Policies and procedures - EYFS - Childcare Register

[sarah707]

We now have a list of the policies and procedures which are required by Ofsted

It is detailed in Ofsted factsheet 120412 (dated Jan 2013) - Ofsted | Factsheet: childcare - Records, policies and notification requirements of the Early Years Register.

A footnote at the bottom of page 4 of the factsheet states that childminder policies and procedures do not need to be in writing - ‘Unless the childminder is registered on the Childcare Register. For this register the policies and procedures should be in writing.’

Most childminders are registered on both the Early Years (EYFS) and Childcare Registers and must comply with the requirements of BOTH registers. You can check your Ofsted registration by looking under your URN number on the Ofsted website.

When writing your policies and procedures, you need to take note of the wording in the EYFS 2012, the Childcare Register 2012 and any factsheets and further information produced by Ofsted.

The list of policies and procedures required by Ofsted (in alphabetical order) includes -

• Behaviour management

• Concerns and complaints

• Emergency evacuation of the premises

• Equality of opportunity - ‘promoting equality of opportunity and for supporting children with special educational needs or disabilities.’

• Failure to collect - procedures if a parent fails to collect a child at the appointed time

• Health and safety - relating to ‘accidents, hazards and faulty equipment’

• Medication - see factsheet 080290 - Ofsted | Factsheet: childcare - Giving medication to children in registered childcare

• Missing child - procedures in the event of a child going missing

• Risk assessment - ‘a risk assessment policy, clearly stating when risk assessments will be carried out, by whom, the date of review and any action taken following a review or incident’. See factsheet 120334 - Ofsted | Factsheet: childcare - Requirements for risk assessments

• Safeguarding children - ‘the procedure to be followed in the event of an allegation being made against a member of staff and the use of mobile phones and cameras at the setting’

• Smoking

• Visitors - ‘checking the identity of visitors’.

If you have bought my e-book 29 'Policies and Procedures' I have revised some of the wording - please ask me for your free update!

[moggy]

I have all my RAs and can talk about how, why and when I do them etc. But I do not have a written 'RA policy'.

'Requirements for Risk Assessments' Fact sheet says: (I have made bold the bit I want to highlight)
'Risk assessment policy and procedures
The Statutory framework requires providers to have a policy and procedures for assessing risks. You must have these in writing unless you are a childminder (paragraph 3.3 of the Statutory framework). There is no detail on what the policy and procedures must cover. We would normally expect them to cover how and when risk assessments are carried out, who is involved in assessing risks, what aspects they cover, what records are needed and how these must be kept. If you are a childminder you must be able to explain these arrangements to us if you do not have your policy and procedures in writing.'

So, RAs is not actually a required WRITTEN policy, then... do we agree?

I do not want to make more paperwork for the sake of it and can confidently talk about "how and when risk assessments are carried out, who is involved in assessing risks, what aspects they cover, what records are needed and how these must be kept." if Ofsted ever ask me.

[sarah707]

I can only tell you what this factsheet says in the footnote about P and Ps and being on the childcare register.

Each childminder has to decide what they want to write - maybe have a read then decide