2.0 Employment and staffing
(Including vetting, contingency plans, training and development)
Policy Statement
We provide a staffing ratio in line with the Welfare requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage to ensure that children have sufficient individual attention and to guarantee care and education of a high quality. Our staff are appropriately qualified and we carry out checks for criminal and other records through the Criminal Records Bureau in accordance with statutory requirements.
Procedures
Ratios
▪ To meet this aim we use the following ratios of adult to children:
children aged 0 to two years of age: 1 adult : 3 children
▪ children aged two years of age: 1 adult : 4 children; and
▪ children aged three to five years of age: 1 adult : 8 children.
▪ A minimum of two staff/adults are on duty at any one time.
▪ We use a key person approach to ensure that each child has a named member of staff with whom to form a relationship and who plans with parents for the child’s well-being and development in the setting. The key person meets regularly with the family for discussion and consultation on their child’s progress.
▪ We hold regular staff meetings to undertake curriculum planning and to discuss children’s progress, their achievements and any difficulties that may arise from time to time.
Vetting and staff selection
▪ We work towards offering equality of opportunity by using non-discriminatory procedures for staff recruitment and selection.
▪ All staff have job descriptions which set out their staff roles and responsibilities.
▪ We welcome applications from all sections of the community. Applicants will be considered on the basis of their suitability for the post, regardless of disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, sex, age, marriage or civil partnership. Applicants will not be placed at a disadvantage by our imposing conditions or requirements that are not justifiable.
▪ We use Ofsted guidance on obtaining references and enhanced criminal record checks through the Criminal Records Bureau for staff and volunteers who will have unsupervised access to children. This is in accordance with requirements under the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 for the vetting and barring scheme.
▪ We keep all records relating to employment of staff and volunteers, in particular those demonstrating that checks have been done, including the date and number of the enhanced CRB check. We retain staff records for three years after their employment has ended.
Changes to staff
▪ We inform Ofsted of any changes in the person responsible for our setting.
Training and staff development
▪ Our setting managers hold the CACHE level 3 diploma in childcare or an equivalent or higher qualification. A minimum of half of our staff hold the CACHE level 2 certificate.
▪ We provide regular in-service training to all staff – whether paid staff or volunteers – through the external agencies.
▪ Our setting budget allocates resources to training when taken during pre school opening hours.
▪ We provide staff induction training in the first week of employment. This induction includes our Health and Safety Policy and Safeguarding Children and Child Protection Policy. Other policies and procedures will be introduced within an induction plan.
▪ We support the work of our staff by holding regular supervision meetings and appraisals.
▪ We are committed to recruiting, appointing and employing staff in accordance with all relevant legislation and best practice.
▪ All staff understand the need to protect the privacy of our children in our care as well as the legal requirements that exist to ensure all information relating to a child is handled in a way that ensures confidentiality.
Managing staff absences and contingency plans for emergencies
▪ In term time only settings, our staff take their holiday breaks when the setting is closed. Where staff may need to take time off for any reason other than sick leave or training, this is agreed with the manager with sufficient notice.
▪ Where staff are unwell and take sick leave in accordance with their contract of employment, we organise cover to ensure ratios are maintained.
▪ Sick leave is monitored and action is taken where necessary in accordance with the contract of employment.
▪ We have contingency plans to cover staff absences.
These policies was adopted at a meeting of: Little Alpacas
Held on: September 2022
Date to be reviewed: September 2023
Name of signatory: Carly Turner
Role of signatory: Director
2.1 Student placements
Policy Statement
Little Alpacas recognises that qualifications and training make an important contribution to the quality of the care and education provided by early years settings. As part of our commitment to quality, we offer placements to students undertaking early years qualifications and training. We also offer placements for school pupils on work experience.
We aim to provide for students on placement with us, experiences that contribute to the successful completion of their studies and that provide examples of quality practice in early years care and education.
Procedures
▪ We require students on qualification courses to meet the ‘suitable person’ requirements of Ofsted and have CRB checks carried out.
▪ We require students in our setting to have sufficient understanding and use of English to contribute to the well being of children in our care.
▪ We require schools placing students under the age of 17 years with the setting to vouch for their good character.
▪ We supervise students under the age of 17 years at all times and do not allow them to have unsupervised access to children.
▪ Students undertaking qualification courses who are placed in our setting on a short term basis are not counted in our staffing ratios.
▪ Trainee staff employed by the setting may be included in the ratios if they are deemed competent.
▪ We take out employers’ liability insurance and public liability insurance, which covers both trainees and voluntary helpers.
▪ We require students to keep to our confidentiality policy.
▪ We cooperate with students’ tutors in order to help students to fulfil the requirements of their course of study.
▪ We provide students, at the first session of their placement, with a short induction on how our setting is managed, how our sessions are organised and our policies and procedures.
▪ We communicate a positive message to students about the value of qualifications and training.
▪ We make the needs of the children paramount by not admitting students in numbers that hinder the essential work of the setting.
▪ We ensure that trainees and students placed with us are engaged in bona fide early years training, which provides the necessary background understanding of children’s development and activities.
These policies was adopted at a meeting of: Little Alpacas
Held on: September 2022
Date to be reviewed: September 2023
Name of signatory: Carly Turner
Role of signatory: Director
2.2 Induction of staff, volunteers and managers
Policy Statement
We provide an induction for all staff and volunteers in order to fully brief them about the setting, the families we serve, our policies and procedures, curriculum and daily practice.
Procedures
▪ We have a written induction plan for all new staff, which includes the following:
▪ Introductions to all staff and volunteers.
▪ Familiarising with the building, health and safety and fire procedures.
▪ Ensuring our policies and procedures have been read and are carried out.
▪ Introduction to parents, especially parents of allocated key children where appropriate.
▪ Familiarising them with confidential information where applicable in relation to any key children.
▪ Details of the tasks and daily routines to be completed.
▪ The induction period lasts two weeks. The managers induct new staff and volunteers.
▪ During the induction period, the individual must demonstrate understanding of and compliance with policies, procedures, tasks and routines.
▪ Successful completion of the induction forms part of the probationary period.
▪ No one is allowed to be alone with children or are able to take them to the toilet with any sort of vetting taken place i.e. CRB
These policies was adopted at a meeting of: Little Alpacas
Held on: September 2022
Date to be reviewed: September 2023
Name of signatory: Carly Turner
Role of signatory: Director