Statement of Behaviour

Little Einsteins Day Nursery Ltd

Operational Policies and Procedures – Mealtimes at Little Einsteins Day Nursery LTD

Mealtimes in the Discoverers group
Members of Little Einsteins staff will:
• Wash the table using a yellow cloth and sanitiser
• Support the younger children in sitting at the table, or in high chairs, and will wash their hands using soap, warm water and a flannel
• Support the children who are washing their hands in the bathroom ready for lunch, and encourage them to find a seat independently
• Support the children in putting on their own bibs
• Serve the meal to the children when they are all seated safely. During this time; staff will sing with the children to occupy them until they have their meal
• Ensure that all children have access to fresh drinking water and have their own spoon and fork. A member of staff will also have a spoon to support the child in feeding
• Offer praise throughout meal times, and talk about the food that they are eating
• Supervise and encourage children to sit nicely and eat their food appropriately. Staff may eat a small portion of food alongside the children; to role model how to use good social skills, and how to use cutlery appropriately etc.
• Discard any foods remaining and record the amount eaten in the child’s diary on Baby’s Days - parents can see this when their account is accessed
• Wash the younger children’s hands and faces using a flannel and warm water, after they have finished eating
• Support the older children to go to the bathroom and wash their hands in the sink. Staff will then prompt the children to collect a flannel, and use it to wash their face. Staff will encourage the children to look in the mirror to check that their face is nice and clean. Children will then be encouraged to place their dirty bib and flannel in the laundry basket
• Children will then be encouraged and supported in having free choice time with a practitioner, whilst the table and floor is cleaned

Mealtimes in the Explorers, Inventors and School Room groups
Members of Little Einsteins staff will:
• Wash the table using the yellow cloth and sanitiser
• Support children in washing and drying their hands effectively
• Encourage the children to find a seat independently
• Support children in putting the table cloth on the table – black tablecloths will be used where possible
• Choose ‘special helpers’, who will go and help members of staff to prepare the table – please ensure that all children in the group have a turn at this special job
• Support the special helper in counting; and encourage all children to join in and identify the number of children on the table and the equipment required i.e. there are 5 children, so 5 plates are needed etc
• Place the food in the serving dishes onto the table and encourage the children (with support if necessary) to serve their own food
• Supervise and encourage children to sit nicely and eat well
• Encourage children to pour their own water from a jug into their cup, and offer support if required
• Praise the children throughout the mealtime, and talk about the food that they are eating. Staff may eat a small portion of food alongside the children; to role model how to use good social skills, and how to use cutlery appropriately etc
• Discuss with the children large / small plates, and talk about cups being full, half full or empty etc.
• Encourage the children to say “please” and “thankyou”, and “more” using Makaton signing
• Encourage the children when they have finished their meal; to scrape their left over food into a washing up bowl, and to put their dish / cups and cutlery into another washing up bowl to be washed
• Record the amount the children have eaten on the “meal record sheet”, and transfer the information onto the child’s diary section on Baby’s Days (if required) – which will be used to give feedback to parents / carers at the end of the session
• Encourage the children to go to the bathroom to wash their hands and face. Encourage the children to use a face cloth and to check that their face is clean (using the mirror) before leaving the bathroom. It will be required that a member of staff checks to ensure that their faces and hands are free of food
• Clean the tables and floor area after all of the children have finished eating

Revised in August 2016, by Rachael M – EYT Manager