Our Policy Statements: admissions, attendance, safeguarding and health & safety
| Epic Steps means Epic Steps Community Interest Company (Epic Steps C.I.C.) |
Epic Steps Holiday Clubs means holiday clubs managed by Epic Steps C.I.C
General Statement
Epic Steps policies have been compiled for the safety and wellbeing of children attending Epic Steps Holiday Club sessions, to encompass the ethos of Epic Steps C.I.C.’s wider mission and with consideration for the premises being used.
Responsibilities
1.Final responsibility for ensuring policies/procedures are upheld is that of the Epic Steps management.
2.The Session Leader is responsible for ensuring compliance of policies/procedures on a session to session basis at all premises. The management is responsible for ensuring all staff and volunteers and children are aware of policies/procedures and how they should be implemented.
3.All staff have a responsibility to co-operate with the management to ensure compliance of policies/procedures in their place of work. Employees will be issued with copies of policy documents during their induction-training period.
4.Improvements to current policy are recorded and implemented at the earliest opportunity.
5.All policies/procedures and their effectiveness will be reviewed in September each year.
Epic Steps aims to provide stimulating, challenging and fun individual and team activities designed specifically for 8-12yr old children. We promote the dignity, privacy, choice, safety, potential and diversity of all children, parents, staff and volunteers.
– Epic Steps will promote policies and procedures that promote its aims in practice, and will make these known to staff and volunteers, parents and children.
– Epic Steps will meet all relevant legislation applying to it.
– Epic Steps will employ competent and confident staff and volunteers who have been appropriately vetted.
– Epic Steps will provide a balanced range of activities, taking account of the ages, development needs and interest of each child.
Epic Steps’ admission policy is governed by the following principles:
– Parents/carers will be provided with sufficient information about the sessions to enable parents/carers and children to make an informed choice.
– Allocation of places is based on equality and fairness.
– Places are offered on a first come first served basis.
– Parents/carers will be required to complete a registration form, and to pay all session fees in advance or as agreed with management.
– Information provided by parents/carers will be treated confidentially and kept safe.
Code of Conduct/Behaviour Policy
Epic Steps aims to promote positive behaviour by treating everyone connected with dignity, respect equality and fairness at all times; by creating a safe and secure environment free from bullying, harassment and discrimination; by ensuring that users are free from exploitation and abuse.
We will achieve this by:
– Valuing each child as an individual.
– Ensuring that staff interaction with children builds confidence, encourages learning new skills and values the contributions of children.
– Working with parents to promote positive behaviour and deal with difficult behaviour.
– Encouraging the participation of children each session.
– Ensuring that staff are trained in recognising harm, abuse, neglect, bullying and discrimination and that they actively challenge and respond to such behaviour.
– Encourage children to take responsibility for their own behaviour.
– Having a child safeguarding policy.
– Having a code of behaviour that is consistently applied.
– Having a safe environment that meets all relevant legislation and by carrying out regular risk assessments.
– Having a non smoking environment.
Epic Steps charges session fees for each day the child attends.
– Parents/groups are liable for fees for all sessions booked
– Payments can be made in advance or on the day
– Payments can be made through cash, cheque or direct transfer
Epic Steps actively encourages parents/carers to respond, if problems or queries arise, by:
– Promoting an environment of mutual respect, trust and open communication
– Treating everyone fairly and equally
– Providing opportunities for everyone to be consulted and to value the opinions expressed.
– Producing a complaints procedure to support the aims and objectives, including access to an independent arbitrator when agreement cannot be reached
– Training staff in the handling of complaints
– Recording all complaints whether informally or formally made
Accidents and Incident Reporting Policy
Epic Steps is committed to ensuring that children may attend sessions in a safe environment that is in line with all the relevant legislation. To this end, management will ensure that:
– Epic Steps has a health and safety policy that involves the use of regular risk assessment and regular maintenance of equipment.
– Management and session leaders are knowledgeable about all the relevant health and safety legislation and their responsibilities in law.
– The premises first aid procedure is made clear to the session leader in the event of an accident/incident.
– All accidents/incidents involving children/staff/anyone within the premises are recorded.
– All accidents/incidents involving children and young people are reported to parents/carers both verbally and in written format.
– All accidents/incidents involving the premises, materials or equipment must be reported to management.
– Any equipment designed to either prevent an accident/incident, or to tackle an accident/incident will be regularly and properly maintained.
– The no smoking policy is adhered to.
Confidentiality Policy
In order to respect the dignity and privacy of all users, Epic Steps will actively promote confidentiality in the following ways:
– Providing guidelines for staff on required records/reports.
– Providing guidelines for staff in the handling of confidential/ sensitive information.
– Providing secure storage for files and information.
– Adhering to all relevant legislation in the keeping of records.
– Providing parental/carer access to their child’s own records.
– Undertaking not to disclose confidential information unless required to do so in matters of child protection or life and death situations.
Health and Safety Policy
Health and safety is of paramount importance to Epic Steps. To this end, we will strive to ensure that:
– Epic Steps provides a safe environment, suitable for our purpose, in line with all relevant legislation.
– Premises are hygienic and smoke free.
– Parents provide all snacks, drinks and lunches for their children. We ask that parents provide food, drinks and snacks where nuts are not listed as an ingredient. Staff will be able to provide free access to drinking water throughout the day.
– Food provided by parents is well wrapped and in a secure bag. Staff will ensure that all food is stored in a safe, dry and hygienic environment.
– Equipment and props are clean and well maintained.
– Staff take measures to control the spread of infection.
– Regular risk assessments of premises, equipment and activities are carried out.
– Management and Session Leaders are aware of their responsibilities under relevant Health and Safety legislation.
– All required Reporting Procedures are in place.
Epic Steps has a Child Safeguarding policy and an Accidents and Incidents Policy.
– Children will enjoy safety but will not be over-protected.
– Children will have regular access to energetic play, with opportunities at any time for quiet play or reflection.
– Staff are aware of emergency procedures.
Epic Steps will promote the safety of users and to ensure that they feel safe and secure and that they are free from exploitation and abuse. This will be achieved by:
– Staff having a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in protecting children from harm, abuse, bullying and neglect.
– Staff receiving training in the recognition of harm, abuse, neglect, bullying and discrimination and will follow set procedures in addressing these issues.
– Staff being appropriately vetted according to Ofsted guidelines for childcare staffing
– Being sensitive to children’s choices when given the opportunity to be recorded (audio or video).
– Disallowing children to bring or use any mobile phone, tablet, laptop or other electronic device with access to any materials or the internet. In the event that a child is found to have a device, these will be confiscated for the period of the holiday club session and returned to the child when leaving. Unfortunately, Epic Steps cannot be held responsible for any loss, damage to or theft of these items at any time.
– Regular risk assessments being carried out.
– All child protection matters complying with Epic Steps’ confidentiality and Record Keeping Policies.
Child Participation Policy
Epic Steps fully supports the view that children should be treated with dignity and respect at all times, and that they should be enabled to realise their potential. We will achieve this by:
– Providing opportunities for children to express their views, exercise choice and, where possible influence the activities of Epic Steps Holiday Clubs.
– Actively consulting children and valuing their views.
– Enabling children to make informed choices.
– Providing opportunities for children to learn leadership, team work, problem solving and thinking creatively – and build confidence, courage and citizenship
– Treating everyone equally and fairly.
– Providing opportunities to be involved in the evaluation of Epic Steps Holiday Clubs’ activities.
Staff Recruitment and Selection Policy
Users of Epic Steps Holiday Clubs can be confident that we recruit staff and volunteers through a process that takes account of equal opportunities and safe recruitment practices. This will include:
– All applicants for staff and volunteers positions will be treated equally and fairly, and valued for their ethnic background, language, culture and faith.
– Ethnic monitoring of applications.
– All staff will be subject to an enhanced criminal records check through DBS, checks with previous employers
– Staff will be selected with a range of qualifications, skills and experiences relevant to Epic Steps Holiday Clubs’ aims and objectives.
– All posts are subject to six monthly probationary period
Epic Steps believes in the dignity, privacy, choice safety, potential equality and diversity of its users. We will actively promote these principles by:
– Having policies and procedures and promotional material that reflect those principles in practice.
– Treating everyone with dignity and respect, and valuing different ethnic backgrounds, language, culture and faiths.
– Treating everyone equally and fairly and establishing an environment that is free from bullying, harassment and discrimination.
– Consulting with users and valuing the opinions expressed.
– Train staff in recognising harm, abuse, neglect, bullying and discrimination and in challenging such behaviour.
– Ethnic monitoring of admissions, waiting list and recruitment.
– Adhering to all relevant legislation.
Record Keeping Policy
Epic Steps will maintain records that are required for the efficient and safe management and to promote the welfare, care, play and learning of children.
– Records will be kept in accordance with national and local guidance.
– Parent/carers can access their child’s own records.
– Records will be confidential and will be securely stored.
– Records will be made available to authorities on request.
For further information or questions relating to any of our policies, please contact Alison Edmonds on alison.edmonds@epicsteps.co.uk
Disclaimer
Epic Steps C.I.C. and the building management will not be responsible for any loss/damage occurring to your/your family’s belongings during Epic Steps Holiday Club days.