Are you interested in starting or furthering your career in Childcare? Working in Childcare is an engaging, busy, creative, lively and rewarding career path. Join the Bumbles team – apply to be a full-time Childcare Practitioner today.
| Salary & Hours: | £23,920 per annum (40hrs per week / Monday to Friday) |
| Responsible to : | Room Coordinator or Senior Coordinator, Manager, Director (Persons in Charge) |
| Essential Criteria / Experience: | Enthusiasm and energy to work with children in a Day Care setting A passion to learn all about Childcare and undertake appropriate training Ability to work as part of a team Flexible approach to work Strong work ethic Love the outdoors |
| Desirable : | Relevant childcare experienceLevel 2 CCLD, Level 2 Playwork (or equivalent) or undertaking same (Unqualified) Level 3 CCLD, Level 3 Playwork (or equivalent) (Qualified) Enthusiasm for CCPD First Aid / Paediatric First Aid Child Protection Training Food Safety Training Health and Safety Qualification Forest School Qualification Clean driver’s licence |
Job Summary:
As a Childcare Practitioner (regardless of qualifications), your job is to provide safe, high quality education and care for children ages approximately 6 months – 11 years. You must work as part of a team and closely with our children by ensuring a safe, caring, happy and stimulating environment for the children in our care. You will ensure that the high standards of care, service, safety and hygiene are maintained according to all Bumbles Day Care policies, procedures and routines.
A Senior Practitioner within Bumbles is usually given internally to those who are qualified and experienced and have shown an extra level of commitment to their role as a Childcare Practitioner. They are expected to take lead in the absence of a Coordinator for their assigned group on any occasion.
Your role and responsibilities as a Childcare Practitioner in Bumbles Day Care include:
OPERATIONAL
- You should ensure the development of good interpersonal relationships with children, parents and other staff.
- Must wear the appropriate uniform and maintain a professional appearance whilst at Bumbles. Our policy is to get outdoors every day, you must come prepared to spend portions of the day outdoors in all weathers.
- Should strive to maintain high levels of attendance at Bumbles.
- Should keep abreast with the current legislation and development in the field of childcare, ensuring your own continuous professional development.
- May be required to assist in the orientation, induction and training of new staff and students. You may not always be assigned to the same group and co-operation in this fluidity is essential to the smooth running of Bumbles.
- Should be observant of any signs of ill health or stress factors in staff and report to the manager, as appropriate.
- Should report to the Senior Practitioner, Co-ordinator or Management Team immediately any matter of concern regarding individual children, staff or parents.
- Must ensure that your areas of responsibility have the correct adult to child ratio at all times.
- Must ensure that any information obtained through work about children, parents or their families are treated as confidential information.
- Must always conduct yourself and perform your duties in a manner that reflects the high standards expected from every member of our team at Bumbles. You should bear in mind that any negative representation of yourself could have an impact on your reputation or relationships with peers or parents and could result in disciplinary action.
- Must adhere to all of Bumbles policies and procedures.
- Assist in the daily organisation of the room to which you are assigned / Bumbles as a whole.
- Assist with nappy changing or toileting as necessary, ensuring that every child’s needs are met. Remember that the child’s right to privacy is paramount.
- Report any safeguarding concerns immediately to the designated child protection officer.
- Supervise children at all snack and meal times and as appropriate. Assist with feeding, teaching and encouraging the children with regard to their development of self-care / self-help skills. Ensure that children with food allergies have the appropriate place mat at snack and meal times.
- Ensure that no child is left unattended at any time.
- Ensure that each child is collected by someone known to Bumbles or that it has been cleared by parent / guardian(s). If unsure, ask a co-ordinator or member of the management team.
- Co-operate and participate, when requested by the coordinator or manager in the provision of other duties:
- Supervising children to and from local schools, parks and local recreation areas
- Accompanying children on ‘outings’, ensuring their safe conduct.
- If engaged in collecting children from nursery or school, ensure to do so in a professional manner where the safety of the children is paramount.
- Participate in training programmes, as required. Training may have to be undertaken outside working hours.
- Answer the office telephone when authorised to do so and relay any messages to the appropriate person.
- Attend any other duties relevant to the post.
OBSERVATION, PLANNING & RECORD KEEPING
- Assist in assessing each individual child’s needs and, in conjunction with the Co-ordinator and other colleagues, carry out observations and implement plans to meet those needs. This includes following the critical daily information each day and being aware of allergies and additional needs of children in the group to which you are assigned each day.
- Assist the team with the development and implementation of varied weekly play programmes, as directed by the Co-ordinator. In our wrap around settings it is important to remember that the children should also be included in the planning stages, where appropriate.
- Ensure that all activities carried out are within an equal opportunities framework and encourage community wide participation and delivery.
- Report / record all incidents and accidents accurately and promptly via phone, famly or the website. Always follow this up verbally.
- Communicate with parents daily on the well-being of their children, relaying any relevant information from them to other members of the team and to the manager, ensuring that good information links are sustained at all times.
- Ensure the accurate completion of daily and other records as directed by the senior practitioner or co-ordinator. Some of these will be digital, and some will be hard copy.
SETTINGS, ENVIRONMENTS & RESOURCES
- Ensure that play equipment / art materials / furniture are set up, cleaned and tidied away in a safe manner and stored in designated areas. Ensure that all toys, equipment and resources are well looked after.
- Ensure that each room’s inventory is kept up to date at all times and that the senior practitioner, co-ordinator or deputy manager is informed of any materials or equipment needing replaced, discarding any broken items immediately into a bin. If it can be fixed, please complete a facilities management form on the website and store the item appropriately until this can be completed.
- Ensure economical use of all materials and supplies e.g. kitchen roll, wipes, art materials.
- Ensure that the floors are kept clean throughout the day by brushing or vacuuming as appropriate
- Ensure that each piece of equipment is thoroughly washed every week, as appropriate to the age group following an organisational schedule, as required, or as directed by a senior practitioner or co-ordinator.
- Ensure laundry is done every week / daily as appropriate.
- Work on a rota basis which will involve all duties associated with opening up or closing procedures.
HEALTH & SAFETY
- To ensure that care is taken for the health and safety of yourself, the staff, children and any persons on the premises in accordance with the health and safety policies.
- To observe all safety and hygiene rules, policies and procedures of Bumbles.
- Ensure infection control procedures are kept in check at all times by following all related procedures. These will be further explained during induction.
- Ensure the safe storage and administration of all medicines according to policy and as directed by the senior practitioner or co-ordinator.
- Ensure that the management team has been informed every morning of medicines that have to be administered that day.
- To comply and adhere to fire policies and procedures.