Managing your provision
This area of the early years hub will support you with running your business effectively.
Marketing
Marketing is all about identifying potential customers, reaching them with your services and encouraging them to return. Having a good understanding of your business; your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and any threats to your business, will help you develop your marketing plan.
Key questions to ask yourself when marketing and running your business is, 'What makes you different?' and 'What makes you stand out from other providers?' This is your USP (Unique Selling Point) and if you've got it, flaunt it!
Health and Safety
You need to take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of children and staff on the premises. You must comply with health and safety legislation and have an emergency evacuation procedure. There must be appropriate fire detection equipment such as fire alarms, smoke detectors, fire blankets and/or fire extinguishers. Fire evacuation drills should be practiced with staff and children and a record kept. You must not allow smoking or vaping on the premises.
You must demonstrate how you manage risks. Risk Assessments should identify the risks and how you will remove or minimise the risk. It is up to you to determine whether risk assessments are written and shared. Children should be kept safe on outings and risks should be identified and removed or minimised.
Appropriate first aid box should be maintained which are accessible at all times. You must keep a written record of accidents or injuries and first aid treatment and share this information with parents/carers. This may include accident at home sheets to monitor patterns in the event of child protection concerns.
You must promote the good health of children including oral health. This can be achieved through your daily routines, activities and discussions. You must have a procedure for dealing with poorly children and have an understanding of Public Health's exclusion periods which indicate the time period an individual should not attend a setting to reduce the risk of transmission during the infectious stage.
You should have a policy and procedure for administering medication alongside a consent and administration record.
It is also your responsibility to inform Environmental Health of your business. Whilst your business is not solely food related, because you are handing food as part of your role (this also includes storing and handling food if your children bring packed lunches), you should be registered with environmental health as a food premises, if you haven't already done so. You can do this by calling them on 0191 5205550 or completing the online form via Registering a food premises - Sunderland City Council.
Useful links
- Health protection in children and young people settings, including education - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Safer food, better business for childminders | Food Standards Agency
- Oral health - Help for early years providers - GOV.UK (education.gov.uk)
- Example menus for early years settings in England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Health and Safety Executive: Information about health and safety at work
