Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, all snacks and drinks are provided free of charge.

Meals are available at additional charge, including breakfast, lunch and tea. Please refer to the additional charges section on the Contracts, Rates, Fees and Charges page

The exception to this is for childcare being provided as part of the funded model, in such cases one meal can be provided free of charge as part of the placement.

Most parents choose to send their child with a packed lunch. I ask that packed lunches are to be suitable to be eaten as they are provided, and do not require cooking/reheating or consistent refrigeration (an icepack can be provided). This is to ensure the children are able to eat their lunches while on an outing.

If you have any other questions about snacks and meals, please feel free to ask.

Yes, I believe it is essential to provide children with positive healthy eating experiences in order to promote their wellbeing. Setting them up with a solid foundation of healthy eating and a positive relationship with food which will hopefully last them into adulthood and beyond. I respect the different dietary, cultural and health needs of all the children.

I will encourage your child to choose healthy options and to experiment with foods which they may not have tried before. The children will be given the opportunity to help prepare their foods, taking into consideration their age and stage of development.

Fresh water or milk is available to the children throughout the day. I do not provide fizzy drinks to children in my care, or allow sweets on a regular basis. For special occasions an alternative menu of foods and drinks may be provided, but your permission will be sought prior to this. If you would prefer your child not to have these foods or drinks, I am more than happy to follow your wishes. We can work together to decide on suitable foods for special occasions.

I will let you know what your child has eaten and approximate amounts at the end of the day. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s diet, please do not hesitate to discuss it with me.

My meal and snack options are based on the documents “Setting the Table”, "The Eatwell Guide" and “Food Matters”.

Should your child have any specific dietary need or allergy, please let me know.

Yes, we will go on outings regularly. These will mostly be in the local area, but may also involve larger outings to locations such as the beach or zoo.

When taking children on outings it is essential that proper planning is done to ensure the safety and welfare of all children involved. You will be informed of any trips in advance, giving time for proper planning and risk assessments to take place. I will ask for written permission for each child.

I will endeavour to organise outings to fit in with the needs and interests of the children and ensure that I have the necessary equipment and resources to keep them safe.

Yes, I will protect the children in my care from exposure to smoke to the best of my ability through the following rules:

• I have a strict no smoking policy for my home, any vehicle which I will use and my outside play area.
• I will ensure smoking will not take place under any circumstance in my home, vehicle or outside play area whilst children are in my care or about to be in my care.
• Children will not be taken to any private dwelling where smoking is permitted.
• When in a public open space where smoking is allowed I will always keep the children in my care as far as reasonably practical away from persons smoking.
• If children are expected to use a space where smoking has taken place, I will make sure the room is well ventilated before the children are due to arrive.

Children like routine and they will know when to expect you, even if they cannot tell the time. I understand that sometimes delays in collecting your child are unavoidable due to unforeseen circumstances. If you are going to be late please let me know as soon as possible.

In the event a child is not collected at the appointed time I will:

• Offer reassurance to your child.
• Attempt to contact you through the details held on file.
• If I cannot make contact with you I will then contact the emergency contact person/s listed on file.
• If all attempts to contact the persons identified above fail, I have not had prior notice that you may be late, and you are more than an hour late, I will contact Social Care and escalate the situation through their procedures.
• I will never release your child from my care to someone who is not authorised to collect your child.

You may be liable for additional charges for the extra time your child was in my care.

In the event of severe bad weather (e.g. heavy snow) which necessitates my setting having to close, I will inform you as soon as practically possible. As we are located so close to Mauriceood Primary School, and are served by the same access roads, I will generally I align my closures with school closures, therefore if Midlothian Council or Mauricewood school annouce closure, I will also.

If the weather is severe, but it is not deemed necessary to close, I will remain open. In this case it remains your decision whether or not to bring your child to my service. If you cannot bring your child to us for their session, please inform me as soon as possible. Please note however, you will be liable for fees if you decide not to have your child attend when the setting is otherwise open.

In the situaition where your child is at my setting and the weather is worsening, I will contact you to keep you apprised of the situation. If I decide I need to close, I will ask you to come and collect your child as soon as possible.

If you are delayed by severe bad weather, please inform me as soon as possible and keep me updated about your journey. Your child will be kept safe and reassured during this time.

I will aim to always inform you of local severe weather conditions to aid you in deciding on attendance, travel times and potential risks.

Yes, I am willing to administer medication to a child if there is a health reason to do so and when in line with the following rules:

• The first dose of any medications must be given at home by the parents/carers to ensure that the child does not have an adverse reaction to the medication. This would not include emergency medication such as an adrenaline pen where the risk of not giving it could outweigh any adverse reaction.
• Medication must been provided in its original packaging with the patient information leaflet included. This includes over-the-counter medication such as pain and fever relief or teething gel.
• Medicines containing aspirin will not be administered unless a doctor has prescribed that medicine for your child.
• I will require a Medication Record form to be completed when first requesting any medication be given.
• I will need the Medication Administration Record to be signed and dated when a child is collected at the end of the day.
• I require parents and/or carers to let me know the date and time that a child was last administered a medication/treatment, this information will be recorded and you will be asked to sign confirming the details. This is to avoid overdosing.

If a child is trusted to carry and administer their own medication by the parent/carer, then I will respect and support that choice, but please discuss this with me first.

Yes, our family includes a very friendly black cat called Suki and a number of tropical fish.

If a child expresses an interest in interacting with the animals, permission will be sought from their parent/carer and proper handwashing procedures will be followed.

Yes.

Children will have their nappies changed according to their individual needs and requirements. Information will be shared between myself and parents about nappy changing, and toilet training will be done in a way that suits the parents.

• If reusable nappies are to be used please discuss this with me.
• All children will be changed as and when needed.
• A child will never be left unattended during a nappy change.
• Only nappy creams provided by you for your child will be used. Please provide creams/ointments in the original packaging with your child's name on. If prescribed, a medication form is to be completed.
• I will record when a child is sore and cream has been applied.

If a child shows signs of being ready to toilet train, or you would like to start to toilet train your child, please let me know and we can discuss the process you would like to follow. Ensuring a consistent approach at home and when at my setting.

Mobile phones and cameras are an important part of everyday life and provide a powerful tool for communication with parents/carers about their child. Many more children are also carrying mobile devices of their own, and from a much younger age.

As positive and powerful as these devices are, we must acknowledge that there is scope for potential misuse, therefore the following rules will be enforced:

• Photographs may be taken to record activities and share your child's progress with you directly or through your child's learning file.
• No photographs will be published on any social networking sites or shared with any other person without permission.
• Permission will be sought from parents before any photos are taken of their child.
• Parents, carers, visitors and children are not to use a mobile device or camera whilst in my setting.

Older children with personal mobile phones are asked to keep them in their bags away from the other children. Please discuss with me if your child wishes to bring a mobile phone or camera to my setting.

I will not permit any form of bullying in my home.

If I have any concerns that a child in my care is being bullied or is bullying, I will discuss the matter with you immediately. I will work with you to support your child to resolve the problem.

If your child is being bullied:

• I will reassure them that the bullying is not their fault
• Tell them that I care about them and am 100% on their side
• I will help them to feel valued by giving them lots of praise, encouragement and responsibilities
• If appropriate, I will work with you to help the child to develop techniques to deal with the bully, such as assertiveness, walking away etc.

If your child is the bully:

• I will reassure your child that I still care about them, that it is only their behaviour I don't like, and I will work with them to help change this
• I will discuss the matter with you, not in front of your child, to see if there are any problems that may have triggered the bullying
• We may work together with your child to find ways to make amends for their actions
• We may develop a reward structure for good behaviour

If you have any concerns regarding your child please discuss them with me as soon as possible. It is much better to deal with these problems before they become major issues.

Should you have any complaints about my service, please approach myself in the first instance. You can talk to me face to face, or I can give you a Complaints Form to complete if you feel more comfortable putting your complaint in writing. Any complaints will be fully investigated within the 28 day period.

To deal with any complaints you may have about my service, we will arrange a suitable time when we can discuss the issue without any distraction. I will complete a written Record of Complaint which will be signed by those involved. This will remain confidential unless an inspector asks to see it.

The Record of Complaint will record the following:-

1. Name of person making the complaint
2. Nature of the complaint
3. Date and time of the complaint
4. Action taken in response to the complaint
5. The outcome of the complaint investigation (for example, ways the service has improved)
6. Details of the information and findings that were given to the person making the complaint, including any action taken

I will keep a summary of the complaint to provide on request to the Care Inspectorate, or the parent/carer of a child for whom I act as a childminder. This summary will not include the name of the person who made the complaint. Records will be kept for 3 years.

Should you wish to contact the Care Inspectorate directly you can find more information their complaints web page, or contact them at any time by:
Email: concerns@careinspectorate.gov.scot
Online: Online complaints form
Telephone: 0345 600 9527

I work for 46 weeks of the year, usually taking my time off during the school holidays. Outside of my 6 weeks holiday I am able to provide holiday childcare. Childcare spaces are allocated to existing contract holders first, with any remaining spaces open to those requiring only holiday care.

I do realise that the holidays can be a trying time for finding childcare, and will accommodate where I can while still meeting the needs of my own children and my childcare contracts. If you would like holiday childcare cover please get in touch and discuss your needs with me, we may be able to come to an arrangement that suits all concerned.

Yes.

However, please be aware if you are using a funded childcare place as part of the Midlothian Council scheme these days will not be covered by funding and you will have to cover the cost directly.

If your child usually attends for wrap-around care and you need full time care for these days, please get in touch. I cannot guarantee places for all children on these days but may be able to provide cover or suggest alternative childcare arrangements.