Minister welcomes Millie’s Mark accreditation to Wales
Julie Morgan MS, Deputy Minister for Social Services visited the first nursery in Wales to be awarded Millie’s Mark accreditation, with the hope more settings in Wales will consider working towards this valuable accreditation.
Millie’s Mark is the gold standard in paediatric first aid for childcare providers. National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) have worked with the Welsh Government and Millie’s Trust to ensure that Millie’s Mark is aligned with the National Minimum Standards for Wales and is available to all early years settings across the country.
Staff and children at Toadhall Montessori Nursery were delighted to welcome and celebrate with Julie Morgan MS, Deputy Minister for Social Services, Dan Thompson from Millie’s Trust and Purnima Tanuku OBE from NDNA which administers Millie’s Mark on behalf of Millie’s Trust.
Millie’s Mark is owned by first aid charity Millie’s Trust and is named after Millie Thompson who died following an incident in a nursery. The scheme is administered by National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) which is the largest early years charity, supporting nurseries across the UK.
Julie Morgan MS, Deputy Minister for Social Services, said: “I am pleased to welcome Millie’s Mark accreditation to Wales. Accreditation provides parents and carers with extra confidence that as well as meeting the paediatric first aid requirements within the National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare, a setting is going above and beyond by ensuring all staff within the setting are trained in paediatric first aid, keeping children safe and minimising risks and accidents.
I hope more settings in Wales consider working towards Millie’s Mark accreditation and would like to take this opportunity to thank those I have met today who were fundamental in bringing Millie’s Mark to Wales.”
Millie’s parents Joanne and Dan Thompson who set up Millie’s Trust said:
“We are so proud that Millie’s Mark has been launched in Wales, our daughter’s legacy being that it keeps children safer is truly an honour for us as a family. We strive to keep children’s safety at the forefront of every childcarer’s mind and Millie’s Mark allows this standard to be maintained consistently.”
A Millie’s Mark pilot was run in Wales to make sure the process was appropriate with key documents being able to be translated into Welsh. Millie’s Mark meets and goes beyond the National Minimum Standards and has been drawn up in line with the statutory requirements.
Purnima Tanuku OBE, Chief Executive of National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) Cymru, said: “We are delighted that Millie’s Mark is available across Wales and we congratulate Toadhall Montessori Nursery on being the first nursery in the country to be awarded accreditation.
“Millie’s Mark is an exceptional achievement for a childcare setting as it shows they are going above and beyond minimum requirements in keeping children safe. Millie’s Mark provides reassurance to parents that all childcare practitioners at their child’s nursery are paediatric first aid trained and competent and ready to give emergency aid if required.
“To secure the award, settings must place emphasis on staff training and confidence. They also have to demonstrate how they will keep staff knowledge fresh in their minds and up to date.
“We are grateful to all those who have worked hard to make sure the accreditation meets the requirements of the National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare and look forward to awarding many childcare providers across the country.”
Commenting on being awarded the Millie’s Mark, Sandy Clayton of Toadhall Montessori Nursery said:
“We are so proud and delighted to be the first childcare setting in Wales to achieve the Millie’s Mark award.
“We have always ensured all staff undertake the 12 hour Paediatric First Aid training every three years, but I felt staff needed lots of practical opportunities to know exactly what to do in a variety of medical situations and emergencies within the context of their daily routines and different environments.
“Millie’s Mark was the perfect accreditation process to enable this, raising the importance of Paediatric First Aid and keeping every child safe. My staff have worked hard to improve their knowledge, understanding and practical skills during the accreditation process, and now feel much more confident and competent to deal with an emergency, should it arise.
“The Millie’s Mark accreditation is an ongoing process, and we understand the importance of continually monitoring our Paediatric First Aid performance and practice, to ensure our understanding, knowledge and skills are maintained and enhanced.
“Our parents feel increased reassurance and peace of mind, knowing that we have gained the Millie’s Mark and that all staff caring for their children are able to deal with an emergency.”
- England
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