Policies – Cwtsh Cynnes Nursery

Health and Safety Policy

All accidents at Cwtsh Cynnes involving staff or children are to be recorded in the accident book. (one is in each room) The nature of the injury and the relevant details are to be written down, signed and witnessed. It is essential that this is done as soon as possible following the accident. The public health department must be notified if any of the children are admitted to hospital. Cwtsh Cynnes nursery is committed to monitor and evaluate the health and safety requirements in line with current legislation.

Fire drills, evacuation and other emergency procedures

Yearly inspection of fire equipment by professionals.
Fire drills to be carried out at least once per term and as soon as possible once new members of staff join the setting. All drills are to be recorded.
All new members of staff or students on placement must be made aware of the fire procedure and shown where all fire exits are, and fire equipment kept.
All exits are to be clearly marked and all staff made aware of evacuation procedures and assemble points
In the case of a fire the nursery manager or nominated person will blow the whistle (which is located both upstairs and downstairs) and calmly and orderly collect children and take them to the fire exits and to the assemble point. It is essential that staff and children leave quickly and orderly, leaving behind any personal things, making sure that somebody collects the daily registers. Once assembled outside the building no member of staff should re-enter until it is safe. Fire service must be called once it is safe to do so.

Heating system

Regular servicing of equipment is carried out. Written details of servicing are kept. All electrical appliances are tested annually. All switches are turned off at the end of the day by nominated members of staff and the heating controls are checked to make sure they are correct at the end of each day.

The manager is responsible for ensuring water temperatures are not too hot. The temperature is regularly checked to ensure this and if any member of staff notices a change in the temperature they must report it to the manager as soon as possible and make sure that no children use this water supply until the temperature has been made safe for them to use. The water supply to the children’s wash basins will not exceed 40c and are fitted with thermostats for this purpose.

Health

Administration of medications are strictly controlled and done in accordance with the Medicine Administration Policy and Procedures.

Children will not be admitted if they are showing signs of an illness which may be contagious. Cwtsh Cynnes Nursery follows guidelines from NHS to determine the incubation period for contagious illnesses. If a child becomes unwell during the day, members of staff will ensure that the child is comfortable but does not pose any risk to other children in the setting. A member of management will contact the child’s parents or carer and observe the child closely until they are collected.

Both staff and children are encouraged to maintain personal hygiene.

At Cwtsh Cynnes we have a no smoking policy around the premises. This includes staff and parents.

Doorways

Doorways are always to be kept clear
Carpet must be checked regularly for wear and tear
Fire doors should be clearly marked

Potential hazards

Both fire risk assessments and daily risk assessments are carried out and recorded on the relevant documentation to help prevent and hazards.

Signing children in and out. Carers are required to sigh each child in as they arrive at nursery and out with the person collecting them as they leave the nursery this is in accordance with the health and safety regulations.

Settling in Policy

Here at Cwtsh Cynnes we want your child to feel safe, secure, and happy. Once a deposit has been paid to secure your child’s place at the nursery and an agreed start date has been arranged, we would encourage you and your child to visit before they were due to start and join in with our activities. A period of settling in will be arranged between the nursery and parents that is appropriate and suits the individual needs of their child. There is no set amount of settling in visits for each child as each child is different, this is done to minimise any stress, anxity or separation upset for both parents and their child/children.

On the first visit you can stay with your child and have a look around then arrange some more visits where you can leave your child for a couple of hours so that they can settle in a bit at a time so when it comes to leaving them for the full/part day both staff and child are familiar with each other. We offer mornings and afternoon settling in, usually 9-30-1130 and afternoon 2-30-4-30.

We also want parents to feel welcome and involved from the beginning. To accomplish this, we aim to create a partnership with parents in the following ways:

By creating opportunities for the exchange of information, using among other resources using a copy of the nursery’s prospectus and application pack

By encouraging parents and making time for them to inform the nursery about their children’s current achievements and interests
By encouraging parents to visit the nursery with their children before they start so they can also become familiar with staff and the setting
By making it clear to families from the start that they will be welcomed along with their children and supported for as long as it takes to settle their child
Reassuring parents whose children seem to be taking longer to settle into nursery
Not having too many new families starting the same time so that extra care and support can be given to those starting
By encouraging parents to work alongside the nursery in their child’s development and progress – recording what they have done both in the nursery and at home using the home diaries
By reassuring parents when their child/children are distressed when leaving them that they will be ok. All parents are given the opportunity to phone the nursery for peace of mind that their child has settled

Sickness Policy

We have the following policy which we ask parents to adhere to. This is to ensure the health and wellbeing of all the children at the nursery. We know there may be times when your child is unwell or has an infectious illness, on these occasions we ask that your child be kept home. This is to avoid the illness/infection spreading through the nursery.

Any child who is obviously unwell at the nursery will not be accepted. If your child becomes unwell during the day you will contacted and if necessary asked to collect. If we are unable to contact you personally, we will telephone the other contact numbers that you have given to us and will make the child as comfortable as possible until somebody arrives to collect them. It is therefore essential that you keep your contact details up to date.

The following procedures must be adhered to:

Gastro upsets – children must be excluded for 48 hours after the last attack of diarrhea or sickness
Conjunctivitis – children must be excluded until the course of treatment has finished and the eyes clear from infection
Fever/throat infections – 24 hours after fever has gone down
Hand, foot and mouth – children cannot return until treatment has been given and the spots have cleared
Head lice – any child with head lice must not return until they have been treated
Impetigo – exclusion is necessary until all the scabs have cleared
Chicken pox – minimum period of 7 days from the onset of the rash. All spots must be dry and scabbed over before your child can return
Threadworms – children can return once treatment has been started
Measles – minimum exclusion period of 4 days from the onset of the rash
Meningitis – children can return once they feel well enough and have had the all clear from their doctor
Mumps – minimum exclusion period of 9 days after the swelling subsides
Whooping cough – children can return as soon as they feel well enough

All infectious diseases must be reported to the manager or supervisor who will advise you on the any exclusion periods necessary and will inform other parents (this also applies to staff). This is particularly important to German measles as this can be extremely harmful to expectant mothers.

We ask parents to sign a form giving us permission to deal with any emergencies. If any child is unwell in our care, we have a special permission policy in place which parents sign giving staff permission to administer calpol to help make the child comfortable until parents can arrange for the child to be collected. A medication sheet is also filled in and the parent has to sign it when they collect their child.

The nursery will ensure that the first aid equipment is kept clean, replenished and replaced as necessary. Sterile items will be kept sealed in their packages until needed.

There will always be on the premises at least one qualified first aider trained to administer first aid.

Staff that do not hold a first aid certificate will be encouraged to attend training as soon as possible.

Special Needs Policy

Our nursery aims to provide a warm welcome, and provide care, fun and appropriate and learning opportunities for all children. Children with special needs, like all other children are admitted to the nursery after consultation between parents and nursery management. All children in the group, irrespectively of their special needs, are encouraged wherever possible to participate in all the group’s activities Inc. Outings. The needs and progress of children who have special educational needs are monitored by our nursery special educational needs co-ordinator.

We work closely with the parents of all the children in the nursery to ensure that we plan the best provision for each child attending the nursery. The child’s progress and achievements are shared and discussed with parents on a regular basis – usually at the end of each session and written feedback sheets are also discussed. Parents are aware of the arrangements for the admission and integration of children with special needs. If is felt that the child’s needs cannot be met in the nursery without additional and/or equipment, funding will be sought to ensure that the provision is appropriate to the child’s needs.

We work in liaison with relevant professionals and agencies outside the nursery to meet children’s specific needs. Our staff attend wherever possible training on special needs arranged by the nursery and other professional bodies. We also inform our insurance company if anyone attending the nursery with special needs starts. All the usual records will be kept, in addition a special SEN folder with targets will be produced, this will be used to assist and monitor the progress of children with special needs. All information regarding the child would be kept confidential; no access would be given to anyone other than the parents and referred professionals.

It is the duty of the nursery to carry out our statutory duties to identify, assess and make provision for children’s special educational needs.

Opportunities For Play And Learning

When planning activities and play opportunities we consider all the children’s ages, abilities or disabilities and the children’s interests. All activities will cover all or most of the seven areas of learning which will help each child to develop. Staff within the setting always listen and value what the children are saying and will encourage them to explore their full potential, to be confident, independent and develop their self-esteem. All children are encouraged to use their imagination through the different types of activities provided and will be helped to cope with any new situations in a friendly and understanding manner considering their individual needs.

All the children will be asked daily what they would like the activities to be for that day, so they can have as much choice as possible of what they want they do. As all members of staff get involved in the children’s activities they are constantly observing how the children are reacting to them, so if we find that they are not stimulating the children or we are asking too much or too little from them, changes can be made. When buying new toys and equipment we look at what age range they are targeted at and use that as a guide. All toys and equipment are changed on a weekly basis, so the children experience a wide range of activities.

There are rules within the nursery which all members of staff are aware of, this is so they can make the children aware of them so they can develop a sense of right and wrong. All staff will help the children understand how what they do affect others in a way and using language appropriate to their ages and understanding.

Learn Through Play

We aim to provide well planned play, both indoors and outdoors. This is a keyway in which young children learn with enjoyable yet challenging activities. There are 7 early learning goals:

Personal, social and emotional development

We help the children to from good relationships with adults and peers, teaching and developing independence, confidence and self-respect. This is enriched by our desire for parents and other family members to take an active role in the nursery and their child’s development. The children are encouraged to take turns and share, express feelings and develop the understanding of right and wrong.

Communication. Language and literacy

Enriching a child’s communication skills by encouraging them to ask questions and listen to others is a vital part of our daily activities. We achieve this through storytelling, role play and singing nursery rhymes and songs, always helping children to respond.

Mathematical development

We foster enthusiasm, confidence and the development of knowledge in exploring, using and applying a broad range of mathematical concepts using time, shapes, matching, ordering, patterns, learning to count, numbers and sorting. With practical activities such as water play, cooking, coloring and drawing we can begin to use the vocabulary associated with adding and subtracting.

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Use of observation, comparison, prediction and representation concerning the world around and the way things behave. We encourage the children to explore and investigate objects and materials, help them discover and understand past and present, through the natural world and using technology.

Physical development

We promote enthusiasm, enjoyment and confidence in developing and using physical skills. Gross motor skills are developed through running, jumping, throwing, kicking, and moving around, under, over and through, balancing and climbing. Fine motor skills are encouraged through activities such as threading, cutting, and playing with jigsaw pieces, play dough and clay.

Creative development

Promoting their imagination will enable the children to express their ideas and feelings through role play and other mediums play a vital role in not only their creative development, but also in building their confidence. We encourage the children to explore colour, texture, shape, smell and by using different skills like threading, drawing, painting, printing, music and imaginative play.

Welsh Language Development

Cwtsh Cynnes is a bilingual setting that encourages the children in becoming bilingual. Welsh is an integral part of daily routines. Most children enjoy learning Welsh and learn to use a variety of Welsh words and phrases with each other.

Medication Policy

Children who have infectious or contagious illnesses must not attend the nursery until they are well enough to do so. The medication policy specifically relates to children who require medication to maintain their stable wellbeing, giving them the opportunity to continue coming to the nursery. All staff within the nursery will follow the following procedures:

If possible, the child’s parent/guardian will come into the nursery to administer the medication
Parents written permission will be obtained before any medication is administered and a medication form must be filled in each time, they require their child to have any medication with an understanding of any possible side effects of the medication.
If a child has to self-administer medication written guidance must be supplied by the parent and with an understanding of any possible side effects.
Only prescribed medication will be administered, and the child’s name and the dosage have to be clearly labeled on the medication before it can be given whilst the child is at the nursery
Written information relating to each child’s individual medical needs will be given to the nursery by the child’s parent/guardian when the child first starts the nursery
If there is a change in the child’s health during their time attending the nursery written information must be made available to the nursery by the parent/guardian as soon as possible
There will be at least 1 member of staff on duty who always holds an up to date first aid certificate. This person will also be able to administer any medication
All medication will be stored in a secure place out of the reach from the children in the nursery
The time, dosage and member of staff administering the medication will be recorded and witnessed by another adult in the nursery. The parent/guardian will be required to sign acknowledgment medication has been given when collecting the child from the nursery
All staff will receive regular up to date training
All staff are required to act as would a caring parent/guardian and not as a medically trained practitioner.
Act in line with insurance.

Meeting individual Needs

Each child’s individual needs, including any special educational needs and disabilities, are planned for and provided for at the nursery. When planning provision for all children attending the setting, we look at the information provided by the parents on the assessment forms as well as discussions with parents before their child starts. We have a special needs policy and offer all staff training with meeting individual needs. The nursery is sensitive to the needs and feelings of children with SEN and their families and will ensure individual needs are recognized and addressed. The nursery also works closely with other relevant parties such as health visitors, social workers and Carmarthenshire referral team if any special needs or additional learning needs are identified.

Anti – Bullying Policy

Parents should consult the nursery staff immediately if they think that their child is being bullied. A child may be not able to express their fears but may show a dislike to one child in particular or may be reluctant to attend the nursery. As soon as the staff are aware of these fears or if staff notices any bullying taking place, action will be discussed with parents without delay and the incident will be recorded in the incident book.

Should a child be suspected of bullying staff members will be selected in turn to observe the child close enough to step in to defuse the situation, but not too close for the child to feel that they are being watched. In the event of an incident the staff member will take the child to one side and tell them what they have done (or was about to do) was wrong explain that they cannot repeat their actions. The child will be asked to apologies to the other child/children. Depending on the severity of the action, the child may be moved to another play area. Both children will receive full support to promote better behaviour, close watch will continue until staff are sure that the bullying has stopped.

Adults will not use physical intervention unless it is necessary to prevent personal injury to the child, other children, adults or property. Extreme cases should be reported to CIW – Care Inspectorate Wales

CIW Connect

Care Inspectorate Wales

Welsh Government Office

Sarn Mynach

Llandudno Junction

LL31 9R2 Tel: 03007900126

Food and Drink

Food

Young children can often have strong preferences for one type of food or another and may show signs of allergies towards certain foods.

To ensure that food meets the requirements of the maximum number of children and that it is of the highest quality the following procedure will be followed.

Healthy eating habits will be promoted, and social skills developed and encouraged during refreshment and mealtimes.

Food offered must be fresh, nutritious and well balanced
Foods which contain high proportions of fat, sugar or salt will be avoided
The use of foods containing additives, preservatives and food colourings will be minimised

Main meals will include the following elements:

Protein for growth
Carbohydrates for energy
Vitamins and minerals to protect

Whole pasteurised milk or water will be offered in preference to squash

All dietary requirements must be respected including the following:

Personal choice
Medical
Religious

Diets and eating practices of all cultures will be positively valued giving children an opportunity to identify with the familiar and to learn to enjoy and respect other traditions.

Water

Fresh drinking water is always available.

Milk

Milk is provided in the morning with toast and at snack time with a biscuit.

Meals and Snacks

A hot lunch, followed by fruit, yogurt, homemade biscuits or a cooked pudding, is prepared daily in the nursery. Dietary requirements are accommodated, for example vegetarian preferences and omission of disliked foods.

All children receive water as and when they please throughout the day and milk with toast in the morning and at 2.00pm with a biscuit, a light tea is also prepared by the nurseries resident cook.

Attention will be given to hygiene, storage and waste disposal. Food Safety Act 1990 and Food Safety Amendment (Regulation1990) will be followed and advice will be sought from the Environmental Health Officer where needed.

Record Keeping

The nursery maintains a systematic record keeping system that meets the legal requirements for storing records and sharing information in accordance to the Data Protection Act and Human rights Act.

All records on staff and children are always kept in individual folders in a lockable filing cabinet on the premises. These include registration forms, special permission forms, contracts, correspondence concerning the child or family. Any observations by staff, any confidential information also developmental concerns or child protection matters.

Parents can access their own child’s file at any time except when this would place the child’s welfare at risk., but do not have access to information about any other child.

We retain children’s records for three years after they have left the nursery. These are kept in a secure place.

The records are always available for inspection and all inspection reports are always available to parents.

CIW will be informed at the earliest opportunity if any changes take place that could affect the day to day running in line with all the standards and regulations.

Behaviour Policy

Cwtsh Cynnes nursery will Endeavour to create an atmosphere that encourages good and positive behavior, we believe that children flourish best when they are expected to behave, and gain respect through interaction with caring adults who show them respect and value their individual personalities.

Children need to have set boundaries of behavior for their own and others safety. Within the nursery we aim to set these boundaries in a way which helps the child to develop a sense of significance of their own behavior, both on their own environment and those around them.

Children will never be smacked, humiliated, threatened, left in isolation or made to feel unwelcome.

Staff will act as good role models by showing consideration, respect and good manners amongst themselves and to others particularly the children.
Children will be provided with stimulating activities which will be appropriate for their development stage. Play areas will be provided where a child may enjoy freedom without threatening the enjoyment of others.
Ages will be taken into account when assessing behaviour.
The children will be encouraged to develop self-discipline.
The staff will be positive, constructive and fair. They will reward and praise acceptable behaviour.
The staff will be able to assess whether occurrences are deliberate or accidental.
The staff will be aware of underlying problems, which may lead to unacceptable behaviour.
The staff will work confidently with parents/guardians to promote and encourage acceptable behaviour.

We have a strict routine in the nursery which helps to keep unacceptable behaviour to a minimum. The younger children may misbehave out of frustration and will need help in many areas of play, which may be new to them. As they achieve new goals and receive the appropriate praise, their behaviour improves. The older children enjoy learning to be responsible, small tasks they perform followed by praise and rewards encourage a responsible attitude and good behaviour. All children are rewarded with a star which is worn as a badge. Children who misbehave are taken to one side and told quietly and calmly why their behaviours is unacceptable and are advised clearly, in appropriate language how they should behave. There are NO punishments.

Deliberate bad behaviour is not acceptable and staff will work together with parents/guardians to correct the situation.

Adults do not use any form of physical intervention e.g. holding, unless it is necessary to prevent personal injury to the child, other children, an adult or serious damage to property. Any incident is recorded, and the parent are informed of this on the day. After the member of staff informs the parents of the incident the parents will be asked to sign the form for our records. Staff will receive support in developing positive strategies for responding to and managing children’s behaviuour. Opportunities to develop staff knowledge of effective behaviour management through staff meetings and attending relevant training will be identified and used.

Staffing Ratios

The nursery has a child/staff ratio of:

1-3 aged 2 and under

1-4 aged under 3

1-8 aged 3 and over

We are registered for 28 children to attend each day;

12 under 2s upstairs

16- 2-12 years downstairs Daily sessions run Monday to Friday 7.45am to 6.00pm. There is always enough staff on the premises to make sure that the child/staff ratio is accurate. If we take children outside to play or on outings, we make sure that the child/staff ratios are correct and maintained according to circumstanced. All staff supervising outings are qualified to level3. We have several part- time staff who can cover any holiday or sickness. No students will be counted in numbers with regards to child/staff ratios.

Keeping Parents Informed

It is our policy to keep our parents as well informed as possible as to the nursery life of their children. All our policies and procedures are always kept on site and are available to parents at all times.

We aim to keep parents informed by:

Talking to parents every day, being open, friendly and ready for a chat about their child’s time with us. Details of what their child has achieved, including any significant event or change in behavior will also be discussed.

Verbal and written feedback will be given on a daily basis to ensure you know what your child has eaten and drank and also what activities they have been involved in. If any parent wishes to discuss their child further then an appointment can be made.

Different types of records about each individual child will be logged safely and securely. These will be kept in a lockable filling cabinet on the premises.

A menu will be displayed on the notice board so that you can see at a glance what your child will be eating, a copy will also be sent home for the parents to keep.

The notice board will keep parents informed on what’s going on in and around the nursery.

Time tables are in all rooms and parents are free to look at them, each parent receives a copy of the time tables in their application pack before their child starts nursery.

There will be newsletters given to parents informing them of things that will be happening in the nursery over the next few months e.g. themes etc.

New staff are always introduced to parents at the earliest opportunity.

Named photographs are displayed of all staff working within the nursery together with their position so parents get to know who is who.

Where we can we translate as many of the information provided for parents into both Welsh and English in lines with what parents require. If there was ever a need to translate any information or need to communicate in any other language which no one at the nursery could speak, we would bring in or lease with outside organizations to make this possible so we could communicate well with every parent attending the nursery and keep them informed.

Accident/ Injury Policy

The nursery endeavors to ensure that the children in our care are protected from accidents and injury. Measures are taken to reduce the risk of accidents and procedures are in place if an accident or injury may occur.

Parents are asked to sign an accident book if any injuries occur to their child whilst attending the club. Also, if the child should come into the club with an injury of any kind, the parent will be asked to sign the book on reporting it to staff. If a child has an accident at the nursery and the child requires medical assistance, we shall immediately dial 999 and the parent/guardian contacted as soon as possible.

If the injury is minor and does not require medical assistance the first aider will address the inquiry and complete the accident book, this will then be signed by the first aider present at time of injury and parent.

In the event of an accident at the club staff will:

Deal with any minor accidents
Write all the information, including name of child, age, time accident happened and the location, any witnesses, this will be recorded in the accident book
Ask parents/guardians picking their children up to sign the accident book and read the information regarding the accident
Parents are given a copy of the accident report

The manager is responsible for making sure that all medical information and emergency contact details on the children’s registration documents are all up to date and accurate. When an accident occurs, it is the responsibility of the first aider to determine whether the injury can be dealt with in the setting or if medical assistance in required. In the event of an accident in the home, parents must inform a member of staff and record it in the accident book.

Equal Opportunities Policy

The UN convention on the rights of the child (1991) states: – it is the states obligation to protect children from any form of discrimination and to take positive action to promote their rights.

This policy is intended to provide and maintain quality of opportunities for all children, parents and staff. Cwtsh Cynnes nursery is committed to encourage children and adults of every social class, religion, race and disability to achieve his/her full potential.

The nursery will ensure that everyone in the community has access to information about the nursery. This will be done by local advertisement, posters displayed in public areas such as doctor’s surgery etc in the languages appropriate to the surrounding area.

Cwtsh Cynnes is open to every family. The individual needs of each family will be considered but a first come first serve policy will be in place. The first language of the child will be spoken whenever possible and the use of other languages will be encouraged as appropriate.

Whenever the nursery must take on new employees, the nursery will always appoint the beast person for that job. Commitment to implementing the nurseries equal opportunities policy will form part of the job description for all workers. Advertisement will be in the languages appropriate to the community when possible. Advertisement will be placed externally in the local paper and job center and internally on the notice boards. The existence of an equal opportunities policy will be highlighted. It will be ensured at interviews that the candidate agrees with the policy and will do their best to uphold it by treating every child and their family as individuals. Only questions relevant to the job will be asked, each candidate will be asked broadly the same questions. A welcome and professional approach to interviews will be ensured. All applicants will receive any relevant information regarding the job and will be treated as an individual in compliance with current employment legislation.

The nursery will encourage the involvement of parents/guardians by making them welcome and by respecting the differences in their families, language and culture and by encouraging them to contribute in whatever way they can. The nursery will ensure all families have an equal opportunity to be involved in the running of the nursery. All parents, guardians and staff will be encouraged to understand the effects of stereotyping and discrimination and any discriminatory remarks will be challenged.

The nursery will ensure that all children are respected and their individuality and potential recognized, valued and nurtured. The needs of children in the community will be provided for with special needs wherever possible. The children will be given the opportunity to learn to respect different cultures, languages and celebrations other than their own. The children will be offered activities to give them the opportunity to explore acknowledge and value similarities and differences between themselves and others. Children with special needs will be included in the nursery and in all activities. Any discriminatory remarks or behavior will be challenged, and children will be encouraged to understand the effect of any such remarks or behavior.

Boys and girls are to have equal opportunities and be actively encouraged to use all activities .Cwtsh Cynnes understands the importance of meeting the diverse needs of adults and children to ensure inclusion for all and that all children are prepared for full participation in a diverse, multi-ethnic and multi- lingual society.

Partnership with Parents

Cwtsh Cynnes nursery recognises that parents/carers play a fundamental role in a child’s development as their first educators and our aim is always to support their role. This is acknowledged as the basis for a partnership between Cwtsh Cynnes and parents/carers.

Cwtsh Cynnes nursery will ensure that the parents/carers of children in their care will be listened to, have their wishes respected, be provided with information needed, have their confidentiality respected, be given support and be involved in the care and development of their child.

The staff here are all committed to working in partnership with parents/carers to provide high quality, safe and stimulating care, learning and play opportunities for children.

The relationship between the key worker; child and parent will begin on day one of your child attending the nursery. The key worker will effectively share information with parents for your child’s need to be understood and therefore met. There are also feedback sheets given daily to parents.

The nursery will also hold social gatherings and fund raisers throughout the year these are also good ways to build strong and happy relationships between the parents and the nursery through having fun.

If you feel unsure or not happy with an issue at the setting, please speak to a member of the management team and we will address it.

Health and Hygiene Policy

The nursery will promote a healthy lifestyle and a high standard of hygiene in its day to day work with children and adults. This will be achieved in the following ways:

Food
Outdoor play
Illness
Information sources
Hygiene

Food

All meals and snakes provided will be nutritious and due attention paid to the children’s particular dietary requirements. When cooking with children as an activity, adults will wear appropriate clean clothing and wash their hands before handling food. The food provided should be healthy and wholesome, promoting and extending the children’s understanding of a healthy diet.

Outdoor play

Children can play in the fresh air throughout the year, either in the nursery’s own outside area or in the local park and community play areas.

Illness

Parents/guardians will be asked to keep their children at home if they have any infection, and to inform the nursery as to the nature of the infection so that the nursery can inform others and observe any child who seems unwell.
Information regarding exclusion periods for the commoner communicable diseases will be made available to parents/guardians.
Parents/guardians will be asked not to bring into the nursery any child who has been vomiting and or had diarrhea until at least 24 hours has elapsed since the last attack.
If the children of staff are unwell they will not accompany them in to the nursery.
Cuts or open sores whether on adults or children will be covered.
If a child is on medication the following procedure should be followed:
The child’s parent will where possible administer the medicine. All medication must be clearly labeled with the child’s name, dosage and any instructions.
Staff may administer medication, but only with previous written consent of the child’s parent/guardian.
All medication will be kept in a secure place out of the children’s reach.
A medication sheet will be used to record the name of the child receiving medication, time when the medication was last administered, time it should be administered next, time it was administered and should be signed by the member of staff who administered the medication and by the member of staff who witnessed it. The sheet will also be signed by the parent/guardian.
The nursery will ensure that the first aid equipment is kept clean, replenished and replaced as and when necessary. Sterile items should be kept sealed in packages until needed.

Information sources

The nursery will maintain links with health visitors and gather information and advice from the local health authority information services and other health agencies
Parents/guardians will have the opportunity to discuss health issues with the staff and have access to information available to the nursery.

Hygiene

To prevent the spread of all infection adults in the nursery should ensure good practices are observed:

Person hygiene:
Hands washed after using the toilet
Toothbrushes not shared
Tissues will be available, and children encouraged to blow and wipe their noses as necessary. Soiled tissues will be disposed of.
Children will be encouraged to shield their mouths when coughing
There will be a minimum of one toilet and one wash basin available per ten children.
Paper towels will be available and disposed of appropriately when used.
Gloves and aprons will be worn by members of staff when dealing with body fluids and will be made aware of how to dispose of them hygienically and safely.
Cleaning and clearing:
Spills of blood, vomit or excrement should be wiped up and flushed down the toilet. Floors and other affected areas will be disinfected and any clothing affected will be removed from the person and double bagged.
Spare clothes will be available in case of accidents.
Food:

The nursery will observe current legislation regarding food hygiene and training. In particular each adult will:

Always wash their hands under running water before handling food, and after using the toilet.
Not be involved in the preparation of food if suffering from any infections/contagious illness or skin problem.
Ensure the kitchen area is free from contamination e.g. rodents, flies etc.
Never smoke in the kitchen or any other room containing food.
Never cough or sneeze over food.
Use different cleaning clothes for kitchen and toilet areas.

Nursery Premises

The premises are safe, secure and suitable to care for the young children. The children have ample room to play freely and safely. The premises are very well maintained and are in a good state of repair and decoration. All rooms are bright and colourful; the premises are friendly and welcoming for both children and adults alike. All rooms are well lit with plenty of natural lighting and adequately ventilated

We will use the children’s work to decorate the premises along with posters to make it feel friendly and welcoming for both parents and children.

All rooms have central heating in them and a thermometer is kept in each room to make sure the rooms are kept at a suitable temperature for the children and staff to be comfortable (18 degrees centigrade – 65 degrees Fahrenheit) the heating system will be checked annually by a professional. The play areas are large enough to give scope for free movement and well spread out activities. The outdoor playing area is very secure with fencing all the way round with a lockable gate and a soft ground.

There is plenty of space in the nursery for the children to have quiet/sleep time away from the main play areas. There is a cot room upstairs which the babies and younger children use for sleep time. The main play areas are big enough for a quiet area to be set up so the children can use to go and relax in away from the noisier activities.

There are 2 toilets and wash basins provided for the children as well as 1 staff toilet and wash basin.

All records are kept in a secure, lockable cabinet which the manager or deputy manager have access to. To speak to parents in confidence we take them into the kitchen area if this is not in use otherwise we use the office area.

The kitchen is fully equipped to provide hot/cold meals for the children. The food preparation areas conform to environmental health and food safety regulations. Children do not have access to the kitchen area.

There is a telephone on the premises at all times and the contact number is given to all parents in the information pack so they are able to contact us at any time.

We have a separate laundry area just off the kitchen which we use to wash and clean all nursery laundry including bedding, towels etc. We have an adequate supply of bedding, towels, cloths, spare clothes etc.