Hatchlings and Cygnets
6 weeks to 1 year
1 year to 2 years
We believe each baby is unique and should receive individualised care and attention. We support babies to be healthy, strong, skilful communicators and competent learners.
Baby's care should reflect the diverse social, cultural, racial and individual backgrounds of their parents. We are aware that parents are putting their upmost trust in us to care for their precious baby.
We work in close partnership with parents and aim to build professional relationships and work in conjunction with parents, to ensure each baby receives the very best of care away from home.
We believe honest and open communication is the best way to share care and meet parent’s wishes. To enable this, each baby has a caring, trained and professional key person, who is responsible for meeting baby’s needs whilst in our care. They provide experiences which support baby to thrive and develop.
Babies have their home routines continued, as much as possible, whilst in Hatchlings and Cygnets. Parents receive daily updates on Baby’s Day in the form of daily notes (electronic diary). Parents can access information about their child's day from the app, see photographs of activities, sign permission forms and keep track of their child's development. Additionally parents can comment and reply to messages encouraging important feedback.
We collect all relevant information before the baby starts in Hatchlings or Cygnets. Throughout settling in sessions we meet with parents to discuss all aspects of shared care. We continue to use this information and daily parental communication to meet baby’s changing needs.
Our Rooms
To ensure babies health and safety the Hatchlings and Cygnets rooms are clean, warm and calm. We provide developmentally appropriate sensory, easily accessible resources and equipment to meet their growing physical, social, linguistic, emotional and intellectual needs. Babies have their own dedicated outdoor exploration area and babies are encouraged to explore outdoors each day.
All routines emulate the babies as much as possible but will alter if their needs dictate this. Parents are consulted on any changes deemed appropriate by the key person. The key person meets all intimate care needs and parents will be informed of food and fluid intake and bowel movements / urine output. This is shared via Baby Days app. This is in addition to sharing information on handover at collection and drop off.
Sleep
Sleep is vital for baby development we provide all bedding, however, each baby may have their own sheet, blanket and comforter toy. We follow safer sleep practices. Babies will be placed in the sleep room in cots or on floor beds, we have a baby monitor and sleep times are recorded and monitored (with sleep checks carried out at timed intervals). All babies are comforted when waking.
Formula/ breast feeds
We ask parents to provide formula or breast milk and bottles as needed for the day. We prepare fresh feeds and wash/ sterilise bottles to be returned daily.
Weaning
Weaning to solids is discussed and agreed with parents and we will support their wishes. We follow the latest health and Government guidelines to ensure babies continued development and growth needs are fully met. Baby food is freshly prepared on the premises and an individual healthy balanced diet is slowly introduced in conjunction with dietary needs and parental wishes.
Sensory Play and continual provision
The Hatchlings and Cygnets rooms have a wide variety of sensory and diverse resources, which have been carefully chosen for their developmental value. These change as the babies needs change and babies continue to develop and progress. Observation and assessment of baby’s growth, development and progress is recorded by the key person and shared with their parents only. We provide individualised developmental planning which encourages progression focusing specifically in the prime areas of the EYFS.
Photographic evidence is taken and is sent to parents when possible to share their daily experiences.
As babies progress and develop their needs change and baby will transition between rooms, we have a programmed transition between key workers there is no age linked to this as each child’s needs are discussed with parents, but usually it will be when walking is established.
6 weeks to 1 year
1 year to 2 years
We believe each baby is unique and should receive individualised care and attention. We support babies to be healthy, strong, skilful communicators and competent learners.
Baby's care should reflect the diverse social, cultural, racial and individual backgrounds of their parents. We are aware that parents are putting their upmost trust in us to care for their precious baby.
We work in close partnership with parents and aim to build professional relationships and work in conjunction with parents, to ensure each baby receives the very best of care away from home.
We believe honest and open communication is the best way to share care and meet parent’s wishes. To enable this, each baby has a caring, trained and professional key person, who is responsible for meeting baby’s needs whilst in our care. They provide experiences which support baby to thrive and develop.
Babies have their home routines continued, as much as possible, whilst in Hatchlings and Cygnets. Parents receive daily updates on Baby’s Day in the form of daily notes (electronic diary). Parents can access information about their child's day from the app, see photographs of activities, sign permission forms and keep track of their child's development. Additionally parents can comment and reply to messages encouraging important feedback.
We collect all relevant information before the baby starts in Hatchlings or Cygnets. Throughout settling in sessions we meet with parents to discuss all aspects of shared care. We continue to use this information and daily parental communication to meet baby’s changing needs.
Our Rooms
To ensure babies health and safety the Hatchlings and Cygnets rooms are clean, warm and calm. We provide developmentally appropriate sensory, easily accessible resources and equipment to meet their growing physical, social, linguistic, emotional and intellectual needs. Babies have their own dedicated outdoor exploration area and babies are encouraged to explore outdoors each day.
All routines emulate the babies as much as possible but will alter if their needs dictate this. Parents are consulted on any changes deemed appropriate by the key person. The key person meets all intimate care needs and parents will be informed of food and fluid intake and bowel movements / urine output. This is shared via Baby Days app. This is in addition to sharing information on handover at collection and drop off.
Sleep
Sleep is vital for baby development we provide all bedding, however, each baby may have their own sheet, blanket and comforter toy. We follow safer sleep practices. Babies will be placed in the sleep room in cots or on floor beds, we have a baby monitor and sleep times are recorded and monitored (with sleep checks carried out at timed intervals). All babies are comforted when waking.
Formula/ breast feeds
We ask parents to provide formula or breast milk and bottles as needed for the day. We prepare fresh feeds and wash/ sterilise bottles to be returned daily.
Weaning
Weaning to solids is discussed and agreed with parents and we will support their wishes. We follow the latest health and Government guidelines to ensure babies continued development and growth needs are fully met. Baby food is freshly prepared on the premises and an individual healthy balanced diet is slowly introduced in conjunction with dietary needs and parental wishes.
Sensory Play and continual provision
The Hatchlings and Cygnets rooms have a wide variety of sensory and diverse resources, which have been carefully chosen for their developmental value. These change as the babies needs change and babies continue to develop and progress. Observation and assessment of baby’s growth, development and progress is recorded by the key person and shared with their parents only. We provide individualised developmental planning which encourages progression focusing specifically in the prime areas of the EYFS.
Photographic evidence is taken and is sent to parents when possible to share their daily experiences.
As babies progress and develop their needs change and baby will transition between rooms, we have a programmed transition between key workers there is no age linked to this as each child’s needs are discussed with parents, but usually it will be when walking is established.