08     Staff, volunteers and students policy

Alongside associated procedures in 08.1-08.3 Staff, volunteers and students, this policy was adopted by  Woodlands Preschool on 14/09/2023.

Aim

Staff are deployed to meet the care and learning needs of children and ensure their safety and well-being. There are effective systems in place to ensure that adults looking after children are suitable to do so.

Objectives

• All staff and volunteers who work more than occasionally with the children have enhanced DBS disclosure checks.
• All staff and volunteers working with children have appropriate training, skills, and knowledge.
• All staff, students and volunteers are deployed in accordance with the procedures.
• There is a complaints procedure and staff, and volunteers know how to complain and who they complain to.
• Ofsted are notified of staff changes or changes to the setting’s name or address.
• Parents are involved with their children’s learning and their views are considered.

Legal references

Protection of Children Act 1999

Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006

Childcare Act 2006

Further guidance

Recruiting Early Years Staff (Alliance 2016)

People Management in the Early Years (Alliance 2016)

08     Staff, volunteers and students procedures

08.1 Staff deployment

Members of staff are deployed to meet the care and learning needs of children and to ensure their safety and well-being at all times.

• Two members of staff are on the premises before children are admitted in the morning and the end of the day; one of which should be the manager or deputy.
• Only those staff aged 17 or over are included in ratios. Staff working as apprentices (aged 16 or over) may be included in the ratios if the setting manager is satisfied that they are competent and responsible.
• At least one Paediatric First Aider must be on site at all times when children are present

• The setting manager deploys staff to give adequate supervision of indoor and outdoor areas, ensuring that children are usually within sight and hearing of staff and always within sight or hearing of staff at all times.
• All staff are deployed according to the needs of the setting and the children attending.
• In open plan provision, staff are positioned in areas of the room and outdoors to supervise children and to support their learning.
• Staff are responsible for ensuring that equipment in their area is used appropriately and that the area is tidy at the end of the session.
• Staff plan their focus on activities
• Staff inform colleagues if they have to leave the room for any reason.
• There are generally two members of staff outside in the garden when it is being used, one of whom supervises climbing equipment that has been put out.
• The setting manager may direct other members of staff to join those outside, if the numbers of children warrant additional staff.
• Staff focus their attention on the children at all times whilst having a wider awareness of what is happening around them.
• Staff do not spend working time in social conversation with colleagues.
• Staff allow time for colleagues to engage in ‘sustained shared interaction’ with children and do not interrupt activities led by colleagues.
• Sufficient staff are available at story times to engage children.
• Key persons spend time with key groups daily; these times are not for focussed activities but for promoting shared times and friendship.

Staff children

• Where members of staff have their own children with them at the setting, the age of the child must fall within the stipulated ages of the setting’s Ofsted registration.
• Where members of staff are likely to be working directly with their own children, this is subject to discussion before commencement with the setting manager.
• Where it is agreed that a member of staff’s child attends the setting, it is subject to the following:

• the child is treated by the parent and all staff as any other child would be
• the child will not be in the parent’s key group of children
• the key person and parent will work towards helping the child to make a comfortable separation from the parent to allow the parent to fully undertake their role as a staff member of the setting
• the key person will take responsibility for the child’s needs throughout the day, unless the child is sick or severely distressed
• time and space are made for the parent to breastfeed during the day, if that is their chosen method of feeding
• the situation is reviewed as required, to ensure that the needs of the child are being met, and that the parent is able to fulfil his/her role as a member of staff

If it is the setting manager’s child, then their line manager ensures the criteria above is met. 

08     Staff, volunteers and students procedures

08.2  Deployment of volunteers and parent helpers

Volunteers and parent helpers are always under the supervision of a permanent member of staff. They are not included in staff ratios, or as the two members of staff needed on the premises before children are admitted in the morning or at the end of the day/session.

• The setting manager ensures that volunteers and parent helpers are deployed to assist permanent staff.
• Volunteers and parent helpers assist staff in ensuring that the equipment in their designated area is used appropriately and that it is left tidy at the end of the session.
• Volunteers and parent helpers give additional support for busy areas or to track or observe children.
• Volunteers and parent helpers inform colleagues where they are going if they leave the room at any time.
• Volunteers and parent helpers do not have unsupervised access to children; they do not take them into a separate room for an activity or toileting and do not take them off premises.
• Volunteers and parent helpers are deployed in addition to two members of staff in the garden/outdoor area when in use.
• The setting manager can direct volunteers and parent helpers to join those outside if the numbers of children warrant additional numbers of staff available.
• Volunteers and parent helpers focus their attention to children at all times.
• Volunteers and parent helpers do not spend time in social conversation with colleagues while they are with children.
• Volunteers and parent helpers allow time for colleagues to engage in ‘sustained shared interaction’ with children and do not interrupt activities led by colleagues.
• Sufficient volunteers and parent helpers are available to support staff at story times.

08     Staff, volunteers and students procedures

08.3 Student placement

Qualifications and training make an important contribution to the quality of care and education. As part of our commitment, we may offer placements to students undertaking relevant qualifications/training. We aim to provide students experiences that will contribute to the successful completion of their studies and provide examples of quality practice in early years care and education.

• The setting manager ensures that students meet the ‘suitable person’ requirements.
• The setting manager discusses the aim of the placement with the student’s tutor prior to the placement commencing. The expectations of both parties are agreed at this point.
• The good character of students under 17 years old is vouched for by the establishment that places them, the setting manager must be satisfied that all relevant checks have been made.
• Students do not have unsupervised access to children.
• Students and apprentices who are undertaking L3 or above may be counted in ratios if the setting manager is convinced that they are suitably experienced.
• Employed trainee staff over the age of 17 may be included in staffing ratios if deemed competent.
• Staff working as apprentices (aged 16 or over) may be included in staffing ratios if deemed competent.
• Public liability and employer’s liability insurance is in place that covers students and voluntary helpers.
• Students are aware of confidentiality.
• Student induction includes how the setting and sessions are managed, and policies and procedures, in particular safeguarding, confidentiality and health and safety.
• Appropriate members of staff co-operate with students’ tutors to assist them in fulfilling the requirements of their course of study.
• The setting communicates a positive message to students about the value of qualifications and training.
• The needs of the children and their families remain paramount at all times and students are only admitted in numbers that do not hinder the work of the setting.
• The setting manager ensures that students and trainees on placement are engaged in bona fide early years training, which provides the necessary background understanding of children’s development and activities.