Health & Safety Policy

• Qualified first aider to stay with or attend to the injured/sick child.

• One person to telephone for an ambulance and then to contact the child’s parent/carer.
• One person to take responsibility for the care of the other children (maintaining staff/child ratios where possible).
• First aider to accompany child to the hospital in the ambulance, parents should follow if they have not arrived before the ambulance leaves nursery.
• A consent to medical treatment form and the child’s records from the children’s file drawer will be taken to the hospital with the child.
• If parent/carer cannot be contacted the police will be asked to trace them.
• Following serious injury or incident to an adult or child at Ladybirds nursery the nursery manager will follow the procedure required by the health and safety executive (RIDDOR).
• Following any incident or accident in nursery, a full record of the accident or incident will be reported in our accident and incident book, the parent will be given a copy of the record. The records remain confidential.
• Should a child come into nursery with an existing injury, the details will be recorded within the accident and incident book and the parent asked to sign. The parent will be given a copy of the record.

• Children suffering from an infectious illness should not attend. (A list of exclusions and notifiable diseases can be found displayed on the wall in the office.)
• Following sickness or upset stomach the child should not attend for a period of forty eight hours from the last symptom.
• Parents/ carers should notify the nursery by phone of the reason for absence each day their child will not be attending or give a date of return.
• If no call is received to give a reason for absence, a member of staff will contact parents on each day of absence by phone call, text or email to establish the reason for absence. No names will be used on the messages left for parents. (The message should read: please inform the nursery of the reason for absence.)

Please see the Safeguarding policy for information on absence of a child who is the subject of a social services care plan or thought to be at risk of harm.

• Tissues and wipes are provided. Children are encouraged to throw their used tissues in the closed top bin and to wash their hands afterwards. Adults wash their hands after assisting a child with personal hygiene or after attending to their own personal hygiene.
• If Ladybirds staff believe that any child is suffering from a notifiable disease the manager will inform Ofsted and follow advice from the Health Protection Agency.

• Storage is set at an appropriate height to enable children to access equipment and resources independently with the support of an adult nearby if needed.
• All electrical equipment will be checked annually by a qualified electrician.
• Fire extinguishers will be checked annually by the fire safety officer.
• Plugs sockets will be used by adults only.
• Wall heaters are set at a low temperature to ensure they are warm to the touch and are not a burning hazard.
• A safe area is left clear of toys and furniture around each wall heater.
• All electrical equipment is unplugged at the end of the session with the exception of the fridge.
• The fridge/freezer is stored next to the work surface and is in full view of adults. Care will be taken not to store anything that may cause an allergic reaction where we have been notified that a child has a particular allergy . The only exception to this is nursery milk. The fridge/freezer has child proof safety locks on each door.
• Plastic bags, cleaning materials, changing equipment, staff personal property and first aid equipment are stored in a locked cupboard.
• COSHH data sheets are held on all potentially hazardous liquids used in nursery, these are stored in the Health and Safety file.
• The nappy bucket is stored in the cloakroom and is emptied daily or more frequently where required.
• Daily risk assessment is carried out at the beginning, middle, and end of each session.
• Equipment is cleaned regularly with anti-bac, large equipment is cleaned at the end of each half term and a deep clean is carried out during times when the nursery is closed to children.
• Broken equipment is always disposed of immediately.
• Disposable cleaning cloths are in use for washing up, cleaning tables, and the messy area.
• Sand and water trays are covered or brought inside overnight, or emptied/covered.
• Water play activities are closely supervised.
• Before using the school grounds it must be established that the boundary is secure and a risk assessment is carried out. The area available to the nursery is marked by blue and white cones.

• Daily written risk assessments on equipment, outside area and indoor area, are carried out before and after each session. Broken or faulty equipment will be reported to the nursery manager who will decide if it needs to be destroyed.
• Building risk assessments, indoor and outdoor are carried out annually by our landlord and nursery manager.
• Written or oral risk assessments are carried out on new equipment or activities.
• Existing risk assessments are stored for reference and reviewed where required.
• Daily activities are risk assessed formally and informally.. Staff are vigilant and risk assess throughout the session to promote the safety of children and adults.
• Staff raise awareness of the need to keep ourselves safe through activities,
  positive role modelling and talking with the children.
• We have a safety in the sun policy.
• Emergency exits are clearly labelled and unobstructed at all times.
• Equipment is stored safely.
• The attendance register is completed at each end of the session for children and adults. Visitors are asked to sign in and out of our visitors book, professional visitors will be asked for ID, visiting parents and families will need to provide full name, address, postcode and telephone number prior to their visit.
• At the end of the day all switches and sockets are turned off, with the exception of the fridge. The lights are switched off and external doors secure and locked. The gate is padlocked overnight.
• In order to reduce the risk to children, no hot drinks will be permitted within the main room, cloakroom or outside learning environment of the nursery whilst children are on the premises. A separate area is designated for this purpose.
• Bags that children bring with them to nursery must only contain a change of clothes or nappy changing kit. Plastic nappy sacks should not be included. Any medication, drinks, food, toys or other personal items must not be included and should be taken away with the parent. If any of these items are inadvertently left in a child’s bag they will be removed and placed in a locked cupboard for safety. A safe place can be provided should parent/carers need to leave personal items in exceptional circumstances (medication or dangerous items may not be stored at the nursery without a health-care plan in place).
• The main door to the nursery is fitted with an alarm which sounds when the door is opened. The alarm is armed throughout each session.
• The main gate to the nursery is locked during the session. There is a door bell for visitors to alert staff to their arrival.
• Parents and visitors to the nursery are asked to wait at the main gate until their identification is verified and the gate unlocked by a member of staff.
• Visitors are asked to make an appointment to view the nursery or to see the nursery manager or staff. All visitors will be required to give contact details, full name and address prior to visiting.
• Identification of visitors is verified and a record kept of their visit.
• At the beginning of the day, Children are dropped at the gate and taken in by a member of staff.
• Staff wait with children in the playground at mid-day collection and drop off times. At the end of day session, parent/carers are asked to wait in our playground or at the gate until invited in to collect their child, staff are positioned at the open door at all times the main gate is unlocked.
• Notices are displayed to remind parents and children to hold hands and to stay safe.
• Written consent must be given if a person other than the child’s main carer is to collect the child from nursery. A password system may be set up between nursery and parent. The person collecting a child must be aged 18 or over.

• The premises will be cleaned and maintained by members of staff at the end of each session.
• The toilets and basins will be checked for cleanliness regularly throughout each session. A record of times checked is displayed in the cloakroom.
• Children will be educated in personal hygiene and be expected to flush the toilet and wash their hands with soap and water afterwards, using a fresh paper towel or the pull down towel from the rail to dry them. They will be encouraged to leave the toilet and basin in good order for the next person to use.
• Children who need to use a potty/trainer seat should have their own named potty/trainer seat provided by parents.
• Children and adults will wash their hands after playing outside and at regular internals throughout the session.
• Equipment will be cleaned regularly using disinfectant. Staff are responsible for ensuring an effective rota.

• Staff are trained in handling and preparing food. All staff handling food and drink attend an approved training course.
• Ladybirds does not serve meals or store food on the premises. There is not a requirement for Ladybirds to register with Environmental Health.
• Children and adults will wash their hands prior to handling or eating food and drink.
• Children and adults will wash their hands after eating or handling food and drink.
• Healthy snacks are served at Ladybirds, parents are asked to donate fresh fruit or vegetables for sharing at our snack time. Fruit and vegetables are washed prior to eating.
• Fruit and vegetables are served in manageable sizes, this enables children to take a bite (preventing serving pieces considered to be bite size that may be a choking hazard). Advice on preparing fruit and vegetables for safe consumption can be found at www.gov.uk
• Children will always sit at the table or on a chair or the floor to eat, they must not be allowed to wander around with food in their mouths.
• Children will be supervised at all times whilst eating.
• Incidents of food poisoning affecting two or more children looked after at Ladybirds will be notified to Ofsted.
• Ladybirds provides free milk or water at snack time. Parents may inform us of their choice of either.
• Fresh drinking water is always available.
• Packed lunches provided by parents should contain healthy items, an advice leaflet is handed to parents which provides some ideas of what to include and foods to avoid in a healthy packed lunch.

The nursery promotes a healthy diet and lifestyle for our children, good oral health practices are incorporated into our planning a curriculum suitable for individual children. Families will receive guidance and information from reputable sources in order to work together with the nursery to provide consistent support for children’s healthy bodies, teeth and gums.

• No medicine will be administered to children without parental consent.
• No medicine can be stored onsite if it needs refrigeration.
• No medication will be stored on the nursery site overnight.
• No medication will be stored without an active and up to date health care plan.

• Prescribed medicines (that do not need refrigeration) will be stored in a locked cupboard and must be in the original packaging, clearly marked with the prescribed dosage and name of the child. There are no facilities for storage in a locked cold fridge for any medication, there may be opportunity to store this within the primary school, but this is dependent on their policy at the time.
• Prescribed medication is only administered if it is not possible for the parent to administer it prior to the child attending nursery and only when the child has a complete, up to date, Health Care Plan.
• Parents should inform the nursery if their child has received any medication prior to attending a session.
• For children who have an ongoing or serious condition the following applies;

• Where it becomes necessary to administer medication to a child, a record will be kept of the name of medication, person administering, date, time and the response of the child. (A sheet for this purpose is attached to the medicine record and care plan.)
• The child will be monitored continuously until professional help arrives or the parent collects the child (this is dependent on the agreement in the health care plan).
• All incidents further to the general running of the nursery must always be noted in our accident and incident book. (These include conversations or advice from parents over the phone, administration of medicines, concerns about the child, this list is not exhaustive.) The parent will be asked to read and sign the slip in acknowledgement that the nursery has informed them of an incident. The parent will be given the top copy.
• In some cases special training will be required by nursery staff, this should be delivered by a qualified nurse or health worker and updated accordingly.
• Parents must notify the nursery of allergies or intolerances that their child suffers from with instructions for dealing with any reactions which may occur in relation to the allergy/intolerance. The child will require a Health Care Plan.

• The wearing of jewellery, watches or bodily adornments is not permitted at Ladybirds.
• Jewellery found on a child should be removed and kept in a safe place, the item should be returned to the parent at the end of the session.
• All items of jewellery remain the responsibility of the parent.
• Parents desiring children to wear items of jewellery or bodily adornments required in relation to a faith or culture will be asked to arrange for these to have a safety clasp fitted. The nursery manager will work closely with parents to establish a mutually acceptable solution and must always ensure that the safety of the child and other children within Ladybirds nursery is paramount at all time.

• In the interest of children’s and staff health and to reduce the risk of fire the Langshott/Oakwood site is a designated NO SMOKING area. Adults who do smoke will be asked to extinguish their cigarette.
• Staff and parents are asked not to use e-cigarettes or vapes on site.
• Staff working directly with children may not be under the influence of alcohol, drugs or any other substance which may affect their ability to work with and care for children. Staff taking medication must produce confirmation that this is unlikely to impair on that staff member’s ability to look after children. Life-saving medication belonging to staff may only be stored on the premises on a daily basis in our locked first aid cupboard. All other medication must be stored off premises or left at home.

• Parents of children who wear nappies should provide a full changing kit.
• A small quantity of disposable nappies and wipes will be kept on site for emergency use.
• The children are changed on a purpose made changing mat on the floor.
• The mat is wiped or sprayed with anti-bac before and after each change.
• Adults wear protective gloves and disposable plastic aprons when dealing with wet and soiled children, and wash their hands after attending to a child.
• Children will wash their hands after they have been changed.
• Wet/soiled nappies are wrapped and disposed of in the nappy bin which is stored in the cloakroom.
• The nappy bin is emptied daily and cleaned with anti-bac, the contents wrapped in a black sack and disposed of in the large bin.*
• Soiled or wet clothing should be wrapped, and placed in the child’s bag . The bag will be safely stored on top of the cupboard for return to the parent/carer at the end of the session.
• Nappy changes are recorded in the confidential changing record sheet, giving reason for change and named staff member who changed the child.