The following document has been created to outline to our families and colleagues of First Steps Childcare how we will endeavour to follow government guidelines to stop the spread of COVID-19.
Only children and staff who are not displaying symptoms of COVID-19 can attend First Steps Childcare. The symptoms are as follows:
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A high temperature
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A new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot, for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
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A loss or change to sense of smell or taste – this means they cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
Please check the NHS website for more assistance.
We will be using the following government guidelines to plan and implement safe practices for everyone who uses our service:
‘Early Years and childcare: coronavirus (COVID-19)’
The latest guidelines were published on 30th December 2020 and can be found on the gov.uk website. At First Steps we have added some additional strategies and revised the existing ones. We hope this document provides you with answers to any questions or concerns you may have regarding COVID-19, and also provides you with support and reassurance during these unprecedented times.
Our main principles will be:
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Children attending multiple settings will not be permitted under any circumstances. This will help to avoid cross contamination between two bubbles. We will monitor and review this principle as guidance changes. (January ’21)
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Not allowing anyone with COVID-19 symptoms to enter the setting. May we please ask that you are vigilant and look out for symptoms, keeping your child at home where necessary, and following protocols listed in this policy.
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Increase cleaning and promote hygiene
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Provide adequate PPE for our team
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Social distancing strategies where possible
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Parents to wear face coverings when dropping off or collecting children
What will we be doing to keep your child safe?
Social distancing
I think you will agree that social distancing continues to be quite impossible for us to implement with young children. From the 20th of July 2020, guidance states that early years settings are no longer required to keep children in small, consistent groups within the setting but can return to normal group sizes. This means that all staff and children at First Steps will remain as one bubble. We will try our best to keep children with the same practitioner/s throughout the day and in the same environment to remain as safe as possible.
The staff will be implementing social distancing as much as practically possible.
Cleaning and hygiene
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We will ensure that sufficient handwashing facilities are available. Where a sink is not nearby, we will provide hand sanitiser in all learning environments.
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We will clean surfaces that children and practitioners are touching, such as toys, books, desks, chairs, doors, sinks, toilets, light switches, bannisters, more regularly than normal. We will carry out a scheduled cleaning rota throughout the day.
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Our cleaner has returned from furlough to help with the clean at the end of every day.
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Staff will be given the option to wear a visor when working with the children. This will allow children to still be able to read facial expressions, mouth movement when speaking etc.
We will ensure that all practitioners and children:
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frequently wash their hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds, drying them thoroughly with a disposable paper towel.
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clean their hands upon arrival at the setting, before and after eating, and after sneezing or coughing.
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are encouraged not to touch their mouth, eyes, and nose.
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use a tissue or elbow to cough or sneeze, disposing of the tissue in the allocated bins (‘catch it, bin it, kill it’).
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We will ensure that help is available for children who have trouble cleaning their hands independently.
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We will consider how to encourage young children to learn and practise these habits through games, songs, and repetition.
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We will as much as possible empty bins for tissues throughout the day.
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Where possible, all spaces will be well ventilated using natural ventilation (opening windows or ventilation units).
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We will prop doors open, where safe to do so (bearing in mind fire safety and safeguarding procedures), to limit use of door handles and aid ventilation.
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There is no need for anything other than normal personal hygiene and washing of clothes following a day in a childcare setting.
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All equipment being used to support children’s sleep will be washed at the end of every day and we will continue to allocate children with their own bedding to avoid cross contamination.
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All catering and cleanliness procedures will be adhered to. Any babies requiring milk feeds, the practitioner will use disposable gloves and aprons. Any practitioner supporting mealtimes will use disposable aprons.
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Aprons and gloves will be worn for care needs as per normal practice.
General information about entry/exit:
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Preschool parents/carers will be expected to stay at the Childcare gate (queuing to the right-hand side). Please encourage your child to ring the buzzer while you always remain to the right side to the black gate. Up on collection we ask for parents/carer to ring buzzer and step back two metres from the main door.
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Nursery parents/carers will be asked to use the buzzer to the large black gate on the left (also queuing to the left) and wait for a member of staff to admit their child through the gate. Upon collection, please remain to the left side, standing back until a member of the team can bring your child to you.
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If your child is upset upon arrival, the practitioner will assist parents in taking the child. We are unable to allow adults into the setting currently.
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We continue to ask that only a member of the child’s immediate family/or member of their support bubble can drop-off/pick-up until government guidelines change.
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We would strongly encourage that during this time you maintain social distancing, strongly discourage groups forming to talk, and to wear a face covering when doing drop-offs and pick-ups.
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Children are required to use the hand sanitiser available before entering the setting. May we request that parents also use the hand sanitiser upon drop-off and pick-ups.
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Any bags that are brought into the setting must be wipeable so that it can be wiped down with an antibacterial wipe.
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Buggies, bikes, car seats etc. must not be left at the setting.
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Any delivery drivers such as the food shop must not to enter the building.
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Any visitors/ new students to enter the setting by appointment only - ideally out of hours or when the building is unoccupied.
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Any non-essential workers will not be permitted into the setting.
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Members of the team will be wearing face coverings when seeing children in and out of the door.
Fees:
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In the event of a temporary setting closure due to Government guidance such as a COVID-19 lockdown, fees will be payable in full for the first four weeks as per your terms and conditions.
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If your child must self-isolate because either: they have a positive confirmed case of Coronavirus, are awaiting a test result, or have been in contact with a person who has received a positive test result, we require full payment of fees.
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Invoices will be generated a week before the 1st of every month. All payments will be expected on the 1st of every month
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If you choose to self-isolate yet First Steps remains open, then you will still be required to pay your fees in full to secure your child’s space at the setting.
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Should you wish to take your child out of the setting, you will be charged the four weeks notice period as per our terms and conditions.
New starters:
If your child is starting with us in the next few months, we will commit to the 2x two-hour free taster sessions. However, they will be carried out differently to our normal practice. We will email out all our usual taster session documents via email prior to your first visit. If at any time you wish to come into the setting, this can be arranged. Although it will have to be before the morning session starts at 8.00am or after 6:00pm. Just like our current families, we regrettably will not allow you into the setting to settle your child. All COVID-19 declaration forms must be returned prior to any settling in sessions.
Child illness:
If your child becomes unwell at home, we require you to notify us, specifying when you intend to return. We will not be taking temperatures on arrival to the setting. Temperatures will only be checked if we suspect the child to have one.
If a child presents symptoms of COVID-19 while attending the setting, you will be contacted to collect your child. You will also be given an information sheet stating the reasons why you have been called and additional information such as the child’s temperature if it was taken at the setting. Following COVID-19 symptoms, your child must self-isolate for 10 full days after the day the symptoms began. During this time, your child must take a test to determine whether they have a positive confirmed case of Coronavirus.
Where a child or staff member tests negative and are fit and well, they can return to the setting following proof of the negative test sent via email to enquiries@fsdaynursery.co.uk.
It is essential that we always have an up-to-date contact number that you can be contacted on immediately. If you cannot be contacted so that you can collect your child, it may be necessary for us to isolate your child with a member of the team. Upon collection, your child will be handed to you at the main entrance. The area and equipment that the child has been playing with/in will be cleaned using recommended cleaning products.
What happens if there is a confirmed case of coronavirus in our setting?
In a situation where a child or member of staff has tested positive for Coronavirus and has attended the setting within 72 hours prior to their positive test result, everyone within the educational setting will have to self-isolate for 10 days after the day the symptoms started (as per the Government guidance). This will therefore result in a nursery closure until the 10-day isolation period has passed. If your child displays Coronavirus symptoms within this 10-day isolation period, may we kindly ask that you inform the setting straight away and get your child tested. If the test comes back negative and the 10 days has passed, your child may return to the setting following proof of the negative test result sent via email as stated above.
All children and staff members who are attending an education or childcare setting will have access to a test if they display symptoms of coronavirus and are encouraged to get tested in this scenario. You can do so by going online and requesting a home testing kit or by calling 0300 3032713. The closest testing centre to our setting is at Bristol airport and results are usually received within 24 - 48 hours.
We understand that this is a worrying time for everyone and completely understand the concerns you may have. We hope this information sheet helps you to have a more informed decision on when/if you wish to return. We will endeavour to adapt and inform you of any procedures that may change in the coming months.