Sunsmart Policy

 The Every Child Matters Framework has a ‘be healthy’ outcome.  This policy ensures the children attending St Marys Nursery @ Wensley Fold Children’s Centre are safeguarded from accidental injury caused by the sun.

At St Mary’s Nursery we want staff and children to enjoy the sun safely. We will work with staff and parents to achieve this through:

Education –These measures are in place from now on:

• Staff will include sunsmart issues within the planning for the children’s learning.
• One safety message of the month is ‘sun awareness’ this is during the month of May each year. The sunsmart policy and poster will be displayed on the safety message board in the entrance.
• Parents and guardians are made aware of what we do about sun protection and how they can help. (in brochure pack)
• We will review the sun protection policy on a yearly basis at staff meetings to re-enforce the importance of this policy to staff.

Protection – this is more of an ongoing process.

Shade

• We have shaded areas within each outdoor space.
• Staff will aim to provide outdoor activities under the shaded areas – during the hours of 11:00am and 3:00pm (if it is really hot children will stay inside between the hours of 11:00am and 3:00pm).

Timetabling

• Children will spend more time outside before 11:00am and after 3:00pm (unless under the shaded areas), in hot weather.

Clothing

• We will actively encourage children to wear a hat when playing outside from May (if weather becomes hotter sooner this will be changed) each year.
• Notices will be placed around the setting reminding parents to bring in a hat for their child.

Sunscreen

• It is parent’s responsibility to provide high factor sun cream, for staff to apply if their child attends the facility for longer than a 3 hour period.
• Parents give written consent for staff to apply sun cream to their child (on the child detail forms).
• Parents of children who access 3 hours or less childcare must apply sun cream before the session begins.
• There is an option for ’non application of sun cream’ for those children who’s lack of vitamin D is greater risk then UV rays. (Parents will be asked to sign a declaration)