Rose Buddies Childcare is committed to investing in employees to ensure they have the necessary knowledge and support to be an effective member of our team. This commitment starts from the point of the offer letter being sent.

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Induction

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The induction of new employees into our setting is a crucial part of enhancing the capability and commitment of the workforce in order to provide high quality and effective services to the community. The earlier a new employee is comfortable with the culture, role and performance expectations, the quicker they can make a positive impact on our children and families

Early experiences will often affect individual’s long-term views of the setting. It is essential to make employees feel welcome and to provide structured support for their integration. 

It is widely recognised that new employees are highly motivated and an effective induction process will ensure that this motivation is reinforced. An effective and systematic induction and probation process will:

• help ensure that the ethos, culture and vision of the council is understood quickly by new employees;

• ensure key values and behaviours are reinforced early in the employment life cycle;

• ensure that new employees work safely, in a safe environment;

• enable starters to become productive and efficient within a short period of time by providing them with an understanding of the “big picture” to ensure they understand how their role fits into the council;

• build on enthusiasm and motivation of new recruits ensuring they feel secure, comfortable and to increase job satisfaction;

• increase organisational engagement, reduce staff turnover, absence and poor performance generally;

• reduce costs associated with repeated recruitment, training and lost outputs

 

We will ensure that staff have:

• An understanding of and compliance with policies, procedures, tasks and routines

• Successfully completed the induction forms as part of the probationary period

• Introduction to parents, especially parents of allocated key children

 

We will ensure that staff:

• Read policies and procedures

• Are inducted in all paper-work and confidential information where applicable in relation to any key children

• Have details of the tasks and daily routines including completing all children’s files and other required documentation

• The initial induction period lasts two weeks.

• The mentor / childcare leader or manager ensures that all new staff and volunteers are fully mentored and monitored throughout the induction and assessment period.

During the induction period, the individual must demonstrate understanding of and compliance with policies, procedures, tasks and routines. Successful completion of the induction forms part of the probationary period.
 

 

Probationary Period

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We have a 3-month trial period for all new recruits and for apprentices before being signed up to qualifications and 6-month probationary period for new recruits. This totals a 9-month probationary period. The first few months in the job are arguably the most important and performance needs to be assessed during this period and a formal probationary assessment will be carried out at the end of months three and five.

 

Diversity

Managers and employees have a responsibility to promote our Equal Opportunities Policy, treating others with respect, valuing diversity and avoiding discrimination.

 

Supervision

 

Supervision or 1:1 is a formal and recorded process through which the professional actions of staff are examined and regularly reviewed. It provides a recorded system of decision making that is audited to improve practice and to improve the service that is provided to children and parents. Supervision acts as a means for ensuring that members of staff have access to the support, training and procedures they require for professional growth and development.

 

Supervision enables supervisors and supervisees to examine and reflect on the quality of their practice and to facilitate discussion. Supervision meetings should provide opportunities for staff to:

 

• Discuss any issues- particularly concerning children’s development and well- being.

• Identify solutions to address issues as they arise

• Receive coaching to improve their personal effectiveness.

 

At Rose Buddies Childcare all practitioners who work directly with children and families are supervised by their room leaders and nursery manager. Staff receive a formal written performance review every 3 months that is delivered face to face and for new recruits they receive a formal written performance review monthly for the first 3 months of their employment.  

 

Training and Continuous Professional development

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We are committed to the continuous development and encouragement of its staff to reach their full potential, and to driving our vision, aims and priorities through the performance of our team.

 

We set ourselves high standards and our Professional Development Strategy recognises that our success depends upon the crucial contribution of our staff. It articulates our vision, aspirations and priorities as an employer and includes actions to develop the organisational culture, performance, capability and capacity.

• The nursery is a “learning community” and is committed to providing opportunities for the continuing learning and development of the staff.

• Professional development is the means by which we are able to deliver whole team and individual development priorities.

• We have an expectation that all members of the learning community will take an active role in their own professional development.

• We believe that all members of staff have a responsibility to support the professional development of colleagues.

• Professional development will be co-ordinated by the managers.

• Our CPD provision will allow staff to develop skills and competencies

progressively allowing them to build on and reinforce skills and expertise, particularly across the key areas identified in the appropriate standards

 

   The key elements of the CPD policy comprises:

 

- effective auditing and identification of need and aspiration

- appropriate match of provision to learning needs

- reliable and explicit evaluation of the impact of provision

- dissemination of effective practice.

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