Admissions
At kinderzimmer, we aim to ensure that all parents, carers and staff have access to the nursery through a fair and consistent procedure for allocating places.
We operate an inclusion and equality policy and ensure that all children have access to nursery places and services irrespective of their gender, race, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation of parents.
Key Information
Each kinderzimmer nursery is registered with Ofsted to provide care for children aged three months to five years old with a maximum number of children at any one time during a day.
The numbers and ages of children admitted to the nursery comply with the legal space requirements set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). When considering admissions we are mindful of staff: child ratios and the facilities available at the nursery.
We operate an Inclusion and Equality policy and ensure that all children have access to nursery places and services irrespective of their gender, race, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation of parents.
Prior to a child attending nursery, parents must complete and sign a contract and registration form. These forms provide the nursery with personal details relating to the child. For example, name, date of birth, address, emergency contact details, parental responsibilities, dietary requirements, collection arrangements, fees and sessions, contact details for parents, doctor’s contact details, health visitor contact details, allergies, parental consent and vaccinations etc.
When a parent/carer registers their child for their funded place, we will discuss their needs and, as far as possible with availability and staffing arrangements, we will accommodate their wishes.
The nursery is open 51 weeks a year, closing for one week between Christmas and New Year, Bank Holidays, and no more than three team development days.
Children can attend for the following sessions:
Nursery places are required to be a minimum of 2 days a week, including a Monday or a Friday.
Admissions Criteria
The criteria considered when deciding whether a child can be offered a place at kinderzimmer are as follows:
Prior to a child attending the nursery, a registration pack must be completed. This provides the nursery with key information for us to provide care and education for the child.
A child’s place at the nursery is not secured until the parents/ carers receive a formal Offer Letter from us, in which they choose to accept the place offer and pay a refundable deposit of £400. Upon receipt of the offer acceptance and deposit, we will confirm their child’s nursery start date and their booked session pattern.
The conditions once a place has been offered at kinderzimmer are as follows:
Funded Childcare Places
At kinderzimmer, we currently provide free funded places available for children subject to availability, and according to our admissions criteria detailed above.
We currently offer 15 and 30-funded hours for children over 3.
Tax-free childcare is available for all children of nursery school age. It can be used alongside any funding. After their third birthday, all children in England are eligible for 570 hours of funding across 38 weeks of the year (term time). Depending on personal circumstances, a child may also be eligible for a further 570 hours of funding.
The allocation of funded childcare places is made on a termly intake, beginning the term following the child’s third birthday, in line with the flexible arrangement as specified by the Government. When a place is offered, we will discuss the parents’ needs and, as far as possible, with availability and staffing arrangements, we will accommodate their wishes.
Compliments & Complaints
At kinderzimmer, we strive to provide the highest quality of care and education for our children and families and believe that all parents are treated with care, courtesy and respect.
We hope that at all times parents are happy and satisfied with the quality and service provided and we encourage parents to voice their appreciation to the staff concerned and/or management. We record all compliments and share these with staff.
We welcome any suggestions from parents on how we can improve our services and will give prompt and serious attention to any concerns that parents may have. Concerns will be dealt with professionally and promptly to ensure that any issues arising from them are handled effectively and to ensure the welfare of all children, enable ongoing cooperative partnership with parents and continually improve the quality of the nursery.
We have a formal procedure for dealing with complaints where we are not able to resolve a concern. Where any concern or complaint relates to child protection, we follow our Safeguarding children and child protection policy.
Internal complaints procedure
Stage 1
If any parent should have cause for concern or any queries regarding the care or early learning provided by the nursery, they should in the first instance take it up with the child’s key person, a senior member of staff or room leader. If this is not resolved, we ask them to discuss this verbally with the Head of Nursery.
Stage 2
If the issue still remains unresolved or parents feel they have received an unsatisfactory outcome, then they must present their concerns in writing as a formal complaint to the Head of Nursery. The manager will then investigate the complaint in relation to the fulfilment of the EYFS requirements and report back to the parent within 5 working days. The Head of Nursery will document the complaint fully, the actions taken and the outcome in relation to it in the complaints log book.
Most complaints are usually resolved informally at stage 1 or 2.
Stage 3
If the matter is still not resolved, the nursery will hold a formal meeting between the Head of Nursery, parent and a senior staff member to ensure that it is dealt with comprehensively. The nursery will make a record of the meeting and document any actions. All parties present at the meeting will review the accuracy of the record, and be asked to sign to agree it is an accurate record of the meeting, and will receive a copy. This will signify the conclusion of the procedure.
Stage 4
If the matter cannot be resolved to their satisfaction, then parents have the right to raise the matter with Ofsted. Parents are made aware that they can contact Ofsted whenever they have a concern, including at all stages of the complaints procedure, and information on how to contact Ofsted is displayed in the setting. Ofsted is the registering authority for nurseries in England and investigates all complaints that suggest a provider may not be meeting the requirements of the nursery’s registration. It will risk assess all complaints made and may visit the nursery to carry out a full inspection where it believes requirements are not met.
A record of complaints will be kept in the nursery. The record will include the name of the complainant, the nature of the complaint, date and time complaint received, action(s) taken, outcomes of any investigations and any information given to the complainant including a dated response.
Parents will be able to access this record if they wish; however, all personal details relating to any complaint will be stored confidentially and will be only accessible by the parties involved. Ofsted inspectors will have access to this record at any time during visits to ensure actions have been met appropriately.
The record of complaints is made available to Ofsted on request. We will follow this procedure for any other compliments and complaints received from visitors to the provider, where applicable.
Contact details for Ofsted:
Email: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk
Telephone: 0300 123 1231
By post:
Ofsted
Piccadilly Gate
Store Street
Manchester
M1 2WD
Parents will also be informed if the nursery becomes aware that they are going to be inspected and after inspection, the nursery will provide a copy of the report to parents of children attending on a regular basis.
Environmental & Sustainability
At kinderzimmer, we wish to support children to learn about sustainable practices and foster respect and care for the living and non-living environment.
Children are able to develop positive attitudes and values about sustainable practices by exploring solutions to environmental issues, learning about the world around them and how to protect it and watching adults role model sustainable practices.
We promote a holistic, open-ended curriculum which explores ideas and practices for environmental sustainability and helps children understand the interdependence between people and the environment by:
As a nursery group, we will embed sustainability into all aspects of the operations including:
Working together with all our parents and partners will help our environment to be more sustainable and make it a better place for our future generations to grow up in.
We assess our nursery’s impact on the environment on a regular basis and put procedures in place to counteract this impact. In order to encourage children not to waste food or to play with food at mealtimes, we discourage the use of food as a play material; instead, we encourage activities which involve preparing and tasting different types of food.
This policy is reviewed annually and is carefully considered in the best interests of the children, nursery and the environment.
Funding
At kinderzimmer, all of our nurseries accept funding to assist with your child’s early years education.
Below are just some of the childcare funding choices we accept. At our discretion, we may also accept childcare grants if you are a full-time higher-education student.
Changes to Funded Childcare from April 2024
On 15th March 2023, the Government announced plans to increase access to funded childcare hours to include younger children. The phased introduction of this plan begins in April 2024 through to September 2025
At kinderzimmer, we are open for 51 weeks of the year. Therefore, we stretch the termly funding of 38 weeks, across 51 weeks, to ensure your child receives consistent care throughout the year. Please speak to the Community Manager for more information.
We will continue to update you with any information regarding the funding and how this can be used.
Funding in England
Tax-Free Childcare – Age 0-11
15 Hours Funded Childcare – Age 2
15 Hours Funded Childcare – Age 3&4
30 Hours Funded Childcare – Age 3&4
For more information, please speak to your kinderzimmer nursery team as T&C’s may vary per local authority.
GDPR & Privacy
kinderzimmer is committed to protecting the privacy and security of your personal information.
This privacy notice describes how the nursery collects and uses personal information about employees of the nursery (“employees”), children attending the nursery (“child” or “children”) and the parents of the children (“parents”) (known collectively as “you” or “your”), in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Each kinderzimmer nursery setting is a “data controller”. This means that we are responsible for deciding how we hold and use personal information about you. We are required under data protection legislation to notify you of the information contained in this privacy notice.
This notice applies to employees, children and parents. This notice does not form part of any contract of employment or other contract to provide services. We may update this notice at any time but if we do so, we will provide you with an updated copy of this notice as soon as reasonably practicable.
It is important that employees, children and parents read and retain this notice, together with any other privacy notice we may provide on specific occasions when we are collecting or processing personal information about you so that you are aware of how and why we are using such information and what your rights are under the data protection legislation.
For our full GDPR & Privacy Policy, please click here.
Immunisation
At kinderzimmer, we expect and promote that children are vaccinated in accordance with the government’s health policy and their age.
We ask that parents inform us if their children are not vaccinated so that we can manage any risks to their own child or other children, staff and parents in the best way possible. The nursery manager must be aware of any children within the nursery who are not vaccinated in accordance with their age.
We make all parents aware that some children in the nursery may not be vaccinated, due to their age, medical reasons or parental choice. Our nursery does not discriminate against children who have not received their immunisations and will not disclose individual details to other parents. However, we will share the risks of infection if children have not had immunisations and ask parents to sign a disclaimer.
We record, or encourage parents to record, information about immunisations on children’s registration documents and we update this information as and when necessary, including when the child reaches the age for the appropriate immunisations.
Staff vaccinations policy
It is the responsibility of all staff to ensure they keep up-to-date with their vaccinations, as recommended by the NHS vaccination schedule and keep the nursery informed. If a member of staff is unsure as to whether they are up-to-date, then we recommend that they visit their GP or practice nurse for their own good health.
Emergency information
We keep emergency information for every child and update it every six months with regular reminders to parents in newsletters, at parents’ evenings and reminders on the kinderzimmer app.
Medication and Administration
Our staff will administer medication that has been prescribed by a medical professional within the UK and with written English administration information and side effects information.
Prescribed medicines
Administering prescription medication
When a child requires medication to be administered, staff must record the child’s name and the time the medication needs to be administered on the kinderzimmer app and ensure all staff working within that room are aware of this as well as the Head of Nursery. When the medication is administered the medication form is signed immediately after. Other staff will be made aware that the medication has been administered.
Medication can only be administered by the Room Leader or Senior in the building, all medication must be witnessed by a Level 3 Qualified in the room and signed off on the kinderzimmer app.
If the medication is required to be given a second time later in the day, the process is repeated. If ever a staff member is unsure if a child has been given medication, they must verbally check with other staff within the room and check that the medication form has been signed to confirm the medication has been administered. Good communication is key.
If a child spits out or refuses the medication after sensitively encouraging the child to take it, the Educators cannot force the child to take it. If this is the case the team must call and contact the parents/carers and inform them that administration of the medicine has not been possible.
Signing it Off
The member of staff who administers the medication must complete and sign the medication record on the kinderzimmer app and a second staff member must witness the administration of the medication and sign the form also. This must be done IMMEDIATELY after administering the medication. The parent/carer must then sign the medication form when collecting their child and must be signed before the child leaves the setting.
The Head of Nursery will ensure that weekly audits are done to ensure all medication forms are signed and recorded correctly with parental consent and acknowledgment of administration.
Administering Calpol
Parents are responsible for providing all medications except Calpol or Piriton. When the child joins the nursery the parents/ carers sign to give their permission for Calpol to be administered in the event of a temperature over 38 degrees Celsius in which case the child will then need to go home. Should your child become unwell whilst at nursery, for example having a high temperature, you will be contacted and asked for permission for this to be administered to your child if your child’s temperature is very high to ensure that the child has not had calpol earlier that day. It is important however for parents to always inform the setting if your child has had calpol before coming into nursery for a temperature and we will ask for your child to go home again.
If we are unable to make contact with all parent/carers, if your child has a temperature over 38 degrees Celsius and the temperature is not subsiding with guidance from the NHS website, we will administer calpol in act of loco parentis if we have previous signed permission on the permissions forms at registration.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/fever-in-children/
You will be required to collect your child. This medication will be administered to prevent convulsions and any prolonged suffering to your child. If your child is allergic to paracetamol, you MUST inform the setting upon enrolment or as soon as you are aware of this.
Storage of medication
All stored medication must be clearly labelled with the name of the child, the name and dose of the medicine and the frequency of administration. Medicine should be stored in the original container in which it was dispensed and stored in a locked container and only named members of staff have access. A record should be kept for audit and safety purposes.
All emergency medications, such as asthma inhalers and adrenaline pens should readily be available to staff/children, but kept out of reach of children. When children go to the garden or on adventure walks/trips this medication must be taken with them along with the care plan at all times. (please see long term care plan policy)
Other non-emergency medicines should be kept in a secure place not accessible to children. Staff should not dispose of medicines. Parents/carers are responsible for ensuring that date expired medicines are returned to a pharmacy for safe disposal; they should also collect medicines held at the end of each term. (Managing medicines guidance-Dfes April 2014).
Head of Nursery will send out audit checks on all medications in the setting and medical needs for children 3 monthly to ensure that medications are in date and information on children’s medical needs are up to date. Profiles will be re sent to parents and audit checks of medications in storage.
Children with ongoing medical needs
kinderzimmer shall assist children with long-term or complex medical needs. Children with long term medical needs will have an individual health care plan drawn up by the child’s parent/carer, Head of Nursery and Key Person before the child starts or as and when the medical need is required. This shall include instructions on how to manage the child in an emergency. Staff will be provided with the technical/medical training required to safely manage the care of any child with ongoing medical needs.
Training
If the administration of medication requires medical knowledge, then individual training from an appropriate health care professional will be sought for staff members in the immediate child’s care. (For example, Epi-Pen training)
Missing or Lost Child
In the unlikely event that a child goes missing within or from the nursery the following procedure will be implemented immediately:
The Head of Nursery will contact Ofsted and inform them of any such incident.
Nutrition & Mealtimes
At kinderzimmer, we believe that mealtimes should be happy, social occasions for children and staff alike. We promote shared, enjoyable positive interactions at these times.
We are committed to offering children healthy, nutritious and balanced meals and snacks, which meet individual needs and requirements.
We ensure that:
In the very unlikely event of any food poisoning affecting two or more children on the premises, whether or not this may arise from food offered at the nursery, we will inform Ofsted as soon as reasonably practical and in all cases within 14 days. We will also inform the relevant health agencies and follow any advice given.
Safeguarding Children & Child Protection
kinderzimmer is dedicated to the support, development and promotion of high-quality care and education for the benefit of our children, families and community. We are committed to safeguarding children and promoting their welfare.
All staff, students and volunteers have a responsibility for safeguarding children, being vigilant and identifying and reporting any safeguarding concerns, in line with this and supporting policies.
For our full Safeguarding Children and Child Protection Policy, please click here.
Settling-In
At kinderzimmer, our aim is to work in partnership with parents to help them become familiar with the setting and offer a settled relationship for the child. We know children learn best when they are healthy, safe and secure, we build positive relationships with parents to ensure we can meet children’s individual needs and help them settle quickly into nursery life.
All our staff know about the importance of building strong attachments with children. They are trained to recognise the different stages of attachment and use this knowledge to support children and families settling into the nursery.
kinderzimmer knows that the initial experiences with the nursery are vital to a child becoming well-settled and secure in the nursery, and doing this well is something that we take pride in. We aim to make our nursery a welcoming place where children and their families feel comfortable; supporting parents and carers through their entire journey with the nursery.
We have a wide array of strategies to give your child the smoothest transition into the nursery, and we work with parents and carers to choose which are most appropriate and likely to have the greatest success. These are carefully implemented to complement our welcome commitments below.
Our Welcome Commitments – before their child’s first session every family will have:
The Key Person
Settling-in Sessions – Your free settling-in sessions
First Session
Second Session
Third Session
Some children may take a little longer to be ready to separate from their parents/carers, and we are very conscious of that. We are always happy to discuss with the family how the settling in is going, and to take things at the child’s pace.
Parents/carers must honour the commitment to be available for the duration of the settling period and until their child can stay happily without them.
Settling-in
The key person welcomes and looks after the child and family at the first session and throughout the settling-in process. They lead the induction to the room that the child will be attending, and ensure that the ever-evolving needs of the child are understood and catered for.
We recognise that some children will settle more readily than others, with factors such as their age and stage of development, and the amount of time they have spent away from home and their parents, all contributing. As a result, there is not a defined period for settling-in, instead, the key person will work with the parents to determine how long the settling period will be.
A child is deemed to be settled when they have formed a relationship with their key person and:
Children can display signs of distress during their settling-in, which in turn can cause distress for parents, educators and for other children. We do not believe that leaving a child to cry will help them to settle any quicker and believe that a child’s distress will prevent them from learning and gaining the best from the setting. Therefore, we reserve the right not to accept a child into the setting without a parent or carer if the child finds it distressing to be left. This is especially the case with very young children.
Once the child has settled in, we will discuss and work with the child’s parents and carers to begin their child’s learning journey. A learning journey is an ongoing record of their activity and development at the nursery, which is accessible to parents through the kinderzimmer app. The learning journey includes periodic assessments, in which we share our view of a child’s progress and invite parents and carers to explore the child’s development with us.
The key person is responsible for:
Our settling-in procedure includes:
Sick Child
It is our policy to encourage and promote good health and hygiene for all the children in our care. This includes monitoring the children for signs and symptoms of childhood illnesses such as but not limited to; coughs, colds, chicken pox, diarrhoea, vomiting and temperatures above the norm. We request that parents and carers ensure that children are well enough to attend nursery and to participate in the full usual day to day activities whilst at nursery, including garden and adventure walks. Whilst our team endeavour to care for the children in the setting to the best of their ability, it is important to note that they are not medical professionals and therefore unable to look after unwell children.
Our full sickness policy can be found here.
Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND)
This policy has been created with regard to:
Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) Code of Practice
The nursery has regard to the statutory guidance set out in the Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice (DfE 2015) to identify, assess and make provision for children’s special educational needs.
At kinderzimmer, we use the SEND Code of Practice (2015) definition of Special Educational Needs and Disability:
A child or young person has SEN if they have a learning difficulty or disability which calls for special educational provision to be made for him or her.
A child of compulsory school age or a young person has a learning difficulty or disability if he or she:
For our full Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Policy, please click here.
Late Collection and Failure to Collect a Child from Nursery
The nursery has an obligation to stay with any uncollected child at the end of the nursery day until that child is collected. The child may not leave the nursery, or be taken home by any member of staff. The Head of Nursery is informed if a child has not been collected.
If the parents/carers are running late due to circumstances out of there control they must inform the nursery as a matter of priority by phone call.
If a parent/Carer has not called and has not arrived within 15 minutes of the due collection time after all emergency contact numbers have been called then the following procedure will be followed;
If after 30 minutes from the due collection time, there has been no contact with the parent/carer or other emergency contacts on the child’s file then the nursery will ring the Child Protection Team within their local authority
The nursery will never release a child to an unauthorised person, even if the collection is late, unless the parent/carer telephones the nursery to state that because of an emergency a different person will be collecting their child. The parent/carer should give the name and a physical description of the person collecting their child and ideally, if possible, email a photo of the person that is due to collect. The Senior member of staff closing the nursery will check and verify these details, along with their ID, and the password, before handing over the child to the caregiver.
Nappy Changing
At kinderzimmer we support children’s care and welfare on a daily basis in line with their individual needs. All children need contact with familiar, consistent educators to ensure they can grow confidently and feel self-assured. We endeavour that each child’s keyperson and buddy keyperson will change nappies according to the child’s individual needs and requirements.
Children’s nappies are not changed on a rota basis, but on a needs basisas and when requirement for changing. The team will do checks throughout the day with the children in a private space to ensure their hygiene needs are being met appropriately. No child will be left in a soiled or wet nappy. Children’s nappies will also additionally be checked before and after sleep, before adventure walks, as well as before going home on top of our other regular checks throughout the day. Soiled or wet nappy changes will be recorded on the Famly app. Should a child’s nappy require changing when the parent is present, this will always be undertaken by a team member.
Our procedure meets best practice identified by the UK Health Security Agency’s infection prevention and control document.
We enable a two-way communication between parents and key persons so that information is shared about nappy changing and toilet training in a way that suits the parents and meets the child’s developmental needs.
Our nappy changing policy emphasises the importance of seeking consent and engaging with the child throughout the process. We believe in respecting each child’s autonomy and dignity.
Before changing a nappy, Educators will ask the child for their consent, even if the child is too young to verbally respond, using clear and simple language. Educators will explain each step of the process to the child, ensuring they feel comfortable and informed. Educators will also teach children about their body parts using correct anatomical language. This practice not only fosters trust and security but also supports the child’s understanding and cooperation. Our goal is to create a respectful and positive nappy changing experience for every child.
Dignity and privacy of intimate care routines is of the utmost importance, and we ensure that children have appropriate privacy during their nappy changes.
We have appropriate designated facilities for nappy changing which meet the following criteria:
Nappy Disposal and PPE
PPE Disposal
Waste Management
Reusable Nappies
In addition to the above procedures, where children wear reusable nappies, we will:
We wish to ensure the safety and welfare of the children whilst being changed and safeguard against any potential harm, as well as ensuring the staff member involved is fully supported and able to perform their duties safely and confidently.
We aim to support all parties through the following actions:
When developmentally appropriate, we work closely with parents to sensitively support toilet training in a way that suits the individual needs of the child and ensures consistency between home and nursery.
If any parent or member of staff has concerns or questions about nappy changing procedures or individual routines, please see the Head of Nursery at the earliest opportunity.
Sun Protection
At kinderzimmer we recognise the importance of daily outdoor play and physical development and are committed to ensure all children have daily access regardless of their age or stage of development. We provide an inclusive outdoor play environment with areas for non-mobile children to freely explore. We make reasonable adjustments where required, in line with the Equality Act 2010. We go out to play with all children in all weathers daily (unless it is deemed unsafe).
Policy Rationale
While some sun exposure is beneficial, overexposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a significant safeguarding issue, particularly for young children. UVR exposure during the warmer months, especially between 11 am and 3 pm, can cause severe skin damage and increase the risk of skin cancer. This policy outlines our commitment to protecting children and staff from the harmful effects of UVR.
Children’s skin is more sensitive to UV rays than adults, so it is important to protect their skin and eyes from sun damage when the UV index is 3 or more, even if it is cool or cloudy.
Objectives
Sun Safety Measures
Education
Protection
Outdoor Environment
Clothing
Clothing is one of the most effective barriers between our skin and the sun and should always be considered the first line of defence against UV exposure. Ideally clothing should cover as much skin as possible. Shoulders should always be covered as they can easily burn. A closer weave fabric will provide better protection and a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) rated fabric will provide best protection.
Sunscreen
Additional Measures
Communication and Review
By implementing these measures, we aim to protect our children and staff from the harmful effects of the sun while ensuring they enjoy the benefits of outdoor play safely.
Visits and Outings
At kinderzimmer we offer children a range of local outings including adventure walks and visits off the premises as part of our weekly curriculum. All children will partake in this across the week. We believe that planned outings and visits complement and enhance the learning opportunities inside the nursery environment and extend children’s experiences.
Procedures
Visits and outings are carefully planned using the following procedures along with any local and national guidelines, whatever the length or destination of the visit:
Risk assessment and outings plan
The full risk assessment and outing plan will be displayed for parents to see before giving consent. This plan will include details of:
Use of vehicles for outings
If a vehicle is used for outings the following procedures will be followed:
Missing children
In the event of a child going missing, the Missing child from Outings Policy will be followed. Any incidents or accidents will be recorded in writing and Ofsted will be contacted and informed of any incidents.
There may be opportunities for parents to assist on outings. The manager will speak to parents prior to the visit regarding health and safety and code of conduct.
In the event of an emergency
In the event of an emergency whilst out on a visit, we encourage staff to find a safe haven and remain there until the danger passes. If necessary, the police will be contacted if it is safe to do so. Each outing will have a detailed risk assessment, which covers all these risks and is planned ahead.
This could cover other issues such as extreme weather or emergencies such as an ill or injured child, etc. We will contact parents of the children on the visit to confirm arrangements as soon as it is safe to do so.
Ofsted will be contacted and informed of any incidents.
Further information can be found at:
https://www.counterterrorism.police.uk/safetyadvice/
Bottle Feeding and Preparation, for Formula and Breastmilk
At kinderzimmer the purpose of this bottle-feeding policy is to ensure the safe, hygienic, and appropriate feeding of infants in our care, whether they are fed with formula or breastmilk. Our policy aims to support the nutritional needs of each child, follow best practices for formula preparation and breastmilk handling, and accommodate parents’ preferences for feeding. By adhering to these guidelines, we create a safe and nurturing environment that fosters healthy growth and development for every baby.
This policy outlines the steps for preparing and storing formula and breastmilk, using equipment safely, and implementing feeding practices that protect infants’ health. We are committed to working closely with parents to ensure we meet each child’s specific needs, including transitioning from breastfeeding to bottle feeding if necessary. Educators are trained to follow these procedures, maintaining the highest standards of care to support the wellbeing of the infants in our nursery.
1. Hygiene and Cleanliness
– Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before handling bottles, formula, breastmilk, or food.
– Clean and sanitize all feeding equipment, including bottles, teats (nipples), lids, and cups after each use. Bottles and teets need to be provided by parents. Please label bottles with sharpee pens with child’s initials.
– Keep feeding areas clean, using disposable paper towels for drying equipment and surfaces.
2. Preparation and Storage of Formula
– Age Restriction: Formula bottles will only be made for children aged 1 year and under. Children over 1 year old will be given full-fat cow’s milk in a Tommee Tippee cup. An allergen alternative will be provided if required.
– Water Temperature: Use freshly boiled water that has cooled to 70°C (158°F) to mix powdered formula if not using a prep machine. This temperature is crucial to kill any harmful bacteria, such as E. coli, that may be present in the powder.
– Accurate Measurements: Water must be in the bottle first measuring to the correct ounces requirements. When adding formula powder to the bottle, ensure the scoop is levelled off before placing it into the bottle to guarantee the correct amount of formula is used.
– Measure the water and add the appropriate amount of formula powder immediately after the water has cooled to 70°C.
– Cool the prepared formula quickly by placing the bottle under running cold water or in a container filled with cold water to the appropriate feeding temperature.
– Labelling: Write the date of opening on the formula tub. Once opened, use the formula powder within 4 weeks.
– Discard any formula that is left at room temperature for more than 1 hour or has been partially consumed.
– Label bottles with the child’s name, the date, and the time the formula was prepared.
3. Using the Tommee Tippee Bottle Prep Machine
– Set-Up: Ensure the Tommee Tippee Bottle Prep Machine is clean and filled with freshly boiled, cooled water. Always use the appropriate water filter designed for the machine.
– Preparing a Bottle:
1. Place a clean, empty bottle under the dispenser.
2. Add the correct amount of formula powder to the bottle.
3. Select the required feed size on the machine (typically in ounces).
4. Press the start button. The machine will dispense a small amount of hot water (at approximately 70°C) into the bottle to kill any bacteria in the formula powder.
5. Shake the bottle to mix the formula with the hot water.
6. The machine will then add the remaining amount of water at a cooler temperature to bring the formula to the perfect feeding temperature.
– After Use: Wipe down the machine and clean any spills. Regularly clean and descale the machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
– Important Notes:
– Always use a filter designed specifically for the Tommee Tippee Bottle Prep Machine.
– Replace the water filter as recommended by the manufacturer to ensure water safety.
– Do not use the machine if the “clean” light is on. Clean the machine thoroughly before the next use.
4. Handling Breastmilk
– Breastmilk must be brought to the nursery in correctly measured, sealed packets, with each packet clearly labelled with the date it was pumped and initials of the child.
– Store breastmilk in a refrigerator at 4°C (39°F) for up to 4 days, or in a freezer at -18°C (0°F) for up to 6 months.
– Thaw frozen breastmilk in the refrigerator overnight or by placing it in a container of warm water. Never use a microwave to thaw breastmilk.
– Shake the thawed breastmilk gently to mix any separated fat. Do not vigorously stir or shake, as this can break down its beneficial components.
– Discard any breastmilk that has been at room temperature for more than 2 hours or that has been partially consumed.
5. Feeding Practices
– Age-Appropriate Milk:
– Children aged 1 year and under will be given formula or breastmilk.
– Children over 1 year will be given full-fat cow’s milk in a Tommee Tippee cup or allergen substitute if required. This needs to be introduced at home by the parents first.
– Water: Children under 6 months will not be given water. Boiled, cooled water will only be offered with meals for children over 6 months outside of their formula bottles. No unboiled tap water will be used for any child under 1 year, including in food preparation, ice lollies, ice, etc.
– Always hold the baby during feeding to foster bonding and ensure proper feeding technique. Babies are never to be left with a bottle of milk by themselves or in a lying flat position.
– Warm bottles of formula or breastmilk by placing them in a bottle warmer. Never use a microwave to warm bottles, as it can cause hot spots and uneven heating.
– Check the temperature of the milk by dripping a small amount on the inside of your wrist; it should be warm, not hot.
– Feed according to the baby’s cues (hunger signs) rather than on a strict schedule. If a child refuses a bottle, do not keep feeding the child with the bottle.
– Do not force the baby to finish the bottle. Respect their signs of fullness.
6. Winding (Burping) the Baby
– When to Burp: Wind the baby during and after feeding to help release any air swallowed while feeding.
– How to Burp:
– Over-the-Shoulder: Hold the baby upright with their head resting on your shoulder. Support their head and gently pat or rub their back in circular motions until they burp.
– Sitting Up: Sit the baby on your lap, supporting their chest and chin with one hand while gently patting their back with the other.
– Face-Down on Lap: Place the baby face-down on your lap, ensuring their head is higher than their chest. Gently rub or pat their back.
– After Burping: Keep the baby upright for about 10-15 minutes after feeding to help prevent spit-up and allow them to digest the milk more easily.
7. Checking Bottles and Teats for Wear and Tear
– Regular Inspections: Check bottles and teats regularly for signs of wear and tear, such as cracks, splits, thinning, or discoloration. Damaged equipment can pose choking hazards and harbor bacteria.
– Teat Size: Use the appropriate teat size based on the baby’s age and feeding needs. Teats are usually numbered or labelled by flow rate (slow, medium, fast). Check with parents to confirm the correct teat size for their child.
– Replacement: Replace teats at the first sign of damage or every 2-3 months, even if no wear is visible, to maintain hygiene and functionality.
– Sterilization: Sterilize bottles, teats, and all feeding equipment after every use to reduce the risk of infection.
8. Communication with Parents
– Advance Preparation: Contact parents of babies one month before starting to ensure that the correct baby formula is ordered for their child. If the child is exclusively breastfed, encourage parents to start familiarizing their baby with bottle feeding to ease the transition when they start care.
– Communicate daily with parents about their baby’s feeding schedule, amounts consumed, winding process, any issues with bottles/teats, and any changes observed in feeding habits.
– Respect parents’ preferences for feeding (breastmilk or formula) and follow their instructions as closely as possible.
– Provide a quiet, comfortable space for breastfeeding mothers if they wish to nurse their babies on-site.
9. Leftover Milk
– Discard any remaining breastmilk or formula left in the bottle after feeding. Do not save it for later use due to the risk of bacterial contamination.
10. Training for Educators
– All staff should be trained on proper formula and breastmilk handling, preparation, storage, feeding techniques, winding practices, use of the Tommee Tippee Bottle Prep Machine, and how to check bottles and teats for wear and tear.
– Stay updated with the latest guidelines from health authorities (e.g., WHO, NHS) regarding infant feeding practices.
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