Policies and Procedures

You can browse our policies and procedures here.

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Accidents Policy

The aim of Le Cheile Family Resource Center’s Childcare Service is to prevent accidents occurring however with small children injuries and accidents can still happen. The Centre tries to ensure that at least 50% of staff are qualified with a recognised certificate in first aid as is required under the pre-school regulations 2006.

To implement this policy the following are in place:

There is a fully equipped first aid box, in each of the childcare rooms. The contents of the boxes are checked at least once a month and recorded.
A list of children’s doctor’s numbers, parents consent and contact numbers is displayed in each Childcare room in case of emergency. It is a requirement that all parents notify us immediately of any change in details and contact numbers.
Minor accidents are treated within the Childcare Centre and parent/carer is advised of the nature of the injury and the action taken when the child is collected. Parents are required to sign the Accident/Incident book to acknowledge that they have been informed.
A qualified first aider determines whether the accident is minor or requires medical assistance.
In the event of an injury requiring medical assistance the child is taken to the local doctor’s surgery or accident and emergency department. A doctor or ambulance may be called to the Centre depending on the nature of the injury. Parents are informed immediately and requested to come and meet staff and child.
The child’s Registration form will be taken for reference to the surgery/hospital

Accident/Incident report forms

Any accident or incident where a child is injured must be recorded, no matter how trivial it may seem. This included bites, falls (apart from normal stumbling when a child is mastering the skill of walking), bumps to the head, scratches, cuts and bruises.

In the case of one child injuring another child to respect his or her confidentiality under no circumstances is the name of the child disclosed.

It is the responsibility of the Room Leader to fill out Accident/Incident reports and to inform parents in a confidential manner. In the absence of the Room Leader it is the responsibility of a senior staff member who is acting Room Leader to fill out the report and inform parents.

All Accidents/Incidents need to be reported to the Childcare Supervisor; in the absence of the Childcare Supervisor it is the Room Leaders responsibility to report any Accidents/Incidents as soon as possible to the Childcare Supervisor.

It is extremely important that all parts of the Accident/Incident report sheet is filled in fully, including the signatures of staff member in charge at the time of the accident/incident, the Nursery Manager and the Parent. The number of staff and children is also needed.

The section on what action was taken is to ensure that you record what immediate action was taken but also that remedial action is taken,e.g dangerous equipment is removed or broken toys are replaced.

The report needs to be treated in confidence, with one sheet put in the child’s file and the other sheet remaining in the bound book. This ensures that if there is an accumulation of reports on one child that a pattern may be identified and acted upon.

Reports will be kept in a secure place until the child is 21 years of age and then they are destroyed, by shredding, to ensure that confidentiality is maintained

Accident/ Incident and Emergencies Procedure

Care of the injured child

The injury must be assessed to determine what type of medical attention, if any, is required. This will need to be done by a qualified first aider.
Immediate First Aid is to be given.
If the incident is considered minor: use your first aid knowledge and items from first aid box to make the child better, limit the injury or limit the potential for the injury to increase.
-Choking

-Severe Bleeding

-Shock

-Chemicals in eyes, on skin, or ingested in the mouth

-Severe neck or head injury

-Unconscious child

-Fitting

Call an ambulance or direct another staff member to do so while attending to the child.

Environmental factors

Use the landline when calling an ambulance or a personal mobile phone if it is more convenient at the time
Make the environment safe for other children. Depending on staffing levels at the time, children can be moved to a different section of the room to the injured child or if possible removed to another room.
Contact the Childcare Supervisor as soon as possible to inform her of the incident; if childcare Supervisor is not available contact the Centre Manager to inform her of the incident and to be expecting an ambulance to arrive.
The bollard at the front entrance of building will need to be taken down for the ambulance to get in; the key for this is in the front office in the key box.
Ensure only staff that are needed are within the childcare room and near the injured child.

Contact of Ambulance and Parent and reporting.

Minor Incident:

- Call the parent if you feel they need to know prior to collection or you feel a child may need to be seen by a doctor. (Contact childcare supervisor for advice on this before you do so).

-Record the incident on the Accident/ Incident record for

- At collection, tell the parent the details of Accident/Incident and get them to sign the report.

Major Incident:

-Contact 112/999

-tell them your name and where you are calling from

-tell them the nature of the child’s injury; they will ask you for the child’s details so you need to have these at hand

-the ambulance crew may stay on the phone with you if you feel you need them to talk you through first aid for the injured child

-Contact childcare supervisor and inform her of incident and to contact the child’s parents. Should the child care supervisor not be available the room leader of next senior person is to contact the parent.

-Have all the child’s information ready for the ambulance crew and give them a detailed report of the incident/accident.

-If parents have not arrived, a staff member will need to go to the hospital in the ambulance with the child. Leave a message with the parent to say what hospital you are going to and for them to meet you there. The Childcare Supervisor will need to report to the incident to the Centre Manager.

In relation to a major incident/ accident: report will need to be filled out and signed with the parents when appropriate. A more detailed record may be required from all staff involved as to how the incident/accident happened, who administered first aid and how, who called the ambulance, time it took for the ambulance to come. An assessment of the situation may be carried out.

Notes to remember;

Try to stay calm; do not panic.

Assess the injury. Minor/Major

Apply first aid/ call ambulance

Attend to other children

Call ambulance. Wait for call back, listen to what they tell you

Contact Childcare Supervisor or call for help if needed

Ensure parents are contacted

The most senior staff member within the childcare room or within the childcare service is responsible for directing staff relevant duties at the time of Incident/Accident.

Anti-Bullying Policy

Persistent bullying can have a devastating effect on a child’s self-esteem.

Le Cheile Family Resource Center’s Childcare Service is committed to raising awareness and encouraging staff to develop techniques to dealing with bullying within the centre. Staff are committed to the ‘No Blame’ approach whereby staff work with children helping them to understand the hurt they are causing.

Le Cheile Family Resource Center’s Childcare Service is committed to providing a place where:

every child and staff member feels secure.
it is known that bullying is not acceptable behaviour.
name calling is not tolerated.
no one suffers abuse of any nature.
no one is victimised.
each child and staff member is supported and listened to.
each child and staff member is treated equally.
it is each member’s responsibility to ensure that all are treated equally.
solutions to problems are the concern of all.

Should bullying arise within the centre it is dealt with immediately, with the co-operation of all staff and parents/carer/ guardian.

Should parents/carer/guardians have any concerns please contact the Childcare Supervisor so that working together an environment where

Bullying is not tolerated is provided. Behaviour Management Policy

Le Cheile Family Resource Centre believes that children should be encouraged to grow to their full potential in a suitably structured environment, where they know what is expected of them, and where limits are set, appropriate to their age and stage of development.

To minimise potential problems for children childcare staff:

Acknowledge children’s efforts, achievements and feelings through sincere encouragement. This will lead to self esteem and self discipline.
Ensure a consistent daily routine and consistency in managing behaviour. This is vital in order for children to have the security of knowing what to expect and can build up good patterns of self-discipline.
Provide a good role model by following rules and showing respect for each other and the children.
Observe what is going on.

Procedures and Practices

It is essential to understand that there are many influences on a child’s behavior these include:

Age and development
General health and well being
Relationships with and within the family
Play and learning environments, which includes the physical indoor/outdoor settings, the weather, the time of year, the time of day.
Staff/carers caregiving practice and interactions
Relationships with other children and others such as students,volunteers and visitors.
External factors,such as family, home life, school or peer group experiences

The role that families play,especially parents/carers, is crucial to the success of the behavior guidance strategy. Parents/carers will be provided with regular opportunities to contribute to the development and review of their child’s behavior guidance plan, along with the service overall approaches to promote positive outcomes for the child.

In daily interactions:

Staff members must interact frequently and positively with children.
Staff members will be available and responsive to children.
Children should be spoken to in a calm,friendly,positive,respectful manner.
All children regardless of race, religion, family background, culture,gender or ability must be treated with respect and consideration
Independence in children should be encouraged, as they are ready
Children’s efforts,achievements and feelings will be acknowledged by sincere encouragement leading to growth in self esteem and self discipline.
Children should be generally kept comfortable,relaxed, happy and involved in play and other activities.
Pro-social behaviours amoung children must be recognized and encouraged
Staff expectations for children’s social behavior should be developmentally appropriate-children’s level of understanding and maturity must be taken into account
Children must be encouraged to verbalise feelings and ideas
Parents/carers should be encouraged to comment on children’s reactions to discipline
Staff members should model appropriate behavior and plan activities that help children learn about right and wrong.
Children must never be humiliated, segrated or have food withheld
Children should be distracted from unwanted behavior
When behavior is unacceptable, staff members will explain why simply to the child/children
Children should be helped to find solutions to conflict

Physical restraints may need to be used but only:

-to prevent an accident such as a child running across a road

-to prevent injury e.g if a child is having a temper tantrum and in danger of hurting another child or staff member

Any such intervention will involve minimum force for minimum time.

Note: Staff giving comfort by holding a child when they are distressed is not physical restraint; however this should only take place when it is acceptable to all persons concerned

Records must be kept of significant incidents to include

-the name of child

-time and location of the incident

-events leading up to the incident

-the nature of the incident

-others involved

-witnesses

-how the situation was handles

-wheather restraint was used, what form of restraint and the reason for it

-consequences

Boundary/limit setting and rules

Any limits should be clearly related to the safety and protection of the child themselves and others around them. Codes of behavior and rules should be as few as possible, consistently upheld and within the understanding of those that are affected.
Staff should, wherever possible , consult with the children regarding what the codes of behavior and rules should be.
State what is expected rather than pose questions. Posing questions to a child implies that the child has a choice, but the reality in relation to limits is that they must uphold the agreed rules.
Provide clear, reasonable boundaries on behavior and explain the reasons for the boundaries.
Allow children enough time to respond to requests for them to comply with the rules or codes of behavior. This builds self confidence in the child and encourages them to repeat positive behavior

Provide choice

Negotiating choices between the adult and child help children take appropriate responsibility and prepares them with positive life skills such as listening and reasoning
Whenever there is an opportunity for a real choice to be made, give children the chance to exercise choice within limits, e.g “would you like me to put your coat on or will you do it yourself”?Limit to 2 choices

Positive reinforcement and encouragement

Encourage and affirm positive behavior, however small.
Notice and acknowledge when a child is behaving well and when they are trying to stop themselves engaging in negative activities
Ignore negative behavior when it is judged safe and appropriate to do so.
Encourage children in their activities.
Demonstrate encouragement by participating in their activities, taking care not to take over
Describe their actions and acknowledge their work by praising them and relating it to specific examples of positive behavior

Schedules,routines and transitions

Schedules,routines and transitions serve as a framework from which children gain trust,security and order. These can and should be flexible to some degree but they must provide clear guidelines about what is expected of the child,parents/carers and staff.
Any changes to the scheduling within the timetable should be clearly communicated to the children and their families where necessary along with clear reasons for the change
Timers may be used to help children in transition from activities

The environment

The way in which physical space is used can either encourage or discourage the desired positive behavior in a child. Space which is aesthetically pleasing, planned and well organized diminishes the potential for problems. Lack of sufficient space for an activity will limit and is likely to influence children’s behavior negatively but where space is sufficient, children can play and work creatively in a relaxed setting.
Active,loud and energic play spaces should be balanced with passive, quiet and peaceful areas
The environment should be accessed within a child’s playroom when challenging behavior presents. Observations should be made on what influences childrens behavior negatively and changes should be made where necessary and possible.

Toys,materials and resources

Resources for working with children should be familiar, developmentally appropriate and in good condition and adequate suppl

When conflict does arise staff will take the following steps:

Approach the situation calmly,stopping any hurtful actions
Remain neutral rather than taking sides
Focus on behavior rather than the child
Acknowledge the feelings with open statements e.g. “you seem upset…” and ask them if they agree with the observations and if so, do they want to talk about it? Start the negotiations with them by reflecting back their behavior and involving them in checking out the details.
Restate the problem according to what the children say e.g “so you both want to play with the train at the same time…”
Ask the children involved for possible solutions.e.g “what can we do to solve this problem?” Encourage the children to think of a solution and check to make sure that the solution is acceptable to the children involved and realistically achievable. Clarify all feelings with the children involved so that you are aware of anything that remains unresolved for them.
Stay near the child so that you are prepared to give follow up support and clarification.
Follow through with your decisions but be prepared to change them if they prove inappropriate for the individual needs of the child.
Explain the reason behind why something cannot happen or why some behavior is inappropriate

Losing control

When a child becomes so angry, anxious or frustrated to the extent that they themselves and others have been unsettled, it is important that the adult remains calm and settles the situation for the child and the others around
Adults should stop a child’s aggressive or destructive behavior such as biting,kicking or hitting and give reasons for their action such as “stop biting,biting hurts”.
Adults should model positive behavior to the child and must never mirror the child’s behavior by raising their tone or acting inappropriately.
When the situation has been diffused, it is important for the adult to offer support, time and further discussion with the child, to reflect on what happened and to plan an alternative coping strategy in case a similar issue arises again.
Reinforce a positive approach that the child may use in the future,such as walking away and playing elsewhere or by stating clearly that they don’t like that and it hurts.
When a child is having a severe temper tantrum. Leave them have it, ensure they are safe and others around them. Do not attempt to reason with a child having a temper tantrum until they are finished

Holding and restraining

No matter what age the child you are working with is, holding and restraining should only be used for immediate safety reasons, with the minimum force and for the minimum amount of time
Where a child is expressing feelings of anger,anxiety or frustration,in a way which is unsafe for themselves and others where reasoning has not stopped the behavior, a caregiver may assist the child in re-establishing control by holding them, to contain their feelings safely,as a last resort and for minimum length of time. This intervention should only be used in an age appropriate way e.g it may be appropriate to pick a very young child up.
Great care must be taken when holding a child with particular attention paid to their individual needs. A medical condition such as asthma or disability or any special needs would mean that any type of holding may ezacerbate their condition
The intent of this strategy is to keep them and others safe until their self control is regained and they feel contained, but it must only be used in exceptional and rare circumstances
A calm and caring attitude on the part of the adult is critical in ensuring that this strategy is supportive and in no way a punishment

Staff behavior

It is important to promote realistic play and behavior limits that guide children’s safety and security rather than curb their play experiences, curiosity or creativity
Staff members should acknowledge that the emotions experienced by children are significiant.
Staff members should respond to and acknowledge children’s emotions such as happiness, anger, pleasure, fear, anxiety, frustration, sadness, and pride.
Staff members must understand that children may not have developed the appropriate stratagies to express emotions due to their age and or stage of development.
Staff members attitudes and caregivers strategies must demonstrate an understanding and empathy towards children who display behaviours that are not always consistent with their development and/or general disposition.
Staff need to be committed to nurturing and supporting children by suggesting alternative ways of responding and where possible giving children choice,rather than telling them how to behaved.
An atmosphere which fosters trust ,security and comfort must be created by giving children time and attention to enable them to talk and express their feelings.
Where children are in an environment that encourages caring co-operative relationships they learn to relate with each other in more positive ways by learning through examples from the adults and positive behavior from their peers
Staff should model appropriate behavior, so that children can see what to do and learn from positive examples, rather than simply instructing them to do things. An example of this is joining in and encouraging children to clear up toys or paints after a session and making this part fun which will end the session in a positive way
Phase any limitations to a child’s behavior in a positive way,focusing on “what to do” rather than “what not to do” for e.g if you want children to not run, say walk rather that do not run. If you want children to sit on a chair instead of standing, say feet on floor rather than no standing on chairs.
Ignore minor incidents. Adults who work with children need to develop tolerance for a certain amount of noise,clutter and attention seeking behaviour. As long as their behavior is not impacting negatively on others, adults need to step back,take a deep breath and decide not to speak or intervene
Staff should listen to children and respond in a fair and supportive way, this gives them a greater sense of comfort and trust and encourages them to use you as a reliable source of advise by demonstrating that what they say is valued

Every effort is made to admit children with specific needs providing that the individual child’s needs can be met within the service. The service will respond to individual needs where possible, for example, by using a period of induction, or adjusting the times of attendance.

We may request that children with a diagnosed Special need attend with a Special Needs Assistant.

Where the needs of the child attending the service are identified as greater than the capacity of the usual child/staff ratio or the expertise/training of Le Cheile FRC childcare staff, the following procedures will be implemented:

The relevant Room Leader will bring the matter to the attention of the Childcare Supervisor
Detailed observations will be carried out
The Childcare Supervisor, Room Leader and parents/carers will discuss the content of observations
The additional supports that can be provided by Le Cheile FRC will be identified and implemented
A review will be carried out after an agreed period of time. This will include Childcare Supervisor , Room Leader and parents/carers. The objective of the review will be to decide if the additional internal supports have proven to be beneficial
If following the rewiew it is determined that the additional supports have not been beneficial, efforts will be made to seek additional assistance from other agencies
If this is available then in consulation with parents/carers Le Cheile FRC will support engagement with other agencies
If this support is not available and if it is felt that Le Cheile FRC does not have the resources to meet the child’s needs then a planned disengagement from the service will take place.

We acknowledge that we cannot respond to all the needs of all the children who attend our service, but we will do our best to respond in a supportive and positive way in consultation with parents/carers and other professionals.However, the expectations of all concerned have to be realistic and despite our efforts there may be occasions when we cannot respond to a child’s needs and it becomes necessary for the child to leave our service.

If this should happen we will continue to support the parent/carers to advocate on behalf of the child

Practices Prohibited: no practices that are disrespectful, degrading,exploitive,intimidating,emotionally or physical harmful or neglectful are carried out in respect of any child.

Physical punishment of any kind is prohibited. Physical intervention (i.e. gently removing or separating children) is only used if a child is in danger of injuring himself or herself or another child/staff member.
Adults shouting or using their voices in a threatening way.
Children are never shamed, blamed or singled out.
Practices which humiliate or attach the child’s sense of self and make him or her helpless are not allowed i.e. talking inappropriately at or about a child.
Discriminatory behaviour or remarks or any form of bullying.

Child Biting Policy

Some children for a variety of reasons attempt to bite other children. Biting is considered a normal stage of a young child’s development. Such issues are closely monitored at Le Cheile FRC. A child biting record is carried out to access and try to prevent further incidents of biting. Parents of the child who has bitten are informed and staff work together with the parent towards preventing further incidents. The parent of the child who has been bitten is always informed and an accident report is provided. The name of the child who has bitten is never disclosed.

Collections Policy

To maintain the safety and well being of each child, Le Cheile Family Resource Centre childcare service follows strict guidelines regarding persons authorised to collect each child from the centre.

Parents/guardians are required to complete a Registration Form in full.
The Registration form details the Parent/Guardian names and persons authorised to collect.
Parents are requested to contact the centre to inform the Childcare Supervisor regarding any changes to the information given in the Registration Form. If a parent wishes to take a person authorized to collect their child off the registration form, this needs to done in writing.
Should the person who normally collects the child be unavailable at short notice, due to illness etc it is essential that the parent telephones the centre immediately to inform the relevant Room Leader of the name and relationship of the person who will be collecting the child.
If the person collecting the child is not familiar to staff members they will be asked for identification.
No person under the age of 16 will be allowed to collect a child from the centre unless this person is the child’s legal guardian.
Staff are made aware of the collection policy during induction.

Should the parent/guardian fail to contact the Centre regarding change of collection routine:

The staff member in charge will explain to the person collecting the child that no contact regarding collection has been made by the parent/guardian.
The staff member will then attempt to contact by telephone, the parent/guardian of the child to confirm change of collection.
If the parent/guardian cannot be contacted immediately then the child must remain in the care of the Centre until contact with parent/guardian can be made.

It may be necessary to make an additional charge should this happen.

Procedures in the event of concerns about child welfare at departure time

Where a parent/guardian arrives to collect a child in an unfit state due to for example illness, drugs or alcohol the designated person in charge will assess whether the child’s safety and welfare may be impacted if released into the persons care.

Staff members have no legal rights to withhold a child from a parent in circumstances where a parent arrives in an unfit state due to illness, drugs or alcohol. However, the following measures may be adopted where appropriate:

Ensure the child is cared for by another staff member while you discuss the situation with the parent/guardian in question
Offer to contact a family member or friend, or the person(s) listed as the child’s emergency contact on their enrolment form
Offer to call a taxi

If the parent rejects the above suggestions and insists on taking the child, there is no legal recourse open to staff. However, if staff feel the wellbeing of the child is at risk they have a duty to act as outlined in Our Duty to Care: the principles of good practice for the protection of children and young people. It is important to put the child’s safety and well-being first, over and above any other considerations.

It is therefore, always the policy of the Centre that the welfare of the child is the most important consideration.

For that reason, where there is a risk to the child, it is in the best interest of the child for staff to discuss concerns with the duty social worker in TUSLA, or in case of emergency, to contact the Gardaí.

Comments and Complaints Policy

Le Cheile Family Resource Center’s Childcare Service welcomes comments and suggestions in the development of the service and look on this as a positive thing.

We aim to give careful attention and a prompt and courteous response to any comments or complaints.

Parents/Guardians are encouraged to express their comments or complaints regarding the overall service.
Under normal circumstances, the Childcare Supervisor will be responsible for managing any complaints. If a complaint is made against the Childcare Supervisor, the Manager of Le Cheile Family Resource Centre will be responsible for responding to this.
Any complaints made to staff will be recorded in detail and the Childcare Supervisor will be informed.
The Childcare Supervisor will discuss with the parent/carer/guardian the action to be taken to rectify the situation.
Childcare Supervisor notifies all complaints to the Manger. All complaints are notified to the board through the manager.
If at any stage the parent/carer/guardian still isn’t reassured by the action taken, a meeting will be arranged to discuss the issue in more detail.
As a method of quality control we may from time to time, carry out surveys in the form of a questionnaire, the results of which will contribute to the development service.

A full Le Cheile Family Resource Centre Complaints Policy and Procedure is available in the Childcare Office.

Confidentiality Policy

It is the policy of Le Cheile Family Resource Center’s Childcare Service to keep confidential any information about health and family circumstances of children, families, staff and volunteers. Knowledge or observation of children’s development or behaviour will be treated in a strictly confidential manner, except in terms of legal obligation, i.e. child protection.

All relevant regulations, acts and laws are adhered to, regarding information gathered and stored.

To ensure this, the following rules are strictly adhered to:

The keeping of records in relation to the children in our service in order to comply with the Child Care (Early Years Services) Regulations 2016.
Parents’ access to records kept in the service in relation to their own child. These records will be kept in a locked file. Parents can access these records by making an appointment with the Childcare Supervisor.
In the case of a child protection issue observation/records in relation to children may have to be made available to TUSLA.
The principle of confidentiality is adhered to by staff, volunteers and trainees. It is not acceptable to discuss children, their families, staff members of the service outside of the setting.
Breaches of confidentiality will be dealt with under the complaints procedure, or under the terms of employment as appropriate.

Equal Opportunities Policy

It is the policy of Le Cheile Family Resource Centre Childcare Service to recognise and respect the rights of all adults and children associated with the service.

Le Cheile Family Resource Centre complies with all relevant legislation, including:

The Employment Equality Act 1977
The Employment Equality Bill 1996
The Disability Act 2005
The Equality Act 2004

Le Cheile FRC Childcare Service believes in the uniqueness of each child. All children are welcomed, valued and accepted for whom they are.
Le Cheile FRC Childcare Service is open to all as per admission procedure.
The input of all families into is valued in the childcare service through informal discussion, through questionnaires distributed from time to time and through parents meetings. Parents are encouraged to be involved in their children’s early education, in whatever way is possible for them.
Respect and dignity is valued and incorporated.
Staff are committed to fostering each child’s ability to interact comfortably and with empathy with people from diverse backgrounds.
A wide range of activities and play equipment is provided in an environment free from prejudice and discrimination, which reflects children’s culture, gender and ability differences.
Le Cheile FRC Childcare Service recognises that all children have particular needs and that some children may have additional needs. These are acknowledged and every effort will be made to meet the additional needs of children and their families.
Dietary and cultural needs of children are met where feasible. Children are encouraged to experience a range of different festivals using stories, music, special food and clothing. Participation from people who celebrate these festivals is invited.
Recruitment and employment of staff complies with all relevant equality legislation.

Equipment/Toys Policy

Le Cheile Family Resource Center’s Childcare Service aims to provide a wide variety of interesting, stimulating and age appropriate toys/equipment.

All equipment/are inspected regularly for loose, broken or missing parts and the safety of equipment/toys document in each room is updated.

Any damaged equipment which cannot be repaired safely is disposed of carefully.

All equipment/toys are cleaned as per cleaning schedule in each room.

Parents are advised against allowing children to bring in their own toys as a guarantee cannot be given that they will not be broken or lost.

Fire Safety Policy

Le Cheile Family Resource Center’s Childcare Service has all the relevant fire safety equipment, fire extinguishers and smoke alarms.
Training will be given to all staff on fire drill procedures.
Fire evacuation procedures are posted in every room.
A fire drill is carried out once a month and recorded.
Staff receive training around the use of fire safety equipment.

Fire Evacuation Procedures:

The Childcare Supervisor (or delegate) sounds the alarm and determines the location of the fire.
Staff will proceed with the evacuation drill that is displayed in their room once the location of the fire is determined.
If the nature of the fire requires it the fire brigade will be called. They will be informed of: the nature of the emergency, address and location of the centre, name and contact number.
The Room Leader in each room takes the attendance sheets and contact numbers for the children.
Staff lead the children to the designated assembly point in a calm orderly fashion, walking and not running. If it is safe to do so staff will close all doors and windows before leaving their room.
The Childcare Supervisor (safety officer) is the last person to leave the building and ensures that the building is empty.
The Safety Officer takes the staff attendance sheets, emergency contact numbers and a mobile phone.
Room Leaders take a roll call for each room and ensure all children are present.
The Safety Officer will take a role call using the staff attendance sheets to ensure all staff are present and confirm with each room leader that all children are accounted for within their section.
The safety officer contacts parents/carers from the emergency contact list to arrange for the collection of children.
Children and staff stay at assembly point until children are collected and fire brigade arrives or it is decided by Safety officer that the emergency has passed.

Healthy Eating Policy

Le Cheile Family Resource Center’s Childcare Service endeavours to promote healthy eating through encouragement and provision of fresh, nutritious food in a balanced diet.

The Centre discourages the consumption of sweets, crisps, chocolate(including chocolate spread),cakes,biscuits,pastries,fizzy drinks and sugary juice drinks, hot foods from deli counters: sausages, sausage rolls, hash browns, breakfast rolls etc. The co-operation of parents on this issue is expected.

Staff will sit with the children to encourage good eating habits and table manners.

If a child’s eating or drinking habits change parents/guardians will be notified.

On occasion the children may have treats such as a birthday cake and sweets for a child’s birthday party if the birthday child’s parents/Guardians request this, these will be supplied by the parents/Guardians. You will be informed and it is your choice if you wish your child to consume treats or not.

Flexibility and sensitivity to meet children’s dietary needs will be met where feasible.

Hygiene Policy

Le Cheile Family Resource Center’s Childcare Service is committed to the promotion of a healthy environment and a high standard of personal hygiene for adults and children.

This is done through:

Childcare staff implementing a high level of hygiene practices by:

Washing hands after using the toilet, before and after preparing food, before eating, after outdoor activities and playing with pets. Staff teach children to do this also.
Clean protective clothing i.e. gloves and aprons will be worn when handling and preparing food. Wearing of jewellery and strong perfume will not be accepted when working with food.
Daily and weekly cleaning routines for each room will be adhered to.
Staff will be aware at all times that in their personal and professional hygiene practices and routines they are setting an example for the children.

Dealing with spillages:

Disposable gloves and aprons must always be used when cleaning up spills of body fluids (vomit, blood, urine and excrement).
Remove soiled clothes and wash child’s face and hands
Flush any solids from child’s clothes down the toilet, put clothes in sealed waterproof bag for washing at home.
Use paper towels to remove any soiling from surfaces.
Disinfect the area
Dispose of used paper towels, aprons and gloves hygienically
Wash hands afterwards

Pest Control:

There is adequate proofing to prevent infestation of vermin and insects.

Preparing and storing food:

Staff preparing food for children will be trained in Food Safety
Wash hands before and after preparing food
Wash fruit and veg before preparing for children
Use disposable gloves and aprons when handling food for children
Ensure fridge is cooler than 5 degrees c
Wrap any open food items in cling film or sealed container and refrigerate

Infection Control Policy

It is the aim of Le Cheile FRC Childcare service to protect each child and persons working in the service as far as possible against infection. In order to avoid the spread of infection, we ask you not to bring your child to our childcare service if they are showing any of the following symptoms:

A temperature of 38 degrees C or 100.4 degrees F or over
Any unexplained rash.
Discharge from eyes or ears
Communicable illnesses e.g. mumps, chickenpox, measles, whooping cough, conjunctivitis, impetigo.
All children who develop symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting should be excluded from the childcare service until at least 48 hours after symptoms have stopped.

-A child on a course of antibiotics must be kept at home for the first 24 hours.

-If a child becomes ill with a suspected infectious illness or a temperature higher than 38.oc (100.4f), while in our childcare service, you will be contacted immediately.

-If a child becomes ill with diarrhoea or vomiting while in our childcare service, you will be contacted to collect your child as soon as possible. Children will rest somewhere away from the other children until they can be collected.

-Any child with an infectious illness should not attend the childcare service and a doctor should decide the exclusion time.

- Parents are requested to notify staff about any infectious diseases to allow other parents to be notified.

-Parents will be notified if their child has been in contact with any infectious disease.

Head lice infestation is a contagious condition, and if noticed in the Childcare Service it will be brought to the attention of all parents immediately.

Nappy Changing Policy

It is policy of Le Cheile Family Resource Centre Childcare Service to ensure the highest possible health and safety standards are adhered to when nappy changing and toilet training children.

Nappy Changing:

Children are changed immediately as necessary and at set times during the day.
Gloves are worn when nappy changing and changed after each use.
Disposable aprons are worn when changing nappies.
Staff ensure they wash their hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap and dry with disposable tissue before and after nappy changing.
The child’s belongings are prepared before nappy changing. Gather wipes out of package and prepare any creams for use. (do not touch wipe packages and cream containers with soiled gloves).
At no time is a child to be left unattended on the changing mat.
The child is cleaned using baby wipes, creams or such materials supplied by parent/carer. Each childs belongings are clearly labelled.
All nappies, wipes, cleaning materials and gloves are disposed of carefully in the sangenic bin provided.
The nappy changing area is cleaned using anti-bacterial spray after each use.
There is a viewing panel in each nappy changing area where staff are visible to other staff while changing nappies

Toilet Training:

Le Cheile Family Resource Center’s Childcare Service supports parents and children during the toilet training process.

Parents are encouraged to approach staff regarding advice and feedback on toilet training.
Parents are requested to provide their child with a few spare trousers, underwear, socks and an extra pair of shoes.
Staff do not embarrass a child if a child has an accident. The child is cleaned immediately and clothing changed as necessary. Any issues arising will always be dealt with in a sensitive manner. Children are never punished or made feel bad for having an accident.
Gloves and disposable aprons are worn when changing children after an accident. Wet or soiled clothes are, double bagged and given to the child’s parents/guardian at home time.
The area of the accident is cleaned and disinfected.
If toilet training is not observed as being a success, staff may recommend allowing the child to return to nappies for a period of time, as children who are ready to train will do so in a short period of time.
Parents may bring in potties for children who are toilet training if they wish.

Potties

Children will always be supervised when using potties
Children will be encouraged to wash hands after using the toilet/Pottie
Each child’s potties will be clearly labelled with their full name
Staff will ensure the potty is disinfected with antibacterial spray each time a child uses the pottie
Staff were gloves and aprons when toileting children and using potties. Staff was hand afterwards
Potties will be stored out of other children’s reach

Outside Play Policy

Children have outside play as part of their curriculum each day except in extreme weather conditions.
The outdoor play area is securely and safely fenced off to ensure that children cannot leave the play area.
The outdoor play area is spacious enough to allow children to run and play freely.
Children need appropriate clothing according to the weather, in winter coats, hats, scarves and gloves; in summer sun cream and clothes that don’t allow too much exposure to the sun
Children are supervised at all times.
All equipment and toys are inspected regularly and the necessary documentation completed.
Damaged equipment that cannot be repaired safely is removed from the playground and disposed of carefully.
Risk assessments are completed before children go outside.

Parents as Partners

At Le Cheile Family Resource Centre we acknowledge parents/carers as primary educators of their children and we are committed to working in partnership with them.

We are committed to being open, welcoming, accepting and respectful of all parents using our service. We value and encourage parental input.

Staff welcome the opportunity to discuss the following with parents/guardians:

A child’s progress
Behaviour Management
Setting realistic goals
Changes in the family
Difficulties and concerns
Suggestions, comments and complaints

A two way flow of information between families and staff is highly recommended and the Childcare Supervisor is available for appointments with parents to discuss any aspect of their child’s care or development.

Copies of our policies and procedures are available to parents at all times.

There is a parent’s notice board in the lobby displaying current information.

We welcome comments and suggestions and it is our policy to give them careful attention and a prompt and courteous response.

Settling in Policy

Le Cheile Family Resource Center’s Childcare Service is committed to the smooth transition of the children and parents into our service. Settling in should be a positive experience as it will influence children’s self-confidence, attitudes to relationships, socialising and will lay the foundation for future learning.

At Le Cheile FRC staff are very aware of how important a child’s first step into the big world is. We try to ensure that this experience is as positive as it can be for parent/ carer and the child, by giving them both the support and encouragement they need.

The Settling Process

When you talk to your child about going to Le Cheile FRC be excited and happy. Explain to them you will leave but will always come back.
For the first session stay with your child for a while, help your child to get involved in play activities. It is important also that your child sees that you have a positive relationship with staff. Children are sensitive and can pick up on anxieties. View it as a positive step for your child’s development.
The Room Leader will advise the parent/carer when it may be appropriate to leave the child and for how long.
If your child is upset when you leave, please try not to worry too much. This can often happen but seldom lasts for very long.
If you child does not settle within 10-15 minutes you will be contacted to return. No child will be allowed to remain distressed.
When you return to collect your child, it is advisable that you take him/her straight away, this lets the child know that the parent/carer will always come back to take them home.
Repeat the process the following day staying for less time and leaving for longer periods. Throughout the week the child can gradually build up to staying for a full session.
Some children take longer than others to settle and all staff are aware of this. All children are seen as individuals and are treated accordingly.
Room Leaders will discuss with you any worries or concerns you may have. Parents can also make an appointment with the childcare supervisor to discuss any issues around the settling process.

The settling process will allow for staff and parents to ensure our service is the best possible place for your child. Should it arise that our service is not the best possible place for your child, we will do our best to identify what supports are available from HSE locally and direct parents towards services which will be in the best interest of the child.

Child Protection Policy

It is the policy of Le Cheile Family Resource Center’s Childcare Service to safeguard the welfare of all children y protecting them from:

Physical harm
Sexual harm
Emotional harm

To ensure this protection it is our aim that at all times best practice is observed by all staff and volunteers by:

adopting child protection guidelines through the code of behaviour for staff and volunteers
sharing information about child protection and good practice with children, parents, staff and volunteers
putting in place systems that are transparent and accountable
Sharing information about child protection concerns with agencies who need to know and involving parents and children appropriately.
Following careful recruitment procedures when employing staff or engaging with volunteers
Managing staff and volunteers through training, support and supervision

The following principals underpin our child protection policy:

Children have the right to be listened to, heard and taken seriously
Childrens welfare and safety are paramount
Where there is conflict of interest the child’s interest comes first
Staff and volunteers will have training appropriate to their involvement with the children in the service
If there is an allegation of abuse against a member of staff or volunteer the welfare and safety of the child will come first. The alleged perpetrator and his/her family will be afforded the respect, rights and care due to all human beings.
Staff work co-operatively with all agencies concerned with the protection and welfare of children and their families.

Definition of abuse:

“Harm can be defined as ill treatment of the health or development of a child. Whether it is significant is determined by his/her health and development as compared to that which could be reasonably expected of a child of similar age” Children First

Neglect:

An omission where the child suffers significant harm or impairment of development by being deprived of food, clothing, warmth, hygiene, intellectual stimulation, supervision and safety, attachment to and affection from adults, medical care.

Emotional Abuse:

When a child’s needs for affection, approval, consistency and security are not met. Emotional abuse is normally to be found between a care giver and a child.

Physical Abuse:

Any form of non accidental injury which results from willful or neglectful failure to protect a child.

Sexual Abuse:

When a child is used by another person for his or her gratification or sexual arousal or for that of others.

The Child Protection Officer is the Childcare Supervisor.

The detailed Child Protection Policy of the Centre is available on request.

Accidents

Anti-Bullying

Accident & Emergency

Child Biting

Collections

Comments & Complaints

Equal Opportunities

Equipment & Toys

Fire Safety

Healthy Eating

Hygiene

Infection Control

Nappy Changing & Toileting

Outside Play

Settling In

Child Protection