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Staying safe

Health & Safety Policy

The safety of our children is of paramount importance and we ensure the safety of both children and adults whilst at Nursery. We comply fully with the requirements of European Community Law, the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, and all other relevant statutory provisions. Hopscotch holds current Public Liability and Employers' Liability Insurance certificates which are displayed in the entrance hall. Hopscotch has a responsibility to provide a safe environment for your child and the Manager is responsible for health and safety matters concerning the nursery premises.

All staff are aware of potential risks within the nursery and the surrounding environment and actively protect children from such risks. A risk assessment by the Health and Safety Officer is performed once a term, and more frequently if deemed necessary. Copies of these can be found in the Risk Assessment File kept in the office. If necessary, an action plan is then drawn up in conjunction with the manager and the practitioners to ensure any issues are resolved. Children are made aware of safety issues through discussions, planned activities and routines.

Mathilda Norris is the Health and Safety Officer, and together with all practitioners is responsible for identifying and addressing safety issues, or bringing them to the attention of the nursery owner.

We aim to provide all staff with first aid training. All accidents and any incidents are recorded, signed by the parents and kept in the Accident & Incident file, found in the office. All accidents are accurately notified to the parent/carer as soon as possible. Hygiene rules relating to bodily fluids are followed with particular care and all staff are aware of how infections can be transmitted.

Hopscotch Induction Training for staff and volunteers includes clear explanations of safety issues so that all adults are able to adhere to the policy and understand their shared responsibility for safety. As necessary, safety training is included in the annual training plans of staff and is discussed regularly at staff meetings. i.e. Manual handling / food hygiene courses. Fire drills are held regularly so staff understand their roles and responsibilities in the event of a fire, and fire extinguishers are checked annually and all staff know how to use them.

Hopscotch has a duty to ensure the surrounding environment is safe at all times. Staff check the environment daily prior to the nursery opening. Any dangerous items are repaired or discarded. This also includes checking the fire exits are clear, the temperature of the water and room and any risks of injury are resolved. Before the session commences a check is made to ensure that the entrance is securely locked and all internal safety gates/barriers are used as necessary. All dangerous materials are stored out of the reach of the children and children do not have unsupervised access to kitchens, cookers or any cupboards storing hazardous materials. Adults do not walk about with hot drinks or place them within reach of the children.

Radiators and electric points and wires are adequately guarded. Electrical and gas equipment conforms to safety requirements and is checked regularly. Hopscotch or the landlords hold all safety certificates, which can be accessed through the Nursery owner Lucy Yeandle.

The outdoor space is securely fenced and locked when the children are at play. A member of staff checks the grounds and security before children are allowed out. Children are encouraged to go outside whenever possible, however in the case of extreme weather, children are encourage to do physical activity inside. During the summer, parents are asked to supply sun cream, or give written consent for practitioners to apply a communal cream to protect children from the sun. Parents are also requested to supply sun hats for their children. The play area has major areas of shade from the sun, and on particularly hot days, playtime is limited. We meet the same ratio’s outside as we do inside. A register of all people on nursery premises is completed at the start of each session in case of emergency and can be found on the side of the children’s trays at all times. The layout and space ratios allow children and adults to move safely and freely between activities.

No smoking is allowed anywhere in the nursery or the grounds. A correctly stocked first aid box is available at all times and found in the kitchen. Large equipment is erected with care and checked regularly. At least one member of staff has attended a manual-handling course.

Activities such as cooking or energetic play are closely planned and supervised. Equipment offered to children is developmentally appropriate; recognising that material suitable for an older child may pose a risk to a younger/less mature child. The premises is checked before locking up at the end of each day and cleaned before the next session.

Food and Drink Policy

Hopscotch regards snack and meal times as an important part of our daily routine. Eating represents a social time for children and adults and helps children to learn about healthy eating. We provide adequate supervision while children are eating, ensuring they are always in sight and hearing of an adult. At snack and meal times, we aim to provide nutritious food, which meets the children's individual dietary needs.

Before a child attends Hopscotch, we ask parents their children's dietary needs, including any allergies which is recorded on their registration form.
We display current information about individual children's dietary/medical needs so that all staff and volunteers are fully informed about them. These are displayed in the Office, Kitchen and on the snack trolley.
We regularly consult with parents to ensure that our records of their children's dietary needs - including any allergies - are up-to-date.
We plan menus in advance and display them near the snack table.
We display the menus of meals for the information of parents and children.
We provide nutritious food at all meals and snacks, avoiding large quantities of fat, sugar and salt and artificial additives, preservatives and colourings.
We include foods from a variety of cultural backgrounds, providing children with familiar foods and introducing them to new ones.
Through discussion with parents and research reading by staff, we obtain information about the dietary rules of the religious groups to which children and their parents belong, and of vegetarians and vegans, and about food allergies. We take account of this information in the provision of food and drinks.
We require staff to show sensitivity in providing for children's diets and allergies. Staff do not use a child's diet or allergy as a label for the child or make a child feel singled out because of her/his diet or allergy.
We organise meal and snack times so that they are social occasions in which children and staff participate.
We use meal and snack times to help children to develop independence through making choices, serving food and drink and feeding themselves.
We provide children with utensils which are appropriate for their ages and stages of development and which take account of the eating practices in their cultures.
We have fresh drinking water constantly available for the children. We inform the children about how to obtain the water and that they can ask for water at any time during the session/day.
In accordance with parents' wishes, we offer children arriving early in the morning - and/or staying late - an appropriate meal or snack.
We inform parents who provide food for their children about the storage facilities available in the setting.
We have rules about children sharing and swapping their food with one another in order to protect children with food allergies.
For children who drink milk, we provide whole and pasteurised milk.
For each child under two, we provide parents with daily written information about feeding routines, intake and preferences.

Infectious Diseases Procedure

In the event of an infectious disease at Hopscotch, the follow procedure must take place:

Parent/carer informs nursery manager

Nursery manager informs staff and parents (where appropriate)

Nursery manager contacts:

Public Health England (PHE) South West Centre Health Protection Team

2 Rivergate, Temple Quay,

Bristol,

BS1 6EH

swhpt@phe.gov.uk

0300 303 8162 option 1, then option 2

Out of hours for health professionals only: please phone 0300 303 8162 option 2.

Nursery Manager contacts OFSTED if appropriate.

There are two sorts of infectious diseases:

Notifiable Diseases - these must be reported to OFSTED

Examples of diseases notifiable to local authority proper officers under the Health Protection (Notification) Regulations 2010:

Acute meningitis
COVID-19
Diphtheria
Food poisoning
Measles
Mumps
Rubella
Scarlet fever
Tetanus
Whooping cough
The full list of notifiable diseases can be found on the government website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/notifiable-diseases-and-causative-organisms-how-to-report#list-of-notifiable-diseases
Report other diseases that may present significant risk to human health under the category ‘other significant disease’.
2. Non-notifiable Diseases- but must be reported to all in the workplace:
Head lice
Impetigo
Scabies
Hand, foot and Mouth
Conjunctivitis
Threadworms
Chickenpox

Special Consideration must be given to those with vulnerable immune systems (esp. Thalassaemia, leukaemia and HIV).

There is no need to inform Hopscotch practitioners or parents/carers of HIV or AIDS as good hygiene is practiced and therefore this should not be a risk.

Schools and nurseries are common sites for transmission of infections. Children are particularly susceptible because:

they have immature immune systems
have close contact with other children
sometimes have no or incomplete vaccinations
have a poor understanding of hygiene practices

We aim to prevent and manage infectious disease at Hopscotch by:

promoting immunisation
promptly excluding the unwell child or member of staff

ensuring effective handwashing is being carried out routinely.

If Hopscotch is notified of a case of infectious disease in a pupil or staff member, we will report it as soon as possible to PHE, our local Health Protection Team (HPT). Not all infections require exclusion. Our local team will give us additional advice and support as needed.

Infections in children are common. This is because a child’s immune system is immature. Added to this, young children often have close contact with their friends, for example through play, and lack good hygiene habits, making it easier for infections to be passed on.

Many diseases can spread before the individual shows any symptoms at all (during the infectious period). For example, a child with chickenpox is infectious to others 1 to 2 days before the rash appears.

Hopscotch’s infection prevention and control measures aim to interrupt the cycle of infection by promoting the routine use of good standards of hygiene, so that transmission of infection is reduced overall. This is usually through:

immunisation of pupils and staff
good hand washing
making sure the environment is kept clean

Where a case of infection is known, measures aim to reduce or eliminate the risk of spread through information and prompt exclusion of a case. Hopscotch recognises that prompt exclusion of staff and children while they are infectious is essential to prevent the spread of infection. Please view our ‘Sickness and Medical Requirements’ for further details. A list of infections which require exclusion can be found in the office.

An outbreak or incident may be defined as:

2 or more people experiencing a similar illness are linked in time.

a greater than expected rate of infection compared with the usual background rate for the place and time where the outbreak has occurred

Hopscotch will contact our local health protection team (HPT) as soon as we suspect an outbreak to discuss the situation and agree if any action is needed. We will also contact our local HPT as soon as possible to report any serious or unusual illness particularly for:

Escherichia coli (VTEC) (also called E.coli 0157) or E coli VTEC infection
food poisoning
hepatitis
measles, mumps, rubella (rubella is also called German measles)
meningitis
tuberculosis
typhoid
whooping cough (also called pertussis)

More information on infectious diseases can be found on the government website: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-protection-in-schools-and-other-childcare-facilities

Pandemic Policy

Although a pandemic is not inevitable there is a high likelihood that one could occur in the next few years, for example, pandemic flu which tends to be a more serious illness than annual flu. The symptoms would probably be similar, but they could be more severe and cause more serious complications. At Hopscotch during a pandemic, in case of doubt, we will assume that an infection is pandemic flu, and act accordingly. The symptoms are:

Fever
Cough and/or shortness of breath
Sudden onset of symptoms
Aching muscles
Sore throat
Runny nose, sneezing
Loss of appetite
Headache
Malaise, lethargy, listlessness
Chills

In addition, young children can also have tummy aches, diarrhoea and vomiting.

The incubation period (the time from being exposed to the virus to showing symptoms of infection) is from one to four days: for most people, it will be 2-3 days.

The infectious period (how long you are infectious to others) for most people is from soon after they develop symptoms, and until the symptoms disappear. In general, adults can continue to excrete viruses for up to five days, and children for up to seven days, but occasionally longer. Over this period, the amount of virus, and therefore the infection risk to others, will decline as symptoms improve, but does not disappear until the symptoms themselves also disappear.

Therefore, if pandemic flu does occur then there may be a period or several periods of up to 9 weeks when the usual smooth running of Hopscotch could be affected, however in line with Government guidance we will try to continue our service as normally as possible.

Phases of a Pandemic

Our planning for a pandemic is based around the World Health Organisation defined phases of a pandemic:

Phase 1: viruses circulating among animals but have not been reported to cause infections in humans

Phase 2: an animal influenza virus circulating among animals is known to have caused infection in humans, and is therefore considered a potential pandemic threat.

Phase 3: a new sub-type of virus has been identified, but no human-to-human transmission is confirmed. This is when Hopscotch begin to plan for a possible pandemic.

Phase 4: small clusters of infection have been identified, ‘community level outbreak’ but with limited human-to-human transmission. Indication of a significant increase in risk of a pandemic, but does not necessarily mean that a pandemic is a forgone conclusion.

Phase 5: large clusters of infection have been identified but human-to-human spread is localised; this suggests the virus is adapting to humans but may not yet be fully transmissible between humans. This is a strong signal that a pandemic is imminent and that the time to finalise the organisation, communication, and implementation of the planned mitigation measures is short.

Phase 6: Pandemic phase; increased and sustained transmission between humans.

Planning for a Pandemic

Phase 3:

The manager will ask each member of staff to be aware of this document and host a staff training session. A practical guide to prevention is to be issued to all staff. Staff will also be trained in the use of personal protective equipment, PPE (masks, gowns, gloves).

The staff will encourage children to practice good hygiene standards i.e. regular hand-washing, minimising contact between hands and mouth/nose, unless hands have just been washed, covering nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, using a tissue, then disposing of it promptly and carefully (bag it and bin it).

The Health and Safety Officer will purchase a small supply of PPE for use if a practitioner is required to supervise a child who becomes unwell whilst at Hopscotch during a flu pandemic, plus hand sanitiser, several small pedal bins for tissue disposal, antiseptic wipes and bags. Hopscotch will have available a wipe down mattress to be used if a child becomes unwell during the flu pandemic, and a small amount of bedding for this purpose.

The manager will consider the financial implications of possible closure on Hopscotch. This might be for a period of a few weeks only or up to 9 weeks, and could be recurrent. Parents may choose not to send their children to Hopscotch during flu pandemic. In that event, we would still expect to receive their fees.

The manager will establish who the LEA contact for planning for an influenza pandemic is, and how they contact us or we contact them regarding advice re closure. The manager and deputy manager are to communicate with the LEA contact regarding flu planning particularly closure issues.

Phase 4:

If a child becomes unwell whilst at Hopscotch, they will be sent home immediately.

If a child is awaiting collection, they will be moved to a quieter area with appropriate adult supervision and minimal others around them. The adult will wear PPE during this time. Windows will be opened throughout the day for ventilation.

If they need to go to the bathroom while waiting to be collected, they will use a separate toilet. The bathroom will then be cleaned and disinfected using standard cleaning products before being used by anyone else.

In an emergency, we will call 999 if they are seriously ill or injured or their life is at risk.

To minimise the risk to colleagues from used PPE, it is essential that practitioners are trained to remove PPE in a standard manner. To begin with, staff will be asked to remove the apron, and then remove the surgical mask from their face, avoiding touching the front of the mask (by using the tapes). If the gloves have been worn, they will be removed first, by turning them inside out in one single motion, then the apron and then the mask. All used PPE will be placed in a specific labelled dustbin that has a lid, and will be disposed of as clinical/infectious waste. After disposing of the PPE in the bin, staff will be asked to wash their hands with antibacterial soap and water, or hand sanitiser.

Telephone and email contact lists for existing parents will be double checked and updated. The manager will have a Master copy, so that advice on closure and re-opening can be conveyed via telephone and email if necessary.

A list of parent helpers that have been CRB checked who might be called upon in the event that extra help is needed, for example if a staff member is taken ill during a session, will be drawn up.

The manager will advise practitioners that in the event of a pandemic, Hopscotch pay and leave terms and conditions as set out in the Staff Manual will apply.

The manager will identify any practitioners and children who are at risk from complications i.e. those suffering from chronic lung disease, chronic heart disease or chronic kidney or liver disease, immunosuppressed or taking immunosuppressive medications, from influenza and might need to spend the whole period of the pandemic at home. Practitioners will be given suitable work to carry out at home.

Cleaning regimes will be stepped up to ensure hard surfaces (door handles, light switches, taps, kitchen worktops) are cleaned more regularly than usual, using normal cleaning products.

Copies of this policy will to be made available to parents on request.

Phase 5:

The manager will review in detail this policy, and will review the situation regularly.

A poster will be displayed on the Hopscotch gate to remind parents/carers to keep children displaying flu symptoms or who are generally unwell at home.

Staff will remove all soft toys from Hopscotch and temporarily remove all rugs.

Phase 6:

Hopscotch will remain open unless: it is decided on the basis either of information available to us and/or advice from the LEA that we should close; if it appears to be in the best interests of children at Hopscotch that we should close; or if staffing ratios make opening unsafe.

The manager will have the final decision regarding closure and all decisions will be made with the best interests of children attending Hopscotch at heart.

If the decision to close Hopscotch is taken, the manager and deputy manager will contact each family by telephone or email to advise closure, an estimate of the likely period of closure will be given. The manager will also inform the LEA and a notice will be posted on the Hopscotch gate.

If Hopscotch closes staff will still be expected to attend unless unwell, or unable to work due to dependents sickness or at risk as identified in phase 4.

Staff will be asked to stay at home if unwell and until fully recovered. Children will be asked to stay at home if unwell and until fully recovered.

If a child becomes unwell with possible influenza while at Hopscotch, the child will be moved to a quieter area with appropriate adult supervision and minimal others around them. The adult will wear PPE during this time. Parents will be contacted and asked to collect the child. If the child appears to be seriously ill staff will call for an ambulance or other urgent medical care if it is available, and telephone the national advice line.

Minibus Policy

Hopscotch recognise their responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HASWA) to ensure that arrangements are in place to carry out our activities in such a way as to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable, the Health, Safety and Welfare of our children, employees and all persons likely to be affected by our activities, including the general public where appropriate. We will ensure that journeys in the minibus are as safe as possible, however it is recognised that no matter how safe the procedures, accidents are still possible.

Hopscotch is aware and appreciates the considerable responsibility involved in driving a minibus, and that staff are prepared to take on that responsibility. A risk assessment has been completed and will be reviewed termly. The safety of the passengers and the protection of the driver are paramount, and Hopscotch knows and expects that drivers understand the need to adhere to the procedures set out below.

These procedures are mandatory and all drivers must follow all the procedures applicable to them. An up to date copy of this policy must accompany each vehicle.

Drivers

Hopscotch is responsible for the minibus. Any person wishing to drive on behalf of Hopscotch must be 30 years or over, have an entitlement to drive ‘D1’ or ‘B1’ category vehicles on their license and have held a full licence for a minimum of 2 years. All driver’s original driving licence must be made available to Hopscotch annually or when requested. The licence will be copied and the copy retained by Hopscotch. It is the duty of any driver to inform Hopscotch if there are any changes to their driving licence as soon as that happens. If these conditions have not been fulfilled, the driver will be uninsured and driving illegally. Once familiarisation, approval and insurance requirements have been met, the driver will be added to the list of current drivers authorised to drive on behalf of Hopscotch. Hopscotch will review every registered driver’s driving licence annually to see that insurance and legal requirements have been met.

Before driving a vehicle, the driver must ensure that it is in a fit and serviceable condition, by carrying out the routine safety checks. This must be carried out every time the vehicle is driven and not just on the initial day of use. The driver is legally responsible for the condition of the vehicle. The driver may be liable to prosecution by the police, if in the event of an accident, it is assessed that the cause is due, beyond a reasonable doubt, to the failure of the driver to carry out the safety routines prior to using the vehicle. If an accident is due to mechanical failure, and outside the control of the driver, this may not result in prosecution of the driver. The driver is responsible for First Aid during the journey. The driver must ensure that at least half of all members of staff on the vehicle hold a First Aid Certificate. The driver must ensure that passengers do not move around and that seatbelts are worn at all times. High standards of behaviour are expected at all times. The driver has total responsibility for all passengers during each journey. At the end of each journey, the driver must complete the vehicle’s logbook recording mileage etc. and must ensure the bus is clean and tidy, write down any vehicle faults or damage experienced. If any faults are found, they will report back to the nursery manager who will resolve them accordingly and decide if the vehicle is safe for other users or need to be taken of the road. Without exception, the driver is responsible for keeping the minibus clear of all rubbish, equipment and detritus and ready for the next user.

Journeys

All procedures must be followed for any journey undertaken by Hopscotch. Hopscotch will reconsider any planned journeys should there be abnormal circumstances, such as:

exceptional road or weather conditions
there are concerns about the passengers and or driver
the activity undertaken at the end of the journey poses significant risk for the driver and or passengers
or where there could be any other cause for concern thus, ensuring a shared responsibility of any perceived risk if such a journey still goes ahead.

It is compulsory on the driver to seek advice when in the least bit unsure.

In the event of an accident (no matter how minor) inform the Nursery immediately as soon as you are able, allowing them to contact parents of those involved in the accident. Give full details of the accident including: 

Nature, date, location and time of accident
Details of injuries, etc.
Names of all those involved
Action taken so far
Telephone numbers for future communication.

The following steps will be followed in the event of an accident:

Stop!! It is an offence not to stop after an accident.
Switch off the vehicle engine. Ask others involved to do the same.
Ensure your passengers are safe from other hazards. If passengers are uninjured and it is safe to do so, help them leave the vehicle and go to a place of safety, ensure the children are supervised at all times and never left unattended
If anyone is injured contact police and emergency services by dialling 999.
Administer First Aid if required.
Do not move casualties unless absolutely necessary.
Make sure no one smokes or uses electronic cigarettes or vapes near the accident site.
Where possible warn other road users of the danger.
Do not move the vehicles involved (unless they are a danger to traffic) until the police arrive or if they are not attending, until an independent person has noted their position.
If a member of staff has to accompany a child or is injured themselves, one adult should remain at the site of the accident to liaise with the emergency services until the accident is over and all children are accounted for.
Give your name and address, the registration number and in case of personal injury, insurance particulars to any person having reasonable grounds for requiring them. Should, for any reason, the particulars not be given at the time of the accident then the circumstances must be reported to a police constable or at a police station as soon as possible and in any case within 24 hours. The police will require to see the certificate or evidence of insurance and this must be produced at a specified police station within seven days of the accident or as soon as possible thereafter.
Obtain from the other person(s) involved in the accident their name, address and registration number of their vehicle and insurance details.
If there are any witnesses to the accident, obtain their name(s) and address(es).
Where possible and if it is safe to do so take photographs of the scene showing vehicle locations, road conditions, vehicle damage and any road or warning signs displayed such as speed limit, max speed, lane warnings etc.
Under no circumstances admit liability for the accident.
Do not discuss matters with the media.
Once you have rung Hopscotch, the nursery Manager will take immediate action and call parents of those involved.
The party leader should, at the first opportunity, makes notes on the accident, as should other people involved. A record should be kept of the names and addresses of any witnesses or people involved.
Ensure accident forms are completed as soon as possible. A vehicle incident form must also be completed within 24hrs of the incident.

In the event of a breakdown the driver’s first responsibility is to minimise any disruption/discomfort, to all the children and practitioners. This is particularly important if any passengers are disabled. Drivers are also responsible for taking all reasonable steps to ensure the safety and security of the vehicle and having reported the breakdown should remain with the vehicle until assistance arrives.

The following steps will be followed in the event of a breakdown.

If the breakdown happens on a fast road such as a motorway, all passengers should evacuate the vehicle and remain in a safe place (behind crash barriers if possible).
The vehicle is covered by a national breakdown service, details of which are in the vehicle. The driver should contact the service directly as soon as everyone is safe.
The driver should contact Hopscotch to inform them of the breakdown, and relay any other information available, such as location and anticipated time of delay.

Outings Procedure

All parents/carers are asked to provide consent for their child to accompany the nursery on local community trips when completing a registration form during their child’s induction. Hopscotch will try to notify parents/carers on the day of the outing, however Parent’s/carers must appreciate they are not always preplanned so we ask to be informed if your child is not to attend a trip that day. If the parent/carer wishes to retract their consent at any time they may do so. Parent’s/carers are invited to support the outing with their presence, and a ratio of 1 adult to 3 children, or 1 adult to 4 preschool children is always maintained. No more than 10 children between 3 members of staff will be taken at any one time. If this ratio cannot be found the trip is postponed.

Children are regularly checked throughout the outing to ensure all are present. Where the destination or journey with regard to the trip is unfamiliar, then a prior visit would be necessary by one of the practitioners to carry out a risk assessment. The children are supervised to ensure that no child gets lost and that there is no unauthorised access to children. In the extremely unlikely event of a child becoming unattached to the party, the practitioner will follow our 'Lost Child Policy'. In the event of a serious medical emergency, the emergency services, then the parents/carers and then the child's doctor are immediately contacted. The registered first-aider administers aid while awaiting an ambulance. In less serious accidents, the registered first-aider administers aid and the parents/carers (and doctor where deemed necessary) are contacted immediately. A work mobile phone is turned on and taken at all times. Likewise, the first aid kit, spare clothing and plastic bags and any medication that is being used at the time are taken on every outing.

Lost Child Policy

Hopscotch has the highest regard for safety of the children in our care. Practitioners will always be extremely aware of the potential for children to go missing during sessions.

Even when all precautions are properly observed, emergencies still arise. Therefore, members of staff will undertake periodic head counts, especially at the transition points between sessions (in addition to the registration procedures). If for any reason a practitioner cannot account for a child's whereabouts during a session the following procedure will be activated:

The practitioner in question will inform both the Manager and the rest of the team that the child is missing and a thorough search of the entire premises will commence. The staff team will be careful not to create an atmosphere of panic and to ensure that the other children remain safe and adequately supervised.

The Manager will nominate two members of staff to search the area surrounding the premises. All staff will be extra vigilant to any potentially suspicious behaviour or persons in and around Hopscotch.

If a child goes missing whilst on a trip, the practitioner will ring the Manager whilst searching for the child. The Manager will collect the relevant parent information and meet the trip party imminently to help with the search.

If after 15 minutes of thorough searching the child is still missing, the Manager will inform the police and then the child's parent/carer.

While waiting for the police and the parent/carer to arrive, searches for the child will continue. During this period, other practitioners will maintain as normal a routine as is possible for the rest of the children at Hopscotch.

The Manager will be responsible for meeting the police and the missing child's parent/carer. The Manager will co-ordinate any actions instructed by the police, and do all they can to comfort and reassure the parents/carers.

Once the incident is resolved, the Manager and whole team will review relevant policies and procedures and implement any necessary changes (paying particular note to the relevant provisions of the Security and Risk Assessment Policies).

All incidents of children going missing from Hopscotch will be recorded in the Incident Record Book, and in cases where either the police or the social services have been informed, Ofsted will also be informed, as soon as practicable. We will also review our policies and procedures.

E-Safety Policy

Hopscotch accepts that the internet and social media are in most people’s day to day lives and are important for sharing information, as well as providing a learning tool. However, we are also aware that with it comes many risks and dangers and have therefore set out the following guidelines to protect the children, staff and parents within our setting.

Each of our staff have access to an iPad in order to document each child’s development. The iPads do not leave the premises. The staff are permitted to use the internet on their iPad providing it is for the educational benefit of the children. This may be for gathering information, using an age appropriate learning program, images or video footage for the children. If a staff member wishes to access the internet for their personal use, this must be at the strict request of the manager, Mathilda Norris and be during their break in the staff designated area. The manager must also approve the specific web site that is to be accessed. Staff may access the internet for personal use via their personal smart phones in their own time and only during their staff breaks and in the designated staff area.

Hopscotch is contactable via the following email account: info@hopscotch-bath.com. If a member of staff wishes to send information via the nursery email account, they must obtain permission from the manager. Emailing of personal, sensitive, confidential or classified information should be avoided and if required necessary to do so, should be at the express consent of the manager. Staff are asked not to contact parents from their personal email/messaging accounts nor give out their personal information. Parents are asked not to contact any member of the Hopscotch Team via their personal email/messaging accounts, but only via the above two email addresses.

All parents/carers are asked to give permission for Hopscotch to use their child's work/photos in the following ways: Learning Journals; Social Media; other professionals in the childcare workforce; and Hopscotch marketing. This consent is valid for the entire period that the information/image is used, unless there is a change in the child’s circumstances where consent can be retracted at any point. A list of children for whom permission has not been granted is created and shared with all the staff. To ensure the safety of the children, all photographs are taken using the nursery’s Ipads. Photographs will never be taken using other technical devices such as parent/staff cameras or mobile phones. Photographs are only taken to: document children’s development; share information on the website/Hopscotch Facebook page; and to display in the setting. We will also make the request that whilst at the nursery any visitors will not take unauthorised photographs of their, or other children. Any students wishing to use photographs for their study purposes will be asked to gain permission from the parents beforehand. We appreciate parents will want to record their children at special events, such as the nativity play. However, for the safety of other children and with respect to other family’s privacy, we will ask them not to take pictures of other children without asking for the parent’s permission. We will also ask that any pictures or video footage displayed on social media sites are of their own children only. Any reports of parents not complying with this request will be dealt with by the manager.

Staff must not send a friend request to current parents, however, we accept that staff may choose to accept friend requests from parents on social media sites. If staff accept friend requests from parents, they must conform to the following precautions:

No reference should be given to specific children or parents by name.

No pictures taken in the nursery setting should be published on personal social media pages.

Any posts made are respectful of the setting and always maintain a professional attitude towards their work.

No disparaging remarks are to be made about your employer/colleagues. Doing this in the presence of others may be deemed as bullying and/or harassment.

Social media sites other than the setting’s own Facebook page should not be accessed on the nursery ipads.

Staff may access their own social media pages from their own devices during their breaks and in the staff designated area.

Staff should be aware of and will be responsible for unsuitable posts or photos uploaded onto their profiles, regardless of who posted them as they have the option to ‘untag’ themselves and should do if necessary. Dependable on the material posted, it may also be required to contact the ‘friend’ to remove it from the site.

Parents have the right to complain to the manager if they deem anything they have seen on a member of staff’s profile as offensive/unsuitable.

Any comments and/or images uploaded that are deemed impertinent will be dealt with by the manager and may result in a disciplinary.

If you have any concerns about information on your social networking site or if you are the victim of cyberbullying, you should contact your Manger immediately.

All staff are made aware of the importance of acceptable use of Social networking during their induction. It is crucial to protect the children and the nursery reputation that staff draw a line between their personal and private life.

If indecent images of children or unsuitable material are found it is crucial that the nursery does not investigate and the LADO is called immediately, as this may lead to criminal proceedings.

In the event of a terrorist attack

In light of the recent events in the UK and globally, and the possibility of a major incident, terrorist attack or national disaster happening near us, we now feel it is necessary to have a procedure in place on what to do should any such event occur.

Hopscotch Nursery will do everything within their power to protect, comfort and support your child in the event of a major incident, National Emergency or Terrorist Attack. The health and safety of your child and thus the care and security we provide is paramount.

Should your child be exposed to any such incident, we will ensure their safety and reassure all children in our care. If involved or caught up in the incident, Hopscotch will comply fully with the instructions from the emergency services, ensuring the safety of your child at all times. All staff are aware of the importance of being fully alert during trips, acknowledging all emergency exits and the whereabouts of all the children at all times, insisting everyone is close together incessantly. The Hopscotch team will have a mobile phone at hand to use in the event of an emergency.

Should an attack occur within the surrounding Hopscotch area, all staff will comply to the following procedure.

Staff outside the building are to, without panic but with due urgency, usher all children and staff inside the building, unless unsafe to do so when an alternative should be communicated. They are to check that there are none who miss the signal as they are inside the secured building with the doors, windows and all potential access points closed and locked behind them.

Staff inside the building are to remain by external doors until they are locked and supervised, observing through the eye hole. They are to ensure all windows, doors and other potential access points are closed and locked. They are to move away from windows if appropriate and pull down blinds in order to take all those present, away from possible view.

Staff are then to call 999 and await further instructions. If in the event it is too dangerous to speak, staff have been briefed on dialling 55 after 999.

Should a parent/carer be caught up in an incident, Hopscotch will continue to look after your child until you are able to return or have arranged for another person to collect them. Please look at our ‘Arrival/Departure Policy’ for further details on people collecting the child who are unfamiliar to Hopscotch. We will try our best to keep in contact by landline, mobile or email. This may include overnight care in extreme circumstances, but will be discussed with you and Social Services will also be kept informed. Rest assured, your child will not be put at risk in any way.