Great Ormond’s Street has reported that 1 in 50 children will have had a febrile convulsion by the time they are five years old. They occur most frequently in babies and young children who are unwell and have a rising body temperature. Their rising temperature acts as a trigger for them to experience a seizure. Although most children grow out of febrile convulsions by the age of about 6 and it is extremely rare for febrile convulsions to be life-threatening or cause long-term problems they can be incredibly frightening for anyone caring for the child when one occurs.

What is a Seizure?

Seizure is the medical term for a fit or convulsion that occurs when there is a sudden burst of electrical activity in the brain which temporarily interferes with the normal messaging processes.

It is possible to reduce a child’s temperature, however, be extremely careful that you do not cause them any distress in cooling them and that you do not over-cool them.

To reduce their temperature:

• Take off excess clothing.
• Use a tepid flannel to gently sponge the child under the arms and on their forehead, ensure it doesn’t cause them any distress and doesn’t over-cool them.
• Give them plenty to drink.

If the child in your care starts fitting:

• Maintain their safety – remove any objects from around them to prevent injury
• Protect their dignity and talk to them calmly
• Cushion their head using a blanket or pillow, but do not restrain them
• Time how long the fit lasts
• Loosen any tight clothes/blankets and remove any excess clothing if it is possible to do so.

Do not try to pick them up or restrain them and do not be tempted to put anything in their mouth whilst they are fitting. It is possible that they may bite their lips or tongue during the seizure but there is nothing you can do. The fit can last from seconds to minutes. During the seizure it is possible that they could go blue and appear to stop breathing (for less than a minute). However, they should start breathing again extremely quickly and spontaneously, but ensure you are checking continually and are ready to give CPR if necessary.

When the seizure has finished it is likely the casualty will feel confused and drowsy. If they are unresponsive, put them into the recovery position.

Unfortunately, once a child or baby has had a seizure, they have shown they have a pre-disposition and therefore are likely to have further seizures if they experience a raised temperature again, you should be very aware if they become ill again and trying and prevent their temperature from rising as far as possible. Fortunately, there is no evidence to suggest that febrile convulsions cause any long-term damage and children usually grow out of them by the time they are 5 or 6 years old.

Phone for an ambulance if:

• it is their first seizure the seizure lasts more than 5 minutes
• they have another seizure soon after the first
• they are injured
• their breathing does not appear ‘normal’ after the seizure
• they regularly have seizures and this one is different
• they are unresponsive for more than 5 minutes after the seizure
• you are worried for any reason

Never:

• put your fingers or anything in their mouth to try and prevent them biting their tongue – this could cause serious injury
• try and move them (unless they are in immediate danger)
• restrain their movements whilst they are fitting
• give them anything to eat or drink until fully recovered
• try and ‘bring them round’

If the casualty is conscious during the seizure, it is most important to ensure their safety, and to reassure them.

Bamboo training and Apprenticeships provide this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. The best way to be prepared for action in an emergency is to attend a practical first aid course or do one online.

To learn more formally about how to administer basic first aid please book on one of our courses:

Paediatric First aid on 17^th and 24^th February 2018

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/paediatric-first-aid-12-hours-over-2-days-sat-17th-feb-and-sat-24th-feb-2018-tickets-41384312593?aff=es2

The holiday season is often filled with parties and celebrations with family and friends.  Below are some options to help you celebrate  the holidays safely.  The best option for your family will depend on your child’s age, developmental level and individual medical history. 

The most common allergies in children are to peanuts and milk; other frequently seen triggers include eggs, fish, shellfish (crab, lobster, crayfish and shrimp), soy, tree nuts (for example, pecans, cashews and walnuts) and wheat. The most severe reactions are typically to peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish — all allergies that can last a lifetime. Children often outgrow allergies to milk, eggs, soy and wheat.

All parents of a child with a food allergy should be aware of the possibility of anaphylaxis — a potentially life-threatening reaction that impairs breathing, causes a sudden drop in blood pressure and can send a body into shock. For that reason, most children with food allergies are prescribed epinephrine (adrenaline), administered with an auto-injector as soon as symptoms develop.

SAFETY TIPS:

v Wash hands before and after eating or handling food. Prevent cross-contamination in 

preparation and serving.

vRead the labels of all food ingredients.

vPrepare and cook safe meals first. Seal them, and set aside. Then make unsafe foods.

vKeep unsafe foods away from safe foods when preparing, serving, and storing.

vUse separate serving utensils for each dish. Be careful not to mix them up.

vWash all prep areas and eating areas with a paper towel and commercial cleaner. (Sponges and rags can be a source of allergens.)

vTry to keep food isolated to one area of the home and clean up thoroughly after the meal.

vMake a plate for your child before the meal is served to avoid cross contact.

vEnsure that those eating nearby will be careful not to accidentally spill or share unsafe foods.

vKeep unsafe foods out of reach of young children with allergies.

vIf food will be served and eaten throughout the house, bring packages of wipes to keep near the food and encourage everyone to wipe hands after eating, though encouraging them to use soap and water is the best. Walk around periodically to dispose of any uneaten food or dirty plates and napkins.

To find out more about dealing with allergies in children, book on our paediatric first aid course

All children love dressing up, but sadly it can be dangerous for some children, as there have been a number of well-documented accidents where children's Christmas costumes were set alight by accident.

It is extremely important that all children’s costumes (and certain accessories) are manufactured and rigorously tested to comply with both EN71 regulations AND Nightwear (Safety) Standards. This ensures the absolute highest safety standards and reassurance that our children’s costumes are safe and fit for purpose.

Always check children’s costumes for:

1. A Label "Warning. Keep away from fire" irrespective of the burn rate within the EN71 regulatory limit

2. A Label with the CE mark as a declaration that the product meets the European Toy Safety Directive (2009/48/EC), and has undergone a variety of product tests to ensure that it is safe for use

3. Nightwear (Safety) Standards as an additional safety measure

4. Production line quality control throughout development and at production stage. Additional spot checks are performed as a surveillance measure, to ensure that the highest safety standards are maintained.

If the worst should happen:

1. Stop Burning Immediately - Put out fire or stop the person's contact with hot liquid, steam, or other material. Help the person "stop, drop, and roll" to smother flames. Remove smouldering material from the person. Remove hot or burned clothing. If clothing sticks to skin, cut or tear around it.

2. Remove Constrictive Clothing Immediately - Take off jewellery, belts, and tight clothing. Burns can swell quickly. Then take the following steps:

• Cool Burn skin under cool (not cold) running water or immerse in cool water until pain subsides. Use compresses if running water isn’t available.
• Protect Burn - Cover with sterile, non-adhesive bandage or clean cloth. Do not apply butter  or ointments, which can cause infection.

For burns in children you should always seek medical advice.

To learn more formally about how to administer basic first aid please book on one of our courses:

Paediatric First aid on 23rd and 30th Jan 2018

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/paediatric-first-aid-12-hours-over-2-days-23rd-jan-and-30th-jan-2018-tickets-40964551075

OR

Emergency first aid on 16th Jan 2018

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/emergency-first-aid-at-work-manchester-tickets-41039833246

 

Over the last few years campaigners in the sector have worked tirelessly to improve the status of working in the sector. This has finally paid off and a career in childcare carries the importance it now deserves. 

There are many benefits to working in the sector;

• Develop children whilst you learn - everyday children learn new skills, which brings new experiences for you enhancing your knowledge daily of children’s development.
• Rewarding - Seeing children reach their milestones is a fantastic experience.
• Increased salaries - over the last couple of years the salaries in the sector have increased
• Career path - there are many different routes within the childcare sector, such as; teaching, management, special needs, SENCO

Characteristics needed

• Lots of energy - Children themselves are very energetic so keeping up is hard (especially as you can’t join them in their afternoon nap)
• Warm and caring - Young children need lots of love and cuddles to get them through the day
• Ability to multi-task - every day is different and within each hour there can be multiple things to be done at once
• Great observational skills - ensuring children are kept safe at all times is an essential part of the role
• Administration skills - children’s daily activities and milestones need to be recorded daily

Routes to childcare

• Start an apprenticeship
• Go to college to study level 2/2 or 3 in Childcare
• Voluntary work to ascertain if the role is right for you
• look for employment as a nursey assistant in a nursery or with a childminder

If you are considering childcare and need some advice please get in touch. If you are looking for a new opportunity anywhere throughout the UK give us a call: 08448225727 or send your CV to enquiries@bamboochildcare.co.uk

 

 

It may seem simple but first impressions are essential for a more successful interview outcome:

• Ensure you plan your travel to the interview and allow plenty of time
• Aim to arrive 10 minutes early
• Wear Smart clothing (unless instructed otherwise)
• Avoid wearing excessive jewellery, especially as you may complete a work trial with the children
• Research the nursery/company
• Practice questions you may get asked in particular in terms of the EYFs and safeguarding
• Feel confident in yourself and believe you are the right person for the role

If you have any questions or need further support speak to your consultant, our role is to ensure you have the best possible opportunity to gain the role that matches your requirements!!

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/nursery-world/news/1159972/nursery-expansion-projects-for-30-hour-childcare-revealed

 

Great news for those looking to get into childcare - Article from Nurserywold

GCSE Level 3 rules scrapped as Early Years Workforce Strategy is released
03 March 2017 by Catherine Gaunt

Functional skills will be reinstated as alternatives to GCSEs in English and maths for Level 3 qualifications, the early years minister Caroline Dinenage confirmed today.

caroline-dinenage-coop-nursery-swindon
Early years minister Caroline Dinenage visiting the nursery at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon last year

The move is a response to overwhelming pressure from the early years sector, which has faced a growing recruitment crisis over the post-2014 requirement for Level 3 Early Years Educator staff to hold GCSEs above grade C in maths and English.

The new Level 3 qualification requirements will come into force from 3 April, at the same time as the new Early Years Foundation Stage framework, also published today, will come into effect.

The minister confirmed that the Government was broadening the English and maths requirements as a direct response to more than 4,000 views aired during the consultation last November.

The Government response to the consultation found that just 4 per cent of respondents believed that the GCSE requirements had improved quality. Some 77 per cent said they had had 'significant' or 'some' difficulties with recruiting staff in the past two years, with the biggest reason given that applicants did not have the required GCSEs.

This means that nursery staff qualifying at Level 3 EYE will be allowed to count in staff:child ratios with any suitable Level 2 English and maths qualifications, including Functional Skills as well as GCSEs.

The early years minister has also launched the Early Years Workforce Strategy.

Ms Dinenage said, ‘This strategy is an investment in the dedicated professionals who help shape children’s earliest experiences of education. They are helping our youngest generation to learn and develop, so it is absolutely right that we make sure they have the right expertise. As someone who has managed my own business, I know how important it is to have people with the right skills working for you.

‘This Government is spending a record £6 billion per year by 2020 to support hard-working families with the cost of childcare. Our ambition to raise the status of the profession and spread quality around the country will mean all children get the best start to their education, regardless of where they live or their background.’

The Department for Education said that the Early Years Workforce Strategy, sets out Government plans to recruit more graduates into childcare settings, recognising their specialist skills and providing incentives for them to train and work in disadvantaged areas, expanding their career opportunities.

The DfE will also make £3m available to expand the early years teaching school grant, set up to link schools and colleges with childcare providers in disadvantaged areas, as part of the education secretary’s commitment to boost social mobility.

The Government will also hold a consultation on allowing those with Early Years Teacher Status or Early Years Professional Status to lead nursery and reception classes in maintained schools.

A qualification in special educational needs and disabilities will also be developed with experts so that teaching staff can gain recognition for these specialist skills.

The workforce strategy will also set up a panel of professionals to help develop early years career routes, as part of the Government’s Skills Plan; raise the profile of early years careers by linking providers with schools and colleges; promote early years as a career for men through new and existing networks for men in childcare.

There will also be a new online training portal and training courses funded by voluntary and community sector grants, and funding projects to bring early years professionals and schools together to share learning.

Sector response

Early years organisations and campaigners celebrated the minister’s announcement to bring back recognition of functional skills.

Julie Hyde, associate director of CACHE, the organisation that led the Save Our Early Years Campaign, said, ‘We are delighted that the Government has taken the decision to reinstate Functional Skills as an alternative qualification for Level 3 Early Years Educators - it takes leadership to change tack, and Caroline Dinenage deserves real credit for genuinely listening to the sector, hearing our concerns and changing the policy.

‘There is no doubt that the GCSE-only policy has impacted on recruitment – and that is why CACHE launched the Save Our Early Years campaign.

‘Reinstating Functional Skills will enable early years settings to again hire the brilliant practitioners they need, and will again allow staff to progress, and remain in the workforce. Parents and their children will directly benefit from a greater choice of high-quality care.

We would in particular like to thank the thousands of organisations and individuals who have supported the Save Our Early Years campaign – they have been instrumental in persuading the Government to change the policy, and without them we could not have done this.’

Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-school Learning Alliance, said, ‘The Alliance has long campaigned for equivalent qualifications such as functional skills to be accepted as alternatives to GCSEs and so this announcement, while overdue, is very welcome.

‘We’re clear that this change is not in any way about lowering standards in the early years, but rather, about giving talented and dedicated practitioners the opportunity to progress their careers, and it’s of course vital that we continue to work to ensure that functional skills qualifications are robust and meaningful.

‘That said, we know that this decision will come as a huge relief to providers currently facing

significant recruitment challenges, and so we welcome the fact that the government has listened to the sector on this issue.

‘This was a particularly necessary change in light of the roll-out of the 30 hours scheme in September, as it is critical that the sector has enough quality staff if the scheme is to have any chance of being viable.

‘That said, the fact remains that while this decision will go some way to supporting this policy, a sustained increase in early years funding remains vital to ensuring that the 30-hour offer is able to succeed in the long term.’

Purnima Tanuku chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, said, ‘We are delighted and very relieved to hear that the Minister and the Department for Education have listened to the sector’s very real fears and are doing something about it.

‘This change will allow the sector choice. For those wanting to progress further to early years teacher status, they will still need grade Cs in GCSE maths, English and science to be accepted onto a programme of study.

‘For others who aim for level three qualifications with functional skills, they will now be able to demonstrate their knowledge of supporting young children in their literacy and numeracy skills and understanding through a more appropriate work-based route.

‘We have been campaigning for the choice of GCSEs or functional skills since 2013 and are pleased that this new measure will soon be put in place to enable the sector to move forward.’

On the Workforce Strategy, Ms Tanuku said, ‘This has been in the pipeline for many months and we are really pleased that we will begin to see it implemented. We look forward to working with the Department for Education and the sector in developing better career pathways.

‘A review of level two requirements and the introduction of local grants for language and SEND support is very good news but new opportunities for early years teachers in schools could lead to them leaving the day care sector.’

Liz Bayram, chief executive of PACEY, said, 'We are delighted that the minister has today announced the decision on GCSE requirements for Level 3 practitioners.

'Recognising functional skills qualifications as equivalent to GCSEs in Maths and English is a major step forward in helping to address the recruitment crisis facing the sector.

'PACEY has been pleased to have played a part in the cross-sector call for action on this important issue which will help ensure that talented practitioners working in the sector are able to progress and develop their skills. We will continue to raise the need to strengthen functional skills so that practitioners have the skills they need to support children’s numeracy and literacy early learning.'

Nursery owner Cheryl Hadland, founder of Tops Day Nursery, which operates 17 nurseries, said, 'It is great news that the Government has scrapped the GCSE requirements for Early Years Educators, and we thank Caroline Dinenage, the early years minister, for listening to the sector and acting on our concerns.

'It is vital that we recruit and train well-qualified early years professionals, but the GCSE requirements were becoming a barrier to the continuation of top quality childcare. They were also a threat to the Government being able to deliver its 30 hour free childcare policy as we simply wouldn’t have been able to employ enough staff to meet the increased demand.

'Early years provision is critical to a child’s development, and we now look forward to working with the Government to ensure all young children that are eligible for the 30-hours free childcare policy are able to access it and get the best start in life thanks to brilliant staff at great nurseries.'

Voice, the union for education professionals, said it supported quality and qualification standards for the profession, but they should not prevent good, experienced people from progressing their career in childcare.

Senior Professional Officer Tricia Pritchard said, 'Over-reliance on academic qualifications failed to consider how to retain the wealth of experience, talent and potential within the workforce, especially those dedicated individuals with career aspirations who lack the academic qualifications but who can ably demonstrate they have the equivalent functional skills.

'Employers, training providers and awarding bodies had flagged the issue as a barrier, not only to progression within the profession, but also to initial entry to it, adding to the recruitment and retention crisis.'

 

Free Information & Networking event for Nurseries and Early Years - limited spaces. Hot Topics incuding: SEND updates, funding opportunities, Pensions - when to implement, how to improve your provision.  Contact us to book your free place now! View this email in your browser.

North West's Best FREE Early Years Networking Event confirmed in Lancashire After the success of our previous Early Years Networking evenings we are pleased to be hosting the event in Lancashire.   The events are aimed at Nursery Managers and Owners  and give the opportunity to listen and speak to experts in the field of early years, to network with peers and meet high quality suppliers to the sector offering discounts. Plus an evening meal, drinks and a fun and informative evening at a lovely venue. There will be presentations and discussion sessions on SEND, funding opportunities and pensions as well as general advice from Early Years consultants on how to improve your setting The evening will follow a similar structure as below: 5.30 pm Dinner free consultant clinics and reception drinks opportunity to network with Early years specialists 6.00pm  - introductions 6.00pm - 6.45pm -  Presentations from Early years/pension/funding/SEND experts and suppliers 6.45pm -  Dinner free consultant clinics and reception drinks opportunity to network withearly Years specialists 7.30pm  - Presentations from Early years/pension/SEN experts and suppliers 8.15pm -  Speed networking 9.15pm -  close and  Raffle prize draw - up to £50  Feedback from attendees at previous events: Outstanding content and fantastic speaker. Definitely a must for all managers and leaders.  I really didn't know what to expect but I thoroughly enjoyed every minute.                It was interesting and extremely useful. Maureen is so good!! Fantastic! Great to network cross borders, Inspirational Guest speakers. Thank you!   The event is 'Free' to Managers & Owners  Date: Thursday 6th November 5pm - 9.30pm Location: Mecure Dunkenhalgh hotel, Blackburn, BB5 5JP To book your space or for more information contact us:  Tel: 0844 822 5727 Email: enquiries@bamboochildcare.co.uk Website: www.bambooresourcing.co.uk Flexible Supportive Recruitment, Training & Networking Solutions   Speed Networking Delegates enjoying the presentations Early Years Networking Diary NOV 6 Thursday 06 November 2014 Mercure Blackburn Dunkenhalgh Hotel Theme: SEN and Pensions 5pm- 9.30pm Call us on 08448225727 or email us on enquiries@bamboochildcare.co.uk now to book your place       Copyright © 2013 Bamboo Childcare, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: enquiries@bamboochildcare.co.uk unsubscribe from this list • update subscription preferences • forward to friend  *|IF:REWARDS|* *|HTML:REWARDS|* *|END:IF|*

We are pleased to confirm that Jackie Hyde from dot2dot, a leading nursery insurance specialist is presenting at our event on 17th OctoberWe are a team of corporate insurance brokers who have been involved with the nursery sector since 1995. Our own children’s nursery insurance scheme, dot2dot, was established in 2003.We know that insurances are complex and every client is different so we focus on:1. Getting to know you and your business by allocating a dedicated account handler2. Reviewing your arrangements annually to ensure things stay up to date3. Minimising small print to avoid unwelcome surprises in the event of a claim4. Providing access to business solutions in areas such as safeguarding; legal advice, IT and management support.We offer a no-obligation review service and encourage you to call us today to see how we can support your business For more information on their service please visit http://www.dot2dot.org.uk/