Rationale
To ensure the comfort, safety and wellbeing of all children.

Te Whāriki
Well-being – Goal 1: Children experience an environment where there their health is promoted.

Purpose

• To ensure there is a system in place for monitoring sleeping children.
• To ensure parents approve of the system for monitoring sleeping children.
• To ensure the comfort, safety and wellbeing of all children.
• To ensure cultural considerations are applied while children are sleeping.

To ensure with Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008.

Guidelines
Cots or mattresses will be placed so there is adequate space between children to ensure their safety, hygiene and means of access is maintained at all times.
Staff will take all reasonable steps to ensure that play and/or distracting activities in locations or areas (by other children, staff or other adults) adjacent to the designated sleep area will be kept to a minimum during the time when children are sleeping or resting.
Cots or mattresses purchased and used will meet the following criteria; will allow the child to lie down and stretch out to their full body length without exceeding both ends, and will have a surface made of materials that is impervious to water and can be cleaned by wiping with disinfection solutions so it can be kept in a sanitary and good condition.
Beds will be laid out to ensure the children are sleeping head to head, feet to feet and to ensure they will not be stepped over while sleeping.
Children ages 0-18 months will have a separate room undisturbed by play.

Routines
Children in either infant rooms are on their own individual routines. Their sleep requirements will be accommodated at all times. All sleep times are recorded on a chart, which is available for parents to view each day.
Children in the kindergarten room will sleep after lunch if required by their routine. Parents have the options of whether their child sleeps or not. Children are encouraged to fit their sleep patterns into this schedule, however if the child needs a sleep at an earlier or later time, we will accommodate this as best we can. Quiet time if offered to children who are not sleeping.
Children will not be given bottles or food while they are in their cot or on a mattress.

Supervision
Children will always be monitored while sleeping. Where there are at least four children sleeping, or where adult to child ratios can still be maintained outside the sleep room, there will be at least one staff member present in the main sleep room if possible. Where is it not possible to have a staff member present in the sleep room children will be checked regularly. Adult to child ratios must be maintained at all times and staff must be on duty to count as part of these ratios.
The staff member located in the sleep room or sleep area may leave the room when getting children up from their sleep to change their nappies and dress them.
The staff member present in the sleep room or sleep area will be able to view all children. Staff will regularly check and record the children are breathing every 5-10 minutes. Sleep records are available for parents to check each day. Parents will notify the centre of any requirements regarding the child’s sleep patterns, and these routines will be followed where possible. A staff member may sit with the children for comfort.
When there is only one staff member in the sleep room that staff member will always be visible to other staff as per the Child Abuse Protection Policy. The blinds to the sleep room will be left slightly open (if there is any).

Bedding Allocation
Children will either sleep in a cot, or on a mattress on the floor, depending on the child’s age, and their sleeping arrangements at home. Children will generally move to a mattress when they’re walking. This is done in consultation with parents before the transition is made. Full time children use the same induvial cot or bed and bedding each day ad their bedding is washed at least once a week. Part time children will use the same individual cot or bed where possible and bedding will be washed at least one a week.

Clothing and Jewellery
All clothing (including teeth necklaces, greenstones, etc.) worn by children will be left on while sleeping unless specified by parents. Clothing, bags or other objects will not be left in or draped over the side of the cot while children are sleeping.

Date Approved: June 2019
Review Date: June 2020

Rationale
To ensure the best interest of staff, children and their families are catered for in any accident, incident, or sickness that occurs at Bloesem Early Learning. This policy describes the internal and external reporting and recording requirements and procedures. It specifies who does the reporting, recording and investigating of accidents, incidents and sickness, and it describes what forms must be completed and records to be kept.

Te Whāriki
Well-being – Goal 3: Children and adults experience an environment where they are kept safe from harm.

Guidelines
The centre has an Accident / Incident / Sickness / Child Form which is filed in the Accident/ Incident/ Sickness Folder to keep a record of all accidents, incidents and sickness that occur to children or staff whilst they are at the centre. All major accidents, incidents or sicknesses are to be reported to the managing director. All minor accident, incidents or sicknesses are to be reported to the Team Leader and signed by the staff member and parent.

Minor Incident and Accident

• A minor incident or accident is when immediate medical attention is not required.
• In the event of a minor accident, incident or sickness the staff member is responsible for filling out the Accident / Incident / illness / Child and staff form. The parent, guardian, or whānau member will be notified.
• The form will be signed off by the child’s parent or guardian.

Major Incident and Accident

• In the case of a major accident occurring at the centre a staff member will comfort and care for the child while the ambulance is called. A record of the incident will be kept recording all of the necessary information and a copy will be sent with the child.
• Parents or whanau members will be contacted immediately and told where the child has been taken or will be taken to.
• Where the accident is defined as ‘serious’ in terms of the Health and Safety in Employment Act (needing hospitalization for more than 48 hours, loss of consciousness, loss of eyes or limb, poisoning or vision impairment) the employer must notify Ministry of Education/
• Work Safe as soon as possible to provide a written report of the circumstances within seven days. A serious incident report form must be completed. The declaration section of the completed injury report must be signed by the injured person or his/ her nominee if the injured person is unable to sign. The managing director will sign and date the bottom of the “At work Staff Accident/Illness/ Sickness” form.
• The managing director will be informed of all major accidents, incidents and sicknesses that occur at the centre.
• All accidents, incidents and sicknesses will be recorded in the centre’s accident log book.

Sickness

• When a child becomes sick at the centre the parents or whānau members will be contacted.
• Details of the sickness will be recorded on the Accident/ incident/ sickness staff/ child form. If a child develops a fever, the fever procedure will be followed and a record of this will be kept.
• If the child is considered contagious, they will be isolated from the other children
• prior to family members picking the child up. A mattress with clean linen will be provided for the unwell child and the linen will be laundered and mattress sprayed with Zoono afterwards.
• Kindergarten; Family play room for isolation
• Young Children; couch on carpeted area for isolation.
• All staff are required to have a current first aid certificate

Centre Director Investigation
An investigation of all accidents, incidents and sickness of all children and employees will be undertaken each month by the managing director or health & safety leader.

Reasons for investigations:

• To assist in identifying hazards or potential hazards
• To assist in identifying work related injuries, accidents, incidents and sicknesses, separating them from claims not relating to work.
• To assist in identifying the cause of work accidents, incidents and sicknesses and property damaging
• To assist the development of “safer systems of work” that prevent similar occurrences.

Date Approved: June 2019
Review Date: June 2022

Rationale
Medication needs to be administered appropriately, safely, and correctly. The health and safety of the child is a paramount.

Te Whāriki
Well-being – Goal 3: Children and adults experience an environment where they are kept safe from harm.
Well-being – Goal 1: Children experience an environment where their health is promoted.

Purpose

• To protect children requiring medicine and staff administering medicine.
• To ensure safe storage of medicine at the centre
• To ensure parents are familiar with the procedures involves with administering medicine at the centre.
• To comply with the Education (early childhood centres) Regulations 2008.

Guidelines
Parents or caregivers and required by regulation to inform, in writing, any medication to be administered. A medicine book is permanently kept in each room for parents to complete the medication requirements for their child on a daily basis. Details will include the child’s full name, the type of medicine, the time it needs to be given, the amount needed, and a signature. Medication will only be administered by registered staff that have current first aid certificate and will be checked by a second staff member before being administered. All medicine must have a prescription label on it with the child’s name, the name of the medicine, and the amount that needs to be given. Any needs for long-term medicine (such as inhalers or epi-pens) should be discussed with the managing director and/ or team leader and the long-term medication form needs to be filled in. Medication will be stored away from children, either in the medicine cabinet or the fridge. Medication will not be kept in children’s bags. Medication left at the centre needs to be checked monthly. Any expired medicines will be disposed of safely.

Category 1 Medicines
Definition: A non-prescription preparation (as detailed on the enrolment form) that is:

• Not ingested
• Used for the first aid treatment of minor injuries

Authority Required: A written authority on the enrolment form is required for the specific preparations on their child fir the period that they are enrolled.

Category 2 Medicines
Definition: A prescription (such as antibiotics, eye/ear drops, etc) or non-prescription (such as paracetamol liquid, cough syrup etc.) used for a specific period of time to treat a specific condition or symptom.

Authority Required: The medicine chart must be filled in correctly by the parents/ caregivers before the authorised staff member administers the medication. Written authority given at the beginning of each day the medicine is administers is required from the parents/ caregiver detailing what (name of medicine), how (method and dose) and when (time or specific symptoms/circumstances) medicine is to be given.

Category 3 Medicines
Definition: A prescription (such as asthma inhalers, epilepsy medication, etc.) or non-prescription (such as antihistamine syrup, lanolin cream etc.)

Medicine that is:

• Used for the ongoing treatment of a diagnosed condition (such as asthma, epilepsy, allegoric reaction, diabetes, eczema, etc.)
• Provided by a parent for the use of that child only.

Authority Required: A long term (6 month) medication formis written authority from a parent given enrolment as part of an individual health plan, or whenever there is a change, detailing what (name of medicine), how (method and dose) and when (time or specific symptoms/circumstances) medicine is to be given. The authorised staff member must fill in the date, medicine, dosage given, time given, and sign each time the medicine is administered. This form is to be reviewed 3 monthly and staff will be informed with these changes which will take place at a staff meeting and be informed with current children who require long term medication.

Rationale
To ensure that every child’s respect and mana us upheld at all times.

Te Whāriki
Belonging – Goal 4: Children experience an environment where they know the limits and boundaries of acceptance behaviour.

At Bloesem

• Every child is respected, and dignity is maintained
• Every child is given positive guidance prompting appropriate behaviour with regards to the child’s stage of development.
• Children will be given guidance, but such guidance will never involve any more of physical ill treatment, solitary confinement, immobilisation or deprivation of food, drink, shelter or protection.

Purpose

• Ensuring consistency between Bloesem employees in dealing with children’s behaviour
• To create a positive environment where children can take responsibility for their own actions and respect others.
• To ensure all children are treated in an appropriate manner and feel safe.
• To ensure parents are aware of positive and alternative methods of discipline so staff and parents can work together in order to ensure consistency between the centre and home.

Guidelines
Parent Support
Senior staff members will be aware of weird to access information on the positive methods of behaviour guidance. They will be able to make this information available or refer parents to this upon request.

If staff are concerned about an aspect of a child’s behaviour which has been occurring over a period of time, a senior staff member will discuss the issue with the child’s parents or whānau to determine any underlying causes. An agreement will be made between parents or whānau and the managing director or team leader on managing the child’s behaviour to enable consistency between the centre and home.

Staff Training and Support
Bloesem employees will be encouraged to attend courses in managing children’s behaviour. All new employees, visitors, and students will be given clear guidelines on how to manage children’s behaviour and acceptable manner. All teachers will have time for discussion (at staff meetings) on issues that have arisen regarding child management to ensure staff can be consistent in dealing with children’s behaviour and feel supported by each other.

Surrounding bloesem employees will not interfere, unless asked to help, when another staff member is managing a child’s behaviour, unless the child is in danger of being hurt physically or emotionally. If a staff member is not happy about the method of behaviour management being used by another staff member, student volunteer, they may approach the staff member involved or alternatively they can approach management without delay with their concerns so it can be dealt with in an appropriate manner.

Bloesem employees are aware that any information about the child’s behaviour is confidential between the teachers and their child’s family.

Encouraging Positive Behaviour in Children

• At Bloesem Early Learning Centre children will have clear boundaries and limits. Instructions will be clear, and children will be given advance warnings of things such as mealtimes, tidy up time, time to move inside, etc…
• Children will be in courage to sit there and limits and staff value mistakes as learning opportunities.
• Teachers will use redirect children to more septa ball behaviour and offer choices to a new activity when necessary.
• Listening when children talk about their feelings and frustrations.
• Guiding children to resolve conflicts and modelling skills that help children to solve their own problems.
• Patiently reminding children of rules and their rationale as needed.
• Role modelling positive conflict resolution.
• Positively guide behaviour in the consultation with parents and whānau.
• Staff will provide a stimulating environment.
• Students and volunteers will not be required to deal with managing a child’s behaviour until they, and management, feel they’re ready, and then only under close supervision and guidance from a teaching staff member.
• Teachers and those dealing with children’s behaviour will always focus on the positive aspects of the situation.

Date Approved: June 2019
Review Date: June 2022

Rationale
Excursions are an important part of Bloesem early learning a life. At Bloesem we want to ensure that links between the centre and the wider community are affirmed and extended.

Te Whāriki
Belonging – Goal 1: Children and their whānau experience an environment where connecting links with whanau and the wider world are affirmed and extended.

Purpose

• To ensure children are kept safe on excursions
• To ensure parents are informed of excursions
• To allow children the educational benefits of an outing
• To comply with the Education (Early Childhood) Regulations 2008.

Guidelines
Permission for regular excursions is completed upon enrolment by the parent or guardian. This permission will be valid throughout the time the child attends bloesem early learning, unless we are notified otherwise. Parents are required to read and agree to the Excursions Policy upon in enrolment. Regular excursions will involve walking only. Children will only be taken on excursions this commission has been granted on the enrolment form by the parent or guardian and the managing director. Information has not been granted that child, or children, will remain at the centre and ministry of education and child ratios are to be maintained at all times. At least one staff member and one other adult will remain at the centre during excursions. One teacher holding a current first aid certificate must remain at the centre and one must go with excursion group.

Parents and whānau will be kept informed of any regular excursions by recording them on the noticeboard. These three regular excursions are LIT park, Te Puke Primary School and Fairhaven Primary School. Excursions will be recorded as part of the programme planning and evaluation.

Parents will be encouraged to participate on trips through verbal communication, and written notices. Where a cost is involved parents may be asked to contribute towards part or all of the cost. Parents may be asked to bring their child’s car seat

Ratios on Trips

• Four years and above: 1:5.
• Two – Three years: 1:4 (1:5 with approval from the managing director.
• Under two years: 1:2 (this may be increased with managing director’s approval)
• If parent helpers are bringing siblings on Centre excursions they will need to be counted in the ratio unless they’re older than 14 years of age.
• We are excursions involved respected the ratio will be 1:2. In assessing risk, consideration will be given to the following; age of the children, skills of adults, nature of the children, and the nature of the visit (e.g. near) water if the excursion is near water a 1:1 ratio will apply and only be increased with the managing directors approval.
• Ratios can be made up with staff, parents, whānau, volunteers, students and other visiting adults. Minimum adult to child staffing ratios will be maintained at all times, both on the trip, and for those remaining at the centre.
• Each outing will have a designated “person responsible”, with a recognised qualification (e.g. diploma of teaching). There will be at least one adult with a first aid certificate both on the trip and back at the centre when children are remaining behind.
• There will be a minimum of two adults on an outing. (See child abuse prevention policy). Adults will avoid being alone with the children if at all possible, for example, when they’re taking him to the toilet.
• Vehicles must contain at least two adults except we are parent travels with the child only. Vehicles must have safety belts, and these will be used in conjunction with appropriate car seats. All vehicles used must have a current Warrant of Fitness and the driver must hold a current full driver’s license. These details will be recorded and held on file. Children will always be seated in the back of a car and never in the front seat.
• All excursions must be approved by a managing director.
• Any incidents or accidents occur on the trip the person responsible must notify the managing director immediately.
• One person will remain at the centre even if all children are on the excursion.
• A record will be kept out of all details of the trip including the destination, route taken an estimated return time. A mobile phone will be taken on all excursions. The mobile number will be recorded at the centre.
• There will be no smoking by anyone on excursions
• Whilst walking near the road children will be holding hands or in pushchairs. Pedestrian crossings will be used whenever possible for crossing roads. The opportunity will be taken to educate children on the road safety.
• Excursions will be planned for within the program, also allowing for those that occur regularly. Excursions may link to children’s strengths and interests and focuses within the program.
• A first aid kit will be taken along with other appropriate supplies, such as nappies, camera, food, drink, medication, sun hats and sunblock when appropriate. Everyone will stay together on excursions. An excursions form recording all names, destination, staff ratios and special conditions will be taken on all excursions and a copy will remain at the centre.
• All of the bloesem policies apply while on excursions

Special Excursions
Management will be informed of the proposed trip at least two weeks prior to the day of the excursion. A written proposal is required outlining the details of the excursion. Information required includes:

• Date and time of trip
• Destination
• Teacher to child ratio for the trip
• Teacher to child ration remaining at the centre
• Changes to staff hours in lunchtimes if applicable
• Children attending trip
• Proposed charge to children
• Hazard identification
• Purpose of outing
• Learning outcomes
• Any other information deemed necessary

Management will discuss the proposal with the staff member concerned if necessary. Approval of any outing will be given as soon as possible prior to the date of the outing. Copy of this will be handed to parents for their personal record.

Date Approved: June 2019
Review Date: June 2022

Rationale
To inform parents of the centre guidelines for fee payment and the collection of unpaid fees.
To ensure the smooth operation of the centre.

Purpose
To ensure all fees are paid and kept up to date at all times.

Fee Payment
The centre has a schedule of fees across all age ranges and is calculated across 52 weeks of the year. Holiday fees, sick days, and public holidays have been calculated into the fee for ease of weekly payment and administration. We do not offer the retainers or reduced fees for holidays as these have been calculated into the weekly fees for ease of regular payment.
All fees must be paid in advance. Fee payment is due upon enrolment, then by the Tuesday of your child second week and every consecutive Tuesday. The minimum advance period of one week is strongly in forced. You will be asked to bring your fees into line, should you fall behind. All fees are to be paid by direct credit or bank debit as we did not provide eftpos or banking facilities at the centre.

Sibling Discount
A 10% discount is offered to families with two or more children who attend.

Late Fee Payment
Failure to pay the missed fees will result in your child/children’s positions being terminated.
All dept collection costs are the responsibility of the parents or caregivers. All collection costs will be added to the outstanding fees.

“20 hours ECE” explained
From 1st July 2010, all three, four and five year old children were able to get an additional subsidy at early childhood education (ECE) services. This is limited to 6 hours per day, 20 hours a week. 20 hours ECE applies to all teacher-led ECE services.

Fees additional to “20 hours ECE”
ECE services cannot charge fees for the 20 hours ECE, but they can charge for your child other enrolled hours outside the six hours. We have set our fees on a daily rate basis to ensure these additional fees can be charged so that we can continue to deliver high-quality early childhood.
These additional charges cover specific features above the regulated services funded by the Government. These include; significantly higher adult to child ratios (additional staff) and superior resources.

Childcare Assistance (WINZ)
Work and income New Zealand provide a childcare subsidy to help pay for part of your fees cost if you qualify. If this information is of interest to you, please do not hesitate in asking your managing director for further information. Please check to see if you’re eligible as many people unaware of the entitlement.
http://www.workandincome.govt.nz/individuals/a-z-benefits/childcare/subcity.html

Christmas closure
The centre is closed on all public holidays and charges remain in place for public holidays as this is accounted for in the city be as noted above. Over the Christmas period the centre is closed for public holidays.

Notice period
Two weeks’ notice is required if your child is leaving the centre. No refunds are given.

Date Approved: June 2019
Review Date: June 2022