You can find a copy of all our policies and our GDPR policy / statement in several places:
- The Policies are also available to view in paper form at the Signing In desk.
- We can also email any policy on request.
OR
They are also available below :
September 2019
Dear
Parents
General
Data Protection Regulations came into effect on 25 May 2018. This is to give
people more information about control over the data that is collected by
different organisations.
This
notice is to give you information on
- What data we collect
- Why we collect/need it
- Where the information is stored
- Who the information is shared with
- How long we store information and what happens to
it when it is no longer required.
What
data we collect:
We require certain information by law.
The
data we collect is names, addresses (and all addresses lived at within a 5 year
period), email addresses and contact (including work) numbers of parents. We
may ask for the mother/main carers date of birth and national insurance number
to enable us to claim the nursery education funding and/or extended hours.
Emergency
names and telephone numbers of people we can contact if we are unsuccessful in
contacting the parents.
Health
information of your child including doctors and health visitor.
Childs
Passport, birth certificate numbers or adoption papers, dates of birth, persons
with parental responsibility,
Developmental
records including photographs.
Safeguarding
minutes/reviews/plans/notes (if applicable)
Why we
need the information:
We
need contact details of parents/persons with parental responsibility to keep in
touch should we need to contact you about your child. Emails are used to share
relevant information with parents.
We
need emergency contact details in case we are unable to contact the parent’s and,
for example, a child has been taken ill and needs to be collected.
We
like to know about any health issues that your child has, this could be asthma,
eczema, hay fever etc so that we can deliver the appropriate care for your
child.
Safeguarding
children legislation mean we need to see documentation validating the child
attending the setting is the biological or adopted child of the parents. This
is either a passport or a full
birth certificate or adoption papers. The child’s date of birth must correspond
with the document seen.
Persons
with parental responsibility of the child have rights to all information
sharing about the child, this includes non-custodial parents.
Children’s
names, address, date of birth is required for claiming funding.
Where
information Is stored:
All Ipads
and the telephone is stored in a lockable filing cabinet in a cupboard
accessible by Stepping Stones staff.
Stepping
Stones stores all documents with personal data eg registration documents, in a
lockable filing cabinet that is in a locked cupboard that is accessed by
Stepping Stones staff.
Stepping
Stones has a mobile phone that all telephone numbers, including emergency
contacts are stored. Should we need to evacuate the building, Stepping Stones
have permission to take the children to the village school, we will take the
telephone with us allowing us to contact the parents informing them of the
situation and the location to collect their children from.
Stepping
Stones have PIN coded Ipads that are used to take evidence based
photographs/videos of your child’s development for observations. Observations are
completed on a software app on the Ipad called Tapestry. The app is protected by a PIN number that is only
used by your child’s key worker so they can document the observation on the
child.
Who we
share information with: All information shared will only be done so with
parental consent.
Developmental
record ‘next steps’ are shared with all staff for continuity of your child’s
learning in the absence of the keyworker. The manager monitors all children’s
development to ensure they are meeting targets and to ascertain whether
additional support is needed.
We
will share information with appropriate external professionals with parental
consent, this maybe health visitors with the mandatory 2.5 year progress check
we have to complete.
Early
Years SENCo/Early years Forum when children have been identified as requiring
additional support.
We
will send transition reports to the next educational establishment your child
attends.
Ofsted
as part of the inspection process.
Stepping
Stones has a web page and a social media page, we provide information for
parents and the public to promote us as a child care setting. We do not
identify any child on those sites, the only occasions we would show photographs
of children is when the children have represented us on Remembrance Day or in
the Alrewas show walking parade and we have had signed permission.
When
consent is NOT required
In the
event that we are provided with or have documented evidence of, or a child’s
disclosure that a child is actually being physically, sexually, emotionally
abused or neglected, OR have evidence or a child’s disclosure that they are
being exploited or radicalised, then in compliance with the Children Act 2004
and the Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 we will contact First Response
immediately. In some situations the Police will be called.
Copies
of Safeguarding notes must be forwarded onto the next educational establishment.
How
long will information be stored and how will it be disposed of:
There
are mandatory timescales that state how long we need to keep certain
information and we will adhere to those. For example – the privacy notices for
funding need to be retained for 7 years, accident forms for 30 years.
All
personal data on registration forms will be destroyed by shredding following
the first Ofsted inspection after your child has left nursery. This can be
between 1 – 4 years.
Developmental
records via Tapestry have a link that will be emailed to parents for them to
download their child’s developmental journeys.
Individual
children’s photograph’s will be ‘deleted’ following the next Ofsted inspection
(as with personal data) however if your child is on a group photograph with
children remaining at Stepping Stones, that photograph will be deleted when all
children on it have left.
Any
safeguarding children forms/minutes/reviews/plans/notes are kept in a locked
filing cabinet. They will be kept for a period of 7 years after the child has
left the setting.
Consent:
We ask
parents to give consent by signing certain forms as part of the registration
package.
We
will also ask for consent for different things during your child’s attendance
at Stepping Stones, this can include consenting to going to the park or visit
to the school etc.
Parents
have the right to refuse to consent.
We
would like to inform you that even if you give consent, you have the right to
remove that consent. Consent can be reinstated at any time.
If you
have any questions on any information in this notice, please arrange to have a
meeting with Rose for further clarity.
The
following link may give further information that you may find useful.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-to-strengthen-uk-data-protection-law
Statement of intent
We provide an
environment in which all children are supported to reach their full potential.
EYFS - Enabling Environment, Unique Child,
Positive Relationships
Aims
·
We
have regard for the DFE Special Educational Needs Code of Practice.
·
We
include all children in our provision.
·
We
provide practitioners to help support parents and children with special/additional
educational needs (SEN ) /disabilities.
·
We
identify the specific needs of children with SEN /disabilities
and meet those needs through a range of strategies.
·
We
work in partnership with parents and other agencies in meeting individual
children's needs.
·
We
monitor and review our practice and provision and, if necessary, make
adjustments.
Methods
·
We
designate a member of staff to be Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator
(SENCO) who attends regular training. His/her
name is given to parents.
·
We
provide a statement showing how we provide for children with SEN /disabilities.
·
We
ensure that the provision for children with SEN /disabilities
is the responsibility of all members of the setting.
·
We
ensure that our inclusive admissions practice ensures equality of access and
opportunity.
·
We
ensure that our physical environment is as far as possible, is suitable for
children with disabilities.
·
We
work closely with parents of children with SEN /disabilities
to create and maintain a positive partnership.
·
We
ensure that parents are informed at all stages of the assessment, planning,
provision and review of their children's education.
·
We
provide parents with information on sources of independent advice and support
eg EHA and the local/family support team.
·
We
liaise with other professionals involved with children with SEN /disabilities and their families, including
transfer/transition arrangements to other settings and schools.
·
We
use the graduated response system for identifying, assessing and responding to
children's special educational needs.
·
We
provide a broad and balanced curriculum for all children with SEN /disabilities.
·
We
provide a differentiated curriculum to meet individual needs and abilities.
·
We
use a system of planning, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reviewing
individual educational plans (IEPs) for children with SEN /disabilities.
·
We
ensure that children with SEN /disabilities
are appropriately involved at all stages of the graduated response, taking into
account their levels of ability.
·
With
parent’s consent, We use a system for keeping records of the assessment,
planning, provision and review for children with SEN /disabilities.
Parents have the right to withdraw or refuse consent.
·
We
provide resources (human and financial) to implement our SEN /disability policy.
·
We
ensure the privacy of children with SEN /disabilities
when intimate care is being provided.
·
We
provide in-service training for practitioners and volunteers.
·
We
raise awareness of any specialism the setting has to offer, e.g. Makaton
trained staff.
·
We
ensure the effectiveness of our SEN /disability
provision by collecting information from a range of sources e.g. IEP reviews, staff
and management meetings, parental and external agency's views, inspections and
complaints. This information is
collated, evaluated and reviewed annually.
·
We
provide a complaints procedure.
·
We
monitor and review our policy annually.
·
Our
nominated SENCo is Rose Dodd.
Prevent Duty
We will identify
children who could be deemed as “vulnerable” and provide them with support in
their learning and development in order to prevent them being susceptible to
extreme or radical views. We will also seek help and support from professionals
working in this specialised area.
Statement of intent
It is our
intention to respect the privacy of children and their parents and carers,
while ensuring that they access high quality early years care and education in
our setting.
Aim
To safeguard
children by promoting appropriate and acceptable use of social media.
Legislative
Framework
- Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA)
- Freedom of Information Act 2000
- Human Right Act 1998
- United Nations Convention on the Rights
of the Child 1989
- The Counter Terrorism and Security
Act 2015
- General Data Protection Regulations
legislation (EU) 2016/679
Methods
- Consent is required under the DPA
1998 as images are considered to be personal data. Consent forms must be
signed by parents/carers with parental responsibility when they register
their child with the setting.
- Images must not be used for anything
other than the agreed purposes unless additional consent is obtained.
- Where group photographs of children
are to be taken, written permission must be obtained by all parents/carers
who have the right to refuse.
- Parents’ consent is sought for
images used for marketing, webpages, social networking, for use in
displays and to document children’s learning. Parents are advised that
they have the right to refuse and withdraw consent at any time. And on
doing so – the image will be removed/deleted.
- A child’s full name should not
appear alongside their photographs particularly if the images could be
viewed by the general public
- Photographs/videos of children that
are used for social networking and webpage are taken in such a way that
children identification is minimised, however, parent’s permission will always
be sought before submission.
- The use of Stepping Stones Pre- school Social Media pages is for the sole use of promoting us as a business and the informing of parents regarding activities and events. The site is dual managed by the manager and a member of the committee.
- Stepping Stones recognises that
parents are the biggest influences on their children so any posters that
will influence parents to positively reinforce British Values can be
posted on our Facebook page by administrators.
Professional Conduct
We acknowledge
that practitioners will use online and digital technologies in their personal
and social lives. Therefore, to ensure clear boundaries between their home and
professional roles:
- They will not bring Stepping Stones
into disrepute
- Staff will observe confidentiality
and refraining from discussing work related issues on social media.
- Staff will not share or post any
information that we would not want parents or colleagues to view that could
reflect negatively on them or on Stepping Stones.
- Staff will set privacy settings to
block unauthorised access to their social networking page.
- Staff must keep professional and
personal life separate, and not accept children and parents/carers as
‘friends.’
- They understand they are in a
position of trust, and their actions outside could be misinterpreted by
others which could affect their reputation and that of Stepping Stones Pre
School.
Statement of intent
We provide a
staffing ratio in line with the requirements of the National Standards for Day
Care to ensure that children have sufficient individual attention and to
guarantee care and education of a high quality.
Our staff are appropriately qualified and we carry out checks for
criminal and other records through the Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) in
accordance with statutory requirements (2017) & EYFS.
Aims
To ensure that
children below school age and their parents are offered high quality early
years care and education.
Methods
·
To
meet this aim we use the following ratios of adult to child:
-
children
under two years of age: 1 adult : 3 children;
-
children
aged two years of age: 1 adult : 4 children; and
-
children aged
three - seven years of age: 1 adult : 8 children.
·
A
minimum of three staff/adults are on duty at any one time.
·
We
use a key person system to ensure that each child has a named member of staff
with whom to form a relationship and who plans with parents for the child's
well-being and development in the setting. The key person meets regularly with
the family for discussion and consultation on their child's progress.
·
We
hold regular staff meetings to undertake curriculum planning and to discuss
children's progress, their
achievements and any difficulties that may arise from time to time.
·
We
work towards offering equality of opportunity by using non-discriminatory
procedures for staff recruitment and selection.
·
All
staff have job descriptions which set out their staff roles and
responsibilities.
·
We
welcome applications from all sections of the community. Applicants will be considered on the basis of
their suitability for the post, regardless of marital status, age, gender,
culture, religious belief, ethnic origin or sexual orientation. Applicants will not be placed at a
disadvantage by our imposing conditions or requirements that are not
justifiable.
·
Our
setting leader and deputy must hold the CACHE level 3 Diploma in Pre-school
Practice or an equivalent qualification and a minimum of half of our staff hold
the CACHE level 2 Certificate in Pre-school Practice or an equivalent or higher
qualification. At least one staff member holds EYFD and one member of staff
have B.A hons in childhood studies.
·
We
provide regular in-service training to all staff - whether paid staff or
volunteers - through the Pre-school Learning Alliance and external agencies.
·
Our
setting budget allocates resources to training.
·
We
provide staff induction training in the first week of employment. This induction includes our Health and Safety
Policy and Child Protection Policy.
Other policies and procedures will be introduced within an induction
plan.
·
We
support the work of our staff by holding regular supervision meetings and
appraisals.
·
We
are committed to recruiting, appointing and employing staff in accordance with
all relevant legislation and best practice
·
We
use Ofsted guidance on obtaining references and criminal record checks through
the Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) for staff and volunteers who will
have substantial access to children.
Staff personal information:
- Contact details of all staff are
kept in individual files in a lockable filing cabinet. The information is
kept up to date and stored for six years following the staff member leaving
after which it will be shredded. The contact details are required should
we need to contact next of kin in an emergency.
- Wages and Pay role is completed
each month (following the submission of timesheets) by the manager and
treasurer. All pay role data is kept confidentially on an encrypted USB
that is accessed by manager and treasurer.
Prevent Duty
Staff must follow
and implement the Early Years Foundation Stage within the setting and not
inflict their personal beliefs on staff or the children.
Any staff whose
language or behaviour suggests they have been influenced by extreme views or
radicalization and are attempting to inflict these views on staff or children
will be suspended immediately pending an investigation and a referral/report
will be made to the Staffordshire Special Investigative Team.
Ofsted (0300
123 1231) and Channel (01785 232 054) will also be informed.
STUDENT PLACEMENT POLICY
Statement of intent
This setting
recognises that qualifications and training make an important contribution to
the quality of the care and education provided by early years settings. As part
of our commitment to quality, we offer placements to students undertaking early
years qualifications and training, including those studying for the CACHE level
2 Certificate in Pre-school Practice and CACHE level 3 Diploma in Pre-school
Practice
Aim
We aim to provide
for students on placement with us experiences that contribute to the successful
completion of their studies and that provide examples of quality practice in
early years care and education.
Methods
·
We
require students to meet the 'suitable person' requirements of Ofsted.
·
We
require schools placing students under the age of 17 years with the setting to
vouch for their good character.
·
We
supervise students under the age of 17 years at all times and do not allow them
to have unsupervised access to children.
·
Students
who are placed in our setting on a short term basis are not counted in our staffing
ratios.
·
Trainee
staff employed by the setting may be included in the ratios if they are deemed competent.
·
We
take out employers' liability insurance and public liability insurance, which
covers both trainees and voluntary helpers.
·
We
require students to keep to our confidentiality policy.
·
We
co-operate with students' tutors in order to help students to fulfil the
requirements of their course of study.
·
We
provide students, at the first session of their placement, with a short
induction on how our setting is managed, how our sessions are organised and our
policies and procedures.
·
We
communicate a positive message to students about the value of qualifications
and training.
·
We
make the needs of the children paramount by not admitting students in numbers
that hinder the essential work of the setting.
·
We
ensure that trainees and students placed with us are engaged in bona fide early
years training, which provides the necessary background understanding of
children's development and activities.
·
The
students school/college will be contacted within 30 minutes of the student not
arriving on time for their placement unless they contact the setting with a
reason for their lateness/absence
Prevent Duty
Stepping Stones
recognises that many students are young people and that could mean they are
vulnerable and therefore more likely to be susceptible in being influenced by
extreme views and radicalisation.
Any student whose
language or behaviour suggests they have been influenced by extreme views or
radicalization and are attempting to inflict these views on staff or children
will be identified and this will be reported to their school/college/employment
and to the Staffordshire Special Forces Team.
Stepping Stones
recognises that the young person is a ‘victim’ and will therefore ask their
school/college/employer to collect them from the setting without causing them
any distress and contributing to further their extreme views.
Ofsted will also
be informed.
This will comply
with our safeguarding children policy and the Counter Terrorism and Security
Act 2015.
Statement of intent
We want children
to feel safe, stimulated and happy in the setting and to feel secure and
comfortable with staff. We also want parents to have confidence in both their
children's well being and their role as active partners with the setting.
Aim
We aim to make
the setting a welcoming place where children settle quickly and easily because
consideration has been given to the individual needs and circumstances of
children and their families.
Methods
·
Before
a child starts to attend the setting, we use a variety of ways to provide
his/her parents with information. These include written information (including
our prospectus and policies), displays about activities available within the
setting, information days and individual meetings with parents.
·
During
the half-term before a child is enrolled, we provide opportunities for the
child and his/her parents to visit the setting.
·
We
allocate a key person to each child and his/her family before she/he starts to
attend; the key person welcomes and looks after the child and his/her parents
at the child's first session and during the settling-in process.
·
We
use pre-start visits and the first session at which a child attends to explain
and complete with his/her parents the child's registration records.
·
When
a child starts to attend, we explain the process of settling-in with his/her
parents and jointly decide on the best way to help the child to settle into the
setting.
·
Younger
children will take longer to settle in, as will children who have not previously
spent time away from home. Children who have had a period of absence may also
need their parent to be on hand to re-settle them.
·
We
judge a child to be settled when they have formed a relationship with their key
person; for example the child looks for the key person when he/she arrives,
goes to them for comfort, and seems pleased to be with them. The child is also
familiar with where things are and is pleased to see other children and
participate in activities.
·
When
parents leave, we ask them to say goodbye to their child and explain that they
will be coming back, and when.
·
We
recognise that some children will settle more readily than others but that some
children who appear to settle rapidly are not ready to be left, so we will work with the parent on the settling
in process for another week.
·
We
do not believe that leaving a child to cry will help them to settle any
quicker. We believe that a child's distress will prevent them from learning and
gaining the best from setting.
·
We
reserve the right not to accept a child into the setting without a parent or
carer if the child finds it distressing to be left. This is especially the case
with very young children.
·
Within
the first four to six weeks of starting we discuss and work with the child's
parents to create their child's record of achievement.
Statement of intent
Our policy for
the exclusion of ill or infectious children is discussed with parents. This includes procedures for contacting
parents - or other authorised adults - if a child becomes ill while in the
setting.
Legislation and Guidence:
Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage 2017
‘Guidance on
infection control in schools and other childcare settings’ Public Health Agency.
Aim
·
We
do not provide care for children who are unwell, have a temperature, or
sickness and diarrhoea, or who have an infectious disease. Children / Adults or
staff who have sickness and/or diarrhoea must not return to the setting until
48 hours have lapsed from the last episode.
·
Children
with headlice are not excluded but must be treated to remedy the condition.
Parents are notified if there is a case of headlice in the setting.
·
Parents
are notified if there is an infectious disease, such as chicken pox.
·
HIV
(Human Immunodeficiency Virus) may affect children or families attending the
setting. Staff may or may not be informed about it. (see confidentiality
policy)
·
Children
or families are not excluded because of HIV.
·
Good
hygiene practice concerning the clearing of any spilled bodily fluids is
carried out at all times.
·
Staff
suffering from sickness and/or diarrhoea do not handle food and must be sent
home.
·
Ofsted
is notified of any infectious diseases that a qualified medical person
considers notifiable.
·
Stepping
Stones can refuse to accept a child who may potentially be suffering from an
infectious condition listed in ‘Guidance on infection control in schools and
other childcare settings’ until they are deemed well to attend by their doctor.
Futher information of
infectious illnesses
|
We
believe that children benefit most from early year’s education and care when
parents and settings work together in partnership.
Our aim
Our
aim is to support parents as their children's first and most important
educators by involving them in their children's education. To educate them in
the importance of providing their children with the right tools in order for
them to grow up to be confident and have respect for British Values and be able
to make the right decisions and choices in their lives to keep themselves safe
from harm, extreme and radical views
To
involve them in the full life of the setting and to support parents in their
own continuing education and personal development.
Method
In
order to fulfil these aims we:
·
are
committed to ongoing dialogue with parents to improve our knowledge of the
needs of their children and to support their families;
·
inform
all parents about how the setting is run and its policies through access to
written information and through regular informal communication. We check to
ensure parents understand the information that is given to them;
·
encourage
and support parents to play an active part in the governance and management of
the setting;
·
inform
all parents on a regular basis about their children's progress;
·
involve
parents in the shared record keeping about their children - either formally or
informally - and ensure parents have access to their children's written
developmental records;
·
provide
supervised opportunities for parents to contribute their own skills, knowledge
and interests to the activities of the setting;
·
inform
parents about relevant conferences, workshops and training;
·
consult
with parents about the times of meetings to avoid excluding anyone;
·
provide
information about opportunities to be involved in the setting in ways that are
accessible to parents with basic skills needs, or those for whom English is an
additional language;
·
hold
meetings in venues that are accessible and appropriate for all;
·
welcome
the contributions of parents, in whatever form these may take;
·
inform
all parents of the systems for registering queries, complaints or suggestions
and check to ensure these are understood.
All parents have access to our written complaints procedure; and
·
provide
opportunities for parents to learn about the curriculum offered in the setting
and about young children's learning, in the setting and at home.
In
compliance with Early Years Foundation Stage - positive relationships, the following documentation is in place:
·
admissions
policy;
·
complaints
procedure;
·
record
of complaints; and
·
activities
provided for children.
MOBILE PHONE POLICY
Statement of intent
It is our
intention to respect the privacy of children and their parents and carers,
while ensuring that they access high quality early years care and education in
our setting in accordance with the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998
Aim
To protect
children from harm by ensuring the appropriate management and use of mobile
phones by everyone who comes into contact with the setting.
Methods
- To minimize any risk all personal
mobiles must not be used where children are present.
- Procedures must be put into place
that will ensure safe and secure storage of practitioners’ personal
belongings including mobile phones.
- Visitors including other
professionals, contractors and parents and carers must be made aware that
they are not to use their mobile phones where children are present and
will be asked to switch them off.
- Personal mobiles may be used in
designated areas at break times.
- Staff are advised to provide their
work place contact number to their family members, own children’s
schools/settings for use in the event of an emergency.
- The setting will not be held
responsible for any loss or damage of personal mobile phones.
Work / Setting Mobile
- The setting phone will be for the
sole purpose of making and receiving calls or texts messages to/from parents
and external agencies. It will have a list of all children’s contacts and
emergency numbers.
- Use for outings - to contact the setting or parents or
police in the case of emergencies.
MISSING CHILD POLICY
The safety of the children is of paramount importance to Stepping Stones
and all precautions are taken to ensure they do not go missing.
We do this in the following way:
- All exits are locked/guarded in such a way that
it makes it impossible for a child to leave unobserved/unattended.
- An accurate up to date register is kept and all
children and adults including visitors are signed in and out whenever they
enter and leave the premises.
- Parents and staff work together for the safety
of the children and all new staff and parents are made aware of Stepping
Stones safety procedures and how to recognise a child whose behaviour
suggests they may be thinking of trying to leave.
- Children are counted out when they go outside
and counted beck in when they return.
If a child goes
missing from the setting
·
The
person in charge will carry out a thorough search of the building and garden.
·
The
register is checked to make sure no other child has also gone astray.
·
Doors
and gates are checked to see if there has been a breach of security whereby a
child could wander out.
·
Person
in charge talks to staff and children to
establish what happened
·
If
the child is not found the parent is contacted and the missing child is
reported to the police.
·
When
a child is found they may be in need of comfort and be completely unaware they
have done anything wrong. Use the incident as an opportunity to explain to all
the children why they must not leave the premises.
If a child goes
missing from an outing where parents are not attending and responsible for
their own child, the setting ensures that there is a procedure that is
followed.
·
As
soon as it is noticed that a child is missing, staff on the outing ask children
to stand with their designated person and carry out a headcount to ensure that
no other child has gone astray. One staff searches the immediate vicinity but
does not search beyond that.
·
The
person in charge is informed, if s/he is not on the outing and makes his/her
way to the venue to aid the search and be
the point of contact for the police as well as support staff.
·
Staff
take the remaining children back to the setting.
·
The
person in charge of the setting contacts the child's parent who makes their way
to the setting or outing venue as agreed with the person in charge.
·
The
staff contact the police using the mobile phone and report the child as
missing.
·
In
an indoor venue, the staff contact the venue's security who will handle the
search and contact the police if the child is not found.
·
The
person in charge contacts the chairperson of the management committee who comes
down to the setting as soon as possible, or sends a representative if they are
unable to come personally.
The investigation
·
The
management committee chairperson carries out a full investigation taking
written statements from all the staff present at the time, or who were on the
outing.
·
The
key person/ staff writes an incident report detailing:
-
the date
and time of the report;
-
what
staff/ children were in the group/outing;
-
when the
child was last seen in the group/outing;
-
what has
taken place in the group/outing since then; and
-
the time
it is estimated that the child went missing.
·
A
conclusion is drawn as to how the breach of security happened.
·
If
the incident warrants a police investigation all staff co-operate fully. In
this case, the police will handle all aspects of the investigation, including
interviewing staff. Social Services may be involved if it seems likely that
there is a child protection issue to address.
·
The
incident is reported under RIDDOR arrangements and is recorded in the incident
book; the local authority health and safety officer may want to investigate and
will decide if there is a case for prosecution.
·
OFSTED
is informed.
·
The
Insurance Department at the Pre-School Learning Alliance is informed.
NON COLLECTION OF CHILDREN POLICY
Statement of intent
In the event of a
child not being collected by an authorised adult at the end of a session/day,
the setting puts into practice agreed procedures. These ensure the child is cared for safely by
an experienced and qualified practitioner who is known to the child.
Aim
A child who is
not collected by an authorised adult, we will ensure that the child receives a
high standard of care in order to cause as little distress as possible. We inform parents/carers of our procedures so
that, if they are unavoidably delayed, they will be reassured that their
children will be properly cared for.
Methods
·
Parents
of children starting at the setting are asked to provide specific information
which is recorded on our Registration Form, including:
-
home address
and telephone number - if the parents do not have a telephone, an alternative
number must be given, perhaps a neighbour or close relative;
-
place of
work, address and telephone number (if applicable);
-
mobile
telephone number (if applicable);
-
names,
addresses, telephone numbers of adults who are authorised by the parents to
collect their child from the setting, for example a childminder or grandparent;
-
information
about any person who does not have legal access to the child; and
-
who has parental
responsibility for their child.
·
On
occasions when parents are aware that they will not be at home or in their
usual place of work, they record how they can be contacted in our ‘note’
section which is kept in the register.
·
On
occasions when parents or the persons normally authorised to collect the child
are not able to collect the child, they record the name, address and telephone
number of the person who will be collecting their child in our ‘Notes’ section. We agree with parents how to verify the identity
of the person who is to collect their child by the use of a password decided by
the parents and indicated on the registration form.
·
Parents
are informed that if they are not able to collect the child as planned, they
must inform us so that we can begin to make back-up procedures. We provide parents with our contact telephone
number. We also inform parents that if
their children are not collected from setting by an authorised adult and the
staff can no longer supervise the child on our premises - we apply our safeguarding
children procedures as set out in our ‘safeguarding/child
protection policy’.
·
If
a child is not collected at the end of the session/day, we follow the following
procedures:
-
The
‘Notes’ are checked for any information about changes to the normal collection
routines.
-
If no
information is available, parents/carers are contacted at home or at work.
-
-
-
If this is
unsuccessful, the adults who are authorised by the parents to collect their
child from the setting - and whose telephone numbers are recorded on the
Registration Form - are contacted.
-
All
reasonable attempts are made to contact the parents or nominated carers.
-
The child
does not leave the premises with anyone other than those named on the
Registration Form and in the ‘Notes’.
-
If no-one
collects the child after half an hour and there is no-one who can be contacted
to collect the child, we apply the procedures for uncollected children.
-
We contact
our local authority social services department First Response Team
(telephone number 0800 13 13 126) The child stays at setting in the care of two
fully-vetted workers until the child is safely collected either by the parents
or by the First Response Team Officer.
-
The First
Response Team will aim to find the parent or relative if they are unable to
do so, the child will be admitted into the care of the local authority.
-
Under no
circumstances are staff to go to look for the parent, nor do they take the
child home with them.
-
A full
written report of the incident is recorded in the child's file.
-
Depending
on circumstances, we reserve the right to charge parents for the additional
hours worked by our staff.
-
Ofsted may
be informed (telephone number 0300 123 1231).
- Our local Pre-school Learning Alliance office/Pre-school Development Worker (telephone number 01785 713915) may also be informed.
KEYWORKER POLICY
Statement of intent
Each child and their carer have access to one named
member of staff. The named member of staff will be responsible for observing,
recording the development progress of the child. They will be responsible for
the liaison with the carer and looking at individual needs of the child.
Aim
We will do this in the following way:
- Each child is given a named member of staff when they start. This
keyworker will look at the child’s registration form and take note of the
medical history and any special needs.
- An individual learning plan is prepared for all children starting
at the pre-school.
- The key workers will observe and record the development of the
child during the sessions and will periodically enter this information
onto a learning area record form.
- Key workers are to ensure their planning incorporates British Values
- Through activities children will learn that their views count and
to value each other’s views and values.
- Key workers will demonstrate democracy by asking children to make
choices and eg choosing by a show of hands. Key workers will support
decisions made democratically by the children.
- Activities involving turn taking, sharing and collaboration will be
provided allowing children to manage their feelings and to develop tolerance
and respect for each other.
- Key workers will give children the opportunities to develop an
enquiring mind in an atmosphere where questions are valued.
- If after observation, special attention needs to be paid to any
area of development, the play plan will be amended.
- If the key worker or parent/carer should discover problems with
behaviour or development that requires special attention, after
consultation and discussion with parent/carer, the appropriate
professional colleague will be approached and if required the special
needs procedure followed.
- The setting has a appointment system displayed for parents/carers
to consult with their child’s key worker or any other member of staff.
- A record of achievement will be provided by the key worker for each
child when they leave Stepping Stones. This, and the child’s learning
journey will then be given / emailed to the parents .
Statement of intent
The setting feels that children flourish if they have
access to a healthy, nutritious and balanced diet. We will introduce the
children to a varied but healthy snack.
Aim
At snack times we aim to provide a varied and
nutritious snack which meets children’s individual needs.
Foods to be offered at snack times:
- Cereals
- Toast/bread
- Crackers
- Fresh fruit
- Fresh vegetables/salad
- Cheese
- Cultural varieties
- Festival varieties
The snack will also include a drink of water or milk
as per the child choice.
Lunch club:
Parents will be encouraged to supply a lunch box for
their child that contains healthy choices for their child/ren.
Parents will be discouraged from sending their
child/ren to lunch club with their lunch boxes containing unhealthy and
processed foods, crisps and fizzy drinks.
Parents will be encouraged to supply a drink in a
named drinks container so their child will have access to fluids during the
time they are at the group. Children’s drinks containers will be replenished with
water should they drink the contents of their flask.
Children who do not have a drink supplied by their
parents will be offered a drink of water.
The setting will ensure that staff responsible for
preparing and handling foods are competent to do so.
HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
Statement of intent
This setting
believes that the health and safety of children is of paramount
importance. We make our setting a safe
and healthy place for children, parents, staff and volunteers. All adults have a duty of care in maintaining
children’s safety inside and outside the setting.
Aim
We aim to make
children, parents and staff aware of health and safety issues and to minimise
the hazards and risks to enable the children to thrive in a healthy and safe
environment. Should we observe or be made aware of any unsafe practise then
this will be addressed with the parent. If a child is continually being placed
at risk from unsafe practises then this will be dealt with as a safeguarding
matter and referred to the relevant professionals.
Methods
The member of
staff responsible for health and safety is Rose Dodd, she is competent to carry
out these responsibilities. She has
undertaken health and safety training and regularly updates his/her knowledge
and understanding. We display the
necessary health and safety poster in the main reception area.
Risk assessment
Our risk
assessment process includes:
·
checking
for hazards and risks indoors and outside, and in our activities and
procedures. Our assessment covers adults
and children;
·
deciding
which areas need attention; and
·
developing
an action plan that specifies the action required, the timescales for action,
the person responsible for the action and any funding required.
We maintain lists
of health and safety issues, which are checked:
·
daily
before the session begins;
·
weekly;
and
·
termly
- when a full risk assessment is carried out.
Insurance cover
We have public
liability insurance and employers' liability insurance. The certificate for public liability
insurance is displayed in the reception area on the notice board.
Awareness raising
·
Our
induction training for staff and volunteers includes a clear explanation of
health and safety issues so that all adults are able to adhere to our policy
and understand their shared responsibility for health and safety. The induction training covers matters of
employee well-being, including safe lifting and the storage of potentially
dangerous substances.
·
Records
are kept of these induction training sessions and new staff and volunteers are
asked to sign the records to confirm that they have taken part. These are kept
in the individual staff CDP files in a lockable filing cabinet.
·
Health
and safety issues are explained to the parents of new children so that they
understand the part played by these issues in the daily life of the
setting.
·
As
necessary, health and safety training is included in the annual training plans
of staff, and health and safety is discussed regularly at staff meetings.
·
We
have a no smoking policy.
·
Children
are made aware of health and safety issues through discussions, planned
activities and routines.
Children's safety
·
We
ensure all staff employed have been checked for criminal records from the Disclosure and Barring Services.
·
Adults
do not supervise children on their own.
·
All
children are supervised by adults at all times.
·
Whenever
children are on the premises at least two adults must be present.
Security
·
Systems
are in place for the safe arrival and departure of children. The times of the children's
arrivals and departures are recorded on the signing in sheet, along with the signature of the adult who
brings/collects the child/ren.
·
The
arrival and departure times of adults - volunteers and visitors - are recorded.
·
Our
systems prevent unauthorised access to our premises.
·
Our
systems prevent children from leaving our premises unnoticed.
·
The
personal possessions of staff and volunteers are securely stored during
sessions.
Windows
·
All
windows are made from materials that prevent accidental breakage or are made
safe.
·
Windows
are protected from accidental breakage or vandalism from people outside the
building.
·
Windows
above the ground floor are secured so that children cannot climb through them.
Doors
·
We
take precautions to prevent children's fingers from being trapped in doors.
·
All
floor surfaces are checked daily to ensure they are clean and not uneven or
damaged.
Kitchen
·
Children
in the setting are not allowed in the kitchen.
·
All
surfaces are clean and non-porous.
·
There
are separate facilities for hand-washing and for washing up.
·
Cleaning
materials and other dangerous materials are stored out of children's reach.
·
When
children take part in cooking activities, they:
-
are
supervised at all times;
-
are kept
away from hot surfaces and hot water; and
-
do not
have unsupervised access to electrical equipment.
Electrical/gas equipment
·
All
electrical/gas equipment conforms to safety requirements and is checked
regularly.
·
The
boiler/electrical switchgear/meter cupboard is not accessible to the children.
·
Fires,
heaters, electric sockets, wires and leads are properly guarded and the
children are taught not to touch them.
·
There
are sufficient sockets to prevent overloading.
·
Lighting
and ventilation is adequate in all areas including storage areas.
Storage
·
All
resources and materials from which children select are stored safely.
·
All
equipment and resources are stored or stacked safely to prevent them
accidentally falling or collapsing.
Outdoor area
·
Our
outdoor area is securely fenced.
·
Our
outdoor area is checked for safety and cleared of rubbish before it is used.
·
Adults
and children are alerted to the dangers of poisonous plants, herbicides and
pesticides.
·
Where
water can form a pool on equipment, it is emptied before children start playing
outside.
·
Our
sand pit is covered when not in use and is cleaned regularly.
·
All
outdoor activities are supervised at all times.
Hygiene
·
We
regularly seek information from the Environmental Health Department and the
Health Authority to ensure that we keep up to date with the latest
recommendations.
·
Our
daily routines encourage the children to learn about personal hygiene.
·
We
have a daily cleaning routine for the setting which includes play room(s),
kitchen, rest area, toilets and nappy changing areas.
·
We
have a schedule for cleaning resources and equipment, dressing-up clothes and
furnishings.
·
The
toilet area has a high standard of hygiene including hand washing and drying
facilities and the disposal of nappies.
·
We
implement good hygiene practices by:
-
cleaning
tables between activities;
-
checking
toilets regularly;
-
wearing protective
clothing - such as aprons and disposable gloves - as appropriate;
-
providing
sets of clean clothes;
-
providing
tissues and wipes; and
-
ensuring
sole use of flannels and towels.
Activities
·
Before
purchase or loan, equipment and resources are checked to ensure that they are
safe for the ages and stages of the children currently attending the setting.
·
The
layout of play equipment allows adults and children to move safely and freely
between activities.
·
All
equipment is regularly checked for cleanliness and safety and any dangerous
items are repaired or discarded.
·
All
materials - including paint and glue - are non-toxic.
·
Sand
is clean and suitable for children's play.
·
Physical
play is constantly supervised.
·
Children
are taught to handle and store tools safely.
·
Children
who are sleeping are checked regularly and sleep in their own buggy incase of
emergency evacuation due to fire.
·
Children
learn about health, safety and personal hygiene through the activities we
provide and the routines we follow.
Food and drink
·
Staff
who prepare and handle food receive appropriate training and understand - and
comply with - food safety and hygiene regulations.
·
All
food and drink is stored appropriately.
·
Adults
do not carry hot drinks through the play area(s) and do not place hot drinks
within reach of children.
·
Snack
and meal times are appropriately supervised and children do not walk about with
food and drink.
·
We
operate systems to ensure that children do not have access to food/drinks to
which they are allergic.
Outings and visits
·
We
have agreed procedures for the safe conduct of outings.
·
Parents
sign a general consent on registration for their children to be taken out as a
part of the daily activities of the setting.
·
Parents
always sign consent forms before major outings.
·
A
risk assessment is carried out before an outing takes place.
·
Our
adult to child ratio is high, normally one adult to two children.
·
Named
children are assigned to individual staff to ensure each child is individually
supervised and to ensure no child gets
lost and that there is no unauthorised access to children.
·
Outings
are recorded in an outings record book stating:
-
the date
and item of outing
-
the venue
and mode of transport
-
names of
staff assigned to named children
-
time of
return
·
Staff
take a mobile phone on outings, and supplies of tissues, wipes, pants etc as
well as a mini first aid pack, a snack and water. The amount of equipment will
vary and be consistent with the venue and the number of children as well as how
long they will be out for.
·
Records
are kept of the vehicles used to transport children, with named drivers and
appropriate insurance cover.
·
A
minimum of two staff should accompany children on outings and a minimum of two
should remain behind with the rest of the children.
Animals
·
Animals
visiting the setting are free from disease and safe to be with children, and do
not pose a health risk.
·
Children
wash their hands after contact with animals.
·
Outdoor
footwear worn to visit farms are cleaned of mud and debris and should not be
worn indoors.
Fire safety
·
Fire
doors are clearly marked, never obstructed and easily opened from inside.
·
Fire
fighting appliances conform to BSEN standards, are fitted in appropriate high
risk areas of the building and are checked as specified by the manufacturer.
·
Our
emergency evacuation procedures are approved by the Fire Safety Officer and
are:
-
clearly
displayed in the premises;
-
explained
to new members of staff, volunteers and parents; and
-
practised
regularly at least once every six weeks.
·
Records
are kept of fire drills and the servicing of fire safety equipment.
First aid and medication
At least one
member of staff with current first aid training is on the premises or on an
outing at any one time. The first aid qualification includes first aid training
for infants and young children.
Our first aid
kit:
·
complies
with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981;
·
is
regularly checked by a designated member of staff and re-stocked as necessary;
·
is
easily accessible to adults; and
·
is
kept out of the reach of children.
At the time of
admission to the setting, parents' written permission for emergency medical
advice or treatment is sought. Parents
sign and date their written approval.
Parents sign a
consent form at registration allowing staff to take their child to the nearest
Accident and Emergency unit to be examined, treated or admitted as necessary on
the understanding that parents have been informed and are on their way to the
hospital.
Our accident book:
·
is
kept safely and accessibly;
·
all
staff and volunteers know where it is kept and how to complete it; and
·
is
reviewed at least half termly to identify any potential or actual hazards.
·
All
children have their own accident sheet.
·
The
information we record on accident sheets include the childs name, date and time
of accident, witnesses names, brief account of what happened, any first aid
administered and the parents are asked to sign the sheet acknowledging they
have been informed.
Ofsted is
notified of any injury requiring treatment by a general practitioner or
hospital doctor, or the death of a child or adult.
When there is any
injury requiring general practitioner or hospital treatment to a child, parent,
volunteer or visitor or where there is a death of a child or adult on the
premises, we make a report to the Health and Safety Executive using the format
for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences.
Dealing with incidents
We meet our legal
requirements for the safety of our employees by complying with RIDDOR (the
Reporting of Injury, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). We report
to the Health and Safety Executive:
·
any
accident to a member of staff requiring treatment by a general practitioner or
hospital; and
·
any
dangerous occurrences. This may be an event that causes injury or fatalities or
an event that does not cause an accident but could have done, such as a gas
leak.
·
Any
dangerous occurrence is recorded in our Incident Book. See below.
Information for
reporting the incident to Health and Safety Officer is detailed in the
Pre-school Learning Alliance's publication, Accident Record.
Our Incident Book
·
We
keep an incident book for recording incidents including those that that are
reportable to the Health and Safety Executive as above.
·
These
incidents include:
-
break in,
burglary, theft of personal or the setting's property;
-
fire,
flood, gas leak or electrical failure;
-
attack on
member of staff or parent on the premises or near by;
-
any racist
incident involving a staff or family on the centre's premises;
-
death of a
child, and
-
a
terrorist attack, or threat of one.
·
In
the incident book we record the date and time of the incident, nature of the
event, who was affected, what was done about it - or if it was reported to the
police, and if so a crime number. Any follow up, or insurance claim made,
should also be recorded.
·
In
the unlikely even of a terrorist attack we follow the advice of the emergency
services with regard to evacuation, medical aid and contacting children's
families. Our standard Fire Safety Policy will be followed and staff will take
charge of their key children. The incident is recorded when the threat is
averted.
·
In
the unlikely event of a child dying on the premises, for example, through cot
death in the case of a baby, or any other means involving an older child, the
emergency services are called,
and the advice of these services are followed.
·
The
incident book is not for recording issues of concern involving a child. This is
recorded in the child's own file.
Administration of medication
·
Only
prescribed medication may be administered. It must be in-date and prescribed
for the current condition.
·
Children
taking prescribed medication must be well enough to attend the setting.
·
Children's
prescribed drugs are stored in their original containers, are clearly labelled
and are inaccessible to the children.
·
Parents
give prior written permission for the administration of medication. This states the name of the child, name/s of
parent(s), date the medication starts, the name of the medication and
prescribing doctor, the dose and times, or how and when the medication is to be
administered.
·
The
administration is recorded accurately each time it is given and is signed by
staff. Parents sign the record book to acknowledge the administration of a
medicine.
·
If
the administration of prescribed medication requires medical knowledge,
individual training is provided for the relevant member of staff by a health
professional.
·
Staff
will comply with managing medicines in schools and early years settings (2005)
(https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/196479/Managing_Medicines.pdf)
Safety of adults
·
Adults
are provided with guidance about the safe storage, movement, lifting and
erection of large pieces of equipment.
·
When
adults need to reach up to store equipment or to change light bulbs they are
provided with safe equipment to do so.
·
All
warning signs are clear and in appropriate languages.
·
Adults
do not remain in the building on their own or leave on their own after dark.
·
The
sickness of staff and their involvement in accidents is recorded. The records are reviewed termly to identify
any issues that need to be addressed.
Records
In accordance
with Ofsted, we keep records of:
Adults
·
names
and addresses of all staff on the premises, including temporary staff who work
with the children or who have substantial access to them;
·
names
and addresses of the owners or of all members of the management committee;
·
all
records relating to the staff's employment with the setting, including
application forms, references, results of checks undertaken etc these are
stored in a lockable filing cabinet and are kept for six years after the staff
member has left.
Children
·
names,
addresses and telephone numbers of parents and adults authorised to collect
children from setting;
·
the
name’s, addresses and telephone numbers of emergency contacts in case of children's
illness or accident;
·
the
allergies, dietary requirements and illnesses of individual children;
·
the
times of attendance of children, staff, volunteers and visitors;
·
accidents
and medicine administration records;
·
consents
for outings, administration of medication, emergency treatment; and
·
incidents.
·
This
information is stored in a lockable filing cabinet for up to three year after
the child has left. It is accessed by staff should they need to consult with
the parents.
In addition, the
following procedures and documentation in relation to health and safety are in
place:
Staying safe:
·
Risk
assessment.
·
Record
of visitors.
·
Fire
safety procedures.
·
Fire
safety records and certificates.
·
Operational
procedures for outings.
·
Vehicle
records including insurance.
·
List
of named drivers.
Being healthy:
·
Administration
of medication.
·
Prior
parental consent to administer medicine.
·
Record
of the administration of medicines.
·
Prior
parental consent for emergency treatment.
·
Accident
record.
·
Sick
children.
·
No
smoking.
EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCES POLICY
Statement of intent
We believe that
high quality early years care and education are promoted by providing children
with safe, clean, attractive, developmentally appropriate resources, toys and
equipment.
Aim
We aim to provide
children with resources and equipment that help to consolidate and extend their
knowledge, skills, interests and aptitudes.
Methods
In order to
achieve this aim we:
·
provide
play equipment and resources that are safe and - where applicable - conform to the BSEN safety standards or Toys
(Safety) Regulation (1995);
·
providing
a sufficient quantity of equipment and resources for the number of children;
·
provide
resources that promote all areas of children's learning and development, which
may be child or adult led;
·
select
books, equipment and resources that promote positive images of people of all
colours, cultures and abilities, are non-discriminatory and avoid racial and
gender stereotyping;
·
provide
play equipment and resources that promote continuity and progression, providing
a sufficient challenge and meet the needs and interests of all children;
·
provide
made, natural and recycled materials that are clean, in good condition and safe
for the children to use;
·
provide
furniture that is suitable for children and furniture that is suitable for adults;
·
regularly
check all resources and equipment that are available at each session and ensure
they are put away at the end of each session. We repair and clean, or replace,
any unsafe, worn out, dirty or damaged equipment;
·
keep
an inventory of resources and equipment.
This will record the date on which each item was purchased and the price
paid for it;
·
use
the inventory to:
-
review the
balance of resources and equipment so that they can support a range of
activities across all areas of play, learning and development;
-
record the
dates and results of checking the resources and equipment;
-
record the
date when any item is discarded due to being worn out, damaged or unsafe;
-
provide
adequate insurance cover for the setting's resources and equipment.
·
plan
the provision of activities and appropriate resources so that a balance of
familiar equipment and resources and new exciting challenges is offered.
EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY POLICY
Statement of intent
Our
setting is committed to valuing diversity by providing equality of opportunity
and anti-discriminatory practice for all children and families, creating an
ethos of inclusivity and tolerance where views, faiths, cultures and races are
valued engaging children in the wider community.
Aim
We
aim to:
·
provide
a secure environment in which all our children can flourish and in which all
contributions are valued;
·
include
and value the contribution of all families to our understanding of equality and
diversity;
·
provide
positive non-stereotyping information about gender roles, diverse ethnic and
cultural groups and people with disabilities;
·
improve
our knowledge and understanding of issues of anti-discriminatory practice,
promoting equality and valuing diversity; and
·
make
inclusion a thread that runs through all of the activities of the setting.
The
legal framework for this policy is:
·
Race
Relations Act 1976;
·
Race
Relations Amendment Act 2000;
·
Sex
Discrimination Act 1986;
·
Children
Act 1989
·
The Children Act 2004
·
Special
Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001.
·
Equality
Act 2010
Methods
Admissions
Our
setting is open to all members of the community.
·
We
advertise our service widely.
·
We
reflect the diversity of members of our society in our publicity and
promotional materials.
·
We
provide information in clear, concise language, whether in spoken or written
form.
·
We
provide information in as many languages as possible, (As requested)
·
We
base our admissions policy on a fair system.
·
We
ensure that all parents are made aware of our equal opportunities policy.
·
We
do not discriminate against a child or their family, or prevent entry to our
setting, on the basis of colour, ethnicity, religion or social background, such
as being a member of a travelling community or an asylum seeker.
·
We
do not discriminate against a child with a disability or refuse a child entry
to our setting because of any disability.
·
We
develop an action plan to ensure that people with disabilities can participate
successfully in the services offered by the setting and in the curriculum
offered.
·
We
take action against any discriminatory behaviour by all adults and children
including volunteers and students on work experience. The displaying of openly
racist insignia, distribution of racist material, name calling, or threatening
behaviour are unacceptable on or around the premises and will be dealt with in
the strongest manner.
Employment
·
Posts
are advertised and all applicants are judged against explicit and fair
criteria.
·
Applicants
are welcome from all backgrounds and posts are open to all.
·
We
may use the exemption clauses of the Race Relations Act and the Sex Discrimination
Act where this is necessary to enable the service to best meet the needs of the
community.
·
The
applicant who best meets the criteria is offered the post, subject to references
and checks by the Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS). This ensures fairness
in the selection process.
·
All
job descriptions include a commitment to equality and diversity as part of their
specifications.
·
We
monitor our application process to ensure that it is fair and accessible.
Training
·
We
seek out training opportunities for staff and volunteers to enable them to
develop anti-discriminatory and inclusive
practices, which enable all children to flourish.
·
We
review our practices to ensure that we are fully implementing our policy for
equality, diversity and inclusion.
Valuing diversity in families
·
We
welcome the diversity of family lifestyles and work with all families including
those from LGBT communities.
·
We
encourage children to contribute stories and experiences of their everyday life
to the setting.
·
We
encourage parents/carers to take part in the life of the setting and to
contribute fully.
·
For
families who speak languages in addition to English, we will develop means to
ensure their full inclusion.
Cultural
Capital
·
We
offer a flexible payment system for families of differing means and offer
information regarding sources of financial support.
·
We
provide a free uniform T’shirt for all new children to prevent any child from
looking different to their peers.
·
We
can provide children with extra uniform from the uniform donations box should
they require it.
·
We
will ensure all children are ready to learn by ensuring they have access to a
good diet within the setting and will offer more food at snack time if they are
still hungry.
·
We
will ensure all our staff have good childcare qualifications in order to provide,
through planning, a good learning environment to create experiences they may
not be able to access through their home environment.
·
We
use the Early Years Pupil Premium to fund courses for staff.
·
All
children, regardless of cultural background and gender are given the
opportunity to represent Stepping Stones within the community.
·
All
age group children are given the opportunities to play and learn together.
Research has shown this helps disadvantaged two year olds make rapid progress
and helps to reinforce and develop the skills of the older children.
·
Disadvantaged
two year old children are given the opportunity to continue their learning at
Stepping Stones as three year olds. Research has shown that continuity and familiarity
provided greater emotional and social development and enabled a more successful
start at age three.
Food
·
We
work in partnership with parents to ensure that the medical, cultural and
dietary needs of children are met.
·
We
help children to learn about a range of food, and of cultural approaches to
mealtimes and eating, and to respect the differences among them.
Meetings
·
Meetings
are arranged to ensure that all families who wish to may be involved in the
running of the setting.
·
Information
about meetings is communicated in a variety of ways - written, verbal and in
translation - to ensure that all parents have information about and access to
the meetings.
Our
Nominated Equalities and Diversity Officer is Rose Dodd.
FOOD AND DRINK POLICY
Statement of intent
This setting
regards snack and meal times as an important part of the setting's session/day.
Eating represents a social time for children and adults and helps children to
learn about healthy eating.
Guidance
Statutory
framework for the early year’s foundation stage.
Aim
At snack and meal
times, we aim to provide nutritious food, which meets the children's individual
dietary needs. We aim to meet the full requirements of Every Child Matters –
being healthy.
Methods
·
Before
a child starts to attend the setting, we find out from parents their children's
dietary needs and preferences, including any allergies.
·
We
record information about each child's dietary needs in her/his registration record
that is kept in a lockable filing cabinet, and parents sign the record to
signify that it is correct.
·
We
regularly consult with parents to ensure that our records of their children's
dietary needs - including any allergies - are up to date. Parents sign the up-dated record to signify
that it is correct.
·
All
staff and volunteers are fully informed about individual children’s dietary
requirements.
·
We
implement systems to ensure that children receive only food and drink that is
consistent with their dietary needs and preferences as well as their parents'
wishes.
·
We
provide nutritious food at snack time, avoiding large quantities of saturated
fat, sugar and salt and artificial additives, preservatives and colourings.
·
We
include foods from the diet of each of the children's cultural backgrounds,
providing children with familiar foods and introducing them to new ones.
·
We
take care not to provide food containing nuts or nut products and are
especially vigilant where we have a child who has a known allergy to nuts.
·
Through
discussion with parents and research reading by staff, we obtain information
about the dietary rules of the religious groups to which children and their
parents belong, and of vegetarians and vegans, and about food allergies. We
take account of this information in the provision of food and drinks.
·
We
require staff to show sensitivity in providing for children's diets and
allergies. Staff do not use a child's
diet or allergy as a label for the child or make a child feel singled out
because of her/his diet or allergy.
·
We
organise meal and snack times so that they are social occasions in which
children and staff participate.
·
We
use snack times to help children to develop independence through making
choices, serving food and drink and feeding themselves.
·
We
provide children with utensils that are appropriate for their ages and stages
of development and that take account of the eating practices in their cultures.
·
We
encourage children to bring a drink in a named flask for them to access during
the session. Children without their own flask will be offered water.
·
We
inform parents who provide food for their children about the storage facilities
available in the setting.
·
We
give parents who provide food for their children information about suitable
containers for food.
·
In
order to protect children with food allergies, we have rules about children
sharing and swapping their food with one another.
·
For
children who drink milk, we provide semi skimmed milk.
Packed lunches
We cannot provide
cooked meals therefore children are required to bring packed lunches, we:
·
ensure
perishable contents of packed lunches are refrigerated;
·
inform
parents of our policy on healthy eating;
·
inform
parents that we have facilities to microwave cooked food brought from home;
·
Encourage
parents to provide sandwiches with a healthy filling, fruit, and milk based
deserts such as yoghurt or creme fresh (petit filou). We discourage sweet
drinks and can provide children with water or milk.
·
Discourage
packed lunch contents that consist largely of crisps, processed foods, sweet
drinks and sweet products such as cakes or biscuits. We reserve the right to
return this food to the parent as a last resort;
·
Provide
children bringing packed lunches with plates and cups and cutlery; and
·
Ensure
staff sit with children at mealtime providing a learning and social experience.
BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT POLICY
Statement of intent
Our setting
believes that children flourish best when their personal, social and emotional
needs are met and where there are clear and developmentally appropriate
expectations for their behaviour.
Aim
We aim to teach
children to behave in socially acceptable ways and to understand the needs and
rights of others, to have tolerance and mutual respect for everyone. The
principles guiding management of behaviour exist within the programme for
supporting personal, social and emotional development.
Methods
We have a named
person who has overall responsibility for our programme for supporting
personal, social and emotional development, including issues concerning
behaviour. In small settings this may be shared between co-staff.
·
We
have a named person who has overall responsibility for issues concerning
behaviour.
·
We
require the named person to:
-
keep
her/himself up to date with legislation, research and thinking on promoting positive
behaviour and on handling children's behaviour where it may require additional
support;
-
access
relevant sources of expertise on promoting positive behaviour within the programme
for supporting personal, social and emotional development; and to
-
check that
all staff have relevant in-service training on promoting positive behaviour. We
keep a record of staff attendance at this training.
·
We
recognise that codes for interacting with other people vary between cultures and
require staff to be aware of - and respect - those used by members of the
setting.
·
We
require all staff, volunteers and students to provide a positive model of
behaviour by treating children, parents and one another with friendliness, care
and courtesy.
·
We
familiarise new staff and volunteers with the setting's behaviour policy and
its guidelines for behaviour.
·
We
expect all members of our setting - children, parents, staff, volunteers and
students - to keep to the guidelines, requiring these to be applied
consistently.
·
We
work in partnership with children's parents.
Parents are regularly informed about their children's behaviour by their
key person. We work with parents to
address recurring inconsiderate behaviour, using our observation records to
help us to understand the cause and to decide jointly how to respond
appropriately.
Strategies with children who engage in inconsiderate
behaviour
·
We
require all staff, volunteers and students to use positive strategies for
handling any inconsiderate behaviour, by helping children find solutions in
ways which are appropriate for the children's ages and stages of development.
Such solutions might include, for example, acknowledgement of feelings,
explanation as to what was not acceptable, and supporting children to gain
control of their feelings so that they can learn a more appropriate response.
·
We
ensure that there are enough popular toys and resources and sufficient
activities available so that children are meaningfully occupied without the
need for unnecessary conflict over sharing and waiting for turns.
·
We
acknowledge considerate behaviour such as kindness and willingness to share.
·
We
support each child in developing self esteem, confidence and feelings of
competence.
·
We
support each child in developing a sense of belonging in our group, so that
they feel valued and welcome.
·
We
avoid creating situations in which children receive adult attention only in return
for inconsiderate behaviour.
·
When
children behave in inconsiderate ways, we help them to understand the outcomes of
their action and support them in learning how to cope more appropriately.
·
We
never send children out of the room by themselves.
·
We
never use physical punishment, such as smacking or shaking. Children are never threatened
with these.
·
We
do not use techniques intended to single out and humiliate individual children.
·
We
use physical restraint, such as holding, only to prevent physical injury to
children or adults and/or serious damage to property.
·
Details
of such an event (what happened, what action was taken and by whom, and the
names of witnesses) are brought to the attention of our setting leader and are
recorded in the child's personal file.
The child's parent is informed on the same day.
·
In
cases of serious misbehaviour, such as racial or other abuse, we make clear immediately
the unacceptability of the behaviour and attitudes, by means of explanations
rather than personal blame.
·
We
do not shout or raise our voices in a threatening way to respond to children's inconsiderate
behaviour.
·
We promote
the setting boundaries by encouraging the children to differentiate between
right and wrong and provide them with skills for conflict resolution.
Children under three years
·
When
children under three behave in inconsiderate ways we recognise that strategies
for supporting them will need to be developmentally appropriate and differ from
those for older children.
·
We
recognise that very young children are unable to regulate their own emotions,
such as fear, anger or distress, and require sensitive adults to help them do
this.
·
Common
inconsiderate or hurtful behaviours of young children include tantrums, biting
or fighting. Staff are calm and patient,
offering comfort to intense emotions, helping children to manage their feelings
and talk about them to help resolve issues and promote understanding.
Rough and tumble play, hurtful behaviour and bullying
Our procedure has
been updated to provide additional focus on these kinds of inconsiderate
behaviours.
Rough and tumble play and fantasy aggression
Young children
often engage in play that has aggressive themes - such as superhero and weapon
play; some children appear pre-occupied with these themes, but their behaviour
is not necessarily a precursor to hurtful behaviour or bullying, although it
may be inconsiderate at times and may need addressing using strategies as
above.
·
We
recognise that teasing and rough and tumble play are normal for young children
and acceptable within limits. We regard these kinds of play as pro-social and
not as problematic or 'aggressive'.
·
We
will develop strategies to contain play that are agreed with the children, and
understood by them, with acceptable behavioural boundaries to ensure children
are not hurt.
·
We
recognise that fantasy play also contains many violently dramatic strategies -
blowing up, shooting etc., and that themes often refer to 'goodies and baddies'
and as such offer opportunities for us to explore concepts of right and wrong.
·
We
are able to tune in to the content of the play, perhaps to suggest alternative
strategies for heroes and heroines, making the most of 'teachable moments' to
encourage empathy and lateral thinking to explore alternative scenarios and
strategies for conflict resolution.
Hurtful behaviour
We take hurtful
behaviour very seriously. Most children under the age of five will at some stage
hurt or say something hurtful to another child, especially if their emotions
are high at the time, but it is not helpful to label this behaviour as
'bullying'. For children under five, hurtful behaviour is momentary,
spontaneous and often without cognisance of the feelings of the person whom
they have hurt.
·
We
recognise that young children behave in hurtful ways towards others because
they have not yet developed the means to manage intense feelings that sometimes
overwhelm them.
·
We
will help them manage these feelings as they have neither the biological means
nor the cognitive means to do this for themselves.
·
We
understand that self management of intense emotions, especially of anger,
happens when the brain has developed
neurological systems to manage the physiological processes that take place when
triggers activate responses of anger or fear.
·
Therefore
we help this process by offering support, calming the child who is angry as
well as the one who has been hurt by the behaviour. By helping the child to return
to a normal state, we are helping the brain to develop the physiological
response system that will help the child be able to manage his or her own
feelings.
·
We
do not engage in punitive responses to a young child's rage as that will have
the opposite effect.
·
Our
way of responding to pre-verbal children is to calm them through holding and
cuddling. Verbal children will also respond to cuddling to calm them down, but
we offer them explanation and discuss the incident with them to their level of
understanding.
·
We
recognise that young children require help in understanding the range of
feelings experienced. We help children recognise their feelings by naming them
and helping children to express them, making a connection verbally between the
event and the feeling. 'Adam took your car, didn't he, and you were enjoying
playing with it. You didn't like it when he took it, did you? It made you feel
angry, didn't it, and you hit him'.
·
We
help young children learn to empathise with others, understanding that they
have feelings too and that their actions impact on others' feelings. 'When you
hit Adam, it hurt him and he didn't like that and it made him cry'.
·
We
help young children develop pro-social behaviour, such as resolving conflict
over who has the toy. 'I can see you are feeling better now and Adam isn't crying
any more. Let's see if we can be friends and find another car, so you can both
play with one.'
·
We
are aware that the same problem may happen over and over before skills such as
sharing and turn-taking develop. In order for both the biological maturation
and cognitive development to take place, children will need repeated
experiences with problem solving, supported by patient adults and clear
boundaries.
·
We
support social skills through modelling behaviour, through activities, drama
and stories. We build self esteem and confidence in children, recognising their
emotional needs through close and committed relationships with them.
·
We
help a child to understand the effect that their hurtful behaviour has had on
another child; we do not force children to say sorry, but encourage this where
it is clear that they are genuinely sorry and wish to show this to the person
they have hurt.
·
When
hurtful behaviour becomes problematic, we work with parents to identify the
cause and find a solution together. The main reasons for very young children to
engage in excessive hurtful behaviour are that:
·
they
do not feel securely attached to someone who can interpret and meet their needs
- this may be in the home and it may also be in the setting;
·
their
parent, or carer in the setting, does not have skills in responding appropriately,
and consequently negative patterns are developing where hurtful behaviour is
the only response the child has to express feelings of anger;
·
the
child is exposed to levels of aggressive behaviour at home and may be at risk
emotionally, or may be experiencing child abuse; and
·
the
child has a developmental condition that affects how they behave.
·
Where
this does not work, we use the Code of Practice to support the child and family,
making the appropriate referrals to a Behaviour Support Team where necessary.
·
British
values will be a part of the everyday routine, children will be taught and
shown how to be tolerated, appreciate and respect their own and other cultures.
·
Staff
will lead by example and show the importance of tolerant behaviour eg sharing
and respecting each other’s opinions. They will develop children’s knowledge of
similarities and differences between
themselves and others, their families, faiths, communities, cultures and traditions
using discussions ie circle time, and sharing celebrations and experiences.
Bullying.
It is widely
accepted that ‘bullying’ tends to occur in children aged 5 years and older. For
this reason we do not have a specific policy on bullying. However if we do
identify a child who is persistently targeting a child and causing them
physical or emotional harm, we will put a behaviour framework in place to rectify
the problem.
Our designated
Behaviour Management Officer is Joanne Clews
CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY
Statement of intent
It is our
intention to respect the privacy of children and their parents and carers,
while ensuring that they access high quality early years care and education in
our setting in accordance with the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998
Aim
We aim to ensure
that all parents and carers can share their information in the confidence that
it will only be used to enhance the welfare of their children.
Methods
We keep two kinds
of records on children attending our setting:
1. Developmental records
·
These
include observations of children in the setting, samples of their work, summary
developmental reports and records of achievement. This can be written accounts
of their development or an online account documenting photographic, video or
written observations through a recognised company, since January 2018 – we have
used the online company called ‘Tapestry’ that requires a login and password
for access to the data. All developmental records will be given/emailed to the
parents when the child leaves the setting.
2. Personal records
·
These
include registration and admission forms, signed consents, and correspondence
concerning the child or family, reports or minutes from meetings concerning the
child from other agencies, an ongoing record of relevant contact with parents,
and observations by staff on any confidential mater involving the child, such
as developmental concerns or child protection matters.
·
These
confidential records are stored in a lockable file or cabinet and are kept
secure by the person in charge in an office or other suitably safe place.
·
Parents
have access, in accordance with the access to records procedure, to the files
and records of their own children but do not have access to information about
any other child.
·
Staff
will not discuss personal information given by parents with other members of
staff, except where it affects planning for the child's needs. Staff induction includes an awareness of the
importance of confidentiality in the role of the key person.
·
Personal
records are stored in a lockable filing cabinet when the child leaves. These
are then destroyed following the next Ofsted inspection unless there are
documents that need to be kept longer under statutory legislations eg accident
forms need to be kept for 30 years.
Other records
·
Issues
to do with the employment of staff, whether paid or unpaid, remain confidential
to the people directly involved with
making personnel decisions.
·
Students
on Pre-school Learning Alliance or other recognised qualifications and
training, when they are observing in the setting, are advised of our
confidentiality policy and required to respect it.
·
Parents
are encouraged to join the committee, on doing so, they will require a DBS
check and will be asked to sign a confidentiality form declaring all information
discussed in committee meetings will not be discussed outside the parameter of
those meetings. Any person found to be disclosing confidential information will
be removed from the committee.
Access to personal records
Parents may
request access to any records held on their child and family following the
procedure below.
·
Any
request to see the child's personal file by a parent or person with parental responsibility
must be made in writing to the setting leader or manager.
·
The
setting leader informs the chairperson of the management committee and sends a
written acknowledgement.
·
The
setting commits to providing access within 14 days - although this may be
extended.
·
The
setting's leader or manager and chairperson of the management committee prepare
the file for viewing.
·
All
third parties are written to, stating that a request for disclosure has been
received and asking for their permission to disclose to the person requesting
it. A copy of these letters are retained on the file.
·
'Third
parties' include all family members who may be referred to in the records.
·
It
also includes workers from any other agency, including social services, the
health authority, etc. It is usual for agencies to refuse consent to disclose,
preferring the individual to go directly to them.
·
When
all the consents/refusals to disclose have been received these are attached to
the copy of the request letter.
·
A
photocopy of the complete file is taken.
·
The
setting leader and chairperson of the management committee go through the file
and remove any information which a third party has refused consent to disclose.
This is best done with a thick black marker, to score through every reference
to the third party and information they have added to the file.
·
What
remains is the information recorded by the setting, detailing the work
initiated and followed by them in relation to confidential matters. This is
called the 'clean copy'.
·
The
'clean copy' is photocopied for the parents who are then invited in to discuss
the contents. The file should never be given straight over, but should be gone
through by the setting leader, so that it can be explained.
·
Legal
advice may be sought before sharing a file, especially where the parent has possible
grounds for litigation against the setting or another (third party) agency.
All the
undertakings above are subject to the paramount commitment of the setting,
which is to the safety and well-being of the child. Please see also our policy on child
protection.
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE POLICY
Statement of intent
Our setting
believes that children and parents are entitled to expect courtesy and prompt,
careful attention to their needs and wishes. We welcome suggestions on how to
improve our setting and will give prompt and serious attention to any concerns
about the running of the setting. We anticipate that most concerns will be
resolved quickly by an informal approach to the appropriate member of staff. If
this does not achieve the desired result, we have a set of procedures for
dealing with concerns.
Aim
We aim to bring
all concerns about the running of our setting to a satisfactory conclusion for
all of the parties involved.
Methods
To achieve this,
we operate the following complaints procedure. All settings are required to
keep a 'summary log' of all complaints that reach stage 2 or beyond. This is to
be made available to parents as well as to Ofsted inspectors. A full procedure
is set out in the Pre-school Learning Alliance publication 'Complaints Summary
Record'. This publication acts as the 'summary log' for this purpose.
Making a complaint
Stage 1
·
Any
parent who has a concern about an aspect of the setting's provision talks over,
first of all, his/her worries and anxieties with the setting leader.
·
Most
complaints should be resolved amicably and informally at this stage.
Stage 2
·
If
this does not have a satisfactory outcome, or if the problem recurs, the parent
moves to Stage 2 of the procedure by putting the concerns or complaint in
writing to the setting leader and the owner or chair of the management
committee.
·
For
parents who are not comfortable with making written complaints, there is a
template form for recording complaints in the above-mentioned publication; the
form may be completed with the person in charge and signed by the parent.
·
The
setting stores written complaints from parents in the child's personal file.
However, if the complaint involves a detailed investigation, the setting leader
may wish to store all information relating to the investigation in a separate
file designated for this complaint in a lockable filing cabinet. This
information is accessed by the Manager and Chairperson.
·
When
the investigation into the complaint is completed, the setting leader or
manager meets with the parent to discuss the outcome.
·
When
the complaint is resolved at this stage, the summative points are logged in the
Complaints Summary Record.
Stage 3
·
If
the parent is not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation, he or she can
requests a meeting with the setting leader and the owner/chair of the
management committee. The parent should have a friend or partner present if
required and the leader should have the support of the chairperson of the
management committee, or the proprietor/senior manager, present.
·
An
agreed written record of the discussion is made as well as any decision or
action to take as a result. All parties present at the meeting sign the record
and receive a copy of it.
·
This
signed record signifies that the procedure has concluded. When the complaint is
resolved at this stage, the summative points are logged in the Complaints
Summary Record.
Stage 4
·
If
at the Stage 3 meeting the parent and setting cannot reach agreement, an
external mediator is invited to help to settle the complaint. This person
should be acceptable to both parties, listen to both sides and offer
advice. A mediator has no legal powers
but can help to define the problem, review the action so far and suggest
further ways in which it might be resolved.
·
Staff
or volunteers within the Pre-school Learning Alliance are appropriate persons
to be invited to act as mediators.
·
The
mediator keeps all discussion confidential. S/he can hold separate meetings
with the setting personnel (setting leader and owner/chair of the management
committee) and the parent, if this is decided to be helpful. The mediator keeps
an agreed written record of any meetings that are held and of any advice s/he
gives.
Stage 5
·
When
the mediator has concluded her/his investigations, a final meeting between the
parent, the setting leader and the owner/chair of the management committee is
held. The purpose of this meeting is to reach a decision on the action to be
taken to deal with the complaint. The mediator's advice is used to reach this
conclusion. The mediator is present at the meeting if all parties think this
will help a decision to be reached.
·
A
record of this meeting, including the decision on the action to be taken, is
made. Everyone present at the meeting
signs the record and receives a copy of it.
This signed record signifies that the procedure has concluded.
The role of the Office for Standards in Education, Early
Years Directorate (Ofsted) and the Local Safeguarding Children Committee.
·
Parents
may approach Ofsted directly at any stage of this complaint’s procedure. In
addition, where there seems to be a possible breach of the setting's
registration requirements, it is essential to involve Ofsted as the registering
and inspection body with a duty to ensure the National Standards for Day Care
are adhered to.
·
The
address and telephone number of our Ofsted regional centre are:
Ofsted,
Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester, M1 2WD
|
0300 123 1231
|
· These details are displayed on our setting's notice board.
·
If
a child appears to be at risk, our setting follows the procedures of the Stoke
on Trent and Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board.
·
In
these cases, both the parent and setting are informed and the setting leader
works with Ofsted or the Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire Safeguarding Children
Board to ensure a proper investigation of the complaint, followed by
appropriate action.
Records
- A record of complaints against our
setting and/or the children and/or the adults working in our setting is
kept, including the date, the circumstances of the complaint and how the
complaint was managed. This is kept in a lockable filing cabinet and
accessed by the Manager and Chairperson and Ofsted (should they request to
see it).
- In the event of a written
complaint, in accordance with the Children’s Act 2004, we will respond
within a maximum of 28 days and keep the record for 10 years. After the 10 year
period, the information will be shredded.
CAMERA AND IMAGE POLICY
Statement of intent
It is our
intention to respect the privacy of children and their parents and carers,
while ensuring that they access high quality early years care and education in
our setting.
Aim
To safeguard
children by promoting appropriate and acceptable use of photographic equipment
and resources for storing and printing images.
Legislative
Framework
- Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA)
- Freedom of Information Act 2000
- Human Right Act 1998
- General Data Protection Regulations
legislation (EU) 2016/679
Methods
- Consent is required under the DPA
1998 as images are considered to be personal data. Consent forms must be
signed by parents/carers with parental responsibility when they register
their child with the setting. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
- All images are to be stored and
disposed of in line with the DPA 1998
- If images are to be stored for a
short period of time they will be password protected on a computer storage
device.
- Devices that store images must be
secured to protect against theft of equipment and computer security.
- Images must not be used for
anything other than the agreed purposes unless additional consent is
obtained.
- Parents will be consulted on how Photographs
will be appropriately disposed of should they no longer be required. This
could include giving the images to parents, deleting or shredding.
- Where group photographs of children
are to be taken, specifically for the childrens learning journals, written
permission will be obtained from all parents/carers via consent forms in
the registration pack. Parents can chose not to give consent, or to
withdraw previously given consent.
- Parents’ consent is sought for
images used for marketing, webpages, social networking, for use in
displays and to document children’s learning. Parents are advised that
they have the right to refuse and withdraw consent at any time.
- A child’s full name will not appear
alongside their photographs particularly if the images could be viewed by
the general public
- Photographs of children that are
used for social networking and our webpage promoting the setting are taken
in such a way that children cannot be identified. Consent for this is
found within the registration documents, and parents can change their
wishes at any time.
Professional Photographer
- Only a reputable photographer will
be used. We will ensure to check
CRB/DBS clearance and certificates must be presented for inspection. A copy of the CRB/DBS number will be
retained on a secure file.
- Their identity will be checked upon
arrival.
- They will be supervised at all times by a member of staff or the child’s parent, ensuring no unsupervised access to the children.
Parents and Carers
- The use of any photographic
equipment by staff, parents or visitors must be with the consent of the
manager.
- The manager will have the authority
to challenge anyone using photographic equipment without prior consent.
- Parents and carers are not covered
by DPA 1998 if they take photographs or video recordings for their own
private use. The setting insist that photographs cannot be posted on
Social Media if it shows other children with the parents own child.
SAFEGUARDING CHILDRENS POLICY
Statement of intent
Our
setting will work with children, parents and the community to ensure the safety
of children and to give them the very best start in life.
The
key commitments of Stepping Stones policy for Safeguarding Children and Child Protection
are:
1.
Children
learn best they are healthy, safe and secure. The setting is committed to
building a 'culture of safety' in which children are protected from abuse and
harm in all areas of its service delivery.
2.
The
setting is committed to responding promptly and appropriately to all incidents
or concerns of abuse that may occur and to work with statutory agencies in
accordance with the procedures that are set down in ‘Working together to
safeguard children’ DFE 2015
3.
The
setting is committed to promoting awareness of safeguarding children and child
protection issues through its training and learning programmes for adults (both
staff and Committee members). The setting is aware that children with SEND are
at a higher risk of abuse (see SEN policy). We are also committed to empowering
young children, through our early childhood curriculum, to promote their right
to be strong, resilient and listened to. Please refer to ‘What to do if you’re worried
a child is being abused’ DFE 2015 (HM Government)
4.
Stepping
Stones Pre School Alrewas follows the Safeguarding and Welfare requirements as
per the Revised Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (April
2017)
5.
Stepping
Stones Pre School Alrewas has due regard to the need to prevent people from
being influenced by extreme views and radicalisation (Prevent Duty)
Aims
Our
aims are to carry out this policy by:
·
promoting
children's right to be strong, resilient and listened to by creating an
environment in our setting that encourages children to develop a positive self
image, which includes their heritage arising from their colour and ethnicity,
their languages spoken at home, their religious beliefs, cultural traditions
and home background;
·
promoting
children's right to be strong, resilient and listened to by encouraging
children to develop a sense of autonomy and independence;
·
promoting
children's right to be strong, resilient and listened to by enabling children
to have the self confidence and the vocabulary to resist inappropriate
approaches;
·
helping
children to establish and sustain satisfying relationships within their
families, with peers, and with other adults; and
·
working
with parents to build their understanding of, and commitment to, the principles
of safeguarding all children.
The
legal framework for this work is:
Primary legislation
The
Children Act 1989 - s 47
The
Protection of Children Act 1999
Keeping
Children Safe in Education 2018
Data
Protection Act 1998
The
Children Act 2004
The
Children (NI) Order
The
Children (Scotland) Order
The
Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015 (Prevent Duty)
Secondary Legislation
Sexual
Offences Act (2003)
Criminal
Justice and Court Services Act (2000)
Employment
Rights Act 1996
Human
Rights Act (1999)
Public
Interest Disclosure Act 1998
Race
Relations (Amendment) Act (2000)
Race
Relations (Amendment) Act (1976) Regulations
Rehabilitation
of Offenders Act 1974
Guidance
What
to Do if You are Worried a Child is Being Abused (2015)
The
Framework for the Assessment of children in Need and Their Families (2000)
Working
Together to Safeguard Children (revised 2018)
Early
Help Assessment (with outcomes star).
Statutory
Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (updated February 2018)
Channel
(2012)
Inspecting
Safeguarding in Early Years, Education and Skill Settings (October 2018)
Keeping
Children Safe in Education (revised September 2018)
Prevent
Duty Guidance for England and Wales
Liaison
with other bodies
·
We
work within the Stoke on
Trent and Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board (S&SSCB) guidelines.
·
We
have a copy of 'What to do if you are worried a child is being abused' for
parents and staff and all staff are familiar with what to do if they have
concerns.
·
We
have procedures for contacting the local authority on child protection issues,
including displaying the telephone number for the First Response Team on the notice board to ensure that it is easily accessible
in an emergency. The First
Response Team phone
number is 0800 1313 126.
·
We
notify the registration authority (Ofsted) of any incident or accident and any
changes in our arrangements which may affect the wellbeing of children. We will
also notify the Charity Commission should an allegation be made against a
member of staff.
·
Details
of the local National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) contacts are also
kept. The contact number is 0808
800 5000.
·
If
a referral is to be made to the local authority First Response Team, we
act within the Staffordshire Safeguarding Children and Child Protection
guidance in deciding whether we must inform the child's parents at the same
time.
·
In
the case of concerns about extremism and radicalisation, liaisons will take
place with the Staffordshire
Police Prevent Team with regards to referrals being made to Channel.
·
We are committed to communicating
with, supporting the work of a range of professionals in the case of Child
Protection.
Methods
Key Commitment 1
The setting is
committed to building a 'culture of safety' in which children are protected
from abuse and harm in all areas of its service delivery.
When
recruiting staff, we follow our Safer Recruitment Policy.
All
staff are expected to follow the Staff Behaviour Policy and the Manual Handling
Policy.
Staffing
and volunteering
·
Our
Designated Safeguarding Lead (a member of staff) who co-ordinates safeguarding
and child protection issues is
Ruth Kitchen
·
Our
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (the manager) who oversees this work and
deputises in the absence of the DSL is
Rosemary Dodd
·
We
provide adequate and appropriate staffing resources to meet the needs of
children.
·
Applicants
for posts within the setting are clearly informed that the positions are exempt
from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
·
Candidates
and potential committee members are informed of the need to carry out Disclosure
and Barring Service (DBS) via Capita. All staff and committee members have DBS
checks that are registered for the Update Service to enable the setting to
carry out termly suitability checks. The results of these checks are kept in staff and
Committee files. Should a member of staff withdraw consent for termly
suitability checks on their DBS, they will be confined to restricted and
supervised duties pending a further DBS check that they will need to pay for
themselves. Should a committee member withdraw consent for a termly check on
their DBS, they will be excluded from their committee duties with immediate effect
pending further investigation. Should a new DBS be required, the committee
member will incur the costs. Any suitability concerns identified by these
checks will result in immediate suspension and the Designated Safeguarding Lead
(or the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead) contacting LADO (Local Authority Designated Officer)
for further advice 0800
1313126 or emergency
out of hours number 0845 6042886
·
Where
applications are rejected because of information that has been disclosed,
applicants have the right to know and to challenge incorrect information.
·
We
abide by Ofsted requirements in respect of references and enhanced DBS checks
for staff, volunteers, and committee members if they are to be included in
ratios to ensure that no disqualified person or unsuitable person works at the
setting or has access to the children. All committee members and the Ofsted
Nominated Person submit an EY2 form to
Ofsted with their DBS number for Ofsted suitability checks. If Ofsted deem them
to be suitable, they will get a suitability letter from Ofsted which will be
stored securely in the Committee File in the setting.
·
Volunteers
and students do not work unsupervised. There is a Student Code of Conduct, and students
on placement are required to read this in advance of their placement and sign
to say they agree to abide by it.
·
We
abide by the Protection of Children Act requirements in respect of any person
who is dismissed from our employment or resigns in circumstances that would
otherwise have led to dismissal for reasons of child protection concern.
·
We
tell staff that they are expected to disclose any convictions, cautions, court
orders, reprimands and warnings that may affect their suitability to work with
children (whether received before or during their employment at the setting)
immediately. Staff sign an Annual Declaration form. We will not allow people whose suitability
has not been checked, including through a DBS check, to have unsupervised
contact with children in our care.
·
We
have procedures for recording the details of visitors to the setting.
·
We
take security steps to ensure that we have control over who comes into the
setting so that no unauthorised person has unsupervised access to the children.
Key Commitment 2
The setting is
committed to responding promptly and appropriately to all incidents or concerns
of abuse that may occur and to work with statutory agencies in accordance with
the procedures that are set down in 'What to do if you are worried a child is
being abused' (2015.)
Method
Responding to suspicions of abuse
·
We
acknowledge that abuse of children can take different forms - physical, emotional,
sexual, neglect and including FGM (case’s of female genital mutilation will result in Stepping Stones ringing
999).
·
When
children are suffering from physical, sexual or emotional abuse, or may be
experiencing neglect, this may be demonstrated through the things they say
(direct or indirect disclosure) or through changes in their appearance, their
behaviour, or their play.
·
Where
such evidence is apparent, the child's key person makes a dated record of the
details of the concern and discusses what to do with the Designated
Safeguarding Lead or the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead. The information
is stored in the child's personal file in a lockable filing cabinet. This
information is accessed by the Manager, the Designated Safeguarding Lead and relevant
external professionals should it be required under section 17 & 47 of the
Children Act 1989.
·
All
staff in the setting have completed at least Level 1 of the Staffordshire
Safeguarding Children’s Board Safeguarding Children course and take care not to
influence the outcome either through the way they speak to children or by
asking questions of children.
Allegations against staff and adults
·
We
ensure that all parents know how to complain about staff or any adults, which
may include an allegation of abuse. See
Complaints Policy and Whistleblowing Policy.
·
We
follow the guidance of the Stoke
on Trent and Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board when
responding to any complaint that a member of staff or an adult has abused a
child. We respond to any disclosure by children or staff that abuse by a member
of staff or other adults may have taken, or is taking place, by first recording
the details of any such alleged incident.
·
Should
an allegation of abuse be made against a member of staff, they will immediately
be suspended and escorted off of the premises.
·
We
refer any such complaint immediately to the local authority's First
ResponseTeam to investigate.
·
Our
policy is to suspend the member of staff on full pay for the duration of the
investigation; they are advised to seek legal advice. No other dialogue will
take place to prevent jeopardising any criminal prosecution. The Chairperson will
be informed along with the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). This is not an indication of admission that
the alleged incident has taken place, but is to protect the staff as well as
children and families throughout the process. The same process would apply
should an allegation be made against a Committee Member (but without pay).
·
We
co-operate entirely with any investigation carried out by The First Response Team
in conjunction with the police.
·
It
is our legal obligation to inform Ofsted (0300 123 1231) and the Charity Commission
(0300 066 9197) of any serious incident or allegation.
·
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/making-barring-referrals-to-the-dbs#legal-duty-to-refer-the-two-conditions-that-must-be-met for information about how to make a referral to
the DBS for allegations against staff.
Disciplinary action
·
Where
a member of staff or a volunteer is dismissed from the setting following an
internal or external investigation due to misconduct relating to a child, we
notify the Department of Health administrators so that their name may be included
on the List for the Protection of Children and Vulnerable Adults.
Whistle blowing
Staff
having concerns regarding the practice or actions of a colleague or the setting
can contact First Response (0800 1313126) or Ofsted directly (0300 1231231), or
via their webpage following instructions through the Whistle blowing link
(updated September 2018)
NSPCC
(0808 800 5000) is also a prescribed person for providing protection to those making any disclosures about
child welfare and protection.
Key
Commitment 3
The
Setting is committed to promoting awareness of child abuse issues throughout
its training and learning programmes for adults. It is also committed to
empowering young children, through its early childhood curriculum, promoting their
right to be strong, resilient and listened
to.
Method
Training
·
All
staff receive an induction into the setting and during this are made aware of
the Safeguarding policies and procedures.
·
We
seek out training opportunities for all staff and Committee members involved in
the setting to ensure that they can recognise the signs and symptoms of
possible physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, neglect and FGM; and so
that they are aware of the local authority guidelines for making referrals.
·
We
ensure that all staff and Committee members know the procedures for reporting
and recording their concerns in the setting.
Planning
·
The
layout of the rooms allows for constant supervision. No child is left alone
with staff or volunteers in a one to one situation and will always be visible
to others.
Curriculum
·
We
introduce key elements of safeguarding and child protection into our programme
to promote the personal, social and emotional development of all children, so
that they may grow to be 'strong, resilient and listened to' and so that they
develop an understanding of why and how to keep safe.
·
We promote British Values and nurture a
culture of value, respect and tolerance for the individual, having positive regard for
children's heritage arising from their colour, ethnicity, languages spoken at
home, cultural and social background.
·
We
ensure that this is carried out in a way that is developmentally appropriate
for the children.
Disclosures
Where
a child makes a disclosure to a member of staff, that member of staff:
·
offers
reassurance to the child;
·
listens
to the child; and
·
gives
reassurance that she or he will take action.
The
member of staff does not question the child or make any promises to the child.
While
the member of staff is documenting the disclosure, the DSL or DDSL will contact
First Response on 0800 1313126.
Recording suspicions of abuse and
disclosures
Staff
make a record of:
·
the
child's name;
·
the
child's address;
·
the
age of the child;
·
the
date and time of the observation or the disclosure;
·
an
objective record of the observation or disclosure;
·
the
exact words spoken by the child as far as possible;
·
the
name of the person to whom the concern was reported, with date and time; and
·
the
names of any other person present at the time.
These
records are signed and dated and kept in the child's personal file in a
lockable filing cabinet. This information is accessed by the Designated
Safeguarding Lead or the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and the relevant
external professionals should it be required under section 17 & 47 of the
Children Act 1989.
All
members of staff are informed of the procedures for recording and reporting on
Safeguarding Level 1 training.
Areas of Concern Form
- This form is
completed should any member of staff have concerns or observe any injuries on a child on
arrival at the setting (See appendix).
- These injuries
could also be disclosed by a child or mentioned by a parent.
- This information will also be linked to and summarised on
a Chronology Form (See appendix), which can be used to spot patterns of
injuries. This form will be completed by the DSL, DDSL or Manager and is
stored confidentially in the child’s individual file.
- If a child is seen
to have a regular pattern of concerns or injuries, the DSL or DDSL will
contact First Response
on 0800 1313126 for advice.
Non- Attendance
- Any unexplained absences by 10am will be followed up with a phone
call to the parent / carer of the child for an explanation. If we can’t
make contact with the parents, we will endeavour to make contact via the
child’s emergency contact or email.
- The explanation is recorded on the register, and the need for a
phone call is recorded on the child’s chronology form
- If we are unable to ascertain the reason for absence, we will do one
of two things:
Ø Contact ESAS for advice (01785 895836)
Ø Contact First Response (0800 1313126)
Informing parents
·
Parents
are normally the first point of contact if a disclosure is made, unless, the
disclosure is about the parent being the likely abuser. In these cases, the
investigating officers will inform parents.
·
If
a suspicion of abuse is recorded, parents are informed at the same time as the disclosure
/ report is made, except where the guidance of the Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board
does not allow this.
Confidentiality
·
All
suspicions and investigations are kept confidential and shared only with those
who need to know. Any information is
shared under the guidance of the Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board.
·
Within
24 hours of contacting The First Response Team with a concern about a child,
a Multi Agency Referral Record to Staffordshire Social Services Department
Child Protection/Children in Need form is to be completed and forwarded to the
appropriate person dealing with the concern.
Support to families
·
The
setting believes in building trusting and supportive relationships with families,
staff and volunteers in the group.
·
Staff have been trained on utilising
the Outcome Star – an early intervention programme for families. This is aimed
at addressing problems in the family unit before they become potential safeguarding
issues. Families need to ‘opt in’ to this.
·
The
setting makes clear to parents its role and responsibilities in relation to Child
Protection, such as for the reporting of concerns, providing information,
monitoring of the child, and liaising with the local social services
department.
·
The
setting continues to welcome the child and the family whilst investigations are
being made in relation to any alleged abuse.
·
We
follow the Child Protection Plan as set by the social services department in
relation to the setting's designated role and tasks in supporting the child and
the family, subsequent to any investigation.
·
Confidential
records kept on a child are shared with the child's parents or those who have
parental responsibility for the child. This is only if appropriate, and in
accordance with the procedure of the Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Board.
We
are aware that a joint Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Safeguarding Children
Partnership will be set up to support the Safeguarding Board to deliver the
priorities and plan. This sub- group will be supported by a Stoke-on-Trent and
Staffordshire Safeguarding Children Scrutiny and Assurance Hub which will be staffed
by the Local Safeguarding Children Board Team
ADMISSIONS POLICY
Statement of intent
It is our intention to make our
setting accessible to children and families from all sections of the local and
wider community.
Aim:
We aim to ensure that all sections of our community have access to the
setting through open, fair and clearly communicated procedures.
We offer places at Stepping Stones to any child provided that:
He/she is between 18 months old and school age.
There are places available within the number regulations of the
Children’s Act 2004
We offer places at Stepping Up to children:
The year prior to school entry, earlier to those deemed ready by the
pre-school supervisors.
There are places available within the number regulations of the
Children’s Act.
Methods
In order to achieve this aim, we operate the following admissions
policy.
- We ensure
that the existence of our setting is widely advertised in places
accessible to all sections of the community including the web.
- We ensure
the information about our setting is accessible, in written and spoken
form and, where appropriate, in more than one language. Where necessary we
will try to provide information in Braille, or through signing or an
interpreter.
- We arrange
our waiting list in which we list the child/rens name, date of birth,
contact details and sessions requested in date order of requests made, in
addition our policy may take into account the following
- – the
vicinity of the home to the setting: and
- - siblings
already attending the session.
- We describe
our setting and its practices in terms that make it clear that it welcomes
both fathers, mothers, other relations and carers (including childminders)
and those from LGBT families.
- We describe
our setting and its practices in terms of how it treats each child and
their family, having regard to their needs arising from their gender,
special educational needs, disabilities, social background, religion,
ethnicity or from English being a newly acquired additional language.
- We describe
our setting and its practices in terms of how it enables children and/or
parents with disabilities to take part in the life of the setting.
- We monitor
the gender and ethnic background of children joining the group to ensure
that our intake is representative of social diversity.
- We make our
Equal Opportunities policy widely known.
- We consult
with families about the opening times of the setting to ensure we
accommodate a broad range of family need.
- We are
flexible about attendance patterns to accommodate the needs of the
individual, children and families providing there are places available
within the number regulations of the Children’s Act.
- Guidance on
attendance and non-attendance can be found in the Safeguarding Policy.
- All parents
are provided with our General Data Privacy Regulations (GDPR) letter.
Statement of intent
We aim to offer a high-quality curriculum that complies with the Early Years Foundation Stage (2017) and
Statutory Framework for the Early Years
Foundation Stage (2017). We will provide effective education that is
relevant and based on the development needs of the children within our care.
Adults will observe children regularly and respond appropriately to develop the
children’s learning.
Aim:
The curriculum
offered in the setting encourages children to develop positive attitudes about
themselves as well as to people who are different from themselves. It
encourages children to empathise with others and to begin to develop the skills
of critical thinking.
We do this by:
·
making
children feel valued and good about themselves; developing self-knowledge,
esteem and confidence in their own abilities.
·
ensuring
that children have equality of access to learning;
·
encouraging
children to explore the language of feelings and responsibility, allowing them
to reflect on their differences and understand that we are all free to have
different opinions.
·
recognising
the different learning styles of girls and boys, making appropriate provision
within the curriculum to ensure each child receives the widest possible
opportunity to develop their skills and abilities;
·
positively
reflecting the widest possible range of communities in the choice of resources;
·
avoiding
stereotypes or derogatory images in the selection of books or other visual
materials;
·
celebrating
a wide range of festivals;
·
creating
an environment of mutual respect and tolerance;
·
helping
children to understand that discriminatory behaviour and remarks are hurtful
and unacceptable;
·
ensuring
that the curriculum offered is inclusive of children with special educational
needs and children with disabilities;
·
ensuring
that children learning English as an additional language have full access to
the curriculum and are supported in their learning; and
·
ensuring
that children speaking languages other than English are supported in the
maintenance and development of their home languages.
·
Recording
ongoing written/photographic/online observations that assess the child’s
progress and identify areas where a child progress is less than expected, IEP’s
are discussed with the parents and implemented and reviewed regularly, external
assistance is sort where necessary with parental consent.
·
With
the curriculum, children will learn that boundaries and rules are for everyone
to follow.
·
Activities
involving using the internet will be monitored and supervised by an adult at
all times.
Assessments:
Two year
progress check
- Children’s progress must be
completed between 24 – 36 months with a short written summary of their
development in the prime areas with the developmental level highlighted, This
is to be given to parents to put into the child’s ‘red book’ and a copy
will be stored in the child's file in a lockable filing cabinet
- The summary should list the
strengths and identify areas where the progress is less than expected.
- Concerns and/or identified SEN’s
should have a targeted plan of support for the child future learning and
development. Parents/carers/external agencies should be involved where
appropriate.
- Parents/carers are encouraged to
share information from the progress check with other relevant
professionals including the Health Visitor/other settings.
- The setting will have parental
consent prior to referring a child to an outside agency.
Lockdown Policy
Statement
of intent:
At Stepping Stones, we recognise the potentially serious
risks to children, staff and visitors in emergency or harmful situations. A
lockdown may take place where there is a perceived risk of threat to the safety
of the children and staff in the setting. Stepping Stones will act to try to ensure
the safety of all personnel in the setting in these situations.
Legislation:
Counter Terrorism and Security
Act 2015
Policy
aim:
Lockdown procedures should be seen as a sensible and
proportionate response to any external incident which has the potential to pose
a threat to the safety of children and adults in the setting.
Lockdown procedures may be activated in response to any
number of situations, but some of the more typical might be:
1. A reported incident or disturbance in the local
community (with the potential to pose a risk to children and adults in the
setting)
2. An intruder onsite (with the potential to pose a risk to
children and adults in the setting)
3. A warning being received regarding an environmental risk
locally, for example - air pollution (smoke plume, gas cloud etc)
4. A major fire in the vicinity of the setting
5. The close proximity of a dangerous animal
Emergency
access:
Staff are requested not to park their cars right outside
the Village Hall gates as this could hinder the progress of emergency services
gaining access if needed.
Agreed
lockdown signal:
An continuous alarm will sound for ten seconds to signal the procedure.
Drills
•
Staff and children practise full lockdown procedure
every other half term (3 times a year in total).
•
Records will be kept and the procedure will be
evaluated and reviewed as appropriate.
•
The Health and Safety Manager is responsible
for planning, recording and evaluating drills.
1)
Partial
lockdown
A partial lockdown is a precaution aimed to keep children
and staff safe while remaining indoors. This may be as a result of a reported
incident/civil disturbance in the local community with the potential to pose a
risk to children and staff in the setting. It may also be as a result of a
warning being received regarding the risk of air pollution, etc.
In a partial lockdown staff and children should remain in
the building and all doors leading outside should be locked. No-one should be
allowed to enter or leave the building; however the setting can continue as
usual.
What
usually happens during partial lockdown?
•
All outside activity to cease immediately,
children and staff return to building. (There needs to be a means of
communicating the alert to staff). All staff and children should remain in the
building and external doors and windows should be locked.
•
Free movement may be permitted within the
building dependent upon circumstances
•
In the event of an air pollution or chemical,
biological or radiological contaminants issue, air vents, fans, heating and air
conditioning systems should be closed or turned off. This can be done by
blocking individual fans (like the one in the family toilets) or turning the
fans off at the main fuse box.
•
Seal up all the cracks around doors and any
vents into the room – aim to minimise possible access points of pollutants
2)
Full
lockdown
This signifies an immediate threat to the setting and may
be an escalation of a partial lockdown
Immediate
action:
•
All children and staff should return to/stay in
the building
•
Internal and external doors should be locked
•
ACT to be called on 0800 789321 and the Police
on 999 in case of a suspected terror attack. This contact is in the setting
phone and in all staff mobile phones.
•
Lock windows and draw curtains (so an intruder
cannot see in).
•
Staff and children to sit quietly behind the
stage with the curtains drawn.
•
First aid kit is stored on the stage for easy
access in case of emergency during lockdown.
•
Turn off lights.
•
Turn mobile phones onto silent so they cannot
give away your position
•
A register should be taken and headcount
completed of all children, staff and official visitors at the setting
•
Children should not be released to parents
during a lockdown and staff should not leave the premises until permission is
given by Police Officers.
Contacting
Parents:
·
Once the setting is secured, parents will be
informed of the lockdown status via text message sent from the setting phone.
·
They will be given the following information:
PARENTS SHOULD NOT:
- · CONTACT THE SETTING DURING LOCKDOWN AS THIS COULD BLOCK TELEPHONE
LINES THAT ARE NEEDED FOR CONTACTING EMERGENCY SERVICES
- ·
COME TO THE SETTING DURING LOCKDOWN AS THIS MAY PLACE THEMSELVES AND
OTHERS IN DANGER
- ·
DROP OFF THEIR CHILDREN FOR ANY SESSION IF THE SETTING IS IN
LOCKDOWN
PARENTS SHOULD:
·
WAIT FOR THE SETTING
TO CONTACT THEM ABOUT WHEN IT IS SAFE FOR THEM TO COME AND COLLECT THEIR CHILD
Manual Handling Procedure
Planning and procedure
·
think about the task to be performed and plan
the lift
·
consider what you will be lifting, where you
will put it, how far you are going to move it and how you are going to get
there
·
never attempt manual handling unless you have
read the correct techniques and understood how to use them
·
ensure that you are capable of undertaking the
task – people with health problems and pregnant women may be particularly at
risk of injury
·
assess the size, weight and centre of gravity of
the load to make sure that you can maintain a firm grip and see where you are
going
·
remove any unnecessary packaging, if this will
make the task safer
·
reduce the size and weight of loads to make
handling easier. This could involve suppliers packing items into smaller
consignments before delivery or unpacking packages before moving them
·
assess whether you can lift the load safely
without help. If not, get help or use specialist moving equipment e.g. a
trolley. Bear in mind that it may be too dangerous to attempt to lift some
loads
·
if more than one person is involved, plan the
lift first and agree who will lead and give instructions
·
plan your route and remove any obstructions.
Check for any hazards such as uneven/slippery flooring
·
lighting should be adequate
·
control harmful loads – for instance, by
covering sharp edges or by insulating hot containers
·
avoid lifting unsafe loads, such as damaged
glass or badly packed chemicals
·
check whether you need any personal protective
equipment (PPE) and obtain the necessary items, if appropriate. Check the
equipment before use and check that it fits you
·
ensure that you are wearing the correct clothing
g, avoiding tight clothing and unsuitable footwear consider a resting point
before moving a heavy load or carrying something any distance.
Position
·
stand in front of the load with your feet apart
and your leading leg forward. Your weight should be even over both feet.
·
Position yourself (or turn the load around) so
that the heaviest part is next to you. If the load is too far away, move toward
it or bring it nearer before starting the lift. Do not twist your body to pick
it up.
Lifting
·
Always lift using the correct posture:
·
bend the knees slowly, keeping the back straight
·
tuck the chin in on the way down
·
lean slightly forward if necessary and get a
good grip
·
keep the shoulders level, without twisting or
turning from the hips
·
try to grip with the hands around the base of
the load
·
bring the load to waist height, keeping the lift
as smooth as possible.
Moving the load
·
move the feet, keeping the load close to the
body
·
proceed carefully, making sure that you can see
where you are going
·
lower the load, reversing the procedure for
lifting
·
avoid crushing fingers or toes as you put the
load down
·
position and secure the load after putting it
down. Make sure that it is rested on a stable base
·
report any problems immediately, for example,
strains and sprains.
·
Where there are changes, for example to the
activity or the load, the task must be reassessed.
The task
·
carry loads close to the body, lifting and
carrying the load at arm’s length increases the risk of injury
·
avoid awkward movements such as stooping,
reaching or twisting ensure that the task is well designed and that procedures
are followed
·
try never to lift from the floor or to above
should height. Limit the distances for carrying
·
minimise repetitive actions by re-designing and
rotating tasks
·
ensure that there are adequate rest periods and
breaks between tasks
·
plan ahead – use teamwork where the load is too
heavy for one person.
The environment
·
ensure that the surroundings are safe. Flooring
should be even and not slippery, lighting should be adequate, and the
temperature and humidity should be suitable
·
remove obstructions and ensure that the correct
equipment is available.
The individual
·
never attempt manual handling unless you have
been trained and given permission to do so
·
ensure that you are capable of undertaking the
task – people with health problems and pregnant women may be particularly at
risk of injury.
Lifting children
·
remember lifting children is not the same as
lifting an object. Children move.
·
use the above techniques when manoeuvring
children, e.g. to change a child’s nappy, but remember to take into account
that the child may struggle or wriggle whilst on the move. If this happens-
stop, place the child back down and start again after using reassuring words to
calm the child.
·
encourage the child to hold onto you were
possible, this will support you and the child when lifting.
Toys, equipment
and resources
·
All toys, equipment and resources offered to
children are safe and where applicable conform to safety regulations. All
equipment and resources available at the nursery are in good condition and safe
for children to use. All furniture is suitable for children and staffs have
access to an adult sized chair in each room. Equipment, toys and other
resources are maintained, cleaned and where necessary discarded if worn or
damaged and cannot be repaired.
·
All equipment that is unsafe or in need of
repair is either made safe or removed from the play room. All repairs are
logged on to the Work Management System for the maintenance team’s attention.
All damaged, worn or unsuitable equipment must be reported immediately to the
manager or person in charge.
Electrical appliances
·
All electrical appliances are maintained and
checked in accordance with the nursery procedures.
Safer Recruitment
Statement
of Intent
Stepping Stones Pre-School is committed to safeguarding and
promoting the welfare of children and expects all employees and volunteers to
share this commitment. The suitability of all prospective employees or volunteers
will be assessed during the recruitment process in line with this commitment.
This is to identify people who are unsuited to working with children.
Aim
·
To
recruit staff who are appropriately qualified and suitable to work with
children, in line with our Safeguarding Policy.
·
To help
deter, reject or identify people who might abuse children or are otherwise
unsuited to working with them by having appropriate procedures for appointing
staff.
·
To
operate such procedures consistently and thoroughly while obtaining, collating,
analysing and evaluating information from and about applicants.
·
To
welcome applications from all sections of the community. Applicants will be considered on the basis of
their suitability for the post, regardless of marital status, age, gender,
culture, religious belief, ethnic origin or sexual orientation.
·
To seek
to secure an ongoing safe and secure environment for children by ensuring all
staff are suitably trained in recognising and responding to signs of abuse.
The
Legal Framework for this is:
Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018)
What to do if you're worried a child is being abused (2015)
The Childcare Act (2006)
Equality Act (2010)
Disability Discrimination (1995)
Keeping Children Safe in Education (2018)
The Childcare Regulations (2018)
Guidance:
Staffordshire Safeguarding (Stoke on Trent) Children’s
Board Guidance
DCSF guidance Safeguarding Children and Safer Recruitment
in Education (updated 2012).
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/early-years-qualifications-finder Check
Early Years Qualifications (2018)
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/childminders-and-childcare-providers-register-with-ofsted/suitability-checks -
suitability checks for people who have lived abroad in the last five years
Recruitment
Procedure
The application process will be done in line with the legislation
above.
1. A Job Description should be updated, checked and then
issued to the applicant along with a prospectus, an application form and a
letter detailing who to respond to, how to respond and the application
deadline. The Job Description will make reference to the responsibility for
safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The Person
Specification will make reference to the candidate’s suitability to work with
children.
2. Advertise the post internally and externally. The advert
should state the job title, rate of pay, hours, necessary qualifications,
desirable experience/qualities, how to obtain an application pack and the
application deadline. Confirm that an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service
(DBS - formerly CRB) check is required.
3. Application forms will be checked for appropriate full
and relevant qualifications and experience, and unsuitable applications will be
discarded at this stage. Applications will be checked for continuation of dates
and addresses and that there are no unexplained gaps in employment or address history.
If there are gaps, the applicant will be contacted for a satisfactory explanation,
and this will be followed up at interview. Reasons will be asked for where
there are repeated changes of employment without any clear career or salary
progression or a mid-career move from permanent to temporary work.
4. Written, signed professional and character references
will be obtained for shortlisted applicants, provided permission has been
granted to do so by the applicant. This will include specific questions to help
assess an applicant's suitability to work with children and any concerns will
be clarified. At least two references will be obtained for all candidates. It should
be made clear during the interview that any job offer is conditional on acceptable
references being obtained.
5. The selection process for people who will work with
children will always include a face-to face interview, even if there is only
one candidate.
6. Interviews will be held in a single block, with at least
two interviewers present (normally Vice/Chair and Manager). One member of the interview panel will have
completed Safer Recruitment training. The interview should assess the merits of
each candidate against the job requirements and explore their suitability to
work with children. Confirm that the candidate understands the requirement for
a DBS check. Applicants will be informed that under the Childcare Act 2006 and
Childcare Regulations 2018 there is the possibility of disqualification by
association.
7. Following the interviews, and a decision made, all
applicants will be contacted as soon as possible to notify them of the outcome.
The successful candidate will be contacted first, making a provisional job
offer on condition of a “suitable” DBS check outcome. Arrangements can then be
made for the successful candidate to attend the setting for the completion of
suitability, identification, DBS checks, and full and relevant qualification
checks.
8. DBS checks for staff, committee members and volunteers are
carried out online by the Manager and require 3 types of ID including at least
one photo ID. Candidates will be informed that suitability checks will be
carried out Termly (see Safeguarding Policy).
9. Additional checks will be done on applicants who have
lived and worked abroad in the last five years. We need a certificate of good
conduct from the embassy of every country where the person has lived.
More information on this link: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/childminders-and-childcare-providers-register-with-ofsted/suitability-checks
10. Verification will be sought that the applicant is in
good health, mentally and physically, and has the capacity to do the job. They
must also have a completed April 2019 Ofsted Health Form stating their fitness to work as a condition
of being offered the post.
11. On receipt of a suitable decision from the DBS, the
applicant will have a 3month probationary period, at the end of which the
probationary period may be increased, a permanent contract may be offered, or
the contract may be terminated. Contracts will be reviewed the Manager at the
end of that period.
12. Induction will normally be carried out by the Manager (see
Induction Checklist), ensuring new staff are familiarised with our Safeguarding
Children Policies and Safer Working Practices.
Staff Behaviour Policy
Safeguarding
and Welfare Requirement: Staff .
Staffing arrangements must meet the needs of all children
and ensure their safety
Policy
Statement
All members of staff at Stepping Stones Pre School Alrewas
are required to adhere to the following code of conduct.
Staff must be familiar with, understand and adhere to all
the setting’s policies and procedures at all times.
General
Conduct
Staff will wear the uniform provided and will otherwise
wear appropriate length and fit shorts, skirts or trousers.
Staff will wear sensible non-slip shoes whilst on duty.
Staff must make sure they are punctual and are ready to
start work at 8.30am.
Staff are to keep the children’s Learning Journals up to
date, complete the 2 year old check in compliance with the EYFS criteria in a
timely fashion.
Staff are to wear protective gloves when dealing with
bodily fluids; dispose of nappies etc. in the appropriate manner as detailed in
our nappy changing policy
Staff must abide by the setting’s Health and Safety
policies and procedures.
Staff must to sign up to an observation slot using the
chart on the wall. They must only do observations of their Key Children during
this time. This is to ensure that all members of staff are given fair access to
the ipads and the online observation tool.
Staff must only have professional conversations in the
presence of children. Child centred attention is paramount at all times.
Illness,
Health & Medication
Staff must inform the Manager before 08:00 am if they are
sick and unable to attend.
If a member of staff is taking regular or irregular
medication or has a health issue that may prevent them from carrying out their
duties to the best of their ability, they must share this information with the
setting’s Manager. All medication must be kept in the kitchen out of children’s
reach during session time.
Staff who have had sickness and diarrhoea must not return
to the setting until 48 hours after the last bout (see Health and Safety
policy).
Code of Conduct
Staff must not smoke or drink alcohol on or around the
premises.
Staff must abide by the setting’s confidentiality and
information sharing policies and to only share information appropriately and
when required.
Staff must treat children, parents/carers, colleagues and
other professionals with respect at all times.
Staff will not show favouritism to colleagues or children.
Staff must not behave or speak in a discriminatory manner
under any circumstances.
Staff must be aware of child to staff ratios at all times
and make sure these ratios are met before leaving the room.
Staff must be aware of the British Values and implement
them into the daily routine.
Safeguarding
All members of staff must report to the Designated
Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead (DDSL) any
safeguarding issues or safeguarding concerns. Should these issues or concerns
not be addressed in a satisfactory manner by the DSL, staff must report
directly to First Response on 08001313126. If the concern is
about the conduct of a member of staff, see Whistleblowing section in
Safeguarding Policy.
All members of staff must report to the DSL / DDSL any
safeguarding issues which may occur in their homes as well as any allegations
made against them or anyone living in their household on a permanent or
temporary basis as well as against a partner who may not be living with them,
as per the Annual Declaration.
Staff are not permitted to have a mobile phone in their
possession whilst working at the setting. Phones must be switched to silent and
put away securely in the cupboard. Staff are permitted to check phones during
their lunch breaks. For more information, see Mobile Phone policy.
Staff should inform any interested party (children’s
schools, partners, etc) of the Pre-School’s telephone number, which they can
call should the need arise.
Staff must operate safe internet usage both on and off the
premises.
Staff are discouraged from accepting parents/carers as
friends on social networking sites.
Staff are discouraged from socialising with parents outside
of the setting unless they were friends before.
Staff must prevent the abuse of younger or weaker children
by older or stronger children through bullying, cruel or humiliating behaviour.
Staff will not be permitted into the nursery if there is
any indication that they are under the influence of alcohol or substance
misuse. All concerns must be referred to
the Manager and a record of the staff member’s concerns is to be kept and
placed in the safeguarding folder.
Staff must never let strangers into the setting without
first asking them to identify themselves and seeking clearance from the Manager
(or deputy Manager acting in the absence of the Manager).
Staff will ensure that when they leave the setting room
(main hall), they lock the door behind them to ensure the safety of the
children and staff.
Staff will ensure that all children will be safely signed
in by their parents or designated carers.
Staff will ensure that children will be released into the
care of their parents or designated carers only and will ensure that children
are safely signed out. #
Staff must always inform a colleague when leaving to change
a child’s nappy or clothes. They will follow the setting’s Nappy Change and
Toileting Policy.
Because of their daily and sometimes intimate contact with
children in a variety of situations, staff are vulnerable to accusations of
abuse. Staff should take care not to put themselves into situations that may
lead to allegations being made against them by following the correct procedures.
Staff must be not left alone with children. There should always be two staff
members in view or hearing of children, when possible, in order to protect both
staff and children.
Nappy Change and Toileting Policy
Statement
of Intent
We include all children in our setting and understand that
children arrive at pre-school at different stages in their development and that
some children may still be wearing nappies or trainer pants. We work with parents
towards toilet training unless there are medical or developmental reason why
this would be inappropriate.
A UNIQUE CHILD
|
POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS
|
ENABLING ENVIRONMENTS
|
1.2 Inclusive practice
|
2.2 Parents as Partners
|
3.2 supporting every child
|
1.4 Health and Wellbeing
|
||
Procedures
In the event of having to change a child’s nappy – the following
procedures will be followed:
1) In
order to care for the children’s physical needs, we ask that the parents /
carers:
·
Make sure that wherever possible children
arrive at pre school wearing a clean nappy or trainer pants
·
Provide nappies, creams, wipes and bags for soiled
nappies/clothes so that if it is necessary to change the child their individual
needs can be met.
·
Discuss any issues arising from the policy with
the child’s key worker
2) The pre-school
will ensure that:
·
Only persons with relevant DBS checks will
change nappies or trainer pants, or attend to children’s other toileting needs
·
Nappies and trainer pants will be changed in a
private, designated area which complies with health and safety regulations. The children’s privacy will always be respected.
·
Staff can be seen or heard by other members of
staff
·
The designated area / mats will be cleaned
before and after a child is changed, with suitable disinfectant cleaner.
·
A child will never be left alone on the
changing mat.
·
Staff will wear appropriate protective clothing
·
Hand washing facilities will be available for
adults and children to hand wash with antibacterial soap and dry thoroughly after
completing this procedure.
·
Soiled nappies / trainer pants will be disposed
of in the appropriate bind, soiled underwear will be securely bagged and returned
to parents / carers.
Toileting
·
Any staff accompanying a child to the toilet
will remain visible or within earshot of other staff.
·
To promote self-help skills, older children
will be encouraged to be independent when they go to the toilet
·
Staff will offer to assist children if necessary
or if a child requests adult assistance.
·
Children will be encouraged to independently
practice good hygiene / washing techniques.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Attendance Policy
Statement
of intent
Stepping Stones is committed to ensuring
every child receives the best start in life. We offer a safe and secure
learning environment where children are nurtured to develop their skills and
become ready for school. Stepping Stones recognise the importance of monitoring
attendance and will encourage families to participate in early education by
ensuring that children take advantage of their funded entitlement of hours
wherever possible.
Aims
& Principles
•
Ensure all
children/parents that are eligible for funded places are encouraged to take
advantage of them.
•
Ensure all parents
are supported to understand the importance of consistent routines and regular
attendance for their child starting at the session time mutually agreed.
•
Develop and maintain
effective partnerships with parents and other organisations to tackle issues
which may result in inconsistent/non-attendance whilst recognising the individual
needs and circumstances of children/families.
•
Develop positive and
consistent communication between home and setting, providing guidance and
support as appropriate.
•
Initiate an Early
Help Assessment (EHA) where issues of sporadic and non-attendance cannot be
addressed by the setting in isolation and involvement from other services is required.
Methods
- Promote the
importance of regular attendance and consistent routines with parents
during the induction period and from the commencement of the place.
- Keep an up
to date register of attendance for all children accessing the provision.
This forms part of the welfare requirements of the EYFS and will need to
be evidenced in an Ofsted inspection.
- Encourage
and support families during the induction to agree a sensible and
appropriate number of hours which meets the needs of the child/family and
only increase hours towards a full entitlement when the child is deemed
settled and ready.
- Recognise
the individual needs and circumstances of all children/families and
reasons why it may not be appropriate for a full entitlement of hours to
be taken.
- Monitor
attendance and other welfare concerns and communicate directly with
parents where issues arise and try to address them.
- If
attendance is sporadic and inconsistent, we may initiate an EHA to work
with others to address this issue. However, there may be instances where we
may need to involve the local family support provider to work with the
family to address any issues preventing regular attendance.
- Specifically
hold consultation meetings aimed at parents of Stepping Up children to
reinforce the importance of attendance in the school year so teachers at
Stepping Stones can prepare the child for school readiness.
- Make
parents aware during their induction that the arranged amount of funded
hours must be attended by the child and that sporadic and inconsistent
attendance without a reasonable explanation may lead to the withdrawal of
the funded place. This means the parents would have to pay the provider
for hours attended by the child.
- If a child is not going to attend on their session, parents must contact Stepping Stones no later than 9.30am on the same day. If we receive no communication by 10am, Stepping Stones will make every attempt to contact the parents using all contact information on file, if this is unsuccessful then we will document the absence on the
Chronology form
unless we have concerns that a child is at risk of immediate harm or neglect
and contact First Response 0800 1313 126
- Inform the
EEF Finance Team if a child has not attended the provision for any amount
of funded hours for a period that stretches over four consecutive or
sporadic weeks within the same term. If a reason has not been given for
repeated absence and contact cannot be re-established with the family, Stepping
Stones will involve external professionals if we have concerns. Consent
would NOT be required for contacting external professionals under these
circumstances, as covered within the Parent Declaration form. Stepping
Stones will also contact The Education Safeguarding Advice Service seek
further advice and guidance’
- Stepping
Stone’s will follow Staffordshire Safeguarding Children’s Board guidance with
regards to non/sporadic attendance if we have concerns that a child is at
risk of immediate harm or neglect and contact First Response 0800 1313 126
Health and Safety Policy
Statement of intent
This setting
believes that the health and safety of children is of paramount
importance. We make our setting a safe
and healthy place for children, parents, staff and volunteers. All adults have a duty of care in maintaining
children’s safety inside and outside the setting.
Aim
We aim to make
children, parents and staff aware of health and safety issues and to minimise
the hazards and risks to enable the children to thrive in a healthy and safe
environment. Should we observe or be made aware of any unsafe practise then
this will be addressed with the parent. If a child is continually being placed
at risk from unsafe practises, then this will be dealt with as a safeguarding
matter and referred to the relevant professionals.
Methods
The member of
staff responsible for health and safety in the setting is Judith Williamson
(Deputy is Kirsty Gibson). Alrewas
Village Hall contact for Health and Safety is Anthony Jones, Chairman. they are
competent to carry out these responsibilities. The responsible person has
undertaken health and safety training and regularly updates his/her knowledge
and understanding. We display the
necessary health and safety poster in the main reception area on our notice board
and there is also a separate one for the Village Hall on the entrance notice board.
Risk assessment
Our risk
assessment process includes:
·
checking
for hazards and risks indoors and outside, and in our activities and
procedures. Our assessment covers adults
and children;
·
deciding
which areas need attention; and
·
developing
an action plan that specifies the action required, the timescales for action,
the person responsible for the action and any funding required.
We maintain lists
of health and safety issues, which are checked:
·
daily
before the session begins;
·
weekly;
and
·
termly
- when a full risk assessment is carried out.
·
Additional
risk assessments are carried out should a new activity be introduced not
covered under the normal activities OR for trips outside of the setting.
Insurance cover
We have public
liability insurance and employers' liability insurance. The certificate for public liability
insurance is displayed in the reception area on the notice board.
Awareness raising
·
Our
induction training for staff and volunteers includes a clear explanation of
health and safety issues so that all adults can adhere to our policy and
understand their shared responsibility for health and safety. The induction training covers matters of
employee well-being, including safe lifting and the storage of potentially
dangerous substances.
·
Records
are kept of these induction training sessions and new staff and volunteers are
asked to sign the records to confirm that they have taken part. These are kept
in the individual staff CDP files in a lockable filing cabinet.
·
Health
and safety issues are explained to the parents of new children so that they
understand the part played by these issues in the daily life of the
setting.
·
As
necessary, health and safety training are included in the annual training plans
of staff, and health and safety is discussed regularly at staff meetings.
·
We
have a no smoking policy.
·
Children
are made aware of health and safety issues through discussions, planned
activities and routines.
Children's safety
·
We
ensure all staff employed have been checked for criminal records from the Disclosure and Barring Services.
·
Adults
do not supervise children on their own.
·
All
children are supervised by adults at all times.
·
Whenever
children are on the premises at least two adults must be present.
Security
·
Systems
are in place for the safe arrival and departure of children. The times of the children's
arrivals and departures are recorded on the signing in sheet, along with the signature of the adult who
brings/collects the child/ren.
·
The
arrival and departure times of adults - volunteers and visitors - are recorded.
·
Our
systems prevent unauthorised access to our premises.
·
Our
systems prevent children from leaving our premises unnoticed.
·
The
personal possessions of staff and volunteers are securely stored during
sessions.
Windows
·
All
windows are made from materials that prevent accidental breakage or are made
safe.
·
Windows
are protected from accidental breakage or vandalism from people outside the
building.
·
Windows
above the ground floor are secured so that children cannot climb through them.
Doors
·
We
take precautions to prevent children's fingers from being trapped in doors.
·
All
floor surfaces are checked daily to ensure they are clean and not uneven or
damaged.
Kitchen
·
Children
in the setting are not allowed in the kitchen.
·
All
surfaces are clean and non-porous.
·
There
are separate facilities for handwashing and for washing up.
·
Cleaning
materials and other dangerous materials are stored out of children's reach.
·
When
children take part in cooking activities, they:
-
are always
supervised;
-
are kept
away from hot surfaces and hot water; and
-
do not
have unsupervised access to electrical equipment.
Electrical/gas equipment
·
All
electrical/gas equipment conforms to safety requirements and is checked
regularly.
·
The
boiler/electrical switchgear/meter cupboard is not accessible to the children.
·
Fires,
heaters, electric sockets, wires and leads are properly guarded, and the
children are taught not to touch them.
·
There
are enough sockets to prevent overloading.
·
Lighting
and ventilation are adequate in all areas including storage areas.
Storage
·
All
resources and materials from which children select are stored safely.
·
All
equipment and resources are stored or stacked safely to prevent them accidentally
falling or collapsing.
Outdoor area
·
Our
outdoor area is securely fenced.
·
Our
outdoor area is checked for safety and cleared of rubbish before it is used.
·
Adults
and children are alerted to the dangers of poisonous plants, herbicides and
pesticides.
·
Where
water can form a pool on equipment, it is emptied before children start playing
outside.
·
Our
sand pit is covered when not in use and is cleaned regularly.
·
All
outdoor activities are supervised at all times.
Hygiene
·
We
regularly seek information from the Environmental Health Department and the
Health Authority to ensure that we keep up to date with the latest
recommendations.
·
Our
daily routines encourage the children to learn about personal hygiene.
·
We
have a daily cleaning routine for the setting which includes playroom(s),
kitchen, rest area, toilets and nappy changing areas.
·
We
have a schedule for cleaning resources and equipment, dressing-up clothes and
furnishings.
·
The
toilet area has a high standard of hygiene including hand washing and drying
facilities and the disposal of nappies.
·
We
implement good hygiene practices by:
-
cleaning
tables between activities;
-
checking
toilets regularly;
-
wearing protective
clothing - such as aprons and disposable gloves - as appropriate;
-
providing
sets of clean clothes;
-
providing
tissues and wipes; and
-
ensuring
sole use of flannels and towels.
Activities
·
Before
purchase or loan, equipment and resources are checked to ensure that they are
safe for the ages and stages of the children currently attending the setting.
·
The
layout of play equipment allows adults and children to move safely and freely
between activities.
·
All
equipment is regularly checked for cleanliness and safety and any dangerous
items are repaired or discarded.
·
All
materials - including paint and glue - are non-toxic.
·
Sand
is clean and suitable for children's play.
·
Physical
play is constantly supervised.
·
Children
are taught to handle and store tools safely.
·
Children
who are sleeping are checked regularly and sleep in their own buggy in case of emergency
evacuation due to fire.
·
Children
learn about health, safety and personal hygiene through the activities we
provide and the routines we follow.
Food and drink
·
Staff
who prepare and handle food receive appropriate training and understand - and
comply with - food safety and hygiene regulations.
·
All
food and drink are stored appropriately.
·
Adults
do not carry hot drinks through the play area(s) and do not place hot drinks
within reach of children.
·
Snack
and mealtimes are appropriately supervised, and children do not walk about with
food and drink.
·
We
operate systems to ensure that children do not have access to food/drinks to
which they are allergic.
Outings and visits
·
We
have agreed procedures for the safe conduct of outings.
·
Parents
sign a general consent on registration for their children to be taken out as a
part of the daily activities of the setting.
·
Parents
always sign consent forms before major outings.
·
A
risk assessment is carried out before an outing takes place.
·
Our
adult to child ratio is high, normally one adult to two children.
·
Named
children are assigned to individual staff to ensure each child is individually supervised
and to ensure no child gets lost and that there is no unauthorised access to
children.
·
Outings
are recorded within the risk assessment folder.
·
Staff
take a mobile phone on outings, and supplies of tissues, wipes, pants etc as
well as a mini first aid pack, a snack and water. The amount of equipment will
vary and be consistent with the venue and the number of children as well as how
long they will be out for.
·
Records
are kept of the vehicles used to transport children, with named drivers and
appropriate insurance cover.
·
A
minimum of two staff should accompany children on outings and a minimum of two
should remain behind with the rest of the children.
Animals
·
Animals
visiting the setting are free from disease and safe to be with children, and do
not pose a health risk.
·
Children
wash their hands after contact with animals.
·
Outdoor
footwear worn to visit farms are cleaned of mud and debris and should not be
worn indoors.
Fire safety
·
Fire
doors are clearly marked, never obstructed and easily opened from inside.
·
Firefighting
appliances conform to BSEN standards, are fitted in appropriate high-risk areas
of the building and are checked as specified by the manufacturer.
·
Our
emergency evacuation procedures are approved by the Fire Safety Officer and
are:
-
clearly
displayed in the premises;
-
explained
to new members of staff, volunteers and parents; and
-
practised
regularly at least once every six weeks.
·
Records
are kept of fire drills and the servicing of fire safety equipment.
First aid and medication
At least one
member of staff with current first aid training is on the premises or on an
outing at any one time. The first aid qualification includes first aid training
for infants and young children.
Our first aid
kit:
·
complies
with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981;
·
is
regularly checked by a designated member of staff and re-stocked as necessary;
·
is
easily accessible to adults; and
·
is
kept out of the reach of children.
At the time of
admission to the setting, parents' written permission for emergency medical
advice or treatment is sought. Parents
sign and date their written approval.
Parents sign a
consent form at registration allowing staff to take their child to the nearest
Accident and Emergency unit to be examined, treated or admitted as necessary on
the understanding that parents have been informed and are on their way to the
hospital.
Our accident book:
·
is
kept safely and accessibly;
·
all
staff and volunteers know where it is kept and how to complete it; and
·
is
reviewed at least half termly to identify any potential or actual hazards.
·
All
children have their own accident sheet.
·
The
information we record on accident sheets include the child’s name, date and
time of accident, witnesses’ names, brief account of what happened, any first
aid administered, and the parents are asked to sign the sheet acknowledging
they have been informed.
·
In
the case of a head injury we will immediately notify parents.
Ofsted is
notified of any injury requiring treatment by a general practitioner or
hospital doctor, or the death of a child or adult.
When there is any
injury requiring general practitioner or hospital treatment to a child, parent,
volunteer or visitor or where there is a death of a child or adult on the
premises, we make a report to the Health and Safety Executive using the format
for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences.
Dealing with incidents
We meet our legal
requirements for the safety of our employees by complying with RIDDOR (the
Reporting of Injury, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). We report
to the Health and Safety Executive:
·
any
accident to a member of staff requiring treatment by a general practitioner or
hospital; and
·
any
dangerous occurrences. This may be an event that causes injury or fatalities or
an event that does not cause an accident but could have done, such as a gas
leak.
·
Any
dangerous occurrence is recorded in our Incident Book. See below.
Information for
reporting the incident to Health and Safety Officer is detailed in the
Pre-school Learning Alliance's publication, Accident Record.
Our Incident Book
·
We
keep an incident paper trail for recording incidents including those that that
are reportable to the Health and Safety Executive as above. (This can be found in the Health and Safety binder)
·
These
incidents include:
-
break in,
burglary, theft of personal or the setting's property;
-
fire,
flood, gas leak or electrical failure;
-
attack on
member of staff or parent on the premises or near by;
-
any racist
incident involving a staff or family on the centre's premises;
-
death of a
child, and
-
a
terrorist attack, or threat of one.
·
In
the incident book we record the date and time of the incident, nature of the
event, who was affected, what was done about it - or if it was reported to the
police, and if so a crime number. Any follow up, or insurance claim made,
should also be recorded.
·
In
the unlikely even of a terrorist attack we follow the advice of the emergency
services regarding evacuation, medical aid and contacting children's families.
Our Lockdown Policy will be followed, and staff will take follow this procedure. This is also practiced once every half term.
The incident is recorded when the threat is averted.
·
In
the unlikely event of a child dying on the premises, for example, through cot
death in the case of a baby, or any other means involving an older child, the
emergency services are called, and the advice of these services are followed.
·
The
incident book is not for recording issues of concern involving a child. This is
recorded in the child's own file.
Administration of medication
·
Only
prescribed medication may be administered. It must be in-date and prescribed
for the current condition.
·
Children
taking prescribed medication must be well enough to attend the setting.
·
Children's
prescribed drugs are stored in their original containers, are clearly labelled
and are inaccessible to the children.
·
Parents
give prior written permission for the administration of medication. This states the name of the child, name/s of
parent(s), date the medication starts, the name of the medication and
prescribing doctor, the dose and times, or how and when the medication is to be
administered.
·
The
administration is recorded accurately each time it is given and is signed by
staff. Parents sign the record book to acknowledge the administration of a
medicine.
·
If
the administration of prescribed medication requires medical knowledge,
individual training is provided for the relevant member of staff by a health
professional.
·
Staff
will comply with managing medicines in schools and early years settings (2005)
(https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/196479/Managing_Medicines.pdf)
Safety of adults
·
Adults
are provided with guidance about the safe storage, movement, lifting and
erection of large pieces of equipment.
·
When
adults need to reach up to store equipment or to change light bulbs, they are
provided with safe equipment to do so.
·
All
warning signs are clear and in appropriate languages.
·
Adults
do not remain in the building on their own or leave on their own after dark.
·
The
sickness of staff and their involvement in accidents is recorded. The records are reviewed termly to identify
any issues that need to be addressed.
Records
In accordance
with Ofsted, we keep records of:
Adults
·
names
and addresses of all staff on the premises, including temporary staff who work
with the children or who have substantial access to them;
·
names
and addresses of the owners or of all members of the management committee;
·
all
records relating to the staff's employment with the setting, including
application forms, references, results of checks undertaken etc these are stored
in a lockable filing cabinet and are kept for six years after the staff member
has left.
Children
·
names,
addresses and telephone numbers of parents and adults authorised to collect
children from setting;
·
the
names, addresses and telephone numbers of emergency contacts in case of children's
illness or accident;
·
the
allergies, dietary requirements and illnesses of individual children;
·
the
times of attendance of children, staff, volunteers and visitors;
·
accidents
and medicine administration records;
·
consents
for outings, administration of medication, emergency treatment; and
incidents.
·
This
information is stored in a lockable filing cabinet for up to three years after
the child has left. It is accessed by staff should they need to consult with
the parents.
In addition, the
following procedures and documentation in relation to health and safety are in
place:
Staying safe:
·
Risk
assessment.
·
Record
of visitors.
·
Fire
safety procedures.
·
Lockdown
procedures
·
Fire
safety records and certificates.
·
Operational
procedures for outings.
·
Vehicle
records including insurance.
·
List
of named drivers.
·
Educating
children through their own activities on staying safe
Being healthy:
·
Administration
of medication.
·
Prior
parental consent to administer medicine.
·
Record
of the administration of medicines.
·
Prior
parental consent for emergency treatment.
·
Accident
record.
·
Sick
children.
·
No
smoking.
·
Promoting
healthy choices at the setting
·
Promoting
health and wellbeing within the setting
Readiness for school Policy
Statement of intent
There is strong evidence to suggest that children who attend good quality, structured childcare settings where the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is delivered by qualified childcare providers, have an increased chance of settling well into school life, equipped with the social and emotional skills necessary to be ‘school ready’. At Stepping Stones, we aim to equip our children with these skills in order to prepare them for the next stage in their learning journey.
Linked Policies
• Curriculum Planning
• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
• Parental Involvement
• Attendance
Linked Documents
• Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (Dept for Education 2019) (EYFS)
• Letters and Sounds (Dept for Education 2007)
• Are You Ready? (Ofsted 2014)
School Readiness
The current Government definition of the term ‘school readiness’ is a measure of how prepared a child is to succeed in school - cognitively, socially and emotionally.
The good level of development (GLD) is used to assess school readiness. Children are defined as having reached a GLD at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage if they achieved at least the expected level in the Early Learning Goals in the prime areas of learning (personal, social and emotional development, physical development and communication and language) and in the specific areas of mathematics and literacy.
Research has shown that school readiness at age five has a strong impact on future educational attainment and life chances.
What School Readiness means at Stepping Stones:
Here at Stepping Stones, the term School Readiness means that by the time children leave our setting to start in Reception class, they are:
✔ prepared to be separated from their parent or main carer.
✔ clearly demonstrating their ability to listen and follow age appropriate instructions
✔ showing an interest in a variety of subjects, paying attention to the subject or activity they are taking part in
✔ using enough of a range of vocabulary and language to express their needs, feelings, thoughts or ideas
✔ identifying themselves by name, age, state factors in their life, name family members etc
✔ interacting in an age appropriate way with another child or adult, forming friendships and relationships
✔ interacting, sharing and playing, taking responsibility for their actions, understanding that actions have consequences
✔ focussing on, and also showing interest in, the work they are undertaking
✔ able to observe, notice, discuss and ask questions about their environment and experiences
✔ engaging with books, and have some understanding of words and language
✔ responding to behaviour management strategies within the setting
✔ counting up to 10 objects accurately
Methods
- Stepping Up
Children are offered a place in Stepping Up for the academic year before they start in Reception year. These sessions are designed to more closely mimic the structure of the school day, with a mixture of adult led focussed activities, continuous provision and free play. There is an increased focus on self-help skills, independence, fine motor skills, personal safety and the development of listening skills. Activities continue to be planned and assessed using the EYFS framework and Letters and Sounds is used to inform the teaching of phonics. As a guide, Phase 1 forms the majority of the teaching for the first two terms, moving onto starting Phase 2 in the summer term for those children who are ready.
- Using a Transition Document
In order for children to feel comfortable and confident in their new setting, it is important they are given activities suited to their needs and abilities. Key Workers regularly assess the children’s learning and development across all relevant areas of the EYFS. These observations and next steps are recorded on Tapestry. When a child leaves, the summative assessments for the half term preceding them leaving are downloaded and passed on to the new setting, along with a personal comment. This is to provide the new setting with a more complete picture of the child.
3. Involvement of Parents and Carers
Ofsted’s ‘Are You Ready?’ report highlighted that the settings who most successfully encouraged ‘school readiness’ were those that involved parents in the process. Creating and maintaining an effective relationship with parents during this time of transition makes sure the parent or carer understands the process, has an understanding of their child’s development, and has the information they need to work with their child at home to prepare for them for starting school.
Working with parents ensures that these expectations can be managed in a consistent way across both home and the pre-school setting, which will help build a child's confidence and get them ready for school.
We strongly recommend to all Stepping Up parents that they use all of their funded hours (15 per week for all children from the term after they turn 3 years old, an extra 15 hours for those who meet certain criteria) in order to maximise their child’s learning experiences and strengthen friendships in preparation for school.
Children who are not ‘school ready’
At Stepping Stones we believe that every child develops at their own rate and in their own time. Key Workers and the SENCO regularly monitor the progress of the children at the setting, and if there are any concerns, referrals for additional help are made with the consent of parents (ie: Speech and Language). We passionately believe in the value of Early Intervention and include intervention strategies in our daily working. It is important to note that not all children will be ‘school ready’ by age five, for one reason or another and through no fault of the child or parent.
This may be age related, one child may have only just turned four whereas his classmate is about to turn five. There can be a wide gap in abilities in that fact alone.
Parents and Carers
We believe that parents have a vital role to play in helping children to become school ready. Parents play a crucial role in supporting the child through their transition from home or Pre School, into the school environment, which is far more structured than any other form of prior childcare.
Through shared Tapestry observations, regular email updates, Facebook posts and parent consultations, we work closely with parents and carers to ensure that what is being taught at Stepping Stones is able to be reinforced at home. This level of continuity will ensure that children have a solid foundation on which to build their skills, giving them the best possible chance of being ready for school when the time comes.
Transition to Primary School
We ensure that parents are kept informed of key dates in the Primary School application process. Once places have been communicated to parents, we request this information and arrange transition visits. We welcome Reception teachers visiting prospective pupils
within the setting, and fully support children attending transition days at their new school. We use these new experiences as a stimulus for circle time, this enables children to talk about their new schools, internalise their experiences and helps Key Workers to see if any further support with the transition process is needed. For those children who we are concerned may struggle with the transition (ie: children who we feel have SEN or vulnerable children), we do our very best to arrange additional transition visits.
Our children transfer to many different primary schools in the local area, and we have links with Mary Howard CE (C) Primary School (Edingale), St Stephens Primary School (Fradley), Thomas Russell Infants School (Barton Under Needwood) and Howard Primary School (Elford). The majority of our children transfer to All Saints CE (C) Primary School in Alrewas. We arrange many opportunities throughout the school year for our children to visit this school, for example, they attend Sports Day, Stepping Up children have a joint play afternoon at the school with the school nursery class (their future classmates) and school carol concerts in the church. All of these experiences help to familiarise the children with their new school, surroundings and routines.
This policy was adopted at a meeting of
| ||
Held on (date)
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Signed on behalf of the Management Committee/Proprietor
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Role of signatory (e.g. chairperson etc.)
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The following policy is being revised as relevant staff are being trained.
Mental Health and Well-being
