Hertfordshire Quality Standards

Hertfordshire Quality Standards (HQS) is a county led scheme that ensures childcare providers are constantly improving and developing through a process of self-evaluation.

Childcare providers include day Nurseries, Childminders, Pre-Schools, Early Years Foundation Stage classes in Schools, and also include care provided outside of school hours such as in breakfast clubs, after-school clubs or holiday schemes.

How does it work?

Childcare providers are asked to consider their current practices and look at ways to continue to improve and develop. This can include enabling staff to do additional training:

• The scheme is supported by external mentors who help the childcare provider through the HQS process
• Following an external assessment, successful providers are awarded with the HQS blue balloon kite mark. This award lasts for three years and parents are encouraged to look for this quality achievement when selecting childcare.

Millie’s Mark

What is Millie’s Mark?

Millie’s Mark will be awarded as a special endorsement to childcare providers that go above and beyond these minimum requirements by having 100% of staff trained in paediatric first aid, and also ensuring that everything learned during the course is kept alive and in the forefront of practitioners’ minds so that they are confident, ready and capable.

When your setting gains the Millie’s Mark accreditation, you provide reassurance for your parents that all childcare practitioners know what to do in a paediatric first aid situation.

It acknowledges that children’s safety is at the forefront of your mind when you care for children.

Creswick Pre-School was awarded this between 2017 – 2020.