Important information for parents and carers before booking

Bake N Play takes food allergies and children's safety seriously. Our after-school clubs involve hands-on food preparation, children working together and the use of ingredients that are prepared and pre-portioned before each session.

Before booking

Parents and carers must tell Bake N Play about any food allergy, coeliac disease, medically required dietary restriction, asthma associated with an allergy, or other medical condition that may affect safe participation.

Please provide complete and current information when booking. Where relevant, Bake N Play may ask you for further information, including your child's current Allergy Action Plan or Individual Healthcare Plan, before confirming how your child can safely participate.

Providing allergy information does not automatically confirm that Bake N Play can accommodate the allergy in every food activity.

How our sessions work

·        Children may work together at shared tables and use shared preparation areas and equipment.

·        Ingredients are prepared and pre-portioned before sessions. Facilitators are not permitted to independently replace, add or substitute ingredients during a class.

·        Some recipes contain ingredients that are fundamental to the activity and cannot always be safely or practically substituted.

·        For these reasons, complete separation from a particular allergen may not always be possible.

Our allergy-aware approach

Bake N Play operates an allergy-aware environment. We take reasonable steps to manage identified allergy risks, including ingredient and allergen controls, staff training, cross-contact controls, communication of relevant allergy information and emergency procedures.

We cannot guarantee a nut-free or allergen-free environment. Ingredients may have been produced or handled in environments where allergens are present.

Please be aware that

·        Bake N Play operates an allergy-aware environment, not an allergen-free environment. We cannot guarantee the absence of allergens or cross-contact.

·        Some recipes contain ingredients that are essential to the activity and cannot always be safely or practically substituted.

·        Children work together during activities, so complete separation from particular ingredients may not always be possible.

·        Ingredients are prepared and pre-portioned before sessions. Facilitators cannot independently change, replace or add ingredients during a class.

·        Providing allergy information does not automatically confirm that we can safely accommodate the allergy in every activity.

·        Where an allergy is disclosed, we may contact you for further information, including a current Allergy Action Plan or other relevant medical information, before confirming how your child can participate.

·        If, following an individual assessment, we cannot reduce the risk to an acceptable level, your child may be unable to participate in a particular food activity. Where reasonably possible, we will consider an appropriate alternative way for them to participate.

Parents and carers are responsible for providing complete and current information and for notifying Bake N Play before the next session if their child's allergy, medication, Action Plan or relevant medical information changes.

Can my child participate if they have an allergy?

Where an allergy or medical dietary requirement is disclosed, Bake N Play will consider the child's individual needs and whether reasonable adjustments can be made safely.

Depending on the circumstances, this could include:

·        an approved alternative ingredient or recipe;

·        additional practical controls;

·        a modified role within the activity; or

·        another appropriate form of participation.

However, there may be occasions where:

·        the allergen is integral to the recipe;

·        an appropriate approved substitute is unavailable;

·        team working or shared preparation creates a level of cross-contact risk that cannot be sufficiently controlled;

·        the child's required medical or emergency arrangements cannot be safely supported for that activity; or

·        another identified risk means the activity cannot be delivered safely.

In these circumstances, Bake N Play may determine that the child cannot safely participate in that particular food activity. Where reasonably possible, we will consider an appropriate alternative way for the child to participate.

Parent and carer responsibilities

Parents and carers are responsible for providing Bake N Play with complete and current information about their child's allergies and relevant medical requirements.

You must notify Bake N Play before your child's next session if there is any change to their:

·        allergy or medical condition;

·        prescribed emergency medication;

·        Allergy Action Plan or Individual Healthcare Plan; or

·        relevant medical advice.

Please do not assume that information provided directly to the school has automatically been provided to Bake N Play.

If you are unsure whether your child's needs can be accommodated, please contact Bake N Play before booking.

Emergency arrangements

Bake N Play facilitators complete the allergy-awareness training required by Bake N Play and follow our operational allergy-safety procedures. During after-school provision we also work within the host school's emergency arrangements and relevant individual Allergy Action Plans/IHPs.

If a serious allergic reaction or suspected anaphylaxis occurs, the child's emergency plan will be followed and emergency medical assistance sought.

If you have any questions, please contact us directly at [info@dolcesenso.co.uk].