The Willows Day Nursery (Chatteris) LTD will always encourage its parents/carers to keep up to date with the settings policies and procedures. Please find below an introduction to the key policies and procedures that we give to parents when their child starts at nursery.  

Exclusion of Sick Children

Managing Food Allergies

MMR and Immunisations

Parent Participation

Health and Safety

Equality and Inclusion

Safeguarding

Complaints

Exclusion of Sick Children

The Willows Day Nursery (Chatteris) LTD is committed to ensuring the safety and well being of the children in its care.  To this end, the nursery:

• Excludes any child with an infectious illness for at least the minimum period advised by the local health authority.  Parents/carers are advised of these minimum periods and updates them as necessary.
• Has procedures for contacting parents/carers or nominated persons and for caring for the sick child while awaiting collection.
• Has procedures for informing all parents/carers and staff of the presence of an infectious illness, with special regard for expectant mothers.
• Includes information about exclusion in parents’ induction material
• Requires staff who are ill not to return to work in circumstances which could place children or staff at risk, and to keep their manager informed about the progress of their illness

As an early years provider, we realise that parents/carers cannot afford to take time off work for every cold or minor illness which their child contracts.  Equally, however, to bring a child to nursery when he or she is clearly suffering from an infectious disease is not fair to other children, to their parents/carers or to our staff.

To help staff in exercising that judgement, we have a clearly stated exclusion policy, which follows guidance from the Health Protection Agency and which is made available to all parents/carers upon registration.  The most frequent application of this policy  is that children must not attend nursery for 48hours after the last instance of sickness or diarrhoea.  For more specific illnesses we follow the recommended exclusion guidelines, details of which are available on request.

Managing Food Allergies

It is essential that parents/carers inform us, in writing, of any dietary restrictions which apply to their child and that they make it clear whether an allergy is involved.  We do not accept children into the nursery without a fully completed registration form, but it is crucial that parents/carers  tell us about any allergies or other health issues which arise subsequently.  In cases of a potentially serious known allergy, we will agree an individual Healthcare plan with you.

It is our policy that all staff have paediatric first aid and basic food hygiene qualifications within six months of appointment.  A qualified first aider will always be present at the nursery.

MMR and Immunisations

The Willows Day Nursery (Chatteris) LTD takes advice from the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), of which it is a member.  The NDNA’s advice can be summarised as follows:

MMR is a highly effective vaccine with an outstanding safety record.  All nurseries should keep up to date immunisation records for all children in their care.  Nurseries should make parents aware that there may be children in the nursery who have not had MMR or other vaccines.  They should not, however, disclose any information about the vaccination status of individual children.

Nurseries should not exclude children who have not had MMR or other vaccines. If nursery staff suspect a case of infection with measles, mumps or rubella among children in their care, they should ask the child’s parents/carers to seek advice from their doctor, who will take appropriate steps to report the case to the public health authorities.  The public health authorities will then advise the nursery on appropriate action to take.

The nursery will ask parents/carers to provide immunisation details for their children on their registration forms and to inform the manager of any subsequent immunisations.  We will also seek to update the information by regular questionnaires.

Parent Participation

The Willows Day Nursery (Chatteris) LTD is committed to working with parents and carers as partners in providing high quality care, education and play facilities for their children.  Accordingly, the nursery:

• Carefully plans, with parents/carers, for the arrival of each new child.
• Ensures that parents meet and establish dialogue with the child’s key person.
• Ensures that parents/carers are kept informed about nursery policies, procedures and daily routines.
• Provides parents/carers with opportunity to work with their children alongside key staff in the nursery
• Provides parents/carers with opportunity to participate in festivals and all nursery events.
• Provides parents/carers with access to their child’s records and consults them in the planning of child care practices
• Reviews each child’s development and progress with parents/carers on a regular basis
• Holds regular structured parent meetings
• Produces a regular newsletter.

Health and Safety

The Willows Day Nursery (Chatteris) LTD is committed to providing an environment which is free from risk and which safeguards the health, safety and welfare of the children within our care, our employees  and our visitors.

We provide our employees with appropriate information, instruction, training and supervision to ensure compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Day-to-day management responsibility for health and safety standards within the nursery and for compliance with current Ofsted Full Day Care requirements rests with the both Hayley and Gemma as Managing Directors. 

Equality and Inclusion

The Willows Day Nursery (Chatteris) LTD is committed to anti-discriminatory practice.  As an employer, the nursery aims to ensure that people are recruited, selected, employed, trained and promoted according to their abilities for the job.  Accordingly, no job applicant or employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, cultural or national origin, race, colour or religion, which cannot be justified as necessary to ensure the safe and effective performance of the work or training for the work.  The nursery takes measures to protect staff from bullying/harassment within the workplace.  Employment practice is regularly reviewed.

As a early years provider, we aim to apply principles of equality and inclusion in practice and to promote them to the children in its care.  Accordingly, the nursery selects equipment, toys, dolls etc. which portray a positive image of a wide range of cultures and disabilities,  It celebrates and discusses a variety of religious and cultural festivals.  All children including those with special needs (where possible) have equal access to equipment, games, books and staff.  The nursery encourages children to join in all activities and discourages stereotyping.  

Safeguarding 

The WIllows Day Nursery (Chatteris) LTD is committed to providing high quality care.  Our first responsibility is to look after the safety, welfare and well being of all children in our care.  When we believe that these may be in jeopardy, we have a duty to act quickly and responsibly.  We are also under a legal duty to report any suspicions of abuse to the local authority.  Accordingly, we will:

• Ensure that all staff are aware of the contents of the relevant local authority’s Child Protection Handbook and that specialist training in child protection is provided to staff
• Require all staff to report promptly to the Designated Safeguarding Officer any suspicions of neglect or physical, sexual or emotional abuse
• Record details of any signs of mark or injury to a child arriving at the nursery
• Where appropriate, discuss concerns with the parent/carer and record a note of the discussion
• Where appropriate, refer concerns to the Local Authority
• Maintain appropriate confidentiality at all times.

Complaints

Parents/carers should initially raise problems with the child’s key person (if the issue concerns their child) or the manager (if it concerns the whole nursery).  Any issue relating to the Health and Safety of a child or member of staff should be addressed directly to the Hayley or Gemma who will deal with it urgently.

In the first instance every effort will be made to resolve any matters within the setting of the nursery.  If the matter is not resolved, the directors will meet with all parties involved in an effort to find a solution  If, exceptionally, the matter still remains unresolved the parent/carer can contact Ofsted on 0800 123 1231.

Formal complaints should be made by letter or e-mail.  Each complaint will be logged on receipt and investigated: parents/carers will be informed, in writing, of the outcome within 28 days.   We keep a written record of all complaints, which is available to all parents/carers on request unless issues of confidentiality arise, in which case we will seek the advice of Ofsted before making disclosure.

All of our Policies and Procedures can be found here.....