The health and safety of your child is extremely important to us. We have the following procedures in place:
- All toys will be checked and cleaned regularly to ensure they are safe for your child to use. Any broken or hazardous toys will be removed immediately. Children will only be offered toys and resources that are suitable for their age and stage of development
- We carry out a risk assessment of our home every morning before the children arrive to ensure that it is a safe environment for them
- Children will not be allowed unsupervised access to the kitchen area
- All plugs and sockets not in use have covers
- All equipment will be checked and cleaned regularly
- Equipment such as highchairs and pushchairs are fitted with the correct safety harnesses to prevent accidents
- Car seats are checked to ensure they are fitted correctly
- The car is regularly serviced and all documentation such as MoT and insurance is kept up-to-date. Insurance is for business use. Safety locks on rear doors are activated at all times
- Equipment such as stair gates, cupboard locks, and fireguards, have been installed for the safety of your children. These are checked regularly.
- The front door is kept locked to prevent the children from getting out, and strangers from getting in
- We have procedures in place, which will be followed in the event of a fire (see Emergency Procedures).
- The kitchen is kept clean, following the hygiene guidelines on the storage of food, maintaining the correct fridge temperature etc
- We ensure that children do not have access to any waste
- We do not permit smoking in our home
- Strict guidelines are followed to prevent cross-contamination
- The bathroom is kept clean, and all hazardous materials are kept out of reach of the children. Hand-wash will be available, and each child will have their own hand-towel and flannel. Children will wash their hands before all snacks and meals
- We have strict protection guidelines in place (see Child Protection Policy)
- Children must stay with minder when they are away from the home. Younger children will be strapped into a pushchair; older children will be in a harness or on a wrist-strap, or holding onto the minder's hand or the pushchair
- We have the emergency contact numbers of parents/guardians with us at all times
- We will work with you to teach your children about making healthy food choices, and physical exercise
- Sleeping children will be regularly observed, and a baby monitor will be used, where necessary
- We discourage children from keeping secrets
- We will restrain a child if they are putting themselves in danger, e.g. running into the road
