Suitable people policy

Watcombe Childrens Centre Nursery have effective systems in place to ensure that practitioners and other people aged 16 or over likely to have regular contact with children (including those living or working on the premises) are suitable to do so.

We will ensure that all staff, regular volunteers have an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosure in respect of every person aged 16 or over:

·                     who works directly with children;

·                     who lives on the premises on which the childcare is provided;

·                     who works on the premises on which the childcare is provided (unless they do not work on the part of the premises where the childcare takes place, or do not work there at times when children are present).

This requirement will be deemed to have been met in respect of all people whose suitability was checked by Ofsted or their local authority prior to October 2005.

We will not allow people whose suitability has not been checked to have unsupervised contact with children who are being cared for.

We will keep records of the information we have used to assess suitability to demonstrate to Ofsted that checks have been done. Such records must include the unique reference numbers of CRB Disclosures obtained and the date on which they were obtained.

Providers must also meet any requirements of the new Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) scheme once it has been implemented. For more information about the ISA go to Link to an external websitewww.everychildmatters.gov.uk/
independentsafeguardingauthority and Link to an external websitewww.isa-gov.org

We will make decisions of suitability of posts using evidence from:

·                     CRB Disclosure;

·                     references;

·                     full employment history;

·                     qualifications;

·                     interviews;

·                     identity checks;

·                     any other checks undertaken, for example medical suitability.

We will notify all people connected to our provision who work directly with children that we expect them to declare to them all convictions, cautions, court orders, reprimands and warnings which may affect their suitability to work with children.

As a  registered providers we will notify Ofsted of the following:

In the case of all registered early years providers:

·         any change in the address of the premises on which childcare is provided;

·         particulars of any proposal to change the hours during which childcare is provided which will entail the provision of overnight care;

·         particulars of any significant event which is likely to affect the suitability of the early years provider or any person who cares for, or is in regular contact with, children on the premises to look after children.

In the case of early years providers

·         any change to the person who is managing the early years provision;

·         where the early years provision is provided by a company, any change in the name or registered number of the company;

·         where the early years provision is provided by a charity, any change in the name or registration number of the charity;

·         where the childcare is provided by a partnership, body corporate or unincorporated association, any change to the 'nominated individual';

·         where the childcare is provided by a partnership, body corporate or unincorporated association whose sole or main purpose is the provision of childcare, any change to the individuals who are partners or members of its governing body.

Where the specific legal requirements above require notification about a change of person, the information that must be provided to Ofsted is the new person's date of birth, name, any former names or aliases and home address.

Where it is reasonably practicable to do so, notification must be made in advance of the event occurring. In all other cases, notification must be made as soon as is reasonably practicable, but in any event within 14 days of the event occurring.

A registered provider who, without reasonable excuse, fails to comply with these requirements, commits an offence.

The Childcare (Disqualification) Regulations 2007 require registered providers to inform Ofsted of any court order, determination or conviction or any other grounds for disqualification from registration applying to themselves or any other person living or working in their household.

Registered providers should also notify Ofsted of any change in their telephone number.

Adults looking after children must have appropriate qualifications, training, skill and knowledge

In registered settings, all supervisors and managers must hold a full and relevant level 3 qualification (as defined by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC)) and half of all other staff must hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification (as defined by CWDC).

The manager should have at least two years' experience of working in an early years setting, or have at least two years' other suitable experience.

All practitioners should have a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities.

We will support our staff in improving their qualification levels. In particular, those staff with no qualifications will be supported in obtaining a relevant qualification at a minimum of a full and relevant level 2 qualification (as defined by CWDC).

Induction training will be provided for new staff to help them understand how the provision operates and their role within it. Induction training should include matters such as evacuation procedures and child protection and health and safety issues.

Regular staff appraisals should be carried out to identify the training needs of staff. A programme of continuing professional development should be applied so that these needs are met.

We will use training made available by the local authority and other sources.

 

Staffing arrangements to ensure the safety and needs of all the children

There must be at least two adults on duty in the setting at any one time, at least one should hold a level three qualification.

We will meet the requirements for adult: child ratios at all times it maybe in extreme circumstances that the minimum requirements may not be met, this should not be for any longer than 20 minutes.

Children aged under 2 one adult to every three children, half the staff working with this age group should have received specific training in care for babies, the member of staff in charge of the baby room should hold at least two years experience of working with under twos.

Children aged 2 one adult to every four children

Children aged three and over 1 adult to every eight children. When there is a person with Qualified Teacher Status, Early Years Professional Status or another suitable level 6 Qualification the ratio will be one adult to thirteen children.

 There must be a named deputy(Aimee Lambe) who is able to take charge in the absence of the manager.

Children should be supervised at all times, with staffing arrangements organised to meet the individual needs of all children.

Exceptions to the requirement that staff included in the ratios must be working directly with the children may only be made in limited circumstances, such as when the children are sleeping or resting.

We have put in place contingency arrangements for staff absences and emergencies [1, 2]. When there is staff absence or an emergency occurs suitable arrangements might include drawing on a pool of suitable staff, re-grouping of children, re-organising rooms and activities and re-deploying other suitable staff. When such disruptions occur there should continue to be a consistent experience for the child.

Where children in nursery classes and reception classes attend school for longer than the school day or in the school holidays, in provision run directly by the governing body or the proprietor, we recommend that the ratio of adults to children should be 1:8, that at least one member of staff should hold a full and relevant level 3 qualification (as defined by CWDC) and half all other staff should hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification (as defined by CWDC).

Staff/volunteers/students under the age of 17 cannot count towards the ratio and should be supervised at all times. Individuals aged 17 and over who are on long-term placements may be included in the ratios if the provider is satisfied they are competent and responsible.

Volunteers/committee members should be given full information and guidance on their roles and responsibilities.

Some schools may choose to mix their reception classes with groups of younger children, in which case they should use their discretion in establishing ratios for these mixed groups based on the EYFS welfare requirements (that is, 1:30 for the reception group and 1:13, 1:8 and so on for the younger children). This applies whether the pre-school element is provided directly by the school or in partnership through a PVI provider. However, in exercising this discretion the school, and any partner provider, must comply with the statutory requirements relating to the education of children of compulsory school age children and infant class sizes. At all times it is necessary to meet the needs of individual children and it may be appropriate to exceed these minimum requirements. Where a school operates in partnership with a PVI pre-school provider both parties will assume shared responsibility for meeting the ratios in the amalgamated setting.

 Documentation

Providers must keep the following information and documentation:

·                     name, home address and telephone number of the provider and any other person living or employed on the premises

·                     name, home address and telephone number of anyone else who will regularly be in unsupervised contact with the children attending the early years provision;

·                     a daily record of the names of the children looked after on the premises, their hours of attendance and the names of the children's key workers;

·                     providers must display their certificate of registration and show it to parents on request;

·                     a record of the risk assessment clearly stating when it was carried out, by whom, date of review and any action taken following a review or incident.

Records must be easily accessible and available for inspection by Ofsted (with prior agreement by Ofsted, these may be kept off the premises).

Where Ofsted notifies providers in advance of the period in which an inspection will take place, this information must be passed on to parents. (Section 6 of the Education Act 2005 places an equivalent requirement on schools.)

Providers must ensure that copies of the inspection report are provided to all parents. (Sections 5 and 15 of the Education Act 2005 place an equivalent duty on schools.)

Providers should be aware of their responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998 and Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Records relating to individual children should be retained for a reasonable period of time (for example three years) after the children have left the provision.

There should be a suitable secure area for the storage of confidential information. Records on staff and children should only be accessible to those who have a right or professional need to see them.

All staff should be aware of the need for confidentiality.

© 2010