Parent's Handbook

Riverwood Nursery Promise to Parents

We believe that children benefit the most when parents and staff work together in partnership to ensure quality care and learning for the children. The nursery team welcomes parents as partners and this relationship needs to be built on trust and understanding. It is important that we, as carers, are able to support parents in an open and sensitive manner. A two-way sharing of information is key to this.

The nursery wishes to ensure parents are part of the care and education team within the nursery.

Our policy is to:

• Recognize and support parents as their child’s first and most important educators, and to welcome them into the life of the nursery
• Generate confidence and encourage parents to trust their own instincts and judgement regarding their own child
• Welcome all parents into the nursery office to see their children on the CCTV’s
• Ensure that all new parents are aware of the nursery’s policies and procedures. A detailed parent prospectus will be provided and our full policy documents will be available to parents at all times as they will be kept in an easily accessible place within the nursery
• Maintain regular contact with parents to help us to build a secure and beneficial working relationship for their children
• Support parents in their own continuing education and personal development and inform them of relevant conferences, workshops and training
• Create opportunities for parents to talk to other adults in a secure and supportive environment through such activities as ‘Open Days’, ‘Parents Evenings’ and ‘Parents Forum’
• Inform parents about nursery activities and events through social media
• Operate a key person system involving parents for open discussions and information sharing regarding nursery and home circumstances, and individual needs
• Inform parents on a regular basis about their children’s progress and involve them in the shared record keeping about their children (Daycare Channel).
• After full term completion child assessment will be done to inform parents where child stands in all learning children developmental needs.
• Consider and discuss fully all suggestions from parents concerning the care of their child and the running of the nursery
• Provide opportunities for parents to contribute their own skills, knowledge and interests to the activities of the nursery in ways which are accessible to parents with basic skills needs, or those for whom English or Arabic is an additional language
• Inform all parents of the systems for registering queries, complaints or suggestions, and to check that these systems are understood by parents.
• Provide opportunities for parents to learn about the Early Years Foundation Stage and about young children's learning in the nursery and at home
• Respect the family’s religious and cultural backgrounds and to accommodate any special requirements wherever possible and practical to do so
• To find out the needs and expectations of parents. These will be obtained through regular feedback via questionnaires, providing a suggestion system and encouraging parents to review working practices. These are then evaluated by the nursery to promote nursery practice, policy and staff development.

We will protect any child in our care regardless of gender, culture, and racial origin, physical or mental impairment. Every child has a right to protection from physical, emotional, sexual abuse and neglect. We will strive to protect a child from harm when in our care. We will seek professional guidance if a child shows symptoms of any signs of abuse.

Riverwood Nursery Complaints Procedure

Our nursery believes that parents are entitled to expect courtesy and prompt, careful attention to their individual needs and wishes. We hope that at all times Parents will be happy with the service provided and that they might like to voice their appreciation to the staff concerned.

Complaints should be dealt with professionally and promptly to ensure that any issues arising from these complaints are handled effectively and to ensure the welfare of all children. We welcome any suggestions from parents on how we can improve our services, and will give prompt and serious attention to any concerns that you may have by following our complaints procedure as outlined below:

Stage 1

If any parent should have cause for complaint or any queries regarding the care or education of their child they should in the first instance take it up with the child's key person or a senior member of staff/room leader, via the Daycare Channel.

Stage 2

If the issue remains unresolved and there is not have a satisfactory outcome, then the manager should be contacted. These concerns must be presented in writing to the nursery manager. The manager will then investigate the complaint and report back to the parent within three to five working days. This will be fully documented in the complaints monthly report and will detail the nature of the complaint and any actions arising from it.

Stage 3

If the matter is still not resolved a formal meeting should be held between the manager, parent and the senior staff member to ensure that it is dealt with sufficiently. A record of the meeting should be made along with documented minutes and actions. All parties present at the meeting will sign the record and receive a copy, which will signify the conclusion of the procedure.

Complaints or concerns regarding anything within the Nursery are to be raised to the Principal/Manager either in person, email or by phone. We will always endeavor to resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Code of Conduct for Parents, Carers and Families

Riverwood Nursery recognise that early education and child wellbeing is a partnership between Parents, Careers, and extended families and on occasions other professionals.

We are committed to ensure that all the children are safeguarded whilst in our care and expect families to do the same.

The purpose of this document is to provide a reminder to all Parents, Carers and Families to our nurseries about the expected conduct. This will continue to flourish progress and achieve in an environment of mutual understanding and respect.

Parent/Carer/Families to:

• Share information with staff about the development, health and well- being of their child
• Adhere to arrival and collection times of the child’s session and of the nursery.
• To sign their child in and out of the premises and properly handover the child.
• Ensure the child is collected on time and inform the nursery if you are going to be unavoidably late. Ensure the daily contact details current and if another person is collecting then the nursery is aware and a security password is provided.
• To be polite and respectful to all staff members, children and other families
• Provide feedback to nursery staff, giving suggestions or ideas and complete given surveys.
• Direct any concerns, worries or complaints to the child’s Key Person, Nursery Manager
• Ensure you can safely transport your child to and from nursery using age appropriate car seat
• Ensure as reasonable as possible the child is ‘well’ when attending nursery and be respectful of a decision regarding exclusion of a child due to illness

Parent/Carer/Families are requested not to:

• Shout or use physical punishment to your child or other children whilst on the premises
• Use inappropriate language, demonstrate aggressive or threatening behaviours towards staff, families, visitors or children either in person, on the telephone or in writing
• Drop off child without proper handing over
• To discuss sensitive issues in the presence of your child, other children or staff members
• Take photographs or videos of other children other than their own without prior agreement by the nursery management team
• Use a mobile telephone in areas both indoors and outside which are accessible to the children
• Breach confidentiality of matters within the nursery. Make offensive comments or malicious acts that bring the nurseries into disrepute

Breach of the Code of Conduct of Parent/Carer Families:

Any breach of the code of conduct will be treated promptly and taken seriously. The nursery management will endeavour to determine the appropriate course of action which may include but is not limited to any of the following procedures:

• A first and final meeting or letter being used to inform the relevant person of the outcome of the investigation and that another breach will not be tolerated.
• The prevention of the relevant person from attending the setting, even for arrival and collection.
• The suspension and possible permanent withdrawal of a child’s place. This action will only be taken if all other avenues have been explored and the management feel that this is the only possible course of action.