Policy & Procedures

Settling In

At Little Me Nursery we aim to support parents and other carers to help their children settle quickly and easily by giving consideration to the individual needs and circumstances of every child and their families. Our aim is for children to feel safe, stimulated and happy in the nursery and to feel secure and comfortable with all staff. We also want parents to have confidence in both their children’s continued well-being and their role as active partners, with the child being able to benefit from what the nursery has to offer.

All our staff know about the importance of building strong attachments with children. They are trained to recognise the different stages of attachment and use this knowledge to support children and families settling in to the nursery.

Our nursery will work in partnership with parents to settle their child into the nursery environment by:

Health & Safety

At Little Me Nursery we provide and maintain safe and healthy working conditions, equipment and systems of work for all our employees and a safe early learning environment in which children learn and are cared for. To develop and promote a strong health and safety culture within the nursery for the benefit of all staff, children and parents, we provide information, training and supervision. We also accept our responsibility for the health and safety of other people who may be affected by our activities.

The allocation of duties for safety matters and the particular arrangements which we will make to implement our health and safety procedures are set out within this policy and we make sufficient resources available to provide a safe environment.

Legal framework

We follow all relevant legislation and associated guidance relating to health and safety within the nursery including:

The requirements of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) 2017
The regulations of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and any other relevant legislation such as Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulation (COSHH)
Any guidance provided by Public Health England, the local health protection unit, the local authority environmental health department, fire authority or the Health and Safety Executive.

Aims and objectives

The aim of this policy statement is to ensure that all reasonably practical steps are taken to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all persons using the premises.

To achieve this we will actively work towards the following objectives:

Establish and maintain a safe and healthy environment throughout the nursery including outdoor spaces
Establish and maintain safe working practices amongst staff and children
Make arrangements for ensuring safety and the minimising of risks to health in connection with the use, handling, storage and transport of hazardous articles and substances
Ensure the provision of sufficient information, instruction and supervision to enable all people working in or using the nursery to avoid hazards and contribute positively to their own health and safety and to ensure that staff have access to regular health and safety training
Maintain a healthy and safe nursery with safe entry and exit routes
Formulate effective procedures for use in case of fire and other emergencies and for evacuating the nursery premises. Practice this procedure on a regular basis to enable the safe and speedy evacuation of the nursery
Maintain a safe working environment for pregnant workers or for workers who have recently given birth, including undertaking appropriate risk assessments
Maintain a safe environment for those with special educational needs and disabilities and ensure all areas of the nursery are accessible (wherever practicable)
Provide a safe environment for students or trainees to learn in
Encourage all staff, visitors and parents to report any unsafe working practices or areas to ensure immediate response by the management.

We believe the risks in the nursery environment are low and we will maintain the maximum protection for children, staff and parents. The nursery will:

Responsibilities

The designated Health and Safety Officer in the nursery is Claire Paduano and Stacey Hayward.

The employer has overall and final responsibility for this policy being carried out at:

Little Me Nursery Bramley House, 25 Main Street, Foxton. LE16 7RB.

The nursery manager/deputy nursery manager will be responsible in his/her absence.

All employees have the responsibility to cooperate with senior staff and the manager to achieve a healthy and safe nursery and to take reasonable care of themselves and others. Neglect of health and safety regulations/duties will be regarded as a disciplinary matter (see separate policy on disciplinary procedures).

Whenever a member of staff notices a health or safety problem which they are not able to rectify, they must immediately report it to the appropriate person named above. Parents and visitors are requested to report any concerns they may have to the deputy manager or manager.

Daily contact, monthly staff meetings and health and safety meetings provide consultation between management and employees. This will include health and safety matters.

Health and safety training

Person responsible for monitoring staff training is Stacey Hayward.

Health and safety is covered in all induction training for new staff.

Training table

Area	Training required	Who
Paediatric First aid	Course	All staff
Dealing with blood	In house training/course	All staff and students
Safeguarding/Child protection	In house training/course	All staff and students
Care of babies	In house training/course	All staff working with under 2’s
Risk assessment	In house training/course	All staff
Fire safety procedures	In house training	All staff and students
Use of fire extinguisher	In house training/course	All staff where possible
Food hygiene	In house training/course	All staff and students
Allergy awareness	In house training/course	All staff and students
Manual handling	In house training/course	All staff and students
Stress awareness and management	In house training/course	All staff
Changing of nappies	In house training	All staff and students
Fire warden duties	External course	Fire Warden
Medication requiring technical or medical knowledge e.g. Epi Pen	External course	As required
SENCO	External course	SENCO
Supervision and appraisal	External course	Manager, deputy and room supervisor

At present at least one member of staff on duty MUST hold a full paediatric First Aid certificate in the nursery and when on outings. In addition to this, all newly qualified

entrants to the early years workforce who have completed a level 2 and/or level 3 qualification on or after 30 June 2016, must also have either a full PFA or an emergency PFA certificate within three months of starting work in order to be included in the required staff: child ratios at level 2 or level 3 in an early years setting.

Health and safety arrangements

Safeguarding Children/Child Protection Policy Aims

At Little Me Nursery we work with children, parents, external agencies and the community to ensure the welfare and safety of children and to give them the very best start in life. Children have the right to be treated with respect, be helped to thrive and to be safe from any abuse in whatever form.

We support the children within our care, protect them from maltreatment and have robust procedures in place to prevent the impairment of children’s health and development. In our setting we strive to protect children from the risk of radicalisation and we promote acceptance and tolerance of other beliefs and cultures (please refer to our inclusion and equality policy for further information). Safeguarding is a much wider subject than the elements covered within this single policy, therefore this document should be used in conjunction with the nursery’s other policies and procedures.

This policy works alongside these other specific policies to cover all aspects of child protection:

Online safety
Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery
Prevent Duty and Radicalisation
Domestic Violence, Honour Based Violence (HBV) and Forced Marriages
Looked After Children

Legal framework and definition of safeguarding

Children Act 1989 and 2004
Childcare Act 2006
Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006
Children and Social Work Act 2017
The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) 2017
Working together to safeguard children 2018
Keeping children safe in education 2018
Data Protection Act 2Ke018
What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused 2015
Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015.

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, in relation to this policy is defined as:

Protecting children from maltreatment
Preventing the impairment of children’s health or development
Ensuring that children are growing up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care
Taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes.

(Definition taken from the HM Government document ‘Working together to safeguard children 2018).

Policy intention

To safeguard children and promote their welfare we will:

Create an environment to encourage children to develop a positive self-image
Provide positive role models and develop a safe culture where staff are confident to raise concerns about professional conduct
Support staff to notice the softer signs of abuse and know what action to take
Encourage children to develop a sense of independence and autonomy in a way that is appropriate to their age and stage of development
Provide a safe and secure environment for all children
Promote tolerance and acceptance of different beliefs, cultures and communities
Help children to understand how they can influence and participate in decision-making and how to promote British values through play, discussion and role modelling
Always listen to children
Provide an environment where practitioners are confident to identify where children and families may need intervention and seek the help they need
Share information with other agencies as appropriate.

The nursery is aware that abuse does occur in our society and we are vigilant in identifying signs of abuse and reporting concerns. Our practitioners have a duty to protect and promote the welfare of children. Due to the many hours of care we are providing, staff may often be the first people to identify that there may be a problem. They may well be the first people in whom children confide information that may suggest abuse or to spot changes in a child’s behaviour which may indicate abuse.

Our prime responsibility is the welfare and well-being of each child in our care. As such we believe we have a duty to the children, parents and staff to act quickly and responsibly in any instance that may come to our attention. This includes sharing information with any relevant agencies such as local authority services for children’s social care, health professionals or the police. All staff will work with other agencies in the best interest of the child, including as part of a multi-agency team, where needed.

The nursery aims to:

We will support children by offering reassurance, comfort and sensitive interactions. We will devise activities according to individual circumstances to enable children to develop confidence and self-esteem within their peer group and support them to learn how to keep themselves safe.

Contact telephone numbers

Local authority children’s social care team 0116 305 0005

Local authority Designated Officer (LADO)0116 305 7057

Local Authority referral team

Ofsted 0300 123 1231

Non-emergency police 101

Government helpline for extremism concerns 020 7340 7264

Types of abuse and particular procedures followed

Abuse and neglect are forms of maltreatment of a child. Somebody may abuse or neglect a child by harming them or by failing to act to prevent harm. Children may be abused within a family, institution or community setting by those known to them or a stranger. This could be an adult or adults, another child or children.

What to do if you’re worried a child is being abused (advice for practitioners) 2015.

The signs and indicators listed below may not necessarily indicate that a child has been abused, but will help us to recognise that something may be wrong, especially if a child shows a number of these symptoms or any of them to a marked degree.

Indicators of child abuse

Failure to thrive and meet developmental milestones
Fearful or withdrawn tendencies
Unexplained injuries to a child or conflicting reports from parents or staff
Repeated injuries
Unaddressed illnesses or injuries
Significant changes to behaviour patterns.

Softer signs of abuse as defined by National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) include:

Low self-esteem
Wetting and soiling
Recurrent nightmares
Aggressive behaviour
Withdrawing communication
Habitual body rocking
Indiscriminate contact or affection seeking
Over-friendliness towards strangers
Excessive clinginess
Persistently seeking attention.

Peer on peer abuse

We are aware that peer on peer abuse does take place, so we include children in our policies when we talk about potential abusers. This may take the form of bullying, physically hurting another child, emotional abuse, or sexual abuse. We will report this in the same way as we do for adults abusing children, and will take advice from the appropriate bodies on this area.

Physical abuse

Action needs to be taken if staff have reason to believe that there has been a physical injury to a child, including deliberate poisoning, where there is definite knowledge or reasonable suspicion that the injury was inflicted or knowingly not prevented. These symptoms may include bruising or injuries in an area that is not usual for a child, e.g. fleshy parts of the arms and legs, back, wrists, ankles and face.

Many children will have cuts and grazes from normal childhood injuries. These should also be logged and discussed with the nursery manager or room leader.

Children and babies may be abused physically through shaking or throwing. Other injuries may include burns or scalds. These are not usual childhood injuries and should always be logged and discussed with the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) and/or nursery manager.

Female genital mutilation

This type of physical abuse is practised as a cultural ritual by certain ethnic groups and there is now more awareness of its prevalence in some communities in England including its effect on the child and any other siblings involved. This procedure may be carried out shortly after birth and during childhood as well as adolescence, just before marriage or during a woman’s first pregnancy and varies widely according to the community[1]. Symptoms may include bleeding, painful areas, acute urinary retention, urinary infection, wound infection, septicaemia, incontinence, vaginal and pelvic infections with depression and post-traumatic stress disorder as well as physiological concerns. If you have concerns about a child relating to this area, you should contact children’s social care team in the same way as other types of physical abuse. There is a mandatory duty to report to police any case where an act of female genital mutilation appears to have been carried out on a girl under the age of 18, we will ensure this is followed in our setting.

Breast Ironing

Breast ironing also known as “breast flattening” is the process where young girls’ breasts are ironed, massaged and/or pounded down through the use of hard or heated objects in order for the breasts to disappear or delay the development of the breasts entirely. It is believed that by carrying out this act, young girls will be protected from harassment, rape, abduction and early forced marriage. Although this is unlikely to happen to children in the nursery due to their age, we will ensure any signs of this in young adults or older children are followed up using the usual safeguarding referral process.

Fabricated illness

This is also a type of physical abuse. This is where a child is presented with an illness that is fabricated by the adult carer. The carer may seek out unnecessary medical treatment or investigation. The signs may include a carer exaggerating a real illness or symptoms, complete fabrication of symptoms or inducing physical illness, e.g. through poisoning, starvation, inappropriate diet. This may also be presented through false allegations of abuse or encouraging the child to appear disabled or ill to obtain unnecessary treatment or specialist support.

Sexual abuse

Action needs be taken if the staff member has witnessed an occasion(s) where a child indicated sexual activity through words, play, drawing, had an excessive preoccupation with sexual matters or had an inappropriate knowledge of adult sexual behaviour or language. This may include acting out sexual activity on dolls/toys or in the role play area with their peers, drawing pictures that are inappropriate for a child, talking about sexual activities or using sexual language or words. The child may become worried when their clothes are removed, e.g. for nappy changes.

The physical symptoms may include genital trauma, discharge and bruises between the legs or signs of a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Emotional symptoms could include a distinct change in a child’s behaviour. They may be withdrawn or overly extroverted and outgoing. They may withdraw away from a particular adult and become distressed if they reach out for them, but they may also be particularly clingy to a potential abuser so all symptoms and signs should be looked at together and assessed as a whole.

If a child starts to talk openly to an adult about abuse they may be experiencing the procedure below will be followed:

Procedure:

The adult should reassure the child and listen without interrupting if the child wishes to talk
The observed instances will be detailed in a confidential report
The observed instances will be reported to the nursery manager or DSL
The matter will be referred to the local authority children’s social care team (see reporting procedures).

Child sexual exploitation (CSE)

Working Together to Safeguard Children defines CSE as “…a form of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity (a) in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or (b) for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator. The victim may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. Child sexual exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology.”

We will be aware of the possibility of CSE and the signs and symptoms this may manifest as. If we have concerns we will follow the same procedures as for other concerns and we will record and refer as appropriate.

Emotional abuse

Action should be taken if the staff member has reason to believe that there is a severe, adverse effect on the behaviour and emotional development of a child, caused by persistent or severe ill treatment or rejection.

This may include extremes of discipline where a child is shouted at or put down on a consistent basis, lack of emotional attachment by a parent, or it may include parents or carers placing inappropriate age or developmental expectations upon them. Emotional abuse may also be imposed through the child witnessing domestic abuse and alcohol and drug misuse by adults caring for them.

The child is likely to show extremes of emotion with this type of abuse. This may include shying away from an adult who is abusing them, becoming withdrawn, aggressive or clingy in order to receive their love and attention. This type of abuse is harder to identify as the child is not likely to show any physical signs.

Neglect

Action should be taken if the staff member has reason to believe that there has been any type of neglect of a child (for example, by exposure to any kind of danger, including cold, starvation or failure to seek medical treatment, when required, on behalf of the child), which results in serious impairment of the child’s health or development, including failure to thrive.

Signs may include a child persistently arriving at nursery unwashed or unkempt, wearing clothes that are too small (especially shoes that may restrict the child’s growth or hurt them), arriving at nursery in the same nappy they went home in or a child having an illness or identified special educational need or disability that is not being addressed by the parent. A child may also be persistently hungry if a parent is withholding food or not providing enough for a child’s needs.

Neglect may also be shown through emotional signs, e.g. a child may not be receiving the attention they need at home and may crave love and support at nursery. They may be clingy and emotional. In addition, neglect may occur through pregnancy as a result of maternal substance abuse.

Domestic Abuse / Honour Based Violence / Forced Marriages

We look at these areas as a child protection concern. Please refer to the separate policy for further details on this.

Reporting Procedures

All staff have a responsibility to report safeguarding concerns and suspicions of abuse. These concerns will be discussed with the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) as soon as possible.

Staff will report their concerns to the DSL (in the absence of the DSL they will be reported to the Deputy DSL)
Any signs of marks/injuries to a child or information a child has given will be recorded and stored securely
If appropriate, the incident will be discussed with the parent/carer, such discussions will be recorded and the parent will have access to these records on request
If there are queries/concerns regarding the injury/information given then the following procedures will take place:

The designated safeguarding lead will:

Contact the local authority children’s social care team to report concerns and seek advice (if it is believed a child is in immediate danger we will contact the police)
Inform Ofsted
Record the information and action taken relating to the concern raised
Speak to the parents (unless advised not do so by LA children’s social care team)
The designated safeguarding lead will follow up with the Local Authority children’s social care team if they have not contacted the setting within the timeframe set out in Working Together to Safeguarding Children (2018). We will never assume that action has been taken,

Keeping children safe is our highest priority and if, for whatever reason, staff do not feel able to report concerns to the DSL or deputy DSL they should call the Local Authority children’s social care team or the NSPCC and report their concerns anonymously.

These contact numbers are displayed on the notice board in reception.

Recording Suspicions of Abuse and Disclosures

Staff should make an objective record of any observation or disclosure, supported by the nursery manager or designated safeguarding lead (DSL). This record should include:

Child’s name
Child’s address
Age of the child and date of birth
Date and time of the observation or the disclosure
Exact words spoken by the child
Exact position and type of any injuries or marks seen
Exact observation of any incident including any concern was reported, with date and time; and the names of any other person present at the time
Any discussion held with the parent(s) (where deemed appropriate).

These records should be signed by the person reporting this and the manager, DSL, or supervisor, dated and kept in a separate confidential file.

If a child starts to talk to an adult about potential abuse it is important not to promise the child complete confidentiality. This promise cannot be kept. It is vital that the child is allowed to talk openly and disclosure is not forced or words put into the child’s mouth. As soon as possible after the disclosure details must be logged accurately.

It may be thought necessary that through discussion with all concerned the matter needs to be raised with the local authority children’s social care team and Ofsted. Staff involved may be asked to supply details of any information/concerns they have with regard to a child. The nursery expects all members of staff to co-operate with the local authority children’s social care, police, and Ofsted in any way necessary to ensure the safety of the children.

Staff must not make any comments either publicly or in private about the supposed or actual behaviour of a parent or member of staff.

Informing parents

Parents are normally the first point of contact. If a suspicion of abuse is recorded, parents are informed at the same time as the report is made, except where the guidance of the local authority children’s social care team/police does not allow this. This will usually be the case where the parent or family member is the likely abuser or where a child may be endangered by this disclosure. In these cases the investigating officers will inform parents.

Confidentiality

All suspicions, enquiries and external investigations are kept confidential and shared only with those who need to know. Any information is shared in line with guidance from the local authority.

Support to families

The nursery takes every step in its power to build up trusting and supportive relations among families, staff, students and volunteers within the nursery.

The nursery continues to welcome the child and the family whilst enquiries are being made in relation to abuse in the home situation. Parents and families will be treated with respect in a non-judgmental manner whilst any external investigations are carried out in the best interest of the child.

Confidential records kept on a child are shared with the child’s parents or those who have parental responsibility for the child, only if appropriate in line with guidance of the local authority with the proviso that the care and safety of the child is paramount. We will do all in our power to support and work with the child’s family.

Allegations against adults working or volunteering with children

If an allegation is made against a member of staff, student or volunteer or any other person who lives or works on the nursery premises regardless of whether the allegation relates to the nursery premises or elsewhere, we will follow the procedure below.

The allegation should be reported to the senior manager on duty. If this person is the subject of the allegation then this should be reported to the owner instead.

The Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) and Ofsted will then be informed immediately in order for this to be investigated by the appropriate bodies promptly:

The LADO will be informed immediately for advice and guidance
If as an individual you feel this will not be taken seriously or are worried about the allegation getting back to the person in question then it is your duty to inform the LADO yourself directly
A full investigation will be carried out by the appropriate professionals (LADO, Ofsted) to determine how this will be handled
The nursery will follow all instructions from the LADO and Ofsted and ask all staff members to do the same and co-operate where required
Support will be provided to all those involved in an allegation throughout the external investigation in line with LADO support and advice
The nursery reserves the right to suspend any member of staff during an investigation
All enquiries/external investigations/interviews will be documented and kept in a locked file for access by the relevant authorities
Unfounded allegations will result in all rights being reinstated
Founded allegations will be passed on to the relevant organisations including the local authority children’s social care team and where an offence is believed to have been committed, the police, and will result in the termination of employment. Ofsted will be notified immediately of this decision. The nursery will also notify the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to ensure their records are updated
All records will be kept until the person reaches normal retirement age or for 21 years and 3 months years if that is longer. This will ensure accurate information is available for references and future DBS checks and avoids any unnecessary reinvestigation
The nursery retains the right to dismiss any member of staff in connection with founded allegations following an inquiry
Counselling will be available for any member of the nursery who is affected by an allegation, their colleagues in the nursery and the parents.

Monitoring children’s attendance

As part of our requirements under the statutory framework and guidance documents we are required to monitor children’s attendance patterns to ensure they are consistent and no cause for concern.

Parents should please inform the nursery prior to their children taking holidays or days off, and all sickness should be called into the nursery on the day so the nursery management are able to account for a child’s absence.

If a child has not arrived at nursery within one hour of their normal start time the parents will be called to ensure the child is safe and healthy. If the parents are not contactable then the further emergency contacts will be used to ensure all parties are safe.

All absences are recorded in our daily register, and funded children’s absences are also recorded in the ‘non-attendance log’.

Where a child is part of a child protection plan, or during a referral process, any absences will immediately be reported to the local authority children’s social care team to ensure the child remains safeguarded.

This should not stop parents taking precious time with their children, but enables children’s attendance to be logged so we know the child is safe.

Looked after children

As part of our safeguarding practice we will ensure our staff are aware of how to keep looked after children safe. In order to do this we ask that we are informed of:

The legal status of the child (e.g. whether the child is being looked after under voluntary arrangements with consent of parents or on an interim or full care order)
Contact arrangements for the biological parents (or those with parental responsibility)
The child’s care arrangements and the levels of authority delegated to the carer by the authority looking after him/her
The details of the child’s social worker and any other support agencies involved
Any child protection plan or care plan in place for the child in question.

Please refer to the Looked After Children policy for further details.

Staffing and volunteering

Our policy is to provide a secure and safe environment for all children. We only allow an adult who is employed by the nursery to care for children and who has an enhanced clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to be left alone with children. We will obtain enhanced criminal records checks (DBS) for all volunteers and do not allow any volunteers to be unsupervised with children.

All staff will receive initial basic child protection training during their induction period. This will include the procedures for spotting signs and behaviours of abuse and abusers/potential abusers, recording and reporting concerns and creating a safe and secure environment for the children in the nursery. During induction staff will be given contact details for the LADO (local authority designated officer), the local authority children’s social care team and Ofsted to enable them to report any safeguarding concerns, independently, if they feel it necessary to do so.

We have named persons within the nursery who take lead responsibility for safeguarding and co-ordinate child protection and welfare issues, known as the Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL), there is always at least one designated person on duty during all opening hours of the setting.

These designated persons will receive comprehensive training at least every two years and update their knowledge on an ongoing basis, but at least once a year.

The nursery DSL’s liaise with the local authority children’s social care team, undertakes specific training, including a child protection training course, and receives regular updates to developments within this field. They in turn support the ongoing development and knowledge update of all staff on the team.

Although, under the EYFS, we are only required to have one designated lead for safeguarding, for best practice and to ensure cover at all times, we have two/three designated leads in place. This enables safeguarding to stay high on our priorities at all times. There will always be at least one designated lead on duty at all times our provision is open. This will ensure that prompt action can be taken if concerns are raised.

The Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) at the nursery are: Stacey Hayward (Nursery Manager), Rachel Payne (Deputy), Holly Murphy (Senior Nursery Nurse) and Claire Paduano (Owner)

We also operate a Phones and Other Electronic Devices and Social Media policy which states how we will keep children safe from these devices whilst at nursery.

Extremism – the Prevent Duty

Under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 we have a duty to refer any concerns of extremism to the police (In Prevent priority areas the local authority will have a Prevent lead who can also provide support).

This may be a cause for concern relating to a change in behaviour of a child or family member, comments causing concern made to a member of the team (or other persons in the setting) or actions that lead staff to be worried about the safety of a child in their care. We have a Prevent Duty and Radicalisation policy in place. Please refer to this for specific details.

Our nursery has a clear commitment to protecting children and promoting welfare. Should anyone believe that this policy is not being upheld, it is their duty to report the matter to the attention of the nursery manager or DSL at the earliest opportunity.

Sickness & Illness

At Little Me Nursery we promote the good health of all children attending. To help keep children healthy and minimise infection, we do not expect children to attend nursery if they are unwell. If a child is unwell it is in their best interest to be in a home environment with adults they know well rather than at nursery with their peers.

Our procedures

In order to take appropriate action of children who become ill and to minimise the spread of infection we implement the following procedures:

Meningitis procedure

If a parent informs the nursery that their child has meningitis, the nursery manager will contact the Local Area Infection Control (IC) Nurse. The IC Nurse will give guidance and support in each individual case. If parents do not inform the nursery, we will be contacted directly by the IC Nurse and the appropriate support will be given. We will follow all guidance given and notify any of the appropriate authorities including Ofsted if necessary.

Transporting children to hospital procedure

The nursery manager/staff member must:

Call for an ambulance immediately if the sickness is severe. DO NOT attempt to transport the sick child in your own vehicle
Whilst waiting for the ambulance, contact the parent(s) and arrange to meet them at the hospital
Redeploy staff if necessary to ensure there is adequate staff deployment to care for the remaining children. This may mean temporarily grouping the children together
Arrange for the most appropriate member of staff to accompany the child taking with them any relevant information such as registration forms, relevant medication sheets, medication and the child’s comforter
Inform a member of the management team immediately
Remain calm at all times. Children who witness an incident may well be affected by it and may need lots of cuddles and reassurance. Staff may also require additional support following the accident.

In the event of a child needing medical treatment but not an ambulance, the nursery will try to contact all emergency contacts repeatedly and failing contact will request a paramedic to attend the setting.

Incubation & Exclusion for Illness

Disease/Illness	Minimal Exclusion Period
Antibiotics prescribed	First 2 days at home
Temperature	Child must be off for 24 hrs
Vomiting	If sent home ill, child must be off for 48 hrs after sickness has stopped
Conjunctivitis	Kept home for 2 days; – there after until eyes are no longer weeping
Diarrhoea	48 Hours after normal bowel movement
Chickenpox	5-7 days from appearance of the rash
Gastroenteritis, Food poisoning, Salmonellosis & Dysentery	Until authorised by family physician
Hand Foot & Mouth	Kept at home till spots and blisters have disappeared
Infective Hepatitis	7 days from onset of jaundice
Meningitis infection	Until recovered from illness
Measles	7 days from appearance of rash
Mumps	Until the swelling has subsided and in no case, less than 7 days from onset of illness
Whooping cough	5 days from starting antibiotics or 21 days from onset of paroxysmal cough, if no treatment given
Poliomyelitis	Until declared free from infection by family physician
Rubella (German measles)	4 days from appearance of the rash
Scarlet Fever and Streptococcal Infection of the throat	Until appropriate medical treatment has been given and in no case for less than 5 day’s from start of treatment
Tuberculosis	Until declared free from infection by family physician
Typhoid Fever	Until declared free from infection by family physician.
Impetigo	Until the skin has healed
Pediculosis (Lice)	Until appropriate treatment has been given
Plantar warts	No exclusion, should be treated and covered
Ringworm of the scalp	Until treatment given
Ringworm of the body	Seldom necessary to exclude provided treatment is being given
Scabies	Need no be excluded once the appropriate treatment has been given
E-coli 0157	Exclusion for some, discuss with Manager

THIS IS NOT A DEFINITIVE LIST. ANYTHING NOT LISTED MUST BE DISCUSSED ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS WITH THE NURSERY MANAGER.

Promoting Positive Behaviour

At Little Me Nursery we believe that children flourish best when they know how they and others are expected to behave. Children gain respect through interaction with caring adults who act as good role models, show them respect and value their individual personalities. The nursery actively promotes British values and encourages and praises positive, caring and polite behaviour at all times and provides an environment where children learn to respect themselves, other people and their surroundings.

Children need to have set boundaries of behaviour for their own safety and the safety of their peers. Within the nursery we aim to set these boundaries in a way which helps the child to develop a sense of the significance of their own behaviour, both in their own environment and that of others around them. Restrictions on the child’s natural desire to explore and develop their own ideas and concepts are kept to a minimum.

We aim to:

Recognise the individuality of all our children and that some behaviours are normal in young children e.g. biting
Encourage self-discipline, consideration for each other, our surroundings and property
Encourage children to participate in a wide range of group activities to enable them to develop their social skills
Ensure that all staff act as positive role models for children
Encourage parents and other visitors to be positive role models and challenge any poor behaviour shown
Work in partnership with parents by communicating openly
Praise children and acknowledge their positive actions and attitudes, therefore ensuring that children see that we value and respect them
Encourage all staff working with children to accept their responsibility for implementing the goals in this policy and to be consistent
Promote non-violence and encourage children to deal with conflict peacefully
Provide a key person system enabling staff to build a strong and positive relationship with children and their families
Provide activities and stories to help children learn about accepted behaviours, including opportunities for children to contribute to decisions about accepted behaviour where age/stage appropriate
Supporting and developing self-regulation and empathy as appropriate to stage of development
Have a named person who has overall responsibility for behaviour management.

The named person; Stacey Hayward for managing behaviour will:

Advise and support other staff on behaviour issues
Will keep up to date with legislation and research relating to behaviour
Support changes to policies and procedures in the nursery
Access relevant sources of expertise where required and act as a central information source for all involved
Attend regular external training events, and ensure all staff attend relevant in-house or external training for behaviour management. Keep a record of staff attendance at this training.

Children who behave inappropriately, for example, by physically abusing another child or adult e.g. biting, or through verbal bullying, are helped to talk through their actions and apologise where appropriate. We make sure that the child who has been upset is comforted and the adult will confirm that the other child’s behaviour is not acceptable. We always acknowledge when a child is feeling angry or upset and that it is the behaviour that is not acceptable, not the child.

When children behave in unacceptable ways:

Anti-bullying

Bullying takes many forms. It can be physical, verbal or emotional, but it is always a repeated behaviour that makes other people feel uncomfortable or threatened. We acknowledge that any form of bullying is unacceptable and will be dealt with immediately while recognising that physical aggression is part of children’s development in their early years.

We recognise that children need their own time and space and that it is not always appropriate to expect a child to share. We believe it is important to acknowledge each child’s feelings and to help them understand how others might be feeling.

We encourage children to recognise that bullying, fighting, hurting and discriminatory comments are not acceptable behaviour. We want children to recognise that certain actions are right and that others are wrong.

At our nursery, staff follow the procedure below to enable them to deal with challenging behaviour:

Staff are encouraged to ensure that all children feel safe, happy and secure
Staff are encouraged to recognise that active physical aggression in the early years is part of the child’s development and that it should be channelled in a positive way
Children are helped to understand that using aggression to get things, is inappropriate and they will be encouraged to resolve problems in other ways
Our staff will intervene when they think a child is being bullied, however mild or harmless it may seem
Staff will initiate games and activities with children when they feel play has become aggressive, both indoors or out
Staff will sensitively discuss any instance of bullying with the parents of all involved to look for a consistent resolution to the behaviour

We will ensure that this policy is available for staff and parents and it will be actively publicised at least once a year to parents and staff.
If any parent has a concern about their child, a member of staff will be available to discuss those concerns. It is only through co-operation that we can ensure our children feel confident and secure in their environment, both at home and in the nursery
All concerns will be treated in the strictest confidence.

By positively promoting good behaviour, valuing co-operation and a caring attitude, we hope to ensure that children will develop as responsible members of society.

Inclusion & Equality

At Little Me Nursery we take great care to treat each individual as a person in their own right, with equal rights and responsibilities to any other individual, whether they are an adult or a child. We are committed to providing equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice for all children and families according to their individual needs. Discrimination on the grounds of gender, age, race, religion or belief, marriage or civil partnership, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity, ethnic or national origin, or political belief has no place within our nursery.

A commitment to implementing our inclusion and equality policy will form part of each employee’s job description. Should anyone believe that this policy is not being upheld, it is their duty to report the matter to the attention of the Nursery Manager at the earliest opportunity. Appropriate steps will then be taken to investigate the matter and if such concerns are well-founded, disciplinary action will be invoked under the nursery’s disciplinary policy.

The legal framework for this policy is based on:

Special Education Needs and Disabilities Code of Practice 2015
Children and Families Act 2014
Equality Act 2010
Childcare Act 2006
Children Act 2004
Care Standards Act 2002
Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001.

The nursery and staff are committed to:

Recruiting, selecting, training and promoting individuals on the basis of occupational skills requirements. In this respect, the nursery will ensure that no job applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, sex, gender reassignment, disability, marriage or civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity/paternity
Providing a childcare place, wherever possible, for children who may have learning difficulties and/or disabilities or are deemed disadvantaged according to their individual circumstances, and the nursery’s ability to provide the necessary standard of care
Making reasonable adjustments for children with special educational needs and disabilities
Striving to promote equal access to services and projects by taking practical steps (wherever possible and reasonable), such as ensuring access to people with additional needs and by producing materials in relevant languages and media for all children and their families
Providing a secure environment in which all our children can flourish and all contributions are valued
Including and valuing the contribution of all families to our understanding of equality, inclusion and diversity
Providing positive non-stereotypical information
Continually improving our knowledge and understanding of issues of equality, inclusion and diversity
Regularly reviewing, monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of inclusive practices to ensure they promote and value diversity and difference and that the policy is effective and practices are non-discriminatory
Making inclusion a thread which runs through the entirety of the nursery, for example, by encouraging positive role models through the use of toys, imaginary play and activities, promoting non-stereotypical images and language and challenging all discriminatory behaviour (see dealing with discriminatory behaviour policy).

Admissions/service provision

The nursery is accessible to all children and families in the local community and further afield through a comprehensive and inclusive admissions policy.

The nursery will strive to ensure that all services and projects are accessible and relevant to all groups and individuals in the community within targeted age groups.

Recruitment

Recruitment, promotion and other selection exercises such as redundancy selection will be conducted on the basis of merit, against objective criteria that avoid discrimination. Shortlisting should be done by more than one person if possible.

All members of the selection group will be committed to the inclusive practice set out in this policy and will have received appropriate training in this regard.

Application forms will be sent out along with a copy of the equal opportunities monitoring form. Application forms will not include questions that potentially discriminate on the grounds specified in the statement of intent.

Vacancies should generally be advertised to a diverse section of the labour market. Advertisements should avoid stereotyping or using wording that may discourage particular groups from applying.

At interview, no questions will be posed which potentially discriminate on the grounds specified in the statement of intent. All candidates will be asked the same questions and members of the selection group will not introduce nor use any personal knowledge of candidates acquired outside the selection process. Candidates will be given the opportunity to receive feedback on the reasons why they were not successful.

Under the Equality Act 2010 you can only ask questions prior to offering someone employment in the following circumstances:

You need to establish whether the applicant will be able to comply with a requirement to undergo an assessment (i.e. an interview or selection test)
You need to establish whether the applicant will be able to carry out a function that is intrinsic to the work concerned
You want to monitor diversity in the range of people applying for work
You want to take positive action towards a particular group – for example offering a guaranteed interview scheme
You require someone with a particular disability because of an occupational requirement for the job.

The national College for Teaching and Leadership provides further guidance specific to working with children:

Providers have a responsibility to ensure that practitioners have the health and physical capacity to teach and will not put children and young people at risk of harm. The activities that a practitioner must be able to perform are set out in the Education (Health Standards England) Regulations 2003. Providers are responsible for ensuring that only practitioners who have the capacity to teach remain on the staff team.

People with disabilities or chronic illnesses may have the capacity to teach, just as those without disabilities or medical conditions may be unsuitable to teach. Further information on training to teach with a disability is available from the DfE website.

Successful applicants offered a position may be asked to complete a fitness questionnaire prior to commencing the programme. Providers should not ask all-encompassing health questions, but should ensure that they only ask targeted and relevant health-related questions, which are necessary to ensure that a person is able to teach.

Staff

It is the policy of Little Me Nursery not to discriminate in the treatment of individuals. All staff are expected to co-operate with the implementation, monitoring and improvement of this and other policies. All staff are expected to challenge language, actions, behaviours and attitudes which are oppressive or discriminatory on the grounds specified in this policy and recognise and celebrate other cultures and traditions. All staff are expected to participate in equality and inclusion training.

Staff will follow the ‘Dealing with Discriminatory Behaviour’ policy where applicable to report any discriminatory behaviours observed.

Training

The nursery recognises the importance of training as a key factor in the implementation of an effective inclusion and equality policy. All new staff receive induction training including specific reference to the inclusion and equality policy. The nursery will strive towards the provision of inclusion, equality and diversity training for all staff on a regular basis.

Early learning framework

Early learning opportunities offered in the nursery encourage children to develop positive attitudes to people who are different from them. 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
Ensuring that all children have equal access to early learning and play opportunities
Reflecting the widest possible range of communities in the choice of resources
Avoiding stereotypical or derogatory images in the selection of materials
Acknowledging and celebrating a wide range of religions, beliefs and festivals
Creating an environment of mutual respect and empathy
Helping children to understand that discriminatory behaviour and remarks are unacceptable
Ensuring that all early learning opportunities offered are inclusive of children with learning difficulties and/or disabilities and children from disadvantaged backgrounds
Ensuring that children whose first language is not English have full access to early learning opportunities and are supported in their learning
Working in partnership with all families to ensure they understand the policy and challenge any discriminatory comments made
Ensuring the medical, cultural and dietary needs of children are met
Identifying a key person to each child who will continuously observe, assess and plan for children’s learning and development
Helping children to learn about a range of food and cultural approaches to meal times and to respect the differences among them.

Information and meetings

Information about the nursery, its activities and their children’s development will be given in a variety of ways according to individual needs (written, verbal and translated), to ensure that all parents can access the information they need.

Wherever possible, meetings will be arranged to give all families options to attend and contribute their ideas about the running of the nursery.

Parents & Carers as Partners

At Little Me Nursery we believe that parents and staff need to work together in a close partnership in order for children to receive the quality of care and early learning to meet their individual needs. We welcome parents as partners and support a two-way sharing of information that helps establish trust and understanding. We are committed to supporting parents in an open and sensitive manner to include them as an integral part of the care and early learning team within the nursery.

The key person system supports engagement with all parents and will use strategies to ensure that all parents can contribute to their child’s learning and development. Parents contribute to initial assessments of children’s starting points on entry and they are kept well informed about their children’s progress. Parents are encouraged to support and share information about their children’s learning and development at home. The key person system ensures all practitioners use effective, targeted strategies and interventions to support learning that match most children’s individual needs.

Our policy is to:

Early Learning Opportunties Statement

At Little Me Nursery we recognise that children learn in different ways and at different rates and plan for this accordingly. Our aim is to support all children attending the nursery to attain their maximum potential within their individual capabilities.

We provide a positive play environment for every child, so they may develop good social skills and an appreciation of all aspects of this country’s multi-cultural society. We plan learning experiences to ensure, as far as practical, there is equality of opportunity for all children and a celebration of diversity.

We maintain a personalised record of every child’s development, showing their abilities, progress, interests and areas needing further staff or parental assistance.

For children whose home language is not English, we will take reasonable steps to:

Provide opportunities for children to develop and use their home language in play and learning and support their language development at home; and
Ensure that children have sufficient opportunities to learn and reach a good standard in English language during the EYFS, ensuring that children are ready to benefit from the opportunities available to them when they begin year.

We ensure that the educational programmes are well planned and resourced to have depth and breadth across the seven areas of learning. They provide interesting and challenging experiences that meet the needs of all children. Planning is based on a secure knowledge and understanding of how to promote the learning and development of young children and what they can achieve.

We implement the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) set by the Department for Education that sets standards to ensure all children learn and develop well. We support and enhance children’s learning and development holistically through play-based activities. We review all aspects of learning and development and ensure a flexible approach is maintained, which responds quickly to children’s learning and developmental needs. We develop tailor-made activities based on observations which inform future planning and draw on children’s needs and interests. This is promoted through a balance of adult-led and child-initiated opportunities both indoors and outdoors.

Direct observation is supplemented by a range of other evidence to evaluate the impact that practitioners have on the progress children make in their learning including:

evidence of assessment that includes the progress of different groups of children:
assessment on entry (starting point), including parental contributions
two-year-old progress checks (where applicable)
on-going (formative) assessments, including any parental contributions
The Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (where applicable) or any other summative assessment when children leave.

We acknowledge parents as primary educators and encourage parental involvement as outlined in our Parents and Carers as Partners policy. We build strong home links in order to enhance and extend children’s learning both within the nursery environment and in the child’s home.

We share information about the EYFS curriculum with parents and signpost them to further support via the following website:

www.foundationyears.org.uk/

SEND

This policy has been created with regard to:

The SEND Code Of Practice 2015
Children and Families Act 2014 (Part 3)
Equality Act 2010
Working Together to Safeguard Children (2018)
EYFS

Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) code of practice.

The nursery has regard to the statutory guidance set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability code of practice (DfE 2015) to identify, assess and make provision for children’s special educational needs.

At Little Me Nursery we use the SEND Code of Practice (2015) definition of Special Educational Needs and Disability:

A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.

A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:

has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of others of the same age, or
has a disability which prevents or hinders him or her from making use of facilities of a kind generally provided for others of the same age in mainstream schools or mainstream post-16 institutions.

Statement of intent

At Little Me Nursery we are committed to the inclusion of all children. All children have the right to be cared for and educated to develop to their full potential alongside their peers through positive experiences, to enable them to share opportunities and experiences and develop and learn from each other. We provide a positive and welcoming environment where children are supported according to their individual needs and we work hard to ensure no children are discriminated against or put at a disadvantage as a consequence of their needs. Each child’s needs are unique, therefore any attempt to categorise children is inappropriate.

We are committed to working in partnership with parents in order to meet their child’s individual needs and develop to their full potential. We are committed to working with any child who has a specific need and/or disability and making reasonable adjustments to enable every child to make full use of the nursery’s facilities. All children have a right to a broad and well-balanced early learning environment.

The nursery will undertake a Progress Check of all children at age two in accordance with the Code of Practice. The early years provider will also undertake an assessment every six months and at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage (in the final term of the year in which a child turns five) to prepare an EYFS Profile of the child.

Where we believe a child may have additional needs that have previously been unacknowledged, we will work closely with the child’s parents and any relevant professionals to establish if any additional action is required.

Where a child has additional needs, we feel it is paramount to find out as much as possible about those needs; any way that this may affect his/her early learning or care needs and any additional help he/she may need by:

Liaising with the child’s parents and, where appropriate, the child
Liaising with any professional agencies
Reading any reports that have been prepared
Attending any review meetings with the local authority/professionals
Observing each child’s development and monitoring such observations regularly.

All children will be given a full settling in period when joining the nursery according to their individual needs.

We will:

Recognise each child’s individual needs and ensure all staff are aware of, and have regard for, the Special Educational Needs Code of Practice

Ensure that all children are treated as individuals/equals and are supported to take part in every aspect of the nursery day according to their individual needs and abilities

Include all children and their families in our provision
Identify the specific needs of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and meet those needs through a range of strategies
Ensure that children who learn at an accelerated pace e.g. gifted and talented children are also supported

Encourage children to value and respect others

Provide well informed and suitably trained practitioners to help support parents and children with special educational difficulties and/or disabilities
Develop and maintain a core team of staff who are experienced in the care of children with additional needs and identify a Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENCO) who is experienced in the care and assessment of children with additional needs. Staff will be provided with specific training relating to SEND and the SEND Code of Practice
Monitor and review our practice and provision and, if necessary, make adjustments, and seek specialist equipment and services if needed
Challenge inappropriate attitudes and practices
Promote positive images and role models during play experiences of those with additional needs wherever possible
Celebrate diversity in all aspects of play and learning.
Work in partnership with parents and other agencies in order to meet individual children’s needs, including the education, health and care authorities, and seek advice, support and training where required
Share any statutory and other assessments made by the nursery with parents and support parents in seeking any help they or the child may need

Our nursery Special Education Needs and Disabilities Co-ordinators (SENCO) are Stacey Hayward and Holly Murphy

The role of the SENCO In our setting includes:

ensuring all practitioners in the setting understand their responsibilities to children with SEN and the setting’s approach to identifying and meeting SEN
advising and supporting colleagues
ensuring parents are closely involved throughout and that their insights inform action taken by the setting
liaising with professionals or agencies beyond the setting
taking the lead in implementing the graduated approach and supporting colleagues through each stage of the process.

We will:

Designate a named member of staff to be the SENCO and share their name with parents

Have high aspirations for all children and support them to achieve to their full potential

Effective assessment of the need for early help

Local agencies should work together to put processes in place for the effective assessment of the needs of individual children who may benefit from early help services. Children and families may need support from a wide range of local agencies. Where a child and family would benefit from coordinated support from more than one agency (e.g. education, health, housing, police) there should be an inter-agency assessment. These early help assessments, such as the Common Assessment Framework, should identify what help the child and family require to prevent needs escalating to a point where intervention would be needed via a statutory assessment under the Children Act 1989.

The early help assessment should be undertaken by a lead professional who should provide support to the child and family, act as an advocate on their behalf and coordinate the delivery of support services. The lead professional role could be undertaken by a General Practitioner (GP), family support worker, teacher, health visitor and/or special educational needs coordinator. Decisions about who should be the lead professional should be taken on a case by case basis and should be informed by the child and their family.

For an early help assessment to be effective:

The assessment should be undertaken with the agreement of the child and their parents or carers. It should involve the child and family as well as all the professionals who are working with them;
A teacher, GP, health visitor, early years’ worker or other professional should be able to discuss concerns they may have about a child and family with a social worker in the local authority. Local authority children’s social care should set out the process for how this will happen; and
If parents and/or the child do not consent to an early help assessment, then the lead professional should make a judgement as to whether, without help, the needs of the child will escalate. If so, a referral into local authority children’s social care may be necessary.

If at any time it is considered that the child may be a child in need as defined in the Children Act 1989, or that the child has suffered significant harm, or is likely to do so, a referral should be made immediately to local authority children’s social care. This referral can be made by any professional. Working together to safeguard children 2018

Graduated Approach

We follow the SEND Code of Practice (2015) recommendation that, in addition to the formal checks above, nurseries should adopt a graduated approach to assessment and planning, led and coordinated by a SENCO. Good practice of working together with parents, and the observation and monitoring of children’s individual progress, will help identify any child with special educational needs or disability. This graduated approach will be led and coordinated by the SENCO and appropriate records will be kept according to the Code of Practice.

Assess

In identifying a child as needing SEN support, the key person, working with the SENCO and the child’s parents, will carry out an analysis of the child’s needs. This initial assessment will be reviewed regularly to ensure that support is matched to need. Where there is little or no improvement in the child’s progress, more specialist assessment may be called for from specialist teachers or from health, social services or other agencies beyond the setting. Where professionals are not already working with the setting, the SENCO will contact them, with the parents’ agreement.

Plan

Where it is decided to provide SEN support, and having formally notified the parents, the key person and the SENCO, in consultation with the parent, will agree the outcomes they are seeking, the interventions and support to be put in place, the expected impact on progress, development or behaviour, and a clear date for review. Plans will take into account the views of the child.

The support and intervention provided will be selected to meet the outcomes identified for the child, based on reliable evidence of effectiveness, and provided by practitioners with relevant skills and knowledge. Any related staff development needs should be identified and addressed. Parents will be involved in planning support and, where appropriate, in reinforcing the provision or contributing to progress at home.

Do

The child’s key person will be responsible for working with the child on a daily basis. With support from the SENCO, they will oversee the implementation of the intervention agreed as part of SEN support. The SENCO will support the key person in assessing the child’s response to the action taken, in problem solving and advising on the effective implementation of support.

Review

The effectiveness of the support and its impact on the child’s progress will be reviewed in line with the agreed date. The impact and quality of the support will be evaluated by the key person and the SENCO in full consultation with the child’s parents and taking into account the child’s views. Information will be shared with parents about the impact of the support provided.

Assess – The key person works with the setting SENCO and the child’s parents and brings together all the information, then analyses the child’s needs.

Plan – The key person and the SENCO will agree, in consultation with the parent, the outcomes they are seeking for the child, the interventions and support to be put in place, the expected impact on progress, development and behaviour and finally a date for review.

Do – The child’s key person implements the agreed interventions or programmes

Review – On the agreed date, the key person and SENCO working with the child’s parents, and taking into account the child’s views, will review the effectiveness of the support and the impact of the support on the child’s progress. They will then evaluate the impact and quality of support on the child.

SEND PLAN and Education and Health Plan (EHC)

Some children and young people may require an SEND/EHC needs assessment in order to decide whether it is necessary to develop an SEND/EHC plan. The purpose of an SEND/ EHC plan is to make adjustments and offer support to meet the special educational needs of the child, to secure the best possible outcomes for them across education, health and social care.

The local authority will conduct the SEND/EHC needs assessment and take into account a wide range of evidence, including

evidence of the child’s developmental milestones and rate of progress
information about the nature, extent and context of the child’s SEN
evidence of the action already being taken by us as the early years provider to meet the child’s SEN
evidence that, where progress has been made, it has only been as the result of much additional intervention and support over and above that which is usually provided
evidence of the child’s physical, emotional and social development and health needs, drawing on relevant evidence from clinicians and other health professionals and what has been done to meet these by other agencies.

We will then work with the local authority and other bodies to ensure that the child receives the support they need to gain the best outcomes.

Nutrition & Mealtimes

At Little Me Nursery we believe that mealtimes should be happy, social occasions for children and staff alike. We promote shared, enjoyable positive interactions at these times.

We are committed to offering children healthy, nutritious and balanced meals and snacks which meet individual needs and requirements.

We will ensure that:

Outdoor Play

At Little Me Nursery we are committed to the importance of daily outdoor play and the physical development of all children regardless of their age and stage of development. We provide outdoor play in all weathers. Where possible and appropriate, we make outdoor activities accessible to children with learning difficulties and disabilities to ensure inclusive use of the outdoor area.

We recognise that children need regular access to outdoor play in order to keep fit and healthy, develop their large and fine motor skills, experience learning in a natural environment and access sunlight in order to absorb vitamin D more effectively. We also refer to The Chief Medical Office guidance on physical activity. [1]

The outdoor areas, both within the nursery grounds and in the local community have a wealth of experiences and resources which help children to develop in a variety of ways, including independence, exploration and investigative skills, risk taking and self-esteem, all of which support children to develop skills now and for the future.

We ensure all areas are safe and secure through close supervision and the use of robust risk assessments and safety checks. Where possible and appropriate, we plan and encourage play that helps children understand and manage risks. This type of play allows children to explore and find their own boundaries in a safe environment with supportive practitioners. Staff are informed of the importance of safety procedures and are trained appropriately to ensure these procedures are followed effectively.

We obtain parental permission before any child leaves the nursery during the day. This includes short outings into the local community. There is more information in the outings policy.

We plan all outdoor play opportunities and outings to complement the indoor activities and provide children with purposeful activities that support and follow individual children’s interests. There is a balance of both adult-led and child-initiated opportunities to enable children to learn and practice new skills, knowledge and behaviours.

Where activities take place away from the setting (e.g. in the local wood) then a mobile phone and first aid kit will be taken to ensure the safety of children at all times. A trained paediatric first aider will be present when away from the main setting.

We use this policy alongside the following policies to ensure the safety and welfare of children throughout their time outside:

Sun Care

At Little Me Nursery we are committed to ensuring that all children are fully protected from the dangers of too much sun/UV rays. Severe sunburn in childhood can lead to the development of malignant melanoma (the most dangerous type of skin cancer) in later life.

We follow guidance from the weather and UV level reports and use the following procedures to keep children safe and healthy in the sun:

Key persons will work with the parents of their key children to decide and agree on suitable precautions to protect children from burning, including those with more sensitive skin types and those that may be more tolerant to the sunshine, e.g. black and/or Asian colouring
Children must have a clearly labelled sun hat which will be worn at all times whilst outside in sunny weather. This hat will preferably be of legionnaires design (i.e. with an extended back and side to shield children’s neck and ears from the sun) to provide additional protection
Children must have their own labelled high factor sun cream with prior written consent for staff to apply. This enables children to have sun cream suitable for their own individual needs. Staff must be aware of the expiry date and discard sunscreen after this date
Parents are requested to supply light-weight cotton clothing for their children suitable for the sun, with long sleeves and long legs
Children’s safety and welfare in hot weather is the nursery’s prime objective so staff will work closely with parents to ensure all appropriate cream and clothing is provided
Staff will make day-to-day decisions about the length of time spent outside depending on the strength of the sun; children will not be allowed in the direct sunlight between 11.00am – 3.00pm on hot days
Children will always have sun cream applied before going outside in the hot weather and at frequent intervals during the day
Children are encouraged to drink cooled water more frequently throughout sunny or warm days and this will be accessible both indoors and out
Children are made aware of the need for sun hats, sun cream and the need to drink more fluids during their time in the sun
Shade will be provided to ensure children are able to still go out in hot weather, cool down or escape the sun should they wish or need to.

Vitamin D

Sunlight is important for the body to receive vitamin D. We need vitamin D to help the body absorb calcium and phosphate from our diet. These minerals are important for healthy bones, teeth and muscles.

Our body creates vitamin D from direct sunlight on our skin when we are outdoors. Most people can make enough vitamin D from being out in the sun daily for short periods with their hands or other body parts uncovered. Sun cream will stop the ultraviolet B (UVB) rays from reaching your skin, so part of your body should be uncovered and not have sun cream on. At nursery we find the right balance to protecting children from sunburn as well as allowing the skin to access the sun for the vitamin D benefits, e.g. hands will be left without sun cream but children will be fully monitored to ensure no hands are burnt.

The benefits will be discussed with parents and their wishes will be followed with regard to the amount of sun cream applied.

Adverse Weather

At Little Me Nursery we have an adverse weather policy in place to ensure our nursery is prepared for all weather conditions that might affect the running of the nursery such as floods, snow and heat waves.

If any of these incidents impact on the ability of the nursery to open or operate, we will contact parents via phone.

We will not take children outdoors where we judge that weather conditions make it unsafe to do so.

Flood

In the case of a flood we will follow our critical incident procedure to enable all children and staff to be safe and continuity of care to be planned for.

Snow or other severe weather

If high snowfall, or another severe weather condition such as dense fog, is threatened during a nursery day then the manager will take the decision as to whether to close the nursery. This decision will take into account the safety of the children, their parents and the staff team. In the event of a planned closure during the nursery day, we will contact all parents to arrange for collection of their child.

In the event of staff shortages due to snow or other severe weather, we will contact all available off duty staff and group the children differently until they are able to arrive. If we are unable to maintain statutory ratio requirements after all avenues are explored, and we feel the safety, health or welfare of the children is compromised then we will take the decision to close the nursery.

Heat wave

Please refer to our sun care policy.

Quality Provision Policy

At Little Me Nursery we aim to provide high quality care and education for all children. High quality care leads directly to better outcomes for children and this is what we are all aiming for.

As part of our quality practice we will do the following to ensure children receive the best care and education:

Ensure high expectations for children to realise the best outcomes
Ensure all staff know what is meant by quality practice and how to deliver it
Create a quality vision that all staff can follow
Deliver high quality practice and teaching that makes a difference on a daily basis to children’s outcomes.
Ensure a solid understanding of the importance of pedagogy (The method and practice of teaching) and chid development amongst all practitioners
Value continuous professional development in all staff and access a variety of training and development to support the needs of the children in the nursery
Evaluate the effectiveness of training and link to the outcomes for children
Ensure all staff are confident in their roles and have the training they need to be able to perform these roles
Conduct regular supervision meetings with all team members to ensure all staff are supported to be the best they can be
Use peer on peer observations to share, discuss and improve practice across the setting
Monitor all practice and feedback ideas for improvement
Ensure all planning, observation, assessment and next steps are linked to each individual child’s needs and interests and are evaluated for effectiveness
Undertake a quality programme to ensure all quality is embedded throughout the nursery
Engage with families and carers and link across the home learning environment and other carers to provide consistency of care and education
Operate a robust and embedded evaluation process across the whole setting that includes all parties such as practitioners, children, parents and external partners. We tackle poor performance using our staff procedures to ensure high quality remains forefront at all times.

Data Protection & Confidentiality

At Little Me Nursery we recognise that we hold sensitive/confidential information about children and their families and the staff we employ. This information is used to meet children’s needs, for registers, invoices and emergency contacts. We store all records in a locked cabinet or on the office computer with files that are password protected in line with data protection principles. Any information shared with the staff team is done on a ‘need to know’ basis and treated in confidence. This policy will work alongside the Privacy Notice to ensure compliance under General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and Data Protection Act 2018.

Legal requirements

We follow the legal requirements set out in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) 2017 and accompanying regulations about the information we must hold about registered children and their families and the staff working at the nursery
We follow the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), Data Protection Act 2018 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 with regard to the storage of data and access to it.

Procedures

It is our intention to respect the privacy of children and their families and we do so by:

All the undertakings above are subject to the paramount commitment of the nursery, which is to the safety and well-being of the child.

General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) compliance

In order to meet our requirements under GDPR we will also undertake the following:

We will ensure our terms & conditions, privacy and consent notices are easily accessed/made available in accurate and easy to understand language
We will use your data only for [insert reasons] and only contact you [insert reasons]. We will not share or use your data for other purposes.
Everyone in our nursery understands that people have the right to access their records or have their records amended or deleted (subject to other laws and regulations).

Staff and volunteer information

All information and records relating to staff will be kept confidentially in a locked cabinet
Individual staff may request to see their own personal file at any time.

1) Policy for Settling In

2) Health & Safety General Policy

3) Child Protection & Safeguarding Children Policy

4) Sickness & Incubation Policy

5) Behaviour Policy

6) Inclusion & Equality Policy

7) Parents & Carers as Partners

8) Early Learning Opportuntities Statement

9) Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

10) Nutrition & Mealtimes

11) Outdoor Play

12) Sun Care

13) Adverse Weather

14) Quality Provision Policy

15) Data Protection & Confidentiality

Nursery Facilities

Nursery Garden

Learning & Growing

Policy & Procedures

Nursery Meals

Ofsted & Testimonials