Do you have a question related to child friendly music festivals?

How many children will you be looking after at once?
In 2011 we will be able to cater for 30 children in every session. 

Why are you only taking children aged 2-8?
Our aim is to add to the festival experience, children over 8 are likely to stay up until 11pm to watch the headline acts. Under 2s can generally sleep through anything and are easier to take along with you. By law we are unable to care for children under 2.

What is the ratio of adults to children?
Our adult to child ratio is 1:5 and is higher than the legal requirement of 1:8, this will ensure the highest quality of supervision for each individual child.

Are the Boutique Babysitting team CRB checked?
Yes, all of our staff members are CRB checked.

Will the staff be qualified?
All of our staff are qualified- the Managers have their NVQ Level 3 and the Key Workers have their NVQ level 2. All assistants have relevant child-minding experience.

Will they be first Aid trained?
All of our team will hold a current first aid certificate and are able to administer basic first aid if necessary. An incident report will be completed for any minor mishaps and you will be notified on collection.

What time are the sessions?
The session times are:
Afternoon 1300 - 1700
Evening   1930 - 2330
(The number of sessions per day will vary by festival – please check the website for up to date details)

Why are the sessions all 4 hrs long?
When we conducted research in 2009 this is the length of time parents told us they wanted. It gives you enough time to walk to the main arena, grab a drink and enjoy a couple of acts before walking back again.

Why is the cost different for the day and evening
In the afternoon it costs £10/hr and in the evening £15/hr , this reflects the demand for the sessions and what parents are happy to pay according to our research. It also means that there is a session for all budgets.

Why is there no registration fee this year?
Last year we did charge a registration fee of £3 but we had feedback that this was a bit confusing. So this year you will still need to register but there will be no fee

What if my child won’t settle in and I need to pick them up?
Our staff are very skilled and experienced at settling in even the clingiest child.

We are confident that once you are out of sight we will be able to distract and entertain them with fun activities, they will be so engrossed and enjoying themselves they probably won’t want to leave.

In the unlikely situation that it was not possible to settle them we would get in contact with you via the pager that you will be given to come and collect them.

Before you come you can show your children our website and talk to them about the Kids Club so that they are excited and ready for it when they arrive. Try to arrive on time so they can spend a few minutes with you.

Will you have nappy changing facilities?
Yes, please ensure that your child has spare nappies and wipes in their bag.

How will you communicate with parents in an emergency?
We will contact parents by pager, each parent is given a unique pager for their child. We will also have your mobile phone numbers . Please ensure that your phone is charged and on vibrate in your pocket so that you will know if we call you.

What happens if I am intoxicated when I collect my children ?
You have a duty of care to your child as you will be looking after them when you collect them from us. If you are perceived to be too intoxicated to take responsibility of your children when collecting them you will be referred to the onsite welfare team to be assessed.

How will you guarantee the security of my child whilst in your care?
From our secure on-line booking system, through to our comprehensive check in and out system and our child specific Key Worker security is our number one priority and your child will be secure in our care. (see security section under Kids Club for more details)

Can you give them food and drink?
We can give drinks of water and snacks provided by you, the snacks are clearly labeled and in their bag. We have a very strict NO nut policy and have food suggestions if you get stuck for ideas.

What kind of activities will they be doing?
Our focus is on free play and activities themed around music and festivals – see the activities section on our website for more details.

If my child wants to go to sleep how will this work?
The evening sessions will be focused around dancing and quite lively activities to start off with and then will turn into a chill out zone with dimmed lighting, stories and calm music. They can snuggle up on mattresses, pillows and blankets if they wish to fall asleep.

If I want to contact you to check they are OK whilst I’m in the main arena will I be able to do this?
The idea is that you relax and have time out from your children for a few hours. If you really need to then you can call us. In an emergency you can call us on our on-site mobile number.

Will they be warm enough in the camp at night?
The Tipis will be heated in the evening and we will have blankets and pillows for them to snuggle up with.

The weather in the UK can be variable so we recommend putting lots of layers of clothing on your children such as t-shirt, jumper and a waterproof jacket. Packing a spare set of clothes for your child will ensure they are warm and waterproof on the journey back to the campsite.

What do they need to bring with them?
See the Kids Club section of the website for a detailed and comprehensive list.

What do they need to wear?
They need to be comfortable and warm and ideally have an indoor pair of non-slip shoes, as dirty wellies will need to stay outside to ensure the camp stays clean and dry.

What happens in an emergency?
If your child is involved in any kind of emergency/accident then we will contact you via pager and by mobile phone, please ensure your phone is charged and on vibrate.

If I want my friend to come pick my child up will that be ok?
The only people who will be able to drop off and collect your children are those detailed on the registration form. On here you can register up to 3 people per family- you would need to include your friend on here. They must know the password and we must have a passport size photo of them attached to your child’s registration form.

How do I ensure that I can book my children in at the same time as my friends?
As long as there is availability in the session you are booking, we will do our best to accommodate groups of friends at the same time, We suggest booking at the same time, as we envisage selling out fast.

Can I just come and drop them off at the festival?
The Sessions will all be pre-booked to ensure maximum security, you can book easily on our website.

Can I just book 2 hours?
No, the sessions will all be 4 hours long to allow enough time for you to go off and explore. You are able to come and collect them early if you wish but you will still be charged for the 4 hour session.

What happens if I am late to collect them?
It is really important that you collect your children on time. If you are late then you will be charged at £1/min for every minute you are late, after 15mins we will contact you and after 30mins your children will be passed on to the Welfare team. We are only insured during the hours of opening and so it is very important that you collect your children on time.

Are my child’s details secure?
Yes we are using an encrypted database system to ensure that all details held on our database are secure and confidential. Your child’s details will not be shared with anyone, not even the festival organisers.

Why do you need a picture of us all?
For security reasons we need to make sure that when your children are collected only approved parents or guardians can collect them.

Do you do any discounts for group bookings?
No, because we have limited availability anyway we will not be offering discounted group bookings, sorry.

How do I book?
The easiest way to book is on-line. If you need to talk to us, or if you need help with booking then you can call us.

How many sessions can I book?
To ensure that the service is not over-used by any one particular family the number of sessions you book will be limited across the weekend. This will vary by festival depending on how many sessions are available per day. You will be able to book one session per day.

What if my child has a medical condition\special need?
Each child attending Boutique Babysitting will be treated equally and respected. When you are registering and booking, our nurturing and caring staff will be able to care for any need your child has, confidently and professionally.

What behavior management techniques do you use?
Our staff believe in talking through and discussing sensitive issues. At the beginning of every session we will have 15 minutes where the older children can write up their house rules and the younger children will be taken through them too. We have very clear policies and procedures for dealing with behavior management and all of our staff will be trained on this.

Which festivals are you going to be at?
In 2011 we are going to be at the following festivals:  Camp Bestival, Wilderness, Green Man , End of the Road, Harvest at Jimmys and Alex James presents Harvest.

If there is another festival that you think we should be at then please let us know.