Sian’s Childminding

18/08/2023

Sian’s Childminding Service

• We are a Flying Start and ChildCare Offer childcare provider based in Connah’s Quay, North Wales.
• We work as a husband and wife childminding team.
• We look after children aged 2 – 4 years old.
• Our working hours are Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm during term-time only.

For the majority of postcodes in Connah’s Quay we are able to provide free (i.e. Flying Start funded) childcare for 2-year olds during term-time, for 12 ½ hours a week. Our fee is £5 per hour for any additional hours above the flying start funded hours.

In addition, Flintshire ChildCare Offer can fund childcare for 3 – 4 year olds where both parents are working at least 16 hrs a week or studying with a view to returning to work for at least 16hrs per week. If you are a single parent then the same criteria apply. 3 year olds who are not yet eligible for school nursery can access up to 20hrs ChildCare Offer funded hours with us and 3 year olds who attend school nursery can access up to 17.5hrs ChildCare Offer funded hours with us.

In our own view a good child-minder can provide a fantastic experience for young children. We never have more than three children per adult, which enables us to offer a wide variety of outings and experiences that nurseries usually can’t.

If you are unsure whether you qualify for funding please contact us and we will check it out for you.

About us

We are Sian & Paul, we have three grown-up daughters who have left home.

We set up as a childminders in August 2013. Before this Sian worked as a paediatric nurse and Paul worked in I.T.

From her nursing background Sian has experience caring for children with a variety of additional needs and medical conditions, including: asthma, diabetes, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, gastrostomies, colostomies and much more - so we are happy to discuss caring for any child, whatever their medical needs. With this said most of the children we have childminded have not had particular medical conditions or needs.

Sian is a Welsh-speaker so Welsh can be used much of the time if parents want it; song times with younger children may often include Welsh songs in any case. Apart from this it is English that is spoken.

We welcome all children into our home, regardless of ethnicity, age, religion, gender, class, disability, family status, cultural background or anything else; and we encourage all the children in our care to do the same.

Fees

• Our rate is £5.00 an hour for hours outside those which Flying Start or ChildCare Offer will fund.
• We charge by the hour rather than by the session.
• Meals & snacks are included.
• There are no additional charges over and above our hourly rate.
• If we are ill or off work there is no charge.
• If your child has been ill and if we are able to offer days in lieu then we are happy to do this even though we do not accept any obligation to do this; we appreciate child-care is an expensive business.

Activities

Our preference is to be outside as much as possible.

Our garden is great for giving children a fun time.

We have swings, a dug-in trampoline, a slide, a tunnel-slide, a helter-skelter slide and a tree-swing, stepping stones, a sand pit and lots more. We have outside ride-ons such as scooters, balance bikes. For rainy days we have an undercover play area. We also do craft, games, books, jigsaws, toys and song and story times.

We do outings: to toddler groups, to local parks, to the beach, and especially country walks and picnics in places like Wepre, Brynford, Rhes-y-Cae, Rhosesmor. On days when we only have four children between us we sometimes take children swimming to Flint Pavilion.

Food

We provide all meals and snacks. We normally eat at the dinner table with the children.

Morning snack is sometimes provided at toddler group. At our house it usually consists of fruit, cheese cubes, and breadsticks.

Lunch is usually a cooked meal, which may include: spaghetti bolognaise, fish fingers, chicken nuggets, sausages, scrambled eggs, beans, toast, carrot sticks, grapes, bread sticks, yogurt, cheese cubes, apple boats, raisins, banana slices, cheese spread, peanut butter.

Water and milk are available throughout the day.

We are happy to cater for children who have specific dietary needs, please let us know.

Social Services Inspection

All registered childminders in Wales are inspected periodically by the Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), who produce and publish a report. You can read our most recent reports by going onto the careinspectorate.wales website and searching for “Sian & Paul Ironmonger”.

Annual Quality of Care Report

Childminders are required to produce an annual “Quality of Care” Report. If you would like to see our most recent report please give me a bell and we’ll email it to you.

Policies

Registered childminders in Wales are required to have approved policies that cover the key aspects of their service. Unlike most childminders, we post our policies online.

If you are another childminder please feel free to copy (or adapt) any of our policies.

If you find any of our policies helpful – or if you come across anything we need to change - then please contact us, we welcome all feedback.

These policies were last reviewed in August 2023.

Accident or Emergency Policy
The aim of this policy is to ensure we have everything in place to meet the needs of children in our care by providing them with a safe setting.
• We aim to keep all the children in our care safe at all times.
• Our house has been inspected by CIW and meets their requirements.
• We have a current Paediatric First-Aid Certificate and are able to give basic first-aid treatment.
• We keep a clearly labelled, accessible First-Aid box in our kitchen, and one in each car.
• We keep contact numbers for parents and our emergency contacts in our mobile phones.
• We have an arrangement with another local CIW-registered childminder for her to provide emergency backup if this is ever necessary. She is Karen Challenger, Albert Avenue, Flint.
• We also have Sian’s mum as an emergency backup, details available on request. She is DBS-checked and CIW are aware she is one of our backups. She is Lynda Evans, Taliesin Avenue, Shotton.
• We require written permission from parents to obtain emergency treatment for their child if it is ever needed. This written consent will be kept in our locked filing cabinet.
• Accidents and emergencies are recorded in our accident book. We will give parents a copy of any entry which they will need to sign and date.
• Significant events will be reported to CIW within 14 days.
• In the event of a potential insurance claim we may need to contact our public liability insurers; if this happens then we will need parents’ consent to discuss the details of their child with our insurance company.
• If an accident or emergency happens to any child in our care then we will act in accordance with our paediatric first-aid training.
• We will comfort the child and reassure the other children, and make sure they are all safe.
• If an accident or emergency is something we can reasonably deal with ourselves, then we will deal with it ourselves and phone the parents as soon as possible.
• If an accident or emergency is not something we can deal with ourselves then we will call 999 at once. If necessary we will call our emergency backup. If this happens our emergency backup will contact other parents and ask parents to come and pick up their children. If we have to go with any child to hospital we will phone the parents as soon as possible and ask them to meet us at the hospital.
• If we do ever have an accident we will firstly reassure the children and make sure they are all safe. If necessary we will enlist the help of anyone nearby. If necessary we will phone 999, and our emergency contact, who will be responsible for contacting parents and arranging pickup.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Additional Educational Needs Policy
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that any special educational needs or disabilities are planned and provided for.
• Our childminding service is available to all children.
• Each child’s individual needs will be discussed in full with parent(s); and also with the child (where appropriate).
• We are happy to accept children with additional educational needs, disability or particular medical conditions, as long as we feel we can provide them and the other children in our care with the care they need.
• We may not be able to look after children in wheelchairs as our home may not be suitable, as we do not currently have ramps or a downstairs toilet, although we would like to put these in at some time in the future. Apart from this, our home is likely to be suitable for most children with varied disabilities.
• We cannot provide one-to-one care as we look after other children.
• Before we accept any child with additional educational needs, disability or medical conditions we will need to assess the child in their own home and to discuss the child’s needs in detail with the parents.
• We will need to collect full details of the child’s particular needs. We may also need the parents’ permission to speak with any outside agencies involved in the child’s care.
• Before committing to caring for any child we may need some time to discuss the child’s development. This will give us the opportunity to focus on supporting the child at whatever stage of development they are at.
• Where appropriate, children will themselves be given the opportunity to be involved and make choices about the activities and games on offer, both before they start, and on an ongoing basis.
• If necessary we will undertake additional training in order to gain more knowledge, understanding and competency to care for a particular child with additional educational needs, disability or medical conditions. We work as a husband and wife team so this will only apply to us.
• If we need further support or training we will access this through Flying Start, Flintshire Family Information Service, or the Childcare Offer Team. If a child has a statement of special educational needs then we may also need to liase with the LEA Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo).
• We use Makaton wherever we feel it’s appropriate.
• We will always monitor the progress of all the children in our care. If a child appears not to be making progress in any area and we feel they may have a particular need then we will discuss it with their parents.
• We use our daily emails to keep observations on each child so we can build up a picture as to each child’s development, to help us plan for their future learning and development.
• We have access to the SEN Code of Practice for Wales, and understand that we are working within this framework.
• We understand the need to discuss children’s progress on a regular basis with parents, as they know their children best.
• If we have any concerns we will raise them with the parents, and will always advise them to seek help from relevant professionals, for example, GP, Health Visitor, school teacher, or the SENCo, as appropriate.
• Our home is as child-friendly as we can make it, and all children will be allowed to participate in all activities, regardless of disability or any other consideration.
• Parents and children will be shown around our home to ensure our home will be suitable for their needs.
• We will have toys and equipment suitable for all the children we agree to care for.
• We are open to sourcing specialist equipment and toys for children with additional educational needs, disabilities or medical conditions.
• We will ensure that the needs and preferences of each child, including those from minority ethnic communities in relation to their home language(s), intended medium of education (i.e. Welsh or English), and their social, cultural and religious practices are understood and catered for.
• We will also respect the privacy of all children when intimate care is being provided.
This policy is written in conjunction with our Equal Opportunities Policy to ensure that no child is discriminated against, and that every child is given full opportunity to flourish in our home.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Behaviour Management Policy
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Article 19 requires us to have a Behaviour Management Policy.
The aim of this policy is to ensure that the behaviour of children is managed in a way that respects their rights, and which promotes their welfare and development.
Parents should inform us of anything that might affect their child’s behaviour, i.e. a bereavement or family issue. This will always be kept confidential unless there is a child protection issue. Any serious problem with a child’s behaviour will be noted and discussed with parents. We do understand that reasons for “bad” behaviour can sometimes be complex.
We aim to help the children in our care to understand what is appropriate behaviour in our setting by modelling positive examples in our own behaviour: such as, being polite, patient, kind, and showing consideration for others.
Our management of children’s behaviour will be consistent and appropriate to the level of maturity and understanding of the child. We will not use physical punishment, or do anything to humiliate or distress children in our care. Children are never shaken, smacked, humiliated, shouted at, intimidated or shamed; neither will children be threatened with any of these things. Physical intervention will not be used unless it is to prevent a risk of injury or damage to property. Any incidents will be recorded and parents informed on the day.
We have simple house rules to encourage positive behaviour:
• We do not use bad language
• We only play ball games outside
• We do not climb on the furniture
• We do not shout, hit, push, shove, or be rough
• Be kind to everyone
• Share toys
• Remember to tidy up
• Wash hands before dinner
• Have dinner at the table
• Look out for each other

We always reward good behaviour with praise.
There should however be some consequences for unacceptable behaviour, but it should always be appropriate: for example, a child who damages a toy will not be allowed to play with it; and a child who hurts other children should say sorry, and so on. We will be consistent and fair to every child in our care.
All bullying is completely unacceptable in our home, in whatever form. We will always be on the alert for any bullying, and we will encourage children to speak out freely if they feel they are being bullied. We will comfort any child who has been bullied.

If a child is bullying other children or misbehaving in a way that is spoiling the setting for other children then we will discuss it with the child, and try to impress on them the seriousness of the situation. If it continues we will discuss it with the parents. If it carries on after this we may need to exclude that particular child.
This policy will be kept under active review and CIW will be informed of any changes.

Child Protection Policy
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that children are protected from harm and abuse, and, that parents can be confident we will take every step to protect children in our care from any kind of abuse.
The safety and protection of children in our care is paramount; this is something we take most seriously. The protection of children is everyone’s responsibility.
Parents need to be aware that we have a duty under law to report any suspected child abuse or neglect.
We want parents to be confident that every possible step to protect children from abuse will be taken. Our first responsibility is always towards the children in our care.
If we have any cause for concern we will report it, following the Wales Safeguarding Procedures, and also referring to the Welsh Government’s… Working Together for Children (updated 23 February 2023) Guidance. The relevant local procedures held by us are available on request. We check every six months that we have the latest version of the relevant legislation and the relevant procedures (or any documents that may replace them in the future).
We will also keep up-to-date with child protection issues and relevant legislation by taking regular training courses and reading relevant publications, for example the Childcare Professional and PACEY e-newsletters. We have a copy of the relevant booklets and guidance (as outlined in the PACEY booklet, Safeguarding Children …. A Guide for Childminders), and have read and understood them. These are further helps for us to be aware of signs of abuse or neglect, and about what we should do in the event we do ever have a concern.
The National Minimum Standards for registered childminders also require us to report to social services any concerns of abuse we may have about a child in our care, without delay.
The categories of abuse are currently defined as:
• Physical
• Sexual
• Emotional
• Neglect
• Bullying
Children need to be protected from all forms of abuse, whatever category it comes under.
If we do have a concern about a child’s welfare we may contact: the local authority (social services), the flying start safeguarding nurse, the child’s health visitor, the North Wales Safeguarding Children’s Board or other relevant support services for advice, providing this does not affect confidentiality.
Information that might identify a particular child will be kept confidential and only shared with people who need to know.
Parents must also notify us about any concerns they have about their child, and any accidents, incidents or injuries affecting the child, which will be recorded.
If a child is dropped off with an injury we have not seen before then we will complete a pre-existing injury form that the parent will need to sign before the child is received. We expect parents to tell us of any injuries. If we notice any injuries at any time then we will record them.
If we notice:
• Significant changes in behaviour
• Unexpected bruising or marks
• A deterioration in general well-being that causes concern
• Any comments that cause us concern
… then we will implement the Wales Safeguarding Procedures without delay to minimise any risk to the child. We will call the local Social Services duty desk and follow it up with a letter within 48 hours. We will keep a factual record of the concern and will ask the parents for an explanation, providing we feel this will not put the child at risk.
If a child tells us that they or another child is being abused we will:
• Show that we have heard what they are saying, and that we take their allegation seriously
• Let the child talk uninterrupted while they recount significant events
• We will not ask them to repeat their account
• We will not prompt them or ask leading questions
• We will explain what actions we must take in a way that is appropriate to the age and understanding of the child
• We will write down what we have been told using the exact words, where possible
• We will make a note of the date, time, place, and people who were present.
• We will report any concerns immediately to the duty social worker, who has the experience and responsibility to make an assessment.
It is not our responsibility to attempt to investigate the situation ourselves. In all instances we will record:
• The child’s full name and address
• The date and time of the record
• Factual details of the concern, i.e. bruising, what the child said, who was present, details of any previous concerns, details of any explanations from the parents, and any action taken, i.e. speaking to parents or Social Services.
We will also inform CIW of any allegation made regarding a child while they have been in our care, following the Wales Safeguarding Procedures. We will also contact the PACEY Safeguarding Children Service for advice and support.
For information, the daytime phone number for the Flintshire Duty Social Worker for Children’s Services is: 01352-701000. Their out-of-hours number is: 0345-0533116. Their email address is: [email protected].
The contact number for Care Inspectorate Wales is: 0300-7900126.
The NSPCC helpline for adults who are concerned about a child is: 0808-8005000. Their email address is: [email protected]. The childline number that children and young people can phone is: 0800-1111.

This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Children Not Collected Policy
The aim of this policy is to set out our expectations regarding pickup times, and to explain our procedures in the event a child is not collected at the agreed time.
We expect parents to collect children at the agreed time.
If parents are unable to pick up on time then we expect them to contact us as soon as practicable. We reserve the right to charge extra for care provided outside of contracted hours. Where a delay in pickup has been the result of an unavoidable crisis we may be flexible.
If a parent has not notified us and is more than 30 minutes late then we will try to phone them on their mobile.
If we are unable to contact the parent within one hour of the agreed pickup time then in the first instance we will phone the emergency contact number the parent has given us.
If we have been unable to contact the parents or the emergency contact within two hours then we are required to contact Social Services.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Complaints Policy
The aim of this policy is to ensure that children and parents can be confident that we will listen to any complaints and take them seriously; and that where necessary we will take appropriate action.
• We aim to work in close partnership with parents to meet the individual needs of all the children in our care.
• If there are any aspects of our service you are not happy with then please bring it to our attention.
• We take all complaints very seriously.
• In the first instance we will always make every effort to resolve any issue to your satisfaction by private discussion.
• We aim to handle all complaints in a sensitive and confidential way.
• If you prefer you can put any complaint in writing.
• Parents can also complain to CIW who may be contacted at: CIW North Wales Region, Government Buildings, Sarn Mynach, Llandudno Junction LL31 9RZ. Telephone: 0300 062 5609.
• Every effort will be made to resolve any written complaint within 14 days, or 28 days by mutual agreement.
• We keep written records of all complaints, including the name of the complainant, the nature of the complaint, the date of complaint, action taken in response to the complaint, the outcome of any investigation, the response given, and the date this was done.
• We will write to inform parents and CIW of the resolution of any written complaint.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Covid-19 Policy
The aim of this policy is to ensure that we take reasonable precautions to limit the spread of Covid-19 as long as it still poses a threat. If anyone in our household has symptoms of covid then our setting will be closed.

• We ask parents not to send their child if the child has symptoms of covid, or a diagnosis of covid.
• If a child’s temperature is above 37.8˚ then we will not accept them.
• We also ask parents not to send their child to us if they have needed Calpol to bring down their temperature.
• If anyone in a child’s household has covid then the child can still attend as long as the child is well and testing negative; and as long as someone else in the household has covid then we would like the child to be given an LFT test daily.
• Where a child has a positive LFT test they cannot attend until they have waited 5 days and had two consecutive days with negative LFT test results. If positive tests continue the child needs to wait 10 days before they can attend.
• We will wear gloves and aprons when changing nappies.
• We will practice regular hand-washing, for both ourselves and the children.
• We will regularly clean surfaces and toys with anti-bacterial spray.
• Where reasonable we will plan outdoor activities rather than indoors activities.
This policy will be reviewed in line with the developing situation.

Data Protection Policy (previously called Confidentiality Policy)
This policy is written in conjunction with our Working in Partnership with Parents Policy.
As childminders we come under the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) that came into force on 25th April 2018.
• It is a legal requirement for childminders to have a Data Protection Policy (also referred to as a Confidentiality Policy).
• All information relating to children in our care, or to their families, or to anyone employed by us will be kept in strict confidence, unless we are either required to share it, or have your consent to do so.
• We are legally required to make all our records available for any CIW inspection. We are also required to inform CIW of things like: changes in staff or people living at our home, changes of name or home-address of staff or people living at our home, any significant changes to the premises or change of address, any significant changes to the type of care or to the hours care is provided, any infectious diseases, serious injury or death, any allegations of harm or abuse alleged to have happened in our care and any other significant event likely to affect the suitability of the registered persons, or likely to affect the welfare of children in our care.
• If we have any concerns about the safety of any child then we are legally required to share any relevant information with the North Wales Safeguarding Children’s Board or the Social Services Referral and Assessment Team.
• If you would like to see the records, photos and videos we hold concerning you or your child then please ask us and we can give you sight of them.
• There is some personal information about you and your child that we need to know so we can fulfil our contract to deliver a childcare service to you. If your child is already with us as at 25th May 2018 then you will have already given us this information when you signed your contract. This information includes: names, parental responsibility, dates of birth, address, GP, contact numbers, Health Visitor, Health Clinic, allergies, immunisations, special educational needs, religion, ethnicity, language, any health issues, and also your child’s personal needs and preferences. We record this information on our paper contracts and our own Needs & Preferences forms, which are kept in a locked filing cabinet. We review contracts at regular intervals to ensure the information is up to date. We will do this by asking you if there have been any changes and recording this on the contract, and then asking you to sign again. We are legally required to keep this information about your child for 3 years after your child has left our setting. After this time we will shred our paper records.
• We keep parents’ contact and emergency contact details on our phones so we can fulfil our childcare contract with you. When a child has left our setting we will delete the parents’ contact details from our phones – unless, of course, there is a social reason to keep them (our parents often become our friends too).
• In order to comply with the legal framework of Wales, we are sometimes required to share information with CIW (Care Inspectorate Wales – the body we are registered with), and also with Flying Start, the Childcare Offer team, Health Visitors, schools, and any other relevant professional. The reasons for this may be:
• to support your child’s development
• to monitor and report on your child’s progress
• to share information about activities in our setting
• to contact named people in an emergency
• to share with other professionals in accordance with legislation
• to ensure a contract of service is delivered and maintained
• to ensure that this setting receives the statutory funding for which it is eligible.

• We keep our own paper-based Inspection Framework Assessment and Planning Records for each child, where we record things like: is this child happy? Do they interact well with us and the other children? Do they enjoy their playtimes, and are they learning from them? Do we have any concerns about their learning or development? Do we have any concerns about their safety, health or well-being? Are there any activities that might bring them on? We are legally required by CIW to keep this kind of information and it is shared with our CIW inspector. These records are kept in our locked filing cabinet and will be shredded 3 years after your child leaves our setting.
• For children on Flying Start we keep a paper-based Flying Start Learning & Development Record, and an Individual Child Development Plan. These are stored in our locked filing cabinet, and are updated regularly and shared with our Flying Start teacher and with parents. These will be given to Flying Start when the child goes onto another setting. By agreeing to our policies we are assuming your consent for us to do this.
• For our pre-schoolers we do tooth brushing in accordance with Designed to Smile. We have separate consent forms for this. These are kept in our locked filing cabinet and then given to Designed to Smile. By agreeing to our policies we are assuming your consent for us to do this.
• We keep a paper-based Record of Medication Given that includes the dosage, date, time, circumstance, and the person who gave it (including any child themselves), along with our own Consent to Give Medication form. These are kept in our locked filing cabinet and will be shredded 3 years after your child leaves our setting.
• We keep digital accounts of payments and hours attended on our laptop, which is password protected and securely backed up on the cloud. We also keep receipts, invoices, bank statements, and so on, which we are legally required to keep for 5 years after our 31 January self-assessment deadline. We do this to keep secure records so we can fulfil our childcare contract to you.
• We are legally required to keep insurance documents for 6 years after they expire.
• We keep daily notes electronically which we email out to parents daily. These are kept on our laptop, which is password protected and securely backed up on the cloud. By agreeing to our policies we are assuming your consent for us to do this.
• We also keep a paper-based accident book and a record of complaints (if any). This is a legal requirement. We plan to keep these until at least three years after we give up childminding. Under some circumstances we may need to take legal advice as to when our records can be destroyed. We are required to keep records of any reportable incidents until the child involved reaches 25 years of age.
• We sign all children & visitors in and out with the date and time. We are legally required to do this. We use our own paper-based form to do this. We are allowed to destroy these records each time we have a CIW inspection (usually once every three years).
• We are required to produce an annual Quality of Care Report for CIW. These are produced anonymously, i.e. childrens’ names are changed. These are printed, and posted on our website, and also shared with CIW. The paper-based questionnaires returned by parents are stored in our locked filing cabinet. We are allowed to destroy old reports each time we have a CIW inspection (usually once every three years).
• We are legally required to produce Risk Assessments for our setting, and for other locations where we take children. These are now kept electronically. These need to be kept for a minimum of three years.
• We do not share any information, photographs or videos of children who we childmind online or on social media. However we do take photos (and occasionally, video) of the children on our phones, which we store on our (password-protected) ipad and laptop, and which are also securely backed up on the cloud. We also print photos of the children which we display on our wall and around our setting. We also display and share photos of the children in our welcome material for children who are coming to our setting; in this case the parents involved have previously given their verbal consent for us to do this. Occasionally we email or text photos of children to parents if they are likely to be of interest to them, or if they request them. These may be group photos which include other children we childmind. We do all these things as part of fulfilling our childcare contract with you, in order to monitor, record and feedback children’s progress. We do not use or share any of the photos or videos for any other purpose, unless it is for a specific purpose as part of our childminding work, in which case we will ask for parents’ written consent. By agreeing to our policies we are assuming your consent for this.
• We are legally obliged to keep consent forms for photos and videos for 21 years and 6 months (!).
• We also ask all parents not to share or post any photos online or on social media that include any of our child-minded children other than their own children; by agreeing to our policies you are also agreeing to abide by this.
• We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), ref: ZA055448. We also comply with the Data Protection Act and with the National Minimum Standards for Childminders.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Equal Opportunities Policy
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all the children in our care will be treated with equal concern and respect.
• We will treat all children with equal concern and respect.
• We will actively promote equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practices for all children.
• We work within current legislation and guidelines, including those produced by the Equal Opportunities Commission, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the Disability Act (SEN Code of Practice).
• As childminders we will promote good practice in all areas including training, employment, admission process, access to resources, activities and facilities in our home.
• We value and are respectful of the all the different racial origins, religions, cultures and languages in our multi-ethnic society so that each child in our care will feel valued as an individual, without racial or gender stereo-typing.
• We aim to pay equal concern and respect to every child in our care, regardless of their background.
• We will not discriminate against any child in our care for any reason.
• Our service is open to any child regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, class, family status, HIV/AIDS, religion, ethnicity or disability.
• We aim to help each child learn and develop to their full potential.
• We aim to support the Foundation Phase in Wales with an emphasis on children learning through play and experiences.
• We aim to provide books and toys that will give children positive images of the cultural diversity in our society.
• We will challenge any discriminatory remarks or behaviour.
• We will comply with all legislation in connection with safeguarding children, and take into account children’s wishes and feelings, and ensure that children’s privacy and dignity are respected.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Exclusion Due to Illness Policy
This policy is written in conjunction with our Hygiene Policy and our Nappy Changing Policy.
The aim of this policy is to identify the healthcare needs of each child in our care and to address these needs in a way that is appropriate, so that all the children in our care will benefit from the way good health is promoted.
We understand that children become sick from time to time; however we also want to promote good health and prevent the spread of infection where we can.
In order to do this we will not take any child who has a temperature, sickness, diarrhoea or other infectious illness into our care.
If a child has been ill with a temperature, sickness or diarrhoea then they need to have been clear of all symptoms for 48 hours before they return.
If a child falls ill with temperature, sickness or diarrhoea in our care then parents will be contacted and will be expected to collect their child as soon as possible. This is because we have a statutory duty to minimise the risk of cross-infection to the other children in our care. Until the sick child is picked up we will make every effort to make them as comfortable as possible, and if it is possible for us to keep them separated from the other children then we will do this – however please note no child will ever be left unsupervised.
In the case of notifiable infectious diseases we will inform CIW and refer to the Health Protection Agency website page Guidance on Infection Control in Schools and other Child Care Settings for advice on the length of exclusion.
Parents should remember that if their child is ill they are still liable for the cost of their child’s care with us, under the terms of the contract, as it is the child’s registered place parents are paying for, not the care itself. If we are ill and unable to take your child then no payment is due.
All parents will be notified if any child-minded child or family member in our home are diagnosed with a notifiable infectious disease, i.e. chicken-pox or impetigo. This will be done in a way that maintains individual confidentiality, as appropriate.
If children become sick outside of our care then parents are also asked to inform us as soon as possible so we can inform other parents if necessary, again, in a way that will maintain confidentiality.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Fire Policy
The aim of this policy is to ensure we have an appropriate procedure in place to follow in the event of a fire.
In the event of a fire it would be our absolute priority to get everyone out to safety as quickly and safely as possible.
Our house has been checked by Flintshire Fire Service and by CIW. We have three smoke detectors: one in the hall, one on the landing, and one in the garage conversion/music room.
We keep a fire blanket on the wall in the kitchen. This would be replaced if it was ever used. We have a simple fire escape plan on the wall in the kitchen. We will practice a fire drill once a term.
In the event of a fire, this is our procedure:
• In the first instance we would make sure babies and children are taken out to a place of safety as soon as possible, if we are able to do this, in accordance with our escape plan.
• We will comfort and reassure all the children.
• Our meeting place is the lamp-post at the front of the house.
• We will phone 999 to call the fire brigade.
• If necessary we will phone parents to arrange pickup.
• If necessary we will phone our emergency contact.
This statement will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Healthy Pre-School Eating Policy
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that all our pre-school children are fed tasty, healthy food that will promote their physical health and growth, and which will help to build healthy habits they can take into the rest of their lives.
• We view lunch times and snack times as a social time where the children can chat and learn.
• Wherever possible, we sit with the children to encourage good eating and table manners. There are times when this is not possible, for example, when we are out at toddler groups.
• For special occasions such as birthdays we will provide birthday cake and give it out as pudding.
• We are a small setting, so we view our published menus as a guide, rather than a rigid requirement. There may be occasions, for example, when we go to a café or pack a picnic; and on other occasions we may change or vary the food on offer in line with the preferences of the particular children we have that day.
• If we take a picnic it will include a suitable mix of sandwiches, vegetables and fruit.
• We will generally aim to put out a wide variety of food, and allow the children to exercise a reasonable preference over the foods they eat.
• We aim to make our food nutritious, tasty, and tooth-friendly.
• We read food labels and aim to put out the healthiest options as per the traffic-light labelling.
• We generally plan our menus in advance to include a reasonable variety of suitable foods. Most meals will include a variety of vegetables and fruit, such as cherry tomatoes, cucumber, broccoli, sweetcorn, carrot sticks, peppers, apple, banana, orange, grapes, sultanas, melon.
• We aim to avoid having processed meat more often than once a week, e.g. ham, burgers, sausages, gammon. As a general rule we aim to offer unprocessed meat or fish. There may be times when processed meat cannot reasonably be avoided, for example, when we are on outings.
• We provide semi-skimmed milk or water to drink. For children who refuse milk or water we offer them 50/50 diluted apple juice.
• For children who are able to use lidless cups we will use them; for those who are not able to use lidless cups we will use free-flow lids.
• We aim to have lunch times and snack times at structured intervals. Generally, morning snack time will be between 10am and 10.30am, and lunch between 12am and 12.30am. Again, if we are out at toddler groups or on an outing then it may not always be possible to determine the exact timing of meals and snacks.
• Wherever possible, we aim to have lunch and morning snack at the dining table. This may not be possible if we are out at a toddler group or on an outing, for example.
• As much as possible, we will encourage the children to feed themselves.
• Snack times and lunch times will not be rushed.
• We encourage children to try new foods.
• We give praise for good eating.
• Parents are informed in their daily email of what their children eat while they are with us.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Hygiene Policy
The aim of this policy is to promote the good health of children. This policy is written in conjunction with our Nappy Changing Policy and Exclusion Due to Illness Policy.
• The premises and equipment will be kept clean and hygienic.
• We will be registered with Flintshire County Council Food Safety Section as a Food Business Operator.
• Children will be encouraged to learn good personal hygiene.
• We have a dedicated handwashing sink for the children in the kitchen.
• We have hand-dryers in the kitchen and bathroom.
• Children will be asked to wash their hands with warm soapy water:
a) before mealtimes
b) before and after cooking or baking activities
c) whenever they have used the toilet or potty
d) as needed, i.e. after craft or when children have been outside.
• We will also wash our own hands: after going to the toilet, or touching raw meat, poultry or eggs, emptying bins, cleaning, touching a cut or dressing, touching potties, nappies, or changing mats, cleaning up accidents, helping any child with their toileting, wiping or blowing our noses, or a child’s nose, after outside activities, and after touching dirty laundry.
• We ask parents to sterilise bottles, feeding equipment, dummies and teething aids. We do have a microwave steam steriliser if we need it.
• We also ask parents to make sure we always have a clean change of clothes for their child.
• Baby toys that may go in babies’ mouths will be wiped with anti-bacterial spray daily. Other toys will be disinfected as necessary, usually once a week.
• We both have a current Basic Food Hygiene certificate, and will only use good food hygiene practice as in the Food Standards Agency/PACEY pack entitled: Safer Food, Better Business for Childminders Pack.
• We have a First Aid box that is accessible, but kept out of reach of children. The contents will be checked frequently and replaced as necessary.
• We both have a current Paediatric First Aid certificate.
• Neither of us smoke and we do not permit anyone else to smoke in our house.
• We will keep ourselves informed and up to date with good hygiene procedures and practice, through our PACEY membership.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Large Play Equipment Policy
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that children playing outside are kept safe, and that they are properly supervised, and that the equipment they play on is fit for purpose.
• All our large play equipment will be checked, maintained & renewed as necessary
• Children will be supervised while using large play equipment
• Only one at a time bouncing on the trampoline
• Only one at time on each swing, except the crow’s nest swing.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Lost or Missing Policy
The aim of this policy is to set out our procedure in the event a child is lost or goes missing.
The safety of the children in our care is paramount to us. We aim to keep the children in our care safe at all times. We will take every reasonable precaution to ensure children do not go missing.
In the event a child does go missing, we will immediately raise the alarm and enlist the help of anyone available to search for them, giving them a clear description of the child.
If the child is not found in a short time we will contact the police. We will also inform the parents at once and reassure the other children. We will also inform CIW.
This policy is written in conjunction with our Safety on Outings Policy.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Medication Policy
The aim of this policy is to safeguard children in respect of medication, and to ensure that children only receive the medication they need.
• We will always promote the health of children in our care and take appropriate action when they are ill.
• We can give both prescribed and non-prescribed medicines.
• We will only give medicines where there is a health need to do so.
• If technical training or medical knowledge is required to give a particular prescription medicine then we will undertake training provided by a qualified healthcare professional specific to the child.
• Parents must give prior written consent before we will give any medicine to their child. This consent must include the child’s name, exact dosage and times to be given, and common side-effects. Parents must also tell us when the last dose was given.
• Parents must provide all medicines needed by their children. We cannot give any medicine your child has not taken before in case of adverse reaction.
• Prescription medicines will not be given unless a doctor has prescribed it for the named child.
• All medicines must be in the original container with the pharmacist’s or manufacturer’s label, along with the child’s name and dosage instructions.
• All medicines must have the information leaflet supplied with the medicine so that we can have an understanding of possible side-effects.
• The name of the medicine must be clearly labelled on the bottle, and it must be within expiry date.
• We store all medicines in a dedicated, locked medicine cabinet, unless they need to be kept in our fridge, for which we have a fridge lock.
• We keep written records of all medicines given, including the child’s name, the name of the medicine, dosage, and the date and time given.
• Any additional requirements of our public liability insurance will also be adhered to.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Mobile Phone & Internet Safety Policy
The aim of this policy is to safeguard children from inappropriate messages, images or content.
• We have our home internet filter set to exclude content not suitable for children.
• None of our children bring their own mobile phones or tablets.

Physical Activity & Active Play Policy
The aim of this policy is to encourage the children in our care to form a life-long habit of having a healthy amount of physical activity, as this will promote their physical growth, co-ordination and learning, in addition to all the health benefits that come from having regular exercise.
• At home, wherever practical and reasonable, we will encourage the children in our care to take part in some form of outside physical activity.
• To this end, we will make a variety of different physical activities available in our garden, such as: swings, climbing frame, slides, trampoline, bikes, scooters, sandpit and many more.
• For younger children, we will plan regular outings that will involve some form of physical activity, such as swimming, adventure playgrounds, soft play centres, sand and water play, outdoor walks, going to the beach, and more.
• Wherever appropriate, we will hope to encourage by example; for example, at soft play centres we will spend some of the time going round the play equipment with the children; and at other times and in other places we will spend some of the time joining in with the games and activities the children are playing so that we are also continuing to interact with them.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Nappy Changing Policy
This policy is written in conjunction with our Hygiene Policy and our Exclusion due to Illness Policy.
Parents of babies and toddlers will need to provide us with:
• Nappies/trainer pants
• Baby wipes
• Creams
• Nappy-sacks
We will provide a nappy-changing mat that will be cleaned and disinfected after every use. When we are at home we will only change nappies on the floor so there is no risk of any child falling.
We will use disposable gloves and disposable aprons. Please let us know if your child has an allergy to latex.
We will wash our hands after each nappy change.
We will dispose of nappies straight into our outside wheelie bin.
We will not use set times for nappy changes – we will simply change nappies as soon as we become aware that a need has arisen.
We are happy to help children progress to potty training in line with their parents’ wishes. To help children become independent in going to the toilet we provide:
• A potty
• A toilet training seat
• A step for the toilet and wash basin
• Children’s books on potty training
Whenever we perceive a child may be ready to move to potty training then we will discuss this with the parents so we can work together to give the child the support and reassurance they need. We will also give parents daily feedback on how this is going.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Safety on Outings Policy
This policy is written in conjunction with our Lost or Missing Policy.
• We aim to keep children in our care safe at all times.
• We will regularly remind children not to wander off or talk to strangers.
• For toddlers and very young children who need it we will use reins or a safety harness.
• For slightly older children we will ensure they hold our hand when we are out, as appropriate.
• Where practicable we will avoid taking children to over-crowded places.
• While on outings we will make a point to be even more vigilant than usual to any and every possible risk whatsoever.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Smoking, Alcohol & Other Substances Policy
The aim of this policy is to ensure that we are always competent to care for children, and that children do not come into contact with any inappropriate substances.
• We work as a husband and wife team, we do not employ anyone else to work with children, unless it is students on work placement.
• Neither of us smoke or use e-cigarettes.
• We do not allow anyone else to smoke or use e-cigarettes at our setting.
• We will never drink alcohol, or be under the influence of alcohol while we are caring for children.
• Neither will we take, or be under the influence of, any other legal (or illegal) substance that may impair our ability to look after children.
• If we are on an outing (say, in a town or in a crowd) then we will do our best to make sure the children do not come into contact with to***co smoke or e-cigarettes; or indeed, that they do not come into contact with anyone who may be drunk or on any other kind of substance.

Sun Safety Policy
The aim of this policy is to keep children and adults safe in the sun.
• On sunny days we ask parents to apply suncream before bringing their children to us. We also ask them to send their children with their own sunhats and covered shoulders, as opposed to vest-type tops, as shoulders are particularly susceptible to sunburn.
• We have our own (limited) supply of appropriate tops and sunhats for those children who don’t have their own.
• In sunny weather we will encourage children to wear sunhats. It needs to be noted that for young children this is sometimes a hopeless task, as they will immediately take them off no matter how much they are asked not to.
• To this end, we keep our own supply of appropriate children’s water-resistant Factor 50 sun cream.
• We encourage the children to be in the way of putting sun cream on; to this end we try to buy “child-friendly” sun cream, and we are careful not to put it in children’s eyes.
• We will take sun cream with us when we go on outings.
• We check the Met Office weather app every day, first thing every morning as part of planning our day.
• If the Met Office weather forecast has shown a high UV forecast for a time when children are likely to be outside for more than 15 or 20 minutes then we will take a view when we see what the weather is actually doing (sometimes weather forecasts are wrong).
• We are also conscious that a certain amount of sunlight is good for children.
• Nonetheless we will always err on the side of caution, and if we assess there is any risk whatsoever then we will put sun cream on the children, and on us.
• If we are out in the sun for an extended time we will apply more sun cream, as appropriate.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.

Working in Partnership with Parents Policy
The purpose of this policy is to ensure parents are kept fully informed and involved in their child’s activities, achievements and progress. This policy is written in conjunction with our Data Protection Policy.
• We work in partnership with parents to meet the needs of children, both individually and as a group.
• We respect the fact that parents are the people who have the primary responsibility for the nurture and upbringing of their children.
• We will listen carefully to all the wishes of parents in regard to the care of their child, and we will do everything reasonable to satisfy those wishes.
• Parents also need to appreciate that there may be occasions when we need to consider the needs of the group as a whole, and this may affect our ability to stick exactly to their particular requirements.
• We give parents a copy of all our policies at the outset. We also advise parents to check our page if we ever make material changes.
• Any requests for information by third parties will be discussed with parents, and information only shared with their consent, unless there is a child protection concern.
• Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 identifies children as being “in need” if their health or development requires additional help that may be provided by the Local Authority, and childminders work under this legislation.
• If we become aware that a child in our care is identified as being “in need” under this Act then we may give appropriate information to referring agencies, providing we have the parent’s permission to do this.
• We keep parents informed about our activities and their children’s experiences via their daily emails, along with photos.
• We tell parents what their child has achieved in the day, including the day’s activities and any significant events, and also any changes in behaviour.
• For children under 2 this will include details of nappy changes, feeds and nap times.
• We have wall displays made by the children, and children will also take home examples of their work.
• Parents will have access to all our records on their children.
• Children will only be allowed to leave in the care of a parent or an individual named by the parent.
This policy will be reviewed annually and CIW will be informed of any changes within 28 days.