WHY DID WE START CONSULTING?

In March 2018, I took over ownership of a day nursery in Eastbourne. After my first tour of the building, it was apparent that a lot needed to change in order for the nursery to get to a decent standard. Shortly after taking over, I was informed that the setting had been issued with an untold amount of Welfare Requirements from Ofsted, I spoke with the regulatory officer and was told the only reason why they did not close the setting was because I was taking over the nursery from the previous owners. It was clear that drastic action needed to be taken and with the help of my colleague, we drafted an action plan for the setting. It was a massive 19 pages! Every area was considered, from safeguarding and welfare, to risk assessments, staff practice and the nursery’s resources.

We gave the setting received intensive support and after six months we had the call, Ofsted was coming. An inspection is always a stressful experience however, we were all able to breathe a huge sigh of relief when we received a ‘solid’ good for our inspection. The action plan was fundamental to the positive outcome of this inspection and to this day, the setting continues to use this resource as their Self Evaluation Format (SEF).

It was at that point that I was inspired to help other settings in need and so DWM Early Years Consultants was born.

Towards the end of 2018, we worked with a setting regarding a safeguarding issue. We supported the setting through the entire process. We ensured policies and procedures were reviewed and also set up an action plan to ensure the issue didn’t arise once again.

Working with settings on an ongoing basis has been a real privilege as we are passionate about helping settings and seeing the improvements embedded into practice. Owning two settings is invaluable in working with other owners and managers because I understand the pressures and stress that are faced when working in the Early Years Sector.

A lot of our work has involved supporting existing settings, however we also provide support for those of you who are thinking about taking the plunge and opening a childcare setting yourself. We are thrilled to be a helping hand in this process and can’t wait to see a few new settings open in the next few months.

We are often asked “What exactly do you do?”. The answer is quite simple really; as you plan for each child’s individual journey, we create an individual plan for your setting. We all know that you cannot use the same approach for all children and the same can be said for childcare settings. That is what we love most about working different nurseries and their staff, no two days are the same!

Not only do we provide services across the board for a childcare establishment, we are also there to support you and your staff. We are thrilled to have this opportunity and look forward to working with you.

DWM Early Years Consultant
Ben Theobald