Activities in a Childcare at Home Setting

IDENTIFY THE CORRECT DOCUMENT REQUIRED FOR CHILDCARE IN A HOME SETTING

The correct document for setting up a Child Minding Business, which will receive approval from OFSTED, (an Independent Regulatory Body) for schools includes;

1) Child Record Form : This form must contain the Child’s Name, Date of Birth, the parent/carers’ Address and contact details, the Doctor’s name and address, details of two emergency contacts, Medical history, Immunisations (DTP, Whooping Cough, MMR, Hib, Chickenpox), any allergies, Dietary, Medical conditions, Religion (if any). This Record Form provides important information about the child being cared for and will be the first form to be accesses in case of emergency.

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2) Child Information Record Form: This book is to write down in information required by OFSTED. The document contains daily reports about the child being cared for. This includes: food eaten, Nappies changed (if necessary) or anything that happens to the child during the day. This Information book can be A4 or A5 binding exercise book. It must be taken home every day or weekly by the parent so that they will be aware of what their child is learning or doing in the Care setting. This book also enables the parent and the Child Care Provider to communicate every day on matters that are not urgent.

3) Child Care Agreement Form: This form contains the contract agreement between the Parent and the Care Provide. The agreement form contain necessary information such as child’s contact details, parent/guardian information, starting date, Days and hours the child will attend the Care Setting, collection time, payment and fees paid to the Care Provider. This form can be purchased through the National Association of Child Minders (NCMA). This association can also provide Legal issues if there is any. The form contains what the parent is agreeing on.

4) Accident Record and Incident Form: This form provides full report of any accident that have occurred, where it happened, name of any person present at the time and the type assistance or First Aid given to the child (if any). Also, the form must include date, name and signature of the person who filled the form. There is also a section in the form that the Parent of the Child must sign to confirm that they are aware of the accident. A duplicate copy should be made in case the parent needs a copy. The Incident form is to write down what may happen after the accident. Like depression or upsetting the child.

5) Existing Injuries Form: This form is to document what happened before the chid started the Child Care setting. Any mark or injury found on the child, must be written down on this form before the parent drop the child. The parent and the Care provider must sign the form that they are aware of the injury. The form must be dated.

6) Fire Safety Form: In case of fire outbreak in a Child Care Home, this form is needed to write down details of how the children are evacuated. The children must be given training or fire drilling from time to time. Dates and numbers of children that participate in this drilling must be documented in this form. All this activities must be dated and signed. Local Fire Service can also carry out free safety checks.

7) Vehicle Records and Parent Permission for a Child to Travel in a Vehicle: This form is used to record information about the vehicle being used to transport children to trips in the Care setting. The vehicle must be registered for the purpose of driving the children around and must be insured. Parents must give consent before the children can travel in the vehicle. This trip can be organised regularly to a park, playgroup or a planned group outing.

8) Prescription and Non-Prescription Medical Record Form: This is a medical form that is needed to be filled, when drugs is giving to a child in a Home care setting. The form must include Name of drug, dose and how often the drug should be given to the child. The parent of the child must give permission on how the drug should be given, and must be recorded on the form. Non-prescription drugs like Paracetamol or antihistamine must also be given with the parent’s permission.

9) Outing and Consent Form ; These forms are in two types, One for writing small Trips and the 2^nd for arranged large trips. The form contains what types of trip, type of transport, by foot, by the Carer’s Car, or the Child Carer’s Car. A consent letter must be written and signed by the parent before the trip and filed in the child’s file. Another form may also be needed for big outings, or financial contribution.

10) Financial Forms – This contains Record of Payment of Fees, Invoice and Receipt . There are 3 types of financial forms for recording fees paid into Home Care Setting. The form is use for payment of fees and record fees paid by the parent, it must be signed by both parent and the Care Provider. A tear-off-slip can be used as a receipt to the parent. This receipt is necessary in case of disputes or when purchasing educational products from the Child Care Provider. Also, the original Invoice is necessary. It contains the Child Carer Provider’s Name and Address, Invoice Number, Date, Description of goods being Invoiced for and total amount paid.

11) Record of Complaint: This form contains who made a complain, the nature of complain, incident date, full details of complain, how it was dealt with and action taken. The form should be signed and dated by the Child provider. This is necessary in-case of future reference or required by OFSTED, especially if the allegation is serious or is an abuse. 

DESCRIBE THE RANGE OF ACTIVITIES THAT CAN BE USED TO STIMULATE A CHILD’S DEVELOPMENT. 

(REFERENCE MADE TO PHYSICAL, INTELLECTUAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR BOTH BABIES

(0-12months) AND CHILDREN (1-5years)

The following are skills that can aid a child’s development;

GROSS MOTOR SKILLS: This term mean a whole range of physical movements made by a Child or Baby like Crawling, Rolling, Walking and Skipping. Play is very essential for a child’s development.

Throwing or catching a ball, Riding a Bicycle and Hopscotch helps for develop a child’s growt.

FINE MOTOR SKILLS: This skill involves the control of muscle movements like, Fastening Clothing, writing, drawing, using a knife/ Fork and using Scissors. It makes a child to use all their movements to do all this activities in the Child Care setting. Multi-sensory Toys are also part of this skill to develop baby’s sense. These Toys can be used by baby’s from 9 months, when they can be able to pick up and grasp an object. Some Toys can be squeezed to make noise, some soft fruits like

Banana or sticks of soft Bread can be given to the child to eat. They are good for baby’s hand and Eye co-ordination.

From 12 months old, a baby loves dropping toys from their Cot. Babies like bright colours and the noises of dropping toys into a sorter. By this, Fine Motor Skills are developed.

From 24 months, this Fine Motor Skills activities changes, a dressing up box is now needed in the Home Care, were colourful dresses, buttons and zips are stored. This is because, dressing and undressing are favourite pastime for many baby’s and the dressing up box encourages them to Be creative. Also, Painting, drawing and colouring are good ways of developing children skills, especially colouring books. Water is also a good way of fine motor skill, with children playing with water in warm weather outside the Care Setting.

INTELLECTUAL DEVELOPMENT: Babies – There are many Multi-Sensory baby books which are good for the development of a child’s knowledge. These books have pictures, and are made of Mirrors, Crinkly fabric and Sandpaper’s attached to them. Babies like to touch them when reading Stories. Also, Music, Singing and Colourful, Noisy Toys are good for a child’s development.

TODDLERS: Toddler’s loves Card games like Flash Cards, Board games like Dominoes, ‘Connect 4’ Which are popular games that are good for numeracy skills. They also have enquiring mind which makes them ask questions about their surroundings and what they learn daily in the Care setting.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: Play is a good way in developing social skills on children in a safe environment. Children can act different type of rolls like, a Post Office, were children talk to customers and staff behind the counter. Or Hospital setting, were they act as Doctors and patients. All these rolls have different cloths that the children can put on, and can be stored after used.

WRITE A DRAFT FOOD HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY THAT CAN BE USED IN HOME CHILD CARE SETTING, AND EXPLANATION OF GOVERNMENT STANDARDS 6 AND 7 SHOULD BE INCLUDED.

In a Home setting, Government have 14 standards that a Child Provider requires. Two of this are Safety and Health.

SAFETY: Every registered Home Care setting must make safety inside and outside a very important part of the setting. This is to prevent accident in the home.

Government Standard 6 Policy must be considered by the Care Provider to promote Safety outside, Safety in the Home environment and to prevent accidents. This safety standard includes, safety and security outside and indoors, Gardens, Out building, Kitchen, Gas/Electricity, Fire safety, outings and transport. Also, the Care Provider should make sure that Plugs are blocked with plastic safety plugs, child Car seats are fitted properly, all straps are fitted, Stairs must have gates if required, and Toys must be clean and checked regularly.

HEALTH: In a Home Setting, healthy environment is necessary to prevent the spread of infection and in-case a child is ill, necessary measures must be taken. Government standard 7 Policy is concerned with health and hygiene of children in and outside a Care setting. This standard deals with Hygiene, Sandpits, Animals, Medicine, Handling of food, Sick children, First Aid and Smoking. Children can contract infectious bacteria from Sandpits, Animals and Sick children in the Care setting, and this can be dangerous for them. Therefore, it is important to remove any person, structure or animal that is contaminated by bacteria, in-order not to cause harm to a child or adult working in the Care Setting. It is also important that strict food hygiene in the Care setting is necessary to prevent contamination.

CONSTUCT A TRAVEL PLAN WHICH DISCUSES THE VARIOUS FACTORS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN CARRING OUT A VISIT AWAY FROM THE CHILD CARE SETTING

Plans to take into consideration when taking children to trips to new destinations includes;

WALKING:

• The Child Care must have a suitable Pushchairs, Reigns, Reflective Tabards to know how many children are walking with them.

• All the children must be taught Road Safety, that is, how to cross the Road.
• Adults must accompany the children walking for this planned trip.
• Emergency equipment like, Contact details, Mobile Phone, First Aid Kit or any Medication a child may need for the trip.

BY TRANSPORT:

• Permission must be taken from the parent before travelling on public transport.
• The type of transport used must be known by the parent.
• In-case the children are travelling by Bus or Train, make sure that they wait safely at the Bus stop or at the Train Station before the Transport arrive.

-Number of children travelling by public transport and those travelling by car or a staffs registered Car must be known.

• Children travelling during rush hour must be old enough to stand.

TRAVELLING BY CAR:

• The Car being used must be insured for business purpose.
• Written permission from parent must be taken.
• The Car must have enough sit.
• The Car must have enough fuel in the tank.
• The Car must have a First Aid Kit and necessary medicines.
• All the children travelling must be safe to travel with sit belt.
• The Care Provider must have a Breakdown Insurance Cover and
• Mobile Phone to use in-case of emergency.

It is important to carry out a Risk Assessment when going on a trip for the first time. The Risk Assessment form contains anything that is dangerous to a child’s health, safety or in-case of any danger they may encounter on the trip. The trip can be postponed or avoided, depending on the result of this Risk Assessment.