Knutsford Childminding

Newsletter – January 2010

December activities December has been a very busy month. We have been looking at the changing seasons and thinking about Christmas. We have also found out about St Nicholas, as part of our continued commitment to learning about the world around us and respecting the beliefs of others.  Our Christmas making and doing box has been busily explored and the children have worked very hard making their calendars and cards – I hope you like them.

January planning It is Australia Day in January. It  is a lovely opportunity for us to talk about warmer weather and maybe have a barbecue. We will also be finding out about the differences between life in England and life in Australia. If you have any Australian artefacts that the children might enjoy sharing with their friends here, please let me know. They will be well looked after. We will also be thinking about healthy eating for winter and making some new foods to try for snack. We will let you know if we have any successes.

Bills

I intend to do December bills ready to hand out at the beginning of January; otherwise it gets too complicated with everyone finishing on different days. If any of you want to know what you owe before then so you can do your budgeting, please let me know.

Dates for your diaries

- Manor Park re-opens 4th January. - St Vincents school re-opens on Monday 4th January; pre-school re-opens on Tuesday 5th. - Knutsford Childminding re-opens on Monday 4th January. Thank you to all of you who have confirmed sessions for the holidays! If you need us any other times, please let us know as soon as possible.

Clothes

It’s turning cold and it is a statutory requirement of the EYFS that we make the garden available for use every day – so warm coats, hats, scarves, wellies and gloves please!  If you are concerned about uniform getting muddy in the garden, please feel free to send a spare set of clothes and we will ask the children to get changed.

Here’s wishing all of you a peaceful festive season,

See you in 2010!

Love from Sarah, Nige and all the children xx

Newsletter – November 2009

October activities We have enjoyed thinking about Autumn this month and looking at the changes in the world around us. We have explored leaf colours, including making outside collages from various leaves and conkers etc we have found on our walks. The children who were here enjoyed celebrating Becca’s birthday with a special tea and cake. Becca would like me to thank those of you who sent her cards and presents.

November planning We will be looking at bonfires and fireworks this month and helping the children to explore colour through viewing a series of firework displays around the world. Later in the month we will get involved with Children in Need Pudsey Bear activities.

Dates for your diaries

Schools break up for the Christmas holidays on Friday 18 December. We will be available to work until Christmas Eve, which is the Thursday. We will re-open on Monday 4th January. Please let us know what sessions you will need asap.

Healthy snack As part of our commitment to providing children with a healthy snack that gives them just enough in terms of energy and nutrition without filling them up between meals, we have consulted with the children and put together a new list of foods we will make available. It is displayed on the parents’ notice board and we welcome your comments. Cheshire Wildlife friendly garden awards

We have been working on applying for this award for some time with the children and finally feel confident enough about our garden to apply for the Bronze award. As part of the next steps in our garden development programme, we are looking to start a log pile.  This will hopefully become a refuge and feeding site for garden bugs, slugs and snails, frogs and hedgehogs. I am sure the children will tell you all about it as we get going! If the children want to bring small twigs etc to add to the pile please support them. If you have any suggestions for how we can make it work better, please let us know.

Safeguarding children commitment As I hope you know by now, we are very committed to safeguarding all children who come to us for childminding. As part of this commitment, I have recently taken an e-learning course which has updated my skills and knowledge. My certificate is displayed in my Professional Development folder which you can view at any convenient time on request.

Taking photographs This is a very topical concern at the moment and I would like to reassure you about the photographs we take of the children here at Knutsford Childminding. I have added an information sheet to the back of this newsletter.

Seasonal reminder Please do not send your child without a coat – even if it looks nice in the morning.

 

Information about taking and using photographs

 

In view of recent allegations of abuse surrounding the taking and illegal use of photographs of children, childminders have been advised to clarify how they use and store photographs of children with parents.

 

We use photographs of children in the following ways –

·         To display around the house, which gives the child a sense of belonging;

·         To share with the child’s parents so you can see what they are up to here;

·         To go in the child’s Learning Journey or scrap book folder which parents will take home when the child leaves Knutsford Childminding;

·         As presents for parents eg photo albums, photos in frames etc;

·         To go in albums to show parents and Ofsted the range of activities we do at Knutsford Childminding.

 

Our safeguarding commitments to parents regarding photographs –

·         All photographs remain the property of the child’s parents;

·         Photographs will not be used on the internet or taken on a mobile phone;

·         If required in the future, we will register with the Information Commissioners Office. You can find more information here – www.ico.gov.uk;

·         Any photographs not returned to parents when their child leaves (that may be in albums, photo frames or part of laminated displays) will be destroyed on request;

·         We will not use photographs of your child for any reason other than above without your prior written permission.

 

Group photographs

Sometimes, there might be more than one child in a photograph or children from different families. This might happen when, for example, children request we take group scenes or when photographs are taken during group activities.

Sometimes group photographs might be placed in different children’s folders and / or used in the ways stated above.

If you are concerned about your child appearing in group photographs, your child’s face or any identifying features will be blurred on the photos in which s/he accidentally appears. You need to let us know if you want this to happen.

 

If you have any questions or concerns about the taking of photographs, please have a chat with one of us.

Thank you for your continued support.

 

Newsletter  August 2009

July activities We have been following a theme about minibeasts this month and the children have all contributed towards a lovely wall display, which is still a work in progress. We hope to finish it this week - please come in and see it if you have a spare moment.

August planning I am planning to take the children on a journey round the world this holiday, so whatever the weather we will be busy and have fun. We will start close to home with lots of activities for England, Scotland and Wales and then take turns to go to countries the children choose. Our book for August will be 'Homes' by Kate Penny, to fit in with our travelling theme. If you have any photos or postcards of homes through the world, please share them with me. I will use them to help the children make a new summer display. Thank you!

School holiday dates

Manor Park are back to school on Thursday 3rd September according to their newsletter. Apart from our holiday week, we are available to work and have spaces for all the children currently on our books. We do however need at least a weeks notice so we can do the food shopping and make sure we have enough resources for every child. Our holidays Just as a reminder, we go away on Sunday 2nd August and return on Sunday 9th August...

Birthdays It is Ashley's birthday in the holidays. We will make him a card to send in the post.

Policies and procedures We will be going through the process of updating and checking all our policies and procedures this month, in line with the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Childcare Register (which is relevant for the older children).  If you have any comments about our Policies and Procedures please let us know.

Thinking ahead to September September is contract renewal time, so if any parents have anything regarding their contracts they wish to talk to us about, please do not hesitate. We will not be raising our prices this year. In spite of increasing overheads we are still able to manage on current fees.

Swine Flu All parents should have received a copy of the latest swine flu guidance including information about our swine flu status. If you are unsure, please let us know.

Seasonal reminder Yes, I know, it�s the rainy season just now... but for those who don�t usually come during the day please remember sun cream, change of clothes including ones you can get dirty in, hats, sunglasses (if worn), raincoats, wellies... LOL!

16.7.09

Dear Parents

Re. Swine Flu information update
As you may be aware, the Secretary of State for Health announced that the UK has moved to a ‘treatment only’ phase for swine flu, with immediate effect.  This means that they are no longer treating families of sufferers or clinically testing for swine flu.  GPs will instead make a decision based on symptoms only.

Any adults or children diagnosed with swine flu are being asked to stay at home until they are fully better. If childminders get swine flu, they are being advised to close their settings; if families of childminders get swine flu, the childminder is being advised to isolate the person with flu and keep the setting open so long as they are well.

You can get more advice from www.nhs.uk or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or call the Swine Flu information line on 0800 1513513.  If you feel you need medical advice you should then phone your family doctor, who will provide a diagnosis over the phone. You are advised not to go to the doctor’s surgery or hospital if you think you have swine flu symptoms.

 

For your information – we have been informed that a child who comes to our setting has been in contact with someone who has swine flu. There is also a case of swine flu at Knutsford High School although the child is not a close friend of either of my children.

Thank you to Lucy for some of the wording

 

This information is taken from the latest Government (Health Protection Agency) advice...

Babies and young children are considered high risk in heatwave conditions.

Children’s susceptibility to high temperatures varies –

·         Those who are overweight or who are taking medication may be at increased risk of adverse effects;

·         Children under four years of age are at increased risk because young children produce more metabolic heat, have a decreased ability to sweat and have core temperatures that rise faster during dehydration;

·         Some children with disabilities or complex health needs may be more susceptible to temperature extremes.

 

Ways to keep children safe in a heatwave

·         Do not leave children in stationary cars;

·         Do not over-dress babies or children;

·         Encourage children to drink extra water;

·         Ask parents to dress children for the weather – floppy hat, loose light coloured clothing, covered shoulders and feet;

·         Offer children salads and food with high water content;

·         Apply and reapply sun cream regularly through the day;

·         On very hot days, do not encourage children to take part in vigorous physical activity;

·         Ventilate rooms as much as possible and use fans or air conditioning units to keep children cool. If you think it is best, move your childminding room to a cooler part of the house;

·         Turn off electrical equipment when not in use as it generates heat;

·         Keep children cool by giving them cooling showers or cooling their necks with a damp flannel;

·         When playing outside, stay in the shade as much as possible;

·         Avoid going outside during the hottest part of the day.

 

Actions to take if heat stress or heat exhaustion is suspected

Look out for signs of heat stress and heat exhaustion.

Heat stress - children suffering from heat stress will show general signs of discomfort (including those listed below for heat exhaustion). These signs will worsen with physical activity or if left untreated and can lead to heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

Heat exhaustion - signs of heat exhaustion include -

• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Hot, red and dry skin.

Heatstroke - sweating is an essential means of cooling and once this stops a child is at serious risk of developing heatstroke. Heatstroke can develop if heat exhaustion or heat stress is left untreated, but it can also occur suddenly and without warning.

 

Reducing body temperature

The following steps to reduce body temperature should be taken at once.

• Move the child to as cool a room as possible;
• Sponge the child with cool, (not cold) water and, if available, place cold packs around the neck and in the armpits;
• Place the child near a fan.

If a child shows signs of confusion, follow the steps above. If a child loses consciousness, place the child in the recovery position and follow the steps above.

In both cases, call 999 for emergency medical assistance.

Sun Protection Information ~ Knutsford Childminding 

Our aim is to make sure that all children and adults are able to enjoy the sun safely. Children's skin is very fragile and it is our duty to protect them when they are with us. We aim to work closely with parents and children to support them in the following ways...

Children's play... some play involves children rushing indoors and out again without a thought for putting on hats or stopping to reapply cream etc. While we support children's play and do not want to disturb them when they are engaged, our priority must be to ensure they are safe in the sun;

Clothing... children are supported to wear appropriate wide brimmed or legionnaire style hats and clothing that covers shoulders during hot days; adults wear hats and play in the shade when outside to set a good example; parents are regularly asked to send appropriate clothing for their children; children wearing strappy dresses or vest tops will be supplied with a baggy t shirt to protect their shoulders; children may wear sun glasses but these must be plastic (not glass) due to the risk of eye damage; spare hats are available.

Note... we ask parents to please put names on sunglasses and hats;

Education... we discuss sun safety with children; we have posters displayed that remind children about the dangers of the sun; children are supported to understand why they need to wear appropriate sun safe clothing including hats; we read books about sunny countries and talk about the differences between our skin and natives of eg African countries; we explain to children why they need to re-apply sun cream through the day;

Footwear... if children are wearing sandals, we will apply cream between the straps. However, sandals are not the best footwear for use in the garden as they do not cover the children's toes and children often trip in them. If you are buying new summer shoes, please consider clogs, Doodles ^TM  or other lightweight shoes that cover toes, are comfortable to wear for all garden play and protect feet;

Inclusion... we understand that some children might need to cover their bodies for religious reasons and may feel uncomfortable being outside in the heat. We aim to support them to feel included in both planned and child-led activities during these times;

Outings... children's outings are carefully timed to avoid the 11am to 2pm heat; shady places are visited on hot days; extra water is provided on outings; children wear appropriate clothing and sun cream is taken on outings and regularly reapplied;

Protection... there are areas of shade in the garden including a purpose built awning; additional shade is available if required (umbrellas, tents, natural shade from bushes etc); children are encouraged to use the shade available; children and adults wear hats and appropriate clothing on sunny days; sun cream is factor 30 plus and is reapplied regularly;

Resources... we are aware that metal and other resources retain heat if left out in the sun and might burn children�s skin. We aim to ensure children are kept safe by moving toys which might cause injury to shady parts of the garden and educating children to be aware of the dangers. This also applies to metal slides at the park;

Sun cream... parents are asked to supply appropriate (factor 30 plus) cream in a labelled container from April onwards; cream is applied before going out and reapplied at regular intervals through the day; spare sun cream is available and parents are asked to sign to give us permission to apply this if their own is unavailable; children see adults in the setting applying sun cream to exposed skin;

Note... we will apply cream on exposed parts of their body for children until they are old enough to do it independently. Once they are doing it themselves, we will monitor them to ensure it is applied evenly and adequate cream is used;

Sun cream safety... I am aware that children with certain skin conditions might react to sun creams and ask parents to try out new creams at home before sending them to the setting. If we notice a child's skin reacting to the sun or their cream, we will call them inside, cool their skin with tepid water and contact parents for further instructions. If necessary we will contact NHS Direct or the child's doctor for advice.

Note... please do not use up last years' cream... it does not work as efficiently and might contain toxins or cross contaminants that will have grown over the winter. We encourage parents to throw out old cream and supply new bottles each year and we commit to doing the same here;

Timing of outside play... experts advise that on hot days children are either kept inside between 11am and 2pm or play only in shaded areas. As the garden is south facing, it gets full sun between these hours so outside access is carefully supervised to ensure children stay safe from over exposure to the heat; if the day is particularly hot, a fan is provided and children are asked to stay inside until the danger is passed;

Water... extra water is provided in cups appropriate for the ages and stages of the children; a water dispenser is available (and regularly refilled) in a shady part of the garden which older children can access independently; children are reminded to drink more water when they are outside on hot days; baby cups and the dispenser are regularly refilled to ensure water remains cool and palatable.

Note... adults and children use plastic cups for cold drinks and lidded cups for hot drinks when outside, to keep them safe from broken glass and scalds if cups are knocked over;

Water play... this can be a fun way of cooling down and most children enjoy getting wet, helping to clean the garden toys etc. If your child is nervous of water, please let us know. If parents do not supply a spare set of clothes, children might need to be excluded from wet activities; sun cream will be reapplied after wet play;

Working with parents... parents receive regular reminders in our newsletters about sun safety; this information is posted on the parents page of our website; parents are supplied with details for the Cancer Research website; parents are regularly asked to supply appropriate clothing for children; we explain to parents why we must encourage children to drink more water during hot weather, particularly if they have concerns about night time bed wetting or extra toilet visits; we ask parents to supply spare clothing as children do get messy and wet when playing outside; we discuss sun safety and any concerns about children wearing hats or inappropriate clothing regularly with parents to ensure their continued support.

Note... parents might notice that we go through a lot of sun cream. This is because we are committed to applying it regularly in the best interests of the child. Please send new cream as quickly as possible when requested.

 

Please see the Cancer Research UK's website... Sun Smart Guidelines for more information.

Newsletter – June 2009

May activities We have had fun exploring fruit this month for Fruity Friday activities. We have made fruity drinks and some of us have been brave enough to lick new fruit to see how it tastes!  We were inspired by reading the book ‘Handa’s Surprise’ and finding out all about fruit in Africa.  We also enjoyed British Sandwich week by trying a different type of bread every day – our favourite was Hovis, closely followed by crusty white rolls. June planning It’s Fathers Day in June ... we will plan enthusiastically for that! Also Paddington Bear’s birthday, so we will do lots of bear activities. June also sees the first day of summer – which is always a time of excitement as we wait and see what the weather holds for us.

Tesco vouchers We now have over 400 vouchers! Thank you to all of your for your hard work collecting. The children wanted me to tell you how well they are doing – Erin has collected 71 vouchers; Ashley has brought 35 and Will and Matt have collected 114! Not long to go now and every voucher counts, so please keep collecting!

Holidays Schools finish on Friday 17th July for the long summer break.  We do not have a holiday booked as yet but we are hoping to take a week off at some point. We will give you as much notice as possible.

Course I went on a den building course a few weeks ago as part of a conference. It was very interesting and has given me lots of ideas of how to make dens with and for the children. In today’s society, with all the worries about children getting taken and the tendency to keep them inside and close to adults, they need to be able to take ownership of their own spaces. Within these spaces they can have the toys and games they want around them, free from adult interference.

 Seasonal reminder

 I need high factor sun cream please, in labelled bottles (I have labels, so don’t go buying any specially) and sun hats – legionnaire styles    are recommended. Please work with me by encouraging children to wear their hats as, in very hot weather.  We are advised to have a ‘no hat, no outside’ rule in case of sun damage to sensitive skin.

Newsletter – May 2009

Dates for your diary Bank Holiday Monday 4th May – we are closed. Have a lovely long weekend.

April happenings It’s been a strange month, what with holidays and illnesses. We enjoyed reading books about dragons for St George’s Day and the older children explored the flag; we have also been talking as a group about recycling, reusing and not wasting our resources...

May planning There are lots of special days to explore in May including the Mexican festival of Cinco De Mayo, deaf awareness week (see new book purchase below), Fruity Friday and British sandwich week. I am sure we will be busy and have lots of fun.

Tesco vouchers Thank you for your support so far. We have about 200 vouchers now... more welcome!

Birthdays It is Erin’s birthday in May – she is very excited! We will have a little party for her.

Exhibition I attended the Early Years and Childcare exhibition in Manchester this month. It was an excellent opportunity to swap good practice ideas with other childminders and to see what is new out there. I bought some lovely new resources including ‘Learn to Sign with Olli’ by Garry Slack.  Using this we will be able to explore the world of sign language with the children.

Outstanding lunch As I am an outstanding childminder I was invited by Ofsted to a special lunch earlier this month. It was a lovely day and a great chance to meet other childminders and talk to Ofsted about their expectations for now and in the future. I was made to feel very special.

Fame at last I have been invited to speak at a conference organised by Nursery World in September 2009. I am very honoured. It is on a Wednesday so it will inconvenience a few of you I’m afraid but Nige will be around to sort everyone out and it really isn’t something I can turn down.

Illness I have attached information about the expected flu pandemic for your records.

Training

I attended training this month about Phonics and teaching children the basics of letter recognition and sounds through play. Cheshire very kindly gave me a resources pack which I will be exploring with the children.

Flu pandemic advice for Childminders

To protect children from the spread of flu, childminders are advised to –

·         Follow and stay updated with advice from the Local Authority and DfES;

·         Ensure that good supplies of cleaning materials, soap, hand drying cloths or wipes and tissues are kept available for use (in case of panic buying);

·         Provide and regularly empty / sterilise appropriate facilities for tissue disposal;

·         Be aware of the signs and symptoms of flu – fever, cough or shortness of breath, sudden onset of symptoms. Other symptoms include aching muscles, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing, loss of appetite, headache, listlessness and chills. Young children might also present with a sore tummy, diarrhoea or vomiting and difficulty breathing;

·         Provide sterilising hand cleansers for use by children if soap and water is not available;

·         Maintain a high standard of personal hygiene and set a good example to children at all times by washing hands, using tissues, showing children how to wash hands effectively, talking about infection control in age appropriate ways etc;

·         Ensure children are supervised when they wash their hands and that hands are washed regularly, at appropriate times and thoroughly;

·         Provide a good supply of individual hand drying cloths or towels to reduce the risk of cross infection;

·         Keep the environment clean by regularly cleaning frequently touched areas and washing shared toys at least daily and when soiled;

·         Remind children to cover their noses and mouths when coughing or sneezing (preferably with a tissue) and to wash their hands immediately;

·         Provide a good supply of tissues in all rooms used for childminding and support children to use them appropriately, including putting them in a lidded bin after use and washing hands if children have used tissues;

·         Observe children for symptoms that might suggest flu as children are most infectious soon after they develop symptoms.  If a child falls ill and flu is suspected they should be cared for in a separate room until parents collect. Sick children must be collected as quickly as possible and parents need to ensure contact numbers are updated as appropriate. If parents are not available, the child’s emergency contacts must be called without delay. Parents should be strongly advised to contact their doctor for further advice;

·         Exclude any children who show signs of a respiratory infection for 48 hours or until they are fully recovered. The advice states that childminders should not be pressured into accepting children with minor respiratory illnesses by parents who might need to get back to work.  This will help keep infections from spreading through the setting;

·         Strongly advise parents to keep children at home until they are fully better, to prevent the infection spreading;

Note - if the childminder of a member of his/her family falls ill, the advice is to close the setting until the family is fully recovered. After the illness, the childminder’s home should be thoroughly cleaned using a disinfectant / cleaning product, paying particular attention to hard surfaces such as floors and hand contact points eg toilets, light switches, door knobs etc.

© Sarah Neville, updated April 2009

 

Newsletter – April 2009

Dates for your diary Please don’t forget that our holidays are booked from Sunday 5th April to Tuesday 14th April (due to the 13th being a Bank Holiday)! We are all very excited!

March happenings We have had a busy month with lots of colourful days to celebrate including St David’s Day (yellow), Red Nose Day (obvious), St Patrick’s Day (lots of green) and the first day of spring. We have also welcomed the nicer weather and been able to get outside every day for longer. In readiness we have had the play area re-laid and fresh bark chippings put down which have made a lot of difference as the garden now has a non muddy area for everyone to explore.

April planning Unfortunately our holidays mean we will miss Easter activities, but I am sure we will be able to fit some bits and pieces in when we get back.  We will be concentrating on St George’s Day later this month, Earth Day is always a good time to think about recycling and making the most of the earth’s resources and Arbor Day is an American celebration of trees. I think we will be busy!

Tesco vouchers We have registered to collect them this year! I hope you can all support us by asking your local Tesco store (or delivery man) for as many as they can spare.  Please ask friends and relatives to join in collecting them for us as well.  We will spend them on resources which will benefit as many of the children as possible. If we have any left over when we have ordered our resources, we will donate them to the local schools.  We are looking forward to the brochure coming soon, so we can see what we might be able to use them to buy. The children have also asked me to make a chart to see who brings the most... so if they ask you a lot about them, you know why LOL!

We hope you have a peaceful Easter

 

Thank you for your continued support – you know where we are if you have any concerns.

Risk assessment - severe weather

‘Severe weather’ covers conditions such as snow, ice, fog, floods which render extremely hazardous journeys by foot, road, or public transport.

Outings – if I feel a child might be endangered by going out in the car, we will not go; if I feel a child might be endangered by going out on foot, we will not go. If this means a child missing school, I will make every effort to contact the school and the child’s parents for advice.

If we are on a walking outing and the weather conditions deteriorate, I will make every effort to get home safely. If this seems impossible, I will take the children with me to a friend’s house (if we are walking, we will be local and I have lots of friends locally who are usually in during the day) and make every effort to contact parents from there to reassure them we are safe.

If we are on a car outing and the weather conditions deteriorate, I will stop when it is safe to do so and take advice from the emergency services. I will not leave children alone and I will protect them as much as possible from the effects of the weather by carrying blankets, coats, drinks, snacks etc in the car;

Collecting children – if I am due to collect a child from school and I do not feel it is safe for me to go out, I will make every effort to contact the school and the child’s parents and take advice from emergency services as appropriate;

Heating – if my heating goes off during inclement weather conditions, I will make every effort to contact parents for them to come urgently to collect their children if the indoor temperature drops below a safe level. If parents cannot be contacted I will follow my emergency procedure. I will make sure children are kept safe;

Clothes – if children do not arrive in suitable clothes for outdoor play, we will have to stay inside. This is in direct contravention of the EYFS, which states that I must allow children free access to the outside area every day. Parents need to pack gloves, scarves, hats, wellingtons, waterproof coats and spare clothes;

My drive – my drive might be slippy, which would cause users to fall. I will do everything in my power to keep it safe for use by salting it in the morning. However, I cannot go outside to salt it if I am also looking after children, so it might get slippy through the day. I recommend parents wear suitable footwear and take extra care;

School closures – if schools close, I will normally be able to collect children. Parents need to make sure the schools have my contact details and they need to keep me informed;

Weather forecast – if the forecast deteriorates during the day, I will make a decision based on the children’s safety about whether or not they go outside. In some situations, for example if I feel the wind chill factor will hurt their skin, we will stay inside;

Police advice – if the police advise against going outside, or driving, then I will follow what they say. This might mean I cannot take children on pre-organised appointments or drop them at school etc. I will make every effort to keep in touch with parents and other settings as appropriate;

Closing – if advised by police or other bodies, I will have to close my childminding setting. I will follow advice and make every effort to keep parents up-to-date at all times;

Late arrival of parents – if parents are delayed by inclement weather, they must inform me as soon as possible and keep me updated about their journey. Their child will be kept safe and reassured during this time;

Electricity – if my electric goes off, my walk about phone will stop working. My heating and hot water is powered by gas. I have a spare phone which will work without needing to be powered by electricity;

Hypothermia – when playing outside with children, I will make sure they wear appropriate clothing to keep them warm and encourage them to keep moving around. If I do not consider it is safe to go out with the children, we will stay indoors.  If a child appears to be reacting to the cold (blue lips, uncontrollable shivering etc) I will bring them inside, warm them up gently using hot drinks and blankets and seek medical advice. I will make every effort to contact parents as soon as the child’s condition has stabilised – the child must be my first priority;

Footwear – if children’s shoes / boots do not have soles suitable for severe weather conditions, they might fall more than usual during outings, garden play etc. Parents are responsible for ensuring children’s footwear is suitable for the weather conditions. If a child has an accident, I will follow my accident policy;

Advice from the police for travelling in cars in inclement weather conditions –

·         Carry a small spade / shovel;

·         Have blankets on the back seat (not boot in case the lock freezes);

·         Wear or take a thick winter coat and sturdy winter boots and take hats and gloves;

·         Make up a flask with a warming drink before starting on your journey and take enough cups for the children to share;

·         Ensure mobile phones are fully charged and in credit;

·         Make sure you have plenty of petrol, in case your journey is delayed and the police advise you to stay in your vehicle;

·         Do not attempt to complete a journey by walking – follow police advice and stay with your car;

·         Contact the emergency services if you are concerned about driving conditions.

Child’s daily routine at Knutsford Childminding
Arrival time
Activity	Free play
830-9	School
Morning incl snack	Outing
Activity	Free play
12.30-1	Lunch
Activity	Rest time
Afternoon	Themed activity
Activity	Tidy up time
Activity	Music & movement
Activity	Reading time
3-330	School
Activity	Snack
Activity	Free play
445-515	Tea time
Activity	TV time
Home time

 

Please note –

·         This routine is totally dependent on the needs of the individual child;

·         In the holidays, activities vary & we often go on days out;

·         Play will be indoors or outside. We will go outside every day;

·         I am always on hand, an interested adult, to play with the children;

·         Free play = spontaneous child-led activities, inside or out (not outside before school);

·         Rest time = a time to re-charge, with books, a short burst of TV, puzzles etc;

·         Themed activity = play to follow a popular children’s theme, multicultural celebration or book,

      often planned from children’s interests, using a wide range of resources;

·         Snack = a range of healthy food options, just enough to last until the next meal;

·         In term-time, we regularly go for picnics or to visit / meet with friends for lunch.