Guest Posted February 8, 2006 Posted February 8, 2006 I know this was posted only very recently, but I can't find it. I'm redoing our policies at the minute and, having added several new ones, want to be fairly sure I've covered the required ones at least. I have: Aims & Objectives Equal Opps Healthy Eating Special Needs Complaints Child Protection Behaviour management Anti-Bullying Settling In Admissions Confidentiality Staffing and Employment Student Placement Medicines Asthma Hygiene Health & Safety Key Worker parental Inolvement Observation, Assessment & Record keeping Selecting toys Non-Collection of children Emergency closure Missing child In addition I have a separate Critical Incident Policy - a major work!and things like Fire Risk Assessment I hope there aren't too many more [!] but I'd rather know now if anything's missing! We're in a full daycare preschool. Thanks in anticipation for your input. My head's spinning with policies to the point where I can't think straight.
Guest Posted February 8, 2006 Posted February 8, 2006 Just a few off the top of my head, and they may be included in some of yours already; Recruitment - Induction Inclusion Photographs/videos Volunteers Work Placements Training Curriculum & BTTM Customer services Fees Grant funding Allegations against staff Sickness, communicable diseases Data protection Outings and public events Visitors to the setting Quality assurance Business and finance redundancies unforeseen/emergency closures ( see post from Hali about staff cover due to illness) SHOULD THERE BE A POLICY ON WRITING POLICIES :wacko: Peggy p.s. I bet there are more
Guest Posted February 8, 2006 Posted February 8, 2006 oooh, terms and conditions, or is this a statement and not a policy??? Peggy
Guest Posted February 8, 2006 Posted February 8, 2006 oooh, just thought. Pets in preschool Outdoor play Anti-discrimination / challenging discrimination Partnership with other agencies- ie: health service, youth service, Portage etc Recycling policy ( just trying to think about everything we do now ) partnership with schools Peggy
Guest Posted February 8, 2006 Posted February 8, 2006 We were told recently (by our PLA development worker) that we need to have a Reserves policy too, that details how we would fund staff redundancies if the building burnt down. Carolyn
Guest Posted February 8, 2006 Posted February 8, 2006 We were told recently (by our PLA development worker) that we need to have a Reserves policy too, that details how we would fund staff redundancies if the building burnt down. Carolyn 47355[/snapback] If the building burnt down, I guess we would need to refer to our; Insurance policy Peggy
Guest Posted February 8, 2006 Posted February 8, 2006 Good heavens, at this rate the policies booklet will soon be as thick as the Bible - but I think the Bible might be more widely read Oh I'm getting very cynical in my old age. Thanks for your replies, Peggy & Carolyn - I think!!
AnonyMouse_3975 Posted February 8, 2006 Posted February 8, 2006 I'm reviewing our policies at present - ours are over four years old!!!! Have to add a few more to the list as per above post. A few questions Do you give all parents a copy of your policies or just display them at your settings? Is everyone invovled in renewing your policies? Sue
Guest Posted February 8, 2006 Posted February 8, 2006 I'm reviewing our policies at present - ours are over four years old!!!! Have to add a few more to the list as per above post. A few questions Do you give all parents a copy of your policies or just display them at your settings? Is everyone invovled in renewing your policies? Sue 47364[/snapback] During home visits I give the parents what I feel are the most important/relevant to them, we also have a chance to discuss them; Aims & Objectives (of the preschool) Settling-in Child protection Positive behaviour management Parents as partners Terms & Conditions Fees /grant Curriculum All the others are available on our notice table and parents can ask for a copy. We revue policies on a rolling programme (not all at once), and when legislation requires a change. All staff are involved, they revue a policy at a meeting, we make any changes then give a copy to a few parents for their feedback, ie: parent of child who has downs syndrome reviewed our SEN polcy. Then all parents are informed which policies have been changed and reminded to look at them. Peggy
AnonyMouse_3975 Posted February 8, 2006 Posted February 8, 2006 Thanks Peggy, I am having a slght disagrrement with my commitee re policies - we do not do home visits but when new parents visit during my discussions with them I talk about our policies - some of our current parents and committee memebers asmitted they di not know any policies exist!! This really worried me as one parents child has been attending for a year now. I want to give parents a copy of all our policies - committee think it is a waste of time and paper. I feel I should amke parents more aware of the existence of the policies as many obviously are not aware of their existence. Maybe I could comprimise and give the parents a ciopy of the more important one and do as you do and let some of the parents review them. Sue
AnonyMouse_705 Posted February 8, 2006 Posted February 8, 2006 What about putting a little note on the newsletter occasionally to the effect that your policies are available to view/in the parents file which is on view. I think we waste enough paper as it is. We have a list of all our policies in our brochure too. Deb
AnonyMouse_3975 Posted February 9, 2006 Posted February 9, 2006 I had thought about both of those as an option but although everyone recives a copy of the newsletter not everybody reads it. I think I will try this option first and make and make a metal note to make sure all visiting childrens parent are fully aware of the policies. I suppose it is all I can do. Thanks Sue
AnonyMouse_705 Posted February 9, 2006 Posted February 9, 2006 Reminds me of the saying 'you can lead a horse to water ...........', it's frustrating when they don't read the newsletter, I think some of them don't read their bills either but if they don't read the newsletter what chance do you have that they will read the policies. I guess some parents are interested in policies some aren't but they still need to know they exist. Could you also put up a permanent notice to promote their existance/availability. I think you are right to draw their attention to the policies when they first attend, something we should do more too! Deb
Guest Posted February 9, 2006 Posted February 9, 2006 We also pull bits out of our policies and quote them in our newsletter. E.g. in the summer term we might put in something about suncream/sunhats from our health and safety policy, or at this time of year something about keeping children away for 48 hours after a bout of D&V or a temperature. Then we can say "for full details see our policies which are available......". That gives parents a reason to read them. Ours are all on our website and in the operational plan for reference. Peggy - reserves policy is there mainly to provide a reference to the redundancy laws and the fact that we hold enough money if we had to make all the staff redundant at once. I don't think this is covered by our insurance, but you have got me thinking now - I'd better check! Carolyn
Guest Posted February 9, 2006 Posted February 9, 2006 Carolun, I have insurance for emergency closures and fire, but I don't think any of my insurance covers for redundancies, so this event would be included in my business plan / finance policy. Peggy
AnonyMouse_3975 Posted February 9, 2006 Posted February 9, 2006 I like the idea of putting upp a permanent notice - think I will do that one. Think I will also pull bits out of our policies to put in the newsletter - had alot of sick children being brought in this term who really should have stayed at playgroup - parents not happy wehen I called them back. Sue
AnonyMouse_705 Posted February 9, 2006 Posted February 9, 2006 We are also reviewing our policies. We don't (as yet) have a reserves policy but have found this one on a local nursery's very good website. Hope it's of some help. Regards Deb Reserves_policy.doc
Guest Posted February 9, 2006 Posted February 9, 2006 We have a joining pack at Nursery which contains our Mission Statement, our policies, our advice for settling children into nursery etc. There is also a storybook about joining nursery for families to share with their children. At the back I include a form for the parents to fill in when they have read the joining pack and there's a space for adding any comments. The instructions are clear too - post the completed form in the Comments Box at Nursery! Does it actually happen? Sometimes...... Just a thought tho, why not get one or two of those files with the display pages in and fill them with your policies. Add a circulation list (with clear instructions and place to tick when seen) to the front of each and start them on their journey around your parents. If you have a large group you could have more than 2 copies circulating at any one time... Good for feedback if you use the form mentioned above. Could make it an annual exercise. There, now I've suggested it I suppose I'd better do it too! Not a bad idea though......... No one could say they didn't know.... Let me know how you get on!
AnonyMouse_3975 Posted February 9, 2006 Posted February 9, 2006 Thank your for a brilliant suggestion - once my policies are all updated I shall get a couple of copies and circulate them as suggested to all parents - this would alleviate my fears and also satisfy the committee of waste of paper. Will let you know how I get on. I am also updating our parent guide. Do many of you do home visits - I am a preschool leader and as yet I have only ever done one home visit for a Mum who did not like confined spaces. What are the safety implications? Sue
Guest Posted February 10, 2006 Posted February 10, 2006 Thank your for a brilliant suggestion - once my policies are all updated I shall get a couple of copies and circulate them as suggested to all parents - this would alleviate my fears and also satisfy the committee of waste of paper. Will let you know how I get on.I am also updating our parent guide. Do many of you do home visits - I am a preschool leader and as yet I have only ever done one home visit for a Mum who did not like confined spaces. What are the safety implications? Sue 47445[/snapback] Yes LJW- brilliant idea. Smiles - I do home visits because I am never on ratio. My manager ( and my husband) know the details of my visits place, who, time. They normally take about an hour and I phone my manager when I leave, if I am longer than 1 hr 15 mins my manager phones my mobile. 1/ to check Im ok and 2/ to help end a visit ( too much chatting ) Assessing Safety really depends on your knowledge of your local area. there have been discussions on home visits before, pros and cons, so why not try a search. Peggy
Guest ann waez Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 I know this was posted only very recently, but I can't find it. I'm redoing our policies at the minute and, having added several new ones, want to be fairly sure I've covered the required ones at least. I have: Aims & Objectives Equal Opps Healthy Eating Special Needs Complaints Child Protection Behaviour management Anti-Bullying Settling In Admissions Confidentiality Staffing and Employment Student Placement Medicines Asthma Hygiene Health & Safety Key Worker parental Inolvement Observation, Assessment & Record keeping Selecting toys Non-Collection of children Emergency closure Missing child In addition I have a separate Critical Incident Policy - a major work!and things like Fire Risk Assessment I hope there aren't too many more [!] but I'd rather know now if anything's missing! We're in a full daycare preschool. Thanks in anticipation for your input. My head's spinning with policies to the point where I can't think straight. 47327[/snapback]
Guest ann waez Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 51950[/snapback] After one year of running a Day Nursery Im reviewing my policies and working on the Fire Risk policy at the moment ,does anyone have a copy of a Fire Assessment policy they would be happy to share ?.Ive tried to go on the link to risk assessments but Im not having much luck . Im currently in the process of opening a baby unit but have been advised not to use the upstairs rooms but move the older children and have the babies downstairs.Does anyone have a baby unit upstairs and if so how do you ensure fire safety procedures are manageable?
Guest Posted March 27, 2006 Posted March 27, 2006 After one year of running a Day Nursery Im reviewing my policies and working on the Fire Risk policy at the moment ,does anyone have a copy of a Fire Assessment policy they would be happy to share ?.Ive tried to go on the link to risk assessments but Im not having much luck . Im currently in the process of opening a baby unit but have been advised not to use the upstairs rooms but move the older children and have the babies downstairs.Does anyone have a baby unit upstairs and if so how do you ensure fire safety procedures are manageable? 51954[/snapback] I used to run a baby room upstairs - and after expansion baby room is now down in a basement ( need to go upstairs for fire escape ! ) We use a human chain as part of our drill. Babies are collected in ' safe area' and then a chain is created up the stairs to evacuate them. It works very well for us and has passed for Fire Inspection and OFSTED. Hope this is of some use.
AnonyMouse_64 Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 Here is the link for the risk assessment article. Risk Assessments in Early Years Settings There is also a Fire Safety Procedure here.
Guest Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 What about nappy changing policies and photography policies? These are two I'm doing at the moment and I find they're the easiest to foget!
Guest JPH Posted March 28, 2006 Posted March 28, 2006 ann waez "In addition I have a separate Critical Incident Policy". I have been advised to put together a critical incident policy, but don`t really know where to start. Can you help at all?
Guest Posted March 30, 2006 Posted March 30, 2006 Hi Peggy, my name is Becky and i work in a private day nursery, and we are working our way through the quality counts accreditation. I am currently sorting through our policies and procedures for the hundredth time and i noticed that you have a recruitment procedure. i would be really grateful for some information please if you don't mind, or a copy would be wonderful. Thank you very much and i look forward to hearing from you.
Guest Posted March 30, 2006 Posted March 30, 2006 As I was trawling through this topic I saw mention of a nappy changing policy. We have just changed the title of ours to 'Personal Care and Changing Policy' as the children in our care don't just wear nappies! Some wear Pull=up's which the parents definitely don't see as nappies (but that's another issue), also children soil or wet their underwear, need changing after painting, outside play, messy play or even just handwashing so our policy now covers all eventualities and sounds more 'PC'. One other thing, I think all SEN policies and Child Protection policies have to be reviewed annually now - its definitely good practice too.
Guest ann waez Posted April 2, 2006 Posted April 2, 2006 I used to run a baby room upstairs - and after expansion baby room is now down in a basement ( need to go upstairs for fire escape ! ) We use a human chain as part of our drill. Babies are collected in ' safe area' and then a chain is created up the stairs to evacuate them. It works very well for us and has passed for Fire Inspection and OFSTED. Hope this is of some use. 51963[/snapback] Thanks for your help on fire procedures and risk assessments , will be busy now preparing for the Ofsted visit !.The council have told me i have to apply for planning permission to use the upstairs ,so its going to take a while before we are up and running.
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