At Cornwall Childcare, we try to keep our terms and conditions as concise as possible, nonetheless because we are caring for very young children, we are naturally compelled to follow a range of rules, regulations and legislations. We take our responsibilities extremely seriously and therefore we have to be very clear to parents and carers about the framework within which we operate.

1. Booking

1.1 For crèches and nannies a non-refundable booking fee of £75 is required to hold the date. This fee covers the cost of visiting your venue to conduct a risk assessment of the area to be used for the crèche, insurance costs, booking the staff and other associated administration costs.

1.2 A minimum of 3 hours is required for all bookings – babysitting, nanny or creche.

1.3 Your reservation is secured upon receipt of your deposit.

1.4 We will contact you 6-8 weeks before the booking to finalise the start time, duration of the crèche, number and ages of the children and any special requirements. We will then give you a final quote.

1.5 Full payment for the crèche is required 4 weeks before the date.

1.6 Failure to make payments on time may result in the cancellation of your reservation and financial loss subject to our cancellation policy.

1.7 Contract must be signed and returned for full confirmation of our mobile crèche or babysitting service.

2. Cancellation

2.1 We reserve the right to cancel the booking if payment is not received 4 weeks before the event.

2.2 We will not be held responsible for circumstances we consider to be out of our control such as fire, flood, accident/illness or any other event deemed by ourselves to be out of our control.

2.3 In the unlikely event that the appointed nanny/babysitter is taken sick or becomes unavailable for the event, we will endeavour to find a replacement. If no replacement is available you will be notified immediately and you will receive a full refund.

2.4 If a cancellation is made after the booking has been confirmed cancellation fees apply as follows:

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3. Staffing

3.1 All team members are checked on commencement with Cornwall Childcare through the Disclosure and Barring Service to ensure there are no safeguarding issues of which we need to be aware.

3.2 Cornwall Childcare will ensure that all team members have the relevant qualifications and experience and that OFSTED ratios are adhered to.

3.3 Cornwall Childcare observes OFSTED’s regulations relating to team members and children ratios, currently 0-2 years is 1:3, 2-3 years is 1:4 and 3 years and over is 1:8. In practice our ratios exceed the minima to ensure that the ratio is always maintained if a team member needs to leave the room.

4. Registration

4.1 All parents with children attending will be required to complete a registration document. We require this document to be returned a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the start of the crèche.

4.2 No children will be accepted into a Cornwall Childcare crèche without a completed registration form (this is a legal requirement) – the completed registration form makes sure we know as much as possible about your child to ensure we deliver the right care for your child and have consent to act on your behalf in an emergency situation.

4.3 If time restraints are such that risk assessments and registration need to be carried out on the day, Cornwall Childcare reserves the right to increase numbers of staffing, delay the opening of the crèche until all remedial actions are carried out, refuse entry based on ratios.

5. Health and Safety

5.1 The safety of your children is paramount to Cornwall Childcare; therefore we practise the following procedures.

5.2 We visit the venue of your event, prior to the day to check the safety of the space and environment we will be setting up. This is to meet OFSTED rules and work within the health and safety guidelines.

5.3 Objects that could be seen as dangerous and hazardous to the children will be moved out of the way for the safety of the children and staff.

5.4 Parents will be registering their children on arrival for us to identify the children in our care.

5.5 All our equipment is checked regularly and conforms to British Standards Regulations.

5.6 We have first aid trained staff present on the day and always carry a first aid kit.

5.7 Our child-to-staff ratio is in guidelines with OFSTED rules and regulations.

5.8 The venue must be secure, with readily available access to toilet and hand- washing facilities.

5.9 We must be able to gain access to the venue at least 2 hours prior to the scheduled event and 2 hours after, to allow staff to set up and clear away.

6. Child Protection Procedures

6.1 A register of all the children will be kept. Details will include name, age, parents’ names, address(es), contact number, and any special requirements. 6.2 Upon arrival, all children’s details will be checked against the details previously provided. At this time please share any concerns you might have regarding your child and any special instructions, which will assist us in providing a joyful and pleasant experience for your child.

6.3 Children will not be allowed to leave the crèche unless collected by a parent/carer or other nominated person.

6.4 Only parents, carers and event organiser are allowed into the crèche environment – no other adult will be allowed access.

7. Behaviour

7.1 Disruptive behaviour will be dealt with sensitively by using distraction techniques or 1:1 time with a member of the team. Where continued disruptive behaviour is such that it spoils the enjoyment of other children, parents/guardians will be asked to collect the child.

7.2 If a child finds it hard to settle and becomes distressed during the session, we will contact the parent/guardian requesting you come to comfort them and attempt to resettle your child or to remove them from the facility if this is deemed to be in the best interests of the child.

7.3 Any child who constantly puts the safety of other children in danger by continually being disruptive will be collected by their parents/carers.

8. Sickness

8.1 If a child is showing signs of illness e.g. a rash, sore throat, nose or eye discharge, diarrhoea or vomiting, they will not be able to use the crèche facility.

8.2 If a child becomes sick during the event, the child’s parent will be notified to collect their child immediately.

9. Hygiene

9.1 We disinfect all equipment prior to and after events, and carry disinfectant wipes for use throughout.

10. Changing

10.1 Cornwall Childcare will change wet and soiled clothing or nappies as required, unless notified otherwise or no change has been provided; in that case the parent/guardian will be called to collect their child.

10.2 Nappies and formula milk are to be provided by the child’s parent/carer.

11. Accident/Incident

11.1 In the event of any accident/incident the reporting book will be completed.

11.2 The parent/guardian will be called immediately in the event of a head injury, or if the child needs to be hospitalised.

11.3 Parents will be informed of all accidents and will be required to sign an accident form.

12. Administration of medication

12.1 Cornwall Childcare does not administer medication. This remains the responsibility of the parent/guardian at all times.

13. Food & Drink

13.1 Food and drink will be provided as supplied by the client/venue. Water will be available at all times.

13.2 Children will be expected to sit down at a table while eating and drinking, but only if they are of an appropriate age.

14. Allergies

14.1 It is very important that all service users understand that we cannot guarantee any nut-free, or other allergen-free areas or items

15. Equal Opportunities

15.1 Cornwall Childcare is aware that some children might have special needs and is pro-active in ensuring that appropriate action is taken and identified on admission to the crèche provision.

16. Anti-bullying/Respect

16.1 Everyone has the right to be treated with respect – with this right comes the responsibility of treating others with respect.

16.2 No form of bullying will be tolerated at any time, whether towards team members or children.

17. Business communications

17.1 All communication, whether written or oral, between the parties shall be confidential.

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