What Your Child Needs (Clothing & Belongings)

To fully embrace all the activities we offer, both indoors and especially during our Forest and Coastal School adventures, children need practical, comfortable clothing suitable for the weather and getting messy!

Essential Outdoor Gear (Needed Year-Round)

For our regular outdoor sessions, please ensure your child has:

• Waterproof Jacket AND Waterproof Trousers (or an all-in-one suit)
• Wellington Boots
• Warm Layers (e.g., fleece, thermals, warm socks) in cooler weather
• Winter Hat, Gloves & Scarf
• Sun Hat (essential for warmer months)
• Sun Cream (Please apply before nursery in sunny weather. We can reapply nursery-provided cream with your consent - see below. If opting out of our Additional Services Charge, please provide named sun cream daily).

Nursery Provides

We provide protective aprons for messy indoor play and puddle suits for outdoor use (covered by our Additional Services Charge).

Spare Clothes

Please provide a full set of clearly named spare clothes in your child's bag every day.

Comfort over Style

Please avoid sending children in their 'best' or expensive clothes. Easy-to-manage clothing (e.g., elasticated waists) helps foster independence.

NAMING EVERYTHING

Please clearly label ALL items (clothes, coats, shoes, boots, hats, bags, bottles, comforters) with your child's full name. We cannot be responsible for lost items.

Jewellery & Accessories

For safety reasons, please avoid sending children in jewellery (especially earrings that could be pulled or necklaces/bracelets). Hair accessories should not be sharp. Staff also adhere to safe jewellery guidelines.

Toys from Home

To prevent loss or upset, please do not send toys from home, unless specifically requested by staff or it's an essential comforter agreed during settling-in.

Health, Illness & Medication

Your child's health and the wellbeing of our whole nursery community are paramount.

When to Keep Your Child Home

Please do not send your child to nursery if they are unwell, have a fever, have suffered vomiting or diarrhoea, or have signs of an infectious illness. This helps prevent the spread of infection. Please inform us by email (info@mulberrybushmersea.co.uk) or phone (01206 383898) as early as possible on the day if your child is absent due to illness.

48-Hour Exclusion Rule

Children must be kept at home for a minimum of 48 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea. We follow Public Health England guidance for other illnesses but may implement slightly different exclusion periods to best protect all children and staff.

Illness at Nursery

If your child becomes unwell during the day, we will contact you immediately to arrange collection.

Medication

• We can only administer medication (prescribed or non-prescribed like Calpol/Nurofen) if essential and it cannot be given outside nursery hours.
• A Medication Consent Form MUST be completed and signed by a parent/guardian for each course of medication before we can administer it.
• All medication must be in its original container, clearly labelled with the child's name and dosage instructions. Prescribed medication must have the pharmacy label.
• The first dose of any new medication must always be given at home.

Accidents & First Aid

• All our staff hold current Paediatric First Aid qualifications.
• Minor accidents will receive appropriate first aid and be recorded on an Accident Form for you to see and sign at collection.
• In a serious medical emergency, we will administer emergency first aid, call 999, and contact you immediately. Your signature on the Registration Form provides consent for us to seek necessary emergency treatment if you cannot be reached.

Allergies & Medical Conditions

Please ensure ALL allergies, medical conditions, and dietary requirements are fully detailed on the Registration Form and discussed with us. We will create specific care plans where needed.

Safeguarding Our Children

Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of every child is our absolute priority and underpins everything we do.

Our Commitment

We are committed to creating a safe haven where children feel secure, valued, and protected from harm. We follow the statutory guidance outlined in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), 'Working Together to Safeguard Children', and 'Keeping Children Safe in Education'.

Our Team

• Our Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSL) are Emma Paramor (Nursery Manager) and Leander Trunks.
• All staff receive regular, comprehensive safeguarding training (including Prevent Duty, FGM awareness, Online Safety) and undergo enhanced DBS checks as part of our Safer Recruitment procedures.

Our Duty

All adults working at the nursery have a legal duty to report any concerns about a child's safety or welfare. This means we are obliged to share concerns with Essex Social Care and/or the Police. While we always aim to work in partnership with parents, we may sometimes have to make a referral without informing parents first if doing so could place a child at further risk.

Online Safety

We teach children age-appropriate online safety and use secure systems (i.e., Blossom App) for sharing learning journeys. Filtering systems are in place for any internet access at the nursery.

Mobile Phones & Photography

To protect all children, parents and visitors are requested NOT to use mobile phones, smartwatches (unless covered/on airplane mode), or take photos/videos whilst on nursery premises (inside or out) without the specific prior consent and supervision of the Nursery Manager. We use nursery devices securely for observations shared via Blossom/Tapestry. Please do not share images from your child's learning journey on public social media. (See our full Online Safety/Mobile Phone policy).

Concerns & Whistleblowing

If you ever have a concern about a child's safety or the conduct of an adult at the nursery, please speak immediately to the DSLs. We have clear procedures for handling allegations. Staff and parents can also raise concerns externally via the NSPCC Whistleblowing Helpline (0800 028 0285) or Ofsted.

Full Policy

Our comprehensive Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is available on our website and provides further detail.

Our Approach to Positive Behaviour

We aim to create a calm, respectful, and positive environment where children learn to manage their feelings and behaviour appropriately.

Positive Strategies

We focus on encouragement, praise, setting clear and consistent boundaries, and acting as positive role models. We help children understand expectations and the impact of their actions on others.

Partnership with Parents

We believe in working closely with you. If ongoing behavioural concerns arise, we will discuss these with you collaboratively to agree on consistent strategies between home and nursery.

Respectful Community

We foster mutual respect between children, staff, and families. We operate a zero-tolerance policy towards any abusive, threatening, discriminatory, or otherwise inappropriate language or behaviour directed towards staff, children, or other parents/carers by any adult. Such behaviour may result in the immediate termination of the nursery place.

Full Policy

Please see our Understanding Behaviour and Relationships Policy for more detail.