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Safer food

bet ter business

for childminders

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How to use this pack

Welcome to Safer food, better busi-

ness for childminders

Is this pack for me?

This pack is for you if you are a registered

childminder or childcarer on domestic premises

(where you look after children in your home) and

you usually provide meals and drinks for the children

in your care. It will help you comply with the law.

Do you usually:

• providemeals,snacksordrinks(apartfrommainstap

water) for children or babies?

Yes No

and/or

• reheatfoodprovidedbyaparent/carer,orcutitup?

Yes No

If you said yestooneorbothofthesequestions,thenthis

packisforyou.Ifyouprovidefoodforchildreninyourcare,

you must comply with food safety and hygiene regulations.

If you think this pack does not cover all the food

preparationandcookingyoudo,contacttheenvironmental

health service at your local authority for advice.

If no (you don’t usually do either of these things) and you

justdothefollowing,youdonothavetousethispack:

• keeppackedlunchesinyourfridgethatarebroughtby

parents/carers

and/or

• provideplatesandcutleryforthechildrentousetoeat

their own packed lunches

and/or

• onlyprovidefoodoccasionally,e.g.abirthdaycakefor

oneofthechildren,orifaparent/carerhasbeendelayed

in picking up a child

Ifyouarenotsurewhethertousethispack,contactthe

environmental health service at your local authority for

advice.

Home childcarers and nannies who look after children in

the child’s home do not need to use this pack.

Ifyourunchildcareonnon-domesticpremises,e.g.a

nursery,youshouldusethepackcalled‘Saferfood,better

businessforcaterers’.However,youmayndsomeofthe

informationinthispackuseful,e.g.theadviceonfeeding

babies and children.

How does this pack help me comply with the

law?

Food safety and hygiene regulations say that you must

be able to show what you do to make sure the food you

provide for children and babies is safe to eat. You must also

have this written down and the pack helps you to do this.

This pack is based on the principles of HACCP (hazard

analysisandcriticalcontrolpoint),butyouwillnotnd

wordssuchas‘HACCP’or‘hazard’inthepackbecausewe

have cut out all the jargon.

ThepackhasbeendevelopedbytheFoodStandards

Agencytobepracticalandeasytouse,withaslittle

paperwork as possible.

TherearealsofoodhygienerequirementsintheStatutory

Framework for the Early Years Foundation stage and

other regulations that form part of your registration as

a childminder/childcarer.

In England you can get further information on these from

Ofsted(theOfceforStandardsinEducation,Children’s

ServicesandSkills)orinWalesfromtheCareandSocial

ServicesInspectorateWalesorinScotlandfromtheCare

Inspectorate. These requirements do not apply in Northern

Ireland.

Who should take charge of the pack? As a registered childminder/childcarer you should take

charge of this pack.

Can I use Safer food, better business for caterers

instead?

IfyouarealreadyusingSaferfood,betterbusinessfor

caterers,youcancontinueusingitifyouprefer.

How does the pack work?

Thepackcontainseight‘safemethod’sheetsandadiary.Thesafemethodsaredividedintofourdifferent

sections,eachwithadifferentcolourandsymbol.Thesectionsarenamedafter‘the4Cs’,whicharethefour

mainthingstorememberforgoodfoodhygiene:Cross-contamination,Cleaning,ChillingandCooking.Thereis

also a diary section.

Cross-contamination

Cross-contamination is one of the most common causes of food poisoning. It happens when harmful bacteria are

spreadontofoodfromotherfood,worktops,handsorequipment/utensils.Theseharmfulbacteriaoftencome

fromrawmeat/poultry,sh,eggsandunwashedvegetables.Othersourcesofbacteriacanincludepeople,pests,

pets,nappiesandlaundry.

Foodalsoneedsprotectingfrom‘chemicalcontamination’(wherechemicalsgetintofood,e.g.cleaningproducts)

andfrom‘physicalcontamination’(whereobjectsgetintofoode.g.brokenglass).

Cleaning

Effective cleaning is essential to get rid of harmful bacteria and stop them spreading to food.

Chilling

Chillingfoodproperlyhelpstostopharmfulbacteriafromgrowing.Somefoodsneedtobekeptchilledtokeep

themsafe,suchasfoodswitha‘useby’date.Youalsoneedtotakecarewithfrozenfoods,especiallywhen

defrosting.

Cooking

Itisessentialtocookfoodproperlytokillanyharmfulbacteria.Ifitisnotcookedorreheatedproperly,itmightnot

besafeforchildrenorbabiestoeat.Somefoodsalsoneedextracare,suchasinfantformulaandbreastmilk.

Diary

The diary is an important part of the pack. It helps you keep the records you need to comply with the law. The

diarycontains‘actionsheets’and‘3-monthlyreview’sheets.Youcanndoutmoreabouttheseunder‘Howtouse

the diary’ below – and in the introduction to the diary section.

How to use the safe methods

Safe method:

Keeping food cold

It is very important to keep certain foods cold because harmful

bacteria can grow in them if they are not chilled properly. It is

also important to take care when freezing or defrosting food.

Safety point Why? How do you do this?

Certain foods need to be kept in the

fridge to keep them safe e.g.

• food with a ‘use by’ date

• food that says ‘keep refrigerated’

on the label

• cooked food e.g. food you have

cooked in advance or leftovers

• ready-to-eat food such as

sandwiches, salads and some

desserts

Put food that you buy frozen e.g.

ice cream, in the freezer straight

away unless you are going to use it

immediately.

If these types of food are not kept

cold enough, harmful bacteria

could grow.

Do you put these types of food into

the fridge (or freezer) straight away:

• when you return with shopping or

when food is delivered?

• when a parent/guardian brings

food?

• after you have used it?

• after you have cooked and cooled

down food?

If not, what do you do?

Make sure that you do not use food

after its ‘use by’ date.

Food that has passed its ‘use by’

date might not be safe to eat.

It is a good idea to check ‘use by’

dates every day.

Make sure your fridge is set at 5°C

or below and your freezer is working

properly.

You should check the temperature of

your fridge every day. You only need

to write it down if something goes

wrong.

Setting your fridge at 5°C will

make sure the food is kept at

8°C or below. This is a legal

requirement in England, Wales

and Northern Ireland, and

recommended in Scotland.

You can check this using a fridge

thermometer. Some fridges will

have a digital display to show what

temperature they are set at but

you should check regularly that the

temperature shown on the display is

accurate, using a fridge thermometer.

If you take food (e.g. sandwiches or

yoghurts) with you when you go out,

it is a good idea to use a cool bag and

ice blocks to keep the food cold until

you are ready to eat it.

It is important to keep chilled

food cold to prevent harmful

bacteria from growing.

Do you do this? Yes

If you cook food that will not be

eaten immediately (or have leftovers),

cool it down, ideally within one to

two hours, and then put it in the

fridge or freezer.

Use up any leftovers within 48 hours.

You can make food cool down more

quickly by dividing food into smaller

portions.

Harmful bacteria can grow in food

if not cooled down quickly and

then put in the fridge or freezer.

The‘Safetypoint’column

highlights things that are

important to make food safely.

Pictures help to illustrate the

safety points.

The‘Why’?columntellsyou

why the safety point

is important.

The‘Howdoyoudothis?’

column is for you to write

down what you do.

In some places you only need

totickaboxandinother

places write a small amount.

Sometimesthepicturesaremarkedwithoneofthesesymbols:

= right = wrong

Front

Anexampleofacompletedsafemethod

Keeping food cold

Safety point Why? How do you do this?

Defrosting

Food should be thoroughly

defrosted before cooking (unless the

manufacturer’s instructions tell you

to cook from frozen).

If the manufacturer gives instructions

on how to defrost the food, follow

these.

If food is still frozen or partially

frozen, it will take longer to cook.

The outside of the food could be

cooked, but the centre might not

be, which means it could contain

harmful bacteria.

Do you check food is thoroughly

defrosted before cooking?

Yes

If not, what do you do?

Ideally, defrost small amounts of

food in the fridge. (Try to plan ahead

and allow enough time for foods to

defrost in this way.)

Putting food in the fridge will keep

it at a safe temperature while it is

defrosting.

Do you use this method? Yes

You could also defrost food in the

microwave on the ‘defrost’ setting

as long as the food is going to be

cooked straight away.

This is a fast way to defrost food.

Do you use this method? Yes

Only defrost foods at room

temperature if they do not need to

be kept in the fridge e.g. bread.

Foods will defrost quite quickly at

room temperature but harmful

bacteria could grow in some food if

it gets too warm while defrosting.

Do you do this? Yes

Think twice!

Once food has been defrosted keep it in the fridge and use it within 24 hours. Do not freeze the food again.

What to do if things go wrong

• If you notice food has passed its ‘use by’ date, throw it away.

If your fridge is not working properly, you should:

• Move food that needs to be kept cold to another fridge (if you have one) or a cold area, or put it in a cool bag

containing an ice block. If you cannot do this use the food straight away, or if you do not know how long the

fridge has been broken down, throw the food away.

• If food that should be kept cold, has been left out of the fridge for a long time and is no longer cold, you should

throw it away.

If you ﬁnd that your freezer is not working properly, you should do the following things:

• If food is still frozen (i.e. hard and icy) it should be moved to another freezer straight away, if you have one.

If you do not have another freezer, defrost the food safely and use within 24 hours.

• If food has begun to defrost you should continue to defrost it safely and use within 24 hours.

• If food has fully defrosted (i.e. it is soft and warm), throw the food away.

• If food that needs to be kept frozen (e.g. ice cream) has started to defrost, do not refreeze it. Use it

immediately or throw it away.

Write down what went wrong and what you did about it on your action sheet.

Safe method completed: Date: Signature:

The ‘What to do if things

go wrong’ column gives

practical tips on how to tackle

problems.

If things go wrong, write

down what happened and

what you did in your action

sheet. Each safe method

reminds you to do this.

To complete the pack you

need to work through each

section and complete all the

safe methods that are relevant

to you. Fill in the date and

sign each safe method when

you have completed it.

Back

How to use the diary

Thediaryincludesactionsheetsand3-monthlyreviewsheets.Theseareanimportantpartoftherecordsyou

need to keep about food to comply with the law.

Ifyouhaveanyproblems,oranythingchanges,youshouldmakeanoteontheactionsheet.

Everythreemonths,youshouldcompletethe3-monthlyreview.Seetheintroductiontothediarysectionfor

more information about this.

Fill in the date.

Writedownwhatwent

wrong or what has

changed.

Add your initials.

Writedownwhatyou

aregoingtodo,orhave

alreadydone,asaresult.

Action sheet

Date Details of the

problem/change

What you are going to do, or have already

done, about the problem/change

Initials

Make a note of any problems or changes and what action you took. Also note if you have trained anyone who

helps you prepare or serve food.

3-monthly review

Date 3-monthly review

completed

Details of a serious or

persistent problem

The change in the way you

are working

What you are going to do,

or have already done, about

the problem

Any changes you need to

make to your safe methods

25.06.12



Have a new baby in my care

(Richard Brown).

Need to change the ‘Babies and

children – special advice’ safe

method to show how I store

made-up formula milk provided

by the parents.

25.09.12



No problem/changes No action to take

E X A M P L E

Fill in the date.

Tick to say you have

completed your

3-monthlyreview.

Writedowndetailsof

any serious or persistent

problems and any

changes in the way you

are working.

Give details of any action

youaregoingtotak

e,or

havealreadytaken,asa

result of the problem/

change. Also write down

any changes you need

to make to your safe

methods.

Questions

What do I do next? Workthroughthepackandllinallofthesafemethods

that are relevant to you.

Mostchildminderswillneedtollinallthesafemethods.

Butif,forexample,youonlyservecoldfoode.g.

sandwiches,thenthe‘Cookingandreheating’safemethod

would not be relevant.

Rememberthatonceyouhaveworkedthroughthepack,

you need to make sure you are following the safe methods

every day.

Do I need to keep lots of daily records? No,youwillnotneedtokeeplotsofdailyrecords.Once

youhaveworkedthroughthepackandlledinallofthe

relevantsafemethods,youwillonlyneedtollinthe

actionsheetifyouhaveaproblemorsomethingchanges,

andtocompletethe3-monthlyreview.Seethe‘Howtouse

the diary’ section for more information.

It is a legal requirement to keep a record of what food

productsyouhavebought,whoyouboughtthemfrom,the

quantity and date. Usually the easiest way to do this is to

keepallyourreceipts,evenforsmallamounts.Thisissothat

– if there is a safety problem with food you have provided –

youoranenforcementofcerfromyourlocalauthoritycan

check the details of the food.

Keep these records in a way that makes it easy for you or an

enforcementofcertocheckthem.Thereisnosettimefor

howlongyouneedtokeepthese.Asaguide,keepthem

for at least four weeks after you have provided the food to

the children.

What if I need extra copies of the safe methods

or diary pages?

Ifyouneedanewcopyofasafemethod,youcan

download one from food.gov.uk/childminders. If you

needmorecopiesoftheactionsheetorthe3-monthly

reviewsheet,youcaneitherdownloadthemorphotocopy

thesheetsinthepackbeforeyouhavelledthemin.

Does anyone else need to use this pack? If anyone helps you to prepare or serve food for the

children/babiesyoulookafter,itisveryimportanttotrain

them in all the safe methods that are relevant to what they

do.Makesuretheyhaveworkedthroughthe‘Personal

hygiene’ safe method before they do any work with food.

You should also supervise them to check they are following

the safe methods properly. Keep a note of any training on

the Action sheet in your diary.

Questions

Where can I get more information? For more information about food safety, talk to the

environmental health service at your local authority or visit

food.gov.uk/childminders

For details of Food Standards Agency publications visit

food.gov.uk/publications or call 0845 606 0667

For more information about what foods to give to babies

and children, see www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/Goodfood/

Pages/Goodfoodhome.aspx

England – you can ﬁnd more information on registration as

a childminder or childcarer on domestic premises on the

Ofsted website at www.ofsted.gov.uk

Scotland – visit the Care Inspectorate at

www.careinspectorate.com

Wales – visit the Care and Social Services Inspectorate

Wales at www.cssiw.org.uk

Northern Ireland – contact the Early Years team at your

local Health and Social Services Trust or visit the Northern

Ireland Childminding Association’s site at www.nicma.org

About this guidance

This guidance follows the Government Code of Practice on Guidance. If you believe this guidance breaches the

Code for any reason, or if you have any comments on the guidance, please contact us at

FoodBusinessHygiene@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk

This guidance was originally published in 2009. The most recent update is October 2012 and it will be reviewed

again in 2015.

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Cross-contamination

Cleaning

Chilling

Cooking

Diary

This page has been left intentionally blank

Safe method:

Personal hygiene

It is important to follow good personal hygiene to help prevent

bacteria from spreading to food.

Safety point Why?

Avoid touching your face or nose, or coughing and

sneezing over food.

Harmful bacteria and viruses can be spread from your

face, nose or mouth to your hands and onto food.

Ideally you should not wear watches or jewellery when

preparing food (except a wedding band).

Watches and jewellery can collect and spread dirt and

harmful bacteria, or fall in the food.

Make sure your clothes are clean, and ideally wear an

apron, when preparing food.

Clothes can bring dirt and bacteria into food

preparation areas. Wearing clean clothes helps to

prevent this.

Do not prepare any food if you have diarrhoea and/or

vomiting.

People suffering from these symptoms often carry

harmful bacteria and viruses on their hands and can

spread them to food or equipment they touch.

Do not prepare food until you have had no symptoms

for 48 hours.

Even if the diarrhoea and vomiting has stopped, you can

still carry harmful bacteria for 48 hours afterwards.

Cuts and sores should be completely covered with a

waterproof dressing, ideally a brightly coloured one.

This is to prevent bacteria from the cut or sore spreading

to food. Brightly coloured dressings are easier to spot if

they come off and fall into food.

Handwashing

Safety point

You should always wash your hands properly before

preparing food or touching ready-to-eat food e.g.

sandwiches.

You should wash your hands after:

• goingtothetoilet

• touchingrawmeat/poultry,sh,eggsandunwashed

vegetables

• emptyingbins

• cleaning

• touchingacutorchangingadressing

• handlingpets,theirfeedingbowlsorotherequipment

• contactwithpotties,nappiesandchangingmats

• cleaningupaccidents(e.g.vomitordiarrhoea)

• helpingachildusethetoilet

• wipingorblowingyournoseorachild’snose

• outsideactivitiese.g.aftertakingchildrentothepark

• touchingdirtylaundry

Why?

Harmful bacteria can spread very easily from hands to

food, work surfaces and equipment.

Washing your hands properly at the right times helps to

prevent this.

Washing hands effectively

Step 1:

Wet your hands thoroughly

under warm running water

and squirt liquid soap onto

your palm.

Step 2:

Rub your hands together

palm to palm to make a

lather.

Step 3:

Rub the palm of one hand

along the back of the other

andalongthengers.

Repeat with the other

hand.

Step 4:

Put your palms together

withngersinterlocked

and rub in between each of

thengersthoroughly,and

aroundthengertipsand

thumbs.

Step 5:

Rinse off the soap with

clean water.

Step 6:

Dry hands thoroughly with

a clean towel that you only

use for drying hands.

Think twice!

• Makesureanyoneelsewhopreparesfoodforthechildren,orusesthekitchen,understandstheimportance

of personal hygiene, and especially the importance of washing hands. Harmful bacteria can spread very easily

frompeople’shandstofood,worksurfaces,equipmentetc.Effectivehandwashinghelpstopreventthis.

• Makesurechildrenwashtheirhandsbeforeeating.

• Makesureyouhaveagoodsupplyofsoapandcleantowelsforhandwashing.

What to do if things go wrong

If you think someone who is helping you has not washed their hands, make sure they wash them straight away and

emphasise how important it is to wash their hands when working with food.

Write down what went wrong and what you did about it on your action sheet.

Safe method completed: Date:

Signature:

Personal hygiene

Safe method:

Food storage and preparation

It is very important to store and prepare food carefully, and

keep sources of bacteria away from food preparation areas.

Safety point Why? How do you do this?

Ideally, store raw and ready-to-eat

food separately. If they are in the same

fridge,storerawmeatandpoultry,sh

and eggs below ready-to-eat food, such

as salads, sandwiches and desserts.

Unwashed fruit and vegetables should

also be kept separate from ready-to-eat

food and above raw meat.

Cover cooked and other ready-to-eat

food.

If you are defrosting raw meat or

poultry, make sure that none of the

liquid that comes out of it gets onto

other food.

This helps to prevent harmful

bacteria spreading from raw food

to ready-to-eat food.

Do you store raw meat and poultry?

Yes No

If yes, do you follow this advice?

Yes

If not, what do you do?

Never use the same worktop, chopping

board, knives or other equipment for

preparing raw food (such as meat and

poultry) and for ready-to-eat food,

unless they have been thoroughly

cleaned and disinfected in between.

Seethe‘Cleaning’safemethod.

Harmful bacteria from raw food

such as meat/poultry can spread

from chopping boards and knives

to other food.

Do you always use a clean knife and

chopping board for preparing

ready-to-eat food?

Yes

If not, what do you do?

When preparing fruit, vegetables

and salad ingredients wash them

thoroughly by rubbing vigorously in a

bowl of clean water. Wash the cleanest

onesrst.

Fruit, vegetables and salad

ingredients may have harmful

bacteria on the outside. Washing

will help clean them and remove

some of the bacteria.

‘Use by’ and ‘best before’ dates – what they mean

‘Useby’date–thisisaboutsafety.Donotservefoodafterthisdate–thisisagainstthelaw.Evenifitlooksand

smellsne,eatingfoodafterits‘useby’datecouldmakechildrenorbabiesill.

‘Bestbefore’date–thisisaboutquality.Foodshouldbesafetoeatafterthe‘bestbefore’date,butitmightbegin

toloseitsavourandtexture.Eggsareanexception–theyshouldalwaysbeusedbytheir‘bestbefore’date.

Safety point Why? How do you do this?

Nappies and laundry

If your washing machine is in the

kitchen, do not bring dirty laundry

into the kitchen while food is

being prepared.

Your nappy changing facilities

should be separate from any food

preparation areas.

Never put dirty nappies, laundry

or laundry baskets on worktops.

Always wash your hands properly

after touching dirty nappies or

laundry.

This helps to prevent dirt and bacteria

spreading from nappies and laundry to

food.

If not what do you do?

If your washing machine is in the

kitchen, do you follow this advice?

Yes No

Where are your nappy changing

facilities?

Pets

Keep pets away from food, dishes

and worktops and away from

children when they are eating.

Pets can spread harmful bacteria to food. Do you have any pets?

Yes No

If yes, do you follow this advice?

Yes

If not, what do you do?

Safety point Why?

Maintenance

Make sure you keep food preparation areas in good

condition.

Replace damaged equipment, utensils and dishes

straight away e.g. replace worn chopping boards,

cracked dishes, chipped glasses.

This makes cleaning easier and helps to prevent pests.

Dirt and bacteria can collect on damaged equipment/

utensils and loose parts might fall into food.

Food storage and preparation

What to do if things go wrong

• Ifrawmeat/poultry,sh,eggsorunwashedvegetableshavetouchedordrippedontoready-to-eatorcooked

food, throw away the food.

• Ifready-to-eatorcookedfoodhasbeenpreparedusingaworktop,choppingboard,knifeorotherequipment

that has been used with raw food and not cleaned and disinfected afterwards, throw away the food.

• Ifdirtylaundry,nappiesorpetshavebeenonaworktop,removethemandwashandthendisinfecttheworktop

straight away.

• Ifobjectssuchasbrokenglassgetintofood,throwawaythefood.

Write down what went wrong and what you did about it on your action sheet.

Safe method completed: Date: Signature:

Safe method:

Food allergies

It is important to know what to do if you look after a child who

has a food allergy, because these allergies can be life-threatening.

Safety point Why?

Always check if children have any food allergies and keep a

written record of these.

It is a good idea to be able to refer to this record

when preparing and serving food.

Make sure you check all the ingredients of any meals and

snacks you give to a child with a food allergy. For example,

if you make a cheese sandwich, check the ingredients of

the bread, cheese, spread and anything else you put in the

sandwich. Never guess.

If someone has a severe allergy, they can react to

even a tiny amount of the food they are sensitive to.

Youcanndoutmoreaboutallergiesat

food.gov.uk/allergy

If you are cooking, remember to check the ingredients of

any oil, sauce, dressing or other packaged foods, including

tins and jars. If you are not sure, do not give the food to

the child.

Any of these could contain an ingredient the child is

allergic to.

When you are preparing food for a child with a food allergy,

clean worktops and equipment thoroughly before you start.

Makesureyoualsowashyourhandsthoroughlyrst.

This is to prevent small amounts of the food that a

child is allergic to getting into the food by accident.

If a parent/guardian of a child with an allergy provides

food,makesureitisclearlylabelledwiththechild’sname.

This makes sure that the child receives the right food

and avoids it being given to another child who may

have a different food allergy.

How do you do this?

How do you check if food does not contain a particular ingredient?

How do you prepare food for a child with a food allergy?

Think twice!

Which ingredients can cause a problem?

These are some of the foods children may be allergic to and some of the places where they may

be found:

Nuts In sauces, desserts, crackers, bread, ice cream, marzipan, ground almonds, nut oils.

Peanuts Insauces,cakes,desserts.Don’tforgetgroundnutoilandpeanutour.

Eggs Incakes,mousses,sauces,pasta,quiche,somemeatproducts.Don’tforgetfoodscontaining

mayonnaise or brushed with egg.

Milk In yoghurt, cream, cheese, butter, milk powders. Also check for foods glazed with milk.

Fish Insomesaladdressings,pizzas,relishes,shsauce.Youmightalsondshinsomesoyand

Worcestershire sauces.

Crustacea Such as prawns, lobster, scampi, crab, shrimp paste.

Molluscs These include mussels, whelks, squid, land snails, oyster sauce.

Cereals containing Such as wheat, rye and barley. Also check foods containing ﬂour, such as bread, pasta, cakes,

gluten pastry, meat products, sauces, soups, batter, stock cubes, breadcrumbs, foods dusted with

ﬂour.

Celery This includes celery stalks, leaves and seeds and celeriac. Also look out for celery in salads,

soups, celery salt, some meat products.

Lupin Lupin seeds and ﬂour in some types of bread and pastries.

Mustard Including liquid mustard, mustard powder and mustard seeds, in salad dressings, marinades,

soups, sauces, curries, meat products.

Sesame seeds In bread, breadsticks, tahini, houmous, sesame oil.

Soya As tofu or beancurd, soya ﬂour and textured soya protein, in some ice cream, sauces,

desserts, meat products, vegetarian products.

Sulphur dioxide In meat products, fruit juice drinks, dried fruit and vegetables, wine, beer.

What to do if things go wrong

If you think a child is having a severe allergic reaction:

•Donotmovethem.

•Ring999andaskforanambulancewitha

paramedic straight away.

•Explainthatthechildcouldhaveanaphylaxis

(pronounced‘anna-ll-axis’).

•Sendaresponsiblepersonoutsidetowaitforthe

ambulance.

•Contacttheparent/guardianofthechildafteryou

have called an ambulance.

How to stop this happening again

•Makesurethatyouandanyonewhohelpswithfood

preparation, understands how important it is to check all

the ingredients of a food and knows about the symptoms

andtreatmentofanallergicreaction.Youcanndout

more about this at

www.nhs.uk/conditions/food-allergy/Pages/Intro1.aspx

•Reviewthewayfoodispreparedforsomeonewithafood

allergy–areyoucleaningeffectivelyrstandusingclean

equipment?

Write down what went wrong and what you did about it on your action sheet.

Safe method completed: Date: Signature:

Food allergies

Safe method:

Pest control and chemical contamination

Effective pest control is essential to keep out pests and

prevent them from spreading harmful bacteria. It is also very

important that you prevent chemicals getting into food.

Safety point Why?

Pests

Check regularly for signs of pests, for example, in your food

cupboards.

Pests can carry harmful bacteria.

Make sure no food or dirty plates are left out at night. And clean up

any food on the ﬂoor.

These are a source of food for pests.

Types of pests

Rats and mice

Look out for

droppings,

gnawed food

or packaging.

Cockroaches

and ants

Look out for the

insects themselves.

Flies and other

insects

Look out for insects

and maggots.

Safety point

Chemicals

Always read the label and follow the instructions on how to use

chemicals.

Never let pest control bait/chemicals, including sprays, come into

contact with food, packaging, equipment or worktops.

Store cleaning chemicals (e.g. bleach, detergents) separately from

food and make sure they are clearly labelled.

Keep all cleaning and pest control products out of reach of

children.

Why?

This is important to make sure that chemicals

work effectively.

Chemicals are likely to be poisonous to

people.

Storing chemicals properly is important to

keep food and children safe.

What to do if things go wrong

•Ifyouseesignsofpests,callyourlocalauthorityorapestcontractorimmediately.

•Ifyouthinkanyequipment,worktopsorutensilshavebeentouchedbypests,washandthendisinfectthem

thoroughly to stop harmful bacteria from spreading.

•Ifyouthinkfoodhasbeentouchedbypestsinanyway,throwitaway.

•Ifpestcontrolorcleaningchemicalsgetintofood,throwthefoodaway.

Write down what went wrong and what you did about it on your action sheet.

Safe method completed: Date: Signature:

This page has been left intentionally blank

Safe method:

Cleaning

It is essential to keep your food preparation areas clean

to get rid of harmful bacteria and stop them spreading.

Safety point Why?

Regularly clean and disinfect all the items people touch

frequently, such as worktops, sinks, taps, handles, switches

and high chairs.

Cleaning needs to be carried out in two stages. First use

a cleaning product to remove visible dirt from surfaces

and equipment, and rinse. Then disinfect them following

manufacturers instructions and rinse with fresh clean water.

If you use an all-in-one spray this should be used ﬁrst to clean

and again to disinfect.

Allow these items to dry naturally or dry them with disposable

kitchen towel.

It is important to keep these items clean to

prevent dirt and harmful bacteria being spread

to people’s hands and then from their hands to

food or other areas.

Wash worktops, chopping boards and knives thoroughly before

preparing food. Wash and disinfect them after preparing raw

meat/poultry, ﬁsh, eggs or unwashed vegetables.

Ideally, wash them in a dishwasher, if appropriate. If you do not

have a dishwasher, wash them in hot soapy water using diluted

detergent. Remove grease and any food and dirt, then immerse

them in very hot, clean water. Leave to air dry, or dry with a

disposable kitchen towel.

Wipe up any spills as soon as they happen. Clean and then

disinfect after wiping up spills from raw food.

This will help prevent dirt and harmful bacteria

spreading onto food from the surface or

equipment.

Always use a clean cloth to wipe worktops, equipment or

utensils. Ideally, use disposable kitchen towel wherever possible.

Make sure cloths are thoroughly washed, disinfected and dried

between tasks (not just when they look dirty). It is important to

also wash and disinfect tea towels and oven gloves regularly.

Ideally, wash cloths, tea towels, aprons and oven gloves in a

washing machine on a hot cycle above 82°C. This will disinfect

them. Or if you wash them by hand, make sure all the food and

dirt has been removed before disinfecting them with very hot

clean water.

Using dirty cloths or tea towels can spread

harmful bacteria very easily. Using disposable

kitchen towel will make sure that any bacteria

picked up on the towel will not be spread.

Cleaning

Safety point Why?

When cleaning up accidents (e.g. vomiting or diarrhoea)

make sure that you clean, wash and disinfect the area

thoroughly.

This prevents harmful bacteria from spreading.

Do not allow kitchen cloths to be used elsewhere in the

house, e.g. when cleaning up after accidents (vomit or

diarrhoea).

This is to prevent harmful bacteria spreading to the

kitchen.

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to

use and store cleaning chemicals. When you clean

worktops/chopping boards, make sure that any cleaning

chemicals you use are suitable for surfaces touched

by food.

Keep all chemicals out of reach of children.

Using and storing chemicals correctly is important to

make sure they are effective and to keep children and

food safe.

What to do if things go wrong

• Ifyoundthatanyiteminyourkitchenisnotproperlyclean,washanddisinfectitandallowittodry.

• Ifyouthinkthatakitchenclothhasbeenusedelsewhereinthehouse,throwtheclothawayorwashand

disinfect it before you use it again.

• Aftercleaningupaccidents,changeyourclothesifyouneedtoandmakesureyouwashyourhandsproperly

afterwards.

Write down what went wrong and what you did about it on your action sheet.

Safe method completed: Date: Signature:

Safe method:

Keeping food cold

It is very important to keep certain foods cold because harmful

bacteria can grow in them if they are not chilled properly. It is

also important to take care when freezing or defrosting food.

Safety point Why? How do you do this?

Certain foods need to be kept in the

fridge to keep them safe e.g.

• food with a ‘use by’ date

• food that says ‘keep refrigerated’

on the label

• cooked food e.g. food you have

cooked in advance or leftovers

• ready-to-eat food such as

sandwiches, salads and some

desserts

Put food that you buy frozen e.g.

ice cream, in the freezer straight

away unless you are going to use it

immediately.

If these types of food are not kept

cold enough, harmful bacteria

could grow.

Do you put these types of food into

the fridge (or freezer) straight away:

• when you return with shopping or

when food is delivered?

• when a parent/guardian brings

food?

• after you have used it?

• after you have cooked and cooled

down food?

If not, what do you do?

Make sure that you do not use food

after its ‘use by’ date.

Food that has passed its ‘use by’

date might not be safe to eat.

It is a good idea to check ‘use by’

dates every day.

Make sure your fridge is set at 5°C

or below and your freezer is working

properly.

You should check the temperature of

your fridge every day. You only need

to write it down if something goes

wrong.

Setting your fridge at 5°C will

make sure the food is kept at

8°C or below. This is a legal

requirement in England, Wales

and Northern Ireland, and

recommended in Scotland.

You can check this using a fridge

thermometer. Some fridges will

have a digital display to show what

temperature they are set at but

you should check regularly that the

temperature shown on the display is

accurate, using a fridge thermometer.

If you take food (e.g. sandwiches or

yoghurts) with you when you go out,

it is a good idea to use a cool bag and

ice blocks to keep the food cold until

you are ready to eat it.

It is important to keep chilled

food cold to prevent harmful

bacteria from growing.

Do you do this? Yes

If you cook food that will not be

eaten immediately (or have leftovers),

cool it down, ideally within one to

two hours, and then put it in the

fridge or freezer.

Use up any leftovers within 48 hours.

You can make food cool down more

quickly by dividing food into smaller

portions.

Harmful bacteria can grow in food

if not cooled down quickly and

then put in the fridge or freezer.

Keeping food cold

Safety point Why? How do you do this?

Defrosting

Food should be thoroughly

defrosted before cooking (unless the

manufacturer’s instructions tell you

to cook from frozen).

If the manufacturer gives instructions

on how to defrost the food, follow

these.

If food is still frozen or partially

frozen, it will take longer to cook.

The outside of the food could be

cooked, but the centre might not

be, which means it could contain

harmful bacteria.

Do you check food is thoroughly

defrosted before cooking?

Yes No

If not, what do you do?

Ideally, defrost small amounts of

food in the fridge. (Try to plan ahead

and allow enough time for foods to

defrost in this way.)

Putting food in the fridge will keep

it at a safe temperature while it is

defrosting.

Do you use this method? Yes

You could also defrost food in the

microwave on the ‘defrost’ setting

as long as the food is going to be

cooked straight away.

This is a fast way to defrost food.

Do you use this method? Yes

Only defrost foods at room

temperature if they do not need to

be kept in the fridge e.g. bread.

Foods will defrost quite quickly at

room temperature but harmful

bacteria could grow in some food if

it gets too warm while defrosting.

Do you do this? Yes

Think twice!

Once food has been defrosted keep it in the fridge and use it within 24 hours. Do not freeze the food again.

What to do if things go wrong

• If you notice food has passed its ‘use by’ date, throw it away.

If your fridge is not working properly, you should:

• Move food that needs to be kept cold to another fridge (if you have one) or a cold area, or put it in a cool bag

containing an ice block. If you cannot do this use the food straight away, or if you do not know how long the

fridge has been broken down, throw the food away.

• If food that should be kept cold, has been left out of the fridge for a long time and is no longer cold, you should

throw it away.

If you ﬁnd that your freezer is not working properly, you should do the following things:

• If food is still frozen (i.e. hard and icy) it should be moved to another freezer straight away, if you have one.

If you do not have another freezer, defrost the food safely and use within 24 hours.

• If food has begun to defrost you should continue to defrost it safely and use within 24 hours.

• If food has fully defrosted (i.e. it is soft and warm), throw the food away.

• If food that needs to be kept f

immediately or throw it away.

rozen (e.g. ice cream) has started to defrost, do not refreeze it. Use it

Write down what went wrong and what you did about it on your action sheet.

Safe method completed: Date: Signature:

Safe method:

Cooking and reheating safely

Thorough cooking kills harmful bacteria. It is also very

important to reheat food properly to kill harmful bacteria

that may have grown since the food was cooked.

Safety point

If a food has manufacturer’s cooking instructions, follow these.

Always check that food is very hot (steaming) all the way through.

You can also use the following checks to make sure that food is

properly cooked or reheated.

Why?

The manufacturer has tried and tested safe

cooking methods speciﬁcally for its products.

Types of check Types of food

Check that food you are cooking or reheating is very hot

(steaming) all the way through. Check the centre of dishes

such as shepherd’s pie or lasagne.

Circle the types of food you use this check

for and add any others.

Types of food: stew, curry, soup, gravy, pasta

dishes, ﬁsh, rice, pies and pasties, ﬁsh ﬁngers,

pizzas, stir fries.

Other foods:

Check that pieces of chicken are very hot (steaming) in the

middle. The meat should not be pink or red and the juices

should not have any pink or red in them.

If you are cooking a whole chicken, check the meat in the

thickest part of the leg.

Types of food: chicken drumstick and leg,

chicken curry, chicken nuggets.

Other foods:

Check that pork, liver and processed meat products, such

as sausages and burgers, are very hot (steaming) all the way

through with no pink or red in the centre.

Types of food: burgers, sausages, meatballs,

pork chops, lilver, gammon.

Other foods:

Check that all the outside surfaces of meat are fully cooked. Types of food: lamb chops, lamb cutlets, steak.

Other foods:

Cooking and reheating safely

Types of check Types of food

Eggs

Do not serve raw eggs or make foods with raw or partially

cooked eggs (e.g. home-made mayonnaise, mousse or ice

cream) because these can contain harmful bacteria. Do

notletchildrentastecakemixturecontainingraweggs.

Avoid giving eggs with

runny yolks to babies and

toddlers.

For other egg dishes and

foods containing eggs

e.g. scrambled eggs,

omelettesandquiche,

check they are very hot

(steaming) all the way

through.

Do not use eggs after the ‘best before’ date. After this date

there is a greater chance of harmful bacteria growing in

the eggs. Ideally keep eggs in the fridge.

Do you cook egg dishes and foods containing eggs

thoroughly until they are very hot (steaming)?

Yes No

If not, what do you do?

Rice

When you have cooked rice, make sure you keep it hot

untilitiseatenorcoolitdownasquicklyaspossible

(ideally within one hour) and then keep it in the fridge. Use

cooked rice within 24 hours and reheat it until very hot

(steaming).

Rice can contain spores from a type of harmful bacteria. If

cooked rice is left at room temperature, the bacteria could

start growing again from the spores. These bacteria will

multiplyandmayproducetoxins(poisons)thatcausefood

poisoning. Reheating will not get rid of these.

Doyoueitherkeepricehotorcoolitdownasquickly

as possible and keep it in the fridge?

Yes No

If not, what do you do?

Think twice!

Reheating

Remember, reheating means cooking again, not just warming up. To make sure that cooked or reheated food is

safe to eat, always check it is very hot (steaming) all the way through and then, if you need to, let it cool a little

before serving it to a child. You should only reheat food once.

If you are reheating food in a microwave, follow the product manufacturer’s instructions, if you have them,

includingadviceonstandingandstirring.Standingandstirringarepartoftheprocessofcooking/reheatingina

microwave and help to make sure that food is the same temperature all the way through.

youuseamicrowavetoreheatfoodthatyou,oraparent/carerhavecooked,itisagoodideatostiritwhilereheating.

When food is microwaved, it can be very hot at the edges and still be cold in the centre – stirring helps to prevent this.

What to do if things go wrong

• Iffoodisnotproperlycookedorreheated,cookitforlonger.

• Speedupthecookingprocess,forexamplebydividingthefoodintosmallerquantities,orusingdifferentequipment.

• Checkthatyouroven/hob/microwaveisworkingproperly.

Write down what went wrong and what you did about it on your action sheet.

Safemethodcompleted:Date: Signature:

Safe method:

Babies and children – special advice

There are some foods for babies that need extra care and

others that are not suitable for children.

Safety point Why? How do you do this?

Formula milk

Ifparents/carersbringmade-up

bottles of formula, put them in the

fridge straight away. Keep them

in the fridge until you are ready to

use them. Use the formula within

24 hours.

Before you prepare a feed, clean

worktops and wash your hands.

You should clean and sterilise

bottles and teats before you use

them. Follow the manufacturer’s

instructions on how to do this.

For more information on sterilising

bottles, see the Department of

Health’s ‘Bottle feeding’ leaﬂet at

www.dh.gov.uk

If formula is not used as soon as it

has been made up, it needs to be

kept cold to help keep it safe.

Making sure that everything

is clean reduces the chance

of a baby getting sickness and

diarrhoea.

If not, what do you do?

Do you do this? Yes No

Ideally, you should make up

formula milk freshly for each f

eed. If

there is any made-up formula milk

left after a feed, throw it away.

Boil fresh tap water and let it cool,

but for no more than half an hour.

Always put the boiled water in the

bottle ﬁrst, before the powder.

Cooltheformulaquicklyto

feeding temperature by holding

the bottle under cold running

water (with the cap on).

Using made-up formula milk that

has been stored may increase the

chance of a baby becoming ill.

Using hot water will kill any

harmful bacteria in the powder.

Do you do this? Yes No

If not, what do you do?

Breast milk

Expressedbreastmilkshouldbe

stored in the fridge and used

within 24 hours.

Ifexpressedmilkisnotkeptcold,harmfulbacteriamaygrowinit.

Babies and children – special advice

Safety point Why?

Baby food

If you are using bought baby food, follow the

manufacturer’s instructions on how to prepare and serve it.

Ifyoumakeyourownbabyfood(oraparent/carerbrings

home-made baby food), it is very important to cook, cool,

store, defrost and reheat it safely. Follow the advice in the

‘Keeping food cold’ and ‘Cooking and reheating safely’ safe

methods.

The manufacturer will have designed its instructions

to make sure the food is safe for babies to eat.

If you do not handle baby food safely, harmful

bacteria could grow in the food.

Honey

Do not give honey to

children under one year old.

Very occasionally, honey can contain a type of

harmfulbacteriathatcanproducetoxinsinababy’s

intestines and this can cause serious illness.

Fish

Do not give shark, swordﬁsh and marlin to babies and

young children.

These ﬁsh contain relatively high levels of mercury,

which might affect a child’s developing nervous

system.

Shellﬁsh

Avoid giving raw shellﬁsh to babies and young children. Raw shellﬁsh can contain harmful viruses and

bacteria.

Nuts

Do not give whole nuts to children under ﬁve. It is a good

idea to crush or ﬂake them.

This is because of the risk of choking.

For more advice on what foods to give to babies and children, visit www.nhs.uk/Conditions/pregnancy-and-

baby/pages/pregnancy-and-baby-care.aspx

Safemethodcompleted:Date: Signature:

Introduction

What is in this diary section?

The diary includes:

• action sheets

• 3-monthly review sheets

These are an important part of the records you need to keep about food to comply with the law. An environmental

health ofﬁcer from your local authority may want to check these if they visit you.

If you need more copies of the action sheet or the 3-monthly review sheet, you can either download them from

food.gov.uk/childminders or photocopy the sheets in the pack before you have ﬁlled them in.

What do I need to do?

This pack has been designed to involve as little paperwork as possible. That means that, once you have worked

through the pack and you are following your safe methods, you do not have to write anything down, unless there

has been a problem, or something has changed – or it is time for your 3-monthly review.

If there are any problems or changes, ﬁll in the action sheet to give details of the problem/change and what you

are going to do, or have already done, about it.

How to complete the 3-monthly review

Every three months you should look back at previous months and identify any serious or persistent problems, or

any changes in the way you are working. You may need to take action to solve a problem, or make changes to your

safe methods. Fill in the details on the 3-monthly review sheet.

If you notice a recurring problem before the 3-monthly review is due, you should always take action at the time to

resolve it, rather than waiting until the next review. Make a note of what you have done on your action sheet.

Some childminders might prefer to keep more records than required by this pack – that is ﬁne, but make sure you

still use the action sheet and 3-monthly review.

Changing a safe method

Sometimes you might need to change one of your safe methods because of a problem or a change in the way you

are working. If you can, change the current copy of the safe method so it is still clear to read, then add the date of

the change at the bottom and also make a note on your action sheet.

Sometimes you might need a new copy of a safe method (you can download this from food.gov.uk/childminders).

Sign and date it at the bottom when you have ﬁlled it in and keep it in your pack. You can throw away the old copy

of the safe method. Don’t forget to make a note of what you have done on your action sheet.

This page has been left intentionally blank

Action sheet

Make a note of any problems or changes and what action you took. Also note if you have trained anyone who

helps you prepare or serve food.

Date

25.06.12

Details of the

problem/change

Found a pack of sliced

ham out of date in the

fridge.

What you are going to do, or have

already done, about the problem/change

Threw the ham away and checked the rest of the ‘use

by’ dates in the fridge. Found no other problems.

Initials

EXAMPLE

Action sheet

Make a note of any problems or changes and what action you took. Also note if you have trained anyone who

helps you prepare or serve food.

Date Details of the

problem/change

What you are going to do, or have already

done, about the problem/change

Initials

Action sheet

Make a note of any problems or changes and what action you took. Also note if you have trained anyone who

helps you prepare or serve food.

Date Details of the

problem/change

What you are going to do, or have already

done, about the problem/change

Initials

Action sheet

Make a note of any problems or changes and what action you took. Also note if you have trained anyone who

helps you prepare or serve food.

Date Details of the

problem/change

What you are going to do, or have already

done, about the problem/change

Initials

Action sheet

Make a note of any problems or changes and what action you took. Also note if you have trained anyone who

helps you prepare or serve food.

Date Details of the

problem/change

What you are going to do, or have already

done, about the problem/change

Initials

AcAction sheettion sheet

Make a note of any problems or changes and what action you took. Also note if you have trained anyone who

helps you prepare or serve food.

Date Details of the

problem/change

What you are going to do, or have already

done, about the problem/change

Initials

Action sheet

Make a note of any problems or changes and what action you took. Also note if you have trained anyone who

helps you prepare or serve food.

Date Details of the

problem/change

What you are going to do, or have already

done, about the problem/change

Initials

Action sheet

Make a note of any problems or changes and what action you took. Also note if you have trained anyone who

helps you prepare or serve food.

Date Details of the

problem/change

What you are going to do, or have already

done, about the problem/change

Initials

Action sheet

Make a note of any problems or changes and what action you took. Also note if you have trained anyone who

helps you prepare or serve food.

Date Details of the

problem/change

What you are going to do, or have already

done, about the problem/change

Initials

Action sheet

Make a note of any problems or changes and what action you took. Also note if you have trained anyone who

helps you prepare or serve food.

Date Details of the

problem/change

What you are going to do, or have already

done, about the problem/change

Initials

Action sheet

Make a note of any problems or changes and what action you took. Also note if you have trained anyone who

helps you prepare or serve food.

Date Details of the

problem/change

What you are going to do, or have already

done, about the problem/change

Initials

If you have used all the Action sheets in your pack, photocopy this one before you ﬁll it in, or download new copies

from food.gov.uk/childminders

Action sheet

Make a note of any problems or changes and what action you took. Also note if you have trained anyone who

helps you prepare or serve food.

Date Details of the

problem/change

What you are going to do, or have already

done, about the problem/change

Initials

3-monthly review

The 3-monthly review is an important part of the records you need to keep about food to comply with the law.

Every three months you should look back at previous months and identify any problems. If you had a serious or

persistent problem (the same thing went wrong three times or more), make a note of it below and also write down

what you are going to do, or have already done, about it.

There might also have been changes in the way you are working with food e.g:

• Have you changed the ingredients, types of food or recipes you use?

• Are you looking after a new child? Do they have any allergies or need different foods?

• Are you using any different equipment?

If there have been any changes like these, you will need to review your safe methods to make sure they are up

to date. Make a note of what has changed below and give details of any changes you need to make to your safe

methods.

If you need a new copy of a safe method, you can download one from food.gov.uk/childminders. Remember to

sign and date the safe method after you have ﬁlled it in.

Date 3-monthly review

completed

Details of a serious or

persistent problem

The change in the way you

are working

What you are going to do,

or have already done, about

the problem

Any changes you need to

make to your safe methods

25.06.12



Have a new baby in my care

(Richard Brown).

Need to change the ‘Babies and

children – special advice’ safe

method to show how I store

made-up formula milk provided

by the parents.

25.09.12



No problem/changes No action to take

EXAMPLE

3-monthly review

Date 3-monthly review

completed

Details of a serious or

persistent problem

The change in the way you

are working

What you are going to do,

or have already done, about

the problem

Any changes you need to

make to your safe methods

The material featured in this publication is subject to Crown copyright protection unless otherwise indicated.

You may re-use the information in the SFBB pack (not including the Food Standards Agency logos and photographs

that are the copyright of a third party) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open

Government Licence at: nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/

This is subject to the material being reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading context. The material

must be acknowledged as Crown copyright and the source identiﬁed as the Food Standards Agency.

Any enquiries regarding the use and re-use of this information resource should be emailed to:

psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk

Or you can write to:

Information Policy Team

The National Archives

Kew

London

TW9 4DU

The permission to reproduce Crown protected material does not extend to any material in this publication which

is the copyright of a third party. Authorisation to reproduce such material must be obtained from the copyright

holders concerned. Please note that some of the images in this resource are third party copyright, therefore you

do not have permission to re-use them.

Note that the Agency has produced supporting guidance about the use and re-use of SFBB, which can be found at:

food.gov.uk/multimedia/pdfs/guidancelaadaptingsfbb.pdf

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