Quick Guide

Working Draft:  May 2009

Contents

1. Display and Browser Options
2. About this Manual
3. Timescales and Project Plans
4. Keywords/Search
5. Printing and Retaining Copies
6. Copyright

1. Display and Browser Options

People with a visual impairment may have difficulty accessing this Manual.

To change the size of the text/layout - please use these accessibility buttons

which are on menu bar on the left side of every screen. Click a larger button to increase your text size, the very largest being high visibility mode.

2. About this Manual

2.1 Status of the Manual

This is the 'Working Draft' of Milton Keynes Children's Centres Procedures Manual - it is not operational.

The plan is to create a consistent set of procedures for all Children's Centres - located in this Manual.

We have focused on producing 'procedures' directed at staff.

Throughout the procedures we refer to the term 'Chapter' - this is an individual procedure.

Procedures are primarily designed to inform staff on how to act in given circumstances, which form to complete, relevant timescales and levels of authority. Unless otherwise stated, usually at the top of a chapter, procedures apply to all Staff.

We have not included Policy statements, though we would recommend that an overarching policy framework be created at the end of the process, once the procedures have been finalised.

On principle, we have not included detailed Guidance but many procedures inevitably include some level of guidance.

2.2 What is included

The manual is designed to contain all policies and procedures for Milton Keynes Children's Centres, with links/cross references to other Corporate Policies and Procedures* e.g. Health and Safety and Milton Keynes Local Safeguarding Children Procedures.

*NB: Links to Milton Keynes Corporate Procedures are not provided in this draft - therefore, you may discover some links go to an error page.  If this happens, click on the 'Back' button in your browser.

3. Terminology/Glossary

3.1 Terminology

We have used a number of key terms throughout, as follows:

• Child - to mean all children
• Parent/Carer - to mean the parents, carers or those with Parental Responsibility
• Manager - meaning Centre Manager
• Line Manager - meaning the first Line Manager, supervising the Centre Manager
• Staff - all staff, volunteers, students and managers

3.2 Glossary/Keywords

A large glossary (Keywords) of terms is provided - go to 'Keywords' and search under the relevant alphabetical letter.

4. Search

We have provided a Search function, available from the relevant button on the left hand menu bar. This will enable you to search for Chapter/Procedure titles and sub-sections within Chapters.

It will provide the best results if you know the title of the chapter or sub section, or if you have a good idea what the title is.

You may have to try different or alternative spellings/terms before you get the result you are looking for.

5.Printing and Retaining Copies

The Manual should normally be viewed on line but can be printed, for reference only.

To print a chapter, click on the icon which is in the top right hand corner of the relevant procedure

Please note, copies may be printed for reference only, they may NOT be retained for more than 3 working days or used for any other purpose (See Section 6: Copyright).

6. Copyright

The content of this manual can be accessed, printed and downloaded in an unaltered form, on a temporary basis, for personal study or reference purposes. However any content printed or downloaded may not be sold, licensed, transferred, copied or reproduced in whole or in part in any manner or in or on any media to any person without the prior written consent of Tri-X-Childcare Ltd.

End