Health & Safety Archives - Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery

Whether in a garden, playground, park or the countryside, playing outdoors is extremely beneficial for children. However, it also comes with its own inherent dangers. So, as parents and caregivers, we have to strike a careful balance between allowing children the freedom to explore and discover while at the same time ensuring they stay out of harm’s way. There are, after all, hazards everywhere outdoors. With that in mind, today’s post outlines 20 key things to be mindful of to help keep children safe when they’re playing outside.

1. Vigilance

Vigilance at all times is the real key to child safety when they’re playing outdoors. Parents, caregivers and anyone supervising children should proactively keep eyes and ears open continuously, ready to spot the signs of danger — in whatever form it may potentially take.

2. Stranger Danger

Stranger danger is, of course, also one of the major concerns for anyone in charge of looking after children, particularly when they’re playing outdoors. So, ensure children are all in eyeshot and accounted for at all times and that nobody is around them that shouldn’t be. Those who may want to do children harm can also be rather cunning, so watch out for distraction techniques, people handing out sweets or gaining trust from children in other devious ways too. Ensure children are also educated about this topic and know what to do and what not to do if approached by a stranger.

3. Traffic Dangers

Playing outdoors can sometimes also bring children closer to areas where there may be traffic and this too is terribly dangerous. Supervising adults will therefore need to keep children well away from vehicles, for example by locating play somewhere safer, as well as teaching children to know how to avoid traffic dangers themselves.

4. Water Hazards

Water hazards are responsible for several child deaths each year, so things like ponds, streams, rivers, lakes, swimming pools and hot tubs are not places children, particularly the very young, should play anywhere near. An infant or child can drown in just a few inches of water, so even puddles are potentially dangerous if children are left unattended. Adult supervision and vigilance around the dangers of water are therefore of paramount importance.

5. Trip Hazards

Children, especially the youngest, are often so engrossed in playing that they don’t take enough notice of their surroundings (especially children who are dyspraxic). This is even more the case when playing outdoors with all the different types of terrain around them. Trip hazards like tree roots, steps, and raised flowerbeds may therefore be something both they and you need to look out for. Teaching them to watch their step, quite literally, and to watch where they are going could save them from many a painful bruise.

6. Unlevel Terrain

Similarly, slopes and drops in the height of terrain can be hazardous, especially when children are not concentrating on anything but their game or activity outdoors. Encourage them to be aware of their surroundings at all times and this can help them to stay safe and avoid some nasty accidents.

7. Climbing – Danger of Falls

Climbing frames and climbing into trees, tree houses and raised dens are all firm favourites among children. However, whenever children climb higher, there’s an inherent danger that they could fall back down again if they or their supervising adult are not vigilant. Falls after climbing can be potentially serious, so it’s essential to instruct them suitably and to encourage them to be careful and mindful of the risks.

8. Sharp Things

The world around us also has sharp things everywhere! Whether it’s thorns on a rose bush, brambles, jagged sticks, sharp rocks, or garden tools lying around the garden, they are simply everywhere when you think about it. Supervising adults therefore need to do whatever they can to ensure tools are locked safely away and to keep children away from all other sharp objects associated with the outdoors if children are playing. Children also need to be educated about them, so they can eventually self-manage and assess risks themselves.

9. Dangerous Plants

As we all know, some plants are poisonous and some can even burn and give people nasty blisters if they come into contact with the skin. Which plants are planted in gardens and which children play near are therefore things for parents and caregivers to consider carefully. And, of course, it’s crucial for children to understand that they should not try to eat leaves, berries, or anything not sanctioned by a more knowledgeable parent.

10. Poisonous Fungi

Fungi are potentially even more toxic, many potentially leading to death if eaten. Adults must ensure children therefore understand that they can look but not touch fungi, however beautiful and interesting some may appear.

11. Choking Hazards

The outdoors is also filled with a myriad of different things that are the type of size that could, in theory, fit into a child’s mouth. Children therefore need to learn quickly that they must never put objects in their mouths, for example, acorns, conkers (which are poisonous), stones, twigs and even toys. Any of these could lead to the child choking.

12. Dangerous Animals

Wild animals and even some domesticated ones can sometimes be dangerous to a child. Whether it’s an out-of-control dog, an adder in the bracken, or a wild animal protecting its young, each animal can be a danger to a child in the right (or rather wrong) circumstances. So, children need to learn to respect other creatures and not assume they’ll always be friendly. Even farm animals can potentially harm a child, perhaps unintentionally, simply due to their larger size and weight. So again, an awareness of one’s surroundings, vigilance, respect and some common sense need to come into play when children are playing near animals.

13. Insect Stings & Bites

Playing outdoors can also bring children closer to insects that may have a nasty bite or sting. Midge bites can be annoying but bee, wasp and hornet stings can really hurt! Even some kinds of ants have a nasty nip, so a good practice is for parents or supervising adults to do a visual ‘sweep’ of the play area to ensure no such critters are living there. Even better — get children to learn by your example.

14. Germs

Germs are, of course, everywhere, but some are worse than others, particularly outdoors. Children and supervising adults need to be mindful of the harm they could potentially do. It’s therefore always wise for adults to teach children good hygiene practices including washing hands regularly, watching out for anything mouldy or grubby, avoiding doggy doos, not touching faces or eyes with dirty hands, and so on.

15. Breaking Rules

Setting some ground rules when children are playing outdoors is always wise. Ensure they know what they are and are not allowed to do, with their safety and well-being in mind. Then, of course, watch to ensure they stick to these rules and, if not, stop them in their tracks and explain why they must not do what they were going to do!

16. Straying Children

Setting physical boundaries for outdoor play is essential for children’s safety. Indeed, it can help to avoid the chance of children getting lost or straying too close to hazards. Before beginning play, they should therefore be made aware of the precise area they are allowed to play in. Pointing out some physical boundary markers is sensible, particularly if they’re playing in a park, in the countryside, or somewhere unfamiliar. Trees, bushes, plants or any physical landmarks can be used to denote boundaries, for example.

17. Changing Elements

Don’t forget to prepare children for whatever weather may come when they’re playing outside. Sun cream and sun hats will be needed on sunny days and it’s always good practice to pack a raincoat in case the weather turns. A spare jumper and perhaps even other spare clothes can also be packed in a backpack just in case they’re needed — or in case children suddenly become cold. Layers are good, if so.

18. Keeping Hydrated

When children are having fun and adventures outside, it’s all too easy for them to overlook the need to keep hydrated. Supervising adults can step in there, though, to offer drink breaks at appropriate intervals.

19. Fire Hazards

We’re all familiar with photographs of children enjoying marshmallows toasted over a campfire and indeed such moments can be quite magical. However, children must be educated about the dangers of fire, appropriate safety protocols and the rules that apply to them if they go anywhere near a bonfire, campfire or barbecue. A responsible adult must also always be present and constantly vigilant while overseeing outdoor play anywhere near a source of heat.

20. Preparation

We’ve only scratched the surface above, but it’s clear that there are many potential dangers to children when they’re playing outdoors. It’s therefore crucial for supervising adults to stay close and keep eyes and ears firmly open whenever children play outside.

One of the best ways to protect children outdoors, though, is to prepare well. For example, scour the outdoor location for hazards before play commences, ensure you’ve packed a ready supply of sun cream, rain macs and spare clothes for children, and brief children about potential dangers before they even venture outdoors. Such preparation will stand you and your little one in good stead.

An Edgbaston Nursery & Forest School for Your Child

At Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery in Edgbaston, we know the incredible importance of outdoor play and the many benefits that nature brings to children. That’s why we run our own Forest School, where children under five can spend time in The Great Outdoors, where they will learn and benefit in so many ways.

Learn more about Forest School here or enquire about a possible nursery place for your child at Leaps & Bounds. We’re a high-quality nursery and preschool located in Edgbaston, near Birmingham, also close to Ladywood, Bearwood, Harborne and Smethwick.

To register for a place, pay a visit with your child, or get answers to any questions, get in touch today:

^{Please note: the above list is not exhaustive and therefore parents/caregivers/supervising adults should always do their own risk assessments.}

19 October 2023/by Mark

Hygiene and safety around food preparation is important to everyone’s health and wellbeing. However, it’s even more important for babies, infants and toddlers. At this age they are fragile and have low resilience against bacteria, toxins and potential food poisoning. The fall-out from poor standards around food preparation could therefore make little ones very ill or, in the worst cases, even prove fatal. With that in mind, today’s article outlines ways that parents/guardians of children can take appropriate precautions when preparing and serving food to little ones.

Hygiene in the Kitchen

It’s important that any food preparation is done in a clean and hygienic environment. This helps to prevent the spread of germs and cross-contamination of foods.

Always clear and clean your surfaces.
Ensure pets to not walk on surfaces where food may be prepared or eaten.
Make sure, if using a cleaning product like a spray, that it does not come into contact with any of the foods or plate surfaces that food will go onto.
Make sure that all kitchen utensils are clean and have been washed in warm soapy water or in the dishwasher.
Remember to keep sinks clean and hygienic too.
Keep fridge and cupboard door handles, cooker knobs and hobs clean and hygienic.
Ensure that tea towels and hand towels are fresh and regularly washed to prevent the further spread of germs.

Personal Hygiene Around Food

There are also things that you can do on a personal level to keep hygiene and food safety levels high for your family:

Tie long hair back to avoid it coming into contact with food.
Always wash hands before preparing food, and rinse them well.
If you feel unwell, for example with a tummy bug, try and ask a family member or friend to help with food preparation so you avoid spreading germs to your child.
Ensure your fridge is set to the correct temperature to keep food cold and the door kept closed whenever possible.
Ensure the fridge is kept clean and always clear up spillages or leaks there right away.
Try to avoid smoking while preparing food. Second-hand smoke and smoke residue is not at all good for children.

Precautions Around Food Preparation

Preparation of the food itself is, of course, an important consideration when it comes to hygiene and avoiding germs getting into children’s meals.

Always wash your hands before preparing or handling food.
Wash vegetables, salad, fruit etc. and even peel some types of vegetable, particularly root vegetables that have been grown in earth.
Avoid giving eggs to children younger than 6 months of age. If giving chickens’ eggs to children aged 6 months or older, ensure they are stamped with the Red Lion or ‘British Lion Quality’ mark if serving raw or only lightly cooked. All other eggs must be thoroughly cooked i.e. so that the yolk and egg whites become firm. That includes eggs from ducks, geese and quails.
Make sure all foods are thoroughly cooked.
Pay particular care to the cooking of fish, seafood and shellfish, ensuring that it’s cooked thoroughly.
Allow the cooked food to cool for a short time, testing that it’s become lukewarm, before feeding it to your child. You can place the hot food in an airtight container and run it under cold water, stirring periodically, to cool it faster.

Cooling & Storing Food

A safe approach to food cooling and storage is also incredibly important for the wellbeing of you, your child and family.

Always store raw meat and fish away from other foods. Store each separately in covered containers on the bottom shelf of the fridge. This prevents drips falling onto other foods.
When saving cooked food to store in the fridge or freezer for later use, try to cool it as quickly as possible — ideally within one or two hours (N.B. for rice, see below) and put it straight into the fridge or freezer once cold.
Rice is a special case due to the possible build-up of toxins. It must be cooled within one hour and eaten within 24 hours. Never reheat rice more than once. Learn more about the dangers of reheating rice here.
If freezing foods, label and date them, so they can be used in an appropriate time frame.

Reheating Food

Reheating food also needs to be done in the right way in order to keep families safe and well:.

Do not reheat rice or cooked food more than once. As we said above, particular care needs to be taken with rice.
Always defrost frozen food thoroughly before cooking — either in the fridge overnight or by using defrost mode in a microwave.
When reheating food, always ensure it is the correct temperature for your child to eat otherwise it could burn them if too hot or not be safe to eat if not cooked sufficiently.
If reheating meals in the microwave, be very careful as it can retain the heat more and continue cooking even once taken out of the microwave.

Things Your Child Can Do

You should also inform and teach your child about hygiene and food safety. Leading by example and explaining why you’re going what you’re doing is a good approach.

Remind your child to wash their hands before they eat and that it’s a matter of hygiene.
Try to ensure your child is seated and calm for eating. A child who is running around or playing is at greater risk of choking when eating.
It goes almost without saying that you should avoid allowing children to eat when they are seated on the potty or toilet.

Food Safety, Hygiene & Quality Assurance At Leaps & Bounds Nursery

We do, of course, follow all best practices at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery. We are rated with the full 5 stars in terms of food hygiene and preparation and also won the Gold Quality Award, Birmingham City Council’s “Healthy Setting Award” and have completed various quality assurance schemes.

Nursery Places in Edgbaston, Birmingham

Leaps & Bounds: Ofsted-rated as a ‘Good’ Nursery & Pre-school in Edgbaston, Birmingham

If you are looking for high quality weekday childcare for your baby or child under five, ensure you choose a nursery that’s highly rated by Ofsted — Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery and pre-school for example. Leaps & Bounds is officially a good nursery and pre-school, located in Edgbaston, Birmingham. It is also very near Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood and Smethwick, so will be convenient for childcare services if you live or work in any of those locations. We accept children funded through the Government schemes like 15 hours per week of free childcare for 2-year-olds, 15-30 hours per week of free childcare for 3 & 4-year-olds, childcare grants for students and tax-free childcare too (all subject to eligibility, of course). Interested?

Please choose a button to get started on a guided visit, nursery application or simply to find out more:

A Final Word

While this guide is primarily about hygiene around food, it would be remiss of us not to include the following additional reminders:

Only feed your child age-appropriate foods. This is particularly important when they are babies;
Avoid any known allergens (if your child is allergic) and any foods they are intolerant to;
Avoid foods that are known to be potentially harmful. For example, foods that are too high in salt, sugar and saturated fats, contain arsenic in the case of rice drinks, or contain mercury in the case of some fish/seafood. Choking hazards like whole nuts and olives are other examples to avoid. See our A-Z of foods to avoid giving your infant for more details.
Always check ingredients and age guidelines on food packaging, including formula milks.
Always ensure you are giving your baby or child a healthy, balanced, age-appropriate diet and one that uses portion sizes that are appropriate to their age and developmental stage.
Be vigilant when cooking to ensure your child is not exposed to dangers like hot ovens, hot hobs, boiling kettles, trailing electrical leads and so on.

31 August 2022/by Mark

In our last post all about food allergies, we also briefly touched upon seasonal allergies in young children. Today, we take a closer look at those and explain how to recognise their symptoms, what causes them and perhaps most importantly, how to treat them. Also known as “Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis” and, in the case of pollen allergies, “Hay Fever”, seasonable allergies can be miserable for children affected. It’s therefore important to alleviate any symptoms, or at the very least find workarounds, wherever possible. Doing so will make affected children more comfortable and able to breathe more easily.

What are the Causes of Seasonal Allergies?

As the name suggests, seasonal allergies are more prevalent at certain parts of the year than others, usually being worse during spring, summer and/or autumn. They are caused by an allergic reaction to such things as tree pollen, grass pollen, weed pollen, dust mites, mould and pet dander, which are present in the air that the child breathes. The child’s immune system treats such allergens as invaders, defensively reacting to them by releasing the protein histamine into the bloodstream as part of its wider physiological response. It is this specific protein that triggers the unwelcome symptoms experienced by the child.

Children can be more prone to seasonal allergies if they have a family history of allergies.

What are the Symptoms of Seasonal Allergies in Children?

The symptoms of seasonal allergy are similar, but not identical, to what we often refer to as having ‘a cold’. The most common symptoms of a seasonal allergy include nasal congestion, a clear, runny nose, an itchy nose, throat and/or roof of the mouth, sneezing and a ‘postnasal drip’ (dripping of mucus from the back of the nasal cavity directly into the throat). The latter can also cause persistent coughing, perhaps accompanied by wheezing and shortness of breath. Although similar to a cold in many respects, the symptoms of seasonal allergy are different in that they do not include a fever, any cough is usually a ‘dry’ one and nasal congestion is clear and watery rather than thick and cloudy as you might expect if the cause was a cold. Another difference is that a seasonal allergy may persist for weeks or even months, unlike a cold, which generally goes within a fortnight or so.

Sometimes seasonal allergy symptoms go on to trigger asthma for those who suffer from it. Children with eczema may also find symptoms worsening when they also have a seasonal allergy.

If a child develops shortness of breath or tightness in their chest, seek urgent medical advice in case the cause turns out to be something more serious than a seasonal allergy. It’s always best to be cautious with the health of little ones.

Children’s eyes can also become red, puffy or watery during an episode of seasonal allergy. They may also exhibit dark circles under their eyes and little ones may also seem more irritable, restless and generally fatigued. Another symptom often seen in children with a seasonal allergy is breathing with their mouth open — simply because their noses are so congested. Children with the disorder may also have trouble sleeping, develop headaches and even get itchy ear canals.

What is the Prevalence of Seasonal Allergies in Babies & Young Children?

Although seasonal allergies can develop at any age, it’s important to stress that they are very rare among babies and infants aged up to 12 months. The earliest that seasonal allergies tend to start, if at all, is once children reach the age of 1 to 2. At that age, the seasonal allergen itself is most likely to be an indoor allergen like dust mites, mould or pet dander rather than outdoor allergens such as pollen or grass. If a child is going to develop a seasonal allergy, it’s much more likely to begin between 3 and 5, although most young children who do develop seasonal allergy may only start noticing symptoms as they get closer to the age of 10. Others may develop it as late as 20.

How Do You Treat the Symptoms of a Seasonal Allergy in Infants?

It’s important to try to relieve the symptoms of seasonal allergies in babies, toddlers and children as it’s an unpleasant affliction to live with and can also lead to ear and/or sinus infections if left untreated.

Medical Treatments

GPs, paediatricians and allergists/immunologists can all help to professionally diagnose and treat seasonal allergies. Treatments prescribed by such medical professionals may include child-safe antihistamines, nasal, oral or ocular (eye) sprays and/or even allergy shots, however the latter are seldom prescribed for the very young. Children whose eyes suffer particularly badly around pollen may even be advised to wear goggles when venturing outdoors, to keep the pollen out.

How Parents/Carers Can Help at Home

There are also things that parents/carers can do to help little ones overcome the symptoms of seasonal allergies. The most powerful and obvious one is to keep little ones away from the sources of the allergens that affect them. Keeping track of pollen counts (often given along with the weather reports on TV) and keeping children indoors on days when the count is high is going to help. Keeping pollen out of the house is also key. Hence, vacuuming thoroughly with a vacuum that has a HEPA (high efficiency particulate arresting) filter, keeping windows closed, taking shoes off when coming indoors, regularly dusting, washing sheets, blankets, clothes and curtains etc. and showering/bathing children who’ve been outdoors will all help to reduce pollen, dust mites and other allergens within the household. Drying washing in a dryer, instead of drying it naturally outside, will also help to limit the amount of allergens around affected children. Children’s hair will also trap allergens, so this should also be washed regularly to remove such allergens. Some air conditioners have pollen filters that can help to reduce the number of allergens and dust in the air, as do some free-standing air purification machines.

If the problem is pet dander, pets may also need to receive regular baths or showers (where appropriate and safe for them to do so) to remove dander from their fur or feathers — perhaps once a week. If the child’s allergy to dander is severe, it may even mean that pets and children need to keep to their own areas around the home, and children taught not to cuddle or stroke them.

If dust mites are causing the allergic reaction in your child, consider switching pillows and blankets to synthetic materials or even use specialist fabrics and airtight covers that block the passage of dust mites in bedding. Regularly wash bedding, pillow cases and even soft toys on a hot setting and tumble dry rather than exposing them to pollens on an outdoor washing line. Carpeting and rugs can also be a host for dust mites so consider switching to another type of flooring that can be cleaned more thoroughly, e.g. laminate flooring. Specially-treated mop heads can even be sourced to clean them. Putting smaller items in the freezer for several hours each week will also kill dust mites, particularly if followed up by a hot wash and tumble dry afterwards.

Mould is also a common allergen. Try to keep children away from it anyway (it’s not healthy) and, better still, eradicate it completely. Any leaks, plumbing or drainage issues should therefore be fixed, including outdoor defects if present, as they might otherwise allow the ingress of moisture to the indoors. Dehumidifiers will help to remove moisture from the air indoors, and adequate ventilation around the home will help to stop any mould taking hold (that’s if ventilation is practical, should the child also be allergic to pollen). Extractor fans in bathrooms, showers and kitchens will also help to vent moist air to the outside. Anti-mould paint, grout and sealants are available too, for problem areas like bathrooms, although bathroom and shower walls, tiling, shower curtains or screens etc. will be less likely to become habitats for mould if they’re squeegeed and dried after use. Drying damp towels and flannels in tumble driers will also help, rather than leaving them lying around. Also be mindful not to over-water houseplants, which should be kept away from affected children, and ensure any firewood is stored outdoors. Lastly, keep washing machine doors ajar when not in use and regularly clean the door seals as these can otherwise harbour mould.

We hope that this rough guide to seasonal allergies in under-fives has been useful to parents and carers of little ones.

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A Nursery Place at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Are you looking a nursery or pre-school place for your child in Edgbaston — or near Birmingham, Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood or Smethwick?

Please get in touch if you are looking for a high quality childcare place for your baby, toddler or under-five child at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery and pre-school in Edgbaston, Birmingham. Our wonderful weekday childcare service is also convenient if you live/work near Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood or Smethwick. Come and see the nursery in action and bring along your little one – we’ll be happy to show you around and to answer any questions. We’ll also be happy to clarify any free childcare options for 2-year-olds, 3 & 4-year-olds, students and more. Please choose a button below to get in touch or to get started with a place for your child:

Next Time

Next time, we take a detailed look at the different types of formula milk and other specialist milks for babies and infants. This includes various options for those who are allergic to cows’ milk, lactose intolerant and more.

30 July 2022/by Mark

We previously looked at the types of food for parents to avoid giving infants and now follow up with a separate post about foods that are most likely to cause allergic reactions in the very young.

Some reactions towards food are also not true allergies, in the scientific sense. For those that are, it’s important to stress that severe allergic reactions (a.k.a. ‘Anaphylaxis’) in infants under one are rare. However such severe reactions should always be treated as a medical emergency. Even amongst children aged up to two, though, the incidence of proven food allergies is only 5% and such reactions are generally mild. Nonetheless, parents, carers and guardians of infants will naturally want to be cautious. Today’s post discusses the food types that most commonly cause allergic reactions and how they can be introduced to infants.

Severe allergic reactions (Anaphylaxis) in infants under one are rare, however such reactions should be treated as a medical emergency.

Symptoms to Look Out For

So, what are the symptoms of an allergic reaction? The NHS lists symptoms like sneezing, wheezing, coughing and a blocked or runny nose as possible signs of an allergic reaction. Itchy, red, watery eyes or a red, itchy rash are also possible signs, as are worsening symptoms of eczema or asthma.

The Most Common Food Allergens

According to the NHS, the 8 food types that are most likely to cause allergic reactions are:

Cows’ milk	Eggs
Gluten (found in wheat, barley, rye, oats etc.)	Nuts including peanuts*
Seeds & seed derivatives*	Soya
Shellfish*	Fish

^{* We touched upon some of these ingredients in our A-Z Guide to Foods to Avoid Giving Infants but will mention the following again: seeds and nuts, including peanuts, should only be served to under-fives crushed, ground or as a ‘butter’ as they are otherwise a choking hazard; eggs should be avoided before the age of 6 months and thereafter never be served raw/lightly cooked except if they exhibit the Red Lion or “British Lion Quality” stamp; shellfish should also never be served to infants raw or lightly cooked.}

Always read food labels carefully.

Mustard, celery, the preservative/antioxidant sulphur dioxide, the legume lupin and molluscs are the next most common food allergens after those listed in the table above. Kiwi, the fruit, is also known to cause allergic reactions in some infants, however is apparently the only potential allergen out of those listed above that doesn’t have to be listed, by law, on the ingredients list of pre-packaged food products.

When to Start Watching Out for Allergens

The NHS recommends slowly introducing the food types above, usually from about the age of 6 months if they’re developmentally ready. This is the age when babies most commonly start the process of weaning i.e. moving – gradually – towards eating solids. Start only when the infant is well, including having a good skin condition, because eczema is a possible sign of an existing allergy. The NHS strongly recommends that you talk to a GP or health visitor before introducing new foods to infants who are already known to have an allergy diagnosis or family history of allergies, including eczema, asthma and hay fever.

Any ‘new’ food types, particularly known allergens from the list above, should be introduced to the infant only one at a time, preferably early in the day so that you have more time to monitor for any reactions. Accepted advice is to start only with a tiny initial amount and monitor for possible symptoms of an allergic reaction. Amounts can later be increased, bit by bit over the following days, if the infant is found to be tolerant. And, of course, a new food type can then be tried only once the previous one has ‘passed the test’. However, bear in mind that some allergic reactions are far from immediate. Known as non-IgE food allergies, their symptoms can take anywhere from 2 hours to 3 days to show. So, the message is to be very careful and methodical when it comes to introducing new foods to your infant.¹

^{1: More detail about IgE (rapid) and non-IgE (delayed) allergy symptoms and other useful information about the introduction of potential allergens to infants can be read in a very good article by baby and child nutritionist Charlotte Stirling-Reed.}

Once introduced and shown to be tolerated by the infant, the new foods should then remain a part of the child’s usual diet and be eaten regularly. This minimises the chances of the child developing an allergy to such food types later on. Interestingly, where the introduction of peanuts and hens’ eggs has been delayed to a later time in the child’s development, the risk of developing an allergic reaction to them has actually increased. So, the risks need to be carefully balanced.

Special Mention: Milk Conundrums

The NHS recommends “exclusive breastfeeding or First Infant Formula” milk for babies during their first six months (and, indeed, breastfeeding has many benefits). Breastfeeding is not always possible though, for one reason or another, which is where the mention of First Infant Formula comes in. However, with standard First Infant Formula Milk being based on cows’ milk, and cows’ milk being one of the food types that infants are most commonly allergic or intolerant to, a healthcare professional will need to be consulted in the event of a reaction. For those found to have Cows’ Milk Allergy (‘CMA’), alternatives like Hypoallergenic Formula Milk, Lactose-Free Formula Milk or even Soya Formula Milk may be suggested by the GP/healthcare professional. However, it’s important for such milk alternatives to be given only under professional medical supervision as there are important and specific considerations around each. We explain more about those in a separate where we outline the different types of milk and formula for babies and infants.

Another milk-related conundrum that nursing mothers may have is whether they should avoid potential allergens themselves in case it passes to the infant through breast milk. The NHS’s advice in this regard is succinct and straight forward:

“If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, you do not need to avoid foods that can trigger allergic reactions (including peanuts), unless you’re allergic to them.” ^{(NHS) ∞}

Please note: We hope guide is a useful starting point for parents/guardians who want to learn more about safely introducing little ones to new food types. However, it is a guide only and you should do your own research. Talk to your GP, health visitor or other healthcare professional if you need professional advice or guidance in regard to your child’s diet and any allergy- or health-related issues. Always check food labels and contact the emergency services urgently if your child exhibits signs of a severe allergic reaction.

Healthy Food at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Meals at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery are freshly made, using high quality, nutritious ingredients, which are prepared for us by award-winning early years caterers. Healthy snacks, meals and drinks are all included in our nursery fees, as appropriate. We cater for all dietary needs (e.g. vegan, vegetarian etc.) and, of course, are mindful — and hugely careful — about any allergies amongst the little ones. We also participate in the ‘Startwell’ programme, which encourages our children and families in the Birmingham area to eat healthy meals and to live healthy lifestyles.

Searching for the best nurseries or pre-schools in Edgbaston, Birmingham, Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood or Smethwick?

Please get in touch if you would like to visit Leaps & Bounds or to enrol your baby, toddler or under-five child at this excellent childcare setting. We are a high quality nursery and pre-school in Edgbaston, Birmingham but are equally convenient for those who live or work in Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood and Smethwick. Why not bring your child along to see the nursery in action and to ask us any questions that you may have. You can also apply for a place if you’re ready to make a decision about your childcare. Please choose a button below to get started:

Next Time

Today’s article focuses on food that may cause allergic reactions in infants. We subsequently follow up with a great guide to Seasonal Allergies in Under-Fives. Instead of being caused by food, seasonal allergies are caused by such things as pollen, dust, mould and pet dander at certain times of the year. Click the green link above to learn about symptoms, causes and ways to help children affected by such allergies.

19 July 2022/by Mark

‘Tummy Time’ is very important for babies and today we take a look at why that is, and what exactly tummy time entails. The NHS defines tummy time as follows:

“Tummy time is time your baby spends on their tummy when they are awake.” (NHS)

The idea behind the activity is a simple but crucial one: to help babies strengthen their neck, core, back, shoulder and arm muscles as well as improving coordination and motor skills. These are important for newborn babies because they have comparatively heavy heads for their size, not much physical strength and poor coordination and motor skills when they’re first born. Tummy time allows them to improve in all these areas. After regular tummy time, they should become more able physically, they’ll gradually become more mobile and, crucially, will be better able to keep themselves safe. You could even argue that tummy time is a survival thing at its core.

Tummy Time Benefits

Tummy time benefits babies in many ways, including:

• Tummy time strengthens neck, core, trunk, back, shoulder and arm muscles, helping babies to be more able physically.
• It improves physical coordination as well as hand-eye coordination as they learn to reach for toys etc.
• It improves a wide variety of motor skills, both fine and gross, helping babies better function as individuals.
• It helps babies to alter their head position and movements at will, so they’re better able to control what/who they can see, what they can gain access to and what/who they interact with.
• It helps babies to make sense of stimuli around them, for example to be able to turn their head or position in order to see what made a particular sound nearby.
• Tummy time also helps babies avoid skull deformations such as Positional Plagiocephaly (a.k.a. Flat Head Syndrome) that might otherwise occur if they’re permanently on their backs.
• Tummy time helps babies avoid Positional Torticollis, a neck issue that also might otherwise occur if the baby is always on its back.

Tummy Time – What to Do

So, we’ve seen the benefits and importance of tummy time, but what exactly does it entail? Well, the wide-awake baby is turned onto its stomach (this is also known as the ‘prone’ position) and is encouraged to raise its head, arms, etc. This must be under constant, unbroken supervision, for the child’s safety. Tummy time should commence right from birth, according to the NHS (∞). Newborns are initially very weak and therefore may not initially warm to tummy time, so a few things may help to make the introduction more bearable for them:

Start off by lying them on your chest, facing you.
Placing a rolled-up towel or blanket under their upper chest and arms will help to support and raise their trunks a little.
Encouragement will also help. For example, by turning the activity into a game like peek-a-boo, perhaps lying down, facing the baby.
You can also try it with the baby lying across your lap rather than on the floor, so you can better help them.
Another option is to cradle them with your hand/upper arm supporting them underneath.
When they’re a little older, lying the baby on a rug or blanket on the floor will be more comfortable for them than a hard floor directly. Not too soft/deep, though, due to the dangers of suffocation when they’re face down.
Ensure their head is supported when needed as their necks are very fragile at such a young age.
And, of course, ensure that they can always breathe freely at all times.

The UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines (∞) recommend “at least 30 minutes of tummy time spread throughout the day while awake … more is better … [it] can be increased gradually, starting from a minute or two at a time, as the baby becomes used to it.”

It’s important for parents to encourage the infant and to persevere. Start off for very short periods of time when they’re first born, but repeat it several times throughout the day. Remember, it will be very hard for them initially. As they get stronger and more used to it — and a little older — gradually increase the time spent doing tummy time. Nearby toys may also help to encourage them to make an extra effort by the time they’re around 3 months old. Then, once they’re around 6 months of age, they should be much stronger in the arms and trunk and able to achieve the press-up position naturally. Before you know it, regular tummy time practise will result in them becoming more able to independently move around, grab toys, roll sideways and back, lift themselves up on their arms, lift and turn their head and so on. Coordination, strength, motor skills and hand-eye coordination will all improve. By the age of 7 to 9 months, you may find they can crawl and, around 9 months, they may well also be able to achieve a sitting position unaided. Around this point, your tummy time job is complete and there’s no huge need to continue — although it’ll do no harm if you do.

Safety Rules for Tummy Time

Only allow your baby to do tummy time when he/she is wide awake and alert;
Only allow your baby to do tummy time when you are wide awake, unlikely to fall asleep and are able to supervise the baby throughout the whole activity.

Those precautions are critically important for the baby’s wellbeing. Babies should never be allowed to sleep face down or even on their sides, otherwise there is a real risk of suffocation and even death. That’s why both baby and adult need to be fully awake, fully alert and the supervising adult watching at all times during the tummy time activity.

Tummy Time at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery, Edgbaston, Birmingham

We do, of course, follow guidelines and best practise for safe tummy time at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery and pre-school in Edgbaston, Birmingham. It’s all a natural, integral part of what we do as part of our weekday childcare services for babies. It’s also part and parcel of nurturing children under our care to reach personal bests in every area and to thrive as individuals.

High Quality Childcare in Edgbaston, Birmingham, near Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood & Smethwick

Leaps & Bounds offers the highest quality childcare at it’s Edgbaston nursery and pre-school near Birmingham. We’re also conveniently located for those looking for the best nursery or pre-school service near Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood or Smethwick, each of which is just a stone’s throw away. To enquire about a nursery/pre-school place for your child, or to ask any questions, please get in touch. We also invite you to book a tour with your child to see the childcare setting in action for yourself. Please choose an option to get started:

30 June 2022/by Mark

It is so important to avoid feeding a baby or toddler anything that could be detrimental to their health. So, once infants are weaning off milk and eating solids, vigilance and care is needed over every food choice. Allergens aside, the NHS recommends a significant list of foods that adults should avoid giving babies and young children. Such foods are on the ‘avoid’ list usually because they contain one or more of the following three ingredients, although there are also others to look out for, as you’ll see.

Too much salt. This is bad for babies’ kidneys, which have not finished developing. It can also raise blood pressure and increase the risk of stroke and heart disease. According to the NHS, babies under 1 should have less than 1g of salt per day and this will usually be achieved through milk intake, so none should be added. Children aged between 1 and 3 should only eat a maximum of 2g of salt per day (0.8g of sodium). For 4 to 6-year-olds it can increase to 3g of salt per day (1.2g of sodium).
Added sugar. Infants do not need this. If added, it may increase instances of tooth decay, unhealthy weight issues, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. With children typically consuming more than twice as much sugar as is recommended, it is a real issue. The NHS’s sugar calculator can help when preparing food for infants, or alternatively use their Food Scanner app to find healthier food choices (click the yellow graphic to download).
Saturated fats. These can raise levels of cholesterol and increase the risk of getting heart disease.

Foods to Avoid Giving Your Infant

In alphabetical order, foods that the NHS warns parents to avoid feeding babies and infants include:

Food Type	Reason To Avoid / Notes
Anchovies	Contains salt.
Bacon	Contains salt and saturated fats.
Bagles	May contain added salt.
Biscuits	These may be high in saturated fats.
Bread products	May contain added salt.
Breakfast cereals	Likely to contain salt and sugar.
Buns	Contains sugar.
Cakes	Contains sugar and saturated fats.
Cereal bars	Contains sugar.
Cheeses (some)	Contains salt and saturated fats. Avoid all cheeses before the age of six months. Thereafter, avoid cheeses including non-pasteurised, mould-ripened (like brie), veined cheese (like stilton) and ripened goats’ cheese — unless used in [hot] cooking to kill harmful microbes.
Chips with added salt	Contains salt.
Chocolate & chocolate products, spreads etc.	Contains sugar, saturated fats, even salt.
Ciabatta	Contains salt.
Crisps	Contains salt. They can also contain high levels of saturated fat.
Crumpets	May contain added salt.
Eggs	Avoid before the age of 6 months, thereafter avoid if raw/only lightly cooked unless they exhibit the Red Lion or ‘British Lion Quality’ stamp.
Fizzy drinks	Avoid if they contain added sugar.
Fruit juices	Even unsweetened juice will contain natural ‘free’ sugars.
Gravy granules	Contains salt.
Ham	Contains salt.
Honey	Contains sugar and also may contain bacteria that produces toxins in babies’ intestines, potentially causing botulism. Never give honey to children under the age of 1.
Ice cream	Contains sugar, saturated fats
Jelly cubes	Choking hazard.
Juice drinks	Contain sugar.
Marlin meat	Contains mercury.
Mayonnaise	Likely to contain salt.
Nectars	Contains sugar.
Nuts – salted and dry-roasted	Contains salt. Choking hazard too, unless crushed.
Olives	Contains salt. Choking hazard.
Pasta sauces	Likely to contain salt.
Pastries	Contains sugar, saturated fats, even salt.
Pickles	Contains salt.
Pizza	Likely to contain salt.
Prawns	Contains salt.
Ready meals	Contains salt.
Rice drinks	Avoid before the age of 5 – contains arsenic.
Salami	Contains salt.
Salt fish	Contains salt.
Sandwiches	Likely to contain salt.
Sauces	Likely to contain salt.
Sausages	Likely to contain salt and saturated fats.
Shark meat	Contains mercury.
Shelfish	Avoid if raw/lightly cooked.
Smoked meat and fish	Contains salt.
Smoothies	Contains sugar.
Soup	Likely to contain salt.
Soy sauce	Contains salt.
Stock cubes	Contains salt.
Sweets	Contains sugar.
Swordfish meat	Contains mercury.
Syrups including maple, golden, agave etc.	Contains sugar.
Takeaways	Contains salt.
Tomato ketchup	Contains salt.
Vegetable juices	Contains sugar.
Yeast extract	Contains salt.
Yoghurts (flavoured)	Contains sugar.

We hope that this ready-reference is useful for parents and guardians of babies and young children. However, it is a guide only and you should do your own research, including in regard to possible allergies/allergens. Always check food labels and ensure you’re using information for infants, not adults.

Healthy Eating at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Our standard fees include healthy meals (breakfast, lunch and tea as appropriate), healthy snacks and drinks. Meals contain fresh, nutritious ingredients that are locally sourced and prepared by award-winning early years caterers. We cater for all dietary needs including vegan and vegetarian options. We also participate in the ‘Startwell’ programme, which encourages healthy food and lifestyles amongst children and families in the Birmingham area.

Looking for outstanding nurseries/pre-schools in Edgbaston, Birmingham, Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood or Smethwick?

Leaps & Bounds is a popular nursery and pre-school located in Edgbaston, Birmingham. We offer high quality childcare to local parents/guardians, including those who live or work in Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood and Smethwick. To learn more about how we can bring out the very best in your baby, toddler or under-five child, we invite you to bring them along for a nursery visit. Ask us any questions and have a look around. See if your child feels at home. You can also simply apply for a place or send us a message. Please choose a button below to get started:

17 June 2022/by Mark

Any new parent will appreciate how important it is to ensure that the home is safe for the new arrival. It’s a little easier to keep them safe when they’re babies, but things quickly change once they start crawling and walking. Toddlers can be be into everything! They can also move surprisingly fast at times, so it’s important to ensure that they cannot access things like sharp objects, hard or rough surfaces, hot ovens and radiators, corrosive products, poisonous plants and substances, or places they could knock things over. They also need to be kept well away from places where there is a drop, from which they could fall, and places where they are in danger of something else falling onto them.

So, what steps can parents take to keep the home a safe place for their toddlers? Here, we’ll take a look at a few of the more obvious measures that can be put into place.

(The following should be a good place to start, but is not an exhaustive list, so please always do your own full risk assessment).

Smoke Detectors

Install smoke detectors, if not already present, on every floor and ideally in every room or space in the home (halls, stairwells etc.). Ensure that batteries are tested regularly and replaced whenever necessary. Smoke detectors save countless lives every year when maintained correctly, so are incredibly important.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon monoxide is a silent killer. Detectors for this invisible and scent-free gas are essential, especially in homes with any kind of heater or where there is an attached garage or even attached property or flat. The gas can travel into your home even if you don’t have a device that potentially emits it. Follow safety instructions and guidelines about positioning the detectors. Batteries should also be regularly checked and replaced whenever required. Carbon monoxide detectors are not generally as cheap as smoke detectors, but should last years (N.B. follow instructions in regard to replacement at the prescribed intervals). These devices are real life-savers.

Electrical Outlets & the Plastic Inserts Controversy

Although modern, correctly specified electrical points in the UK are designed to be childproof, it would always be wise to teach children to keep away from them and never to tamper with them. Additionally, current safety advice from the Department of Health is *NOT* to use plastic blanking inserts in power outlets. Modern electrical points and outlets manufactured to quality standard BS1363 have a built-in ‘shutter’ system that already offers strong safety protection. For that reason, many are now stating that adding plastic blanking inserts to unused electrical socket outlets may actually represent a greater hazard to children than not having them — because they could potentially override and negate the built-in safety mechanisms within the actual socket. Ofsted, meanwhile, does not seem to offer a directive one way or another on this topic, so we suggest that families do their own research to further explore this topic.

Electrical Wires & Connection Cables

Most electrical devices around the home have cables or wires of some kind. Some carry significant electrical currents, which are obviously a potential danger to young children, but even those that don’t could represent a potential strangulation or tripping risk. They could also be yanked by the youngster, resulting in something heavy falling onto them. So, always ensure they’re located securely out of reach of little ones.

Stair & Safety Gates

Installing stair gates is a no-brainer for families with young children. When installed and secured correctly, they will stop children falling downstairs, and stop them getting upstairs if a parent wants to confine them to the downstairs area, away from hazards elsewhere.

You can also get safety gates that will cordon off other hazardous areas like kitchens, as well as fireguard gates. Such levels of protection are highly recommended but always ensure products meet UK safety standards before buying.

Safety Locks & Latches on Doors

Rooms, cupboards and storage areas can contain any number of dangerous hazards for young children. However, they can be easily secured by child-proof locks, latches or even lockable door knob covers. Such devices need to be easily opened by adults, however, for the sake of convenience and also in case of emergency. Children are naturally inquisitive, so it’s best for a supervising adult to decide where they can go, and ensure they’re locked out of everywhere else rather than letting them explore freely.

Door Stops

Doors can be a hazard to children, who can all-too-easily get fingers trapped in the hinged side, the opening side when a door is closed, or even underneath. Parents can purchase inexpensive door stops, wedges and holders to stop such occurrences and indeed a variety of such solutions are available on the market. These even include some simple ‘finger guards’ for doors, to stop little fingers being trapped.

Window Security

Windows represent a real hazard for children. Not only do they contain glass that could cut them if broken, but they are also something a child could potentially climb through and fall from if not secured. That could be fatal. There are a number of measures that can be put into place for window safety, including window guards, safety netting and, of course, childproof locks or safety latches. It’s also important to ensure that there is nothing close to windows that would allow a child to climb up to it. Even if the window is closed, it’s feasible that they could break the glass and get injured.

Floor to ceiling glass is also a potential hazard, particularly when it’s perfectly clear. Young children may run around and not realise there isn’t a gap to run through, and slam into it. An example is patio doors, or tall glazed panes in conservatories. Safety stickers or strips on the glass, placed at a suitable height, are therefore essential so that children don’t slam into, and potentially through, such panes. Better still, such areas should be blocked off from access completely, using guards or similar, or particularly stringent adult supervision should always be in place in such areas.

Window Blind Cords

Sadly, children have been known to perish after accidentally strangling themselves with pull-cords. If the pull-cord has a small toggle or knob on the end, these are also potential choking hazards. Cords can often be seen dangling down at the side of window blinds and curtains. Such things need to be secured, well away from the reach of children. Indeed, many window blinds these days are supplied with safety fitments that should always be used in houses that are homes to children.

Keep Phones Cordless

In a similar way, phones with cords are also a potential choking hazard. Wireless phones get around this issue more safely and also allow supervising adults/parents to move about freely while on a call. In this way they can watch what the child is up to at all times and not be confined to wherever the phone terminal is.

Bumper Covers on Corners

Furniture around the home is fine for adults, but little ones, who are only just becoming mobile, will be unaware of how painful a fall against them can be. For example, the edge or corner of a coffee table (ouch!). A quick look on the Internet, though, will show up several results for corner and edge ‘bumpers’ of varying thicknesses, qualities and prices. There should be a solution for most budgets and these will soften the impact should a toddler fall against them.

Ovens, Hobs, Hotplates & Grills

The kitchen is a particularly dangerous area for children. It’s imperative that they are not allowed anywhere near sources of heat, particularly ovens, hobs, grills and hotplates. The door of an oven, often positioned at toddler level in modern kitchens, can remain hot enough to burn little fingers and hands, long after the oven has been switched off. It will not ‘look’ hot to a toddler, so parents need to be vigilant and, better still, keep toddlers well away.

Tablecloths & Table Runners

It’s also best to avoid the use of tablecloths and table ‘runners’ when children are young. Otherwise, they may grab an edge, fall backwards and any number of potentially heavy, sharp, hot or otherwise harmful things could then fall onto them.

Radiators, Heaters & Fires

Radiators, heaters and, of course, fires are sources of significant heat. So, it’s important to have fire guards in place, protective covers in front of radiators, or secure barriers in place to keep children away from direct contact with the heat sources like electrical or oil heaters. Many also have nasty, hard corners and some portable heaters can tip over easily, which could be potentially disastrous for little ones who don’t understand the dangers and could end up potentially bruised and burnt.

Sharp Objects

There are many sharp objects around the home and it’s important to keep children from accessing them. Knives, screwdrivers, scissors and even sharp pens and pencils are just a few examples. They can be potential hazards for toddlers, so it’s imperative that they’re kept well out of reach and also not placed on top of anything that could be toppled by a climbing child.

Small Objects Are Choking Hazards

Parents should also scour the house to ensure that small objects are kept out of reach of mobile toddlers, otherwise they represent a potential choking hazard.

Machines & Gadgets

Food blenders, vacuum cleaners, DIY power tools and even beauty products can be a danger to little children. So, it’s important to keep all these things out reach of the child. Once they’re mobile, they’re into everything and, if you’re not vigilant, they’ll be grabbing for things like hot hair straighteners without understanding the danger.

Household Products

Household products including cleaning products can be a real hazard. So, bleach, abrasive, corrosive and poisonous products need to be locked well away. The same goes for things like dishwasher tablets, laundry pods, medicines and tablets. Many products around the house are highly poisonous and could even kill. Such hazards are best locked away rather than simply moved out of reach, because children soon learn to climb.

Gardens

Front and rear gardens are full of potential hazards for children. The hazard list is almost endless, in fact. From sharp objects, germs, thorns and garden tools to ponds, poisonous plants, weedkiller and tripping/falling hazards, it’s all there. Moreover, there are probably several escape routes where children could exit or others could enter. So, gardens need extra-special supervision whenever children are present, particularly the young. It would also be wise to ensure that boundaries and gates/doors are secure and any hazards made unavailable through the use of barriers, locked storage/sheds and suchlike.

Swimming pools and hot tubs

Hot tubs and swimming pools are obviously also a potential drowning hazard for little ones, so adults need to take serious precautions to keep them away except under close supervision. Access should be possible only via the supervising adult and use of pool and tub covers carefully considered.

Baths & Bathrooms

Any source of water is a potential hazard for children. Baths and basins could hold enough water to drown little ones, scald them if water is too hot or be an electrical hazard if water is allowed to be transported or splashed anywhere near anything electrical. Adult supervision is therefore essential in such places and ideally they should be out of bounds and impossible for little ones to access at all other times.

Hot Water Safety

Parents can take this a whole step further by ensuring that hot water in tanks and devices is never allowed to get to a dangerous level of heat in the first place. Careful selection of shower models, for example, may show up variants that are particularly child-safe, with a bypass that only adults would be able to use in order to increase the temperature. A local plumber should also be able to fit some precautionary devices, systems or settings to showers, shower heads, hot water taps and water tanks to give additional protection from possible scalding. This level of safety is, though, in a much more advanced and expensive league than the other precautions above.

A Final Word

No safety device or precaution is 100% childproof. Even if they were, it’s all too easy for a parent or sibling to forget to reinstate them, for example by closing a safety gate after passing through. The important thing, therefore, is for adults to always be close by and to supervise all activity. It only takes a second or two for a young adventurer to slip past a cordon and into danger territory. That’s all too easy if a parent gets distracted by a knock on the door or a phone call. Vigilance is needed at all times.

Our Nursery in Edgbaston, Birmingham

We hope this list of precautions is a good starting place for parents, guardians and carers. Of course, at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery in Edgbaston, we always follow best practice in regard to the safety and wellbeing of babies, toddlers and preschoolers under our care. Strict protocols are in place around safeguarding, risk assessments are taken regularly, and children are always well supervised. Our high quality childcare service is perfect for parents who live or work in Edgbaston or near Birmingham, Ladywood, Smethwick, Bearwood or Harborne. We’re also one of the few Forest Schools in the Birmingham area. To learn more about our wonderful nursery and pre-school, or to apply for a nursery place, simply contact us:

Apply for a Place Book a Tour Contact Us 0121 246 4922

15 October 2021/by Mark

2 year olds, 3 & 4 year olds, Babies, Birmingham, Childcare, Early Years Foundation Stage, Edgbaston, EYFS, Health & Safety, Nurseries, Pre-schools, Safeguarding

Safeguarding for Nurseries – A Guide for Parents

Back in September, we touched upon the safeguarding and welfare of children in our Rough Guide to the Early Years Foundation Stage (‘EYFS’). In today’s post, we’ll go into more detail about how we approach the safeguarding, safety and general welfare of children at Leaps & Bounds nursery in Edgbaston, Birmingham. For example, in relation to the recruitment of suitable, trustworthy staff for the nursery, having the right security measures in place, knowing what to do in the event of illness, accident or emergency and suitability of equipment and the setting as a whole. This information should be of comfort to parents looking for suitable – and safe – nursery places in the Birmingham area.

Safeguarding children is, in essence, all about keeping children safe, secure, healthy and out of harm’s way. Every child deserves to feel secure and safe and indeed will learn most effectively when this is the case.

Safeguarding Measures

Early years settings like ours adhere to some excellent, pre-defined rules around the safeguarding and welfare of children. These must fall in line with several statutory Government directives along with the procedures set out by both the Local Safeguarding Children Board (‘LSCB’) and the EYFS. They EYFS states:

“Providers must be alert to any issues for concern in the child’s life at home or elsewhere. Providers must have and implement a policy and procedures to safeguard children.”

So the rules we follow are more far-reaching than simply keeping children safe at the nursery itself. The safeguarding measures we follow cover ways to watch out for abuse or maltreatment happening elsewhere, as well as setting guidelines for safeguarding at the nursery itself. When Ofsted makes visits to nurseries including ours, they will also be looking to ensure we follow all the safeguarding procedures effectively.

Childcare Professionals

Any staff member who will have contact with children is checked for suitability, including enhanced criminal record and barred list checks (previously known as a ‘CRB’ check but now replaced by the Disclosure and Barring Service or ‘DBS’). Additional criminal record checks are made for any staff member who has lived or worked outside the UK. Childcare professionals are also vetted in a number of other ways including identity checks, checks to ensure they are not under the influence of alcohol or other substance, and much more.

Every childcare setting, including Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery, has a designated trained professional who takes lead responsibility for the safeguarding of children. The lead person also liaises with statutory local agencies and the LSCB. Ofsted will also check to ensure that the nursery is implementing the appropriate safeguarding policies and procedures when it visits periodically. So, there are multiple levels of safeguarding checks, by several independent professionals.

All childcare staff at the nursery are suitably trained to understand the safeguarding policies in place and know what to do if there are any concerns. Staff are also expected to keep and maintain records.

The nursery also, of course, ensures that staff members are suitably trained, qualified, experienced and supervised, with the requisite skills and knowledge needed for the job being undertaken. Our childcare professionals are also given ample opportunities for additional training and professional development, so that the quality of care continually improves, to the benefit of the children.

Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery also keeps exceptionally high staff to child ratios.

For children under two, there is at least one staff member for every three children.
For children aged two, there is at least one staff member for every four children.
For children aged three and over, there is at least one staff member for every eight to thirteen children (a range is indicated because the ratio differs depending upon the particular tasks being undertaken by the children).

The Key Person

As we’ve mentioned in previous posts, every child is also allocated their own ‘Key Person’; a member of staff who is responsible for tailoring the learning and development programme to the needs of each individual child. The Key Person also engages with parents or carers so that the learning and development programme is supported when the child is at home. There is also a safeguarding element to the children having their own Key Person as that staff member will keep a continuous eye on the child’s progress and wellbeing throughout their time with the nursery. In this way, the child should attain the very best outcome and achieve their own individual learning and development goals.

Special Educational Needs & Disabilities

Leaps & Bounds has arrangements in place to support children with special educational needs (‘SEN’) and disabilities. With that in mind, the nursery also has a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo), who is also the Behavioural Co-ordinator (‘BECo’) for the setting.

Medicines & Infections

It goes without saying that staff at the nursery take precautions to stop the spread of any infections and that appropriate actions are taken if children become ill. This is more relevant than ever with the pandemic affecting the country so deeply this year (take a look at our anti-COVID precautions to get an idea of how we deal with the threat of a pandemic).

Staff also have strict protocols in place in relation to the administering of any medicines prescribed by a doctor, nurse, pharmacist or dentist. They will only be given, of course, with written permission of the parent or carer of the child involved. Staff involved are also suitably trained where any medical administration requires medical or technical knowledge. Written records are kept whenever medicines are given and the parent/carer(s) informed.

Injuries & Accidents

At least one staff member is always available, whether at the nursery premises or accompanying children on outings, who has a current Paediatric First Aid (‘PFA’) certificate. PFA training, relevant to the care of young children and babies as appropriate, is renewed every three years. The nursery also has its own official Medical Co-ordinator and a suitably equipped First Aid box is available and accessible at all times. Any accidents, injuries or treatments are recorded and parents/carers informed. The nursery would also follow strict Ofsted rules and protocols in the unlikely event of a serious accident or injury.

Healthy Food & Drink

Safeguarding is also about children’s health. With that in mind, the nursery serves only healthy, nutritious, balanced, meals, snacks and drinks. Food preferences, special dietary requirements and allergies are all catered for. Fresh drinking water is also available at any time. Food is prepared under strict, hygienic conditions, by people suitably trained in food hygiene. Equipment for the preparation of baby food/milk is sterilised, as appropriate.

A Safe Environment

The nursery itself does, of course, fall under the general Health & Safety rules. As such, it is always fit for purpose and subject to all the health, safety, hygiene and fire safety precautions that one would expect and, indeed, are a legal requirement of such premises. The nursery maintains the appropriate insurance policies too.

With regard to being fit for purpose, the premises and equipment are supplied in accordance with suitability for the age groups using them, i.e. babies and young children. This applies in both indoor and outdoor areas where children play. Risk assessments are undertaken in order to identify areas that may require measures to be put in place or where items need, for instance, to be maintained. This applies to outings too.

We have a proactive approach to safety, rather than a reactive one.

Emergency evacuation procedures are also in place in the event of a fire or other emergency. Emergency exits are also clearly identified and kept free of obstacles. In the case of fire, the nursery has appropriate detection and control mechanisms in place and these are regularly maintained to ensure that they are in working order at all times.
Sleeping babies and children are monitored and regularly checked. Babies have their own, separate baby room for this purpose.

In regard to children leaving the premises, further strict protocols are also in place at the nursery. These include not allowing children to go outside or leave the premises unsupervised and, when it’s time for children to go home, rules that only allow them to be picked up by individuals that have been agreed with parents. This is achieved through a password system if parents or carers have arranged for someone else to pick children up. The staff at the nursery will check both the ID of that person and accuracy of the password before the child in question is released from the nursery.

The nursery also takes serious steps to prevent unauthorised people from entering the premises, with protocols in place to identify anyone that does visit. The nursery has CCTV in place indoors and outdoors as well as at the main entrance. During the pandemic lock-down we are are also not allowing parents, carers or visitors inside the building, so as to keep everyone safe from the possible spread of COVID-19.

Parents also love the online ‘app’ that they can use to get regular updates about their child’s activity each day at the nursery. They can see photos of what their child has been doing, what they have eaten and when they’ve had a sleep. We should add that the app does not access the CCTV system, for security reasons.

Childcare providers like Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery are also expected to keep and maintain records. This includes obtaining and/or confidential sharing of information with parents or carers and, if appropriate and when required to do so, with other professionals who work with the child including social services, the police and Ofsted if applicable. Records are kept secure, of course, and information is only shared with those who have a legal right to see it. The two-way flow of information, when appropriate, is designed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and the smooth, efficient and appropriate running of the nursery itself.
Our Safeguarding policy is available to read or download here.

We hope this information reassures parents and carers who may be looking for a high quality nursery in the Birmingham area.

A Place for your Baby or Toddler at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery

Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery is an outstanding nursery and pre-school in Edgbaston, B16, close to Birmingham city centre. It’s conveniently located if you are looking for childcare nurseries near you around Edgbaston, Birmingham, Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood & Smethwick. For more information about a possible place for your child, call 0121 246 4922 or contact us or book a visit here. We’d be happy to show you around, so that you can see the nursery for yourself (appropriately socially distanced etc., of course). Get in touch!

18 November 2020/by Mark

2 year olds, 3 & 4 year olds, Babies, Childcare, Early Years Foundation Stage, Edgbaston, Education, EYFS, Health & Safety, Nurseries, Pre-schools

Rough Guide to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

In our ‘Why Choose Us’ section, we give a brief outline of our Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum and roughly what it includes. However, the EYFS is not just a curriculum. It is actually a fully-fledged ‘framework’ — an entire approach to early years education and care. It is used at Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery and other registered childcare settings throughout England. In this article, we explain how it’s used, what it consists of and what its key aims are.

Why use the Early Years Foundation Stage framework?

All UK Registered Childcare settings are mandated by the UK’s Department for Education (‘DfE’) to implement what’s known as the Early Years Foundation Stage (‘EYFS’) framework. This is a legal requirement for early years settings under the Childcare Act 2006. The framework includes a comprehensive set of rules, a series of excellent guidelines and additional legally-binding guidance for early years settings in England. These have been shaped by best practice approaches to education and care, which have been tried and tested over the course of many years.

What are the key aims of the EYFS?

The key educational aim of the EYFS framework is for children’s learning and development to progress in the most successful way — and a way that best suits each individual child. After all, every child is unique. This aim is critically important in order to nurture and help maximise their skills and abilities while also recognising that children learn and develop in different ways and at different rates. Achieving this will help give each child the best possible start in life, whatever their abilities or disabilities. This will, in turn, give them the best chance to fulfil their own personal potential later in life. Study after study has shown that children’s early years of learning and development have a huge impact on lifelong outcomes, so achieving personal bests is incredibly important.

“The Early Years Foundation Stage … ensure(s) children’s ‘school readiness’ and gives children the broad range of knowledge and skills that provide the right foundation for good future progress through school and life.” ( DfE, March 2017)

The EYFS framework aims to ensure:

the safeguarding, happiness and welfare of children in early years settings;
high quality and consistent early years education and care;
equal opportunities for every child;
that children build a wide range of skills and knowledge as a foundation for the future;
that children are ready and fully prepared for school by the time they leave early years care;
the nurturing of a partnership between early years childcare settings and parents/carers in order to achieve the aims.

What does the EYFS framework include?

The EYFS framework has several key components:

Learning and development programmes that are implemented by the early years setting. These form the basis of the curriculum.
A set of learning goals for the children to work towards. Their primary aim is to ensure each child’s readiness for school.
Continual assessment of each child’s progress and tailoring of their learning and development programmes as appropriate.
Safeguarding and welfare requirements. These prescribe the steps needed to keep children safe and well at early years settings like nurseries and pre-schools.

We’ll go into a little more detail about each one.

What are the EYFS programmes?

The EYFS learning and development programmes cover a total of 7 areas. In real terms, these programmes form the basis of the core curriculum in place at early years settings like Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery. They are implemented, in a structured way, through playing, exploring, active learning, creating and critical thinking. Of the seven, there are three prime areas or learning and development. These are:

Communication and language
(listening, understanding, speaking etc.)
Physical development
(movement, co-ordination, health, self-care, exercise, diet, hygiene etc.)
Personal, social and emotional development
(self-confidence, self-awareness, speaking in groups, behaviour, management of feelings, making relationships, etc.)

In tandem with those are the four remaining areas of focus for the children, being:

Literacy
(reading, writing, vocabulary, comprehension etc.)
Mathematics
(counting, numeracy, problem-solving, simple arithmetic, comprehension, of shapes/space/volumes etc).
Understanding the world
(Awareness of different people, communities, cultures, nature and the world around them etc.)
Expressive arts and design
(being creative and using imagination including in art, music, dance, technology etc.)

Learn more about the 7 key learning and development programmes in our separate post, here.

What are the EYFS goals?

For each of the seven areas of learning and development is a set of goals for the children. These are present to ensure each child’s successful progress towards the ultimate aim of being ‘school-ready’ by the time they leave early years education and begin school. Programmes are adapted, as appropriate, to accommodate the individual needs, abilities and progress of each child as they work towards each goal. The EYFS learning and development goals are very detailed and are covered in a separate post here.

What about EYFS assessments?

The EYFS includes continuous assessment of each child and their progress towards each goal. It is this assessment that allows key workers and other childcare professionals to tailor programmes to suit individual rates of progress. Parents are also engaged and kept informed so that the child’s learning and development programme is supported and continued, where possible, whilst at home. Part of the assessments process is an important ‘Progress Check‘ report when children reach the age of two.

A final ‘Early Years Foundation Stage Profile‘ (EYFSP) will eventually be completed in the year in which the child reaches the age of five. The EYFSP is used to inform school teachers about each child’s progress once they start Year 1 following Reception. An EYFSP must be provided for every child, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. These inform the school teachers about each child and are useful as a way to gauge the possible need for additional support, for example.

What are the EYFS safeguarding & welfare measures?

The EYFS also includes an important framework for the safeguarding and welfare of children. Clearly, early years education and care settings need to keep children safe and well, so the EYFS contains several provisions to ensure that this is the case. These measures include:

Safeguards to ensure the suitability of those in contact with children;
Minimum training and qualifications for staff;
Provision of a ‘key person’ who is assigned to each child;
Minimum staff-to-children ratios;
Various measures and safeguards to promote good health, including in relation to use of medicines;
A healthy eating/drinking approach;
Adequate provisions in place in the event of accident or injury;
Adequate steps to ensure that premises are safe, that Healthy & Safety protocols are suitable and that risk assessments are made as and when appropriate;
Minimum indoor space and outdoor activity provisions;
Suitable protocols are in place to prevent unauthorised people from entering premises or contacting children;
Provision for the support of children with special educational needs or disabilities;
And much more.

Our Safeguarding policy is available here to read or download.

You can see from the above that the EYFS is incredibly far-reaching. It is an excellent framework and one that really works to maximise the personal potential of each and every child. Along with that, it ensures the best possible attention to the happiness, health, safety and wellbeing of the children.

Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery, Edgbaston, Birmingham

If you would like your baby or child to benefit from everything the EYFS has to offer, Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery would love to hear from you. We’re a nursery and pre-school in Edgbaston, B16, so are very convenient for those parents and carers looking for outstanding weekday childcare services near Birmingham, Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood and Smethwick. We even have our own Forest School! Call 0121 246 4922 for to discuss a nursery place with our team or click any of the bold links in this paragraph for further information.

21 September 2020/by Mark

2 year olds, 3 & 4 year olds, Babies, Childcare, Edgbaston, Health & Safety, Nurseries, Pre-schools, Preschool

Tablets for Tots: the Pros, Cons & Potential Health Risks of Handheld Devices

The debate over children’s use of handheld electronic screens, i.e. mobiles and tablets, is an important one. How much screen time is too much for children? Is it even safe for young, developing brains? In this article we go through the pros and cons of allowing children to use handheld screens and discover some major causes for concern.

The pros of letting children use mobiles and tablets

On the one hand, handing a mobile or tablet to a demanding child is a very convenient way to keep them entertained. This is especially true for parents who find themselves stretched in multiple directions with ever-decreasing free time. Handheld electronic devices will keep children — even the very young — extremely engaged. Parents can then largely get on with other tasks.

“‘Today’s preschoolers are confidently navigating digital platforms with purpose and determination. By the age of three, almost all watch programmes on-demand and have access to a connected device … more than half have their own tablet or computer.” (Childwise).

As well as being entertained, some children are also being educated by the device, depending upon the content, of course. That does make sense — children will get to grips with technology, discover new interests and learn if they’re exposed to the right content. ‘How to’ videos are of particular interest to older children while programmes about nature and science teach something to children of all ages.

The cons — including potential health risks

On the other hand, there are real concerns over the possible negative impacts of too much screen time on children. How can parents be sure that their child will not stumble across unsuitable content? (Read on for a possible solution). Are mobiles and tablets even safe for young, developing brains? Indeed, this is a concern of many scientists and medical professionals around the world. Some go so far as saying that any close proximity to the RF wireless radiation associated with mobiles, tablets and Wi-Fi devices is potentially damaging — on a cellular level, even for foetuses in the womb. We’ll go into more detail about that later in the article.

Even if that were not the case, there remain other concerns over how much time young children should spend staring at mobiles and tablets while disengaging from the ‘real’ world. Not only are children missing out on more natural interactions when on handheld devices, but they’re also likely to be more sedentary, which we all know is not a good lifestyle habit to encourage.

Is it lazy parenting?

Is handing a tablet or mobile device to a child lazy parenting? Some would argue that it is, but in the real world, sometimes a parent simply needs the child to entertain themselves for a while, so the parent can get on with some other task that just has to be done. Handheld screens are a great solution to that.

What’s presented to the child on the electronic screen doesn’t necessarily need to be some banal game or pointless cartoon. Educational content can be just as entertaining to a toddler if it’s carefully selected. Even some games, for example, can teach children things like numeracy, problem-solving and more, whilst also being great fun. It’s therefore a balance that every parent needs to consider. Spending a little time carefully selecting the right digital content for a toddler can be time very well spent.

Are mobiles & tablets potentially harmful to the child?

According to many scientists and medical professionals, devices emitting ‘RF wireless radiation’ (like mobiles and tablets connected wirelessly to the Internet) have been shown to be potentially harmful. We, the writers of this article, are not scientists or medical professionals, so cannot advise one way or the other. However, some who are more qualified are keen to warn pregnant women, in particular, and parents of young children that great care needs to be taken around devices connected wirelessly. Their research suggests that being in close proximity to the wireless radiation emitting from connected mobile phones and handheld tablets can potentially affect the actual cell structure of the human body. The Baby Safe Project is one such body of scientists and medical professionals that is pushing for further research to clarify the matter. Their findings to date, though, are extremely concerning if correct. If you can spare just over an hour to really look at the science (skip the ad’s), this video is of huge interest (… and concern — Editor’s note: after watching this video I will never sleep next to my mobile again, if connected to Wi-Fi). If you are short on time, this 3 minute video is significantly faster to digest, although misses out the deeper scientific detail.

How to mitigate possible harm

Devices can run many applications without being connected to Wi-Fi or other wireless networks. Switching mobile phones and tablets onto ‘Flight Mode’, for example, will disconnect them from Wi-Fi and render them much more safe, according to the scientists above. Alternatively, connecting them to the Internet using wired connections (e.g. Ethernet cables) will mitigate the risk of RF wireless radiation being generated.

The Baby Safe Project is a non-profit initiative that raises concerns over the impact of wireless radiation on human health. With its goals endorsed by many of the world’s leading experts in the fields of microwave radiation, brain development, obstetrics, paediatrics and public health, it has some useful guidelines for keeping safe from exposure to wireless radiation, around handheld devices, for example. They recommend that pregnant women should take particular care. Take a look at their guidelines here.

We’re not scientists ourselves, but ‘better safe than sorry’ would seem a sensible approach given the experts’ concerns.

Parental controls

Even if the above is taken out of the equation, there are other considerations when it comes to the amount that under-fives are exposed to the use of mobiles and tablets. Children learn fast and will often take full control of their handheld electronic devices in a very short space of time. The devices often become their most closely guarded possession, in fact. Controlling their activity on mobiles and tablets can be very challenging for a parent, but it’s very important. Children will often keep activity on such devices very ‘close to their chest’, literally- as well as figuratively-speaking, so it’s not easy.

There are some relatively easy and convenient ways to wrestle back some control from your child, though. Accompanied parental supervision is the most obvious solution, although it’s not always possible to watch the child for every second. There are technological solutions too, however. For example, the popular cyber security firm Norton offers ‘Parental Controls’ in a variety of their software packages. As well as adding protection layers on desktop computers, parental controls can also now cover mobiles (both Android and iPhone) as well as tablets.

How does it work?

In our example, Norton’s Parental Control applications allow parents to keep an eye on websites that children have visited, including a full history of browsing and searching criteria, and can block individual sites if necessary. Parental control applications can also put a limit on how much time is spent on the Internet. They can limit the number of hours spent on the Internet each day, or limit use to be within specific hours of the day, or days of the week. Such applications can even email the parent updates on the activity taking place on the child’s device, or allow the parent to lock the child’s device at will. We don’t usually link to 3rd party commercial offerings (and don’t endorse them) but this page shows a little more about what’s possible with Parental Controls.

Contact Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery, Edgbaston, Birmingham

Leaps & Bounds Day Nursery would be happy to answer any questions that you might have. Our nursery is based in Edgbaston, close to Central Birmingham, Harborne, Ladywood, Bearwood and Smethwick. Call 0121 246 4922 for details of all our childcare services for babies and preschoolers, or email us here. We’ll be happy to help.

14 July 2020/by Mark