HOW TO WRITE AND MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE POLICIES

As a self-employed person running your own business from home it is important to remember that, although you are providing a service, your house is still your home and as such should be treated with respect.

You will need to decide, prior to any child entering your setting, what your boundaries are going to be and how you are going to implement them. It is a good idea to think carefully about your aims and goals and write a policy to reflect these. Any policy you draw up should be displayed on the walls of your setting and a copy of each policy should be given to the parents of the child before a placement commences.

The main areas I would suggest policies for are:

Behaviour

Most parents accept the need for children to have boundaries when it comes to behaviour; however it is important to realise that not all parents will share your views when it comes to discipline. You can usually determine early on whether or not a set of parents share your own views and values and this is one of the reasons why it is important to discuss things such as behaviour at the initial interview. You should be able to tell at this stage whether or not you feel able to work with the parents or whether you feel there would be too many conflicting opinions for you to offer suitable childcare.

This is another reason why I would never advise you to sign a contract on the first meeting – always try to allow yourself time to think and reflect on the interview and mull over the points and issues raised. When the time comes for the signing of contracts I would advise you to, once again, go over any policies you have and allow parents to ask any questions.

Confidentiality

It is very important that you respect confidentiality at all times. You may be caring for children whose respective parents are friends or, worse still, enemies, and they may at times try to glean information from you about the other family’s circumstances. You must never partake in gossip or divulge any information about other families of the children you care for.

Equal opportunities

You must be aware of how you can promote equal opportunities by treating all the children, and their parents and families, as individuals and with equal concern. You must respect each family, their culture, beliefs and religion, and you must know how to discourage prejudice and stereotypical attitudes within your setting. It is important that you are confident at tackling discrimination and prejudicial remarks.

In addition to the above policies you should also set out an emergency plan showing details of the procedure to be followed in the event of an emergency and give a copy of this plan to the parents of the children in your care.

Example policies

Below are examples of the policies you could use. They can be adapted to suit your own requirements.

The things that you put in your own Behaviour Policy should reflect the views you have on what is or is not acceptable to you in your home. It is a good idea to talk through the way you expect children to behave, whilst they are in your care, with the child’s parents. They may have completely different ideas of what constitutes acceptable behaviour and this is something that must be cleared up early on. The children may be allowed to roam their own home in muddy shoes and eat their lunch in front of the television but, if this is something that you object to, you must make your own rules clear and ask that parents help you to implement them when they are bringing and collecting their children.

The times when parents are in your home with their child are often the times when things will start to become unravelled. Children learn, from very early on, what they can and cannot get away with and which adult is the soft touch. Often parents who are collecting their children after a long day at work will indulge them out of tiredness or feelings of guilt but, if their child is using your sofa as a trampoline just because their parent is present and they know this is something you have asked them not to do, then don’t be afraid of telling them to get down. Never allow the child to do something when their parent is present that you would not allow them to do if they weren’t. It is confusing to the child and undermines your authority in your own home.

It is often difficult to know what to say to someone who is asking you questions about a child you care for. Although you do not wish to be rude neither must you breach your confidentiality policy. Politely tell the person that you are not at liberty to divulge information about the children or the families that you care for.

It is important, whilst ensuring that parents are aware of what you will and will not tolerate from children whilst they are on your premises, that you also make sure your expectations are realistic and that your methods for achieving your aims and goals are effective and take into account each child’s age and understanding. You must realise that no two families are alike and therefore not everyone will be in complete agreement with you.

There are many different forms of parenting and no one can reasonably say that their methods are right whilst others are wrong.

If a parent does not agree with the boundaries and policies you have set, it is important to discuss any concerns they may have prior to signing the contract and try to compromise whenever possible.

If you feel it is necessary to revise or update your policies once you have been childminding for some time, then you must draw up a new policy, give a copy to the parents of the children and discuss any changes with them to ensure that everyone is aware of the changes and why you feel it is necessary to make them.

PARENTAL PERMISSION

It is important that you obtain written parental permission for various procedures you may like to carry out within your setting. These procedures might include:

• taking a child on an outing;
• taking photographs of the children in your care;
• videoing an event the children are taking part in, such as a concert or birthday party;
• transporting a child in a car;
• seeking medical advice when necessary.

Suitable forms seeking permission for the above can be obtained from the National Childminding Association or you could devise your own forms and get the parents to sign them.

EQUIPMENT CHECKS

It is important to be aware of how to continually check the toys and equipment you are using. Toys and equipment which are in constant use by several children will become broken and worn.

Checking toys

You should get into the habit of checking your toys daily; either when you get them out for the children to play with or at the end of the day when the children have gone home and you are tidying things away. I would recommend that toys are sorted and stored in suitable boxes so that you can see at a glance which toys are kept where. This is a good way of ensuring that the correct toys are given to the correct children. For example a box which contains toys suitable for babies such as rattles, soft toys etc, should not contain anything with small parts which could pose a threat to the child’s safety. By storing your construction toys together, your puzzles and games together and your dressing up and role play items together you can immediately find the correct toys to suit the needs of the children you are caring for and won’t have to rummage through endless boxes removing unsuitable items.

Checking equipment

In addition to checking toys you should set aside some time, say once a month, when you can spend quality time carefully checking each item of equipment for wear and tear. You should make a note in your diary when the time is approaching for an equipment check and then devise a plan similar to the one below to record your findings. As well as the equipment you use indoors you should also check your pushchairs and outdoor apparatus such as swings, slides etc. These items of play equipment must be checked after the winter months, when they have perhaps been used very little and adverse weather conditions could have affected their safety and suitability.

Below is an example of an equipment check chart.

Date of check	Item	Findings	Repaired/replaced
14 February 200X	Constructions toys	3 toys with broken parts	Replaced
14 February 200X	Highchair	Frayed reins	Replaced
14 February 200X	Changing mat	Split in plastic covering	Replaced
14 February 200X	Outdoor climbing frame	Screw loose by ladder	Repaired
14 February 200X	Motor vehicles	Missing tyre on tractor	Replaced

FIRE DRILLS

It is important to carry out regular fire drills. Fire drills should be practised with the children so that they are aware of what is expected of them in the case of a fire. Children who are old enough should be taught an effective method of evacuating the house and they should realise the importance of remaining calm and doing exactly as they are told.

It is a good idea to make a chart for your fire drills similar to the one below and make a note in your diary, say once a month, to practice the drill. You should change the days and times that you practice the drill frequently in order that all children get the chance to practice. It is pointless doing your fire drill every Monday if you have several children who only attend your setting on Thursday and Friday.

Date	Time	No of children	Effectiveness of drill/ improvements necessary	Next drill
Fri10/2/0X	11.15am	1 – age 3 1 – age 6 months	Very effective – older child understood and carried out requests calmly.	Mon 13/03/0X
Mon13/03/0X	2.30pm	2– age 2	Took a little longer than I would have liked to get the children out of the building. Decided to practice the drill again next week with these particular children.	Mon 20/03/OX