Last updated: July 2021
Who is responsible for your child?
When waiting outside with your child before a session starts, or your child has been released to you after a session, they are your responsibility.
Your child’s safety is of utmost importance to us. This guide aims to provide you with essential information to help you ensure the safety of your child whilst you are supervising them. Most of the things it contains have happened to someone, and we can learn from someone elses heartstopping moment. Parents have let their children wander off site, block the gates, or put themselves in unsafe situations.
We appreciate your cooperation and want to assure you that we are here to support you in case anything goes wrong.
What are the risks?
The front of our building is a safe place where children play and interact. Due to the high number of people present during drop-off and pick-up times, there is a greater chance of incidents occurring. To ensure your child’s safety, we kindly request that you remain vigilant and observe the following:
- Supervision: Please keep a close eye on your child, making sure they do not leave without an appropriate adult. Pay attention to their activities and ensure they are treating the environment with respect.
- Toy and Equipment Cleanup: If your child has been playing with our toys and loose equipment, please encourage them to put everything away before entering the premises.
The front gate
Please be really careful around the gate. If properly closed, someone can be hurt when it is opened. If not properly closed, a child can escape.
- Do not assume it is closed or that it will prevent your child from leaving the area. We lock it from the inside when supervising the children.
- Please shut the gate behind you. Take a moment to verify that all the children who should be with you are accounted for. Children will follow their friends and distracted adults have been known to miss this when leaving, so remain attentive.
- Please don’t let your child stand or play near the gate. They may be knocked over if they stand behind it or hurt if it shuts on them (especially if it is windy).
- If your child is playing with stones, please don’t let them drop them in the gateway as this will jam the gate. If the gate is sticking please let us know.
Beds and borders
The beds are there for education and enjoyment. Children are actively encouraged to play around them but please be aware of the following:
- Raised borders can be fallen into or out of. You need to be watching.
- Contents of the border need to stay there. If your child empties bark all over the path, please assist them to put it back.
- We have a special bed, made of sleepers, specifically for plant growing activities. We protect it as best we can but please don’t let your child pull it apart.
- Flowers and bushes won’t stay nice if the children are allowed to pull bits off them.
Sheds
Please don’t let your child enter our sheds. We would only ever take then in under close supervision.
The gates between the sheds should always be closed and are hard to open. The area behind them is not safe for children.
Lunch Trolley
Many Children want to climb the lunch trolley to hang their bag on the hooks at the top. Many attempts dont succeed. The trolley doesn’t tip over but it is hard tarmac underneath so please watch them carefully if they want to hang the lunchbox up.