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Daycare Center and Family Home Forum>Arkansas Child-Adult Ratio For Church Nursery For 2 Hours Twice A Week!
caney09 02:20 PM 06-08-2009
I am the nursery director at my church in Arkansas. All the workers are volunteers twice a week for 2 hours. I need to know what is the child-adult ratio for children under 4 years of age? Thanks!
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Unregistered 07:25 AM 04-12-2011
The following ratios are observed daily, and are the minimum in which we would operate.

Children under 2 years 1:3
Children aged 2-3 years 1:4
Children aged 3 years to 7 years 11 mths 1:8

Flexible ratios
The above ratios show the minimum adult to child ratio from within the setting, if circumstances permit they may be flexible, for instance at the following times:
Outings away from the nursery – the ratio will be increased to 1:3 – 1:4 depending on the risk assessment.
Woodwork activities or other complex activities – the ratio can be as great as 1:1 depending on the risk assessment of the activity.
Group story/song times – may be 1:6, while other staff carryout cleaning duties etc, however the appropriate staff to child ratios will be maintain within the setting during this time,
Sleep time – Each room, so long as all children are asleep may have a watch monitor who will remain with the sleeping children, other staff maybe out of the room but must still be present within the nursery, in the event of an emergency.

The above are only examples of how the ratios may be flexible, for *each event details should be recorded on a risk assessment sheet.
*Only activities that are not seen as regular/routine activities need a risk assessment carried out as all other activities are already risk assessed.
All ratios are in line with the 14 national standards and are adhered to at all times.

Ratio & Supervision Policy & Procedure March 2006 – July 2008

Under ratio
It is to be understood that from time to time staff are absent from work, and these absences cannot be predicted. Therefore it is important that appropriate procedures are in place.
If the nursery is short staffed due to an unpredicted absence the following procedure should be adhered to:
Check daily and weekly occupancy and calculate required staffing

Consider joining groups together, such as 0-1s with the 1-2s, 2-3s with 3-5s etc, in doing this consideration should be given to the following:
Space ratios for different age group children
Ratios for rooms when joined up look at combined numbers
Risk assessment for younger or older children playing together
Ensure that sufficient staffing is allocated to all areas and age groups and that remaining staff hold suitable qualifications and have appropriate levels of experience
Contact firstly “Bank staff” to arrange cover, if unsuccessful contact childcare agencies.
While waiting for cover to arrive DO NOT EXCEED RATIOS.
When staff have arrived then and only then can full numbers be permitted to enter the nursery.

Should cover not be available, and all avenues have been explored the following should be adhered to:
Room closures, starting from the Ducklings/Cygnets (Under 2s children)
and working up through the age groups, 2-3s, 3-5s and so on.

These closures should continue until the nursery is within ratio. Notice must be given to the parent without delay.
The parent will be compensated with either an exchange of day if not full time or a credit will be given.
The parent will be given an estimated time for re-opening and must be kept informed at all times of any changes.

Should the nursery be short staffed and notice of this absence is given in good time the following should be adhered to:
Check occupancy and staffing for the notified time
Ensure that appropriate cover has been arranged and that notes and records are available for the cover staff member

Ratio & Supervision Policy & Procedure March 2006 – July 2008
Supervision
During play
Staff are required to assess activities for risk elements and to take appropriate steps to avoid possible accidents/incidents, room seniors are responsible for ensuring that activities and play are supervised adequately. At all times adult to child ratios must be adhered to.

Examples of play when higher supervision maybe required:
Cooking
Wood work
Water play
Sand play
Games with smaller parts/pieces
When children require more developmental support
During outdoor play

While the children are outside small group care is not so vital, but the overall supervision of each area is paramount in order to prevent accidents. The following must be adhered to:
Staff member to supervise the slide apparatus at all times
Floater staff member must monitor the playhouse
Bike and ball areas are to be supervised individually where possible
At all times a senior staff member must be present in the garden.
During outings
When away from the Nursery children are much more venerable and are lost easier, therefore higher ratios are adopted and children are assigned to a specific staff member who is responsible for them. Prior to an outing a risk assessment is carried out and adequate staffing is arranged.
Impromptu outings

Risk assessment will provide details on required staffing levels

The person leading the outing is required to have on their person a mobile phone, with contact details for the Nursery.
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