name-calling, sarcasm, rumour spreading and teasing
*Emotional: Excluding, ridicule, humiliation, tormenting
*Racist: taunts, graffiti and gestures
Being bullied can result in the victim having depression, low self-esteem, shyness, poor academic achievement, isolation and in extreme cases threatened or attempted suicide.
If a bully is left unchecked they will learn they can get away with violence and aggression.
A bully has a higher chance of acquiring a criminal record and not being able to have good relationships when they become an adult.
If we have any concerns that a child in our care is being bullied at (pre-) school or is bullying, we will discuss the matter with you immediately. We will work with you to support your child to resolve the problem.
If your child is being bullied:
*We will reassure them that the bullying is not their fault.
*Tell them that I care about them and am 100% on their side.
*We will give them lots of praise, encouragement and responsibilities to help them feel valued.
*We will work with you to help the child to develop techniques to deal with the bully- assertiveness, walking away etc.
If your child is the bully:
*We will reassure your child that we still care about them but it is their behaviour I don’t like and we will work with them to help change this.
*We will work with your child to find ways to make amends for their actions.
*We will develop a reward structure for good behaviour.
*We will discuss the matter with you, not in front of your child, to see if there are any problems that may have triggered the bullying.
If you have any concerns regarding your child please discuss them with us as soon as possible.
It is much better to deal with these problems before they become major issues.
POLICY ON BITING
Biting can be an uncomfortable subject for parents of both the biter and the child who is bitten. We hope that this policy will explain how we deal with biting in our home.
Please do discuss any concerns you may have regarding this issue with me.
If your child is known to bite we would prefer to know in advance.
Children bite for a variety of reasons. This may be because they are teething, frustrated, exploring using their mouth, asserting their independence and wanting to gain control, maybe of a toy or they could be stressed. It may also be because they want to gain attention.
We will work with you and your child to establish when and why they are biting. We will observe the child closely to see if certain conditions or situations trigger the behaviour and then work with them to try and avoid the incidents occurring. This may involve altering the child’s routine, giving them more one to one attention, purchasing additional resources so sharing is not such a major issue or if it is because a child is teething provide suitable teething resources.
We will ensure that if a child is bitten that they are comforted and given lots of attention. We will ensure that any first aid is applied correctly if required and the incident will be recorded in our book and parents asked to sign it.
If your child bites then we will remove them from the situation. We will explain to them, according to their age and understanding that biting is unacceptable behaviour. For younger child this may be by tone of voice and facial expressions rather than lots of words. It may be necessary for us to exclude the child from an activity and use ‘time out’ until they are calm enough to return. We will also encourage the child to apologise to the child they have bitten and work with them to develop strategies to help them deal with the reasons.
Many children go through a stage of biting, please don’t be alarmed it doesn’t last forever!
Coping with change, such as parents getting divorced, or loss, such as the death of a relative or a family pet, can be very difficult for a child to cope with and they may display their emotions in a variety of ways.
As professional child carers, we will work with you to support you child through any difficult times they may encounter. We are aware that different religions and cultures have differing rituals and attitudes towards death and divorce so will be guided by parents and family wishes.
We are willing to support your child by:
Encouraging your child to ask questions and answer them to the best of our ability, honestly and simply using language and words that are age appropriate.
Talking with the child about the person/animal who has died
Offering to listen to the child, so they can share their thoughts and emotions in a safe and caring environment with a familiar and sympathetic adult
Observing the child and noting any concerns or changes to their play and interaction with others and sharing these with you
Finding appropriate ways for the child to become involved in remembering the person/animal, for example a memory box or jar.
Regularly discussing with you how your child is coping, however this will not be in front of the child, so we may need to arrange to meet in the evenings or discuss the matter over the telephone.
Ensuring that the other children who attend understand (according to their age) that the child is more sensitive at the moment and may need to be given more space or support.
Sometimes children need professional counselling to help them deal with their loss or adjust to a major change. We are happy to support you and your child by signposting you to the services available.
We have found the following websites useful:
http://www.winstonswish.org.uk/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/relationships/coping_with_grief/bereavement_index.shtml
http://www.nspcc.org.uk/Inform/OnlineResources/ReadingLists/Bereavement/Bereavement_asp_ifega26155.html
http://www.childrenanddivorce.com/id18.html
If you wish to discuss any concerns you have regarding this policy or your child’s emotional welfare, please do not hesitate to contact
ADMISSIONS, SETTLING IN AND SPECIAL NEEDS POLICIES.
Admissions Policy
As Ofsted registered Childminders we are restricted to the number and ages of children that we can care for at any one time.
These details are on our Ofsted Registration Certificate, which is displayed during our minding hours.
We are registered to care for a maximum of 11 children.
We are happy to take on any baby/child within our registered numbers and will not discriminate against children or their families for reasons such as race, religion, sex or ability.
We are happy to take on children with special needs providing we feel we can provide them with the care they need. (For example we will not be able to provide one to one care or look after a child in a wheelchair, as our home is not suitable).
If your child has additional needs please discuss them with us first as we would not want to raise your expectations.
All children will be welcomed into our home and we will encourage the other children in our care to support us with this. We will request a four-week settling in period on our contract, so if you or your child or we are not happy with the arrangement it can be terminated easily.
When taking on additional children we must take into consideration the children already in our care who are happy and settled. It would be very unfair on them to introduce a child who was disruptive.
If you have any concerns regarding our admissions policy please do not hesitate to contact me.
Settling In Policy
We understand how difficult it can be for parents to leave their child with a childminder and return to work. We will therefore work with you to ensure your child is settled and that you are happy with the care that we are to provide.
We like to organise one or two settling in sessions for the parents and child together and where the parent might leave the child for say up to an hour to ease the child into the environment.
These sessions will be free prior to signing the contract. This gives you the opportunity to provide me with lots of information about your child, their likes and dislikes, routines, favourite activities, how to comfort them if they become upset and how they have reacted when left before.
It gives us the opportunity to start to build a relationship with you and your child and to understand both your needs and wishes.
When leaving the child for the contracted hours we are happy for you to stay until you feel that your child is settled subject to our other commitments. Some children do take longer than others to settle and some settle quickly and then become distressed a few weeks into the placement. We will work with you to support your child through this transition period and make it as easy as possible. It is important that you and your child are relaxed and happy in our home and with the care we provide.
Some parents find it helpful to call during the day to find out how their child is. We are happy to take your calls, but sometimes not able to talk for long, or even to answer the telephone we are attending to a child’s personal needs, for example, changing a nappy or at meal times, so please do not panic if you call and there is no answer.
Special Needs Policy
Ofsted require that we, under Standard 10, are aware that some children may have special needs and to be proactive in ensuring that appropriate action is taken when a child is identified as having special needs or starts in our care. We must promote the welfare and development of the child in partnership with parents and other relevant agencies.
We have therefore put the following procedures in place:
If we think a child in our care has a special need we will:
*Keep observational notes *Share these with the child’s parents
*Discuss what support is available *Keep all matters confidential
If we are caring for a child with special needs we will include them by:
*Valuing and acknowledging children’s individuality and help them to feel good about themselves
*Seek information from parents about the child’s routines, likes and dislikes
*Adapting activities to enable children with special needs to take part
*Arrange access to specialist equipment if needed *Consider any risk factors
*Encourage children’s confidence and independence
We will work in partnership with parents and discuss:
*Agencies that are also involved in the child’s support and care *Equipment that the child may need
*Advice or support that will help me to provide the best care possible for their child
We will consider how we can ensure the privacy of a child with special needs whilst continuing to supervise other children in our care.
Inclusion and Anti-bias Policy
We give all children in our care the opportunity to reach their full potential. Sometimes this means adapting an activity to the child’s ability and stage of development, providing additional resources or giving one child more attention and support than others during a particular activity or routine.
All children in our care are given the opportunity to play with all the toys (subject to health and safety with children under 3 years of age). No toys are just for girls or just for boys. We try to ensure our toys reflect positive images of children and people from different cultures and with different abilities.
No child in our care will be discriminated against in anyway, whether for their skin colour, culture, gender, ability or religion. We will challenge any remarks that we feel are inappropriate.
We encourage the children in our care to learn more about their own culture and to find out about the culture and religions of other children. We do this in a fun way through sharing books, cooking and eating food from around the world.
We encourage the children to develop a healthy respect of each other’s differences and to value everyone as an individual.
We encourage Parents to share with us any festivals, special occasions or artefacts, which may enhance the children’s learning and understanding.
Working with parents Policy
We aim to work in partnership with parents and carers to meet the needs of the children we care for.
We respect that parents are children’s first and most enduring educators. When parents and childcare practitioners work together in early year’s settings, the results have a positive impact on children’s development and learning.
We treat all children and adults equally and create a welcoming, inclusive environment in our home.
We keep up to date about working in partnership with parents and carers and with relevant legislation by taking regular training and by reading relevant publications.
All parents receive, or have access to, a copy of my policies and procedures, information about the types of activities provided, the daily routines and how parents can share learning at home .
Contracts and records
We 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.
We give copies to the parent/s and any other party involved in the contractual arrangements.
We review the contract with parents every 12 months or when circumstances change.
We issue a receipt for all payments received from parents.
We meet parents’ requests for the care of their children according to their values and practices, preferences and attitudes.
We keep records of these requests with the child record forms which also contain emergency contact numbers, dietary requirements/preferences, food allergies, health requirements, and information about who has legal contact with the child and who has parental responsibility for the child.
These records are revisited and updated during regular reviews with parents.
Communication with parents
We work together with parents to make sure that the care of their child is consistent.
We make time for discussion about a child’s needs by sharing information with parents about daily routines and activities in our setting and in the child’s home.
Ways of sharing this information include inviting parents to add to children’s profile books, email, telephone, face-to-face meetings, and informal day to day feed back.
We will discuss any changes in our or the child’s home circumstances which may impact on the child’s development or my ability to care for a child.
We offer regular review meetings with parents to discuss their child’s learning and development share observations and discuss next steps.
We welcome parents’ feed back on our service.
(Please refer to the Complaints Policy below for managing negative feedback.)
We display our Ofsted registration certificate and the Ofsted poster for parents which introduces Ofsted's childcare responsibilities and gives Ofsted contact details.
Ofsted inspections
We will notify all parents in advance when we are to be inspected by Ofsted so that parents can contribute their views to the inspector.
We will supply parents with a copy of the Ofsted report within five working days of receiving the report.
All significant incidents are recorded in an incident book and will be shared and discussed with parents so that we can work together to resolve any issues.
Visitors in our Home Policy
As an Ofsted registered Childminder, we are very aware of our role in keeping your child safe.
Whilst children need to mix with other children and adults it is our responsibility to ensure the suitability of those that they come into contact during minded hours.
We have therefore written the following policy regarding visitors in our setting during minded hours.
*Any regular visitors to our setting will be asked to complete a CM2 form and will then undertake a Criminal Record Bureau Check.
*We will not leave a minded child in a room alone with a visitor, unless we know they have been CRB cleared, for example another Ofsted Registered Childminder.
*We will not allow any visitors to take our minded children to the toilet or change their nappies.
*We will request identification from all visitors not known to us and will refuse entry if we are unsure of them.
*We will endeavour, when possible, to arrange for any maintenance work to our property to be carried out at weekends and during non-minding hours.
*We will maintain a visitors book which is available for you to look at.
Confidentiality Policy
We will keep all paper-based records on children and their families securely locked away.
We will not share any information with anyone without your consent.
We are expected to share information with other childcare providers if your child also attends another setting.
Ofsted may require to see our records at any time.
Parents have the right to inspect all records about their child at any time.
We record all accidents in an accident book.
We will notify PACEY of all accidents which may result in an insurance claim, e.g. an accident involving a doctor or hospital visit. PACEY will log and acknowledge receipt of the correspondence and forward the information to the company providing our public liability policy 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.
We record all significant incidents in an incident book and we will share these with parents so that together we can work to resolve any issues.
If we keep records relating to individual children on our computer we will ask for the parent’s permission. We will store the information securely, for example, in password-protected files, to prevent viewing of the information by others with access to the computer. Backup files will be stored on a memory stick, which we will lock away when not being used.
If we record information on a personal computer, or take digital photographs or videos as part of our observations, we have taken the necessary action to register with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).
We will only share information if it is in a child’s best interests to do so. For example. in a medical emergency we will share medical information with a healthcare professional. If we are worried about a child’s welfare we have a duty of care to follow the Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures and make a referral. Where possible we will discuss concerns with you before making a referral.
We expect parents to keep private and confidential any sensitive information they may accidentally learn about other children and families attending, unless it is a child protection issue.
You will also find out confidential information about our family during the course of our working relationship, and we would be grateful if you too would respect our family’s confidentiality and not repeat what you may have been told to other parties.
Complaints Policy
As registered childminders 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. We expect that parents will immediately bring to our attention any aspect of our service they are not happy with so that every effort can be made to resolve the matter. Parents 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 safeguarding and welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage. We will notify the complainant of the outcome within 28 days of the receipt of the complaint.
We display Ofsted’s poster for parents which introduces Ofsted's childcare responsibilities and gives Ofsted contact details.
You can complain or complement our service to Ofsted by calling: 0300 123 1231
Or you can write to : Applications, Regulatory and Contact (ARC) Team, Ofsted, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester M1 2WD