Why?

All registered settings are required to have written policies.

Policy - a written statement of the aims or values the group hold.

Procedure - a description of how the group works in order to ensure they achieve their aims and uphold their values.

To ensure that policies work, and are not just pieces of paper, they must be devised with input and discussion from the staff team. They must then be written in draft and shared with other interested people relevant to your setting (parents/carers, a committee), before the final version is produced.

Once a policy is written, it must be reviewed regularly to ensure that it is up to date with current regulation and inspection standards. It is also necessary to have regular checks to ensure that the policies and procedures are being fully implemented.