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Guidelines for Keeping Your Child from the Early Childhood Center
Children are in close contact with one another at the ECC. If parents keep their children home at the first signs of illness, it will help us protect other children and prevent the spread of the illness in the classroom. The following are some guidelines to help you decide when to keep your ill child home from the ECC. These are the guidelines and symptoms we look for at our ECC to determine when to send children home.
Please DO NOT send your children to school if they have:
If the student shows any signs and symptoms to be a possible source of infection, you will be contacted to come to school and pick up your child immediately.
Please inform the center clinic if your child has been or is being treated for any medical condition.
The child must come first to the center clinic and see the center nurse for physical examination before joining class. THE MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OR CLEARANCE MUST BE PROVIDED before joining the class.
Dear Parents,
If your child needs to take medicine prescribed by his / her pediatrician during nursery hours, you are required to give the clinic a copy of the prescription together with the medicine to be taken or applied, otherwise, the school clinic will not be able to give it to your child. This is under the DHA health regulation policy.
Your compliance will be much appreciated. Many thanks.
| Document reviewed on May 2024 | Reviewed on behalf of Great Minds ECC by Ana Stevanov |
| Date for next review June 2025 | |
| Where this document is displayed | Clinic Policies 2024-2025 |
Dear parents,
Welcome to the Bats Class, Great Minds ECC class for children who are 3-5 years old (Foundation stage 1 and 2). Whether you are returning to school after the summer holidays or if you are new to Great Minds, we want to make sure that you have all the relevant information you need to know in order for your child to have a smooth start to the academic year. There have been some changes that takes place over the summer holidays, physical changes to the Bats classroom as well as curriculum changes. Over the first few weeks, you will have the opportunity to meet the key people who will be working with your child as well as finding out about our new curriculum and what your child will be learning.
♪ Classes - Great Minds ECC operates with 4 active classes. At Great Minds ECC each class has one designated classroom area.
♪ Induction Period and Timings - An induction period is necessary to support the transition for new students and for returning students after a long summer break. The Bats class induction period will be for one week. During the first week all the Bats students will attend from 8:00am to 12pm. Once the induction period has been completed the children will begin attending the full day program.
| Full Day Timings | |
|---|---|
| 07:30 – 08:00 | Optional early drop off confirmed in advance |
| 08:00 – 08:10 | Drop off – Registration |
| 12:50 – 13:00 | Home time (Friday Home Time 12:20-12:30) |
| 13:00 – 17:00 | Optional afternoon program confirmed in advance |
♪ Drop off and pick up procedures Parents should check their child’s temperature before leaving the house. According to DHA guidelines all attending students should have a body temperature of 37.5 or below. Parents and staff meet at the entrance of the center during the drop off/pick up time. Parent’s visits should be as brief as possible. Parents should follow the time schedule given for drop off/pick up. If an additional conversation is needed a phone conversation or meeting can be scheduled.
The items your child needs to bring will depend on the program option (regular/afternoon) you have chosen. However, the following checklist offers you a general guide as to what you should consider including in your child's bag:
♪ Spill-proof water bottle - Parents should send a labeled water bottle with a protective cover/lid from home. Your child needs to stay hydrated with all that running around and the Dubai weather conditions.
♪ Extra set of clothes, socks and underwear Please pack at least 2 extra (seasonally appropriate) labeled change of clothes, including 2 pairs of socks. Even if your child is potty-trained, accidents could happen so please provide at least 2 extrapairs of underwaer, each set of clothing will need to be packed in seperate plastic bags, all items will be sent home daily. The items that require washing will be sent home in the separate plastic packaging.
♪ Shoes off policy - We follow the shoes off policy and children will be required to take off their shoes before entering the nursery building, therefore please send your child in easy to put/take on/off shoes that will support your childs independence during drop off and pick up. In addition, you can send an extra pair of non slipery socks or soft vinyl covers/swimming shoes for indoor time in case you don’t wish your child to be barefoot.
♪ Food – There is optional caternig available at Great Minds. However in case you prefer to send lunch boxes from home please make sure that food is placed in temperature safe boxes/containers. All the belongings will be kept in your child’s designated classroom cubbies which will be cleaned and disinfected daily. Great Minds ECC promotes healthy eating. Fast food or any items containing nuts, seeds, sea food, chocolate, sugary snacks, chips and desserts are not allowed. Please see more details in our Nutrition and Food policy. Parents should not pack any snack that could be a choking hazard. For example, grapes are allowed only if cut in half, fruits should be washed, pitted, and cut. All the food packed in lunch boxes must be labeled including the name of child and time of the meal (Please label the food containers, for example, snack, lunch, and afternoon program). Parents should send cutlery for the day in the lunch box. Used cutlery and meal boxes will be returned in lunch boxes without being washed at the nursery. All food should be packed in ready prepared form for eating and in a temperature safe box that will keep food hot or cold until eating time. Children will be encouraged to handle their own food containers.
♪ Family Handbook All parents will receive a soft copy of Great Minds ECC Family Handbook. The Family Handbook includes other important nursery policies and procedures. We strongly urge all parents to read this handbook thoroughly in order to understand all the policies and procedures implemented at Great Minds ECC.
♪ Curriculum - Weekly plans will be shared with parents at the beginning of each month and include daily overview of adult initiated focused activities (circle time, story time, integrated enrichment activities) and learning intentions by areas.
Weekly plans will include cosmic education, all 5 areas of learning (practical life, sensorial, language, math, cultural) Cosmic education is a cornerstone of the Montessori Philosophy. At its core, Cosmic education tells the story of the interconnectedness of all things. It describes the role of education as comprehensive, holistic and purposeful. During the first circle time bats will be having discussions and answering questions like: “What does it mean to share something equally?; “What can you do to be a good caretaker of your classroom environment? Your home environment? Your neighborhood environment? The earth? Or Are seeds important to people and why? Cosmic learning helps children to understand themselves, their world, their place in it and at the same time to connect all the learning with purpose of it.
Integrated enrichment activities are: Music, Arabic, Cooking and Sensory Class, Physical Education and Art Projects related to famous art or artist in the world.
♪ Physical Education - We have added physical education into our weekly program. An external company will be providing physical enrichment activities twice a week for the Bats students. This enrichment program includes a variety of activities that are both fun and physically challenging for your child. There will be activities such as athletics, tennis, cricket, rugby, basketball, softball, hockey, and dodgeball.
♪ Uniform Bats students are encouraged to wear the Great Minds ECC white polo shirt on a daily basis. Your child will be gifted one Great Minds ECC polo at the beginnning of the year. If you wish to purchase additional cotton polo shirts please contact the Manager, the cost for each polo shirt is AED 55.
♪ P.E. Uniform - Twice a week your child should come to to the nursery in their P.E. uniform and wearing proper sports trainers. The price of the P.E. uniform set is AED 55.
Thank you very much!
We are so excited and looking forward to spending time with your child!
Great Minds ECC Team
Dear parents,
Welcome to Great Minds ECC. Whether you are returning to school after the summer holidays or if you are new to Great Minds, we want to make sure that you have all the relevant information you need to know in order for your child to have a smooth start to the academic year.
During the first two weeks of nursery, arrival and departure timings are flexible in order to allow students a comfortable transition from the home environment to the new nursery life. However, the arrival/departure timings schedule should be confirmed with your child’s class teacher and strictly followed. New students will start attending the program two/three hours per day and according to their needs and their adjustment this will progressively increase to five hours within the first two weeks. Please see below for details:
♪ Classes - Great Minds ECC operates with 4 active classes. At Great Minds ECC each class has one designated classroom area.
♪ Induction Period and Timings - To support the transition into Great Minds, new students should have an induction period of two weeks and the timings for pick up and drop off will be confirmed with the class teacher. Once the two-week induction period has been completed (for new students) the class teacher will then discuss with parents if they feel the child requires additional time to settle in, after which a plan will be made accordingly. For old students who might be too emotional after the long summer break we will have induction period during the first week where the school day will end one hour earlier. During the first week main program will end at 12. Once the induction period has been complete the children will begin attending full day program.
| Full Day Timings | |
|---|---|
| 07:30 – 08:00 | Optional early drop off confirmed in advance |
| 08:00 – 08:10 | Drop off – Registration |
| 12:50 – 13:00 | Home time (Friday Home Time 12:20-12:30) |
| 13:00 – 17:00 | Optional afternoon program confirmed in advance |
♪ Drop off and pick up procedures - Parents should check child’s temperature before leaving the house. All the children attending should have a body temperature of 37.5 or below. Parents and staff meet on the entrance to the nursery during the drop off/pick up time. Parent’s visits should be as brief as possible. Parents should follow the time schedule given for drop off/pick up. If an additional conversation is needed, then a phone conversation or meeting can be scheduled.
The items your child needs to take with him/her depend on his/her age, and the type of program option (regular/afternoon) you have chosen. However, the following checklist offers you a general guide as to what you should consider including in your child's bag:
♪ In written form; child’s home routine about sleeping schedule, speical diaper changing instructions, eating time and food regime (preferably send in advance by e-mail). If there are any tips that make your child more comfortable when they are emotional please let us know (for example favourite rhyme).
♪ Spill-proof water bottle - Parents should send a labeled water bottle with a protective cover/lid from home. Your child needs to stay hydrated with all that running around and the Dubai weather conditions.
♪ Extra set of clothes, socks, and underwear - Preschoolers aren’t known for their careful cleanliness, so please pack at least 2 extra (seasonally appropriate) labeled change of clothes, including 2 pairs of socks. Even if your child is potty-trained, accidents are bound to happen so please provide at least extra 2 pairs of underwaer too, each set of clothing will need to be packed in seperate plastic bags, all items will be sent home daily. The items that require washing and sanitizing will be send home in the plastic packaging separetly.
♪ Shoes off policy - We follow the shoes off policy and children will be required to take off their shoes before entering the nursery building, therefore please send your child in easy to put on/take off shoes that will support your childs independence during drop off and pick up. In addition you can send an extra pair of non slipery socks or soft vinyl covers/swimming shoes for indoor time in case you don’t wish your child to be barefoot.
♪ Optional Uniform - During the day your child’s clothing can get dirty from snack time or during play time, for this reason Great Minds ECC offers an optional school uniform for the Beetles and Butterfly class which consists of a white polo shirt with the Great Minds logo on it, costing AED 55. If you wish to purchase the polo shirt please contact the Manager.
♪ Sleeping gear - If your child is in the youngest class and has a nap at the nursery, you may need to pack 2 bed sheets and 2 blankets or 2 sleeping bags, each set of bedding will need to be provided in separate plastic packaging. All Bedding will be sent home daily.
♪ Diapers, wipes, and cream - If your little one isn’t quite ready for the potty, you’ll need to send along diapers, wipes and diaper cream (if your child is using). Pack enough for the day, plus spares just to be sure. If you wish, you can leave an unopened wet wipe packet and a one week stock of unopened nappies at the nursery in plastic packaging. Your child's teacher can let you know when they need a refill. Creams and applicators need to be sent to school in a zip lock bag which will be kept in your childs bag. Please note that upon opening any cream or medicine the shelf life should be 28 days as per Dubai Health Authority guildines.
♪ Food – There is optional caternig available at Great Minds. However in case you prefer to send lunch boxes from home please make sure that food is placed in temperature safe boxes/containers. All the belongings will be kept in designated classroom cubbies which will be cleaned and disinfected daily. Great Minds ECC promotes healthy eating. Fast food or any items containing nuts, seeds, sea food, chocolate, sugary snacks, chips and desserts are not allowed. Parents should not pack any snack that could be a choking hazard. For example, grapes are allowed only if cut in half, fruits should be washed, pitted, and cut. All the food packed in lunch boxes must be labeled including the name of child and time of the meal (for example, is it morning snack/breakfast or lunch). Parents should send cutlery for the day in the lunch box. Used cutlery, meal boxes, and bibs (if provided) will be returned in lunch boxes without being washed at the nursery. All food should be packed in ready prepared form for eating and in a temperature safe box that will keep food hot or cold until eating time. Children will be encouraged to handle their own food containers. If your child is using formula or expressed breastmilk, parents should provide packed sterilised bottles, a bottle warmer, and measured formula. If a parent wishes to provide frozen breast milk it must be stored in an insulated bag with ice packs (breast milk can be safe to use for a maximum of 24 hours if stored accordingly). Please make sure you have enough bottles and expressed breastmilk or formula milk for the whole day.
♪ Comfort item - Packing your child’s pacifier or other comfort items can help during the adjustment period and separation time from parents. The comfort item must either be made from plastic or other materials that can be easily sanitized. Items must be placed in a zip lock bag and will be kept in your child’s bag. The teacher will only provide this comfort item to your child when necessary. We encourage parents do not send toys from home for entertainment reasons as this may lead to cross contamination.
♪ Family Handbook All the parents will receive a soft copy of Great Minds ECC Family Handbook. The Family Handbook includes other important nursery policies and procedures. We strongly urge all parents to read this handbook thoroughly in order to understand all the policies and procedures implemented at Great Minds ECC.
Thank you very much!
We are so excited and looking forward to spending time with your child!
Happy first days of the nursery to your child and you!
Great Minds ECC Team
This policy provides guidelines for the provision of effective formal and informal communication between parents/guardians and staff at Great Minds ECC.
Great Minds ECC is committed to:
Staff should maintain effective communication channels among themselves.
It is accepted that some adult conversation will take place within the center premises, but as professionals we must monitor how much conversation is carried out whilst working with the children. Lengthy or inappropriate personal conversations must not take place over the heads of the children. When working in the play areas discussions / conversations should be in relation to the centre, area, routines or planned play activities or experiences. Staff must not discuss individual children ‘in front’ of the children, or where they are able to hear what is being said.
Professional communication regarding the center, the program functioning and the students’ progress and well being should be undertaken during team meetings. Team meeting should take place after the morning program is completed and the majority of students have gone.
Whilst mobile phones facilitate better communication between people, they do invade privacy. Mobile phones (whether an SMS or a call) should be used with discretion and for urgent issues only and should not be used during lessons.
Parents have a responsibility to share information with the teacher as they arrive and leave the centre, with particular reference to any specific information relating to the child, also discussing any key event information and incident / accident which has occurred during the previous day.
During pick up time parents will collect their child by the teacher and share a quick piece of information. Staff should consider carefully how they speak to parents, describing how their child has been that day, always try and end the conversation with a positive point about the day or child. Staff should be conscientious, on how, where and when they discuss issues about a child. If the content of the conversation is private it is strongly advisable to arrange a meeting privately with the teacher and the manager of the center.
Communication regarding management, rules and regulations and operation of the center should be addressed to: info@greatminds.ae
Communication regarding health issues and policies and hygiene should also be addressed to:
There are several communication channels at Great Minds ECC.
Direct communication takes place during the drop off and pick up time. Where confidential or sensitive information is communicated, it must be sent in a sealed envelope to the recipient. If important information needs to be shared it is recommended to arrange a meeting with the responsible team, after the centre program is completed. Meetings can be either face to face or via zoom, teams applications. Meetings will be arranged at times that suit both parties. Where either party is unable to attend the meeting, the other party needs to be notified timeously. Should the meeting be missed an appropriate apology to the other party must be offered. Staff member will endeavor to listen, remain calm and professional, respect the parents and their concerns and meet the needs of the child first.
Direct communication can also be done via phone. Parents/guardians can communicate with the manager via phone during operating hours (Monday to Thursday 8am to 4pm and Friday 8am to 3pm). A parent should never contact a teacher on his/her mobile phone or home telephone. Communication should be polite and respectful by both parties.
Great Minds operates from Monday to Thursday 8am to 5pm and Friday 8am to 4pm. Parents/guardian could send an email any time of the day and Great Minds team will respond within 24 hours upon receive. If the email is send during weekend the team will respond within the first working day. Communication should be polite and respectful by both parties.
Great Minds operates from Monday to Thursday 8am to 5pm and Friday 8am to 4pm. Parents/guardians could send a message any time of the day and Great Minds team will respond within 24 hours upon receive. If the message is send during weekend the team will respond within the first working day. Communication should be polite and respectful by both parties.
| Document reviewed on May 2024 | Reviewed on behalf of Great Minds ECC by Areti Panagiotou |
| Date for next review June 2025 | |
| Where this document is displayed | Additional Policies 2024-2025 |
The Intimate Care Policy and Guidelines Regarding Children have been developed to safeguard children and staff. They apply to everyone involved in the intimate care of children. Children with determination can be especially vulnerable. Staff involved with their intimate care need to be sensitive to their individual needs.
are essential throughout the day to ensure children’s basic needs are met. This may include:
Upon registration parents should provide the child’s home routine. This list provides valuable information about the child’s routine and wellbeing and should be shared with the staff to ensure continuity and safety at the centre. The list includes:
The technical definition of toilet training is a planned and deliberate approach to teaching a child to become aware of their body’s toileting needs, interpret their body’s toileting messages, and then to respond appropriately to those messages. The simple definition is to teach your child to put their potty in the toilet and not in their diaper or underwear.
When Should I Begin Toilet Training My Child?
There is not a magical age to begin toilet training. The best time to begin toilet training is not at a certain age, but rather when your child is developmentally ready. Each child is a unique individual and grows and develops skills at their own pace. Your child must have the physical, emotional, cognitive, and self-help skills necessary to be successful at toilet training. You will know that your child is ready to begin potty training when you see these signs:
Tips to toilet training if your toddler is ready.
What Happens at Early Childhood Center?
When you feel that your child is ready to begin toilet training, the first step is to set up a toilet-training conference with your child’s teacher. At this conference, we will reflect on your child’s development and review the potty-training signs. Once the parent and their teacher make the decision to begin toilet training, a toilet-Training Plan will be developed. This plan addresses:
This plan builds good communication between parents and their child’s teacher and insures consistency between home and school. Consistency between home and school has a direct impact on the child’s toilet-training success. Communication between parent and teacher is crucial if something is not working, or a change needs to be made to the Toilet-Training Plan, set up time to communicate those needs.
As per Great Minds ECC policy child will start coming in underwear only when the child is dry for two consecutive days at home.
Parents are requested to send their child to ECC in comfortable, easy to manage, washable clothing.
In order to maintain the child’s privacy, the majority of these actions will take place on a one-to-one basis and wherever possible will be supported by the child’s key person or the identified ‘significant other’ with the exception of the first aid treatment that will be conducted by a qualified first aider. We wish to ensure the safety and welfare of the children involved in intimate care routines and ensure the staff member involved is fully supported and able to perform their duties safely and confidently.
The following are the fundamental principles upon which the Policy and Guidelines are based on:
| Document reviewed on May 2024 | Reviewed on behalf of Great Minds ECC by Ana Stevanov |
| Date for next review June 2025 | |
| Where this document is displayed | Policies 2024-2025 |
Nutrition begins with food. Nutrition is the process by which the body nourishes itself by transforming food into energy and body tissues.
A good diet protects your child from illness & a healthy, nutritious meal is essential for a healthy body.
Young children’s need for energy and nutrients is high but their appetites are small and they can be fussy eaters too. It can therefore be a challenge to get a child’s diet right.
Pre school children normally eat the amount they want, even if it seems they’re not taking in very much. At this age children are often good at regulating their appetite. If they are not hungry, insisting on larger amounts of food can create a battle and lead to longer term issues with food.
We at Great Minds ECC recognize the importance of children being provided with healthy, nutritious & wholesome food as part of a balanced diet.
Good eating habits are promoted from the youngest of ages & we hope this initiative will set the pattern for a child’s future relationship with food.
Children’s intake should be based on the following to ensure that they get all the important nutrients:
At least one kind of starch carbohydrate such as bread, rice, pasta, noodles, quinoa, amaranth, millet, cereal or potatoes should be served with their meal (preferably lunch). These provide the energy needed to learn, play and live – include brown rice and whole meal bread (rather than white).
Recommendation: It is recommended that at least fifty percent of your cereal intake should come from whole grains and cereals high in fiber such as brown rice, whole wheat breads, and whole-wheat pastas. The main nutrients provided by this group are carbohydrates, B vitamins, and fibers.
Children should have at least three servings a day, where a serving is about a handful in size. Frozen or canned fruit and vegetables should be avoided. Fruits & vegetables are a good source of vitamins which promote healthy skin and support the immune system to help prevent or even fight illness.
Recommendation: It is recommended to choose whole and freshly cut fruits and vegetables over canned fruits in syrups
This group consists of meat (chicken and red meat), eggs, seafood such as fish (especially oily fish) and shellfish. This group also consists of all the legumes, pulses and beans such as kidney beans, green beans, soybeans, lentils, and chickpeas.
Recommendation: Choose boiled, grilled and lean meats over fried or highly processed meat products such as canned meats, and deli meats. The main nutrients provided by this group of foods are proteins, and iron mainly from meat.
These are an important source of calcium. Children should have the equivalent of 300-500ml of milk a day. Consider whole pasteurized cow’s milk (3.25% milk fat) or whole pasteurized goat’s milk fortified with vitamin D and folic acid. Milk, yogurt, cheese are all considered from the dairy group. Milk can be used on cereals or in drinks, puddings and sauces. Grated cheese, cheese spread or cheese portions can be used on sandwiches or toast or even eaten alone. These help to develop healthy teeth, bones and muscles.
Our meal times are important & enjoyable for both staff & children. Sharing the same meal time facilitates calm social interaction & table-top etiquette.
Recommendation: Low fat milk and milk products are preferred over full fat milk. Processed cheese slices and spreads, and creams etc should be limited. The main nutrients provided by this group of foods are protein, calcium and Vitamin D.
This group includes all the food items that provide fats and oil. Olive oil, butter, vegetable oil, lard, ghee, nuts and oilseeds are under this category. Healthier sources of fat are sunflower oil, olive oil, canola oil, and other plant based oils.
Recommendation: Consume at least one spoon every day to ensure good intake of healthy fats. Avoid excess consumption of foods cooked in partially hydrogenated or saturated fats. The main nutrients provided by this group are essential fatty acids. Avoid deep fried food, margarine, butter, food cooked in lard, full cream in desserts, fried & sugar coated nuts.
Human body consists of 60% of water. Therefore, it is important to keep the body hydrated at all times.
Recommendation: Best sources of fluids are plain water, low fat milk, and fresh fruit and vegetable juices. Children should avoid drinks with added sugar such as flavored drinks, and vitamin waters, sports drinks, energy drinks etc. Fresh fruit juices should be preferred over canned and bottled juices.
Choose from natural water, home made soup, fresh juices. They provide minerals & electrolytes. Avoid soft drinks, sugary beverages, energy drinks.
| Foods to provide | Examples of foods that could be provided |
|---|---|
|
A portion of starchy food (provide a variety of different starchy foods each week, including a wholegrain variety for lunch once a week) |
White or wholegrain bread, rolls, pitta bread or wraps. Quinoa, millet, amaranth. Chapattis, plain naan, bread, bagels. Cooked pasta, rice, noodles, couscous or potato. |
|
At least one portion of fruit and/or vegetables (provide a variety of different fruit and vegetables each week) |
Carrot, cucumber, pepper or celery sticks. Lentils included in dal. Grated carrot in sandwiches or wraps. Fresh fruit such as sliced apple, banana, grapes cut in halves, mixed chopped fruit or strawberries. Dried fruit such as raisins or apricots. |
|
A portion of meat, fish, eggs, beans or other non-dairy sources of protein (provide a variety of different foods each week) |
Sliced meat, poultry or fish in sandwiches, rolls or wraps, or by itself. Sliced egg in sandwiches, rolls or wraps. Meat alternatives such as tofu in salads. Pulses such as kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, as part of bean salads. |
| A portion of milk or dairy food. | A pot of yoghurt Cheese in sandwiches or wraps. Whole milk (for children aged one to two) or semi-skimmed (for children two and over) to drink. |
| Desserts, cakes, biscuits | Desserts, cakes and biscuits made with cereals, milk or fruit only. Without sugar, nuts, chocolate or sugary toppings. |
| A drink | Whole milk (for children aged one to two) or semi-skimmed (for children aged two and over). Water. |
Poor eating habits are major risk factors for chronic diseases. Poor diet can have both long-term and short-term effects on children. Some health impacts are; Obesity, Diabetes, Undernutrition/Malnutrition, Eating Disorders
Children and adolescents who are obese are likely to be obese as adults and are therefore more at risk for health problems such as heart disease, type-2 diabetes, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis.
These would includes;
| Crustaceans and their products (prawns, shells) | Peanuts and their products |
| Soybeans and their products | Tree nuts and their products |
| Sesame seeds and their products | Fish and fish products |
| Egg and egg products | Milk and milk products |
| Gluten and cereals containing gluten (wheat, rye, oats, barley and spelt). |
Birthday Celebrations: We are happy to celebrate your child’s birthday at the center. For the Montessori birthday celebration, we request you to send us only photographs of your child. Please send us one photo when your child was a newborn baby and follow with one photo for each year. (hard copies or soft copies sent by email). Should you wish to provide any additional goody bags to friends of your child please be informed that they must not include any food. All the goody bags will be given to parents during pick up time.
A Person in Charge (PIC) is appointed to have overall responsibility of running, proper functioning & ensuring food safety with regards to catering in the center.
The PIC must be certified under the Food Control Department.
The main responsibilities of the PIC is;
Foodborne Illnesses
Consuming food that maybe contaminated can cause illnesses. There are different types of bacteria & viruses that can contaminate food. The main ways of contamination include
What are the factors that encourage growth of bacteria/viruses?
Food that is allowed under Islamic law. This includes animals & poultry ritually slaughtered by Zabiah.
Unlawful food described as Haram include pork & pork by products, blood, animals dead before slaughter, carnivorous animals, birds of prey, alcohol & or any food contaminated by these products.
NON-HALAL FOOD PRODUCTS ARE NOT HANDLED AT OUR CENTER
Common Food Hazards are as follows;
It is the physical transfer of harmful bacteria from one source of food to another either directly (touch, droplets) or indirectly (cutlery).
In order to ensure Operational Hygiene is maintained, the following is followed;
No employee known to have illnesses is allowed to work in food preparation until at least 48 hours after their illness & associated symptoms have passed. Illnesses must be reported to the manager immediately.
Employees who have open wounds, burns, cuts, abrasions, boils or any skin infection must refrain from handling food or must cover the area. (water proof protector/plasters)
A log must be maintained to report food borne illnesses & the Dubai Municipality must be contacted.
Pest Control contracts are to be maintained to ensure the center is pest free with periodical pest control visits.
Garbage bins should have foot operated lids to avoid hand contact. Garbage bins must be emptied regularly if more than half of the bin is full.
Cleaning followed by disinfection is an important aspect when in the food production area.
High risk areas of contamination that is the work surface area, hot water & detergent, chemical disinfectant, rinsing & air drying must be followed.
Low risk areas of contamination that is the floor, hot water & detergent, rinsing & air drying must be followed.
The PIC should keep a log of;
Hot Food may be kept on display or kept before serving below 60C for a period of 2 hours. After this it must be discarded & not ingested. Cold Food must be kept 5C or below for a maximum of 4 hours & then discarded. Deliver, unpacking, preparation & display must all be considered when calculation the number of hours. This is called the 2 hour/4 hour rule.
Food must be clearly labelled with an expiry date.
A temperature probe is to be used to check the center/thickest part of the food. It is accurate to +/- 1C. The thermometers must be calibrated regularly according to the manufacturer’s instruction. These probes must be cleaned well & dried before use.
Re-heating of food is safe as long as food is cooled down before & then reheated to a temperature higher that cooking temperature (75C). Food cannot be re heated more than once.
Baby Eats Company provides pre-ordered and pre-paid optional catering for Great Minds ECC:
| Document reviewed on May 2024 | Reviewed on behalf of Great Minds ECC by Ana Stevanov |
| Date for next review June 2025 | |
| Where this document is displayed | Additional Policies 2024-2025 |