Illness and injuries' and 'Food and drink' are two of the ten requirements grouped under 'Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare' within the Statutory Framework for the EYFS (see box).
Illness and injuries
Links to:
- Every Child Matters Outcome: Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe
- Former National Standards: 6 - Safety, 7 - Health, 12 - Working in partnership with parents and carers, 13 - Child Protection and 14 - Documentation
Overarching general requirement
The provider must promote the good health of the children, take necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection, and take appropriate action when children are ill.
Specific legal requirements
Policies and procedures that need to be in place:
- Sick child policy
Operational issues
- Note: It is an offence not to notify, without delay, Ofsted and local child protection agencies of any serious accident or injury to, or serious illness of, or the death of, any child while in their care, and act on any advice given.
- When children are present, at least one designated person with a current paediatric first aid qualification should be on duty. This also includes when children are taken on outings. A current list of all first-aiders should be on display.
- A first aid box is required and contents should be appropriate to meet the needs of children Note: This box should be checked on a regular basis and any expired medicines or dressings should be replaced.
- The reporting and recording of all accidents and administration of first aid is imperative. Systems to inform parents must be in place.
- Parents need to be informed of the setting's sick child policy and procedure, especially if a child needs to be excluded.
- If a child were to become ill or sustain a minor injury while in the care of the provider, systems need to be in place to inform the parents or another named contact (designated by the parent).
Statutory guidance
Policies and procedures that need to be in place:
- Animals on site policy
Operational issues
- If animals are to be kept on the premises, they are safe to be around children and are not a health risk to children.
- The cleaning of the animal and its habitat ensures that infection is not spread, and cleaning should be of a high standard.
- Staff and children should wash their hands after being in contact with animals.
Food and drink:
Links to:
- Every Child Matters Outcome: All of the outcomes
- Former National Standards: 2 - Organisation, 6 - Safety, 7 -Health, 8 - Food and drink, 12 - Working in partnership with parents and carers, and 14 - Documentation
Overarching general requirement
The provider must promote the good health of all children in their care, take necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection, and take appropriate action when they are ill.
Specific legal requirements
Policies and procedures that need to be in place:
- Food and drink policy
Operational issues
- Meals, snacks and drinks must be healthy, balanced and nutritious.
- The person who is preparing and handling the food should be competent to do so. They should have received basic food hygiene training.
- Fresh drinking water needs to be available at all times. Children should be offered drinks regularly, especially during warmer weather and after physical activity.
- Note: It is an offence not to notify Ofsted, without delay, and without reasonable excuse, of any food poisoning affecting two or more children looked after on the premises
Statutory guidance
Policies and procedures that must be in place:
- Food hygiene policy and procedure
Operational issues:
- Children should be provided with healthy meals and other healthy snacks and drinks as appropriate.
- The provider, in line with the Public Health (Infection Diseases) Regulations 1988, should inform Ofsted if they believe a child is suffering from a notifiable disease. Any advice that is given by the Health Protection Agency is acted on and Ofsted is informed about the outcome and action taken.
- The provider should record any information that relates to children's dietary needs.
- The provider adheres to food hygiene legislation and is registered with the local authority Environmental Health department.
- Group provision: during induction, food hygiene information is included and on-site training is available to practitioners.
- If parents supply their child with a packed lunch, providers should provide information relating to suitable food and how this needs to be stored safely.
Next month: smoking and behaviour
Laura Henry and Jeanette Phillips-Green, managing director and senior consultant/trainer, Childcare Consultancy Ltd, info@childcareconsult.co.uk
CASE STUDY
At Kinderland Day Nursery in Croydon it is a priority to make meals both nutritious and an enjoyable, social occasion.
Jo Mullins, proprietor, says, 'We have a policy of continued improvement throughout the setting and healthy eating is very much part of this, taking account of current research and guidelines. An example of this was when we looked at the recommended water intake for three- to five-year-olds and measured this out visually to all staff. We found this equated to nine of our beakers! We were amazed, and now have looked at ways to encourage children to drink more water. We have installed a plumbed water cooler - it's an amazing water toy and encourages the children to drink more.'
Kinderland has a full-time chef who freshly prepares all its meals for all ages, including its lip-smacking spinach ricotta cannelloni.
'Fruit and vegetables are delivered three times a week direct from New Covent Garden by Houghton's of London, and our tea-time biscuits and cakes are homemade,' says Ms Mullins.
Further information
- www.nhs.uk
- www.hpa.org.uk
- www.hse.gov.uk
- www.teachernet.gov.uk/publications (download EYFS)
- www.everychildmatters.gov.uk
- www.ofsted.gov.uk
- www.dcsf.gov.uk
- www.dh.gov.uk
Welfare requirements
SAFEGUARDING AND PROMOTING CHILDREN'S WELFARE
'Safeguarding and Promoting Children's Welfare' is the first of five groups of welfare requirements contained in the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (pages 24-25).
Each requirement is split into three sections:
1 The overarching general legal requirements - a general statement of requirements
2 Specific legal requirements - which providers must comply with
3 Statutory guidance - which providers should have regard to.
Parts of the requirements apply only to group provision, but these are clearly indicated
- Laura Henry, managing director, Childcare Consultancy
- Jeanete Phillips-Green, senior consultant.