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Childcare, Early Years, Early Years Education, Early Years Foundation Stage, Education, EYFS, Infants, Learning & Development, Nurseries, Nursery, Ofsted Report, Pre-schools, Preschool, Preschoolers, Streatham, SW16, Toddlers, Under-5s

Little Cedars is a Good Nursery — It’s Official!

Little Cedars is a good nursery — and that’s now official! The Ofsted Report for the nursery was published on 15th July 2022, based on Ofsted’s inspection of the childcare setting in mid-June.

“… a family atmosphere, where all children play happily together.”

We’re delighted to confirm that Ofsted rate the nursery as ‘Good’ in every single category. It’s wonderful to have official recognition of the high quality childcare service that we offer at the Streatham nursery. Parents of children at the nursery/pre-school will also, no doubt, be pleased to receive independent confirmation that their children are receiving high quality childcare and early years education provision, with good safeguarding measures being in place. So — approval across the board.

A ‘Good’ Ofsted Rating in EVERY category

Here’s how Ofsted rate Little Cedars Nursery:

The quality of education is officially ‘Good’
Behaviour & attitudes are officially ‘Good’
The opportunity for personal development is officially ‘Good’
The quality of leadership & management is also officially ‘Good’

Click here to download the full Ofsted Report for Little Cedars Day Nursery, Streatham or read the key findings below.

What Ofsted Says About Little Cedars Day Nursery

As you’ll see, the inspector sang the praises of staff and their relationships with children. They were clearly impressed with the way they reassure, encourage, keep them safe and nurture appropriate behaviours.

“Children have good relationships with staff and each other … They offer lots of cuddles and reassurance, which helps children feel safe and secure.

In regard to the early years curriculum, the Ofsted Inspector said:

“Children make good progress and enjoy an ambitious curriculum of well-planned activities based on their learning needs and interests.”

They also commented about the nursery’s wonderful outdoor area and its benefits:

“… children develop good physical skills and gain lots of exercise and fresh air in the large outside play area.”

The Inspector also remarked on the pleasure, knowledge and hands-on experience that children get from the nursery’s pet chickens, chicks, rabbits, lizard and stick insects, remarking that it, “enables children to actively learn about nature and gain hands-on experience of caring for living things.”

What About Children With Additional Needs?

In regard to supporting children with additional needs, the Inspector said:

“Children who have additional needs are making good progress from their starting points. Managers and staff offer highly effective support and work closely with parents and other agencies … enabling targeted support that helps children reach their full potential.”

What Else Does Little Cedars Day Nursery Do Well?

The Ofsted report has a long list of things the Inspector said Little Cedars does well. A few examples follow:

“Staff … work cooperatively as a team and show high regard to promoting inclusive practice. This creates a family atmosphere, where all children play happily together.”

Parents also gave the Ofsted Inspector wonderful feedback about the nursery/pre-school:

“Parents give positive comments about the quality of care. They value the support from the manager and staff when completing assessments and comment that the staff are kind and friendly.”

Also, in regard to children whose first language is not English:

“Parents say that their children have learned to speak English quickly … Children who speak English as an additional language are supported well … Consequently, children are making good progress and their understanding and use of English [is] rapidly improving.”

The Inspector also sang the praises of creative play activities at the nursery, helping them “to develop their free creative expression.”

Effective Safeguarding

The Ofsted Inspection also found the arrangements for safeguarding to be effective. It was clear that the training in this area is regarded as high quality and sustained, with good procedures and regular risk assessments in place to keep children safe. Children’s safety and wellbeing is, after all, at the forefront of our minds at all times.

Why Ofsted Reports are Important

Ofsted reports are important because they are undertaken by highly knowledgeable, independent professionals and also factor in feedback from a variety of stakeholders. So, they take account not only of the views of the Ofsted inspector who visits on the day, but also feedback from parents, staff and even children from the setting. The inspector also appraises the nursery/pre-school setting in action, additionally ensuring that records, staff vetting, qualifications, safeguarding and quality of teaching are all up to scratch. Little Cedars passed in every area, with flying colours.

A Good Nursery/Pre-school in Streatham for your Baby, Toddler or Under-5 Child

Little Cedars Nursery and pre-school: high quality childcare in Streatham, near Furzedown, Tooting, Balham, Norbury & Colliers Wood.

Choose a good nursery/pre-school for your child in Streatham, which is also very near to Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Streatham Common and Furzedown. We’re also very conveniently located if you’re looking for a good weekday childcare service near Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway, Tooting Common, Balham, Norbury or Colliers Wood. Contact us to arrange a guided visit with your child, to apply for a nursery or pre-school place, or to ask any questions. Please choose a contact method from the buttons below and we’ll be very happy to help:

Apply for a Place Arrange a Visit or Message Us 020 8677 9675

16 July 2022/by Mark

Babies, Childcare, Early Years, Health, Health & Safety, Infants, Nurseries, Nursery, Parenting, Sleep for Under-Fives, Sleep safety, Streatham, Toddlers, Under-5s

Sleep Safety for Babies & Infants (New Guidance)

June 2022 has seen the release of a new set of recommendations that outline ways to reduce the likelihood of sleep-related deaths amongst babies and infants up to the age of 1. This includes, but is not limited to, deaths related to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Sadly, SIDS and other sleep-related issues are responsible for nearly 200 infant deaths in the UK each year and up to a staggering 3,500 every year in the United States. Perhaps even more surprisingly, that last number has not reduced at all in the last 30 or so years. This new set of recommendations from experts in the U.S. aims to change that and is something that all parents need to take a look at if they have a baby or infant. Let’s take a look at the new guidance …

“…simple is best: babies should always sleep in a crib or bassinet [static cradle], on their back, without soft toys, pillows, blankets or other bedding.”

According to the new 2022 report, parents and carers of babies/infants should follow the following guidelines:

Things to Avoid:

Avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, opioids and the taking of illicit drugs during and after pregnancy.

Avoid allowing infants to sleep on their side and never let them sleep face-down. Some parents may have concerns about their child choking when placed (rightly) on their backs when sleeping, particularly if they suffer from gastroesophageal reflux (GER). However, the latest guidance explains how the child’s anatomy protects against choking and this is best explained in a short video.

Avoid sharing your bed with a baby or infant. Statistically, infants are at significantly greater risk of SIDS or injury in a shared bed. The AAP, authors of the new guidance, even go as far as saying that they do not support the practice under any circumstances.

Co-bedding (bed sharing) by twins, triplets, etc. is not recommended and the new guidance says that any perceived benefit of siblings co-bedding is simply outweighed by the risks.

Avoid the use of crib ‘bumpers’ because infants can roll against these, get into breathing difficulties and even die from lack of oxygen (as has sadly happened).

“Loungers and pillow-like products are not safe for infant sleep, due to the risk of suffocation,” (CPSC)

For exactly the same reason, avoid the use of blankets and any kind of pillow, including those not intended for sleep. Indeed, some ‘Boppy’ pillows and ‘loungers’ have been recalled after being linked to the death of several infants, according to USA Today^(∞). The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has also issued warnings about Podster, Podster Plush, Bummzie, and Podster Playtime infant loungers.^(∞)

In regard to soft bedding, avoid putting weighted blankets, sleepers, swaddles or anything else that’s weighted in or near to a sleeping infant.

Avoid the use of inclined ‘sleepers’ and rockers for sleeping infants — or anything that puts the infant into an inclined or scrunched-up position. An incline may cause the child to roll and then get into breathing difficulties. That could potentially prove fatal due to suffocation. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and latest guidance advises that you should never allow a baby to sleep on an incline of more than 10 degrees.

“Keep soft objects, such as pillows, pillow-like toys, quilts, comforters, mattress toppers, fur-like materials, and loose bedding, such as blankets and non-fitted sheets, away from the infant’s sleep area to reduce the risk of SIDS, suffocation, entrapment/wedging, and strangulation.”

Also avoid allowing infants to sleep routinely in car seats, strollers, infant carriers or slings and similar and certainly never leave them unattended in them.

The new guidance also states that couches and armchairs are particularly dangerous places for infants to sleep, so should be avoided. Data suggests that the risks to infants are anywhere from 22 to 67 times greater when they’re allowed to play or sleep in such places.

Avoid putting hats on your infant indoors as it could cause overheating. Exceptions, however, include possible use during the first few hours of life (under close supervision) or if deemed necessary by medical professionals, e.g. for new born intensive care.

The new guidance also suggests that parents should not rely on heart rate and pulse oximetry monitors as marketed to consumers. These, they say, may not meet the same standards as their professional, medical counterparts. Moreover, possible complacency stemming from use of such monitors in place of following the other proactive guidelines may ironically — and potentially tragically — turn out to be more detrimental to their infant’s wellbeing.

Things to Do:

Ensure the baby/infant sleeps on a flat, firm, non-inclined surface, lying in the ‘supine’ position (on their backs). Sleeping flat, on their backs allows optimum intake of oxygen and is also the best sleeping position for development of spine and hips. A completely flat surface also makes it less easy for a child to raise/flex their trunk and lift their head, which may otherwise make it easier for them to roll onto their side or back, each of which would represent a higher risk to their wellbeing.

Ensure bedside sleepers, cribs, bassinets (static cribs) and suchlike are suitably sized and adhere to your country’s safety guidelines. They should also have a tightly fitting crib mattress (so the baby cannot get trapped in a gap), covered by a secure, fitted sheet with no other bedding or objects around.

Instead of using quilts, swaddles, sheets or blankets to keep your baby or infant warm when sleeping (such things are potentially dangerous to them), dress them in appropriate clothing layers when sleeping or use ‘wearable blankets’ that fit in place around their bodies — but which, critically, cannot rise over their heads/faces or otherwise entrap or strangle them.

The new guidance also recommends that infants sleep in the same room as parents, on a separate (flat) surface that’s designed for infants, close to their bed. This should be for a minimum of 6 months ideally and evidence suggests that this alone could reduce the risk of SIDS by as much as 50%.

Offering the baby/infant a pacifier encourages the tongue to move to a forward position, which reduces obstruction in breathing. Pacifiers also encourage babies to remain sleeping on their backs. It is indeed a measure that’s associated with reduced instance of SIDS, although the new guidance recommends that pacifiers are not offered until breastfeeding has been “firmly established”.

Where possible, human breast milk is recommended in preference to formula and is indeed associated with lower rates of SIDS. Furthermore, even better protection is achieved when infants are breast fed for a longer term. The new guidance recommends feeding human milk exclusively for the first 6 months when possible.

Other common sense precautions should be made, such as ensuring that there are no other hazards near the sleeping infant, for example, pull cords, window blind cords, electric wires, etc.

Regular ‘tummy time’ is also recommended each day to help babies/infants develop stronger upper bodies and enhance motor skills. These will be useful to the infant if they do manage to turn themselves over or onto their sides etc. Learn more about the benefits of tummy time and how much infants require here.

PLEASE NOTE: we have summarised key points from the new guidance in good faith but advise parents/carers of babies and infants to do their own research. More information and greater detail can be read in the full AAP publication here. If you have any concerns about your child’s sleep, health or wellbeing, please seek the advice of a doctor or health professional. You can also explore the importance of sleep for babies, toddlers and preschoolers in our guide, here.

Looking for the Best Nursery or Pre-school in Streatham, Tooting or Balham?

Little Cedars Nursery and pre-school offers the highest quality childcare. Based in Streatham, it’s also convenient for weekday childcare near Furzedown, Tooting, Balham, Norbury & Colliers Wood.

Are you looking for the best childcare nursery or pre-school in Streatham, close to Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Streatham Common or Furzedown? Little Cedars offers a wonderful childcare service in Streatham and is also conveniently near to Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway, Tooting Common, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood. To arrange a tour of the setting, to apply for a nursery place, or simply to ask any questions, please get in touch and we’ll be delighted to help:

Apply for a Place Arrange a Visit or Message Us 020 8677 9675

30 June 2022/by Mark

Childcare, Early Years, Early Years Education, Learning & Development, Nurseries, Nursery, Parenting, Parents, Pre-schools, Preschool, Preschoolers, School, Streatham, SW16, Under-5s

20 Ways to Prepare Children for School

In a follow-up to last month’s post about transitioning under-fives to nursery or pre-school, we now outline 20 ways parents can help prepare children for starting school as they approach the age of five. We’ve broken this down into a list of 20 easy-to-action suggestions:

1. A Good Early Years Education

Our absolute topmost tip is to ensure that children attend a good nursery/pre-school well before the age of five. Study after study has shown that a good early years education gives little ones a massive head start in terms of school readiness, with long-term benefits continuing even into adulthood.

2. Help Learning at Home

Parental involvement with children’s early years education has also been shown to boost achievement, morale, attitude, behaviour and social skills enormously. These are all things that will help them to hit the ground running once they start school. Home learning is even more powerful when designed to synchronise with what children are learning at their early years setting or school (like a two-pronged approach).

3. Read With Them

Reading with children, well ahead of them beginning school, has also been shown to boost their language skills, incredibly by the equivalent of as much as 8 months before they’re even five! The key is to read with them; not just to them. Learn more about the benefits of reading with under-fives here.

4. Forewarn Them

Forewarning children that they will be starting school around the age of five is also a sensible thing to do. It should be mentioned multiple times before they reach the age of five, so children learn to expect and accept it. Just treat it as normal (which, of course, it is to you and I) and be enthusiastic about it.

5. Listen Up

Listen to any reservations your child may have about the prospect of starting school. Listening is important, so be on the look-out for any concerns and reservations they may have.

6. Answer Questions

Try to read between the lines too, as they may not be able to fully articulate everything they’re feeling at such a young age. Answer any questions they may have about school and take time to ensure they understand the answers.

7. Reassure Them

At all times reassure children when discussing anything about starting school and life there once they’ve started. Put their minds at rest. Focus on the positives. Mention the many benefits of school, so they look forward to it rather than getting anxious about it. After all, it’s fun, educational, they will make lots of new friends and there will be lots of new equipment to play with — and so on. You can also mention your own positive memories of school so that they know you’ve been through it yourself.

8. Encourage Independence

Children will greatly benefit in Reception Year at school if they’re already independent when they start. So, nurturing aspects of their independence well ahead of them beginning school is a good policy. For example, ensuring they know how to independently look after personal hygiene, dress themselves, tie shoe laces, dress, use the toilet, pack their bag and so on. If they can do this before they start school, it will help them enormously.

9. Encourage Social Skills

Social skills are another thing to nurture in children well before they begin school. Communication skills will help them to get on. Good manners, politeness and knowing right from wrong will also help them fit in, make friends and be positively viewed from the ‘get go’.

10. Identify A Friend

Parents/guardians will also be wise to identify one or more of their children’s friends (or potential friends) that will also be starting school at the same time. Ensure they meet up and play regularly, before they’ve started school. In this way, there will be a friendly face at the school from the moment they start. It’ll help them feel more at home and less alone.

11. Show Them a Prospectus/Brochure/Website

It’s also a wise idea for children to acquaint themselves as much as possible with their new school, before they actually start. Therefore, obtaining a prospectus, brochure and/or taking a good look at the school’s website together would be an excellent idea for children. It’ll really help them to know what to expect.

12. Visit Ahead of Starting

Even better is a physical visit. Schools will offer open days or one can usually be arranged for children and their parents. Having a tour will help children get to know their way around the school, see the facilities, ask questions and bring the school into much clearer focus for the child. It’ll make it more tangible and less of a daunting prospect for the child if they already know it. Seeing the facilities and equipment may even excite them.

13. Pre-Sync Children’s Body Clocks

Several weeks before they start school, children should start to synchronise their day with the timings of the new school day. This should include getting up time in the morning and ideally even timings for lunch and suchlike. In this way, children’s body clocks will have adjusted in good time, before they actually start.

14. Ensure They Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is critically important for children. After all, they do not want to end up struggling to stay awake during their school lessons. Therefore setting a sensible bedtime — and sticking to it — is crucially important. A gradual wind-down towards bedtime will help them sleep well as will the avoidance of electronic screens in the run-up to bedtime.

15. Prepare Their Uniform/Clothing

Ensuring children have everything they need, at least a little ahead of starting in Reception, is a good approach. Check that you have all items of their uniform, PE kit, any stationery, lunch box if appropriate, backpack or bag and so on. Is everything marked with your child’s name? Usually it should be.

16. Do a Dummy School Run

Close to the time the child will start at their new school, it is a good idea for parents/guardians to do a dummy run to the school at the actual times the child will eventually be dropped off and picked up. In this way, parents/guardians can ensure that they won’t be late, which might otherwise cause more stress for both themselves and their child. It’s important for the first day, in particular, to be as stress-free as possible.

17. Help Them to Pre-Pack

Getting your child involved in actually packing their backpack or school bag (with supervision) will help them to acquaint themselves with everything in it. That way, if they need something when they’re at school, they’ll know they have it and where they can find it. Doing this the night before, with the exception of food if it needs to be kept refrigerated overnight, will mean there’s also less to do on Day One.

18. Be on Time On the Day

All this pre-planning should make it more likely that you’re on time at the school on the first day. That’s important, as a last-minute rush will only cause unnecessary stress for both you and your little one. So, ensure you leave for the journey in good time. And don’t be late at picking-up time!

19. Reassure & Don’t Fuss on the Day

If you’re anxious, stressed or sad on your child’s first day, don’t let on. It’s best to keep everything positive as far as your child is concerned. So, stay up-beat, calm and reassuring. As we said before, focus on the positives (“you’re going to have so much fun!” etc.) and it will all seem so much more ‘normal’ for your child — as normal as a walk in the park.

20. Ensure They Know Who Will Collect Them

Your child will need to know, ahead of time, who is collecting them. If it’s not you, then they need to know clearly who it will be. They also need to be clear around their general safety rules, stranger danger and so on. Schools should also have safeguarding policies in place for unexpected scenarios. For example, if you are unexpectedly delayed and need to send someone else to collect your child, does the school have a password system in place to ensure that only the right person can collect your child? Find out.

Also, as a parent, you’ll need to ensure you have the requisite contact details for any relevant school personnel (e.g. the number of the main office/reception desk) in case you need to contact them for any reason. They must also have your number and any back-up contact details.

A Good Early Years Education at Little Cedars Nursery & Pre-school, Streatham

Little Cedars Nursery in Streatham offers babies, toddlers and under-fives a really good early years education as part of its high quality childcare service. If you are looking for the best nurseries or pre-schools in the Streatham area, Little Cedars Nursery really should be on your short list. Children absolutely thrive at the setting, achieving personal bests in every area of the early years curriculum and becoming ‘ school ready’ by the time they leave us to move on to Reception at school. We offer outstandingly good childcare services in Streatham, near Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Streatham Common and Furzedown and are convenient for those living or working in Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway, Tooting Common, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood. To arrange a visit, ask any questions or to apply for a place, please get in contact — simply choose a button below.

Apply for a Place Arrange a Visit or Message Us 020 8677 9675

18 April 2022/by Mark

Babies, Childcare, Early Years, Maternity, Nurseries, Nursery, Parental Leave, Parenting, Paternity, Pre-schools, Streatham, Under-5s

Flexible Working Requests — Your Rights as a Parent

If you were a full-time employee when you had your child, perhaps you’d rather go part time while your child is under five. Or maybe you want to explore the option of flexitime with your employer. Perhaps you’d like to ask if job sharing is possible, or whether you can work only on specific days of the week. What are the rules, though? Does your employer have to offer part-time or flexible working now you’re a parent, or are they under no statutory obligation to do so? Today we take a look at the rules.

In particular, new parents may start to re-think going back to work full time once maternity* leave comes to an end. The nearer their return date gets, the more new parents begin to think about the possible complications that may follow. These may include the ability to drop off or pick up their infant in time from the nursery, or even getting home in time to see them before their bedtime. Being apart can also be a real wrench after spending perhaps every hour of their parental leave with their infant.

Example

Florence works in sales of new homes for a large house builder. She works full time on weekdays, from 9.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. The sites where she works can be anywhere from 10 minutes away to over an hour-and-a-half from her home depending upon where she’s based at any particular time of the year.

Florence goes on maternity leave, fully intending to go back full time once it comes to an end. However, when the date for returning nears, she has a change of heart. Firstly, she’ll miss her child growing up too much if she goes back full time. Secondly, this may be compounded if her employer still expects her to work miles and miles away from home. That would make pick-up from the nursery in time impossible — indeed, she would have to find someone else to pick her child up. It may even mean that she will miss her infant’s evening bedtime on working days. She’s concerned that she just won’t get to see her child much and will miss out on a big part of their early childhood if her working pattern isn’t changed.

Florence decides to ask to go back part-time (3 days per week) and makes contact with her employer to make the request.

Considerations when making a Flexible Working Request

The rules state that employees can only make ONE request for a change to their contracted hours/days per year. This must be in writing and is called a ‘Flexible Working Request’. So Florence’s request will need to cover all bases because she won’t get another chance for another request until another year has passed.

So, Florence’s particular application needs to include:

the request to reduce from five-days-a-week to just three;
the request, if applicable, to reduce or alter the working hours so that the timings fit better with nursery drop-off and pick-up times;
a request to only be sent to working locations within shorter distances, so she can still make drop-off and pick-up times for her child’s childcare.

If she misses any of these out, she’ll have to wait another year before being able to re-apply, according to the rules. This assumes her employer is sticking inflexibly to the rules, of course; kind-hearted, family-friendly employers may indeed allow more flexibility but employers are under no statutory obligation to do so.

It’s important to understand is that, while an eligible employee has a right to apply for a flexible working request and their employer is obligated to consider it, they are not obligated to accept it if it means that their business will no longer function properly.

The employee must also have been employed in the job for no less than 26 weeks (6 months) in order to be eligible to make the request, by the way. However, again, some more family-friendly employers may be more flexible even though they’re not obliged to be by law.

The Employer’s Response

The employer must give the employee who makes the Flexible Working Request a decision within 3 months unless the employee agrees to extend that time. This must be done having considered the facts carefully and fairly and without basing it on just a ‘personal’ opinion. They should also discuss the application with the applicant and, if it’s not possible to accept the specific suggestions requested, they should consider whether alternative options are possible.

Unsuccessful Applications

Employers can turn down requests outright if they feel their business will not be able to function properly if the new suggestions are put in place. Examples of reasons why an application for Flexible Working Requests may lawfully be turned down can be seen here. It is possible for the employee to appeal the decision if they feel all factors have not been considered or if the correct policies have not been properly followed. It’s also possible for them to take legal action (an employment tribunal) or to apply to the ACAS Arbitration Scheme in some circumstances (see previous link and scroll down for further information about that).

Successful Applications

If the employer approves the parent’s flexible working application, then the employee’s employment contract will usually need to be updated to reflect the new working pattern. Employers should also confirm the agreed changes in writing, including start dates, working hours, pay, location, holiday entitlement and so on.

Little Cedars Day Nursery: Good Childcare in Streatham

We hope this rough guide to Flexible Working Requests is useful and wish anyone making one the very best of luck for a successful outcome.

We are Little Cedars, an excellent nursery and pre-school in Streatham. We’re also very convenient for those looking for nurseries and childcare services near Streatham Common, Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Furzedown, Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Broadway, Tooting Common, Balham, Norbury and Colliers Wood. Please contact us with any questions, to arrange a visit or to apply for a place for your child. We’ll be happy to help:

Apply for a Place Arrange a Visit or Message Us 020 8677 9675

*N.B. we say maternity leave throughout this article for the sake of brevity. However, the rules also apply for those who have been on paternity leave, parental leave or even if parents haven’t been on leave at all — and simply want to alter their working days/times to better suit their young families.

28 February 2022/by Mark

Babies, Childcare, Early Years, Early Years Education, Education, Nurseries, Nursery, Parental Leave, Parenting, Parents, Pre-schools, Preschool, Streatham, SW16, Under-5s

Parents: Your Right to 18 Weeks of Unpaid Parental Leave

Our statutory maternity leave & pay guide from August 2021 briefly touched upon a parent’s right to unpaid parental leave. As promised, we now come back to the topic in more detail, below.

Your Right to Unpaid Parental Leave

It’s fair to say that many employed parents* in the UK are unaware of their right to take parental leave on an unpaid basis. In fact, employees are entitled to take up to 18 weeks of unpaid leave before their child reaches the age of 18. That’s significant time off in addition to any standard annual leave. It’s per child too.

*While we use the term “parents”, the rules apply to those with ‘parental responsibility’ over the child. This includes parents who are named on the child’s birth certificate or adoption certificate, or those who officially have, or expect to have, parental responsibility⁽ⁱ⁾ over the child. Foster parents are not eligible unless they are legally recognised as having parental responsibility e.g. via a successful UK court application.

Why Take Unpaid Parental Leave?

Parenting is an incredibly important task. However, it’s not always easy for working parents to find enough family time with their children, even at important milestones in their children’s lives. Aside from holidays and breaks, sometimes parents simply need additional time off to gain necessary time with, or for, their children. For example, there may come a time when parents need to look at nurseries, pre-schools, primary and secondary schools and, as children approach their mid teens, further education settings. Other reasons to take time off might include time for parents to visit relatives with the children, or to investigate extra-curricular activities such as sports clubs, or simply to spend quality time with their children.

The good news is that most parents who are employees in the UK are entitled to additional time off, on an unpaid basis, from their employer. Although it’s unpaid leave, it can be an absolute Godsend to busy parents, who may well appreciate the time off even if they have to go without pay during their absence. Rules apply, of course, but it’s fair to say that many parents do not make the most of this opportunity.

How Much Unpaid Leave Are Parents Entitled To?

Parents can take 18 weeks of unpaid leave per child until the child reaches the age of 18. The maximum they can take in any one year is 4 weeks (again, per child) unless their employer agrees to more. Unpaid parental leave must be taken in whole weeks rather than sporadic days. Should an employee only work for, say, 4 days per week, then their week off is essentially the same as that. Should their working pattern be more random, then an average of how many days they work per week is computed from working times over the whole year.

What if Parents Change Jobs?

It doesn’t really matter if you change jobs. The rules around unpaid parental leave apply in relation to your child(ren); not your employer. So, if you change jobs and have already used up 9 weeks of unpaid leave for one child during your previous job, then you can still use another 9 weeks, so long as it’s taken before your child reaches the age of 18.

What Other Rules Apply Around Eligibility?

In addition to the rules discussed above, an eligible parent must have been employed by their current employer for at least one year before making a claim. They must be an employee (not a contractor/sub-contractor, agency worker, ‘worker’ or self-employed).

Employers have a right to ask to see a birth certificate or other proof showing parental responsibility over the child in question. And, of course, the child for whom the claim is being made must be under 18.

Claiming Unpaid Parental Leave

To claim a period of unpaid parental leave, just 21 days (3 weeks) of notice must be given to the employer and this must state the start and finish dates. It can be confirmed verbally although employers may request the notice in writing.

Given that 3 weeks’ notice is not long in the business world, an employer has the right to request a postponement of the unpaid parental leave if there is a fair reason for doing so. An example would be where such leave would cause significant disruption to the smooth running of the business — perhaps suitable cover cannot be arranged in time. However, in such a scenario, the employer must confirm in writing, within a week of the original request, why the leave is being denied. They must also suggest a new date for it to begin. This must be no later than 6 months after the original date and must be for the same number of weeks originally requested.

Make the Most of Your Parental Leave Allowance

So, all in all, it’s pretty straight forward to get extra leave off work to spend with, or for, your children. Although this particular type of leave is unpaid, sometimes time is the most precious commodity of all — often far more important than money. There’s also only one chance to make the most of your child’s childhood, so unpaid leave is worth thinking about from time to time, while you still have rights to it under UK employment law.

A Wonderful Childcare Nursery in Streatham, SW16

We hope that the information brought to you here is useful. We are Little Cedars, a wonderful nursery in Streatham, supplying an outstanding childcare service in and around Streatham, Streatham Common, Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Furzedown, Tooting, Tooting Bec, Norbury, Balham and Colliers Wood. Why not book a visit with your child to see the setting in action, register for a place, or contact us to ask any questions — we’ll be happy to help.

Apply for a Nursery Place Arrange a Visit or Email Us Here Telephone 020 8677 9675

30 October 2021/by Mark

Babies, Childcare, Early Years, Maternity, Nurseries, Nursery, Parenting, Pre-schools, Streatham, SW16, Under-5s

Statutory Maternity Leave & Pay (Rough Guide)

When women have a new baby, they will need to take time off work to give birth and to look after the newborn during their first weeks or more. It’s a precious time for both mother and baby and the good news is that employed mothers are legally entitled to maternity leave under UK employment law. Today, we’ll take a look at how much time and money mothers are entitled to under Statutory Maternity Leave and what the eligibility requirements are. We’ll concentrate purely on the rules for mothers who are employees in this post. However, we will follow up to cover paternity leave, shared leave and support for self-employed mothers separately, in future guides.

Statutory Maternity Leave Entitlement

Eligible mothers are entitled to take up to 52 weeks of Statutory Maternity Leave:

The first 26 weeks (i.e. first 6 months), known as Ordinary Maternity Leave;
The last 26 weeks (i.e. months 7 to 12), known as Additional Maternity Leave.

These are the statutory maximums, i.e. mothers do not need to take all 52 weeks off. However, they must take off the first 2 weeks from the date of birth as a minimum, or 4 weeks if they’re factory workers. (They can also arrange to share some of the remaining 50 weeks of their leave with their partner under Shared Parental Leave (‘SPL’) rules, which we’ll cover in the future).

Timing

Statutory Maternity Leave can begin up to 11 weeks prior to the baby’s anticipated due date. It must, however, begin no later than the day after birth if the baby is born early. For eligible mums, Statutory Maternity Leave (& Pay) must also start automatically in the event that the mum-to-be is off work for a medical illness, related to pregnancy, during the 4 weeks prior to the week the baby is due.

Eligibility

The good news is that, to be eligible for Statutory Maternity Leave in the UK, just two main rules apply. You need to:

a). officially be an employee of a company¹ and
b). give your employer the right amount of advanced notice.

How long you have been employed is not a factor and it also doesn’t matter what you are paid or how many hours you work.

^{1. Not a ‘worker’, ‘contractor’, ‘office holder’ nor ‘self-employed’ (like a sub-contractor) under UK employment tax law.}

Notice should be given at least 15 weeks before the baby’s due date. The notice may need to be in writing, depending on your employer’s preference. It needs to confirm the baby’s likely due date and when you would like to begin the maternity leave. Once notified, your employer then has 28 days to officially confirm the beginning and end dates for that leave.

Statutory Maternity Pay (‘SMP’)

Statutory Maternity Pay (‘SMP’) is available to mothers who:

earn £120 minimum per week on average;
have given their employer proof of pregnancy (usually an MATB1 certificate or letter from their doctor/midwife);
have given their employer the correct notice (min. 28 days) of going on Statutory Maternity Leave;
have worked for their employer for a minimum of 26 weeks (6 months) including into the 15th week preceding the anticipated due date;
have not been in police custody during the SMP period.

Those whose income has dropped below an average of £120 per week due to being on furlough during the pandemic may still be eligible for SMP.

How Much Do You Get?

You can receive SMP for up to 39 weeks. For the first 6 weeks, you receive 90% of your average gross weekly earnings. For the remaining 33 weeks if you take them, you receive the lower of £151.97 per week, or 90% of your average gross weekly earnings. They’re paid to you from your employer with tax and National Insurance deducted as if they’re part of your usual wages or salary. (Figures correct at August 2021).

Your Employment Rights

When you are away from work on Statutory Maternity Leave, a number of statutory employment rights are still protected. These include your right to a possible pay rise, your right to accrue holiday leave and your right to return to work when your maternity leave comes to an end.

Company Maternity Schemes

Some employers have their own Maternity/Paternity schemes. These must be at least equal to the statutory leave and pay schemes, however, many offer even greater allowances and benefits. So, always check with your employer or HR department to see what may be available.

Try the Online Tool

There’s a great online tool that you can use to check whether you are eligible to claim maternity/paternity leave and pay (as well as Maternity Allowance, which may help self-employed mums). It’ll also calculate how much you could receive. Head over to the Government tool here, ensure you have everything ready in the ‘Before you start’ section and click the green ‘Start now’ button.

If You’re Not Eligible

If you’re not eligible for Statutory Maternity Leave or Pay, other Government help options may be available. For example, for the self-employed, those who have recently stopped working, or are receiving one or more benefits. Click the bold blue link for more details.

Unpaid Parental Leave

Did you know that it’s possible to take unpaid parental leave if your child is under 18? In fact, eligible employees are entitled to up to 18 weeks off work before their child reaches the age of 18. Rules apply, of course, including a maximum of 4 weeks of unpaid parental leave being allowed in any one year. We cover eligibility and the finer detail in a separate post, so click the bold link earlier in this paragraph for the complete picture.

Outstanding Childcare in Streatham, for Your Baby, Toddler or Under-5

Are you looking for a high quality nursery in Streatham for your baby, toddler or under-five child? Little Cedars Day Nursery offers outstanding childcare in Streatham, close to Streatham Common, Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Furzedown, Tooting, Tooting Bec, Tooting Common, Balham, Norbury & Colliers Wood. We’re one of the very best nurseries in SW16 and open on weekdays throughout the year. We’d love to show you and your little one around, so you can see the setting in action, and to answer any questions that you might have. Please select an option:

Apply for a Nursery Place Arrange a Visit or Email Us Here Telephone 020 8677 9675

31 August 2021/by Mark

Childcare, Early Years, History, Nurseries, Nursery, Pre-schools, Preschool, Streatham, SW16

Streatham’s Surprising History

Streatham has a long and interesting history stretching back almost 1000 years. On taking a look, we came across some interesting facts that we thought we’d share:

The Meaning of Streatham

Streatham was called Estreham at the time of the Doomsday Book (1086). The name meant The Hamlet on the Street, which was a throw-back to it lying on the path of an important Roman trade route, explained below.

The Roman Road to the South Coast

Image: Harper, Charles G. (Charles George) / Streatham Common

Streatham, as it’s known today, lies directly on the “The London to Brighton Way”, which marks the route of an important Roman road that stretched all the way from London (Londinium back then), through Streatham, Croydon, Caterham, Haywards Heath, Burgess Hill and Hassocks (then the site of a large Roman cemetery) to the south coast. It ended up somewhere between Portslade and Brighton. It’s highly likely that, during Roman times, the southern-most arrival point was at an important port, possibly then known as Novus Portus, but which has long since been lost to the sea. This route from Streatham to the south coast eventually influenced the route of what is now the A23 – an incredibly important route today.

Streatham was in Surrey

It may be a surprise to learn that Streatham used to be in Surrey. Subsequently, in 1889, it became part of the County of London and then later, in 1965, part of Greater London. Now, of course, it’s mostly part of the London Borough of Lambeth with a few parts of it extending into the London Borough of Wandsworth.

Streatham’s Springs & Wells

Streatham has several wells & natural springs

Image: Nicky Johns / Rookery Well, Streatham

Streatham boasts its own natural springs, first discovered when a farmer was ploughing a boggy field. Places like Wellfield Road are, indeed, so named because of their important position along the main route from the village to one of the busier natural springs. Another spring was located at the southern side of Streatham Common in the spot now known as The Rookery. These Streatham Wells, first became popular during the 18th Century. Although not pleasant to taste or smell, the spring water was believed to be good for health and soon the surrounding area began to be gentrified due to the popularity of the spa. Wealthy London merchants were attracted into the area from places like the City and soon many had what were then country residences in Streatham, this period being before the advent of the urbanisation of the area.

Prime Minister, William Petty (Lord Shelburne)

Image: Jean-Laurent Mosnier.

Streatham Park, the Prime Minister & the Peace Treaty of 1783

Streatham played its own part in the securing of peace, which ended the American War of Independence. The Prime Minister between 1782 and 1783 was Lord Shelburne. He leased Streatham Park (then a Georgian country mansion) at that time, using it as the venue for early peace negotiations during this time. Ultimately, he succeeded in reaching a peace agreement in Paris via the Peace Treaty of 1783. The treaty was designed to encourage close economic ties between Britain and the United States, an aim that remains important to this day.

Links to the Tate Sugar Empire

Image: Tristan Forward / Stained glass above the main entrance to Streatham Library

Another large historic property in Streatham, this time one that still survives today, is Park Hill, located in the northern part of Streatham Common. At one time, this was owned by Sir Henry Tate. The name may ring a bell with those who are familiar with the Tate Gallery, for which he was the founder. More popularly, though, the Tate name will remain forever synonymous with sugar, e.g. via Tate & Lyle sugar packets that, for a long time, could be seen in kitchens throughout the world. The enormous wealth that the Tate family accrued filtered down, in part, to Streatham, which benefited from £5,000 funding to build Streatham Library. Many other libraries across South London were also funded by Sir Henry.

Park Hill later became a convent, following Sir Henry Tate’s death in 1899, and much later was refurbished for use as private housing.

The UK’s First Supermarket

Did you know that Streatham was the site of the UK’s first supermarket? This makes total sense because, back in the 1950s, Streatham boasted the busiest and longest shopping street in the whole of South London. It was Express Dairies who opened the 2,500 square foot store, right back in 1951.

Lightning Strikes Not Once But Twice!

Image: Robert Cutts / St Leonard’s Church, Streatham

Some say that lightning never strikes the same place twice, but they’re wrong —St Leonard’s Church in Streatham has received multiple strikes! The first time was in 1777 when the bell tower was struck. Falling masonry even took the arms off an effigy of Sir John Ward, who had rebuilt the church back in the 14th Century. Then, in 1841, lightning struck again, causing what was then a wooden spire to burn down. It was later rebuilt, but this time in brick, as we can see today.

It’s amazing to think of there being almost a thousand years of history to Streatham, the home of Little Cedars Nursery. There is so much that has gone on in the area, one that used to be open countryside, for a short time a tiny hamlet and then much later the busy, urban area that we know today. Some of Streatham’s varied history has had a surprisingly wide impact stretching, no less than all the way to the American War of Independence and forming a key location in the peace negotiations that ended it — that’s incredible when you think about it.

We hope that this little spotlight on Streatham has been of interest. We certainly enjoyed researching it.

Little Cedars Nursery, Streatham

Little Cedars is one of the best nurseries you’ll find in the area around Streatham, Streatham Common, Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Furzedown, Tooting or Balham. If you need a high quality nursery place for a baby, toddler or under-five child in the London SW16 area or nearby, do get in touch while space remains available. We’ll be delighted to tell you more and to show you and your little one around:

Apply for a Place Arrange a Visit or Message Us 020 8677 9675

14 June 2021/by Mark

Childcare, Dyslexia, Early Years, Early Years Education, Education, Health, Nurseries, Nursery, Pre-schools, Preschool, Reading, Special Needs, Streatham, SW16, Under-5s

Dyslexia – How to Spot the Early Warning Signs

Despite many dyslexic people being highly intelligent, dyslexia makes it difficult for them to recognise words and/or be able to break them down into their smaller components. It is recognised as a Specific Learning Difficulty (‘SpLD’) and can seriously affect their education if not recognised and addressed early.

A dictionary defines dyslexia as “a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols, but that do not affect general intelligence”. When it first came to the attention of doctors in the late 19th Century, it was more commonly referred to as “Word Blindness”, which pretty much sums up how dyslexia affects people afflicted by it.

The Adverse Effects of Dyslexia

Such an affliction can have profound implications for a person. It will adversely affect their reading, writing and comprehension, thereby limiting their overall learning capability and hindering overall literacy. These are particularly critical skills during their early years as that’s at the start of their education, when the knock-on effects of such limiting factors will be at their most significant. It will slow down their progress in many topics and areas of education, also leading potentially to lower self-confidence and possibly even getting them mislabelled as ‘slow’ or ‘lazy’ by the unenlightened. Ultimately, it can severely limit their potential careers and life outcomes.

Those are incredibly unfair ramifications and that’s why we are taking a closer look at how parents, carers and education professionals can learn to spot the signs of dyslexia early, so that dyslexic children can be helped as soon as possible.

“The earlier a child with dyslexia is diagnosed, the more effective educational interventions are likely to be.” (NHS)

Early Warning Signs of Possible Dyslexia

In pre-school children, there are several things to watch out for. These include:

Children finding it difficult to learn the alphabet;
Little interest in attempting to do so;
Difficulty pronouncing multi-syllable words (or phrases) including jumbling the the order of them — ‘flutterby’ instead of ‘butterfly’ for example;
Difficulty with rhyming words and even nursery rhymes;
Slower speech development compared to others in their year group;
Finding it difficult to express themselves verbally, including jumbling word order in sentences and having trouble recalling appropriate word(s) to use;
Slower development of fine motor skills, for example maintaining a regular rhythm on a percussive instrument.

We should add, though, that having any or even all of these problems does not, in itself, definitely mean that the child has dyslexia — they are just possible signs of it. Many children without dyslexia may have some of these symptoms, so it’s important not to jump to incorrect conclusions. The symptoms of dyslexia also vary greatly from person to person, so diagnosis is not easy.

Dyslexia Signs in School-Age Children

It may become easier to diagnose dyslexia in children once they start school, as they will be reading and writing more by that time. Signs of possible dyslexia to add to the list above may then include:

The child describing words and letters as visually jumbling, blurring or even moving around when they try to read them;
Giving poor written answers but good verbal ones;
Difficulty learning common sequences of words like months of the year, days in the week and, as we mentioned before, letters of the alphabet;
Difficulty following a sequence of instructions given at the same time (e.g. ‘put the fork on the plate, then take it to the kitchen’), but being OK if they are given separately;
Inconsistent spelling and incorrect letter order;
Mistaking numbers and letters for one another, for example using p instead of d or 9 instead of 6;
Slow reading and writing speeds, poor quality of handwriting and making mistakes when reading out loud;
A lower-than-average grasp of phonetics, phonology and ‘word attack’ skills, that might otherwise have helped a child to work out the possible meaning of multi-syllable/multi-part words through attention to the individual parts.

Learn more about assessment and diagnosis of dyslexia on the NHS site.

Is There a Cure for Dyslexia?

There is no cure for dyslexia, but measures to mitigate its effects can be taken by education professionals, parents, carers and even those affected by it. It’s incredibly important, though, for both parents and education professionals to try to recognise it early, for example at nursery or pre-school, so that a suitable teaching programme can be introduced as early as possible.

Dyslexia & Special Needs at Little Cedars Nursery

If staff or parents of children at our nursery suspect that a child may be dyslexic — or have any other special needs — it’s important to discuss it together as early as possible in the child’s education. In this way, an appropriate learning and development programme can be agreed; one that is tailored to suit the individual child’s needs, in the best possible way. Doing so as early as possible, ideally starting in their pre-school years, will help to limit any adverse effects caused by the condition. When properly addressed, there is no reason why a child with dyslexia shouldn’t be able to absolutely thrive, despite the condition. It goes without saying that we are always happy to discuss any concerns parents may have about their children — indeed we encourage it so that we can work together to address such concerns.

Little Cedars is an outstanding nursery in Streatham SW16, near Streatham Common, Streatham Hill, Streatham Park, Furzedown, Tooting and Balham. If you are looking for high quality nurseries or pre-schools in any of these areas, please get in touch and we’d be delighted to show you and your child/children around, so you can see the wonderful nursery facilities, happy children and exceptionally professional staff for yourself. Please get in touch, while a few places are still available, via one of the following:

Apply for a Place Arrange a Visit or Message Us 020 8677 9675

27 May 2021/by Mark

Early Years, Health, Nursery, Parents, Streatham, Teething, Under-5s

Rough Guide to Teething

Teething can be an uncomfortable and painful stage for babies. As teeth start to come through, gums can become sore. Because of this, the little ones can become irritable and emotional, without really understanding why they’re feeling as they do. Every parent will know that having an irritable, tearful baby can be stressful for parents as well as for the baby. With all of this in mind, our Rough Guide to Teething should help parents to help their babies through this difficult stage.

When Does Teething Start?

Teething is the process of the milk teeth beginning to “erupt” (protrude) through the gums into plain sight. It usually begins when children reach the age of about 6 months. It varies, though, with some children even being born with one or more teeth. Usually, though, teething follows a general pattern, as follows:

First, the central incisors in the lower jaw are usually the first teeth to appear. This normally happens at the age of about 6 to 10 months.
The upper central incisors follow closely behind, at 8 to 12 months on average.
Between 9 and 13 months of age, the top lateral incisors usually come through with the those in the lower jaw appearing between 10 and 16 months of age.
The first upper molars come through between the ages of 13 and 19 months, with the first lower molars appearing from 14 to 18 months of age.
The canine teeth usually appear between 16 and 22 months of age in the upper jaw and between 17 and 23 months in the lower.
Finally, the second molars usually come through between 23 and 31 months of age in the lower jaw and between 25 and 33 months of age in the upper.

For each tooth that erupts, the teething process takes about 8 days, including roughly 4 days before the tooth is visibly protruding through the gum and 4 days where it moves through and into plain sight. During the 8 days, an “eruption cyst” (a bluey-grey colouration) may be visible on the gum in the area concerned. Of course, all of this can be uncomfortable and painful for the baby, particularly when the larger, back teeth come through — but it’s something we all go through. Ultimately, babies will usually end up with 10 milk teeth in the upper jaw and 10 in the lower by the time they’re 2½ to 3 years of age.

What are the Signs of Teething?

Along with the bluish-grey colouration in the gums mentioned above, other signs of a teething baby include drooling, sore-looking gums, red cheeks, the baby being tearful, rubbing their ears or chewing hands/toys more than usual. If the baby does drool, ensure that their faces are regularly wiped so as to avoid painful rashes causing further discomfort.

How Can You Help a Teething Baby?

Parents can help teething babies in several ways. Distraction is a powerful tool, so anything that will distract the baby from their discomfort can help — for example, playing with the infant.

If the baby or toddler is chewing things, giving them a commercially-available teething ring can give you greater control over exactly what they are chewing and allow you to ensure that you are keeping it clean for them. Always follow safety instructions, of course, and buy only from an appropriate, high quality, safe source.

The NHS also suggests giving teething children (6 months to 1 year or older) sticks of apple, carrot, breadsticks or bread crusts to chew on but this must be done under close adult supervision otherwise they could be a potential choking hazard.

Teething can be painful for the baby, so gently massaging affected areas of the baby’s gum with a clean finger can also soothe them to an extent.

Beware Unlicensed Teething Gels

Some parents may be tempted to buy Teething Gel for their infant. The NHS warns parents to be careful if doing so, as there are some dangerous products out there, particularly on the Internet and particularly when it comes to ‘homeopathic’ teething products. They state that there is no known evidence to suggest that teething gels work in any case, whether they’re licensed, unlicensed or homeopathic gels. However, if parents do decide to use them, they should only purchase them from proper UK pharmacies whilst ensuring that the gels are licensed for use in the UK. NHS information about the potential dangers of teething products, particularly homeopathic ones, can be found here.

Teeth Showing? Start Brushing!

Once your baby has one or more teeth showing through the gum, you should start brushing their teeth right away. This typically happens at the age of about 6 months. Take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Brushing Teeth for Babies & Children for much more information, including when to start, how to do it, what fluoride content the toothpaste should have, what to use as a brush — and much more.

Share if you Found This Useful

If you found this Rough Guide to Teething useful, please feel free to share it on social media or on other sites. You can link to this article, bookmark it in your browser or share this link in your social media accounts so more babies can benefit. Thank you.

We are a High Quality Nursery in Streatham

If you are looking for outstanding nurseries in Streatham, please do consider Little Cedars Nursery. We are a nursery and pre-school, offering the very best childcare services in the Streatham, Streatham Hill, Streatham Common, Streatham Park, Tooting, Furzedown and Balham areas around London SW16. For a nursery place for your baby, toddler or child under five, please get in touch via one of the contact options below:

Apply for a Place Arrange a Visit Message Us 020 8677 9675

12 May 2021/by Mark

Childcare, Early Years, Education, Food, Health, Healthy Eating, Milk, Nursery, Parents, Streatham, Under-5s, Weaning

Rough Guide to Weaning

The Cambridge Dictionary defines weaning as “the act or process of causing a baby or young animal to stop feeding on its mother’s milk and to start eating other food.” It’s all about babies moving from a liquid, milk-only diet to a more varied diet that includes “solid” foods (albeit usually mashed or blended initially). Also known as complementary feeding, weaning is an important milestone for any parent or baby and usually occurs when the baby reaches the age of about 6 months. Sometimes babies simply tire of milk and weaning thereby comes naturally. In other cases, a baby needs a bit more encouragement to make their transition towards solids. Here, we’ll explore the whole topic of weaning in more detail, including ways parents can help to make the transition smoothly and stress-free for all parties.

How to Help the Weaning Process

First off, parents must realise that weaning is a gradual process i.e. there is a period of overlap where baby continues to drink milk and starts eating other foods. Usually, he or she will gradually eat a greater proportion of solids and less and less milk as time goes by, as opposed to suddenly changing from one to the other in one huge leap. So, weaning is a process, not a single step.

Moving to solid food can be exciting, surprising, confusing, hideous or anything in between for the baby. The world of textured food and new flavours is a whole new experience for baby; each mouthful can represent an explosion of new flavours, textures and adventure. This can be wonderful, or sometimes troubling to the child, depending on the individual and, of course, the tastes and textures involved. Therefore, starting slowly with tiny steps is fine; it’s OK if the baby does not want to eat much at first. They’ll gradually catch on as they get used to this brand new concept.

It’s OK if the baby does not want to eat much solid food at first. They’ll gradually catch on as they get used to this brand new concept.

Weaning should be fun and it’s also the only time in a child’s life where they won’t have any preconceived ideas about what foods they “do or don’t like”. So, parents can experiment, within reason of course. It’s a time when introducing new foods to the baby comes naturally once the baby has caught on to the idea of this new experience.

Remember that the baby will take a few tries before they perfect the art of eating solid foods, so they may unwittingly push some food out again at first. Until now, they have only been used to breastfeeding or drinking from a bottle, so pushing food out their mouths initially may not mean that they don’t like what you’re feeding them. Give it another try. You’ll be able to ‘read’ their facial expressions anyway. Those are the real giveaway as to whether they enjoy a particular food, or find it repulsive. Their reactions can also be the cause of much laughter!

Tips For Weaning Success

There are several additional things parents can do to make weaning a success. Here are a few tips:

Don’t rush it; set aside some time with baby so it’s relaxed, otherwise everyone can get stressed, especially initially.
Don’t try to wean them off breast milk too soon either. It’s the very best food for them during their first 6 months, for sure. You can learn more in our separate article all about the benefits of breastfeeding for both baby and mother.
Don’t try to wean your baby until it’s physiologically ready. That means they need to be able to hold their own head up when in a seated position, they need to be able to swallow food successfully and they need to have good coordination between eyes, hands and mouth.
Is baby tired? Don’t try introducing them to solid foods right now if so. Wait until they’re wide awake and full of energy otherwise they simply won’t want to cooperate.
Purée (i.e. finely blend or mash) the foods, mashing them particularly well at the start of the weaning process. That way the solid foods are more like liquids, so will be less of a surprise to the baby bearing in mind they’ve only had milk up until this point. Try mashing ripe apples, bananas, pears and other soft fruits, then feeding them to baby with a weaning teaspoon (these are softer and more gentle in babies’ mouths). Try mashing cooked vegetables too, for example cauliflower, potato, broccoli, spinach, sweet potato, carrots and so on. Suitably cooled down for safety, of course. All of these can make a very good purée that’ll slip down easily if the baby warms to the taste.
Offer baby just a little initially. They’ll soon let you know if they would like more. If they’re not convinced, demonstrate yourself eating a little bit and showing that you’re enjoying it.
Initially, you can follow a little bit of food up with a milk feed. This is a great way to introduce them slowly to solids.
Once they’re taking food from you, help them feed themselves either by hand or with a teaspoon (let them copy you). The skill of feeding themselves sometimes comes quite quickly but for others it can take more time.
Don’t worry if baby makes a mess. It’s natural at first and not something they should concentrate on initially. The important part is that the baby is beginning to try new foods, so you don’t want to distract from that. Coaching baby to be more tidy with their eating can come a bit later, after they’ve mastered the process of eating purées, mashed food and perhaps gone on to more solid food. A clean, plastic or pelican bib will help in the interim.
You can later move on to whole, (adult) finger-sized pieces of very soft fruits that baby can learn to hold. However, do read the Health & Safety Considerations section below before moving to un-mashed foods.
Remember that babies may need to taste new foods multiple times before they accept them, so don’t give up if they first reject them. Try again another time and don’t ever force them to eat. If they turn their head away or clamp their mouth shut, they’ve had enough for now.
Avoid distractions for the baby at feeding times. So, remove phones, tablets, computers, toys and TVs at meal times. The baby needs to concentrate during this new eating experience.
Don’t expect a regular pattern; sometimes babies will eat more, other times less. A milk bottle will, for many, represent a comforter as well as a source of sustenance, so don’t be surprised if they prefer milk to solids when they’re feeling under-par or tired.

Huge care needs to be taken to avoid giving infants anything that’s going to represent a potential choking hazard.

Health & Safety Considerations

It goes without saying that food should be given to babies and infants at a suitable temperature. So, ensure that boiled vegetables, for example, are sufficiently cooled. Try them first yourself to make sure.
Huge care needs to be taken to avoid giving infants anything that’s going to represent a potential choking hazard. Whole grapes, cherry tomatoes or anything else of a similar size would be examples of this as they are perfectly sized to block a baby’s airway if not first chopped up. Also avoid anything hard like nuts, raw vegetables or un-mashed apple and ensure that any pips/seeds/stones are removed from fruit and bones are removed from fish or meat.
Close adult supervision is always needed when infants are eating, particularly when they’re in the weaning process and don’t yet fully know what they’re doing.
Consult your GP or health visitor about weaning if your child was born prematurely.
Don’t add extra sugar or salt to your baby’s food, including during the cooking process. Avoid salty foods because salt is dangerous to babies. Avoid sugar because it can lead to a sweet tooth and that has many negative implications including tooth decay, weight issues, etc.
Food hygiene is, of course, essential during food preparation and while the child is eating. So ensure that hands, faces, plates, spoons, cups and surfaces (etc.) are clean.
Part of that is ensuring that the food itself is hygienic so, for example, fruit and vegetables must be washed. If serving raw fruit/veg, ensure they’re also peeled. If using eggs within baby foods, ensure they are stamped with the red ‘British Lion Code of Practice’ lion (to denote a low salmonella risk) and it’s safest if they are never served raw.
As babies are weaned off breast or formula milk, parents need to ensure that they are still benefiting from a balanced and varied diet. That’s true whether they are being brought up as meat eaters, vegetarians or vegans. Additional supplements may need to be considered for vegan diets, which may be low in vitamin B12, for example. GPs, health professionals and/or dieticians should certainly be consulted for advice before deciding to cut out dairy products from children’s diets, including milk once they are no longer taking breast milk or the recommended infant formula milk alternative up to the age of one. The NHS has more information about vegetarian and vegan diets for children here.
The NHS recommends that children aged between 6 months and 5 years of age take suitable Vitamin A, C and D supplements daily although babies drinking at least a pint of ‘first infant formula’ milk do not need the supplements as they’re included in the milk already.
Extreme care is needed by parents in relation to possible allergens. For this reason, it’s best to introduce only tiny amounts of possible allergens in the first instance, one at a time, so any adverse reaction can be spotted early. After all, this is the first time the baby is going to have eaten these new foods. The most common allergens are nuts, eggs, gluten, fish and cows’ milk. If in doubt or concerned about allergic reactions, consult your health worker or GP and, of course, call an ambulance immediately if your baby does have an adverse reaction to anything.

Going Forwards

By the age of 7 to 12 months, most babies will have transitioned to taking in 3 meals a day, along with their milk perhaps 4 times a day (reducing to 3 times a day at a year old). The ratio of solids to milk will then gradually decrease as the weeks go by. By the time they’re 12 months or older, they can also have two healthy snacks between meals.

Always try to maintain a varied diet for the infant, so they get all the vitamins and nutrients they need as they intake less and less milk. Ensure the foods contain sufficient iron, which can be sought from fortified cereal, fish, milk, dark green vegetables, lentils and beans. Giving them finger foods to hold and eat themselves is a great way to encourage them to feed themselves (under supervision, of course). As they grow older they can be encouraged to eat at the family table with parents/siblings and eventually upskill to using cutlery, along with eventually learning the rules around good table manners etc.

More information, including the types of food and milk that infants and toddlers can/should be having, can be found here.

We hope that you found our Rough Guide to Weaning useful. If so, please do feel free to share it on social media (copy this link) or to bookmark it for future reference.

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16 April 2021/by Mark