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2002 No. 812 (W.92)

SOCIAL CARE, WALES

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS, WALES

The Child Minding and Day Care (Wales) Regulations 2002

  Made 16.00 on 21 March 2002 
  Coming into force 1st April 2002 


ARRANGEMENT OF REGULATIONS


PART I - 

GENERAL
1. Citation, commencement and application
2. Interpretation
3. Statement of purpose

PART II - 

REGISTERED PERSONS
4. Registered person  -  suitability
5. Registered person  -  general requirements
6. Notification of offences

PART III - 

WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT OF RELEVANT CHILDREN
7. Promotion of welfare
8. Food provided for children
9. Arrangements for the protection of children
10. Behaviour management, discipline and restraint
11. Health needs of children
12. Hazards and safety
13. Use and Storage of Medicines
14. Complaints

PART IV - 

STAFFING
15. Staffing
16. Suitability of Workers
17. Employment of Staff

PART V - 

RECORDS AND INFORMATION
18. Keeping of records
19. Provision of Information

PART VI - 

PREMISES
20. Fitness of Premises
21. Fire precautions

PART VII - 

MISCELLANEOUS
22. Compliance with regulations
23. Standards
24. Offences

  SCHEDULE 1 STATEMENTS OF NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS

  SCHEDULE 2 INFORMATION REQUIRED IN RESPECT OF PERSONS SEEKING TO ACT AS OR WORK FOR CHILD MINDERS OR PROVIDERS OF DAYCARE

  SCHEDULE 3 RECORDS TO BE MAINTAINED

  SCHEDULE 4 EVENTS TO BE NOTIFIED TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

The National Assembly for Wales makes the following Regulations in exercise of the power conferred on it by sections 79C and 104(4) of the Children Act 1989[
1]:



PART I  - 

GENERAL

Citation, commencement and application
     1.  - (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Child Minding and Day Care (Wales) Regulations 2002 and shall come into force on 1st April 2002.

    (2) These Regulations apply in relation to persons who act as child minders or provide day care on relevant premises in Wales.

Interpretation
    
2.  - (1) In these Regulations unless the context otherwise requires - 

    (2) The National Assembly may specify an office controlled by it as the appropriate office in relation to relevant premises situated in a particular area of Wales.

    (3) In these Regulations a reference - 

    (4) In these regulations, unless the contrary intention appears, references to employing a person include employing a person whether or not for payment, and whether under a contract of service, a contract for services or otherwise than under a contract, and allowing a person to work as a volunteer, and references to an employee or to a person being employed shall be construed accordingly.

Statement of purpose
    
3.  - (1) The registered person shall compile in relation to the child minding or provision of day care for which the person is registered, a statement on paper ("the statement of purpose") which shall consist of - 

    (2) Subject to paragraph (3) the registered person shall ensure that he or she acts as a child minder or day care is provided, as the case may be, in a manner which is consistent with the statement of purpose.

    (3) Nothing in paragraph (2) or in regulation 20 shall require or authorise the registered person to contravene or not comply with - 

    (4) The registered person shall - 



PART II  - 

REGISTERED PERSONS

Registered person  -  suitability
    
4.  - (1) A person shall not act as a child minder or provide day care unless the person is suitable to look after children under the age of eight.

    (2) A person is not so suitable unless the person - 

    (3) The requirements are that the person - 

    (4) This paragraph applies where any certificate or information on any matters specified in paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 is not available to an individual because any provision of the Police Act 1997[2] has not been brought into force.

    (5) A person is not suitable to act as a child minder or provide day care if - 

Registered person  -  general requirements
     5.  - (1) The registered person shall, having regard to

act as a child minder or provide day care (as the case may be) with sufficient care, competence and skill.

    (2) Where a registered person acts as a child minder or is an individual providing day care, the registered person shall undertake from time to time such training as is appropriate to ensure that he or she, as the case may be, has the experience and skills necessary for acting as a child minder or providing day care, as the case may be.

    (3) Where the registered person is an organisation providing day care it shall ensure that the responsible individual undertakes such training as is appropriate to ensure that he or she has the skills necessary for providing day care.

Notification of offences
    
6.  - (1) Where the registered person or the responsible individual is convicted of any criminal offence whether in Wales or elsewhere, the person convicted shall forthwith give notice in writing to the appropriate office of the National Assembly of - 

    (2) Where the registered person is charged with any offence in respect of which an order may be made under Part II of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000[3] the person shall forthwith give notice in writing to the appropriate office of the National Assembly of the offence charged and the date and place of charge.



PART III  - 

WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT OF RELEVANT CHILDREN

Promotion of welfare
     7.  - (1) The registered person shall act as a child minder or provide day care, as the case may be, in such a way as to - 

    (2) The registered person shall, for the purpose of providing care to relevant children and making proper provision for their welfare, so far as practicable, ascertain and take into account their wishes and feelings.

    (3) The registered person shall make suitable arrangements to ensure that while relevant children are under the care of the person - 

Food provided for children
    
8.  - (1) The registered person shall ensure, where food is provided to relevant children by the registered person, that

    (2) The registered person shall ensure that relevant children are provided with access to fresh drinking water at all times while they are under the care of the person.

Arrangements for the protection of children
    
9.  - (1) The registered person shall draw up and implement a written policy which - 

    (2) The procedure under paragraph (1)(b) shall in particular provide for - 

    (3) In this regulation "child protection enquiries" means any enquiries carried out by a local authority in the exercise of any of its functions conferred by or under the Act relating to the protection of children.

Behaviour management, discipline and restraint
    
10.  - (1) No measure of control, restraint or discipline which is excessive, unreasonable or contrary to paragraph (5) shall be used at any time on relevant children.

    (2) The registered person shall, in accordance with this regulation, draw up and implement a written behaviour management policy setting out - 

    (3) Subject to paragraphs (6) and (7) of this regulation, only such measures of control, restraint and discipline as are provided for in the said behaviour management policy shall be used on relevant children.

    (4) The registered person shall keep under review and where appropriate revise the behaviour management policy and notify the appropriate office of the National Assembly of any such revision within 28 days.

    (5) Subject to paragraph (6), neither the following measures nor a threat to use one or more of them shall be used on relevant children - 

    (6) Nothing in this regulation shall prohibit - 

Health needs of children
    
11.  - (1) The registered person shall promote and protect the health of relevant children.

    (2) In particular the registered person shall ensure that - 

Hazards and safety
    
12. The registered person shall ensure that - 

Use and Storage of Medicines
    
13.  - (1) The registered person shall make suitable arrangements for the safekeeping of any medicine on relevant premises.

    (2) In particular the registered person shall ensure, subject to paragraph (3), that - 

    (3) In this regulation, "prescribed" means - 

Complaints
     14.  - (1) The registered person shall prepare and follow a written procedure for considering complaints made by or on behalf of relevant children.

    (2) The procedure shall, in particular, provide for arrangements for the procedure to be made known to - 

    (3) A copy of the procedure shall be supplied on request to any of the persons mentioned in paragraph (2).

    (4) The copy of the procedure supplied under paragraph (3) shall include - 

    (5) The registered person shall ensure that any complaint made under the complaints procedure is fully investigated.

    (6) The registered person shall, within 28 days after the date on which the complaint is made, or such shorter period as may be reasonable in the circumstances, inform the person who made the complaint of the action (if any) that is to be taken.

    (7) The registered person shall ensure that a written record is made of any complaint, the action taken in response and the outcome of the investigation.

    (8) The registered person shall supply to the appropriate office of the National Assembly at its request a statement containing a summary of the complaints made during the preceding twelve months and the action that was taken in response to each complaint.



PART IV  - 

STAFFING

Staffing
    
15. The registered person shall ensure that there is at all times, having regard to - 

a sufficient number of suitably qualified, skilled and experienced persons looking after the relevant children.

Suitability of Workers
    
16.  - (1) The registered person shall not - 

    (2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), a person is not suitable to look after relevant children unless - 

    (3) This paragraph applies where any certificate or information on any matters referred to in paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 is not available to an individual because any provision of the Police Act 1997[7] has not been brought into force.

    (4) The registered person shall ensure that - 

    (5) Where the following conditions apply, the registered person may permit a person to start work in the relevant premises notwithstanding paragraph (4)(b) - 

    (6) The registered person shall ensure that any person working in the relevant premises who does not fall within paragraph (1) is appropriately supervised while the relevant children are present.

Employment of Staff
     17.  - (1) The registered person shall operate a disciplinary procedure which, in particular - 

    (2) For the purposes of paragraph (1)(b), an appropriate person is the registered person, a person responsible for the exercise of functions of the National Assembly under Part XA of the Act, an officer of the local authority for the area in which the relevant premises are situated, a constable or an officer of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.

    (3) The registered person shall ensure that all employees who look after relevant children - 



PART V  - 

RECORDS AND INFORMATION

Keeping of records
    
18.  - (1) Subject to paragraph (2), the registered person shall - 

    (2) A registered person who provides day care by means of open access play provision is not required to keep the records specified in paragraphs 5, 6 (in so far as hours of attendance are concerned) and 9 of that Schedule.

    (3) Where a registered person ceases to act as a child minder or to provide day care, the registered person shall ensure that the records maintained in accordance with paragraph (1) are kept securely and shall make them available for inspection by the National Assembly at its request.

Provision of Information
    
19.  - (1) A registered person shall notify the appropriate office of the National Assembly of the occurrence of any of the events set out in Schedule 4 and shall at the same time provide the National Assembly with any information specified in that Schedule in respect of that event.

    (2) Notification shall be made - 

    (3) The registered person shall without delay notify the parent of a relevant child of any significant incident affecting the child's welfare and shall make the records maintained in accordance with regulation 18, in so far as they relate to a relevant child, available for inspection by that child's parent unless to do so is not reasonably practicable or would place the child's welfare at risk.

    (4) The registered person shall provide the National Assembly upon its request with such information as it may require about the provision of care to relevant children, including financial information and confirmation of insurance cover in respect of liability which may be incurred by the registered person in respect of death, injury, public liability, damage or other loss.



PART VI  - 

PREMISES

Fitness of Premises
    
20.  - (1) The registered person shall not use premises for child minding or the provision of day care, as the case may be, unless they are in a location and of a physical design and layout, which are suitable for the purpose of achieving the aims and objectives set out in the statement of purpose.

    (2) The registered person shall ensure that all parts of the relevant premises used by children are - 

    (3) The registered person shall ensure that the relevant premises are kept free from offensive odours and shall make suitable arrangements for the disposal of general and clinical waste.

    (4) The registered person shall ensure that when care is provided in indoor premises there are available on the relevant premises for use by relevant children in conditions of appropriate privacy - 

for the number and sex of relevant children.

    (5) The registered person shall ensure that where food is provided in indoor premises there are suitable and sufficient facilities and equipment for the preparation storage and consumption of food on the relevant premises.

Fire Precautions
    
21.  - (1) The registered person shall, in relation to relevant premises - 

    (2) In this regulation "fire authority" means the authority discharging in the area in which the relevant premises are situated, the functions of fire authority under the Fire Services Act 1947[8].



PART VII  - 

MISCELLANEOUS

Compliance with regulations
     22. Where there is more than one registered person in respect of the provision of day care to relevant children on the same premises, anything which is required under these regulations to be done by the registered person shall, if done by one of the registered persons, not be required to be done by any of the other registered persons.

Standards
    
23.  - (1) The registered person shall have regard to the national minimum standards set out in the statement of national minimum standards which relates to the type of care provided by the registered person.

    (2) Any allegation that the registered person has failed to comply with paragraph (1) is to be taken into account in the exercise by the National Assembly of its functions under Part XA of the Act and in proceedings under that Part of the Act.

Offences
    
24. A registered person who, without reasonable excuse, contravenes or otherwise fails to comply with the requirements of regulations 3 to 21 shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.



Signed on behalf of the National Assembly for Wales under section 66(1) of the Government of Wales Act 1998[
9].


D. Elis-Thomas
The Presiding Officer of the National Assembly

21 March 2002 (16.00)



SCHEDULE 1
Regulation 2(1)


STATEMENTS OF NATIONAL MINIMUM STANDARDS


National Minimum Standards for Full Day Care"

National Minimum Standards for Out of School Care"

National Minimum Standards for Creches"

National Minimum Standards for Sessional Care"

National Minimum Standards for Open Access Play Provision"



SCHEDULE 2
Regulations 4 and 16


INFORMATION REQUIRED IN RESPECT OF PERSONS SEEKING TO ACT AS OR WORK FOR CHILD MINDERS OR PROVIDERS OF DAY CARE


     1. Proof of identity including a recent photograph.

     2. Either - 

including , where applicable, the matters specified in section 113(3A) or (3C) or 115(6A) or (6B) of that Act[12].

     3. Two written references, including a reference from the last employer, if any.

     4. Where a person has previously worked in a position whose duties involved work with children or vulnerable adults, so far as reasonably practicable verification of the reason why the employment or position ended.

     5. Documentary evidence of any relevant qualification.

     6. A full employment history, together with a satisfactory written explanation of any gaps in employment.

     7. Details of any criminal offences - 



SCHEDULE 3
Regulation 18


RECORDS TO BE MAINTAINED


     1. The name, address and telephone number of the registered person, the responsible individual and every other person living, working or employed on the relevant premises.

     2. The name, home address and telephone number of any other person who will regularly be in unsupervised contact with the relevant children.

     3. The name, home address, date of birth and sex of each relevant child.

     4. In respect of each relevant child, the name, address and telephone number of a parent.

     5. In respect of each relevant child, the name and address of the registered medical practitioner with whom the child is registered.

     6. A daily record of the names of the relevant children, their hours of attendance and the names of the persons who looked after them.

     7. A record of accidents, serious illness and other significant events occurring on the relevant premises which affected the welfare of relevant children.

     8. A record of any medicinal product administered to a relevant child on the relevant premises, including the date and circumstances of its administration, by whom it was administered, including medicinal products which the child is permitted to administer to himself or herself, together with a record of a parent's consent.

     9. Any special dietary or health needs or allergy of any relevant child.

     10. A statement of the procedure to be followed in the event of a fire or accident.

     11. A statement of the procedure to be followed where a parent has a complaint about the service provided by the registered person.

     12. A statement of the arrangements in place for the protection of relevant children, including arrangements to safeguard the children from abuse or neglect and procedures to be followed in the event of allegations of abuse or neglect.

     13. A statement of the procedure to be followed in the event of a relevant child being lost or not collected.



SCHEDULE 4
Regulation 19


EVENTS TO BE NOTIFIED TO THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY


     1.  - (1) In the case of child minding, a change of the following persons - 

    (2) The information to be provided is the new person's date of birth, full name, and former names or aliases and home address.

     2.  - (1) In the case of day care, a change of the following persons - 

    (2) The information to be provided is the new person's date of birth, full name, any former names or aliases used by them and home address.

     3. Any change in the name or home address of the registered person or those persons described in paragraph 1(1) or paragraph 2(1)(a) to (c).

     4. Any change in the type of care provided by a registered person.

     5. Any change in the address of the relevant premises.

     6. In the case of day care, any change in the facilities to be used for day care on the relevant premises, including changes to the number of rooms, their functions, the numbers of lavatories and washbasins, any separate facilities for adult workers and access to the premises for cars.

     7. Any change in the hours during which day care or child minding is provided.

     8. The outbreak at the relevant premises of any infectious disease which in the opinion of any registered medical practitioner attending a child or other person at the premises is sufficiently serious to be so notified or of any serious injury to, or serious illness of, or the death of, any child or other person on the premises.

     9. Any allegations of serious harm against a child committed by any person looking after relevant children at the premises, or by any person living, working or employed on the premises, or any abuse alleged to have taken place on the premises.

     10. Any other event which may affect the suitability of the registered person to look after children or the suitability of any person living, working or employed on the premises to be in regular contact with children.

     11. Any other significant event which is likely to affect the welfare of any child on the premises.



EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)


These regulations are made under Part XA of the Children Act 1989 ("the 1989 Act") and apply to persons who act as child minders or provide day care on premises situated in Wales. Part XA provides for the registration and inspection of child minders and day care providers in Wales by the National Assembly for Wales. It also contains powers enabling the National Assembly to make regulations governing the activities of such persons. The regulations come into force on 1st April 2002.

Regulation 3 provides for a statement of purpose to be compiled by registered persons consisting of the aims and objectives and other relevant matters about the service to be provided for children under the care of the registered person.

Part II (regulations 4 to 6) makes provision about the suitability of persons acting as child minders and day care providers and requires information to be available in relation to the matters specified in Schedule 2. Where a day care provider is an organisation it must nominate a responsible individual in respect of whom the information must be available. Regulation 5 imposes general requirements about the provision of care by registered persons and as to training. Regulation 6 requires offences and being charged for certain offences to be notified to the National Assembly.

Part III makes provision about the welfare and development of relevant children under the care of registered persons and in particular about the promotion of the welfare of such children, the provision of food and the provision and implementation of child protection and behaviour management policies. Regulation 10 contains provisions prohibiting corporal punishment and other measures against such children. Regulations 11 to 13 make provision about the promotion of the health of relevant children, as to their safety and concerning the storage and administration of medicines. Regulation 14 requires a complaints procedure to be prepared and followed by registered persons.

Part IV makes provision about the numbers, qualifications, experience and suitability of those working for registered persons including provision about the information which is required in relation to workers before they may work for child minders or day care providers.

Part V provides for the keeping of records and the provision of information to parents of relevant children under the care of child minders or day care providers and to the National Assembly.

Part VI makes provision about the fitness of premises on which care is provided, equipment and facilities provided at the premises and about fire precautions.

Part VII deals with miscellaneous matters. In particular regulation 23 requires registered persons to have regard to national minimum standards for the different settings described in Schedule 1 and provides that any allegation that a registered person has failed to have regard to the relevant standards is to be taken into account by the National Assembly in the exercise of its functions under Part XA of the 1989 Act and in proceedings under that Part of the Act. Regulation 24 provides for offences for contravention of or non-compliance with certain regulations.


Notes:

[1] 1989 c.41; section 79C was inserted by section 79 of the Care Standards Act 2000 (c.14).back

[2] 1997 c.50. Sections 113 and 115, as amended have not yet been brought into force. See further the footnotes to paragraph 2 of Schedule 2 to these Regulations.back

[3] 2000 c.50.back

[4] 1977 c.49.back

[5] 1997 c. 46.back

[6] 1968 c.67. Section 58 has been amended by section 1 of the Medicinal Products Prescription by Nurses Act 1992 (c.28).back

[7] See the footnote to regulation 4(4).back

[8] 1947 c.41.back

[9] 1998 c.38.back

[10] Section 115(5)(e) is amended by section 116 and paragraph 25 of Schedule 4 to the Care Standards Act 2000.back

[11] A position is within section 115(3) if it involves regularly caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of persons aged under 18.back

[12] Sections 113(3A) and 115(6A) are added to the Police Act 1997 by section 8 of the Protection of Children Act 1999 (c.14) on a date to be appointed and amended by section 104 and 116 of, and paragraph 25 of Schedule 4 to, the Care Standards Act 2000 on a date to be appointed . The amendment under paragraph 25 has been brought into force in relation to England only. Sections 113(3C) and 115(6B) are added to the Police Act 1997 by section 90 of the Care Standards Act 2000 on a date to be appointed.back

[13] 1974 c.53.back

[14] S.I. 1975/1023. Relevant amendments have been made by S.I. 1986/1249, S.I.1986/2268 and S.I.2001/1192.back



Cymraeg (Welsh)



ISBN 0 11090477 X


  Prepared 1 May 2002


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