Emergency Closure Pack

Be prepared for your next emergency closure with this practical pack.

Unexpected situations such as severe weather, flooding, power outages or other emergencies can affect the operation of your Early Years or School Age Childcare service.

Having a clear Emergency Closure Policy in place will help you prepare for these situations and ensure that staff and parents understand the procedures to be followed.

Pack Includes:

• Notes on Developing the Policy – Practical guidance on how to put your Emergency Closure Policy together.
• Sample Emergency Closure Policy (Microsoft Word) – An editable policy providing wording for various scenarios, allowing you to choose the options that best suit your service.
• Emergency Closure Risk Assessment – An editable template to help identify potential hazards and appropriate control measures.

Some Important Tips on Preparing Your Emergency Closure Policy

Ensure your policy does not contradict the following:

• Another policy.
• Parental agreements already in place.
• Contracts of employment.
• Related policies in the Staff Handbook, if you have one.

Remember:

• Your Parent Handbook or Parental Agreement may need to be updated to make it clear what your policy is in relation to the payment of parental fees.
• Your contracts of employment may need to be reviewed to clearly outline your procedures during emergency closures and the options available to you as an employer.
• Whether employees are entitled to payment during an emergency closure will depend on the circumstances, their contracts of employment, applicable employment legislation and any previous custom and practice (i.e. what have you done previously?).
• It is also important not to establish a precedent that may have implications for the future. For example, if you decide to pay staff during an emergency closure, have you considered whether this arrangement would be sustainable if funding was not available? You may need to distinguish between different circumstances, including situations where funding or parental fees continue to be received and those where they do not.
• In addition, check what your contracts of employment say, as these may provide clear guidance on the arrangements that apply.

These are just some hints on putting together a policy on emergency closures. The Emergency Closure Policy provides suggested wording and options to help you develop a policy that suits your service.

Remember, our Early Years Resource Factory members receive a 15% discount on this pack!