Hello Kitty Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 We haven't up til now but I've noticed the NCMA policies have a space for signatures. Now here are my questions... 1. What benefit is there to them being signed by the childminder? 2. I can see that parents signing is evidence (in theory) that they have read them in the event of conflict... BUT... we have a lot of policies and a lot of parents... are we really meant to get every policy signed by every parent and keep and give htem copies?? I did wonder about giving them all a copy and then us keeping one set signed by all the parents... 3. On my contract it states that signing the contract assumes the parent has read and will abide by the policies - is this enough?
Rea Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 Hi hellokitty, I suppose if you sign the policy its evidence of a sort that you havent merely downloaded them without an idea of what they contain. For parents we had a playgroup a cover letter that they signed to say they had read, understood and agreed to the settings policies. On the initial session the policies were made available with a member of staff to go through them. It can be costly to keep printing things off so a couple in neat folders passed around as needed should be enough, but a copy to keep might also be a good idea.
Hello Kitty Posted February 16, 2009 Author Posted February 16, 2009 Up until now we have supplied a set in the welcome pack and I would like to continue to do that - tho we do have a website so I guess in theory they could access them away from the setting... It's the signing thing tho? Quite impractical I think!
Cait Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 We print off a couple of sets and bind them with a couple of pages at the back where parents sign to say they've read them
Hello Kitty Posted February 16, 2009 Author Posted February 16, 2009 So it's OK to have one signature to cover them all? You'd think but you never can tell....
HappyMaz Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 So it's OK to have one signature to cover them all?You'd think but you never can tell.... Doesn't the EYFS say childminders don't have to have written copies of policies - but have to be able to clearly them to parents on request? (paragraph 3.9 of the Statutory Framework (May 2008). In that case I think its up to you whether you sign the policies or whether you get parents to sign to say they've seen them! However if your registration form asks the parents to sign acknowledging the policies then I would suggest you refer to the version or date of the document. Then if you update or review policies you can get them to sign to say they've seen them and agree to them. That way both parties are clear which version of the policies are in force at any one time! Maz
Hello Kitty Posted February 16, 2009 Author Posted February 16, 2009 Doesn't the EYFS say childminders don't have to have written copies of policies - but have to be able to clearly them to parents on request? (paragraph 3.9 of the Statutory Framework (May 2008). In that case I think its up to you whether you sign the policies or whether you get parents to sign to say they've seen them! However if your registration form asks the parents to sign acknowledging the policies then I would suggest you refer to the version or date of the document. Then if you update or review policies you can get them to sign to say they've seen them and agree to them. That way both parties are clear which version of the policies are in force at any one time! Maz Ooooh you're gooooood! Yes it does state that we don't have to have them written. That is a good point. I think when I finish updating I will offer the parents a copy but have them in a folder here so they are available. I won't worry about hte signing and see if it's raised by Ofsted next week. If it is, I can show the inspector this thread to show I considered it LOL
Guest Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 We also have a large parent folder with all of our policies and procedures in, when a child starts we send the file home with them and ask them to sign a sheet to say they have read the policies and we have a seperate slot to say they have specifically read the child protection policy. We have way too many pages to print one for each parents.
HappyMaz Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 Ooooh you're gooooood! Oh thank you! You could always print out the page of the Statutory Framework to show her! Maz
Buttercup Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 i do not know if you can do this but on my registration form i have a statement saying that parents know where the polices are kept and can request a copy anytime. i have 63 children so too expensive to photocopy for everyone. i do not think we can get parents to say they have read something that they probably have not. angela
Guest Posted February 16, 2009 Posted February 16, 2009 All I do is at the end of my P&P's manual is have a list of each each P&P and ask the parents to tick to say they have received/read/understood and then they sign on the one sheet. I keep this copy.
Carol Posted February 17, 2009 Posted February 17, 2009 I give all of my parents a copy of our policies to keep but do not get them to sign anything to say they have read them, I am going to discuss this at our next steff meeting. Carol
HappyMaz Posted February 17, 2009 Posted February 17, 2009 I give all of my parents a copy of our policies to keep but do not get them to sign anything to say they have read them, I am going to discuss this at our next steff meeting. Recent advice from our Local Authority means I have changed my registration form to include a paragraph to say that our setting comes under the RBWM Local Safeguarding Children Board procedures and guidance which require all concerns about a child’s welfare to be noted and where appropriate passed to the relevant authority. Parents are asked to sign to say "I/we confirm that I/we have read the Safeguarding Children policy and understand that the policies and procedures will be followed and put into practice when necessary." So now I also include our safeguarding policy in our information pack so that prospective parents are able to read it before signing the registration form. I don't think it says this anywhere in the EYFS documentation - but I always do what the LA says! Maz
Guest Posted February 17, 2009 Posted February 17, 2009 We too have our parents sign to say that they have read and agree to abide by all our policies. This was on advice from LA when we had a parent who refused to use sun cream on her child, despite our policy. I have included it in our Parent contract which also deals with issues of funding and paying fees. Whether they do read them I have my doubts but we are covered in the event of an issue like this again.
Guest Posted February 17, 2009 Posted February 17, 2009 Childminders don't have to have written policies and procedures but it is "good practice" to have them It is apparently also "good practice" for the parents to have a copy. I gave them all a set when I'd updated them for EYFS and asked them to sign to say they'd received them. Any further updates also have to be signed for. Lots of paper but erring on the side of caution as usual Nona
velvet Posted February 17, 2009 Posted February 17, 2009 I'm a childminder also and I give the parents a welcome pack which includes my policies which is for them to keep. I think I should be inspected anytime soon really as it was meant to be last September/October so will let you know if it is brought up!
Guest cathy m Posted February 17, 2009 Posted February 17, 2009 I am also a childminder and my parents receive a welcome pack with all of my policies in, I also include a sheet with the policies listed which they sign to say they have read and understood them Cathy
louby loo Posted February 17, 2009 Posted February 17, 2009 Our registraion forms have a bit to sign - although up unitl now parents have not actuall recieved a copy, we're about to give then all copies -A5, (bit difficult on the eyes!!) Although we are considering just putting them all on a disk. A few of our parents have moaned about wasted paper with to many newsletters........although when I asked for emails to send paperless copies only two parents replied!!! I guess they're just politey letting me know they don't read them!! xxx
hali Posted February 17, 2009 Posted February 17, 2009 we have the same problem Louby lou asked for all parents email addys - only got 4 back. Ask all new parents if they would like polices and prospectus on a disk instead of a paper copy - but all want the paper copies!
Cait Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 Well it's more secure - if you give them on disk they might sell them on ebay!
Guest Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 To add another twist on the policies discussion, I have them all loaded on my website as PDF and give parents the option to print or just read from the web and then i ask them to sign one disclaimer for all to say they have read them. This leaves the ball in their court and so if they have not read and signed well hey ho. I know that the EYFS states policies are not always necessary but i feel with the day and age we live in, this method covers all bases. Works for me, may work for you!
Cait Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 Does the EYFS say policies are not always necessary? so why am I bothering with all this stuff?
HappyMaz Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 I have them all loaded on my website as PDF and give parents the option to print or just read from the web and then i ask them to sign one disclaimer for all to say they have read them. That's a great idea, wyetots! Being a PDF presumably means people can't alter them, too! How expensive is the software to buy (rather than downloading the 'read only' version free of charge!)? Welcome to the Forum, wyetots! Maz
Guest Posted February 18, 2009 Posted February 18, 2009 Maz, you can download some free software called Cutepdf (I think) which allows you to choose File, Print and Cutepdf and the file then saves as a pdf if I remember the steps correctly. I am sure they are not the only company either.
Guest Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 Hi i have just become registered and we were told to get parents to sign to say they have read our policies stops them from saying they didnt know about something that is in them.hope that makes sense.
HappyMaz Posted March 12, 2009 Posted March 12, 2009 Maz, you can download some free software called Cutepdf (I think) which allows you to choose File, Print and Cutepdf and the file then saves as a pdf if I remember the steps correctly. I am sure they are not the only company either. Ooh thanks Holly - am going off to investigate now! Maz
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