Recipient: The Wendy House Day Nursery - Wythall
Date: Friday 19 May 2017
Birmingham, UK. The Wendy House Day Nursery, located in Wythall and Lynwood, is one of the UK’s first nurseries in England to be awarded Millie’s Mark, the ‘gold standard’ in paediatric first aid. With safeguarding higher than ever on the agenda Millie’s Mark will give parents reassurance that their children are in safe hands.
Millie’s Mark is the legacy of Millie Thompson, who died after choking at nursery at only 9 months old. Since her death Millie’s parents have campaigned relentlessly for a fundamental change to first aid requirements for child care providers. Millie’s Mark is an accreditation awarded only to those who go above and beyond the minimum requirements set out by the government’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) for children aged 0-5.
Specifically, this means ALL staff need to be trained in paediatric first aid, and need to demonstrate that they not only know the theory of first aid but would be sufficiently confident to apply it in a real emergency situation. This demands a significant investment on the part of the setting, and is not awarded lightly. The Wendy House was one of the first nurseries in the country to sign-up and show commitment to the charity, and to be awarded the accreditation.
The award comes on the back of an exceptional year for The Wendy House, having been awarded a prestigious Nursery World award in 2016 and since being shortlisted for the coveted Nursery of the Year award from the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), which will be announced later this year.
Victoria Vann, Managing Director of The Wendy House Day Nursery, said, “Safeguarding children is our number one priority so I was determined that The Wendy House would be one of the first nurseries to achieve Millie’s Mark. I am very proud of the practitioners at The Wendy House who have stepped up to ensure they meet the criteria for Millie’s Mark around paediatric first aid. They have shown commitment and diligence in their training and have adapted their practice to reflect the requirements set down by the charity.”