FAQs

I am prepared to look after children from the age of 6 months and upwards. I am happy to consider looking after children with special needs providing I have the facilities, equipment and care your child may need. I will always consider the needs of those I am already caring for and how the age and ability of prospective children may fit in.

To maintain Ofsted Standards, I can currently look after:

• A maximum of six children under eight years at any one time, this number also includes my own children.
• Of these six, a maximum of three children maybe under 5 years
• I may only have one child under the age of one at any one time.
• I can also cater for children over 8 years depending on the care needs of the other children that I care for.

I work Monday to Thursday 7:30am until 5:30pm.

I will be working as normal throughout School holidays, unless you have been notified that I am on holiday. Please insure you inform me ASAP if you require your child to come to me for full days during the holiday, as I still need to comply with the maximum number of children that I can care for at any one time.

I am willing to drop off and pick up from Netherton Infant and Nursery School and South Crosland Junior School, which is only a 2 minute walk away most both schools.

Please note : All children must be dropped off before 8:25am, if not you will after wait until 9:10am when we will arrive back after dropping off the other children at school. There will be no pick ups either between 3pm and 3:30pm as will may be picking up children from school.

I do provide breakfast, lunch and dinner and these are included in the daily fees. I will endeavor to provide healthy balanced meals from fresh ingredients where possible. Water and fruit will be available to children at any time.

Other snacks and drinks will be provided on a regular basis. Parents will need to provide baby milk.

As well as providing for children’s basic needs for food, drink, rest and comfort I will be planning activities that give your children the opportunity to develop. I believe children learn best through play and I hope to enable them to develop both emotionally and socially, learn language, literacy and basic numeric skills and also develop both physically and creatively. Children develop at different rates so I will try to make activities appropriate to ability and age.

Any routines established will be driven by the children’s needs and will be flexible to allow for spontaneity.

Where possible I will pick up older children from after school activities.

Following my Ofsted visit the areas of my home available to your child are as follows:

• Kitchen/ dining room
• Living room
• Bathroom/toilet upstairs
• Hallway and stairs
• Front garden (which is fully enclosed)
• Netherton school field (where we have our own allotment patch)

I will also be using local facilities in Netherton where relevant, such as the playgrounds, local farm shop with the animals, library bus, toddler groups, playing fields, nature trails, local walks, play gyms and local shops. Other further resources include Zoos, Museums, Parks, local National Trust properties, Animal Centers, Leisure Centre, nearby Towns and Cities etc.

• I may take up to six weeks holiday a year for family holidays and further training
• I close for 2 weeks over Christmas and New Year
• I will let you know 4 weeks prior to any holiday I take
• I will expect 4 weeks’ notice of your holiday time.

• Any nappies, creams, lotions and bedding that will be needed on a regular basis.
• Milk and bottles for babies.
• Spare clothing and relevant outdoor wear including sun lotion and sunhats; coats,   waterproofs and wellies will need to be brought in where appropriate.

• If I am ill and unable to work, I will inform you as soon as possible so alternative arrangements can be made. Where possible, I will liaise with other child minders in the area to make this easier.
• If your child is ill you will need to call me and let me know and I will come to a decision if your child can attend the setting, as long as there is no risk of infection to other children.
• If they are infectious I may not be able to look after them until they have fully recovered.

Initially I will need a great deal of information from you to ensure I can care for your child properly and that all mandatory records are kept.

• Please see additional forms and Admission Policy

Also, I think it is reassuring for children to see their parent(s) and child minder chatting in a friendly relaxed fashion. I would love parents to stay for an occasional coffee and chat where appropriate. Also, I will provide a daily dairy for the younger children in my care, where I will record relevant daily information for you. I also wish that you supply me with anything you wish me to know on a daily basis.

This is an unsettling time for your chiId and an emotional time for you. It is essential that we work together to get it right. I like parents to come with their child for at least a couple of informal visits for all of you to get to know me, my family and my home. This also enables me to collect vital information relating to your child and how you wish me to care for them. There can then be a settling in period of 4 weeks before the contract comes into operation to make sure the arrangements work out. During this time I will endeavor to support and reassure your child at every opportunity, comforting if and when necessary.

It is a good idea to bring something from home to comfort your child when you are not there e.g. blanket or toy. You may wish to provide family photos or albums for us to look at and discuss whilst you are working – these could include you at work!!

It is also wise to make actual goodbyes as quick and as upbeat as possible, to avoid unnecessary distress to you and your child.

• If you change your mind within the 4 week settling in period, you may terminate your contract without giving any notice.
• If you change your mind subsequently or no longer require a childminder, I will require a 4 week notice in writing please.
• If my circumstances were to change and I could no longer care for your child or I wish to terminate your contract, I will also have to give you 4 weeks notice in writing.

How will this be agreed?

We will agree upon and both sign a legally binding contract. We will both have copies of this contract and can review and change it at any time. I use the Pacey contracts.

I will not use physical punishment in any form. I will discuss with you before the contract starts how you approach discipline with your child, how they respond best and agree with you what is suitable. On the whole, I will lead by example and use praise and positive reinforcement for desirable behavior. I will treat children with respect and value and have consistent clear boundaries. I will explain why certain behavior’s are not acceptable and discourage children from them.

I will not allow any child in my care to harm, intimidate or persecute any other child in my care. I understand that it is important to acknowledge children’s feelings and make allowances for age, development and changes in personal circumstances.

I will always try and contact parents, carers or emergency contacts provided to inform you of an emergency. If I cannot reach any of these people I may need to arrange for another responsible adult to care for the children. In this instance I would hope to arrange for another registered childminder to be this adult.