Bernard

PRICE : £34.99

Fresh from the hive and boasting the best stripes in the colony is Bernard the Bee! Made to the same high standard as the Terrance and Trixie Trunki but with two carry handles to buy click

Harley

PRICE : £34.99

NEW! Fresh from the undergrowth for summer 2009 Harley joins the Trunki family! Made to the same high standard as Tipu the Tiger Trunki featuring two carry handles. Now you and your little ones can ‘fly away home’ with minimum stress! to buy click

Hi readers, have you seen the new Trunki products that make travelling with children fun! Apparently travelling with children can be fun! As a mother of 4 now grown children this is a new concept for me. Only joking, these suitcases are wonderful, 6 designs including the Gruffalo,  Children will want to pull along their own suitcase, or even sit on them and be pulled along. there are also games and advice available from these clever people on the web site. Also available are neck pillows, pencil cases and much much more. I saw them on Dragon’s Den and from there they have become really popular (they didn’t get the backing) guess what they didn’t need the help from the Dragons they have done well all by themselves well done Trunki. We love your products at Childcare Blog x to buy click here

Kimmy’s fav is

Kimmy's Fav

Usborne book “Bedtime stories for little children” is such a beautiful book. With a padded cover that evokes fluffy pillows and cotton-wool clouds, this enchanting volume invites little children to close their eyes and drift away into a magical story at bedtime.

Join in with a singing owl. Meet a very friendly dragon. Share a mouse’s wedding. They are all here ready to meet you in these five beautifully illustrated stories that lead direct to dreamland. Perfect for young ones at bedtime, there’s also extra information on each of the authors.

It is so important that children have enough sleep, this is a time to relax, to grow and repair. So much is asked of children today, they may go to nursery for a large part of the day and have a very stimulating and active day. Sleep is therefore very beneficial. I do recommend a quiet and calming bedtime routine. No television for at least an hour before bed and a  calming bath and bedtime story will set the scene, your child will know that this means bedtime and sleep. I recommend books direct bargains, they have a wide selection of children’s books at a fraction of the cost in regular shops. I loved this book in particular bedtime stories to buy this book click

This fantastic clock helps your little one learn the time the fun way.

The Colour Clock develops thinking and physical skills, promotes creative play and thought and learning all in a fun environment.
Feautres

• Suitable from 18 months+
• Promotes creative play
• Develops thinking and physical skills

To buy Click Here

At Heavenly Childcare we are avid readers of Nursery World and yet again we are horrified that nursery workers have been arrested again on suspicion of child abuse, which we read about in an article by Melanie Defries. Apparantly Defries reports police are investigating unexplained injuries sustained by three children in a nursery in a Nottingham nursery. Happily this nursery has been closed down by ofsted until further notice. It has also now come to light that there are also allegations of sexual abuse.

Kimmy’s comments: I am not naive enough not to know paedophiles and abuse of children has been going on for centuries and will never be totally stopped, but come on  people who do care about children and families do your bit. Report any suspicions you have about colleagues or neighbours or even your own friends or family! We all have a duty to protect children they are all our responsibility. Nurseries don’t be lenient on the checks that should be made.

I hate spam, I waste so much time getting rid of it, why bother spammers get a proper job and stop bothering people, you are ridiculous!!!

Hi bloggers, well yours truly and some of the Heavenly Childcare team went off to Llandudno earlier this month, to find out more about the new vetting and barring scheme. Obviously running a nanny agency means we must be ahead of new legislation that will affect us in our business.

This all came about as a result of the Bichard inquiry after the dreadful murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman by Ian Huntley. Ian Huntley was the school caretaker at the girls school and they also knew his girlfriend who was a teaching assistant there. No one could understand how this man had been allowed to work at a school and the need for a different sort of checking system came from this inquiry.

This led to the safeguarding vulnerable groups Act 2006. the new scheme will affect anybody who works with children under the age of 18years (unless they are at work) and vulnerable adults, including prisoners. The home office is responsible for delivering the scheme, in partnership with the Department of Health and the Department for children, schools and families. There will be one single agency to vet and register all individuals who want to work with childrten or vulnerable adults they are the ISA The Independent Safeguarding Authority. The CRB Criminal Records Bureau will be responsible for managing the system that will support the vetting and barring scheme and process the applications for ISA registration. Employers will still need to have inplace a good recruitment process, involving interviews and reference checks.

People who are barred from working with children and vulnerable adults, must not work with them because to do so will be a criminal offence, also employers will have a legal obligation to check the list of barred individuals and it will also be an offence to employ a barred person for these positions. Charities and churches also come under this scheme as does anyone voluteering to work with these groups.

The exception is parents can employ someone to tutor or look after their child or vulnerable adult in their own home without checking the barred list. Obviously parents would be very foolish not to check the list (which they will be able to do) but it will not be an offence if they choose not to. However, it will be an offence for the barred person to take that job.

The time table for all these changes will happen over a 5 year period of time, these are some of the dates: The VBS launches on 12th October 2009. the changes after this date are increased safeguards introduced. The three current barring lists POCA, POVA and list 99 will be replaced by the creation of two new barred lists administered by the ISA, checks of these lists can be made part of a CRB check.

Employers, social services and professional regulators have a duty to refer to the ISA any information about individuals who may pose a risk to vulnerable adults and children.

There will be criminal penalties for people on the barred list who seek work with the vulnerable and for employers who knowingly take them on.

On July26th  2010 individuals will be able to register with the ISA and be checked.

When individuals are registered with ISA they will be continually monitored and their status reassessed with any new information that comes to light.

Employers will be able to register an interest in their employees and will then be informed if their employees status changes and if they become barred.

This is obviously too deep a subject to go into in much depth here. For more information I suggest you go on these web sites: ISA - www.isa-gov.org  CRB - www.crb.gov.uk and find out more.

Kimmy’s view:I think this is potentially a good thing, certainly anything that can be done to safe guard children and vulnerable adults is a good thing and a step in the right direction. However, a scheme is only as good as its administrators and we have seen in the past government bodies and groups get things badly wrong. I hope this will not be one of those examples, we owe it to our children and vulnerable members of society to protect them where possible from abuse. Lets keep an open mind, Heavenly Childcare will keep up it’s rigorous recruitment policies and make sure no short cuts are made by us. we will certainly be reporting to the ISA individauls that we find suspicious. Heard in the news last week that some authors of children’s books who go into schools to read to the children and promote literacy are objecting to being checked and are refusing to go into schools again!! Why would anyone object to measures to keep children safe? We all have to do things we don’t want, but if it is for the good of the wider society we should just get on with it! What do you think bloggers?

Kimmy xx

I was horrified, as we all were at Heavenly Childcare, when we heard the news of the allegations made against nursery worker, Vanessa George.

For those of you who have not heard the story, George has been accused of and charged with: Possessing and distributing indecent images of children. Our sympathies go out to the parents and carers of the children who attend the nursery involved, we cannot begin to imagine your anguish. As far as we know no other member of staff there is involved and I’m sure George’s co-workers must also feel deeply distressed that this may have been going on where they work. It is so hard for society to comprehend the situation, when a woman is accused of such crimes against the children in her care and trust. Not all sex offenders are old men in dirty macs!! Paedophiles look like any one of us and that is why it is so hard to educate children to stay safe without frightening them and of course these very young children would probably not be old enough to disclose what may have been happening to them.

As a child care professional myself, I have always been concerned that only new staff  joining a school have CRB checks done on them, many staff who have been working in the school for years have not had these checks done at all! Schools and nurseries must have a whistle blowing policy, this means staff should and indeed it is their duty to voice any concerns against a colleague to their senior managers. There must be a child protection policy and staff must be trained in how to recognise abuse and what procedures to follow if it is suspected or disclosed to them.

I have already commented on the less than rigourous procedures of the ofsted voluntary register checks. Parents hiring babysitters or nannies cannot seek CRB checks for their children’s carers themselves only an umberella body can do this.

Be wary we do not want to start witch hunts in this area. CRB checks only show if someone has been convicted of a crime not accused, the new checks called ‘vetting and barring system’ not yet in force will also have any accusations or complaints made against childcare professionals available to those checking employees. This is a problematic area in my opinion, let me tell you older children are not above saying to their teachers and I have seen it for myself, ‘if you put me in detention, I will tell my parents you hit me or you touched me and you will get the sack’ Don’t think kids won’t do this because they do. Any register kept like this will have innocent victims of false allegations victimised and unable to work. What is the answer? I don’t think anyone really knows. My advise is keep an open and honest dialogue going in schools, homes and work places and with your children, don’t be decieved by stereotypes of what you think abusers look like and if your gut instinct tells you something is wrong it may well be right.

P.S Heavenly Childcare recommend www.kidscape.org.uk

Best wishes Kimmy

So many children are obese these days and children under 5 years have got type 2 diabetes!! Come on parents what are you thinking!!! So many children go to school hungry and low in blood sugar, when you ask them “have you had any breakfast today?” the answer is often no.

I have had 4 children so I do know it isn’t always easy to get the morning rush to school running like clock work, but it can be done if you get organised and think ahead. Lay the table the night before, get bowls, spoons, cups, cereal etc out the night before. check you have enough milk in the fridge, running down to the shops in the morning is not helpful. Children who don’t like eating in the morning, may eat a banana or milk shake or a yoghurt.

I’m sure by now everyone knows about eating 5 portions of fruit and veg a day, 3 portions of carbohydrate, less salt, less fat, less sugar and drinking lots of water.

Having worked in schools for years I have seen some school dinners, to make your ‘hair stand on end’ and kids who bring to school a jam sandwich and a chocolate bar and coke to school in their packed lunch.

I think Jamie Oliver is brilliant and I love his cookery books and books on how to grow your own veg etc, at least he is trying to promote healthy eating and all he seems to get is critisism!! OK Jamie is not everyone’s ‘cup of tea’ but we must teach our kids healthy eating habits from the begining. Involve kids in choosing food and preparing it when safe to do so.

Eat together as much as possible, at the table if possible, and turn the TV off and talk to each other.

Don’t make meal times a battle ground if they don’t want to eat it don’t force them, but don’t start offering alternatives. They will eat if they are hungry.

lead by example if you don’t eat a healthy diet your children won’t either, be a good role model it will do you good too.

cut the snacks out and if they must snack make it dry fruit, fruit, nuts (as long as they are not allergic)

Happy mealtimes I’m off to tuck into a big plate of chips haha

Kimmy

Myth: If a pupil is hurt the teacher is likely to be sued.

The Reality: The main legal duties lie with the employer, not the teacher, teaching assistant, or even the Head Teacher, unless they own the school that employs the staff.

There isn’t an instant in the past 5 years of a teacher being personally sued for compensation. (This statement is from the health and safety executive web site)

However, over the years a handful of teachers have been prosecuted following VERY serious incidents, but only where they failed to follow direct instruction and departed from common sense.

Teachers who behave sensibly will be on the right side of the law.

Kimmy’s advise is: Having worked in schools for 15 years my advise is find out about your school’s policies and procedures. They will tell you what you can and cannot do and the right way to go about things. Don’t just do your own thing because you think it is the right thing to do. If you have followed the school’s guidlines you will be backed by the school. Same with first aid, you are only covered by insurance if you only do the procedures you are trained to do. Doing your own thing means you can be vulnerable and isolated if anything goes wrong!!

Best Wishes Kimmy