Policy statement

POLICY STATEMENT

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ THIS DOCUMENT. IT IS REVIEWED REGULARLY AND YOUR COMMENTS WILL BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN ANY REVISIONS ARE MADE.

The AfterSchool Club (TASC) and The Holiday Club (THC) have been set up to provide quality childcare before and after school and during the school holidays in the Rickmansworth, Chorleywood and Croxley Green areas.

The club is run on a day-to-day basis by a salaried staff. Management is by Debby Tindall.

SPECIAL NEEDS STATEMENT

TASC and THC will support children and adults with special needs and give our commitment to work with parents and other agencies. Staff members have attended special needs training and are willing to help in any way possible. Any child attending one of the schools which TASC collect from may attend our Club and appropriate support will be put in place for any child with special needs. All children will be included in all our activities and encouraged to achieve their personal best. Information kept on any child is available to the parents/carers. A sheet will be sent to each main carer each term to ensure information is up to date. Debby is available to speak to parents/carers at the club, by phone or by appointment.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

Staff, parents and children should fully understand the principle and operation of our equal opportunities policy and we should all take responsibility for its overall effectiveness.

We aim to challenge discrimination in all areas of The AfterSchool Club and The Holiday Club. We will always record any racial issues.

We recognise that certain groups and individuals in our society are discriminated against because of their race, colour, ethnic or national origin, gender, physical, sensory or mental disability. Accordingly we are strongly committed to positive action to remove and/or counter discrimination in all aspects of our work with children, families and others.

Equal opportunities are considered in all aspects of the service the clubs provide. Language or behaviour designed to be offensive to any of the groups outlined in our statement is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our clubs.

BEHAVIOUR / DISCIPLINE

We encourage the children to behave responsibly, be courteous to each other and to staff. We operate a “no smacking policy”. Discipline will be in the form of encouragement and understanding. Should more serious action be required the child will be sat on a chair away from the rest of the children until he/she has calmed down.

We will not tolerate any of the following:

	Aggressive behaviour towards other children or staff.
	Children must stay on site unless supervised.
	No physical or verbal bullying.
	Discrimination in any of its forms will not be tolerated.

To ensure the safely of all the children and staff:

	Incidents of bad behaviour will be recorded and parents/guardians advised. Three such incidents will normally result in termination of membership.
	Serious incidents involving danger to others will result in termination of membership.

ATTENDANCE:

Parents must inform the Administrator (Debby Tindall) on the number supplied if:

	a child is ill
	a child cannot attend for any other reason

AfterSchool Club

At least 5 days notice (not including weekends or holidays) must be given to alter the day of care. If this notice is not given full payment will be due. 4 weeks notice in writing must be given to terminate care.

Holiday Club:

ONCE BOOKINGS ARE MADE THEY CAN ONLY BE CANCELLED IN EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE FULL AMOUNT WILL BE PAYABLE. However, you can change the day of care to an alternative day during the same holiday at no extra charge subject to availability. Payment is due on the first day of care. We reserve the right to charge in full for any days which are cancelled for any reason other than illness. A half charge will be made for sickness.

COLLECTION

	All children must be collected by 6.30 pm by an authorised adult.
	Debby Tindall must be informed in writing, if a different adult is collecting a child other than those on the original enrolment form. Identification will be required.
	If the person collecting the child/children is UNAVOIDABLY DELAYED they must inform the Supervisor/Deputy Supervisor on the telephone number supplied.
	If your child has not been collected by 6.35 pm (and you have not informed the staff of delay) the child will be taken to 160 Highfield Way, Rickmansworth. Should the child still not have been collected by 8 pm (and you have still not been in touch with Debby Tindall) the matter will be brought to the attention of the Police. Your child may then be excluded from the Club.
	If a child cannot be located – a thorough search of the premises will be carried out with all children asked to sit on the floor until completed. The register will be checked to ensure a parent has not collected the child and the person on register duty and other members of staff questioned, particularly the member of staff who collected the child. It will be checked that the member of staff has not forgotten to mark the child as absent. If, when all checks have been completed, the child has still not been located the parents will be contacted and the police informed.

PAYMENT

AfterSchool Club - Payment method to be agreed at time of booking.

Holiday Club - Payment in full must be given at the BEGINNING of care or by prior agreement i.e. weekly.

If children are not collected by 6.30 pm (ASC) OR 6.00 PM (HC) they will be taken to 160 Highfield Way, Rickmansworth (Tel 01923 773938). A charge of £15.00 per 15 minutes per child will be made and we reserve the right to cancel any further bookings without notice.

SECURITY

When a child is collected the adult will sign the attendance register to say they have collected the child and at what time. The adult must be one of the adults on the enrolment form unless previously informed in writing by the parent/guardian of the child. If this is the case the security code needs to be quoted when collecting the child.

PARENTS' COMPLAINTS

Should be made in writing to Debby Tindall. If necessary a meeting will then be arranged to discuss/resolve the matter. All written complaints investigated and complainant notified of outcome within 28 days of receipt

HEALTH AND SAFETY

It is our policy to encourage ways of working that will create a safe and healthy environment for children, employees and all other persons which enter the premises during the hours of 7.45 am to 8.45 am, 3.15 pm and 7.00 pm, Monday to Friday when the AfterSchool Club / Breakfast Club is in operation and 8.15 am to 7.00 pm during the holiday period.

Debby Tindall is responsible for making sure that matters of concern brought to their notice are dealt with by the owners of the relevant premises.

All persons coming on to the premises have a responsibility to conduct themselves in such a matter that they will ensure the health and safely of themselves and others they come into contact with.

All staff are responsible for working in such a way as to ensure their own safety, the safety of the children and others that they come into contact with.

If a child becomes sick during their time with us we may, if appropriate, call NHS Direct for advice.

RECORDS KEPT ON YOUR CHILDREN

Children’s developmental records are freely accessible to parents. However, a written request must be made for personal files on the children as we must take into account data protection rules when disclosing records that refer to third parties.

CHILD PROTECTION

The AfterSchool Club and The Holiday Club works in partnership with parents and respects confidentiality. However, the Children Act 1989 places a clear responsibility on childcare and education establishments to ensure they work together with other agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. As a result, if concerns are raised with The AfterSchool Club or The Holiday Club, we cannot guarantee confidentiality and concerns may have to be reported to Social Services. This is in line with The Hertfordshire Area Child Protection Committee.

CONTACT NUMBERS

Debby Tindall is available on 01923 773938 during the day, evening and weekends

During Club hours (Mobile number 07958 666621)

Signature of Debby Tindall......................................................................................

Signature of Parent/Carer.................................................. Date .........................

Child/rens Name/s ...............................................................................................

Ofsted can be contacted on 0845 601 4771

Ofsted Registration no: EY356000 Mill End 130617 Cloisters

Reviewed September 08

RECORDS KEPT ON YOUR CHILDREN

CHILD PROTECTION

Send mail to Debby@TheHolidayClub.net with questions or comments about this web site. Last modified: October 22, 2008

Send mail to Debby@TheHolidayClub.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Last modified: October 22, 2008