We ensure that on accepting a place with us at Footprints, our parents and carers have access to our policies to ensure they understand the way we operate on a day to day basis. We also take our parents and carers points of view into consideration when regularly reviewing our policies.
Below you will find a few of our key policies - please click on the arrow to expand the box-
Administering Medicines Policy
Rationale
We are committed to ensuring that children with short or long-term medical conditions receive the care and medication needed for them to participate in the setting if they are well enough to attend. In order to achieve this, we are willing to administer medication provided we have the medical or technical knowledge to do so and have written parental permission.
Procedure
Children taking medication must be well enough to attend the nursery.
Children’s paracetamol (Calpol) is administered only with parental consent to children with high temperatures and for teething at parent’s request (consent given in enrolment form). We will not administer Calpol more than once in a day, if your child’s temperature continues to be high then we will ask for you to collect them.
Only prescribed medication is administered. It must be in date and prescribed for the current condition. It must be in the original bottle/packaging and not decanted.
Children’s prescribed medicines are stored in their original containers are clearly labelled and inaccessible to the children
Parents/carers give written permission for the administration of medication. The staff receiving the medication must ask the parent/carers to sign the consent form stating the following information: Full name of child. Name of medication, storage and expiry date. Dosage to be given in the setting and times to be given. Signature, printed name of parent/carer and the date.
The first dose of each medicine should always be given at home with sufficient time to observe the child’s responses to the medicine before the child is brought to my setting.
Long term or on going medical conditions
If a child has a long term medical condition or allergy, an individual Health Care plan will be written up with the family and the manager, detailing what needs to happen when there is a medical need.
For some conditions medications may be kept at the setting. Key persons/buddies check that medication held is administered on an as and when required basis, or on a regular basis, and is in date and return out of date medication back to the parent/carer.
For some medical conditions staff will have training in a basic understanding of the condition as well as how the medication is to be administered correctly, this will be written on the child’s care plan and shared with staff.
Childcare manager Signature: Rhiannon Hale
Date written and signed: December 2025
Policy to be reviewed on: December 2026
Complaints Procedure
Rationale
We are committed to work in close partnership with parents/carers in order to meet the needs of children and families and offer the highest quality education and care for all children. We believe children and parents/carers are entitled to expect courtesy and prompt, careful attention to their needs and wishes. We must follow the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Bill (DPB). By maintaining good communication with parents/carers we hope that parents/carers will bring to our attention any aspect of the service they are unhappy with in order for the matter to be resolved quickly.
Procedure
If ever you are unhappy about any aspect of our childcare setting please talk to us about your concerns, we will listen and investigate the issue as soon as possible. If you would rather discuss a concern out of hearing of your child, an arrangement can be made to discuss this either by telephone or in person at a more convenient time. A response should be received within one working day indicating what immediate action may have been taken to resolve the issue. If this is not possible due to operational circumstances, an acknowledgement, registering your concern/complaint will be given within one working day, followed by a full response within 3 working days.
If the nature of your complaint is in breach of one or more of the statutory requirements of registration and we have been unable to resolve your concerns by discussion, you will need to put your complaint in writing. We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days. When the complaint has been investigated Rhiannon or Pete will notify you of the outcome within 28 days of receiving the complaint. We will keep a written record of the nature of the complaint. Records of complaints will be kept for 3 years or between inspections whichever is the longest. We must also make these records available to Ofsted upon request.
If you are not happy with the outcome of the investigation or response from the Management, then you have the right to raise the matter with Ofsted.
The contact details for Ofsted are:
General Helpline number 0300 123 1231, complaints 0300 123 4666 or in writing to the Applications, Regulatory and Contact (ARC) Team, Ofsted, Piccadilly Gate, Store Street, Manchester M1 2WD or through their website: https://contact.ofsted.gov.uk/onlinecomplaints
Childcare manager Signature: Rhiannon Hale
Date written and signed: February 2025
Policy to be reviewed on: February 2026
Illness and sickness Policy
Rationale
The health and well-being of all the children, staff and parents/carers who attend Footprints is of paramount importance to us. In order for us all to provide a clean and healthy environment it is important for us all to follow procedures.
The health and wellbeing of the children, team and visitors to Footprints is of utmost importance. We follow the guidance given to us by Public Health England (PHE), in Guidance on Infection Control in Schools and other Child Care Settings.
Procedure
If your child becomes unwell during the nursery day, parent(s) will be contacted and a discussion will be had about what needs to happen next and whether the child needs to go home or if they are well enough to stay in nursery.
Calpol
If your child has a temperature but is not showing other signs of illness then a phone call home will be made to get permission to give calpol. If the child's temperature continues to rise or the child is not themselves after 30 or so minutes then a call is made asking the parents/carers to pick them up.
Vomiting and/or Diarrhoea
Should a child present vomiting (one case) or diarrhoea (three cases during their session) during the day at nursery, parents will be contacted and requested to collect him/her as soon as possible. The child should not return to nursery for 48 hours after the last episode of diarrhoea and/or vomiting, providing that they are back to full health (and their stools have returned to normal without the aid of medication to control the situation).
We recognise that children who are teething, or weaning, frequently have loose stools and in that context we would not expect parents to collect their child.
Infections
If a child has ongoing discharge from their ears, nose or eyes, parents/carers might be advised to seek medical advice.
Conjunctivitis
To prevent the spread of conjunctivitis, if we believe your child may have symptoms relating to the virus, we will inform parents/carers promptly and advise that the child is collected as soon as possible. We will advise that the child is seen by a pharmacist for advice on what treatment is required. Once your child has been treated and the conjunctivitis appears controlled, providing the child is happy they may return to nursery. Conjunctivitis is very contagious so we ask that you bathe your child's eyes before bringing them into nursery.
Rash
Parents/carers will be contacted if your child develops an unexplained rash while at nursery and might be requested to seek medical advice if there is a concern.
Antibiotics
If antibiotics have been prescribed, we ask that your child has had the first dose at home to ensure they do not have an allergic reaction to it.
Hand, Foot and Mouth
Hand, Foot and Mouth is very contagious, we ask that your child doesn’t return to nursery until they are feeling better and the spots have stopped weeping.
Other illness’
Below are the time frames children should be absent from the setting if they have an infectious illness:
Covid- Check current government guidelines
Chickenpox- until all vesicles have crusted over
Scarlet Fever- 24 hours after you take the 1st dose of antibiotics
Measles- 4 days from onset of rash
Mumps- 7 days and when swelling has gone down
German Measles- 4 days from onset of rash
Dysentery- until recovered
Scabies- until treatment is underway
Lice- until treated
Ringworm- until treatment is started and skin has healed
Impetigo- until lesions are crusted and healed, or 48 hours after antibiotics started
Whooping cough- 21 days from onset of cough
Infective jaundice- minimum 7 days following the appearance of jaundice
Childcare manager Signature: Rhiannon Hale
Date written and signed: November 2025
Policy to be reviewed on: November 2026
