Slough’s early year’s Health & Wellbeing accreditation is now in its second year of rollout.
On Thursday 16 June two more providers received their award at a presentation event at their respective settings.
Dar-ul-Madinah Nursery in Chalvey received a silver award and Adventure Learning Day Nursery in Langley received a bronze. Councillor Christine Hulme, cabinet member for children’s services, lifelong learning & skills, officiated at the event.
The initiative was created to support the improvement of the health and wellbeing of children and their families. Thirty-six settings are currently signed up for the accreditation and are progressing with its implementation.
By signing up for the accreditation, settings can showcase the great work they are doing, which includes assessments in the four areas of: health and wellbeing, nutrition and oral health, physical activity, and emotional and mental wellbeing. It also recognises how providers implement the necessary changes to ensure they are supporting children and families and it becomes embedded practice.
Settings are required to provide evidence that shows how they are helping to tackle health inequalities and enabling families to have a better health outcome. A panel of health professionals evaluate submitted evidence, and the setting is graded with their achieved level of accreditation. Levels of accreditation range from bronze to platinum, with the setting receiving a framed certificate of award, and finally an engraved plaque for achieving platinum.
Currently, three early year’s settings hold gold awards for attaining this level of the accreditation.
Councillor Christine Hulme, cabinet member for children’s services, lifelong learning & skills, said: “It has made me very happy to be here today with some of our wonderful early year’s workforce, celebrating their achievement in receiving these awards. It’s been so interesting to hear what a difference implementing the work needed for these awards, has made for the children and families. Thank you very much for your continued hard work and dedication.”
Sofia Nasir, nursery manager at Dar-ul-Madinah Nursery, said: “Staff, students, and families have all had a great time today receiving this award. This has allowed us to grow as individuals as well as educate and train our team and the families we work with. This is an excellent programme, and I would encourage all nurseries to participate. Parents are inspired and supportive of this campaign as their children are making better choices independently and are becoming more active. We are excited to continue applying this concept and raising awareness in our community.”
Manjit Sandhu, nursery manager at Adventure Learning Day Nursery, said: We decided that completing the accreditation was a really good opportunity for us. The kite mark accreditation helps us to review our own practice in relation to the health and wellbeing of our children and young people. In addition to this, it allows us to consider new working strategies which we can implement in order to further help our children and their families.”
If you are a parent/carer and would like to know more about the accreditation, please speak to you child’s early year’s setting.
If you are an early year’s provider and would like more information on this opportunity, please contact Jacqui Shadrache, Senior Health improvement Officer on 07889304302 or email Jacqui.shadrache@slough.gov.uk