Outings

Policy

SEASHELLS

NURSERY

Community Centre

Albert Road

Eyemouth

TD14 5DE

Tel. 018907 52082

Email: seashellsnursery@hotmail.co.uk

www.seashellsnursery.jimdo.com

LAST UPDATED / REVIEWED ON	SIGNATURE
18^th September 2017	Miriam Lindsay
21^st April 2020	Miriam Lindsay

This policy was adopted at a meeting of:

(Insert name of Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) Setting) ………………………….………………

On (date) ……………………….…..……………

Signed ………………………….……….. Designation ………………….…………………

Statement of Purpose

Seashells Nursery recognises the added value that outings bring to the curriculum and the child's learning and development. The local environment offers a wide variety of learning experiences for children through visits to venues such as shops, the beach, parks, netherbyres, Eyemouth Primary School, Eyemouth High School, libraries or care homes. Outings outwith the immediate vicinity of the setting to places such as theatres, museums or parks, offer experiential learning that can enhance the curriculum and respond to children's interests. Children should always have an opportunity to learn about the outing beforehand, discuss it afterwards and develop any learning and play ideas it has generated.

Throughout this guidance the term parents is used to include all main caregivers.

Equality of Opportunity

As an ELC setting we aim to be inclusive at all times. We will ensure that all children have the opportunity to access outings equally. Where a child has physical or learning difficulties we will ensure extra staff/helpers are allocated and that any additional supports required, such as a wheelchair, are made available to allow the child to participate.

Venues will be checked in advance to ensure that all children and staff have ease of access. Should a member of staff have a physical impairment which in some way restricts their movement, we will endeavour to ensure that supports are put in place which allow them to participate in outings as fully as possible.

A record of all outings will be kept on file with the date, venue and participants recorded to ensure equality of access to outings.

Risk Assessment

Staff must seek permission from management for all outings. Local venues which are visted regularly by staff and children will have written risk assessments drawn up and kept on file. These will be updated before each outing.

Occasional outings will have the route, venue and travel arrangements risk assessed by a member of staff in advance of the outing date. Staff planning the outing, in conjunction with management, will consider the risk assessment to ensure that the benefits to children of participating in the outing outweigh any identified risks. Strategies to minimise any risks will be be recorded on the risk assessment (see Appendix 1 – Risk Assessment Proforma). One copy of the risk assessment will be taken on the outing by staff and a second will remain in the setting. All adults accompanying the outing will be familiar with the risk assessment before setting out.

We acknowledge that daily life cannot be without risk, for example crossing roads, but that these hazards can be minimised by careful planning and alert adults. Being aware of risk and learning how to cope with it is a valuable life skill for children and part of the learning experience of an outing.

Prevention of Spread of Infection

In order to minimize the spread of infection, we will follow our Infection Control Policy.

Adult/child Ratios

Consideration will be given to the type of activity to be engaged in when calculating ratios and this will be included in the risk assessment.

Parents may sometimes be invited to participate in outings. They may have responsibility solely for their own child or may act as a general helper. They will be briefed carefully on which of these roles they are being asked to fulfull and what the expections are.

There should always be sufficient staff on outings to allow one to take a child to the toilet, or accompany a child to hospital if the need arises, while still leaving another member of staff in charge of the outing. Children will never be left solely in the care of an adult who is not their parent or a member of staff.

Groups should be allocated for larger outings, with designated adults in charge of each group. It is their responsibility to continually check that all children allocated to them are present. High Visibility vests will be worn by children displaying the name of the nursery and nursery telephone number and NOT the child's name.

Parental Permissions

When a parent enrols their child in the ELC setting, their permission will be sought to allow the child to go on outings of a local nature to places such as the local shops, parks or community centres. This signed permission will be kept with the child's registration form and will allow ease of movement to regular local venues and will apply only to journeys made on foot which do not require use of transport. Parents will be asked to fill out a separate permission form for all other outings as they arise.

The permission form will request the child's medical information, including any medication needed on the outing, and details of emergency contacts (see Appendix 2 – Parental Permission Form Profoma). It will give parents information regarding the date, venue, mode of travel, required clothing and any other specific requirements for the outing. A copy of the signed form will be taken on the outing by the responsible member of staff and another held in the ELC setting.

It is the parent's responsibility to ensure that all medical information and emergency contacts are kept up to date at all times.

Transport

Where vehicles are being used, checks will be made to ensure the road worthiness of the vehicle and that adequate insurance cover is held. Child restraints (seatbelts/adjusters/car seats/booster seats) will be checked to ensure that they are sufficient and appropriate to the age and weight of the children.

Outings Checklist

The following should be taken by staff on every outing:

List of participants including helpers and staff *
Travel First Aid kit (wipes/plasters/disposable gloves/sterile water)
A copy of the relevant risk assessment *
A copy of each child's permission form containing medical information and emergency contacts where relevant, or a copy of the Childs Database which contains contact information for all children*
Any relevant medication likely to be needed during the outing
An Accident/Incident Book
Spare clothes
A fully charged moblile phone with the ELC setting's number on speed dial
Hi-Visibility vests

* Copies of these documents should also be held in the setting.

Monitoring of this Policy

It will be the responsibility of Miriam Lindsay, Nursery Manager to ensure that all staff, including new or temporary staff, are familiar with this policy and to monitor that it is being implemented. This will be achieved through both formal and informal observation of staff practice and regular review of all relevant outings' paperwork by management to ensure this guidance is being adhered to.

The policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure that it is relevant and up to date.

Links to national policy:

National Care Standards 2,3,5,9,11

http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0045/00458455.pdf (Building the Ambition, Scottish Government 2014)

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/earlyyears/prebirthtothree/index.asp

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/learningandteaching/earlylearningandchildcare/curric

ulum/index.asp (Curriculum for Excellence, Scottish Government)

http://www.sssc.uk.com/about-the-sssc/codes-of-practice/what-are-the-codes-of-practice

For further information visit:

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/cfeOutdoorLearningfinal_tcm4-596061.pdf

(Curriculum for Excellence Through Outdoor Learning, Learning and Teaching Scotland 2010)

PARENTAL PERMISSION FORM Appendix 1

(Staff should complete this section)

Name of setting

................................................................................................................................................

Full name of child

................................................................................................................................................

Nature of outing

...............................................................................................................................................

Date

Location

................................................................................................................................................

Person responsible for outing

................................................................................................................................................

Travel arrangements

................................................................................................................................................

Time of departure...........................Expected time of return.............................................

Please send the following with your child (food, rainwear etc.)

................................................................................................................................................

MEDICAL INFORMATION (Parent/guardian should complete this section)

1. Does your child suffer from any conditions requiring medical treatment including medication? If YES, please give brief details.

................................................................................................................................................

2. To the best of your knowledge has your child been in contact with any contagious or infectious diseases or suffered from anything in the last four weeks that may become contagious or infectious? If YES, please give brief details.

…………………………………………………………….............................................................

................................................................................................................................................

3. Is your child allergic to any medication? If YES, please specify.

4. Has your child received a tetanus injection? YES/NO

5. Does your child have any special dietary requirements? If YES, please specify

………………..........................................................................................................................

I undertake to inform the ELC setting of any change in the medical circumstances between the date signed and the commencement of visit.

Name, address and telephone number of family doctor

...............................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

I agree to my child receiving emergency medical treatment, including anaesthetic, as considered necessary by the medical authorities present.

I agree for my child to travel in the vehicle provided on the understanding that both the vehicle and the driver are fully insured, that the vehicle is roadworthy, and that my child uses the appropriate child restraints (seatbelt/car seat) fitted in the vehicle.

Address

……………………………………………………………………………………………..................

………………………………………………………………………………………………………....

Contact telephone number/s for day of outing

………………………………………………...............................................................................

I give permission for ..................................................................... (full name of child) to join the outing to (insert outing destination below)

…............................................................................................................................................

Name of parent/guardian (print)

………………………………………………………………………...............................................

Signature of parent/guardian ………………………………..................................................

Date ……………………………………………….

OUTINGS RISK ASSESSMENT FORM Appendix 2

Proposed outing location: …………………..……...….. Date of proposed outing: …………….....

These areas should be risk assessed.	Possible risk	Actions to minimise risk	Risk acceptable (yes/no)
1. Child Safety
2. Child Behaviour
3. Security
4. Road Safety
5. Access to Animals (See Farm Visits & Contact with Animals: Appendix 3)
6. Weather
7. Transport
8. Outing venue

Staff member completing risk assessment: Title: ………………………………………………………

Authorised by: …………………………………… (Manager) Date: …………………………..

Farm Visits and Contact with Animals Appendix 3

Activities such as farm visits, or bringing animals into childcare settings, or having pets can expose children to a range of potentially harmful germs including E. coli O157. All animal droppings should be considered infectious. Because their immune systems are not fully developed, children are particularly at risk of E.coli O157 infection, especially if they are under ten years of age.

While the hazard from infection resulting from a farm visit is real, the risks are readily controlled by everyday measures. The following sensible steps will help make visits more safe, healthy and enjoyable.

Before your visit

Check that the farm concerned has adequate public liability insurance in force e.g. £1 million limit of indemnity as a minimum.

Discuss with the staff and parents who will supervise the activity, their role during the visit. They must understand the need to make sure that the children wash, or are helped to wash their hands thoroughly after being in contact with animals, and follow the other rules set out below:

Identify whether the adults in your childcare setting need more resources or training to help them manage the risks. Identify farms, petting zoos and country parks which have suitable facilities for children to wash their hands.

Discuss with children the rules for the visit, stressing that they must not eat outside the areas in which you permit them to do so.

Make sure that children wear appropriate clothing, including sturdy outdoor shoes or wellington boots (not sandals).

Ensure that cuts or grazes on childrenʼs hands are covered with a waterproof dressing.

A written risk assessment should be completed prior to the visit. This will help decide the appropriate level of adult supervision for the setting. Staffing ratios for visits are difficult to prescribe as a range of factors need to be taken into account including the age, ability and characteristics of the group, the mode of travel, the nature of the activities planned, and the experience of the staff and other adults in off-site supervision. In addition to the person in charge, there should be enough supervisors to cope with an emergency.

During and after the visit

Remind children of the rules and precautions to take upon arrival, the main one being that general hygiene standards should be maintained at all times, for example, hand washing before eating or drinking, after being in contact with animals and when leaving the site.

Children and adults should use preferably warm running water. It is easier to create soap lather with warm water and it may encourage children to wash more thoroughly. Use liquid soap and paper towels or hot-air hand-dryers. Reusable hand towels are not suitable and bactericidal soaps are not necessary. Using cleansing gels or wipes is not a substitute for proper hand washing. Remember a thorough hand wash may take up to two minutes. For detailed advice on hand hygiene visit http://www.washyourhandsofthem.com.

Tell children not to suck fingers or put hands, pens, pencils or crayons etc. in their mouths.

Children should be supervised at all times whilst on the farm. They should not be allowed to touch animals unless totally supervised. Discourage children from kissing or sharing food with animals, or from putting their hands in their mouths after visiting animal areas or after touching animals, until they have washed their hands thoroughly.

Do not eat or drink except in designated eating areas which are separate from the animal areas. Children should only eat food brought with them or food for human consumption bought on the premises. Do not eat any food that has fallen to the floor. Never taste animal feed.

Many of these harmful germs need to be swallowed before they cause infection, for example, cattle faeces containing E coli O157 gets onto children’s hands when removing contaminated wellington boots and if the child does not wash their hands thoroughly they may swallow the germs when sucking their fingers.

Avoid contact with animals which appear to be ill.

Children can become infected despite not actually touching the animals. For example, E. coli O157 has been found on shoes and pushchairs after farm visits. Fences, gates, cages, tools and animal bedding can also be contaminated with germs, children should wash their hands after any contact with these items.

Other sources of risk include manure, fields previously used for grazing, and dung on rural roads and paths. (E. coli O157 can survive for some months in the environment).

Clean or change their footwear before leaving, remembering to wash their hands after any contact with animal faeces on their footwear.

The children are your responsibility during the visit; you should supervise them during the visit, especially during hand washing to make sure that each child washes and dries their hands thoroughly.

Clothing contaminated with dung, manure or sewage should be kept away from children, and washed later at high temperature.

Remove footwear or clothing that might have become soiled.

Clean your group’s shoes and pushchair wheels after farm or countryside visits, to avoid contaminating cars, toys, nursery floors, or other surfaces. Then wash your hands. Outdoor shoes should be changed in environments where children are crawling.

The above guidance also applies if animals are brought into the childcare setting. You should check beforehand that animals have been healthy. You should not allow animals that have recently been ill into your childcare setting. If a member of your setting shows signs of illness (e.g. sickness or diarrhoea) after a visit, advise them or their parent/guardian to visit the doctor and explain that they have had recent contact with animals.