Creche ratios please advice

[Justanotherday]

I am a CM and been asked to organise a creche for our child's school while the school xmas play goes on. They won't allow the under threes to attended so they need to go somewhere. My question is if we run a creche for that hour what is the ratios of adults to children and also does everyone have to have CRB check when helping out. Also I am guessing that someone needs to have a first aid certificate. Thanks

I don't think a creche for one hour would fall under childcare regulations. However that does not mean that you shouldn't try to do things as if they did.

I would use the ratio as per a day nursery. So 2 members of staff on duty at all times.

From EYFS:
3.30 For children aged under two:
• there must be at least one member of staff for every three children;
• at least one member of staff must hold a full and relevant level 3 qualification, and must be suitably experienced in working with children under two;
• at least half of all other staff must hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification;
• at least half of all staff must have received training that specifically addresses the care of babies; and
where there is an under two-year-olds’ room, the member of staff in charge of that room must, in the judgement of the provider, have suitable experience of working with under twos.
3.31 For children aged two:
• there must be at least one member of staff for every four children;
• at least one member of staff must hold a full and relevant level 3 qualification; and
• at least half of all other staff must hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification.

3.33 For children aged three and over at any time in registered early years provision operating outside the hours of 8 am and 4 pm, and between the hours of 8 am and 4 pm when a person with Qualified Teacher Status, Early Years Professional Status or another full and relevant level 6 qualification, is not working directly with the children:
• there must be at least one member of staff for every eight children;
• at least one member of staff must hold a full and relevant level 3 qualification;
• at least half of all other staff must hold a full and relevant level 2 qualification.

Ideally everyone should have a CRB check/DBS check, those who do not should not be left alone with children but supervised at all times.

I feel that parents will need to book a place for their child in advance (so you know the child's age), as otherwise you will find it very hard to juggle the adult:child ratio. Consider what happens if lots of people bring babies for example.

If you do it without advance booking, then have a good register system in place so that you know when you are pushing things a bit.

One way of doing that is to allocate each adult worker a number of points. I have done this in the past at church group and it seems to work. They have 12 points in total. A 3 to 5 year old is worth 1.5 points. A 2 year old is worth 3 points. An under 2 is worth 4 points.

So an adult could have: 3 children under 2 = 12 points.
An adult could have: 4 children aged 2 = 12 points.
An adult could have: 8 children aged 3-5 = 12 points.
An adult could have: 2 children aged 2 (6 points), plus 4 children aged 3-5. (6 points)

Consider space available and facilities in general. If possible try to have more adults than are needed for ratio, so you have a spare person to help sooth a crying child, or who can leave the room to get something.

Thank you so much Nannynick for all the information, I really appreciate it.