It is the policy of The Cradle Nursery to give a warm and caring welcome to all children, parents and carers on their arrival.
It is the responsibility of the Room Leaders/Seniors to ensure that an accurate record is kept of all children in their designated room and that any arrival, absence or departure to and from the premises is recorded in the attendance registers.
Staff will also take regular head counts throughout the sessions to ensure all children are present at all times. Records of the daily registers will be kept by the setting for 2 years.
Arrivals
On arrival a member of staff will immediately record the child’s attendance in the daily register including the time of arrival. Any messages passed on by the parents are to be recorded and shared with the staff in the child’s room.
If the parent/carer wants their child to be given medicine during the day by a member of staff, they must complete and sign a medication form.
It is the room leader and senior staff’s responsibility to record all children’s attendance. If a child is absent then the room leader has to inform the management so that the parents can be contacted to find the reason for absence.
Departures
When a child is collected from nursery the key person (or most appropriate person in their absence) will complete hand over to the parents or carer and feedback any information about the child’s day. This might include information around meals, toileting, sleep and activities the child has been a part of throughout the day. If there is any medication, accident or other forms that require a signature then these must be signed by parents/carers before the child leaves the nursery.
If the child is to be collected by someone other than the parents this must be indicated to a member of staff and recorded at the start of the sessions. The adult nominated to collect a child must be one of those named on the registration form. Only adults aged 18 years and over with suitable identification will be allowed to collect the child(unless parents give a signed permission for siblings under the age of 18 to collect their child).
To ensure safety of all children at our setting we have a password system. If the parents arrange for someone else to pick up the child then there must be a password agreed and the child will not be releases until the staff are satisfied that the child is in safe hands. Staff will check this information before permitting the child to leave. If there is any uncertainty staff should make further checks by telephoning the parent/carer.
If the parent/carer or nominated adult is going to be late to collect their child the setting must be informed as soon as possible. If the designated adult is late in picking up their child without prior warning the provision’s ‘Late Collection and Uncollected Child Policy’ will be activated.
Upon departure the register will be marked to show that the child has left the premises and the time of departure will be recorded. Once the child has been signed out the staff will have no more responsibility for that child.
Arriving Under the influence of alcohol or drugs
The nursery’s prime focus is the care and safety of the children it cares for. If an adult arrives to collect a child and they are deemed to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs the Nursery Manager, Deputy Manager or the senior member of staff on duty will assess whether the child’s safety and welfare may be impacted if released into this person’s care.
The decision will be discussed with the adult and where required an additional named adult will be contacted to collect the child or referred to social care if this is not possible. If at any point a child is deemed to be at risk of harm then the Safeguarding Children Policy must be followed.