Debbie's Dinkies - Childminder

Debbie's Dinkies follow and adhere to the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) 2014 and provide an inclusive environment for ALL the children and their families. We provide a clean, warm, safe & friendly home from home environment with a family atmosphere, in which children feel valued, can play, learn, develop and is stimulating. Children learn through play, adult led activities and planned activities. All children including those with additional needs are helped to reach their full potential. We follow and adhere to the Equality Act 2010 and the SEND Code of Practice 2014.

At Debbie's Dinkies we follow the guiding principles of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework that supports children from birth to the end of the reception year in Infant or Primary School.

There are 3 Prime Areas and 4 Specific areas of learning. Each of the areas are important and inter-connected and are centred around the individual needs of each Unique Child.

The 3 Prime Areas:

Communication and Language - Listening and Attention, Understanding and Speaking.

Phyiscal Development - Moving & Handling, Health & Self Care.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development - Making Relationships, Self Confidence & Self Awareness and Managing Feelings & Behaviour.

The 4 Specific Areas:

Literacy - Reading and Writing.

Mathematics - Numbers, Shape, Space and Measures.

Understanding of the World - People & Communities, The World and Technology.

Expressive Arts & Design - Exploring & Using Media & Materials and Being Imaginative.

All children learn and develop at their own rates and in their own ways. Each child is assessed when they start, to establish their stage of development, against what is expected for their age.

We provide a wide range of activities and resources which reflect the diverstiy of our setting. We encourage Parent's to share festivals, special occasions and anything that may enhance the children's learning and understanding.

We are able to provide individual support, depending on the child's needs.

Before starting the setting, parents are invited in to play with their child. We also ask questions about the child to assess the child's needs and ask the parents if they have any concerns about their child.  We offer settling in sessions to help your child adapt to the setting and to build a rapport with the assistants and myself.

We monitor and assess all children's development through:

EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage) curriculum

I TALK (Speech & Language Assessment)

Our settings Learning Folders

2 Year Progress Check

Individual Education Plan (IEP)

If we identify any areas of learning that concern us, we will speak to the parent's and seek permission to contact outside agencies. i.e Health Visitor, Speech & Language Team (SALT), etc. We will maintain good working links with the other agencies involved and we will plan and meet the individual needs of each child, as and when the needs are identified and the child needs support.

We work closely with the parents within the setting and communication is very important to us. There are many ways we do this:-

Before the children start the setting, parents are invited in to play with their child. We also ask questions about the child to assess the child's needs and ask the parents if they have any concerns about their child. We will collate as much information as possible about the child's medical needs or any other professionals involved with the child.

A daily report will be completed each day for the child, which details what has happened in the settting.

We continually talk to parents about changes, likes/dislikes and interests  on a daily basis and ask Parents to inform us of any changes at home, however minor they are.

Twice a year parents are invited into the setting to review and discuss their child's development folder.

We continually observe the children through activities we offer and this be reflected in discussions with parents, learning journeys and our planning.

Debbie Haden is the designated SENCO within the Setting and has the support of the SEN advisors from the Slough Early Years Team. If necessary we will liase with outside agencies.

We make frequent visits to our local park and further a field parks. We are registered with a local Forest School and go on outings to explore the outside environment.

We fully Risk Assess all parks and places that we visit, take mobile phones, emergency contact details and medication needed for the trip.

As part of the curriculum all children's personal, social and emotional needs are assessed.

Whilst playing with your child, we build on and support what your child can do and create challenges to build their confidence & self esteem.

We encourage co-operative play between all children, helping them understand, respect and value each other's opinions and ideas.

Debbie Haden is the designated person who takes responsibility of behaviour management.  Children are given 1:1 support to identify the cause and resolve conflicts, as necessary.

Recurring problems with behaviour will be discussed the parents, using observation records to find out why it is happening. An individual Educational Plan may be put in place which may contain behavioural strategies to be used at home and in the setting.

Myself and my assistants  attend ongoing training as part of their professional development.

Training needs are identified during their 1:1's or with discussions with assistants to support any children with special educational needs within the setting.

Within the setting we have keyword fans to help communicate with the children if needed.

Myself and my assistants have all undergone Safeguarding training.

Debbie has attended a DCATCH training course.

We encourage visits before the child starts at the setting. At the visit we can discuss any changes required/teaching or training required and we will make reasonable adjustments where possible, which means maybe moving furniture around or having a little ramp for wheelchairs, etc before the child starts.

We offer a settling in period to all children, where they will come to the setting for short periods of times and gradually increase this as they become confident and get to know us all.