Family Guide to Key Policies
Clear information to help families know what to expect.
Our policies and procedures
Our policies help us provide safe, consistent and high-quality care for every child. They are informed by the Early Years Foundation Stage, safeguarding requirements and relevant public-health, environmental-health and data-protection guidance.
This page summarises some of the information families ask about most frequently. Key policies are available through Famly, and our complete, current policy collection and risk assessments are available on request. Please contact the office at info@littlelambskindergarten.co.uk or telephone 01273 933631 if you would like to read a particular document or discuss any aspect of our practice.
Safeguarding and personal devices
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility. Our team receives appropriate safeguarding training and follows clear procedures for recognising, recording and responding to concerns. Families are encouraged to speak to our Designated Safeguarding Lead if they are worried about a child’s safety or wellbeing.
Personal mobile phones, cameras and recording devices must not be used within the setting. Visitors are asked to switch off their devices and store them securely in our office during their visit. Only authorised setting devices may be used to take photographs or record children, in accordance with our safeguarding procedures and families’ permissions.
Illness and infection control
Children should attend only when they are well enough to take part comfortably in the day. If a child becomes unwell while at Little Lambs, we will contact their family and may ask for them to be collected promptly.
Following current public-health guidance, children and adults with diarrhoea or vomiting must remain away from the setting until at least 48 hours after the last episode. Exclusion periods for other infections vary, so families should contact us for advice and tell us promptly about any diagnosed infectious illness.
We maintain thorough cleaning, handwashing, food-hygiene and infection-control routines. During an outbreak or where specialist advice is needed, we follow guidance from the relevant health-protection and environmental-health services.
Medicines
All medicines must be handed directly to a member of staff and must never be left in a child’s bag. Medication should be supplied in its original packaging with the child’s name, dosage instructions and any relevant prescription label clearly visible.
Families must complete the required medication record and provide written permission before medicine can be administered. We will record each dose given and share this information with the child’s parent or carer. Individual arrangements and healthcare plans will be agreed for children with longer-term or emergency medical needs.
Collection and late collection
Children will only be released to a parent, carer or another authorised person agreed with the family. Please tell us in advance if somebody different will be collecting your child and follow our security arrangements for authorised collections.
Families should contact us as soon as possible if they are unexpectedly delayed. Late collection is charged at £15 for each 30-minute period because staff must remain on site to care for the child safely. Where we cannot contact a family or authorised collector, our uncollected-child and safeguarding procedures will be followed.
Changing or ending your child’s place
We understand that families’ circumstances can change. If you wish to reduce booked sessions or withdraw your child from Little Lambs, please give one full calendar month’s notice in writing by email or letter.
Fees remain payable throughout the notice period, including where a child does not attend their booked sessions. Please speak to the office as early as possible if you need to discuss a change to your childcare arrangements.
Privacy and personal information
We collect and use personal information so that we can provide childcare safely, meet our legal and regulatory responsibilities, communicate with families and support each child’s care, learning and development.
Information is stored securely and shared only where there is a lawful and appropriate reason to do so. Our Privacy Notice explains what information we collect, how it is used, how long it is retained and the rights families have regarding their data. A current copy is available on request.
Questions, concerns and complaints
We welcome open communication and hope that most questions or concerns can be resolved promptly through discussion with your child’s key person or a member of the management team.
If a concern cannot be resolved informally, families may make a formal complaint in writing to info@littlelambskindergarten.co.uk. We will acknowledge, investigate and respond in accordance with our Complaints Policy and the applicable statutory timescale. A complete copy of the procedure is available on request.
Families may also contact Ofsted about concerns regarding a registered childcare provider by emailing enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk or telephoning 0300 123 4666. If you believe a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
Compliments and positive feedback
We love hearing about the moments that have made a difference to children and families. You are welcome to share compliments directly with the team through Famly or by emailing info@littlelambskindergarten.co.uk.
If you would like to help other families discover Little Lambs, you can also leave us a review on Google or Facebook. Reviews are always appreciated, but entirely optional. To protect children’s privacy, please avoid including children’s full names or identifiable information.