1.1 Explain the welfare requirements and guidance of the relevant early year’s framework.
Welfare requirements were bought in, in September 2008 as part of the EYFS welfare requirements and are compulsory. They are split into 5 groups.
These are:
- Safeguarding and promoting children's welfare - This has legal and statutory guidance. Under the general legal requirements, the provider must take necessary steps to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The provider must promote the good health of children and take necessary steps to prevent cross infections, and take appropriate action when they are ill. And children’s behaviour must be managed effectively and in a manner appropriate for their stage of development and particular individual needs. The specific legal requirements and statutory guidance covers safeguarding, information and complaints, premises and security, outings, equality of opportunities. Medicines, illness and injuries, food and drink, smoking, behaviour management.
- Suitable people - This is about the suitability of people to work with children including vetting procedures and training and fitness for work. It also covers child-staff ratios and this is dependent on the age of the children and the qualification levels of the staff.
- Suitable premises, environment and equipment - This ensures that the children are looked after in environments and premises that are safe. Many of the legal requirements apply to day to day activities such as checking that toys are safe and the outdoor environment is clean.
- Organisation - this is more to do with the promotion of learning and development. This is where planning and organising of settings systems provide each child with fun, yet challenging learning and development experiences to meet the child’s individual needs.
- Documentation - This is about the documentation and records that all settings should have, such as policies and procedures, risk assessments, emergency