nurseries – Page 10 – Nannyjob blog

Tax Free Childcare and Childcare Vouchers

Childcare vouchers will cease from the 5th October 2018 and thereafter the Tax-Free Childcare scheme will take over.

You can get up to £500 every 3 months (£2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare.

If you get Tax-Free Childcare, the government will pay £2 for every £8 you pay your childcare provider via an online account.

https://www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs/tax-free-childcare

You can get Tax-Free Childcare if you and your partner (if applicable) are –

in employment or getting parental leave, sick leave or annual leave

each earning at least the National Minimum Wage or Living Wage for 16 hours a week – this is £131.36 if you’re 25 or over

This earnings limit does not apply if you’re self-employed and started your business less than 12 months ago.

Your child must be 11 or under and usually live with you. They stop being eligible on 1 September after their 11th birthday.

Adopted children are eligible, but foster children are not.

If your child is disabled, you may get up to £4,000 a year until they’re 17. They’re eligible for this if they –

get Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment or Armed Forces Independence Payment

are registered as blind or severely sight-impaired

You’re not eligible if either you or your partner has a taxable income over £100,000.

Your childcare provider must be signed up to the scheme before you can pay them and benefit from Tax-Free Childcare.

DBS Check

The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is a government body which processes criminal record checks that prevent unsuitable people from working with children and other vulnerable groups.

There are three types of checks –

Standard check shows spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings.

Enhanced check shows the same as standard and any information held by local police that’s considered relevant to the role.

Enhanced check with barred lists shows the same as enhanced check plus whether applicant is on the list of people on the list barred from doing the role.

These usually take around 8 weeks.

Cost of a DBS check –

Standard £26.00

Enhanced £44.00

Enhanced with Barred lists £44.00

Ofsted Registration Process

Nannies at present are not required by law to hold any childcare qualifications.

However if they wish to become part of the Voluntary Ofsted Childcare Register (OCR) they have the same requirements as a childminder, the only difference being is that they are caring for the children in their own home.

To register, a nanny needs to complete online application via the Government Gateway website.

https://online.ofsted.gov.uk/OnlineOfsted

It will cost around £103 and needs renewing every 3 years.

As a nanny you will also need a Paediatric First Aid certificate, The Common Cores Skills and Knowledge in Childcare, Enhanced DBS Check and Public Liability Insurance.

SCHOOL READINESS

And just like that, the summer holidays are over! For some, sending the children back to school couldn’t come any sooner. You’ve faced the high street, waited (patiently!) with your ticket to try on new school shoes, hair has been chopped and styled, new stationary has been bought (for them and you!) and your diary is ready to go… but what about the children. Are they ready? Are they excited and prepared?

It’s easy to assume the children are also ready to go back, see their friends and fit back into the school routine. But what about their emotional readiness? What about the children who are starting at nursery or school for the first time? The ones transitioning to primary or secondary school. Even the difference in classroom, teacher or timetable can be overwhelming for a child.

Transitions work best when a child is prepared. So what can we do to prepare a child for the September ‘back to school’ time in their lives?

Firstly, talk to them. Ask them how they are feeling. Don’t just put the emotions you are feeling into their minds. Really listen to their anxieties, worries and excitements. Break down each one and show them emotional support. Not just at the start of school, but continued throughout their first few weeks, and beyond if needed. Sometimes they won’t want to talk, and that’s ok! Just being there, listening and allowing them the opportunity to open up will give them reassurance.

Another thing you can do to get them involved is with the new term shopping! If they have a say in what bag, coat and shoes they will be wearing, then they are going to show a little more enthusiasm. For young children, finding a school bag with their favourite character on is going to help massively. For older children, it’s ‘fitting in’ with peers, so they will want a say in how they look.

One of the biggest anxieties about starting at a new school can be around friends, or not knowing anyone. To prepare children for this, I always advise trying to find other children also attending the same school (try local social media groups). Planning play-dates before school starts will give them someone they are familiar with. In the first few weeks of term, plan after school tea times together too. This will really help them build on friendships and relationships with other children, and as parents and nannies, also introduce you to other families from the school.

And lastly books! Reading is something that you can do together with your child. Books can help with no end of matters, and school readiness is one of them! Pop along to your local library, find some books about going to school and read them together. Change the words to fit in with the name of your child’s school, or teachers to personalise it, and just spend some time one to one discussing everything around school.

With everything, time helps. Enjoy this period in your child’s life, support them, reassure them and allow them the time to adjust to these new beginnings.

We cover all sorts of transitions that happen in a child’s life, including school readiness in our Early Years Care and Education Course. Please contact Little Ones Training and Education on 0207 112 8057 to find out more!

My Mood Stars

Nannyjob are always keen to discover great ideas to encourage child development and we are really impressed with these fantastic My Mood Stars. The idea was thought up by former Childminder Wendy Elizabeth White and in the early stages of development her keen needlework skills came in very handy! Each yellow star filled with cotton depicts an emotion. There is sad, happy, angry, scared, shy, silly, surprised and sleepy. We all know that the ability to express and control our emotions and to recognise them in others is an essential skill. However, for some children trying to communicate feelings can be difficult and frustrating.

Self-confident children in touch with their feelings find it easier to flourish in social situations. Indeed personal, social and emotional development and communication are key aspects of the Early Years Foundation Stage in the UK. Children who understand and can express and manage their own emotions, as well as those around them, are more likely to develop a positive sense of self and be assured and inquisitive learners and these Mood Stars are a great way to encourage conversation and expression with your little ones. For more information please visit.

www.mymoodstars.co.uk

Twitter – www.twitter.com/mymoodstars

Facebook – www.facebook.com/mymoodstars

Instagram – www.instagram.com/mymoodstars41

Early Years Education Training

It is critically important that those who are involved in bringing up children, whether it’s the parent, nanny, teacher or other family members, influence children’s character in a positive way. Supporting children with solving simple problems, for example, building a toy, doing a jigsaw or getting dressed, by not rushing them and showing that you trust their abilities is an excellent way to build their character. Remember good character is taught and caught! If you would like to learn more about this take a look at these great courses bought to you in partnership with Little Ones Training and Education.https://www.littleoneslondon.co.uk/…/early-years-care-educa…

Get 10% Discount with us by using the code: nannyjob

The Importance of Play in Early Years

Do you remember when you were young and the hours of fun that you had playing with a bowl of water, bubbles, pots and pans, a ball? Did you realise that you were learning?

Learning through play is one of the most important elements of a child’s development. Play encourages Language Skills, creativity, social skills, a sense of fun and the ability to enjoy time alone or as part of a group. Children often learn skills that they will use for the rest of their life and that will help them with the more academic learning they will have to undertake.

Here are some examples of how inexpensive and easily accessible playthings can help your young children learn: –

Anything physical like ball games, climbing in the park, running will all enhance and strengthen they body, help with co-ordination skills and encourage a lifelong enjoyment of keeping fit and healthy.

Board Games, Card Games, party games all help with learning to take turns, teamwork, ability to mix and socialise with others.

Building blocks, shape sorters and jigsaws help with fine motor skills, developing logic, recognising differing shapes and sizes and putting things into order, all brilliant skills when it comes to maths and science.

Singing, playing musical instruments and dancing all help with listening and hearing skills and help develop a sense of rhythm.

Play dough, drawing, painting, playing with dolls, dressing up, using empty boxes, sandpits, are great for imagination and creativity. For slightly older children writing basic stories alongside their pictures help with learning to express their feelings and language skills.

Playing with water is a great start to science and Maths, learning the difference between fluids and solids, measuring, different size containers.

What ever they do, it needs to be a fun and entertaining environment, not forced. Let children take the lead and do things their way. If the play area and equipment are safe there is no reason why they cannot find different and unusual ways of doing things and experiment. Remember children all develop at different rates and some children that can do a simple jigsaw may find it difficult to share and visa verse.

And finally, at the end of the day, when your little one is tired and exhausted from all that playing and using their imagination don’t forget to make reading time fun. Let them look at the pictures and tell the story they see.

Spending time playing either as a family or on their own need not be expensive or time consuming, a few minutes playing a card game, or kicking a football about can really help a child calm down, get them (and you) in a happy place and get on with the day. Never underestimate the benefits of having fun!

Training and Education

Do you know that the development of language in children occurs in 4 stages? These are babbling stage, single-word stage, two-word stage, and multi-word stage.

If you are interested in learning more about this, take a look of the courses that Little Ones Training and Education has on offer for you!

Don’t miss this incredible offer, which we bring you in partnership with Little Ones Training and Education! 20% off using the CODE: nannyjob.

To learn more about the courses, please visit: https://www.littleoneslondon.co.uk/childcare-courses

Education and Training

We have teamed up with Little Ones Training & Education, to bring you a fantastic opportunity. They are offering 20% discount on any of their EYCE, Sleep Well or PAICE courses. Call them on 020 7112 8057 quoting nannyjob to book and look at their website for information on these and other courses they run.
https://www.littleoneslondon.co.uk/childcare-courses

Quiet Time Activities for Toddlers

Does your toddler still enjoy an afternoon nap? Afternoon naps are wonderful, giving you and your toddler some well-needed rest from all of that energy they’ve been using throughout the day. Unfortunately, those naps won’t last forever and eventually, your toddler will grow out of their need for an afternoon doze.

However, that doesn’t mean that the quiet time you both enjoy, and need has to be replaced with noisy, energy-filled activities. Quiet-time activities can help to occupy young children whilst building their skills and giving you a little time to relax.

Continue reading “Quiet Time Activities for Toddlers”