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Setting up a Cr�che
Elizabeth Edser, Lutheran Community Worker
For
any community activity involving parents it is essential that there is a safe
caring cr�che facility. Cr�che care differs from childcare in that it is
usually for a shorter period, and may be a once off or on an irregular basis.
With a cr�che it is implied that the parents/care-givers are undertaking a
course/group/activity nearby and therefore are easily accessible. (The Mobile Cr�che
Service states within 100 metres of the activity site.) In a cr�che setting,
unlike regular childcare, the workers are often at the disadvantage of not
knowing the children and vice versa, or only seeing them for such short periods.
The unfamiliar environment and carers means that workers (and children) need to
cope with greater separation anxiety issues with some children. Cr�che workers
need to have the ability to engage very quickly with children, to distract and
pacify them. The workers must be able to quickly (almost instantly in some
cases) gain the parents� trust too, because otherwise they will be reluctant
to separate from their child. If a series of cr�ches within a centre is
required, continuity of cr�che workers is then very important. Choice of Venue:
The venue for the cr�che
should, of course, be safe and secure at all times. It is preferable that the
children cannot see their parents from the cr�che, as they tend not to settle
as well when they can. Some aspects to consider when checking that the venue is
suitable are:
Choice of staff: Department of Education
Training and Employment (DETE) childcare guidelines recommend that there be at
least one qualified worker present in each cr�che, however this is not always
possible. Staff, however, need to be carefully assessed as having a nurturing,
positive attitude to young children. They also need to have an understanding of
child development, especially regards what behaviours are age appropriate. An
important attribute in cr�che workers is that they have the ability to quickly
connect and gain the trust of children and their parents, to think ahead and be
able to supervise the children�s activities regards safety, but also be able
to positively channel children�s activities without imposing a rigid
structure. Staff ratios in the Mobile
Cr�che Service are:
Pre-schoolers
1 worker: 5 children (DETE guidelines are 1:5
for babies and 1:10 for 2 to 5 years old, but because the cr�che service
employs volunteers our ratios are more stringent.) However, if there is a
child with a disability or behavioural issues the number of cr�che workers has
to be higher. It is preferable to always have 2 staff members caring for
children, in case one needs to leave the room i.e. for toileting a child, or to
contact a parent. Staffs also need to have
undergone a police clearance, and to have knowledge of child abuse and mandatory
notification legislation and procedures, because they are mandated to notify if
they have grounds to suspect child abuse. Physical needs
It
is of course preferable if furniture (tables, chairs) are child-sized, however a
clean, warm floor space with a large supervised rug for babies can be adequate.
One aspect of a cr�che is that children of all ages (0-5) are in together,
rather than in separate areas, so the situation is often more like in a home
situation. (A childcare centre often has baby, toddler and pre-school areas).
This
means that the worker needs to establish norms for the older children with
regard to babies and toddlers � for the safety and wellbeing of the smaller
ones. (These could be that older ones do not go onto the babies mat, or touch
sleeping babies in strollers or cots.)
Sleep
times for babies poses more of an issue for cr�ches than in childcare, mostly
because the facilities (cots) and rooms for sleep are not available. To cope
with this it is recommended that parents bring a stroller/pram/portable cot and
advise cr�che workers how/when their baby goes to sleep and provide all
equipment (i.e. dummy, cuddly object, favourite blanket, bottle etc.)
In
the Mobile Cr�che Service we recommend that sleeping children are not put in a
separate room from the cr�che worker, mostly because the sleeping apparatus is
usually of a temporary nature and the child needs to be supervised at all times
in case they climb out etc. They may also become very frightened in unfamiliar
surroundings. A baby/toddler may therefore find it hard to go to sleep in this
noisy cr�che setting, and may need to be nursed or rocked to sleep if
necessary.
For
changing babies a change table is preferable, however babies and toddlers can be
changed on a change mat. Disposable gloves need to be always available to the
workers, as well as water and cleaning aids. Some parents prefer to change
babies themselves and this needs to be clearly negotiated. In some settings the
policy is that parents change the baby or toilet the child. This is often
preferable if the child is being toilet trained, as there are certain rituals to
follow. (It may be better to revert to nappies in this situation, depending on
what the parent thinks is best)
Parents
need to supply nappies, wipes and creams, as well as plastic bags for taking
soiled nappies home with them. All parents�/children�s gear, including
bottles, dummies, change of clothes, hats, sun screen, favourite toy, food needs
to be labelled with the child�s name. Adhesive name tags for children are
useful and can be put on children�s backs, so that they don�t inquisitively
remove them. Cr�che workers need to quickly learn children�s names, but in
larger groups this may take time. Nutritional Needs and
Dietary Considerations: At
times healthy food and drink may be provided for children by the centre or
activity group. However there are good reasons for parents providing for their
own children�s needs. Firstly little children need to have some food and drink
provided in a 2 -3 hour session, otherwise they can become hungry and unhappy.
Food and drink can also be a time of bringing a group together at a table and a
structuring of the time in a cr�che session, something the children look
forward to each time. However, some small
children may have food allergies which can have severe repercussions (i.e.
Sesame seeds,nut products, milk, eggs) Therefore it is important that creche
workers know of these and the child eats the food provided for them by parents.
It
is also important that babies and toddlers not be given hard foods with which
they cannot chew or cope with, and then choke. (Parents are more aware of their
own children�s abilities in this regard, and provide appropriate food.)
Parents
also need to be gently advised not to provide lollies and other goodies that are
enticing to other children, and cr�che workers should encourage healthy
communal eating habits. Cr�che workers need to ensure that children are sitting
still (not running, laughing or playing) while eating, otherwise the children
are more at risk of choking. Children�s� Play
needs (Toys, activities, books) A cr�che setting must not
only be safe, but also stimulating for the children. Cr�che workers may come
with some activities in mind to do with the children, (songs, and games) but
toys provide ways for children to undertake independent, self-initiated play,
either alone or with other children. Toys need to be age and
interest appropriate, free of sharp bits, splinters, rust or flaking paint, be
stable if meant for riding or rocking, free of toxic substances (i.e. crayons,
paints etc) and need to be cleaned and disinfected in between use. There should be no toys so
small that they can be swallowed, inhaled or inserted into children�s bodies.
(i.e. Especially dangerous are small bits of Lego, or the stuffing out of some
soft toys of poor quality, glitter, rice or pasta provided for older children
for glueing or craftwork) Cr�che workers should also
be aware of not providing too many toys at once, so that they litter the room
and become a safety hazard for workers and children. There is an information
sheet from DETE listing suitable toys for various ages/stages. Australian Safety
Association standards need to be followed. KIDSAFE can also be
contacted re safe toys/equipment.) Because smaller children
often copy older children (i.e. on higher slippery dips etc) cr�che workers
need to always balance safety issues with the need of the child to learn and
experience new activities, and provide those things that can safely be
supervised and monitored by the worker. Because a cr�che is often
up to 3 hours it is not possible to have a structured formal program of
activities. Any activity needs to take into account the ages of the children,
the need for a balance between quiet and active activities, the need for
children to be able to initiate their own activities and move from one to the
next, and the need to provide for physical, social, intellectual play and
incorporate listening and speaking skills into all activities. Duty of care issues: Cr�ches need to have a
system of signing children in and out with the parents/carers. The MCS has a
Record Sheet which has the parents� names, children�s names, ages and
allergies or medical conditions. No child should be handed over to anyone but
the person who brought the child to the cr�che. (This can be an issue where a
non-custodial parent tries to collect the child.) We recommend that it is
always the parent who administers any medicines, because they are always close
by. (If cr�ches were further away there would need to be consent gained for
medical treatment and parents� addresses and telephone numbers recorded.) Records can be kept of
children�s activities in the cr�che, sleep and feeding times and general
well-being if appropriate. We always advise cr�che workers to talk to the
parents and communicate with them before and after the cr�che. Cr�che workers
need to know if the child has experienced anything significant before the cr�che
that impacts on their care, and parents need to know of accidents or upsets
while in the cr�che. Children (or workers) should not have contact with other
children in a cr�che if they have an infectious/contagious condition. Some of
these include measles, mumps, chicken pox etc, conjunctivitis, gastro,
diarrhoea, vomiting, ringworm, or other catching skin diseases, head lice and
the acute stages of colds and flues. Setting up and
putting away: It is important that cr�che
workers set up the cr�che facility beforehand to cater for the children who
they know are attending i.e. put out appropriate toy; have name tags and record
sheets ready and structure the areas of the room for quiet play, babies,
sleeping area etc. After the cr�che the area
needs to be cleaned and toys tidied away. The time needed here depends on many
factors i.e. size of cr�che, but 10-15 minutes either side of the cr�che is
recommended. Legal Requirements: See �Cr�che
Guidelines� June 1998 by DETE (SA) pips. 4 and 5. If a child care service is
provided for a fee, a donation which is enforced or insisted, or where an
exchange of goods is requested in lieu of payment for child care, then the
service must comply with the �Regulations under the Children�s Services Act
1985) and hold a current child care licence, issued by the Director, Department
of Education and Training, 2nd Floor, 31 Flinders Street, Adelaide.
5000. Phone:82260044. Insurance: Issues relating to
insurance are becoming ever more complex when dealing with children. It is
recommended that a reputable insurance broker is contacted with regards to
adequate cover for: Public Liability Insurance Professional Liability
Insurance Personal accident Insurance
for Voluntary workers Compulsory Workcover for
paid employees. Department of Education,
Training and Employment: Cr�che Guidelines: for cr�che service providers.
1998. Adelaide, South Australia. |
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