Written in accordance with the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (2021): Safeguarding and Welfare Requirements: Information and records & Information about the child
3.68. Providers must maintain records and obtain and share information (with parents and carers, other professionals working with the child, the police, social services and Ofsted or the childminder agency with which they are registered, as appropriate) to ensure the safe and efficient management of the setting, and to help ensure the needs of all children are met. Providers must enable a regular two-way flow of information with parents and/or carers, and between providers, if a child is attending more than one setting. If requested, providers should incorporate parents’ and/or carers’ comments into children’s records.
3.69. Records must be easily accessible and available (with prior agreement from Ofsted or the childminder agency with which they are registered, these may be kept securely off the premises). Confidential information and records about staff and children must be held securely and only accessible and available to those who have a right or professional need to see them. Providers must be aware of their responsibilities under the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998 and where relevant the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
3.70. Providers must ensure that all staff understand the need to protect the privacy of the children in their care as well the legal requirements that exist to ensure that information relating to the child is handled in a way that ensures confidentiality. Parents and/or carers must be given access to all records about their child, provided that no relevant exemptions apply to their disclosure under the DPA55.
3.71. Records relating to individual children must be retained for a reasonable period of time after they have left the provision.
3.72. Providers must record the following information for each child in their care: full name; date of birth; name and address of every parent and/or carer who is known to the provider (and information about any other person who has parental responsibility for the child); which parent(s) and/or carer(s) the child normally lives with; and emergency contact details for parents and/or carers.
3.73. Providers must make the following information available to parents and/or carers: • how the EYFS is being delivered in the setting, and how parents and/or carers can access more information.
· The range and type of activities and experiences provided for children, the daily routines of the setting, and how parents and carers can share learning at home.
· How the setting supports children with special educational needs and disabilities
· Food and drinks provided for children
· Details of the provider's policies and procedures (all providers except childminders (see paragraph 3.3) must make copies available on request) including the procedure to be followed in the event of a parent and/or carer failing to collect a child at the appointed time, or in the event of a child going missing at, or away from, the setting.
· Staffing in the setting; the name of their child’s key person and their role; and a telephone number for parents and/or carers to contact in an emergency.
Admissions and Fees Policy
· Little Squirrels @Shrawley is registered with Ofsted; our registration number is EY489584. We provide care for 26 children between the ages of 3-59mths. We are open 51 weeks of the year with the exception of bank holidays.
· Places are offered on a first-come first-served basis. When all places have been filled a waiting list will be established, with the following order of priority: Siblings of children already attending the Nursery, those requiring the greatest number of sessions/hours per week. If a place is available, the parents and child will be invited to visit the Nursery for an induction. The child will be able to attend the Nursery as soon as the completed forms and a month’s fees are received.
· If no places are available, the parent will be informed and the child’s name added to the waiting list. As soon as suitable places become available parents will be informed.
· Due to consistency for the children, we ask that a minimum of two sessions a week (over two days) are booked.
· Parents must complete the necessary paperwork, ie contract and registration before their children can attend the Nursery. A month’s fees is payable at time of booking.
· We will accept temporary or occasional bookings as long as there are places available. The additional fee must be paid at time of booking. If a temporary place has been booked and is no longer required, the Nursery must be given 48 hours’ notice. If notice is not given, the place will still be charged for.
· Fees are payable a month in advance, by the 7thday of that month. Fees can be paid by electronic transfer, or direct debit. If paying by cash or cheque a £10 admin fee must be added.
· There is a charge of £8.50 per 15mins for late collection, which will be added to the next invoice
· Fees are charged for booked sessions whether the child attends or not.
· Fees are reviewed annually. The Nursery will consider requests for variation to payment terms on an individual basis. Anyone making these requests should contact the owner at the earliest opportunity. Any queries regarding fees should be directed to the owner.
· If fees are not paid, the Nursery will write to the parent or carer, requesting payment. If the parents or carers are having difficulty making the payment on time we recommend that they arrange a meeting with the manager/owner as soon as possible.
· Where there is no explanation for repeated late payment, the owner will contact the parents or carers to discuss payment options. The owner may issue a formal warning to the parent or carer informing them that continued late payment will result in their child’s place at the Nursery being withdrawn. A late fee of £10 per week may also be added at the manager’s discretion.
· If the fees remain unpaid after all the above options have been explored, the Nursery may have to cancel the child’s place.
· Notice period – a minimum of a full calendar month is required when terminating your child’s place and full payment for the following month is required.
· We must be informed about changes to session requirements by end of November for the Spring Term, end of February for the Summer Term, and end of July for the Autumn term, so that we can manage staffing.