BIERLEY CHILDCARE RE-OPENING TO ALL CHILDREN

Corona Virus

 

GUIDELINES FOR PARENTS AND CARERS – August 2020

The detailed guidance sets out the measures I must put in place at this time and can be found on the Government website here:

Actions for early years and childcare providers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-early-years-and-childcare-closures

Guidance on implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings

Now that I have fully reopened my setting to all children and the country continues to recover from the effects of lockdown it is vital that we remain vigilant and work together to reduce the risk of infection.

I am incredibly pleased with how supportive and understanding children and families have been with the changes and safety measures already in place. I would be extremely grateful if you can continue to support me at this challenging time. Together we can work together to ensure my childcare service remains a safe place for everyone.

I have attached a copy of my Coronavirus Policy which outlines the additional safety measures and procedures within my setting. Please read it carefully and support me in my efforts to help minimise risk and protect our children and families.

Failure to follow government advice, official health guidelines, or refusing to support me with implementing the protective measures outlined in my Coronavirus Policy will be taken very seriously and may result in the immediate termination of our childcare contract.

I will continue to keep up to date with the latest government and health advice and where necessary update procedures and notify families of any changes.

If you have any questions regarding coronavirus management procedures within my setting, please do not hesitate to discuss them with me.

Hours, Fees and Attendance

Hours of care for all children have now resumed as per the conditions agreed in our childcare contract.

If you would prefer to keep your child at home in the present circumstances or require fewer hours of care at this time than agreed in our contract, please let me know as soon as possible. Full fees will be charged for hours of attendance and for non-attendance where no alternative arrangement has been agreed. A retainer fee may be required in order to reserve your child’s place and to ensure the sustainability of my business.   

Should you require additional hours of care for your child, please discuss this with me as I may be able to assist so long as I adhere to Ofsted ratio guidelines. Additional hours will be charged at the overtime rate as detailed in our contract.

Please be aware that your childcare place is at risk if payments are not kept up to date. If you have any concerns regarding payment or the terms of our childcare contract, please do not hesitate to discuss them with me. 

August 2020

Government Advice

Official information about the coronavirus and the latest advice can be found on the NHS website (nhs.uk) or the UK government’s website (gov.uk)

Everyone must now:

Help control the virus

To protect yourself and others, when you leave home you must:

  • wash hands – keep washing your hands regularly
  • cover face – wear a face covering over your nose and mouth in enclosed spaces
  • make space – stay at least a metre away from people not in your household

If you are feeling unwell, get a test, and do not leave home for at least 10 days.

If you or anyone in your household display symptoms, or discover that they have been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus you should follow the COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection guidance, stay at home and make contact with the NHS Test and Trace service.

NHS Test & Trace:  www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test    Telephone: 119

Further Information

What is Coronavirus?

A coronavirus is a type of virus that can affect your lungs and airways. In December 2019, a new strain of coronavirus named COVID-19, transmitted from animals to humans, was identified in Wuhan City, China. The virus is now spreading in several countries around the world including the UK.

On 5th March COVID-19 was added to the list of notifiable diseases and SARS-COV-2 to the list of notifiable causative agents. All cases must be reported to Public Health England / Health Protection Scotland.

Symptoms

The symptoms of coronavirus are similar to those of other common illnesses such as the cold or flu. Typical ailments include a cough, high temperature, shortness of breath or a loss of, or change in, your normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia).

Infections can range from mild to serious, with severe cases leading to pneumonia, respiratory failure, or septic shock. Those most at risk of death are the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.

How does it spread?

As it is a new virus, the exact way in which the virus passes from person to person has not been confirmed yet similar viruses are known to spread from cough droplets.

Protecting ourselves and minimising the spread

The best way in which we can limit the spread of this potentially life-threatening illness and protect ourselves, our children, and everyone around us, is to practice good hygiene. There are a number of things that we can do to stop germs from spreading including:

  • Washing our hands regularly with soap and water, or using hand sanitiser where soap and water are not available.
  • Catching coughs and sneezes in a tissue or the crook of our elbows, rather than our hands, then binning the tissue and washing hands thoroughly.
  • Avoiding touching our faces, especially our eyes, noses, and mouths with unwashed hands.
  • Avoiding close contact with anyone who is unwell.

Coronavirus Policy Bierley Childcare

Childminding Service

 

At what is a very worrying time for us all, I understand that keeping our children and families safe is our highest priority. I have therefore outlined below the procedures to be followed in my setting for the protection of everyone involved. These procedures will remain in place whilst the Coronavirus Pandemic remains a threat to our health and society, and until the UK government advises on any relaxation of protective measures.

Please support me in implementing these measures in the interests of safety for all children and families I provide care for, myself, and my own family.

Drop off and Collection

  • Organised drop off and collection times will be set for all families so as to reduce the likelihood of families arriving or leaving the setting at the same time, therefore minimising contact between households.
  • Parents or other family members will be asked not to enter the setting. Children will be dropped off and collected at the door. Having set drop off and collection times will allow me to anticipate children’s arrival and also ensure they are ready to leave at collection time. 
  • I will help all children to wash their hands on arrival, and before leaving the setting to go home, please note there is a hand sanitiser on the wall outside so parents and children can sanitise their hands prior to entering my setting.

Hygiene

  • Children will be helped to wash and dry their hands regularly throughout the day including after using the toilet, playing outside or touching animals, and before eating any meals or snacks. I will regularly talk to children about why washing our hands is important to prevent the spread of germs and infection. I display a handwashing poster in my washroom.
  • I will provide liquid soap and disposable paper towels in the washroom to enable children to wash and dry their hands properly. The waste bin is emptied daily.
  • I will ensure tissues are available throughout the setting and encourage children to use them to catch coughs and sneezes. I teach them the importance of putting dirty tissues in the bin to prevent the spread of germs.
  • I will ensure my Hygiene Policy is strictly adhered to and introduce further measures to clean surfaces that are touched frequently such as toys, books, tables, chairs, doors, sinks, toilets, light switches, and bannisters, more regularly than normal.
  • When working with babies and young children I will follow my Nappy and Toilet Training Policy and ensure strict hygiene procedures are followed at all times.
  • Parents will be asked to provide a spare change of clothes for their child which will be kept in a bag at the setting. Any soiled clothing will be double bagged and given to parents to be washed at home.
  • I will request that no toys are brought into the setting from home with the exception of comforters / snuggle toys that will be kept in a named, sealed plastic bag to be used only at nap times. 
  • I will remove all unnecessary soft furnishings and cushions during minded hours.
  • All soft toys and toys with small intricate parts that are more difficult to clean will be removed and stored away.
  • I am taking additional precautions around activities that involve the sharing of malleable or messy play materials such as sand, foam or play dough, ensuring any material used is replaced and equipment is cleaned and disinfected between each session. Where possible I provide each child with their own tools and individual amount of material.
  • I will ensure good ventilation within the setting by keeping windows open where possible and not closing doors in the playrooms these have safety gates attached.
  • I will provide children with their own cup or water bottle and their own cutlery to be used at mealtimes. All crockery and cutlery will be cleaned with general-purpose detergent and dried thoroughly before being stored for re-use.
  • With the exception of formula milk for babies or foods supplied for special dietary requirements, all meals and snacks will be provided at the setting. All grocery items will be wiped down with diluted bleach or alcohol wipes and all fruit and vegetables washed before storing away. Parents will be discouraged from providing packed lunches or any other food items to minimise the risk of cross-contamination. 

Social Distancing

  • I will encourage all families to follow social distancing guidance, avoiding contact with other households, and maintaining the 2-meter rule as much as possible.
  • Where parents have jobs, like my own, where close or physical contact with others is unavoidable, I expect them to act responsibly in following health and safety guidance at work to minimise any risks involved.
  • I will try to make use of my outdoor space and the garden as much as possible. Activities outdoors will more easily allow for distance between children whilst providing opportunities for fresh air and exercise.   
  • Any trips out with the setting school drop off and collections will be carefully planned in order to minimise the possibility of coming into contact with other individuals and taking account of the most up to date physical distancing guidelines.

Blended / Wrap Around Care

  • Where children attend another early year setting, school or nursery, it remains important to minimise the number of contacts and risk of transmission. I am asking parents to support me in limiting the number of settings their child attends (ideally only my setting and EXAMPLE Primary School or Nursery) and to follow all safety measures that are put in place.
  • Parents must inform me of any other childcare settings their child is attending so that in the event of a suspected or confirmed case of coronavirus, I can pass on required information to the NHS Test and Trace service.
  • Where children are to be dropped off or collected from school or nursery, I will contact the school or nursery to determine their drop off and collection procedures and speak with parents to agree on a safe procedure that can be followed.

Illness and Infection

  • I will ask all families to follow the COVID-19: guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection guidance should a child, parent, or any other member of their household display symptoms or discover that they have been in close contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus. Please do not attend my setting and contact the test and trace service to request a test as soon as possible.

NHS Test & Trace:  www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test    Telephone: 119

NHS Scotland’s Test & Protect service: www.nhsinform.scot/test-and-protect    Telephone : 0800 028 2816

  

Your child will not be able to attend my setting for the duration of the recommended isolation period or until a negative test result is received. As per my fees policy, full fees will still apply during this absence.

  • If you are not comfortable with having your child tested or if they are displaying only minor symptoms that would normally be associated with a cough and cold, I will still request that your child is kept at home for 10 days for the protection of everyone else who attends my setting and the safety of my own family. Again, as per my fees policy, full fees will still apply during this absence.
  • If I, or anyone else within my household display symptoms or come into contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus, government advice will be followed. I will notify families immediately and close my setting for the duration of the isolation period. As per my fees policy, no fees will be charged during this time as I am unable to provide care. In the event of a closure, I will try my best to assist parents and carers in finding alternative temporary childcare arrangements.
  • In the event of any confirmed or suspected case of coronavirus I must fulfill my obligations as a registered provider to follow current Care Inspectorate / Ofsted notification procedures and to support the government’s test and trace system. This may require passing your details onto relevant organisations.

Emotional Support

  • I will work with families in whatever way I can to support and reassure them through this difficult period.
  • I encourage parents to share any concerns and speak to me in confidence if required. It is understandable that parents may feel worried about the safety of their child and family and maybe dealing with these anxieties on top of work and financial pressures.
  • I will do whatever I can to reassure children and help them to feel at ease. It is understandable that children may be a little unsettled if they have been at home with their parents for a number of weeks and some make need extra support to settle back into a routine.
  • I will take time to listen to children and talk to them about any worries they might have using words that they will understand.

Communication

  • With social distancing measures in place, it may not always be possible to chat with parents about their child’s day during set drop off and collection times. I will, therefore, try to use digital methods for communication as much as possible to keep parents informed.
  • I will use the Text Messages / Emails / WhatsApp/Kindersley App to provide daily reports to parents regarding activities, development progress, and their child’s general wellbeing.
  • I will also use these digital methods to keep parents informed of any other important information or any changes to my setting procedures.
  • For the time being, only essential paper documents that require a signature such as accident/incident or consent forms will be given home with the child at collection time to be returned to the setting on the next day of attendance. Please take extra care with documents containing personal details or confidential information.

Hours, Fees and Attendance

  • Hours of care for all children will resume as per the conditions agreed in our childcare contract. 
  • If you would prefer to keep your child at home in the present circumstances or require fewer hours of care at this time than agreed in our contract, please let me know as soon as possible. Full fees will be charged for hours of attendance and for non-attendance where no alternative arrangement has been previously agreed upon. A retainer fee may be required in order to and reserve your child’s place and to ensure the sustainability of my business.   
  • Should you require additional hours of care for your child, please discuss this with me as I may be able to assist so long as I adhere to Ofsted / Care Inspectorate ratio guidelines. Additional hours will be charged at the overtime rate as detailed in our contract.

Please be aware that your childcare place is at risk if payments are not kept up to date. If you have any concerns regarding payment or the terms of our childcare contract, please do not hesitate to discuss them with me. 

Failure to follow government advice, official health guidelines, or refusing to support me with implementing the protective measures outlined in this policy will be taken very seriously and may result in the immediate termination of our childcare contract.

I will continue to keep up to date with the latest government and health advice and where necessary update procedures and notify families of any changes.

If you have any questions regarding coronavirus management procedures within my setting, please do not hesitate to discuss them with me.

I know all this may seem too much for parents but I need to keep my setting open at all times so your help and support would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your support

Maria Kitchen

Bierley Childcare

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