Feature Articles

From papercuts or lacerations to falls or manual handling injuries, injuries can occur at any time whatever your work activities. As an employer, how do you determine what needs to be included in your first-aid kit? Chris Adams gives some guidance on assessing your needs for first aid in the workplace.

What can be done to make compliance training more enjoyable and effective? Here, Judith Christian-Carter, independent learning consultant, takes a look at the current state of compliance training and provides some suggestions for improving it.

There are many different reasons why children may need additional support which involves working with professionals outside of your childcare facility. This is known as partnership working, where professionals support children, and their families, together in a holistic way. It often involves sharing information, discussion and a commitment to working as a team around the child says Rebecca Fisk.

This year will bring a number of key changes to employment law, as well as the usual rate changes. See below for the key dates that employers and employees should be aware of.

With the recent landmark decision, in which it was held that ethical veganism should be provided legal protections under the Equality Act 2010, Ben McCarthy, employment law writer at Croner-i, explores the law around this decision and what led the tribunal to it.

Recent years have seen a number of cases where young children have tragically died in incidents where they have choked on food or other items in nurseries. Martin Hodgson, an early years Education writer, sets out what managers and staff can do to ensure that they reduce the risks of choking and keep children as safe as possible.

Many providers have their accounting year end at the end of the calendar or fiscal year (31 December or 31 March), but whatever the provision’s year-end date Val Moore reminds us that childcare is a business, must be run on business lines and that includes keeping control of the finances.

With one of the lowest levels of male participation of any workforce in the UK, the early years sector faces many challenges in addressing the gender imbalance in childcare provisions. Elizabeth Walker looks at the barriers to male recruitment and the latest guidance for early years providers on encouraging more men into childcare.

This new year is set to be a very busy one for employment law and employers need to be ready for this. As we welcome in 2020, Ben McCarthy, employment law writer at Croner-i, examines some of the key upcoming changes.

Many nurseries and pre-schools will receive an annual allocation of Bookstart Treasure Gift envelopes to distribute to their three- to four-year-olds within their provision. Liz Hodgman, an experienced childcare practitioner, suggests that rather than just handing them out to child and parent at pick-up time, with some planning these packs can provide a great resource for engaging parents within the provision and improving the home learning environment.