Parent Information Pack

Opening Hours

The centre is open from 7.30am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday.

On the occasion that you are running late and have access to a phone please contact the crèche.  A late fee will be payable directly to the member of staff who have had to stay after 6.30pm.  We urge all parents to collect children on time as members of some members of staff attend college in the evening.  Please see our policy on the notice board.

The crèche will close on all public holidays and Good Friday.  Christmas holidays will be reviewed on a yearly basis depending on when Christmas Day falls.  Details of Christmas arrangements will be posted on the parent board during the month of October.

We want to ensure that your child is happy and entertained throughout the year is all part of our programme.  We have a full schedule of activities including plays at Christmas, a Santa visit.  To make every child’s birthday special we have a party.  .

Outdoors and garden

We at Early Day feel it important that your child get out into the open air. 

What you child needs to bring
A spare set of clothes including underwear should be left at the crèche at all times.  During cold months to ensure that hats, scarf’s and gloves are provided. Some outdoor activities may require Wellie boots.
Please let the crèche manager knows what formula, bottles and beakers your child uses.
Nappies to be supplied by parents. 
During hot weather sun cream lotion needs to be supplied

Fees
Fees are set annually each August.  All fees are payable monthly in advance.  Standing order forms are available in the crèche office.  Fees are payable for the full 52 weeks of the year.
Please see attached sheet for fee sheet

Notice
We request in writing one months notice of your intention to leave the service.  Deposit will be deducted from your last month’s fees when one months notice is given.

Sickness
Please remember that when a child starts in a crèche, he/she is more likely to catch a cold etc. in the first few weeks, until the immune systems builds up.  The crèche has great procedures in place for the health and safety and welfare of all the children.

We understand that it can be difficult to come to when your child has taken ill, and we do not call parents unnecessarily.  It must be highlight that the crèche manager will always contact you if we are at all worried about your child.  We do, however reserve the right to request that you collect you child as soon as it practical when our concerns are centre around high temperature and contagious diseases.

The health and welfare of all children in the service is of the utmost importance to use and it is for this reason we request that children should be kept at home or pick up if they have any if the following illness.
Vomiting, temperature of 38c or above, chicken pox, diarrhoea, measles mumps meningitis, or hepatitis.  If your child vomits, has a high temperature or has diarrhoea we would ask you to keep them out of the centre for at least 24 hours.  Information on the above can be found in our infection disease policy. Or ask a member of staff.  We would ask that you child does not return to the centre for the first 24 hours after starting antibiotics.  The staff will then administer the medication when the parents signed the medication consent form. 

At Early Days we understand the difficultly for parents missing work or leaving work early when a child is ill.  We therefore suggest that alternative arrangement to be made on the occasions when children should remain at home or need to be collected from the centre due to illness.  Exclusion from the centre is sometime necessary to reduce the transmission of illness.  Mild illness is common among children.  Because with many conditions children spread infectious agents before showing any symptoms, exclusion serves no purpose as long as we can keep he child comfortable throughout the day.  These children do not represent any harm to other children.

Children should be excluded from the centre for the following reason:
(This list covers most common illness but not inclusive of all reasons for exclusion).

• Illness that prevent the child from participating comfortable in activities.
• Illness that results in a greater need for care that our team can provided without compromising the safety and health of all the children in our care.
• Fever accompanied by other symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, irritability.
• Diarrhoea – Stools with blood or mucus, uncontrolled stools that can not be contained in a nappy, underwear or toilet.
• Vomiting – green or bloody and or two or more times during the previous 24 hours.
• Mouth sores
• Rash with fever or behavioural changes unless a physician has determined it is not a communicable disease.
• Conjunctivitis (Defined as pink or red conjunctiva with white or yellow eye discharge) until antibiotics for 24hrs
• Impetigo until 24hrs after treatment
• Head lice until 24 hours after treatment and all have been removed
• Scabies until 24 hrs after treatment has begun
• Chicken pox until all lesions have been dried and crusted usually 6 days
• Whopping cough until 5 days of appropriate antibiotics

We ask that for your child’s comfort and to reduce the risk of contagion children be picked up within 1.5 hours of be notify.  Children need to remain home for 24 hours without symptoms before returning to the centre.  In the case of a suspected contagious disease or continuing symptoms a doctor note may be required before returning to the centre.
Children who have been excluded may return when they
Are free from fever, vomiting and diarrhoea for a full 24 hours
Have been treated with an antibiotic for a full24 hours
When they are able to participate comfortably in all usual activities including outdoor time.

A final decision whether to exclude a child from the centre will be made by the centre manager with the best interest of all the children in mind.

Security and safety

There is an intercom system in use at the front door of the centre to ensure no unauthorised persons gains access to the centre.  If you can not collect you child from the centre please ensure that you phone the staff ahead and give details of the person who will be collecting, (as on your child record form).  Under no circumstances will a child be allowed to leave the centre if we have no knowledge of the person collecting you child.

Infants Feed Guidelines.
In order to maintain consistency from home to the centre and to meet the individual needs of the children babies at the centre will eats according to their own schedule.  For older the children the centre will supply all food and drinks.  Please note that crisps, sweets, chewing gum etc are not allowed to bring in by children to the centre.

Breast feeding
If you are a nursing mother we will be more than happy to make arrangements for you to visit you infant during the day.  Alternatively please feel free to supply us with expressed milk to feed you baby.

Meals and Snacks
We believe that meals and snacks are critical to a child’s health and development.  They are also important part of the centre curriculum.  Meals are provided at the centre, they are carefully planned to provide children with the necessary nutritional content.  Every effort is made to ensure that meals times are enjoyable for children.  Each morning and afternoon children are provided with healthy snacks.  The menu of snacks and meals are available on the notice board in the centre.  If you child has any dietary needs or food allergies please work with the staff to find a suitable alternative.

Rest
In order to maintain consistency from home the centre and to meet the individual needs of the children, babies will sleep according to their schedule.  Your infant’s health is of primary concern so a back to sleep policy is in place in the centre.  All children will be put to sleep on their backs

Following lunch the toddlers and some older children will have an afternoon rest time up to 1 hour.  If your child does not wish to rest an alternative quiet activity will be set up.

Our philosophy at Early Days emphasizes respect for the individual child.  Young children are striving for understanding, independence and self control.  Children learn by exploring, experimenting and testing the limits of their environment.  In this way they begin to understand how the world works.  Children are helped to learn self control and how the world works in a relaxed atmosphere of support and understanding that recognises the child’s struggle.

Children are accepted as they are – development is viewed as a process if growing with each age and stage having its own characteristics, its own challenges and needs.  Discipline is viewed by adults as important aspects of teaching and learning.  Through positive guidance of behaviour and modelling adults help children to feel good about themselves to behave in a responsible way.

Please sign this slip when you have agreed the above terms and conditions

Name of children:  ____________________________________________

Name of parent/s:  __________________________________________

Signature:  ________________________           Date:  ____________