The Right Resources
Finding suitable solutions to help keep on top of paperwork and manage your childcare setting efficiently is essential for success!
Minding Kids understands that every childcare service is unique…and so is each child and family that uses it. The solutions you choose to manage and organise your service must be right for YOU and everyone involved.
With so many support products to choose from, it can be difficult to track down what you really need.
Minding Kids can help find the RIGHT Resources for YOU…
Whether you are a childminder working alone or a manager of a busy club or nursery, these items are essential to ensure high quality care:
Policies and Procedures
Having written policies in place will help to ensure parents, carers, and any staff or assistants you employ, understand regulations you must conform to and are made aware of the procedures followed under certain circumstances.
Risk Assessments
You must regularly evaluate the risks in and around your childcare setting and note down actions you have taken in order to ensure your setting is safe. Assess the learning benefits of various activities whilst also managing risks, and consider how you can keep children from harm whilst travelling, or away from the setting on an outing.
Care Plans & Consents
It is important to gather vital details at the beginning of new childcare arrangements or refresh existing paperwork to ensure you have obtained and shared essential information with parents. Request consent for specific activities and allow parents to clearly indicate their choices.
Logbooks & Forms
All registered childcare providers are required to keep certain records in order to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children, families, and staff. In addition to checking and documenting events in order to meet safeguarding requirements, records also assist in clear communication with parents and information reporting to relevant authorities.
Childcare Contracts
It is always sensible to draw up an agreed contract at the beginning of any childcare arrangement. This clarifies from the start, the terms and conditions between all parties involved. A contract allows for any special arrangements to be agreed and sets out fees, charges and payment instructions clearly.
Nation Specific Resources
Whilst requirements for childcare providers are largely similar across the UK, you must ensure you conform to the correct legislation for your nation and follow guidance set by your registration body.
Scotland / GIRFEC
Childcare providers in Scotland must register with the Care Inspectorate and follow Scotland’s national approach to improving outcomes for children – Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC).
England / EYFS
Childcare providers in England must register with Ofsted or an approved childminder agency. Early years providers must meet the requirements of the Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework.
Wales / Curriculum for Wales
Childcare providers in Wales must register with Care Inspectorate Wales and follow the National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare.
Northern Ireland
Childcare providers in Northern Ireland must register with their local Health and Social Care Trust, Early Years Team and meet the Minimum Standards for Childminding and Day Care.
👆🏽Click on your nation to find resources relevant to you.
Managing and organising a professional childcare service is hard work!
In addition to covering the ESSENTIALS (see above) you must also consider:
⚡Registration and Inspection,
🛡️Safeguarding and Child Protection,
⚠️Safety and Hygiene,
🍏Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing,
📶Evaluation and CPD,
📋GDPR Requirements,
🐖Keeping on top of your business Accounts
📆and…Planning ahead!
Our Setting Management resources will keep you on track!
If you work with an assistant or in a larger setting with a number of staff, there are additional things to consider.
Our Childminder Assistant Employment Pack contains everything you need to successfully recruit and manage staff and help with meeting your legal requirements as an employer.
Supporting children’s development and helping them to grow is one of the most rewarding parts of being a childcare provider. Regularly monitoring and assessing learning can help us to recognise children’s progress, understand their needs, and plan activities that will best support their development.
Our Learning & Development Resources offer a variety of solutions and support assessment across UK Learning Frameworks.
✔ EYFS ✔ Realising the Ambition ✔ Curriculum for Excellence ✔ SHANARRI ✔ Curriculum for Wales
Providing up to date information about your service and ensuring parents and carers are kept informed is essential for building positive relationships. Creating an inclusive environment that involves children, families and staff is key to delivering high quality care.
Our Sharing Information resources can assist with sharing essential information and promoting your service.
Service Information and Marketing | Contact Diaries | Parent and Child Questionnaires | Newsletters | Parent Notes and Reminders
The activities and experiences you offer in your setting will most likely be determined by a number of factors: the type and size of your service, the ages and stages of children you care for, the duration of each care session, the equipment and resources you have available, and most importantly…your imagination!
Our Activity Resources are packed full of inspiration to keep children busy and make learning fun!
Activity Packs | Topics and Themes |Educational Displays | Medium and Long-Term Planning | Ideas and Inspiration
Being organised is key to ensuring your service delivers high quality care. Finding efficient ways to plan, keep on top of paperwork and manage your setting is absolutely essential!
Our Planning Resources can help keep everything in order for the smooth running of your service.
Yearly and Academic Planners | Weekly and Monthly Organisers | Activity Planners | Multicultural Calendar | Timetables | Schedules
Consider whether a digital solution could help save you time and enable you to manage your setting more efficiently.
The Minding Kids App is a digital tool designed to assist professional childcare providers manage and record daily events, observe and track learning and development progress…AND securely share Activity Reports with Parents, keeping them informed of their child’s day, activities, special moments, and learning and development progress.
Use alongside Minding Kids Resource downloads as the perfect companion for your Outstanding Childcare Business.
👉TRY the APP for FREE
