Policies and Procedures

Transitions policy

At Rocking Horse Nursery we recognise that young children will experience many transitions in their early years; some of these planned and some unplanned. We are sensitive to the impact of such changes to children and this policy sets out the ways in which we support children going through these transitions.

Some examples of transitions that young children and babies may experience are:

• Starting nursery
• Moving between different rooms within the nursery
• Starting school or moving nurseries
• Family breakdowns
• New siblings
• Moving home
• Death of a family member or close friend
• Death of a family pet.

Staff are trained to observe their key children and to be sensitive to any changes in their behaviour and personality. We respectfully ask that parents inform us of any changes in the home environment that may affect their child so staff can be aware of the reasons behind any potential changes in the child’s behaviour.

Starting nursery

We recognise that starting nursery may be difficult for some children and their families. We have a settling in policy to support the child and their family.  For new children starting the nursery parents will be offered the opportunity to stay for up to one hour on the first and second visit.

Moving rooms procedure

When a child is ready to move to a different room in the nursery, we follow the process set out below and work with the parents to ensure this is a seamless process in which the child is fully supported at all stages. This may include a handover meeting between the existing key worker, new key worker and parents:

• Identifying the individual needs of the child and when they are ready to move, based on age or stage of development
• Emailing the parent 2 weeks before to request that the child can transition and to arrange an induction tour of the new room

• Enabling the child to spend short sessions in their new room prior to the permanent move, so they feel comfortable in their new surroundings with their key person initially, so they have a familiar person present at all times
• Wherever possible transitioning groups of friends together to enable these friendships to be kept intact and support the children with the peers they know
• Keeping parents informed of all visits and the outcomes of these sessions e.g. through photographs and discussions
• Only transitioning the child when they feel settled and ready to move.  If a child requires more support this will be discussed between the key worker, parent, manager and room leader of the new room to agree how and when this will happen. This may include moving their key worker with them on a temporary basis.

Starting school or moving childcare providers

Starting school is an important transition and some children may feel anxious about the move. We will do all we can to facilitate a smooth transition and minimise any potential stresses. This following process relates to children going to school. However, wherever possible, we will adapt this process to support children moving to another childcare provider e.g. childminder or another nursery.

• We provide a variety of resources that relate to the school, e.g. uniform to dress up in, a role-play area set up as a school classroom, photographs of all the schools the children may attend and of their new teachers. This helps the children to become familiar with this new concept and will aid the transition
• Build relationships with local schools where possible throughout the year, and invite them to key events or we will attend key events e.g. nativity, sports day
• Enable school representatives into the nursery to meet the child prior to them leaving for school.
• Where possible we use other ways to support the transition to school, e.g. inviting previous children from the nursery who have moved on to school to come back and talk to the children about their school experiences
• We produce a comprehensive report on every child leaving the setting and, with parent permission, will share this with the school to enable teachers to have a good understanding of every child received. This will include their interests, strengths and level of understanding and development in key areas. This will support continuity of care and early learning
• With parent permission, near the time of notification of school places, we may share details of the schools children are going to so parents and carers can see which children may be going to the same school. This can offer some reassurance for the children to know that they are moving with some familiar peers.

Other early years providers

Where children attend other early years settings or are cared for by a childminder we will work with them to share relevant information about the children’s development. Where a child is brought to nursery or collected from nursery by a childminder, we will ensure that key information is being given to the child’s parent by providing the information directly to them via email, video call or telephone.

Family breakdowns

We recognise that when parents separate it can be a difficult situation for all concerned. We have a separated families’ policy that shows how the nursery will act in the best interest of the child.

Moving home and new siblings

We recognise that both these events may have an impact on a child. Normally, parents will have advance notice of these changes and we ask parents to let us know about these events so we can support the child to be prepared. The key worker will spend time talking to the child and providing activities that may help the child to act out any worries they have, e.g. through role play, stories and discussions.

Bereavement

We recognise that this may be a very difficult time for children and their families and have a separate policy on bereavement, which we follow to help us offer support to all concerned, should this be required.

If parents feel that their child requires additional support because of any changes or transitions in their life, we ask that you speak to the nursery manager and the key worker to enable this support to be put into place.

* For the purpose of this publication the term ‘parents’ will be used to describe all types of primary caregivers, such as biological and adoptive parents, foster carers and guardians.

This policy was adopted on	Signed on behalf of the nursery	Date for review
05.08.25	S Walker	05.08.26

Links to UNCRC Articles: 1, 2, 3, 5, 12, 16, 23, 24, 28, 29

Duty of Candour at Rocking Horse Nursery SCIO Policy

Rocking Horse Nursery has implemented a Duty of Candour policy.  This is to ensure that Rocking Horse Nursery is open, honest, and supportive in its response should there be a situation when an unexpected or unintended incident occurs which results in death or harm (or additional treatment is required to prevent injury that would result in death or harm).  This is in line with current legislation for Scotland – The Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 and the Duty of Candour Procedure (Scotland) regulations 2018.

This duty of candour will ensure that RHN will activate and implement a procedure (as set out in the Organisational Duty of Candour Guidance, Scottish Government, 2018) which will include notifying the person/family affected, apologising, and offering a meeting to give an account of what happened. The procedure will also require the organisation to review each incident (within a 3-month period) and offer support to those affected (people who deliver and receive care).

The Manager (or in her absence) the Assistant Manager will be the responsible person for leading the review on the said incident and aim to resolve complaints at the earliest opportunity.

Staff will access duty of candour training.

An annual duty of candour report will be completed by the management team and published on the Rocking Horse Nursery Website.

Information for staff

Further information can be found in the Duty Of Candour Folder (office shelf)

The legislation – The Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care) (Scotland) Act 2016} outlines harm to people which is not severe but which results in:

• An increase in their treatment
• Changes to the structure of their body
• Shortening of their life
• An impairment which can be sensory, motor or intellectual and has lasted or is likely to last at least 28 days
• Pain or psychological harm which lasts, or at least 28 days.

Harm also includes the person requiring treatment by a health professional in order to prevent:

• Their death
• An injury to them which, if left untreated would lead to one or more of the harms outlined above.

Severe harm is described as:

• The death of a person
• Permanent disability either physical or psychological (such as the removal of the wrong limb or organ, or brain damage)

This policy was adopted on	Signed on behalf of the nursery	Date for review
05.08.25	S Walker	05.08.26

Duty of Candour Report 2025

All health and social care services in Scotland have a duty of candour. This is a legal requirement which means that when things go wrong and mistakes happen, the people affected understand what has happened, receive an apology, and that organisations learn how to improve for the future.

An important part of this duty is that we provide an annual report about the duty of candour in our services. This short report describes how Rocking Horse Nursery has operated the duty of candour during the time between April 24 – March 25   We hope you find this report useful.

About Rocking Horse Nursery SCIO;

Rocking Horse Nursery SCIO offer day care for children aged between 3 months and 5 years. We provide a range of activities to support children’s development in their early years.

How many incidents applied where Duty of Candour applies;

In the year 2024/25 there have been no incidents within Rocking Horse Nursery where Duty of Candour applied. See details below.

Type of unexpected or unintended Incident	Number of times this happened
Someone has died	0
Someone has permanently less bodily, sensory, motor, physiologic or intellectual functions	0
Someone’s treatment has increased because of harm	0
The structure of someones body changes because of harm	0
Someone’s life expectancy becomes shorter because of harm	0
Someone’s sensory, motor or intellectual functions is impaired for 28 days or more	0

Type of unexpected or unintended incident	Number of times this happened
Someone experienced pain or psychological harm for 28 days or more	0
A person needed health treatment in order to prevent them dying	0
A person needed health treatment in order to prevent other injury	0

1. To what extent did the setting follow the duty of candour procedure?

No action was required.

• Information on policies and procedures

Where something happens that triggers the duty of candour, our staff would report this to the Aberdeen Childcare Services manager who has responsibility for ensuring that the duty of candour procedure is followed. The manager records the incident and reports as necessary to Care Inspectorate. When an incident has happened the manager and staff set up a learning review. This allows everyone involved to review what happened and identify changes for the future.

All new staff learn about duty of candour at their induction. We know that serious mistakes can be distressing for staff as well as people who use care and their families. We have occupational welfare support in place for our staff if they have been affected by duty of candour.

Where parents or children are affected by a duty of candour, we have arrangements in place to provide welfare support as necessary.

• What has changed as a result?

No changes were required during this period.

• Other Information

Report completed by –

Donna Wilkie

Assistant Manager

March 2025

Administration of medication policy

HSCS: 1.19, 1.24, 2.23, 4.27

At Rocking Horse Nursery SCIO we promote the good health of children attending nursery and take necessary steps to prevent the spread of infection (see Sickness and illness and Infection control policies). If a child requires medicine, we will obtain information about the child’s needs for this and will ensure this information is kept up to date.

We follow the Care Inspectorate guidance on the management of medication in day care of children and childminding services when dealing with medication of any kind in the nursery and this is set out below.

For some medical conditions, for example, asthma or epilepsy, The nursery will record in the child’s long term medication form what action will be taken if the medication administered does not relieve the symptoms or the child’s health deteriorates. consider what action they will take if the child’s health deteriorates, or the medication administered does not relieve the symptoms.

(Medicines containing aspirin will only be given if prescribed by a doctor)

• Prescription medicine will only be given to the person named on the bottle for the dosage stated
• Early learning and childcare practitioners should not give the first dose of a new medication to a child. Parents should have already given at least one dose to ensure that the child does not have an adverse reaction
• Parents must inform nursery staff (verbally is acceptable) if any medication has been administered prior to the child coming to nursery that day.
• Medicines must be in their original containers with their instructions printed in English and where possible early learning and childcare practitioners should always read and retain the information which is supplied with the medicine
• Those with parental responsibility for any child requiring prescription medication should hand over the medication to the most appropriate member of staff who will then note the details of the administration on the appropriate form and another member of staff will check these details.  This information should include the doage/timings and and under what conditions.
• Those with parental responsibility must give prior written permission for the administration of every medication. This must include the reason for the medication.  However, we will accept written permission once for a whole course of medication or for the ongoing use of a particular medication under the following circumstances:
• The written permission is only acceptable for that brand name of medication and cannot be used for similar types of medication, e.g., if the course of antibiotics changes, a new form will need to be completed
• The dosage on the written permission is the only dosage that will be administered. We will not give a different dose unless a new form is completed
• Parents must notify us IMMEDIATELY if the child’s circumstances change, e.g., a dose has been given at home, or a change in strength/dose needs to be given

• The nursery will not administer a dosage that exceeds the recommended dose on the instructions unless accompanied by written instructions from a relevant health professional such as a letter from a doctor or dentist
• The parent must be asked when the child has last been given the medication before coming to nursery; and the staff member must record this information on the medication form. Similarly, when the child is picked up, the parent or guardian must be given precise details of the times and dosage given throughout the day. The parent’s signature must be obtained at both times
• At the time of administering the medicine, a senior member of staff will ask the child to take the medicine, or offer it in a manner acceptable to the child at the prescribed time and in the prescribed form. (It is important to note that staff working with children are not legally obliged to administer medication)
• If the child refuses to take the appropriate medication or spits it out, then a note will be made on the form and parents told immediately
• If a child is given too much medication then the parents will be informed immediately and medical attention sought
• Where medication is ‘essential’ or may have side effects, discussion with the parent will take place to establish the appropriate response.
• In a situation where the child is on long term medication thenursery will request a doctor’s letter or a form from the parent or carer to support the long-term administration of medicine and this will be reviewed every 8 weeks
• On collection of the child the medicine will be handed back to the parent who will also be required to sign medicine file as evidence they have received information of the medicine administered throughout the day and they have received the medicine home again
• If children self-medicate then staff will ensure this is done under supervision
• Where medication needs to be stored in a fridge then these will be stored in the kitchen fridge.  The temperatures of this fridge are stored in the kitchen recording system.

Non-prescription medication (these will not usually be administered)

• The nursery will not administer any non-prescription medication containing aspirin
• The nursery will only administer non-prescription medication for a short initial period, dependent on the medication or the condition of the child. After this time medical attention should be sought
• If the nursery feels the child would benefit from medical attention rather than non-prescription medication, we reserve the right to refuse nursery care until the child is seen by a medical early learning and childcare practitioner
• If a child needs liquid paracetamol or similar medication during their time at nursery, such medication will be treated as prescription medication with the onus being on the parent to provide the medicine.
• We do not keep an emergency communal nursery supply of fever relief and anti-histamines on site (following Care Inspectorate guidance). If a child exhibits symptoms requiring non-prescription medication during the day, e.g., a high temperature the nursery will make every attempt to contact the child’s parents. Where parents cannot be contacted, the manager on duty will help reduce the child’s temperature, contact the child’s emergency number and seek further medical advice if the child is:
  • under three months old and a temperature of 38 degrees or above
  • between three to six months and has a temperature of 39 degrees or above
  • over six months and shows other signs of being unwell – for example, they are floppy and drowsy or you are concerned about them
• For any non-prescription cream for skin conditions prior written permission must be obtained from the parent and the onus is on the parent to provide the cream which should be clearly labelled with the child’s name
• If any child is brought to the nursery in a condition in which he/she may require medication sometime during the day, the manager will decide if the child is fit to be left at the nursery. If the child is staying, the parent must be asked if any kind of medication has already been given, at what time and in what dosage and this must be stated on the medication form
• As with any kind of medication, staff will ensure that the parent is informed of any non-prescription medicines given to the child whilst at the nursery, together with the times and dosage given
• The nursery DOES NOT administer any medication unless prior written consent is given for every medicine
•  If necessary the child will be offered a drink with the medication

Injections, pessaries, suppositories

As the administration of injections, pessaries and suppositories represents intrusive nursing, we will not administer these without appropriate medical training for every member of staff caring for this child. This training is specific for every child and not generic. The nursery will do all it can to make any reasonable adjustments including working with parents and other professionals to arrange for appropriate health officials to train staff in administering the medication. 

Staff medication

All nursery staff have a responsibility to work with children only where they are fit to do so. Staff must not work with children where they are infectious or feel unwell and cannot meet children’s needs. This includes circumstances where any medication taken affects their ability to care for children, for example, where it makes a person drowsy.

If any staff member believes that their condition, including any condition caused by taking medication, is affecting their ability to care for children they must inform their line manager and seek medical advice. The nursery manager will decide if a staff member is fit to work, including circumstances where other staff members notice changes in behaviour suggesting a person may be under the influence of medication. This decision will include any medical advice obtained by the individual or from an occupational health assessment.  

Where staff may occasionally or regularly need medication, any such medication must be kept in the person’s locker/separate locked container in the staff room or nursery room where staff may need easy access to the medication, such as an asthma inhaler. In all cases, it must be stored securely out of reach of the children, at all times. It must not be kept in the first aid box and should be labelled with the name of the member of staff.

Storage

All medication for children must have the child’s name clearly written on the original container, a photograph of the child and kept in a closed box, which is out of reach of all children.

Emergency medication, such as inhalers and EpiPens, will be within easy reach of staff in case of an immediate need, but will remain out of children’s reach.

Any antibiotics requiring refrigeration must be kept in a fridge inaccessible to children.

All medications must be in their original containers, labels must be legible and not tampered with or they will not be given. All prescription medications should have the pharmacist’s details and notes attached to show the dosage needed and the date the prescription was issued. This will all be checked, along with expiry dates, before staff agree to administer medication. 

This policy was adopted on	Signed on behalf of the nursery	Date for review
05.08.25	S Walker	05.08.25

Links to UNCRC Articles: 1, 2, 3, 5, 24

Adverse Weather policy

At Rocking Horse Nursery SCIO,we have an adverse weather policy in place to ensure our nursery is prepared for all weather conditions that might affect the running of the nursery such as floods, snow and heat waves.

Staff are required to make every reasonable effort to be present at work as your role does not allow for flexible working. In severe weather conditions, you should consider the viability of alternative forms of transport or alternative routes to that which you normally use.

Parents

If any of these incidents affect the ability of the nursery to open or operate, we will contact parents via phone or email (group mailing list).

We will not take children outdoors where we judge that weather conditions make it unsafe to do so. If the nursery has to close due to adverse weather conditions or for any other unexpected reasons (such as a power cut) then this session is not reimbursed.

Flood

In the case of a flood, we will follow our critical incident procedure to enable continuity of care for all children and staff.

Snow or other severe weather

If high snowfall or another severe weather condition, such as dense fog, is threatened during a nursery day then the duty manager will take the decision as to whether to close the nursery (incorporating University of Aberdeen guidance). This decision will take into account the safety of the children, their parents and the staff team. In the event of a planned closure during the nursery day, we will contact all parents to arrange for collection of their child.

In the event of staff shortages due to snow or other adverse weather, we will contact all available off duty staff and/or agency staff and group the children differently until they are able to arrive. If we are unable to maintain statutory ratio requirements after all avenues are explored, we will contact the Care Inspectorate to inform them of this issue, recording all details in our incident file. If we feel the safety, health or welfare of the children is compromised, then we will take the decision to close the nursery or operate a shorter day.

 Staff will be able to utilise up to 2 days Special leave for adverse weather, other days over this will either be unpaid, paid back or annual leave.

Heat wave

Staff will make day-to-day decisions about the length of time spent outside depending on the strength of the sun. Children will not be encouraged to avoid playing in direct sunlight between 11.00am and 3.00pm on sunny days between March and October, following NHS sun safety advice. Shaded areas are provided to ensure children are able to still go out in hot weather, cool down or shelter from the sun should they wish or need to. For further details, please refer to our Sun care policy.

This policy was adopted on	Signed on behalf of the nursery	Date for review
03.10.25	S Walker	03.10.26

Links to UNCRC Articles: 1, 2, 3, 12, 13, 24

Conflict resolution with parents and aggressive behaviour Zero tolerance policy

At Rocking Horse Nursery SCIO we believe that we have a strong partnership with our parents and an open door policy to discuss any matters arising (if applicable).

If as a parent, you have any concerns or issues you wish to raise with the nursery then please follow the complaints procedure.

In the case of a parent emailing, calling or using social media to complain the nursery will direct them to the correct procedure for raising a complaint.

We have a zero tolerance on abusive calls, emails, social media contact and face-to-face confrontation.

Calls of an aggressive or abusive manner

The call taker receiving a call leading to abusive or aggressive behaviour will remain calm and professional, and ask them to follow the complaints policy. If the abuse continues the call taker will end the call. Any abusive calls will be logged with an outline of the conversation.

Emails of an aggressive or abusive manner

The responder will ask the parents to come into the setting to speak in person, as per our complaints policy. If the emails persist, the manager may seek legal action. All emails will be kept as evidence until the matter is resolved.

Social Media

If slanderous or abusive messages appear on any social media sites, we will address these immediately with a request to follow our complaints procedure. We will endeavour to resolve any issue raised through our complaints procedure. If slanderous/abusive messages continue, we will seek legal action against the complainant.

In the event that any person inside the nursery starts to act in an aggressive manner at the nursery, our policy is to:

• Direct the person away from the children and into a private area, such as the office (where appropriate) 
• Ensure that a second member of staff is in attendance, where possible, whilst continuing to ensure the safe supervision of the children
• Remain calm and professional in order to calm the aggressive person, making it clear that we do not tolerate aggressive or abusive language or behaviour
• If the aggressive behaviour continues or escalates we will contact the police in order to ensure the safety of our staff team, children and families
• If the person calms down and stops the aggressive behaviour a member of staff will listen to their concerns and try to resolve the issue
• Following an aggressive confrontation an incident form will be completed detailing the time, reason and any action taken
• Any aggressive behaviour from a parent could result in the withdrawal of a place for the child/ren. Parents will be informed, by the management team, in writing within 3 days of any incident that involved aggressive or threatening behaviour to their staff
• Management will provide support and reassurance to any staff member involved in such an incident
• Management will signpost parents to organisations/professionals that can offer support if applicable

This policy will be followed in the event of any other visitors or member of the public displaying this type of behaviour by phone, email, social media or in person.

* For the purpose of this publication the term ‘parents’ will be used to describe all types of primary caregivers, such as biological and adoptive parents, foster carers and guardians.

This policy was adopted on	Signed on behalf of the nursery	Date for review
03.10.25	S Walker	03.10.26

No UNCRC links

Complaints and compliments policy

HSCS: 4.20, 4.21

At Rocking Horse Nursery SCIO, we strive to provide the highest quality of care and education for our children and families and believe that all parents should be treated with care, courtesy and respect. 

We hope that at all times parents are happy and satisfied with the quality and service provided and we encourage parents to voice their appreciation to the staff concerned and/or management. We record all compliments and share these with staff.

We welcome any suggestions from parents on how we can improve our services and will give prompt and serious attention to any concerns that parents may have. Any concerns will be dealt with professionally and promptly to ensure that any issues arising from them are handled effectively and to ensure the welfare of all children, enable ongoing cooperative partnership with parents and to continually improve the quality of the nursery.

We have a formal procedure for dealing with complaints where we are not able to resolve a concern. Where any concern or complaint relates to child protection, we follow our Child Protection Policy.

Internal complaints procedure

Stage 1

If any parent should have cause for concern or any queries regarding the care or early learning provided by the nursery, they should in the first instance take it up with the child’s key worker or a senior member of staff/room leader.  If this is not resolved, we ask them to discuss this verbally with the manager by arranging an appointment.

Stage 2

If the issue still remains unresolved or parents feel they have received an unsatisfactory outcome, then they must present their concerns in writing as a formal complaint to the nursery manager. The manager will then investigate the complaint and report back to the parent within [10working days]. The manager will document the complaint fully, the actions taken and the outcome in relation to it in the complaints log book.  

(Most complaints are usually resolved informally at stage 1 or 2.)

Stage 3

If the matter is still not resolved, the nursery will hold a formal meeting between the manager, parent and the Chair of the trustees to ensure that it is dealt with comprehensively. The nursery will make a record of the meeting and document any actions. All parties present at the meeting will review the accuracy of the record, and will be asked to sign to agree it and receive a copy. This will signify the conclusion of the procedure.

Stage 4

If the matter cannot be resolved to their satisfaction, then parents have the right to raise the matter with the Care Inspectorate. Parents are made aware that they can contact the Care Inspectorate at any time they have a concern, including at all stages of the complaints procedure and are given information on how to contact them. The Care Inspectorate is the registering authority for nurseries in Scotland and investigates all complaints that suggest a provider may not be meeting the requirements of the nursery’s registration.

A record of complaints will be kept in the nursery. The record will include the name of the complainant, the nature of the complaint, date and time complaint received, action(s) taken, outcomes of any investigations and any information given to the complainant including a dated response.

Parents will be able to access this record if they wish; however, all personal details relating to any complaint will be stored confidentially and will be only accessible by the parties involved. Care Inspectorate inspectors will have access to this record at any time during visits to ensure actions have been met appropriately.

Parents are also informed that they can complain directly to the Care Inspectorate at any time, which will investigate. Timescales are 20 working days.

Telephone contact details for the Care Inspectorate: 0345 600 9527

Parents will also be informed if the nursery becomes aware that they are going to be inspected and after inspection will provide a copy of the report to parents and/or carers of children attending on a regular basis.

* For the purpose of this publication the term ‘parents’ will be used to describe all types of primary caregivers, such as biological and adoptive parents, foster carers and guardians.

This policy was adopted on	Signed on behalf of the nursery	Date for review
03.10.25	S Walker	03.10.26

No UNCRC links

Infection Control Policy

At Rocking Horse Nursery, we promote the good health of all children attending (including oral health) through maintaining high hygiene standards to help reduce the chances of infection being spread. We follow the Infection Prevention and Control in Childcare Settings (Day Care and Childminding Settings),[1] which sets out when and how long children need to be excluded from settings, when treatment/medication is required and where to get further advice.

Viruses and infections can be passed easily from person to person by breathing in air containing the virus, which is produced when an infected person talks, coughs or sneezes. It can also spread through hand/face contact after touching a person or surface contaminated with viruses.

We follow the guidance below to prevent a virus or infection from spreading around the nursery. Our staff:

• Encourage all children to use tissues when coughing and sneezing to catch germs
• Ensure all tissues are disposed of in a hygienic way and all children and staff wash their hands once the tissue is disposed of
• Develop children’s understanding of the above and the need for good hygiene procedures in helping them to stay healthy
• Wear the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when changing nappies, toileting children and dealing with any other bodily fluids. Staff are requested to dispose of these in the appropriate manner and wash hands immediately
• Clean and sterilise all potties and changing mats after each use
• Clean toilets at least daily and check them throughout the day
• Remind children to wash their hands before eating, after visiting the toilet, playing outside or being in contact with any animal and explain the reasons for this
• Clean all toys, equipment and resources on a regular basis by following a comprehensive cleaning rota and using antibacterial cleanser, or through washing in the washing machine
• Wash or clean all equipment used by babies and toddlers as and when needed, including when the children have placed it in their mouth
• Store dummies in individual hygienic dummy boxes labelled with the child’s name to prevent cross-contamination with other children
• Store toothbrushes (where applicable) hygienically to prevent cross-contamination 
• Immediately clean and sterilise (where necessary) any dummy or bottle that falls on the floor or is picked up by another child
• Provide labelled individual bedding for children that is not used by any other child and wash this at least once a week
• Ask parents and visitors to be mindful of when entering rooms where children may be crawling or sitting on the floor
• Where applicable wear specific indoor shoes or slippers whilst inside the rooms and make sure that children wear them as well
• Follow the Sickness and illness policy when children are ill to prevent the spread of any infection in the nursery. Staff are also requested to stay at home if they are ill and/or contagious.

In addition:

Security Policy

If a member staff does not approach you at the table in front of the nursery please use the buzzer security system in place and buzz the office buzzer. Staff are aware not to let anyone they do not know enter the building. The office is situated next to entrance vestibule so any visitors to the building are approached by the office staff. Nursery staff only can gain access to the building using their staff ID swipe cards on a swipe entry system.

There are CCTV cameras in the garden area, the car park and in front vestibule. There is an intruder alarm system in place which is set each night and motion sensors which would activate the alarm to notify security of any intruders.

All windows are only opened at the top so entry/exit to the building cannot be gained this way.

The nursery garden is a secure area surrounded by high fences and wall.

At Rocking Horse Nursery SCIO we care for 84 children between the ages of 3 months and up to the child starting school (usually around 5 years of age).  This is in accordance with the legal space requirements from the Care Inspectorate and is the overriding policy in respect of admissions.

Statement on staff use of Rocking Horse Nursery:

The Rocking Horse Nursery is open to parents, at least one of who has the University of Aberdeen as the main employer.

A full-time place is available only to those whose employment is over 25 hours per week. Thereafter, priority is calculated in proportion to the number of hours employed by the University.

Statement on student use of Rocking Horse Nursery:

The Rocking Horse Nursery is open to parents, at least one of who is a registered student at the University of Aberdeen.

A full-time place is normally available only to those who are registered as full time students. Part time students will normally be allocated places pro rata on the basis of University Course Registration.

Admission to the Nursery is through the list of prospective users on a “first come, first served” basis, taking the mix of ages in the Nursery at any one time into account. 

Places may also be offered (3-5 years of age) to parents who utilise other further educational establishments within the Aberdeen area.

The Managers reserve the right, in consultation with the Trustees, to allocate priority places to children in exceptional circumstances.

Anyone interested in applying for a place should contact the Managers in the first instance for an application form.  There is not a guarantee that a place will be available when required, but the earlier you apply the better. 

Withdrawals

Due to the heavy demand for places, we have had to establish a policy that parents who leave the University can retain the child’s place in the Nursery only until the end of that academic term. Nursery places will not normally be held open for sabbatical, research or any other leave of absence. In the event of unforeseen difficulties, the management have the power to advise a parent to remove a child from the Nursery either temporarily or permanently.

A final decision on removal will only be made in consultation with the Trustees.

A four week notice period (full fees for this notice period) is required if parents intend to remove their child.

Prior to a child attending nursery, parents must complete and sign a contract and registration form. These forms provide the nursery with personal details relating to the child. For example, name, date of birth, address, emergency contact details, parental responsibilities, dietary requirements, collection arrangements, fees and sessions, contact details for parents, doctor’s contact details, health visitor contact details, allergies, parental consent, etc.

Providers eligible to provide government funded places for Early Learning and Childcare

All settings are required to register with the Care Inspectorate and receive a regular joint inspection by the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland before they can offer funded pre-school education places. We currently provide free funded places available for children subject to availability.

All funded sessions are now in line with the flexible arrangements as specified by the Government. When you register your child for their funded place, we will discuss your needs and we will accommodate your wishes as far as possible with availability and staffing arrangements.

This policy was adopted on	Signed on behalf of the nursery	Date for review
05.08.25		05.08.26

Sickness and illness policy – children

HSCS: 1.11, 3.21,

At Rocking Horse Nursery we promote the good health of all children attending, including oral health, by:

• Asking parents to keep children at home if they are unwell.  If a child is unwell, it is in their best interest to be in a home environment rather than at nursery.
• Asking staff and other visitors not to attend the setting if they are unwell
• Helping children to keep healthy by providing balanced and nutritious snacks, meals and drinks
• Minimising infection through our rigorous cleaning and hand washing processes (see Infection control policy)
• Ensuring children have regular access to the outdoors and having good ventilation inside
• Sharing information with parents about the vaccination programme for young children to help protect them and the wider society from communicable diseases
• Having areas for rest and sleep, where required, and sharing information about the importance of sleep and how many hours young children should be having.

Our procedures

In order to take appropriate action of children become ill and to minimise the spread of infection we implement the following procedures:

• If a child becomes ill during the nursery day, we contact their parent(s) and ask them to pick up their child as soon as possible. During this time, we care for the child in a quiet, calm area.
• Parents of children with a temperature over 38 will be contacted and asked to collect their child. They can return to nursery once their temperature is no longer controlled by medication.

• We follow the guidance on Infection Prevention and Control in Childcare Settings (Day Care and Childminding Settings – child-care-setting-infection-control-may-2018.pdf) given to us by the Infection Control Team Scotland and the exclusion criteria from the ‘Childcare and Childminding Settings’ guidance on exclusion times for specific illnesses, e.g., sickness and diarrhoea, measles and chicken pox to protect other children in the nursery
• Should a child have an infectious disease, such as sickness and diarrhoea, they must not return to nursery until they have been clear for at least 48 hours. Where we have any child or staff member with a notifiable disease, such as food poisoning, we notify the Care Inspectorate as soon as possible and in all cases within 14 days of the incident
• We inform all parents if there is a contagious infection identified in the nursery, to enable them to spot the early signs of this illness. We thoroughly clean and sterilise all equipment and resources that may have come into contact with a contagious child to reduce the spread of infection
• We adhere to the guidance set out by Health Protection Scotland.  Exclusion periods are based on the illness the child has not on the medication they are receiving. When a child is on antibiotics the parent must administer the first dose which ideally should be within the home environment.
• We have the right to refuse admission to a child who is unwell. This decision will be taken by the manager on duty and is non-negotiable
• We make information posters about head lice readily available, and all parents are requested to check their child’s hair regularly. If a parent finds that their child has head lice, we would be grateful if they could inform the nursery so that other parents can be alerted to check their child’s hair.

Meningitis procedure

If a parent informs the nursery that their child has meningitis, the nursery manager will contact the Infection Control (IC) Nurse for their area and the Care Inspectorate. The IC Nurse will give guidance and support in each individual case. If parents do not inform the nursery, we will be contacted directly by the IC Nurse and the appropriate support will be given. We will follow all guidance given and ensure that the appropriate authority is notified.

Transporting children to hospital procedure

• Call for an ambulance immediately if the sickness is severe. DO NOT attempt to transport the sick child in your own vehicle
• Whilst waiting for the ambulance, contact the parent(s) and arrange to meet them at the hospital
• Redeploy staff if necessary to ensure there is adequate staff deployment to care for the remaining children. This may mean temporarily grouping the children together
• Arrange for the most appropriate member of staff to accompany the child taking with them any relevant information such as registration forms, relevant medication sheets, medication and the child’s comforter
• Inform a member of the management team immediately
• Remain calm at all times. Children who witness an incident may well be affected by it and may need lots of cuddles and reassurance. Staff may also require additional support following the accident.

The term ‘parents’ is used to describe all types of primary caregivers, such as biological and adoptive parents, foster carers and guardians.

This policy was adopted on	Signed on behalf of the nursery	Date for review
05.08.25		05.08.26

Links to UNCRC Articles: 1, 2, 3, 5, 12, 23, 24

Parents as partners policy

HSCS: 1.1, 1.2, 1.10, 1.13, 1.19, 1.23, 2.12, 3.4, 3.7, 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, 3.14, 3.16, 3.17, 3.18, 3.19, 4.3, 4.5, 4.6,  4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 4.19, 4.27

At Rocking Horse Nursery SCIO, we believe all parents and staff need to work together in a close partnership in order for children to receive the quality of care and early learning to meet their individual needs. We welcome parents as partners and support a two-way sharing of information that helps establish trust and understanding. We are committed to supporting parents in an open and sensitive manner to be an integral part of the care and early learning team within the nursery. Working together ensures we can meet the individual needs of the family and child and provide the highest quality of care and education.

The key worker system supports engagement with all parents and uses strategies to ensure that all parents can contribute to their child’s learning and development. We ask parents to contribute to the initial assessment of a child’s starting point on entry and they are kept well informed about their child’s progress. We encourage parents to support and share information about their child’s learning and development at home and the key person will seek to engage them in guiding their child’s development at home too. The key worker system ensures all practitioners use effective, targeted strategies and interventions to support learning that match most children’s individual needs.

Our policy is to:

• Recognise and support parents as their child’s first and most important educators and to welcome them into the life of the nursery
• Generate confidence and encourage parents to trust their own instincts and judgement regarding their own child
• Welcome all parents into the nursery at any time and provide an area where parents can speak confidentially with us as required
• Ensure that all parents are aware of the nursery’s policies and procedures. Policy documents will be available to parents at all times on the nursery website via a survey link
• Maintain regular contact with parents to help us to build a secure and beneficial working relationship for their children
• Create opportunities for parents to talk to other adults in a secure and supportive environment through such activities as open days, parents’ evenings and a parents’ forum (Parents Plus)
• Inform parents about the range and type of activities and experiences provided for children, the daily routines of the setting, the types of food and drinks offered to children, and upcoming events through weekly updates and Interactive learning diaries.
• Operate a key worker system to enable parents to establish a close working relationship with a named early learning and childcare practitioner and to support two-way information sharing about each child’s individual needs, both in nursery and at home. Parents are given the name of their child’s key worker, their role when the child starts and updates as they transition through the setting
• Inform parents on a regular basis about their child’s progress and involve them in shared record keeping. Parents’ meetings are held at least once a year. The nursery consults with parents about the times of meetings to avoid excluding anyone
• Actively encourage parents to contribute to children’s learning through sharing observations, interests and experiences from home. This may be verbally, sharing photographs or in written form
• Agree the best communication method with parents e.g., email, face-to-face, telephone and share information about the child’s day, e.g., food eaten, activities, sleep times, etc.
• Consider and discuss all suggestions from parents concerning the care and early learning of their child and nursery operation
• Provide opportunities and support for all parents to contribute their own skills, knowledge and interests to the activities of the nursery
• Inform all parents of the systems for registering queries, compliments, complaints or suggestions, and to check that these systems are understood by parents
• Make sure all parents have access to our written complaints procedure
• Share information about the Curriculum for Excellence, young children’s learning in the nursery, how parents can further support learning at home and where they can access further information
• Provide a written contract between the parent(s) and the nursery regarding conditions of acceptance and arrangements for payment
• Respect the family’s religious and cultural backgrounds and beliefs and accommodate any special requirements wherever possible and practical to do so
• Inform parents how the nursery supports children with additional needs for learning and disabilities
• Find out the needs and expectations of parents. We will do this through regular feedback via questionnaires, suggestion system and encouraging parents to review working practices. We will evaluate any responses and use these to promote nursery practice, policy and staff development.
• Ensure that all parents have opportunities to contribute their own skills, knowledge and interests, e.g., music, languages, drama or other activities
• Give all parents who wish to participate the opportunity to contribute to the policies and procedures review process
• Parents Plus group which is made up of current parents and works alongside the Nursery and Trustees to fundraise and support the nursery in all of its ventures/activities.
• Invite parents to take part in nursery visits and outings (where possible).
• Ensure that all parents are fully informed about meetings, conferences, workshops and training through displays on the noticeboard and via our weekly updates.

* For the purpose of this publication the term ‘parents’ will be used to describe all types of primary caregivers, such as biological and adoptive parents, foster carers and guardians.

This policy was adopted on	Signed on behalf of the nursery	Date for review
23.10.25		23.10.25

Links to UNCRC Articles: 1, 2, 3, 5, 12, 13, 18, 28, 29