Deployment of volunteers and parent helpers

Last updated: July 30 2024

Last reviewed: July 30 2024

Volunteers and parent helpers are always under the supervision of a permanent member of staff. They are not included in staff ratios, or as the two members of staff needed on the premises before children are admitted in the morning or at the end of the day. (This can be removed for sessional settings, who operate with 2 or 3 members of staff where the volunteer helper enables the session to run, while the play leader in charge finds cover staff.)

• The setting manager ensures that volunteers and parent helpers are deployed to assist permanent staff.

• Volunteers and parent helpers assist staff in ensuring that the equipment in their designated area is used appropriately and that it is left tidy at the end of the session.

• Volunteers and parent helpers give additional support for busy areas or to track or observe children.

• Volunteers and parent helpers inform colleagues where they are going if they leave the room at any time.

• Volunteers and parent helpers do not have unsupervised access to children; they do not take them into a separate room for an activity or toileting and do not take them off premises.

• Volunteers and parent helpers are deployed in addition to two members of staff in the garden/outdoor area when in use.

• The setting manager can direct volunteers and parent helpers to join those outside if the numbers of children warrant additional numbers of staff available.

• Volunteers and parent helpers focus their attention to children at all times.

• Volunteers and parent helpers do not spend time in social conversation with colleagues while they are with children.

• Volunteers and parent helpers allow time for colleagues to engage in ‘sustained shared interaction’ with children and do not interrupt activities led by colleagues.

• Sufficient volunteers and parent helpers are available to support staff at story times.