Children’s Behaviour Policy

The Hangout Holiday Club recognises the responsibility to support, understand and manage children’s behaviour in an appropriate way. The Hangout Holiday Club uses effective behaviour management strategies to promote the welfare, enjoyment and safety of children attending the club. Working in partnership with parents, we aim to support children’s behaviour using clear, consistent and positive strategies, and with adults modelling positive behaviour. We recognise that supporting behaviour isn’t a universal approach and that we must develop strategies of support appropriate to each child, whilst balancing and maintaining the safety and enjoyment of all children who attend.

Whilst at The Hangout Holiday Club we will support children to:

• Use socially acceptable behaviour

• Comply with the Club rules, which are compiled by the children attending the club

• Respect one another, accepting differences of race, gender, ability, age and religion

• Develop their independence by maintaining self-discipline

• Choose and participate in a variety of activities

• Ask for help if needed

• Enjoy their time at the Club.

Encouraging positive behaviour

At The Hangout Holiday Club positive behaviour is encouraged by:

• Staff acting as positive role models

• Praising appropriate behaviour

• Sticker rewards

• Informing parents about individual achievements

• Offering a variety of play opportunities to meet the needs of children attending the Club.

It is inevitable that as children develop and learn, there are times when they need support and guidance to understand that their behaviour is not acceptable. Staff at the Club will try to determine the cause or triggers of the inappropriate behaviour to prevent the situation from recurring. 

Dealing with inappropriate behaviour

• Unacceptable behaviour will be addressed in a calm, clear and positive manner. 

• In the first instance, the staff will remind the child that their behaviour is not acceptable.

• Staff will engage in a private discussion with the child about why the behaviour displayed is deemed inappropriate.

• Staff will give the child an opportunity to explain their behaviour, to help prevent a recurrence.

• Staff will encourage and facilitate mediation between children to try to resolve conflicts through discussion and negotiation.

• If the inappropriate behaviour appears to be as a result of boredom, staff will consult with the child to find activities that more fully engage them and reflect on the environment, set up and suitability of play opportunities.

• Staff will consult with parents to formulate clear strategies for dealing with persistent inappropriate behaviour.

• Staff will seek support wherever necessary from the child’s class teacher or other professional known to the family.

• No staff member will ever threaten any punishment that could adversely affect a child’s well-being (eg withdrawal of food or drink).

• Staff will always promote the dignity of, and respect for, the child in handling behaviour incidences.

If after consultation with parents and the implementation of behaviour management strategies, a child continues to display inappropriate behaviour that poses a risk to themselves, staff or other children or property, the Club may decide to exclude the child in accordance with our Suspensions and Exclusions policy. The reasons and processes involved will be clearly explained to the child wherever appropriate and in line with the parent’s wishes.

Physical intervention

Physical intervention will only be used as a last resort, when staff believe that action is necessary to prevent injury to the child or others, or to prevent significant damage to equipment or property. If a member of staff has to physically restrain a child, the manager will be notified and an Incident record will be completed. The incident will be discussed with the parent or carer as soon as possible. 

If staff are not confident about their ability to contain a situation, they should call the manager or, in extreme cases, the police.

All serious incidents will be recorded on an Incident record and kept in the child’s file. This may be used to build a pattern of behaviour, which may indicate an underlying cause. If a pattern of incidents indicates possible abuse, we will implement child protection procedures in accordance with our Safeguarding policy.

Corporal punishment

Corporal punishment or the threat of corporal punishment will never be used at the Club.

We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that no child who attends our Club receives corporal punishment from any person who cares for or is in regular contact with the child, or from any other person on our premises.