Name: Amelia Leighton
Age: 22
Role: Head of the baby room at Little Blossoms Nursery, Worcestershire
Qualifications: BTEC National Diploma in Health Studies and NVQ 3 Child Care, Learning and Development My role involves working from 8am to 6pm, five days a week. While I am part of a large team covering the whole nursery, I manage a team of three in the baby room. All of us there are key workers, with small groups of children
Each week I attend a head of department meeting, where I discuss transitions and new arrivals and outline any concerns. I am also responsible for overseeing planning in line with the EYFS for the babies and my main job, I feel, is to provide a fun, safe, secure and stimulating environment for babies to learn and develop in.
7.45am: I arrive at the nursery, set out toys for the arrivals, organise the register and other relevant books (each child has their own book that is filled out through the day, containing all the sleeps, meals and nappy changes for the day), look at the planning and see what resources we will need to get ready.
8.00am: The nursery opens and I greet my key children, and then sign them in on the register. Then we all sit down to play as the babies arrive.
8.30am: We offer breakfast to individual babies' requirements if the parents request this.
9.15am: Morning activities start, with an indoor or outdoor option. I oversee nappy changing, at a convenient time for the babies so they are not taken away from their play. From this time onwards all children have their individual sleep and bottle routines.
10.00 - 10.30am: Fruit and snack time. If allowed, babies are offered fresh fruit or and a drink of water or milk.
10.45am: Time for one of a range of creative, physical, sensory, small world, construction, sand or water activities.
11.30am: Song and story time. This is one of the highlights of the morning, when we get all the babies involved together or combine them with the whole under-twos department.
12.00pm: Lunchtime. We set up highchairs and tables, and the team and I grab some lunch while a dinner lady covers the 1:3 ratio.
1.30pm: Indoor or outdoor afternoon activities start, even if it is wet.
2.15 - 2.30pm: Fruit and snack time. Fun activities take us up to tea-time at 4pm, and then more activities.
5.00pm: We are all involved in free play as parents arrive. We ensure that each parent has an individual handover of their child and we tell them all about their day at nursery.
5.30pm: A member of staff starts room jobs which include emptying the bins, cleaning the kitchen and nappy area, and wiping down the cots. One of us will also take a look at the planning to make any evaluations for the day and also write up any observations made for the day. At 6pm the nursery closes.
WHAT IT TAKES
By Tina Jefferies, managing director of training provider The Red Space Company, www.redspacecompany.com
Working with the very youngest children in a daycare setting takes a blend of knowledge and skills in both personal and professional areas.
It is important for the worker to have personal attributes and dispositions such as patience, sensitivity and calmness, yet be astute and observant and use initiative well. Because babies have limited verbal communication ability, and depend on an adult to provide for their individual needs, it is essential to have well-developed skills in observation, good communication, language, forward planning and organisation, reporting and recording skills.
The baby worker is a role model to babies who are mimicking those around them. Babies are vulnerable to the influence of infection, separation and adult responses, so it is important to have good personal presentation and hygiene, with a sensitivity to others' needs, so that the babies can make secure bonds of attachment.
The head of a baby room has a requirement to support other staff in ensuring the environment is safe and gives babies a secure foundation for their growth and learning, so good team work and thorough and consistent standards of approach are important.
Being able to communicate effectively with parents and carers and build trusting relationships with them is particularly necessary for this role, as the baby is reliant on consistency of care and routine between home and nursery.
The qualifications needed to lead a baby room are at least level 3 in children's care, learning and development, with a study component in baby (0-1 years) development.
Health and safety, food hygiene and first aid are also suggested initial training steps.
Continuing professional development in areas such as new practices in baby care, health, learning, play and development, and national requirements within the EYFS can be added to enhance knowledge and understanding
As head of a room it would help to have training in support and supervision, and management training could be complementary to the role.
The skills developed in this work are easily transferable to other jobs such as nanny, family worker or health care assistant. With further training it could extend into midwifery, child health or nursing.
