Policies & Procedures

Safeguarding

The Children Act 1989 states that children who are at risk of “significant harm” must be protected and this includes abuse of any kind.

The Play Shelter has high standards when employing our staff teams. We have procedures in place to ensure that our staff team and volunteers are safe people to work with children.

Our Play Leaders are experienced and trained in recognising signs and indicators of abuse and adhere to safeguarding and child protection procedures.

The Play Shelter listens and responds to all children’s needs. We liaise with Children’s Social Care to ensure that children are not exposed to any form of potential risk.

The Play Shelter believes that children should be taught ways of keeping themselves safe from harm and we have a clear policy of working together with parents and Children’s services where there is concern about a child’s safety.

Equal Opportunities

The Play Shelter is committed to working to anti discriminatory practices. Every child has the right to be happy, respected and valued.

She/He should enjoy the freedom to be and express themselves within a secure and stable environment.

Gender mixed sessions, age mixed sessions and separate junior and infant sessions encourage children to interact socially, which increases their abilities without any pressure within their common bond group.

Our services recognise and respond to children’s and adult’s racial origins, cultural backgrounds, gender, family groupings and abilities.

Discriminatory behaviour is unacceptable and will be challenged immediately and recorded for monitoring purposes.

Health and safety

The Play Shelter is committed to keeping children safe within a secure environment.

Upon registration, it is important that parent/carers complete the application fully, stating any medical conditions or illnesses that children may have. Correct information of contact names, addresses and telephone numbers must be accurate and legible in order for authorised adults to be contacted when necessary.

All parent/carers must sign out their child with a member of staff when leaving our provisions.

The Play Shelter adheres to the Health and Safety Policies set out by the Local Authorities.

This is achieved by:

• Carrying out Risk Assessments of all hazards and the elimination or control of associated risks.
• Safe systems of work and system reviews to protect children, parents and staff teams
• Safe equipment for children and staff to use
• Safe and healthy workplaces and secure environments for children, parents and staff teams
• Appropriate employee training, information, instruction and supervision
• Children are not permitted to leave the premises without an authorised adult.
• A ratio of 1:8 is maintained for children under the age of 8 years old.

All accidents and incidents involving your child will be reported to parents and recorded. Parents will be asked to sign the accident book when collecting their children from the scheme as proof of being told about the accident/incident and having the accident/incident explained.

Behaviour Policy

The Play Shelter recognises that good behaviour is important to achieve a positive and safe environment.

We have an effective policy which encourages good behaviour and identifies the rights of our children, parents, carers and staff team.

The Play Shelter discourages inappropriate behaviour which we define as bullying, threatening gestures, harassment, intimidation, deliberately damaging a child or the premises/the Play Shelter’s property.

The Play Shelter will deal with unacceptable behaviour by:

• Recording all incidents
• Informing parent/carer’s of a child’s behaviour and arrange suitable meeting times
• Develop a plan of agreed targets
• Use sanctions if necessary i.e. removal of privileges, spoken warning etc.
• Liaise with your child’s school to ensure consistency in developing support programmes