Health and safety and risk assessment

Health and safety and risk assessment * The premises are well maintained safe and secure. Well managed risk assessments are conducted regularly to identify potential hazards allowing the child-minder to take steps to minimise any risks to children both indoors or outside. * Children are taught to be safety conscious through discussions about safety and are shown how to adopt safe and responsible practices in play. * There are good arrangements in place to promote children’s good health and well-being and to prevent the spread of infection. * The child-minder holds a current first aid certificate and has good procedures in place for managing accidents and administering medication. * Risk assessments for the home and outings are undertaken to minimise risks for children but the record does not include risks for outings which means there is potential for the assessments to fail to fully protect children. * Children are encouraged to learn about personal safety and follow emergency evacuation routines. Safety is promoted as they review the displayed house rules and listen carefully when reminded to walk indoors telling the child-minder that they may trip and fall if they run. * Procedures for illness and medication are planned and meet all requirements helping to maintain children’s wellbeing. * The child-minder keeps the house exits locked and uses safety equipment, such as listening devices and safety gates which are appropriate to the ages of the children in attendance. * The emergency evacuation plan has been practised with the children and there is a nearby emergency back-up child-minder. * The child-minder records significant accidents, but has not been robust enough about formal medication and accident records. As a result, some medication has been given with only verbal consent from parents, with written notes made only in the child’s daily diary, rather than signed consents and acknowledgements in the medication and accident record book. * Written risk assessments and daily checks are undertaken to ensure that the home and garden are safe for play and safety issues in the new home addressed. However, the risk assessment for outings is general and does not effectively support the safe conduct of each specific outing. * Children develop their understanding of safety through regular discussions about road and fire safety. They regularly take part in the fire evacuation procedure which develops their understating of keeping safe. * The child-minder has practised fire evacuation procedures with some of the minded children. However, she has not yet carried these out with the very youngest children to ensure she is confident that these procedures are effective for non-mobile children. Furthermore, the child-minder has not kept a record of drills as well as details of any problems encountered and how they were resolved. * Most policies, procedures and necessary records are in place and used effectively to promote children’s health, safety and welfare whilst at the setting. However, the child-minder has not shared information with parents relating to the procedures she would follow should a child go missing. * Appropriate procedures are in place for recording accidents and any medication administered to children. The child-minder holds a first aid qualification which ensures that she is able to deal with minor injuries effectively. * When taking children out the child-minder ensures she has a first aid box, her mobile telephone and cards with contact details of parents should an emergency arise. When travelling in the car the children are in stage appropriate car seats.