Frequently Asked Questions

 

Do you have examples of the meals you cook?

 

All of the meals at Kew Giggles are cooked fresh each day in our kitchen by our staff, examples are:

 

  • Breakfast: cereals, home made toasted bread, croissant, porridge,  home made scones, fruit.
  • Lunch may include, sandwiches, soups, baked potato with fillings pitta with home made homous and veg, pasta with home made tomato sauces and cheese.
  • Dinner: Shepherd’s pie, Chicken or sausage casserole, Spaghetti bolognaise, Roast Chicken and mash, risotto, salmon/lentols/beans and rice.
  • Deserts: Fruit, yoghurt, Jelly, Flap jacks, lemon cake, fruit cake, Biscuits etc.

 

Lunch and Dinner are always accompanied with Veg or salad. 

 

Snacks, fruit,  crackers, dry fruit.

 

Do you accommodate dietary requirements?

 

Before your child begins with us, you will have the opportunity to discuss with us the dietary needs of your child both verbally and within a questionnaire. We will ensure that your child is given only the foods that you have agreed to.

 

 

 

What are your ratios?

 

We currently work on the basis of a ratio of 1:3 for children under 5yrs old. 

 



What do you do if a member of staff is ill or on holiday?

 

During holidays and sick days we find cover using other members of staff.

 

Where do the children nap and how are they monitored?

 

The children nap in a separate quiet dark room, where they each have their own travel cot; the sheets are changed for each child and washed regularly. We have a plug in monitor to enable us to hear if any of the babies have woken or if they are crying, and they are checked on at regular intervals.

 



How many first aiders do you have? Is there always a first aider on site?

 

There are at least 3 first aiders at present and one is always on site.

 

Do the children have access to outdoor play?

 

Yes we have a back garden with an array of play equipment; we also take trips to Kew gardens, Kew green and Kew Park. and we take them to river walks. 

 

Do the children watch television?

 

We use the television during quiet time for the children who do not nap.We allow them to watch either a DVD or some Cbeebies, as we find this to be the only way we can ensure they have a little down time in an often very busy long day.

 

What activities do the children participate in?

 

The children have a mix of varied and plentiful activities to keep them entertained throughout the day. These can include, sticking, cutting, painting,colouring and drawing, cooking, water play ,sand play, jigsaws, stories, dress up, computer time, singing, dancing and rhymes. These will obviously vary according to age.

 



Could you explain the difference between a nursery and your setting?

 

We manage our setting similarly to that of a nursery but we like to think we have a more homely environment, with separate rooms and beds for sleeping babies, a closer relationship with our parents,the children get lots of time to socialise together in a mix of ages. We think that this is of benefit to both the older children who learn to be gentle and caring for the babies and for the babies, as they engage and are stimulated by watching the older children play.

 

In terms of paperwork policies and procedures we have to adhere to similar  legislations and regulations as a nursery

 

How will I know what my child has been doing throughout the day?

 

We have an online system that informs the parents of the children's daily routine, including the activities they have engaged into, the naps they have taken, the food they have consume etc. 

 

 

 

Do you accept childcare vouchers?

 

Yes, we do.

Do you have discounts for siblings?

 

No. 

 

Can I contact another parent for a reference?

 

Yes absolutely, we have lots of parents who would happily give references for us. Just ask and we can provide details.

 

Can I do a trial period?

 

We do not offer trial periods as such, as we would have to go through paperwork and organise ratios in order for your child to spend time with us. However, once you have decided on your sessions and confirmed these with us, we will organise a settling in period that will spread out over the period of the whole month.

 

Do I need to pay a deposit?

 

Yes, as soon as you have confirmed your space with us we will ask for
the amount of one full month according to the amount of sessions you need. This will be held until your final month with us and then redeemed in time. We NEVER return deposits in cash.

 

Will I be able to call and ask how my child is
getting on during the day?

 

Phone calls are often difficult to answer during the working day; however, we have absolutely no problem with parent’s texting to us on the

Giggles work mobile phone to ask how their child is? We will always reply! 

 



How does the settle-in process work?

 

The month prior to your child beginning his/her full sessions, we organise a list of times and days for them to spend time with us. We begin with just one hour and build these weekly so they cross over meal or nap times. This is so we have plenty of time to work with the parents and child, finding out, how best to approach these times of day so the child’s transition goes as smoothly as possible.

 

Will you contact me if my child becomes upset?

 

We try our very best to avoid calling parents if we can use distraction and comfort to help ease a child’s upset. However, during the early settle in period it is important that your child does not become overly distressed in our care, to avoid them making too many negative associations. If we feel your child has reached this point, we would call for you to collect them.

 

Can I pick up or drop off earlier/later than the allocated session times?

 

Once your child has begun his regular monthly sessions, you are welcome to drop off later than the allocated time or pick up earlier.. However it would be very helpful to know when you plan to do this, as we may have planned an outing or be getting ready for lunch or dinner.

 

How can I ensure my child’s safe when they are in your care?

 

Aside from strictly adhering to the governmental ratios of staff to child, we have various methods put in place throughout our setting to ensure the safe play and well-being of your child.

 



i.e. safety gates to ensure the children do not have access to anything

that may be of harm.

 

  • We have methods in helping the children up and down the stairs.
  • We have temperature control on our radiators
  • We regularly check for broken or damaged toys
  • We regularly clean and sterilise our toys
  • When the children are on outings, we place the smallest in pushchairs and the walkers in high Vis jackets with our name and phone number clearly labelled.
  • If someone we have not yet met is collecting your child (including a parent or grandparent) we will ask for a password to be given.
  • We will always have a member of staff who is first aid trained on site

 

All of our staff have safeguarding and child protection training, food and hygiene training, input into risk assessments and we regularly practice our fire drill and emergency exit plan.