A blog to support childminders who want to register an assistant to work with them – information updated 10.2019.
For more detailed information, please see e-book 48 ‘Assistants / Staff’ on my Knutsford Childminding website.
If you are a Childcare.co.uk gold member, please see the recently (10.2019) updated example of an assistant contract on the Childcare.co.uk website.
Safer recruitment procedures:
You need to check:
Ask your applicant to bring:
To comply with the EYFS assistants must be able to:
Ask your applicant to complete and sign:
Note: with parents written permission, a Childminding assistant can be left unsupervised with children for up to 2 hours a day. However, while your assistant can start working at this point, they must not be left unsupervised with children until they have completed the following steps…
Before your assistant starts:
Before assistant is left unsupervised with children
Staff documentation
The following documentation must be in place for your assistant (minimum):
Further documentation:
The following staff documentation is required:
Before payments are made:
Policies and procedures:
Policies / Procedures to support a childminder who works with assistants will include:
Induction and ongoing training:
EYFS requirement 3.20 states: ‘Providers must ensure that all staff receive induction training to help them understand their roles and responsibilities. Induction training must include information about emergency evacuation procedures, safeguarding, child protection, the provider’s equality policy, and health and safety issues.’
Plan induction training to cover:
Ongoing training to cover:
This blog provides the basics – for more detailed information, please see my e-book 48 ‘Assistants on my Knutsford Childminding website.
Thank you, Sarah.
For more detailed information, please see e-book 48 ‘Assistants / Staff’ on my Knutsford Childminding website.
If you are a Childcare.co.uk gold member, please see the recently (10.2019) updated example of an assistant contract on the Childcare.co.uk website.
Safer recruitment procedures:
- Safer Recruitment Policy
- Person specification
- Job description
- Application form *highlight safeguarding
- Interview *plan the questions carefully *consider the Equality Act
You need to check:
- Do you need planning permission from your Local Authority to work with someone else?
- If you want to increase the number of early years children you look after - do you have floor space?
Ask your applicant to bring:
- Referees x 2
- Confirmation of name – for example, birth certificate *photocopy
- Confirmation of address – for example, driving licence *photocopy
- Proof of right to work in the UK – for example, NI number *photocopy
- Employment history *check and photocopy
- Qualifications *check and photocopy
- Any other certificates they might have available for working with early years children – for example, Paediatric first aid, safeguarding etc *photocopy
To comply with the EYFS assistants must be able to:
- Communicate in English
- Understand written English
- Understand and use the EYFS
- Deploy so children’s needs are met
Ask your applicant to complete and sign:
- Suitability self-certification
Note: with parents written permission, a Childminding assistant can be left unsupervised with children for up to 2 hours a day. However, while your assistant can start working at this point, they must not be left unsupervised with children until they have completed the following steps…
Before your assistant starts:
- Buy insurance *display the certificate
- If your assistant is going to drive children they will need business insurance *Keep a copy of the certificate
Before assistant is left unsupervised with children
- Follow up the references *in writing where possible
- Complete a home-based Ofsted (Capita) enhanced DBS check
- Assistant to complete the EY2 form completed on Ofsted Government Gateway
- Receive a suitability letter from Ofsted
- Request written permission from parents
- Assistant to complete Paediatric first aid training and...
- Safeguarding training and...
- Induction training including health and safety
- Prepare an Attendance Register
Staff documentation
The following documentation must be in place for your assistant (minimum):
- Emergency contact information
- Record of home address
- DBS issue number and date
Further documentation:
The following staff documentation is required:
- Contract of Employment and Statement of Particulars (terms and conditions)
- Job Description
- Attendance Register *must show time unsupervised with children
- Staff Handbook
- Induction training
- Annual suitability check
Before payments are made:
- Register with HMRC as an employer
- Ask for your assistant's bank details and...
- NI number
- Register as a pension provider - for example, NEST
Policies and procedures:
Policies / Procedures to support a childminder who works with assistants will include:
- Information Sharing Policy *include information about confidentiality
- Suitability *disqualification / disqualification by association
- Disciplinary Policy *include procedures for dismissal
- Grievance Procedures
- Staff Behaviour Policy *to comply with KCSIE 2019
- Updated Safeguarding Policy *include information about whistleblowing and mobile phone / camera
- Medication Policy *include information about what to do if your assistant is prescribed new medication and medication storage
- Staff Wellbeing Policy
Induction and ongoing training:
EYFS requirement 3.20 states: ‘Providers must ensure that all staff receive induction training to help them understand their roles and responsibilities. Induction training must include information about emergency evacuation procedures, safeguarding, child protection, the provider’s equality policy, and health and safety issues.’
Plan induction training to cover:
- Roles and responsibilities
- Risk-benefit assessments
- Emergency evacuation and fire safety
- Safeguarding and child protection procedures
- Local safeguarding reporting procedures
- Mobile phone and camera use
- Lost / missing child procedures and parent failure to collect procedures
- Medication administration procedures
- Day-to-day health & safety
- Health and safety in the setting and on outings *display HSE poster
- Hygiene including food safety
- Secure medication, phone and bag storage
- Equality and inclusion
Ongoing training to cover:
- Managing and recording accidents, injuries and first aid
- Managing and recording incidents
- Visitor procedures
- Daily record keeping
- Food hygiene training – if required to prepare food or if left in unsupervised contact with children
- Paediatric first aid – if required to administer first aid or if left in unsupervised contact with children
- Observation, assessment and planning
- Writing policies and procedures
- Contributing to self-evaluation and action planning
- Sharing information with parents and other settings
This blog provides the basics – for more detailed information, please see my e-book 48 ‘Assistants on my Knutsford Childminding website.
Thank you, Sarah.