ABSENT CHILD POLICY
If your child should be unable to attend our setting on their nominated day, we would ask that you call us to give an explanation by phone, Baby’s days app or email.
If we do not have an explanation of absence we will endeavour to contact you that day. If we fail to make contact within 48 hours by phone or mail we will contact Children’s Services. (This is in accordance with the Children’s Act 2004.)
This policy reflects the vision and aims of this nursery by:
•Encouraging staff, parents/carers and children to maximise the learning experience in order that all children reach their full potential.
•Providing clear procedures for involving parents/carers relating to school attendance.
Regular and punctual attendance is of paramount importance in ensuring that all children have full access to the curriculum. Valuable learning time is lost when children are absent or late and research has shown the negative effect of absence.
Children should be at nursery, on time, every day the school is open, unless the reason for the absence is unavoidable. Children should arrive at nursery no later than 10.00am unless we have otherwise been informed so that your child can make the most of the activities provided in the morning session.
If a child is reluctant to attend the setting, communication between parent and nursery is encouraged.
It is never better to cover up their absence or to give in to pressure to excuse them from attending. This gives the impression that attendance does not matter and may make things worse.
As an Early Years setting, we actively encourage parents to support us in this policy, Parents/carers are expected to contact the setting at an early stage and to work with the staff in resolving any problems together. If difficulties cannot be sorted out in this way, the setting may refer the child to the Children Services.
It is the parents’/ carers’ responsibility to contact the setting either by telephone or in writing or via email, whenever the child is absent.
This must be on the first day of absence and subsequently on a daily basis.
In the case of medical appointments, please inform you child’s key person or other member of staff when you drop off your child, to let them know what time you will be coming to collect.
Failure to collect a child from nursery:
If a parent fails to collect a child from nursery by 6pm and we have not been informed as to why the parent may be running late.
The senior member of staff on the shift will call all parent and emergency contact numbers on the child’s registration form. These will be called several times if there is no answer and messages will be left.
If a staff member is still unable to reach a parent or carer of the child and the time reaches 7pm then children’s social care will be called or the out of hours MASH team number on 01708433999.
If the team are unable to assist then the police should be called immediately.
If the parent informs the nursery that they will be late, two designated members of staff will stay with the child until the parent arrives. The parent/carer will be charged £20 for every 10 minutes that they are late.