The Role of Parent Directors
Extract from Coram Family and Childcare Trust report
Directors have joint responsibility, working alongside the nursery manager, to make sure the nursery works well and delivers high quality care. The group of directors will need to make sure that the nursery gets set up and is running in line with its aims – this does not mean doing everything, but making sure that everything gets done. Directors work together as a team and with other involved parents, the nursery manager and the team of childcare professionals once they have been recruited.
Parents who do not wish, or are unable, to become directors are still able and invited to contribute as much as they want to the running of the nursery and will still have a say in key decisions affecting the nursery and their children’s care.
Working as a group, the directors will be responsible for:
What do parents get out of being a director?
What skills would it be useful for a director to have?
It’s great if different directors can bring different skills and experiences to the group so that collectively it is possible to understand a wide range of parent perspectives. Some of the things that might be useful are:
Are there any liabilities from being a director?
Friendly Families Nursery set up as a CIO (Charity Incorporated Organisation), which means that Directors are protected from having liability for any costs or debts from the nursery.
How much time do people need to commit?
The Director team needs to meet regularly (monthly but more often if necessary) to update and review progress. Between meetings it is likely that parents would spend on average 1 or 2 hours a week on their tasks – this may increase at particular times, for example during staff recruitment. Whilst the nursery is setting up, it is likely that parents will meet more frequently in order to agree the aims and objectives of the nursery and register the new organisation. It is likely that there will be a turnover of Directors as parents will move on when their children leave to go to school. It is useful to expect Directors to commit to a minimum period in post, for example at least 6 months.
Who is not allowed to be a director?
There are a few factors that might disqualify someone from working as a Director of your charitable nursery:
Does agreeing to become a director mean committing to sending their child to the nursery?
At Friendly Families Nursery the majority of Directors are also parents of children at the nursery. This is useful as it gives the Directors a first-hand insight in to the day to day operation of the setting. However, it has also been useful to have Directors who do not have children at the nursery. Having directors from your local community will build wider support and engagement for your setting. The CIO structure means that it is straightforward to add or remove directors.
Parents who do not wish, or are unable, to become directors are still able and invited to contribute as much as they want to the running of the nursery and will still have a say in key decisions affecting the nursery and their children’s care.
Working as a group, the directors will be responsible for:
- Mission and strategy: creating long term and short term goals, getting these approved by parents and working with the staff team to make sure that the charity delivers its purpose.
- Engaging local families: spreading the word locally about the nursery, meeting parents in Deptford, placing flyers at local libraries, organising community events or creating a partnership with other children centers.
- Building and grounds: working with the nursery manager and staff members to make sure that the nursery and garden are well maintained with the key focus on creating a safe, caring and stimulating environment that promotes learning through play.
- Recruitment and training: creating a recruitment process, interviewing candidates, putting in place policies and procedures for staff and volunteers’ ongoing development , organising training and learning opportunities for staff and parents.
- Nominated person: acting as the main contact for Ofsted, working with the nursery manager to make sure the nursery meets Ofsted’s requirements and supporting registration and inspections.
- Secretary: setting up the meetings of the directors and sharing notes from the meetings and spreading news to parents, for example through a newsletter.
- Financial Management: supporting the nursery manager to make sure that the nursery is keeping to budget and keeping to charity finance reporting requirements.
What do parents get out of being a director?
- Opportunity to help build a nursery that works for the local community
- Gain new skills and experiences – these can be included in a CV
- Gain a formal role for the voluntary work they are doing
What skills would it be useful for a director to have?
It’s great if different directors can bring different skills and experiences to the group so that collectively it is possible to understand a wide range of parent perspectives. Some of the things that might be useful are:
- Good links within the local community
- Speaking another language that it is widely spoken locally
- Enjoy organising events, perhaps for local families or community members
- Experience of working with children
- Experience of managing a budget or financial skills
- Experience of managing projects
- Experience of managing staff
Are there any liabilities from being a director?
Friendly Families Nursery set up as a CIO (Charity Incorporated Organisation), which means that Directors are protected from having liability for any costs or debts from the nursery.
How much time do people need to commit?
The Director team needs to meet regularly (monthly but more often if necessary) to update and review progress. Between meetings it is likely that parents would spend on average 1 or 2 hours a week on their tasks – this may increase at particular times, for example during staff recruitment. Whilst the nursery is setting up, it is likely that parents will meet more frequently in order to agree the aims and objectives of the nursery and register the new organisation. It is likely that there will be a turnover of Directors as parents will move on when their children leave to go to school. It is useful to expect Directors to commit to a minimum period in post, for example at least 6 months.
Who is not allowed to be a director?
There are a few factors that might disqualify someone from working as a Director of your charitable nursery:
- Not being able to pass a DBS (criminal record) check
- Being bankrupt or entering into a formal arrangement with a creditor
- Previous removal as charity trustee because of wrongdoing (misconduct or mismanagement)
- Being on the sex offenders register
Does agreeing to become a director mean committing to sending their child to the nursery?
At Friendly Families Nursery the majority of Directors are also parents of children at the nursery. This is useful as it gives the Directors a first-hand insight in to the day to day operation of the setting. However, it has also been useful to have Directors who do not have children at the nursery. Having directors from your local community will build wider support and engagement for your setting. The CIO structure means that it is straightforward to add or remove directors.