Bright Star Day Nursery
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Our medicine policy is written in line with the requirements set out in “Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage” (DSCF 2008) Prescribed Medicine Medicines will be accepted into the nursery when essential, that is when it would be detrimental to a child’s health if the medicine were not administered during the nursery hours/day. We will only accept medicines that have been prescribed by a doctor, dentist, nurse, or pharmacist. Medicines MUST always be provided in the original container as dispensed by the pharmacist and include the prescriber’s instruction for administration.

Non – Prescribed Medicine In some cases, non-prescribed medication will be accepted, but only with prior written consent and only when there is a health reason to do so. Aspirin will not be administered unless prescribed. The nursery holds emergency Calpol for temperature relief on site. Only one age-appropriate dose will be given and the parent will be called to be advised. Parents/Carers will need to give permission by signing the Emergency Calpol Form before any medication is administered. The policy includes an effective management system to support individual children with long-term or complex medical needs. The nursery must know about any particular needs before a child begins attending or when they first develop the medical need. A care plan will be completed for children with specific medical needs, involving the parents, the child’s key person/nursery manager, and relevant health professionals.

Children MUST be well enough to attend nursery and to participate in the full range of experiences on offer, including access to opportunities outdoors. Discussions with parents MUST include the procedure for children who are ill or infectious and the need for parents to inform the nursery about any illness or conditions affecting their child. This MUST include the possibility of exclusion as well as the procedures for contacting parents or another person identified on the Child Collection Authorisation Form if their child becomes ill. Exclusion and Notifications Some infections require exclusion periods from the nursery to ensure the control of the spread of infection, where available guidance from the Health Protection Agency is followed. These exclusions also apply to staff who have recorded an absence due to an infection. Particular reference is made to the exclusion periods for sickness and diarrhoea.

• Chicken pox/shingles - Seven days from onset of rash or until spots have dried

• Conjunctivitis - Until treatment has begun

• Diarrhoea and/or vomiting - Until symptoms free for 48 hrs.

• Influenza - Until child feels well

• Whopping cough - After antibiotics have been taken for at least 5 days

• Coronavirus - 10 days isolation

• Scarlet Fever - 24 hours after commencing antibiotics

Staff will only permit a child to be taken from the setting by an authorised person. Authorised persons are those recorded on the Child Collection Authorisation form. This form holds photographs of parents and authorised persons, as well as details of a password to be used. This password is to be created by the parent when completing the child collection authorisation form. Bright Star Day Nursery will only accept responsible persons over the age of 18 years. If a parent is unable to collect their child, the other authorised persons on the form can collect on the parent’s behalf. The manager will ask the person collecting the child to give the agreed password. The photograph on the file and password will be checked as identification on the file before the child is handed over. The information should be given by parents during the child’s settling-in period. If the details such as the password do not match the details on the child’s collection authorisation form, the manager will contact you immediately to explain. On no account will a child be allowed to leave the premises without the above process being followed. Even if the child recognises and acknowledges the person attempting to collect them.

The ratios for staffing are as per those set in the EYFS Statutory Framework and are based on the following age groups:

• 0-2 years 1:3

• 2-3 years 1:5

• 3-5 years 1:8

If you have an issue or comment, we assure you that your views will be taken seriously. In the first instance, you should contact the Nursery Manager in person, by telephone, letter, or email and she will do her very best to solve your enquiry to your satisfaction whilst ensuring confidentially at all times. All official complaints must be put in writing and will be responded to by the person investigating your complaint, who will be a senior member of management, within 28 days, and will include in their response to you.

• How they investigated, and what steps were taken to ensure that the investigation was completed as fully as possible.

• What action was taken with regard to the complaint made.

• Any improvements made or actions enforced which have been made to ensure that the problem does not occur again.

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can put the issue in writing to: Yinka Fakoya/Shirley-Ann Coppin 1 Stafford Road, Kilburn NW6 5RS You may at any time take your complaint to: Ofsted Early Year Compliant & Enforcement National Business Unit 2nd Floor, Royal Exchange Building St Ann’s Square Manchester M2 7LA Tel: 0300 123 4666/0300 123 1231

As a nursery we acknowledge that all personal data supplied to us will be held in compliance with the Data Protection Act 1998.

Being outdoors has a positive impact on children’s sense of well-being and supports all aspects of their learning and development. Well-planned outings within the local neighbourhood will provide children with opportunities to engage with and develop their knowledge and understanding of the wider world and of those who live and work in the local community. We will require permission from parents before children are taken on outings.

“Bright Star Day Nursery believes that every child, regardless of age, race or gender has at all times and in all situations a right to feel safe and protected from any situations or practice that results in him or her being physically or psychologically damaged. Should Bright Star have any concerns about a child’s physical, sexual, or emotional well-being, we will take action.” Bright Star works towards achieving the five outcomes that are key to children’s well-being, these are:

• Stay Safe

• Be Healthy

• Enjoy and Achieve

• Make a Positive Contribution

• Achieve Economic Well-being

Bright Star’s prime responsibility is the welfare and well-being of all children in our care. As such we believe we have a duty to the children, parents, carers, and staff to act quickly and responsibly in any instance that may come to our attention. Everyone (all staff, students, volunteers, and visitors) have the responsibility to ensure that a child who may be at risk of harm is recognised and dealt with appropriately, and as quickly as possible. All staff have the responsibility to remember when considering safeguarding the need for confidentiality to protect the interest of the child, parent, and staff. The Bright Star registered person complies with the Local Child Protection procedures approved by the Local Safeguarding Children Board. It is the duty of registered childcare providers to refer concerns to the Local Children’s Service if we have reasonable cause to suspect that a child is at risk from abuse or is being abused on our premises or elsewhere.

The use of mobile phones and smart watches is not permitted by any person whilst within the nursery or on the premises.

Bright Star nursery staff are checked with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Whilst we are waiting for the results of these checks, staff will never be left unsupervised with the children or provide personal care.

Bright Star does not allow Lone Working. In order to ensure this, we plan staffing to ensure that there are always two members of staff from each room working at all times.

The welfare requirements state: ‘children’s behaviour must be managed effectively and in a manner appropriate for their stage of development and particular individual needs. We have a designated person who co-ordinates behaviour management issues within the setting. This person works with the Nursery Manager to ensure that the staff team provides the following:

• A physical environment that is safe, well organised, and stimulating.

• Activities, resources, and equipment that are appropriate for the children’s ages and stages of development.

• Opportunities for children to become involved in their learning environment including the setting of rules and boundaries.

• An organised environment that provides plenty of well-planned and age-appropriate activities.

• A consistent approach where expectations have been made clear to everyone involved with the care of the children including their parents.

Any concerns relating to your child’s development can be discussed with your child’s key person who will be happy to provide you with advice and support. A full cap of all policies and procedures is available for parents to view at any time. Key policies will also be discussed with you during your child’s settling-in period.

The nursery has a robust system in place for risk, and health and safety management. Whilst it is accepted that the likelihood of accidents occurring to children and staff will happen on occasion, this policy sets out to inform parents of the procedures put in place to manage accidents and injuries that occur on the nursery premises. Most nursery practitioners hold a paediatric first aid certificate, and in the first instance will deal with any accidents or injuries that occur in the nursery. Wherever possible care will be administered by the child’s key person. The nursery will endeavour to have at least one qualified first aider on duty daily in each room. Where this is not possible, room leaders will advise staff of a nominated person from another room who will be responsible for dealing with emergency care. In the event of an accident or injury, the first aider will administer the most appropriate treatment, and then fully complete the child’s accident form. The key person will inform parents on collection if they are on duty at home time and information will be passed to a nominated colleague. Parents are asked to read the accident report and sign before leaving the nursery. This is a mandatory requirement (EYFS).

If a child has sustained a bump to the head, parents will be informed immediately. Staff will complete a head injury monitoring form. The child will be monitored for up to 60 minutes after the accident and on collection. A head injury monitoring form and an accident form will be given to parents to sign detailing the accident. If an injury to the head or face is more severe, parents will be contacted and advised to collect their child and seek medical attention; this is recorded on the child’s accident form.

The nursery will not remove foreign objects from the eyes, nose, or ears. This is invasive and may cause a child to become distressed. Parents will be contacted and advised to seek intervention. Occasionally children may get sand in their eyes during day-to-day activities. If this happens the event will be noted on a child’s accident record, and parents advised to seek medical attention if eyes become irritated or painful. If a child received an insect sting that remains attached to the child, parents will be contacted to seek medical assistance.

At Bright Star Day 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 encourages and praises positive, caring, and polite behaviour always 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 safety and the safety of their peers. Within the nursery, we aim to set these boundaries in a way that helps the child to develop a sense of the significance of their own behaviour, both on their own environment and that of others around them. Restrictions on the child’s natural desire to explore and develop their ideas and concepts are kept to minimum. We aim to:

• Recognise the individuality of all our children and that some behaviour is normal in young children e.g., biting.

• Encourage self-discipline, and 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 acts 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 acceptable behaviour, including opportunities to contribute to decisions about accepted behaviour where age/stage appropriate.

• Have a named person who has overall responsibility for behaviour management.

The named designated person managing children’s behaviour will:

• Advise other staff on behaviour issues.

• Each room leader will keep up to date with legislation and research.

• 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 attends relevant in-house or external training for behaviour management. Keep a record of staff attendance at this training.

Our nursery rules are concerned with safety, care, and respect for each other. We keep the rules to a minimum and ensure that these are age and stage appropriate. We regularly involved children in the process of setting rules to encourage cooperation and participation and ensure children gain an understanding of the expectation of behaviour relevant to them as a unique child. Children who behave inappropriately, for example by physically abusing another child or adults e.g., biting, or through verbal bullying are helped to talk through their actions and apologise as appropriate. We make sure that the child who has been upset is comforted and the adults will confirm that the 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 and not the child.

NURSERY PRACTICE:

• Cleaning/sterilisation rota in place. The nursery resources are cleaned/sterilised once a week and after each activity has finished where required.

• Children and staff are encouraged to wash their hands frequently with antibacterial soap, for at least 20 seconds.

• Catch it. Bin it. Kill it.

• Hand sanitisers gels in place in all the rooms and outside the nursery.

• Nursery is cleaned at the end of the day.

• Wearing PPE when changing nappies or handling any suspected cases.

• Highly touched surfaces inside and outside the setting e.g. doorknobs, handles, intercom, buzzers, release buttons, are disinfected frequently throughout the day.

• Absence is monitored by nursery management, and we will contact you if your child does not attend the nursery when he/she is meant to be in

• Any child displaying one of the following symptoms: a high temperature of 37.8C or above, a new continuous cough or a loss or change to their sense of smell or taste, will be treated as a suspected COVID-19 case. This means the child will be taken by a staff member to a separate room where they will be waiting to be collected. The parents will be asked to collect the child straight away. The parent will be asked to book a COVID-19 test for themselves and their child. If the test result is negative the child can return to the nursery if he/she had not had any symptoms in the last 48 hours. If the test result is positive, you must inform the management team straight away to ensure those who have been in close contact are notified as soon as possible. Positive cases will be ask to isolate for 10 days to avoid spreading the coronavirus to other vulnerable children or staff.
  

We hope you find the above information helpful.

Aim of policy

Our aim is to ensure that all packed lunches brought from home and consumed in the nursery (or on nursery outings) provide children with healthy and nutritious food similar to that served in nursery, which is now regulated by national standards.

Where, When and to whom this Policy applies

To all children and parents providing packed lunches to be eaten within the setting or on outings during nursery hours.

Our Nursery

Bright Star recognises that our children come from diverse home backgrounds, cultures, and ethnic and faith groups. Our nursery aims to meet the needs of all children and ensure equality of provision whilst taking account of this diversity and difference. We will provide a safe, healthy, and appealing eating environment for children eating snacks and packed lunches and ensure fresh drinking water/milk are available at all times. We will encourage all children to eat and drink as much of their morning snack, lunch, and tea, as possible. As fridge space is not available in the nursery parents are advised to send packed lunches in a cooler bag or food that does not require refrigeration or reheating. Our nursery is not allowed to reheat food from home therefore, all packed lunches must be ready to eat without the need for heating.

Packed Lunches should include

• At least one portion of fruit (small apple, orange, dried fruit) and one portion of vegetables (carrot sticks, cucumber, celery) every day.

• Meat, boneless fish, or other source of non-diary protein (boneless chicken, turkey, tuna, lentils, kidney beans) every day. Starchy food such as any type of bread, pasta, rice, couscous, noodles, or potatoes.

• Only water, semi-skimmed or skimmed milk, or yogurt. • Dairy food such as cheese, fromage frais or custard. Packed Lunches MUST NOT include

• Snacks such as crisp (alternatives include savoury crackers, breadsticks, rice cakes)

• Confectionary such as chocolate bars, chocolate coated biscuits, and sweets (alternatives include small cakes, shortbreads, flapjack, or plain biscuits)

• Items that contain NUTS or nut produce (i.e. peanut butter) due to allergies.

• Fizzy drinks, squash, and fresh juices

• Flasks, drinks in glass bottles or ring pull cans.

• The remains of the previous day’s take-away or left-over meal.

• Grapes

• Sausages

• Meatballs

• Bacon

Water

We offer children drinking water throughout the day. It has been recognised that children’s concentration and behaviour improve when children drink water throughout the day. Dehydration can give children headaches and make them tired. We also provide children with water bottles. These can be kept at the nursery and will be filled and emptied each day. This will allow children to have access to fresh drinking water throughout the day.

Special Diets and Allergies

We at Bright Star Day Nursery recognise that some children may require special diets for medical, ethical, or religious reasons that do not allow for standards to be met exactly. In these cases, parents and carers are responsible for ensuring the food from home is specific to the child’s needs and a plan will be put in place to support this. We do not allow the swapping of food items between children as there is potential for an adverse reaction (e.g. allergy). Bright Star Day Nursery is a “NUT FREE” nursery. Nut and nut produce (e.g. peanut butter) must not be included in pack lunches because of allergy concerns.

Monitoring

On a daily basis, the staff in the nursery see what children have in their packed lunch whilst supervising their mealtimes. This is an opportunity for them to talk with the children about their packed lunch and to encourage healthy eating and drinking. However, we may send parents a reminder of this policy if packed lunch contents regularly fall short of the expectations in this policy. It is not our intention to tell parents what and how they should be feeding their children, and we will not do so, but we want to work with parents to educate our children about healthy dietary choices so that they can make their own informed choices independently when they are older. If your child has not eaten enough of their lunch, we will wrap it up and send it home in their lunch box for you to see.

Reviewing

Packed lunch will be regularly reviewed by the Nursery Manager/Directors.

Parents who do not adhere to the packed lunch policy will receive a policy in the packed lunch reminding them of the policy. If a child regularly brings a packed lunch that does not conform to the policy, then the nursery will contact the parent/s to discuss this.

Please note: Children with special diets will be given due consideration.

Exceptions

Treats that are sent into nursery to celebrate birthdays are allowed. Where possible these will be distributed at home time, so parents are able to monitor this.

Involvement of Parents/Carers

Children are normally expected to eat the lunch provided by the setting. However, parents of children wishing to have a packed lunch for a particular reason are expected to provide their children with packed lunches that conform to the packed lunch policy.

Sharing the Policy

The nursery will use opportunities such as parent’s evenings and newsletters, to promote this policy as part of a whole nursery approach to encourage healthy eating.

PLEASE ENSURE THAT FOOD IS CUT UP CORRECTLY E.G. BLUEBERRIES AND CHERRY TOMATOES SHOULD BE CUT INTO QUARTERS NOT HALVES.

Further guidance

https://www.nhs.uk/change4life https://www.gov.uk/government/news/healthy-eating-guidance-published-for-the-early-years-sector

Name of Parents/Carer

Signature

Issued Date