The Cherry Kids' Club was founded in November 1992 and provides after-school care for up to 32 children aged 4 - 11 years.ï¿½ It is open from 3 pm until 6 pm weekdays, during term time. The club serves the whole of Cherry Hinton, accepting children from 5 local schools.ï¿½ Children not attending the Junior School are collected by Kids' Club employees.ï¿½ The club became a registered charity in October 1997.ï¿½ In June 2002 the club successfully passed its first OFSTED inspection.

Aims

The club aims to provide a safe and secure environment and an atmosphere similar to home for children whilst they are at the club.

What we offer

Through themed topics we aim to provide a wide range of activities, incorporating cookery, craft, needlework, board games, reading, imaginary play, construction, sport and much more. During their time at the club children choose activities that suit them best.

A snack and drink are provided each day; however this is not intended to substitute for a main evening meal that the child may receive at home. This will be prepared on the premises, using fresh ingredients and following the framework of the Health and Safety regulations. Individual dietary requirements and parental preferences are met wherever possible. We recognise the importance of healthy nutrition for children delivered in a calm, friendly family setting. As far as possible all children will be seated at tables and at the same time.

Staffing

Kids' Club employs a Play Co-ordinator and playworkers, together with additional collection staff. All our staff are experienced and qualified in keeping with National Care Standards and are required to undergo continual training and development. Recruitment of staff is in line with National Care Standards and all staff members are police checked through the Criminal records Bureau.ï¿½ We ensure a ratio of at least one member of staff for each eight children attending the club.

Organisation

Cherry Kids' Club is run solely by parents/carers who volunteer their time. A management committee is elected at the Annual General Meeting, usually held during the Autumn term.ï¿½ The committee meet each month and are responsible for:

ï¿½ Employing staff

ï¿½ Managing finances

ï¿½ Discussing and approving policy

The support of parents/carers is essential to the running of the club. Without the committee and the work of its members, the club would be forced to close. For this reason it is important that the AGM is well-attended.

A list of current Honorary Officers is included at the end of this handbook.

Policies and procedures

The club operates under a number of policies and procedures, copies of which are held at the club, are regularly copied on to the clubï¿½s website and are available at your request. Copies of policies relating to fees, behaviour and admission are distributed to all members annually.

Admission

It is our intention to make Cherry Kids' Club accessible to children and families from all sections of our local community.ï¿½ Admission to the club is organised by the Co-ordinator and a waiting list system is used.ï¿½ The waiting list is operated on a first come-first served basis, with the exception of siblings who have priority for the same day(s) as a sibling already attending.

A completed registration form is required for each child attending. This form contains information concerning your child and is confidential.

Re-enrolment is required at the end of the summer term.ï¿½ Places will not be kept open for children unless a new registration form is completed.

Payment of fees

The current fee is ï¿½6.00 per child per session.ï¿½ Fees are payable to the Co-ordinator one week in advance by cash or cheque.ï¿½ Cheques should be made payable to ï¿½The Cherry Kids' Clubï¿½ and should be accompanied by a valid cheque guarantee card.

The price per session per child applies to all children.ï¿½ This is payable for all sessions including when your child is sick, or on holiday (regardless of the amount of notice given).

Bank holidays and professional days will not be charged for.

Non-payment for more than one month will result in your place being terminated.

The Cherry Kidsï¿½ Club is a non-profit making charitable enterprise and is entirely self-funding; we aim to keep our fees to a minimum, whilst still raising enough income to cover our running costs.ï¿½ Please ensure fees are paid promptly.

Changes to days and cancelling your place

One monthï¿½s notice of termination, or changes in attendance must be given.

Requests for changes to days should be made to the Co-ordinator and will be accommodated where possible.

Temporary changes

Please remember that we need to know if your child (or children) will not be attending Kids' Club for any reason.ï¿½ Even if you have informed your child's school, we still need to know.

If you know in advance of any days when your child/children will not be attending during the following week, please try to let the Co-ordinator know by THURSDAY at the latest.ï¿½ In cases of illness or emergency when notice cannot be given, please call as soon as you can.ï¿½ Contact details can be found at the end of this brochure.

Induction

The child and parents/carers will be invited to come and see the club before the child's first day; the club encourages the first attendance not to exceed half a session.

Early in each child's first attendance a short time will be set aside for an ï¿½inductionï¿½ period.ï¿½ During this period a member of staff will outline the club's rules and routines (including meal times, collection, children's meetings).

Another child will usually be allocated to act as the new child's mentor for the first few sessions.

Arrival and departure

Children attending the Spinney, Colville School and Cherry Hinton Infants' are collected by Kids' Club staff.ï¿½ A copy of our Collection Procedure is available from the Co-ordinator.

A register is taken each afternoon and a signing-out sheet is used. Please ensure this is completed for each child collected.

Children may only be collected by a named adult.

The club finishes at 6:00pm, if you are delayed for whatever reason please telephone the club to let us know.ï¿½ A late payment fee of ï¿½5 per 15 minutes will be charged if children are collected after 6:05pm.ï¿½ You may also be asked to make a contribution towards any extra staff wages and transport costs incurred.

Child Protection

We intend to create an environment in which children are safe from abuse and in which any suspicion of abuse is promptly and appropriately responded to.ï¿½ We aim to comply with local and national child protection procedures and ensure that all staff are appropriately trained.

Equal Opportunities

The Cherry Kidsï¿½ Club is committed to equal opportunities as stated in its equal opportunities policy.ï¿½ Strategies used to realise this goal include:

ï¿½ Premises used by the club provide a high level of accessibility to the community at large.

ï¿½ Menus include sufficient variability to provide for the cultural mix of the clubï¿½s children.

Special Needs

The Club will make every effort to accommodate and welcome any child with special needs.ï¿½ We will work in liaison with parents/carers and relevant professionals to meet the childï¿½s specific needs.

Our staff training programme includes specific elements relating to children with special needs.

We will endeavour to accommodate all children of all ability, but the committee are aware of the clubï¿½s limitations.ï¿½ Each case will be assessed individually and risk assessed to ensure everyoneï¿½s safety.

General Information

Behaviour

Children and staff have created rules for behaviour whilst at the club. These are displayed for children to see.

The club also operates a behaviour policy, summarised here. A full copy of this policy is distributed to all members:

Children are expected to respect each other, staff and visitors.ï¿½

Staff will encourage an atmosphere of care and consideration between all members of the club including children, staff and visitors.

Cherry Kidsï¿½ Club aims to encourage appropriate behaviour through: praise for good behaviour; emphasis on co-operative play and sharing; talking to children with the courtesy that we expect from them and engaging children in activities

Cherry Kidsï¿½ Club will not tolerate from any member: bullying; aggressive, confrontational or threatening behaviour; behaviour intended to result in conflict.

The club has procedures for dealing with unacceptable behaviour.ï¿½ In the case of violence or behaviour that poses an immediate danger a child is required to be collected directly; as an ultimate sanction, the child may be excluded from the club.ï¿½ Cherry Kidsï¿½ Club recognises that poor behaviour can occur from time to time for reasons that are not always evident, or as a result of special needs.ï¿½ It will strive to be flexible in order to accommodate such cases.

Illness

We are unable to care for children who are unwell.

Please inform the Co-ordinator of any infectious illness your child contracts.ï¿½ If your child has had sickness or diarrhoea please do not send him/her to the club for 24 hours after the illness has ceased.

Accidents and First Aid

Every precaution is taken to ensure the safety of the children at all times and the club is fully insured.ï¿½ Several of our staff are trained in first aid and a first aid kit is kept on the premises. We operate an accident procedure and fire drills are carried out regularly.

Medication

Please let the Co-ordinator know if your child is taking prescribed medicine. Please speak to the Co-ordinator if medication needs to be administered during club time.

Complaints Procedure

The Cherry Kidsï¿½ Club is run for the members.ï¿½ We value your opinions. If you have any queries, comments or need to discuss any matters concerning your child, please feel free to speak to the Play Co-ordinator, or a member of the management committee.

Verbal complaints will be brought to the next committee meeting for discussion and action.ï¿½ The complaint can be brought to the meeting by the complainant or a representative.ï¿½ Separate meetings can be arranged by the committee, if requested.

All written complaints will be acknowledged within five working days of receiving the complaint and a full written response will be made after the next committee meeting, (not more than one month after the date of the acknowledgement).

A full copy of our complaints procedure and policy is available on request.

Pledge to Parents/carers

We value our relationship with parents/carers and are committed to working in partnership with you to provide top quality play and care for your children.ï¿½ We will:

ï¿½ welcome you at all times to discuss our work, have a chat or take part in our activities;

ï¿½ keep you informed of opening times, fees and charges, programmes of activities, menus, and procedures;

ï¿½ be consistent and reliable to enable you to plan with confidence and peace of mind;

ï¿½ share and discuss your child's achievements, experiences, progress, and friendships;

ï¿½ organise regular parent/carers' meetings to involve you in decisions about running the club;

ï¿½ ask your permission for outings and special events;

ï¿½ listen to your views and concerns to ensure that we continue to meet your needs.

Contact Information

Kids' Club telephone numbers

(07778) 300323 ï¿½ Club mobile number, please leave a voice message if unanswered.

Website: http://www.colc.co.uk/cambridge/cherrykids/

(01223) 508152 ï¿½ Community Office 9 am - 12:30 pm or leave message.ï¿½ Try other number first.

Staff

Play Co-ordinatorï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Anita Yates

Management Committee

Membersï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ Gray Girling, Veronica Horgan, Sam Welch, John Peak, Adrian Adams

Early Years Development & Childcare Partnership (EYDCP)

Cambridgeshire Care and Education Partnership

ELH 1504 Room C114

Castle Court

Castle Hill

Cambridge CB3 0AP

Telephone: (01223) 717966

Website: www.cambs-ce-partnership.org.uk

OSCA (Out of School Childcare Action)

15 Trafalgar Way

Bar Hill

Cambridge CB3 8SQ