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Mission statement:

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Linden Tree Nursery Schools aims to protect the Wellbeing of our staff across the 3 Nurseries.  We want to ensure that staff are supported and encouraged to develop personally and professionally. 

We will strive to develop a proactive and enabling culture, where the provision of effective leadership, management and support is recognised.  We believe that all staff have the right to work within an organisation which fosters their overall wellbeing, encourages them to have high aspirations for their own success and to work towards reaching their goals. 

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Purpose of the Policy

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The purpose of this policy is to maintain an ethos which supports the wellbeing of our staff by making sure that everyone is treated fairly and consistently. The value of wellbeing as a concept is that wherever you are and whatever your cultural background or personal circumstances, we should all intuitively understand the value of happiness and wellbeing.

The Health and Wellbeing Co-ordinator (WellCo) for Linden Tree Nursery Schools is Anita Sawyer. 

 

The WellCo will promote positive employee wellbeing on behalf of Linden Tree Nursery Schools (LTNS). The WellCo will work in collaboration with the Senior Management Team, Nursery Managers and Deputies, and be responsible for providing support to all staff.  This includes, but is not limited to, responding to queries regarding a staff member’s mental health, physical health, and general wellbeing, as well as any other concerns they have which may affect their overall performance.  The WellCo, with the support of the Senior Management Team and the Managers, will establish ongoing communication and build positive relationships with the staff to ensure they are provided with the best possible support and guidance.

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Commitment to creating a positive working environment

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To establish a positive work environment, LTNS is committed to making sure there is clear vision and purpose, and staff are made aware of their individual contribution. This enables staff to be engaged with the success of the company. 

The WellCo will offer employees the opportunity to discuss issues and concerns that might initiate stress or affect their wellbeing. Wellbeing sessions will be available for all LTNS employees.

When employees are struggling to work happily and effectively, we aim to identify the reasons through informal discussions and initiate strategies needed to support their development.  This may be addressed through additional training opportunities, or perhaps a move into a more suitable role within the organisation.  If opportunities exist for moving people into more suitable roles, the benefits for both the organisation and the individual will be positive.

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Nurturing holistic wellbeing within Linden Tree Nursery Schools

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Holistic wellbeing comes from a natural state of balance between our mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and social wellbeing.  This will enable us to have a much greater capacity to flourish and grow, to endure life’s challenges and stressors with ease. When all of these foundations are strong and connected, our wellbeing is more likely to flow. 

Mental wellbeing is what maintains positive mental health. A healthy mind set is our mental resilience against life’s stress and challenges. Enhanced mental health helps us make healthy choices, recognise our value, our worth and our potential.  It helps us maintain healthier boundaries and good communication in our overall relationships.

 

Emotional wellbeing contributes to healthy self-esteem, self-worth, self-confidence, and good emotional intelligence. Positive emotional wellbeing helps us cope and thrive in our relationships. Emotional wellbeing is having the ability to accept, own and express your emotional needs and feelings when required.  Empathy, self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, and social skills.

 

Physical Wellbeing relates to a healthy balanced and optimal functioning body. It relates to our bodies’ energy levels, endurance, and flexibility. Physical wellness is our physical lifestyle, the ability to sleep, eat, perform, be free from addiction and medication and be resilient against stress.

 

Spiritual wellbeing is the ability to experience meaning and purpose in life through a connection to one’s self, or a power greater than oneself. It is known to be one of the most powerful sources of strength, inspiration, and motivation on the journey of recovery and healing.  Spiritual strength is often extremely personal and means different things to different people. It helps lower our anxiety, stress and depression levels. And can help cultivate more gratitude and positivity.

 

Social wellbeing is social inclusion and social belonging; Supported by, connected and in equilibrium with the society or world you live in. Social wellbeing can be linked to values, traditions, and lifestyle which incorporates your friends, family, and community.  

 

Environmental wellbeing inspires us to live a lifestyle that is respectful of our surroundings and helps to promote our interactions with nature.  Everyone can have a strong environmental conscious simply by raising their awareness. You are encouraged to practice habits that promote a healthier environment and contribute to us living a more balanced lifestyle.

 

 

Aims of the policy

 

1. To develop a healthy, motivated workforce who will deliver a high standard of care and education to the children at LTNS

2. To help ensure that LTNS promotes the health and wellbeing of all staff members by acknowledging and recognising the impact work can have on an employees’ overall health and wellbeing.

3. To communicate the importance of a work-life balance to all staff, and to ensure that all policy updates are communicated regularly and effectively.

4. To respond sensitively to external pressures which affect the lives of our staff members.

5. To provide staff with coaching and training which will enable them to deal positively with stressful incidents which may affect their ability to carry out their job roles effectively. 

6. To improve staff development, co-operation, and teamwork by creating effective leaders.

7. To make staff members aware of the channels which can be used to manage and deal with work-related health and wellbeing issues.

 

Supporting new staff members

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We endeavour to recruit people who fit our job roles as precisely as possible and are suitable for them at the time of employment.  We are ideally looking for people who aim to share the culture and vision of our Froebelian approach to child development.  For those already employed by LTNS, we ensure that the job roles they are given are suitable for them.  We understand that people and job roles change over time.

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1. All new staff will receive a copy of our Policies and Procedures, Employee Handbook and an Induction pack outlining the Froebelian approach.

2. All staff will follow a 1 week induction program to be conducted by the setting’s Manager before commencing their role.  The induction process offers an excellent opportunity for new staff members to understand how LTNS recognises the importance of health and wellbeing within the organisation.

3. All staff will be made to feel welcome and given as much support as required.

4. At the end of the first week of employment, new staff will have a review meeting with their Manager.

5. All new staff will have a 1, 3 and 6 month probation meeting with their Manager.

6. New staff will be assigned a mentor to help them settle into their new role and to provide 1-1 support for new tasks.

7. Organised visits to our other settings will be arranged to enable staff to obtain visible knowledge of all 3 of the Linden Tree Nursery settings.

 

Procedures in place to promote staff health and wellbeing

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We continually aim for there to be a good level of communication within the organisation, between our 3 nurseries, the managers, and staff, and between individual colleagues. Effective communication encourages a positive work culture, which helps to promote wellbeing.

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1. Weekly informal chats to make sure individual staff feel valued and supported.

2. Provide visible leadership

3. Promote mindfulness

4. Build positive relationships within the workplace

5. Promote a culture of open communication

6. Train staff to recognise the symptoms of stress and monitor their own health and wellbeing

7. Recognising and offering continuing professional develop for all staff – Individual training and INSET days.  Training and development opportunities add value to both the workplace and the individual and allows staff to become more confident within their roles.

8. Provide additional support to help develop the communication skills of staff members who have English as an additional language.

9. Monthly staff meetings to establish effective team building and give staff the opportunity to voice concerns and to have their views acknowledged and respected.

10. Quarterly social events. 

11. Quarterly wellbeing weeks

12. Performance management – supervisions (every 6-8 weeks). 

13. Annual appraisals to review job description. 

14. Use wellbeing checks, questionnaires and regular wellbeing meetings to help staff feel supported and connected.

15. Recognition on staff birthdays/special occasions. 

16. Staff rooms which provide an opportunity for staff to relax.

17. Ensure staff are free from any form of harassment or inappropriate behaviour within the workplace.

18. Monitor staff workloads

19. Offer support through confidential sessions where concerns can be raised in a safe and protective environment

20. Provide tools for communication – worries or concerns boxes where staff are free to leave comments (named or anonymous)

21. Listen to the voice of the staff and work together to provide a favourable outcome

 

Procedure in place to address Health and Wellbeing concerns

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The Senior Management Team, Managers and Deputies must encourage the creation and maintenance of an atmosphere where all staff members feel comfortable asking for help or raising concerns.

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1. The Team will display sensitivity towards any problems which may cause the staff member stress-related issues and should act in a professional, fair, consistent, and timely manner when a concern arises.

2. The WellCo will be advised on issues which require intervention and support.

3. Where necessary, staff will be encouraged to meet with the WellCo to discuss the concerns raised. 

4. LTNS will provide support to any staff facing high-levels of stress in the workplace, as well as other work-related issues which are having/have the potential to have negative impacts on their health and wellbeing. The various options for dealing with such issues should be discussed with staff members as appropriate. In some cases, this may include external support such as help and support from the Local Authority e.g. counselling.

5. During this time, LTNS will ensure that the staff member’s privacy and dignity is always respected.  This means maintaining confidentiality, upholding the staff members rights, and maintaining tact and sensitivity.

6. Exit Interviews will be conducted with staff who are leaving.  These are particularly useful in helping to identify how staff are feeling, their levels of stress and discontent and to implement any changes which would help prevent further loss of staff.

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Creating an effective work/life balance for our staff

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We encourage staff to take time off after working long periods to help give them a chance to rebalance and maintain a healthy home life.

Time in lieu for additional work allows staff to be suitably rewarded for their efforts, which improves self-esteem and feelings of personal value, and encourages commitment and job loyalty.

Transparency and honesty are vital. People need care and reassurance, but they also need openness and clarity from leaders and managers, to plan and prepare mentally and practically for changes which will affect both the professional and personal lives. 

This policy will be reviewed regularly with the views and opinions from staff taken into consideration.

 

Responsibilities:

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Senior Management (Health and Wellbeing Co-ordinator and Head of Schools)

1. Will provide a culture where all health and wellbeing issues can be discussed openly in a supportive way.

2. Will take overall responsibility for implementing this policy and ensuring that staff enjoy a reasonable work-life balance.

3. Will adopt the appropriate policies in respect of ‘family friendly’ employment, including consideration of part-time working, flexible working patterns etc., where this can be implemented without detriment to the operational requirements of the Nursery Schools.

4. Will be responsible for preventing bullying or harassment which will be detrimental to the wellbeing of the staff

5. Will ensure that clear procedures are in place that will minimise the levels of stress caused to staff when following formal procedures such as Probations and Disciplinaries.

6. Will provide a range of strategies for involving staff in the school decision making processes (Staff engagement and Health and Wellbeing surveys).

7. Will review the demands on staff and seek practical solutions wherever possible.

8. Will provide personal and professional development such as stress management, team building, etc

9. If needed, will make individual interventions such as short-term rehabilitation and return to work plans, and longer-term reasonable adjustments to job roles.

10. Will monitor and review indicators of the organisation’s health and wellbeing, and to take steps to respond where issues are identified.

11. Will provide staff with up to date wellbeing awareness information

 

Managers/Deputy Managers

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1. Will ensure that all staff enjoy a reasonable work-life balance and lead by example.

2. Will support the WellCo in ensuring that strategies are implemented to effectively manage the staff’s health and wellbeing. This includes preventing unnecessary stress and ensuring that any work-based stress they experience is at a productive, healthy level.

3. Will ensure that there is clear communication between staff and management.

4. Will create reasonable opportunities for staff to discuss concerns and will enable them to do so in a safe, non-judgemental environment.

5. Will ensure that all staff are aware of, and trained in-line with, LTNS’ approach and offered opportunities for further career development.

6. Will monitor and review any measures that are planned and assess their effectiveness.  These will be supported by the WellCo.

 

Staff

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1. Will make themselves aware of LTNS’ policy on Health and Wellbeing.

2. Will assist in the development of their own individual good practice and ensure that they do not, through their actions, create unnecessary work for themselves or their colleagues.

3. Will ask their Line Manager for help or support if required. This includes understanding that a good relationship requires communication from both parties.  It is important that issues are raised at the earliest possible moment so that effective strategies can be put in place to manage any issues and concerns.

4. Will identify opportunities for development and take advantage of those offered by LTNS.

5. Will make requests for annual leave in advance and be honest about any time taken off for sickness.

6. Will share their views, ideas and feelings about any issues concerning their role at LTNS at formal and info