Sun Protection Policy

Too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun causes sunburn, skin damage and increases the risk of skin cancer. Sun exposure in the first 15 years of life contribute significantly to the lifetime risk of skin cancer.

At Truly Scrumptious Nurseries we want all staff and children to enjoy the sun safely. We will work with staff, parents and carers to achieve this through;

Education

• All children will be involved in a discussion, appropriate for their age and understanding, at the start of summer about sun protection and the risks
• All staff will be educated in the importance of sun protection and the risks involved in not protecting both themselves and others
• Parents and carers will be informed about our policy

Sun safety will be promoted through working with parents, staff and the wider community to improve our understanding and provision to avoid the harmful effects of too much exposure to UV. Staff should always act as a positive role model and set a good example by seeking shade whenever possible, wearing appropriate clothing and applying sunscreen.

Protection

Shade

• The nursery garden has shade provided with outdoor shelter and large trees
• Children will be encouraged to use the shaded areas during playtimes when appropriate

Clothing

• The children will be encouraged to wear clothes that provide good sun protection (sun hats etc)
• Parents/carers will be duely informed of the importance to provide the nursery with the appropriate clothing/headwear
• Staff should wear hats when appropriate to act as a good role model

Drinking water

• Children are encouraged to increase their water intake in hot weather and are encouraged to do so in outdoor areas also.
• Water will always be available to children throughout the day from water dispensers which children will be able to access independently. (both indoors and outdoors)

Sunscreen

• Parents of children that attend for a half day should apply sun cream to their child at home. For those children that attend for a full day, parents should apply cream to their children before they come to nursery and staff will assist the child in re-applying it during the day when necessary
• Parents are asked to give written permission for sun cream to be applied to their children.
• Parents are required to provide the nursery appropriate sun cream for their children
• The sun cream must be in date, and be a minimum factor 30
• Parents are welcome to leave the sun cream at the nursery for the duration of the summer, but this cream must be clearly labelled with the childs name on it.

Policy written by Hayley Marsh

Reviewed May 2017