Nursery workers I need some advise

[Katymac]

I am working on job descriptions for my staff & struggling

They work about 25(ish) hours and I need to put in a number of observations into their job descriptions

How many is reasonable - I am looking at a 30 second obs plus a sentance describing it, plus a sentance describing the next step

They also have to do entries in the child book this is in addition

I don't want to be mean - but I need to be fair

Bump for help please?

Maybe it should be advice

Gosh I wish I could spell

I personally wouldn't put a number in a job description as if you ever needed them to do more it could cause conflict. I would put something such as ~

• You will be expected to add to each child records as required by management. This may be in written observation, verbally or any other way deemed necessary at the time.

Hope this helps
Debbie
x

Katy it might be beacause I'm tired - but not 100% syre what you're asking are you trying to

• write a job descripton, or
• Write that your staff need to observe 3 set children a week using 3 different tpyes of observation

xx

Debbie that looks good

Dynamicnanny - I'm not sure what I want either

I asked at the start of September for each of them to do 9 30 sec obs and write next steps for each obs per week

so far I have about 7 obs

So I need to get accross to them that 1 a week each is no good & i want more

I don't know how to do this

Any ideas?

BTW level of detail needed

C really enjoyed playing with playdoh

Next step: make some bread dough for her to play with

R found eating rice with a fork tricky

Next step: try threading some beads to help with the pincer movement

iyswim

Could you not do this as part of an individual staff appraisal saying you would like a minimum of x observations done per week and then monitor the target as you seem fit.

Katy, not sure if any of these docs might help?

here

try the info pack one.

That's a great idea

so what sort of target/time scale should I use

5 obs in the first week & see how it goes?

or straight in with the 9

My management style/ability needs lost of TLC - I tend to let people do their own thing and I need to tighten up - big style

MeltingandScreamingIcarus wow that job description is fab

I think the appraisal thingie is actually what I need (despite me asking for a JD)

I just need to wiggle it a bit to sort it out - what do you think?

TBh Katy I think what you actually need are

1. Job Description
2. Roles and Responsibilities
3. Appraisal forms which cover 2.

You need a standard template which covers all the roles and responsibilites spelled out in detail, then column two which covers what you need to see to know the tasks are being managed then a third column which the staff member provides evidence for.

These should be updated and discussed quarterly with a roughly monthly less formal chat in between.

Ideally you should have different ones if your staff are say junior and senior.

So (am guessing here) have never worked in childcare you could have

Health and safety - hand washing must be done in x situations, food prep, etc. plugs etc

Child Protection - pick ups handled correctly, contact details being updated, whatever else

Play - supervision, leading play, use of inititive, expanding a theme, spotting an opportunity. Observations. Might be worth drawing up a template and binding them into a small notebook whcih the staff can have on them easily and then rip out the obs at the end of the day and hand them in to a specific location.

I am thinking

Staff member name date
childs name - age
Play observed

Next Step

I suppose you then need another one which shows when the next step was put in place and then followed up ad infinitum.

Sory am waffling - any use?

If you have all this nailed down it makes any issues far less woolly and everyone is clearer about what they are trying to achieve.

Yes - I'm starting to get an idea of what I'm at

As they haven't been doing something I have been asking them to for 4-6 weeks is a week reasonable to monitor them over or should I do a fortnight (iyswim)

TBh - I would have a quick meeting with everyone and remind them of their responsibilities and point out that you expect everyone to have completed their 9 obs by the end of the week.

You also need to have a clear idea of what you are going to do(i.e. action plan for offending staff members) if they don't come up with the goods.

Thanks - I guess so

I hate being the boss

Good iea to get in the habit of having a weekly short meeting with a couple of things to discuss so you can throw any general issues in without it being so much of a big thing.

Means you can make sweeping statements about timekeeping for example and everyone will tighten up, less awkward than pulling one person aside.

wanna job?

Thanks I'm off to bed

I'll let you know how it goes

KMc

How did it go Katy?

Katym do you want me to email you our job specs & observation sheets as a template?