Discipline is a very necessary tool and used skilfully can enable the child?s environment to be safe and calm and can help to develop a sense of self within the world.

Our policy is to use instruction i.e. ?Please don?t do that because... and if necessary time out.

Timeout space will be safe and secure. Timeout will be timed by a timer that the child can hear and will never be longer than 10 minutes, usually 1 minute per year of life.

No physical punishment under any circumstance.

No verbal abuse or constant negatives i.e. Stupid, shut-up, idiot ? will be used.

All parents/care providers will agree to this policy on acceptance of placement.

Any discipline used will be written in the diaries.

If your child is unwell there best place is with you, however, sometimes teething or a mild cold can mean the child is just under the weather. We are happy to provide TLC during these times.

We will give medication that is provided by you i.e. Calpol and any long term medication i.e. Asthma medication.

If your child is on prescribed antibiotics we will be happy to provide care on day 3. (This gives the medication time to take effect)

You will be charged full fees if your child is absent due to illness, even if we send them home.

Why?

You still get paid and valued if you are not at work ????

We cannot and would not fill your child?s place short-term.

All medicines to be given to your child must be written and countersigned in the diary by you.

Any medicines or first aid administered by us will be written in the diary and incident book and must be countersigned by you.

All creams including sun cream and dental gel/powder, for use by your child must be bought and labelled by you and written in the diary on the front page. If it is general use please write (to be used when needed)

Please ensure your emergency contact details are correct at all times. It is useful to have people other than immediate family as contacts.

These will be the times agreed by you and us. If you need to change your times 48 hours notice is required.

Special consideration will be given in emergency situations

Why 48 hours?
• I need to know what I am doing each week
• Wages and tax need to be calculated reliably
• Your child is individually cared and planned for. S/he is not just an add on.

If you feel the care of your child has been compromised, you should first discuss your concerns with me. Most concerns can be resolved in this way. If you feel your concerns are not resolved at this stage then you are entitled to complain directly to OFSTED.

The telephone number of the Early years complaints line is 0845 6 40 40 40. Or in order to make your complaint in writting you can donwload and use one of these documents: Word Document or PDF Document. Or You can choose to visit the Ofsted website for more information.

OFSTED will then investigate your complaint fully and quickly. (please refer to document concerns and complaints about childminders and day-care providers?)

A record of your complaint will be kept, as will the outcome of the enquiry.

We hope that you will feel comfortable enough to speak to us directly if you are concerned about the care of your child in any way at all.

Please see the copy of the provider complaints record.

Personal records will be kept in a lockable filing cabinet. These files will be for staff/OFSTED use only.

You can request to see any recordings relevant to your child at any time.

We operate and adhere to an equal opportunities policy that covers all of our work.
• All people in this house will treat everyone with dignity and respect, valuing different ethnic backgrounds, language, culture and faiths and will consider these issues when planning programmes of activities and in the choosing of resources
• All people must challenge bullying, harassment and discrimination
• Ensure that all people use every available opportunity to consult with the child (where language development makes this possible, including basic Makaton sign) and to value the views expressed by them.
• Ensure that a named person has responsibility for monitoring the procedure in practice.
• All people in this house will be positive role models

Lesley Craddock is the named person.

I do not work on bank holiday Monday unless special arrangements have been agreed. (no fee) Good Friday. Christmas and Boxing Days, 27th and 28th December.( full fees )

Our holidays

2 weeks full pay, notified at least 3months in advance. Any other holiday will be unpaid.

Your holidays

You will be charged full fees for any holidays you and your child take.

Why?
• We cannot and will not fill your child?s place short term, I have expenses to plan.

Please give a minimum 48 hours notice of any holidays this will make a significant difference to the planning of our days.

If you wish you can write out your child?s daily routine in their diary. We will do all possible to adhere to your wishes. This may not always be practical or possible any difference will be discussed and then written in the diary.

Unless stated otherwise in your diary mealtimes will be:-
Breakfast 8 - 9am
Snack 10.30 - 11.00am
Lunch 12.30 - 1.30pm
Snack 3.00 - 3.30pm
Supper 4.30 - 5.30pm

Snacks will usually consist of fruit, homemade cakes and biscuits, rice cakes, water, pure fruit juice or milk.

Main meals will usually consist of a combination of the following: white fish or chicken breast, roast vegetables, steamed seasonal vegetables, salad, pasta, potatoes, egg boiled, scrambled or poached, cheese, ham, pulses, rice and brown bread. (Please fill in food favorites sheet for any different food that you wish to be included)

Sweets will not be used as incentive rewards. However, unless you state otherwise in your diary, we will be enjoying them from time to time!

When your child is ready and we are all (including the child) agreed we will work with you to potty train.

We use knickers and pants rather than pull up nappies during this process. This works well as your child will be proud to be wearing ?grown up clothes? and s/he will be able to tell if s/he is wet or dirty.

The potty will be offered every 30 minutes and a lot of praise is given. Lots and lots and lots!

Eventually your child will tell us when s/he wants the potty. This takes differing lengths of time for each child. We never reprimand a child for an accident and we use a sticker chart for success. I.e. a sticker for a pee!

Your child/ren will be encouraged and enabled to clean themselves after using the potty/toilet. However; as we do not want them to be left in soiled clothing or with soiled skin, we will clean them as necessary, using tissue/moist wipes.

If we feel that the safety (emotional or physical) of your child has been compromised, we will record our concerns in our accident/incident book. This will be physical changes or changes in behavior. If your child has had an injury at home and is still showing signs of the injury we will record this too. You will be asked to sign any entries made.

If we believe that your child is at risk from abuse we will contact CHILDREN SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES child protection team.

If you feel that your child is at risk whilst in our care please see COMPLAINTS.

If your child wishes to use the computer S/he can do so. There will be general supervision. They will not however be allowed to go into chat rooms or play violent games.

We will not permit any toys that we consider promote violence. E.g. guns, knives, violent computer games etc.

All conflicts will be encouraged to be dealt with by resolution. Children will be enabled to deal with their developing emotions in positive ways. (yep! even babies)