Minimum standards and qualification required
1. The provider must be registered with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) by ensuring that the service offered complies with the National Minimum Standards. If your registration is cancelled or deferred, you must inform the Gwynedd and Anglesey Childcare Unit immediately. No funds will be paid during de-registration.
2. The Provider must comply with the Safeguarding regulations. The Provider must adhere to the All Wales Child Protection Guidelines. All staff must receive training to the appropriate level. The Provider must ensure that all relevant Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) checks are made for staff, depending on how much contact they have with vulnerable individuals and families.
3. The Provider must comply with all requirements of the Gwynedd and Anglesey Special Educational Needs Code of Practice and the Additional Learning Needs Strategy.
4. The Provider must comply with the Gwynedd and Anglesey Equality Policy and Equal Opportunities Policy. The Provider must ensure that there will be no discrimination against any individual based on race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age or any other circumstance. The Provider must comply with all legislation relating to equality and the Human Rights Act, and prohibit any discrimination and take any reasonable steps to promote access to services and information.
5. The Provider must comply with the requirements under section 101 of the Childcare Act 2006 to provide information about the children in their care when the Local Authority asks for information.
6. The Provider is free to note its own criteria for admitting children, on the condition that they comply with the relevant legislation on equality and non-discrimination. Every parent should have the same right to receive free childcare, whether they pay for additional childcare or not.
7. The Provider should ensure that the information about child admission is clear and available for parents, and that the information on what hours/sessions that can be claimed for free for them is completely clear.
8. The Provider must offer a bilingual childcare service.
9. All members of staff and volunteers will be responsible for Health and Safety in order to comply with the Provider’s Health and Safety Procedures/Policy, and the Provider must ensure that such a policy is regularly reviewed and is in-keeping with the latest relevant legislation.
10. The Provider must make every effort to support good attendance in the setting, and promptly notify of any problems that arise.
11. The Provider must have clear written procedures on dealing with grievances by service users. These procedures should include retaining a written record of every complaint and the measures taken to deal with those complaints. The details of every grievance must be available for the Commissioner.
12. Clear procedures must be in place to ensure financial stability. The Provider must also agree for officers to audit its systems and financial records as necessary.
13. The Provider must be responsible for all relevant taxes, on income or expenditure, to HM Revenue and Customs.
14. The Provider must have:
(a) Employer’s liability insurance to comply with any legal requirements implemented at the time, and
(b) Public liability insurance for the amount and range of insurance that the provider deems appropriate but encompassing at least everything that has an indemnity or compensation obligation under these Terms.
The Provider must insure the Commissioner and the Council as the liable body from and against every case, claim, and cost whether it be as a result of personal injury (including an injury causing death) or loss or damage caused to property or anything else as a result of providing the service, and it cannot be ascribed to the negligence of the Council, its employees or its agencies. The Provider must have valid and appropriate insurance at all times which will be consistent with statutory and legal requirements and consistent with the range of services undertaken by the Provider. The Provider must have Public Liability Insurance with a minimum insurance of £5,000,000 in relation to any incident, and to provide a copy of the insurance certificate to the Council following a claim.
It is the Provider’s responsibility to meet any claims for compensation as a result of negligence on behalf of the Provider in achieving its responsibilities under this Agreement.
The Provider must satisfy the needs of the Education Department by implementing all criteria as the Nursery Education Provider.
• The Provider must be able to offer quality nursery education sessions for 10 hours per week over a period of five days.
• The Amended Foundation Phase Curriculum Framework 2015 must be followed and the seven fields of learning must be provided in full, as noted in the Framework. The profile assessment of the Foundation Phase must be completed for each child in accordance with the guidelines.
• The Provision is required to be open for children for the Spring School Term and the Summer School Term.
• The Provider will be required to co-operate fully with the Support Teachers and the Support Officers, and accept and implement any input, advice or support.
• The staff will need to be qualified, and the leader/manager must have a minimum Level 3 qualification or higher, and meet the 1:8 staff ratio in terms of CIW requirements, and ensure that all staff have an up-to-date DBS check.
• The staff will be required to attend relevant training. The setting will be given three days to close for training purposes.
• The Committee will need to ensure sufficient time for the Leader and the staff to plan for the children's education.
• The Provider will be required to plan to receive an Estyn inspection that will be jointly completed with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW)
• Any recommendations given by Estyn or the Education Department must be implemented within the fixed timescale.
• The Provider must be registered with Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), ensuring that the Provider complies with the agency regulations. (if the service de-registers, the Education Department will need to be informed by contacting the Childcare Development Officer).
• The Provider will offer education that complies with Gwynedd Council's Welsh Education Plan, by ensuring adequate quality to provide education through the medium of Welsh or bilingually.
• To be a member of a body that supports early years’ education organisations.
• The Provider must comply with the requirements of the Gwynedd Council Special Educational Needs Code of Practice (and the Additional Learning Needs Code of the new Bill when operational), the Equality Policy and the Equal Opportunities Policy.
• The Provider will comply with Safeguarding Children requirements in the setting, demonstrating evidence of this action as required.
• It would be desirable for the Provider to work towards a quality accreditation.
• An effort will be made to ensure the high attendance of the children within the setting. An attendance report will need to be submitted to Gwynedd Council for each child who receives nursery education.
• There will be a need to ensure effective communication between the Leader, the staff and the Management Committee.
• Full collaboration will be required with the Childcare Development Officer.
• The Provider will manage how the service is delivered.
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