Ouch Pouch History

Ouch Pouch Childcare Limited is a thriving childcare business in the heart of the Scartho Cluster/Community in Grimsby – North East Lincolnshire. We aim to provide a business of “Quality and Distinction” in a child friendly, safe and stimulating environment. Where children can play, have fun, be with friends and join in with many activities, within a structured framework. All children are consulted on all issues, and encouraged to take responsibility for their club.

Ouch Pouch Childcare Limited (O.P.C. Ltd) was set up in June 2003 and is registered with Companies House in Cardiff. The company operates with the trading name of Springfield Out of School Club.

O.P.C. Ltd was initially set up to provide an Out of School Club facility for the community of Springfield (Scartho Cluster). The club is open to “ALL” users and provides a morning, after school and holiday clubs, Monday to Friday for 50 (sometimes 51/52) weeks a year, just closing for Weekends, Bank Holidays and Christmas Period.

We are registered with Ofsted, Environmental Health and meet all Fire Regulations. We are registered with Ofsted to accommodate 24 children from 3 to 12 years old.

Through the New Opportunities Fund (N.O.F), the club successfully gained a grant to provide the club for the first year of trading only.

Through funding, Springfield Community Bungalow Committee successfully achieved a grant to turn the former derelict school caretaker’s bungalow into a centre for the Springfield Cluster/Community.

The bungalow is used by other users i.e. Grimsby Institute of Further & Higher Education, Private Parties & Meetings, Mother and Toddlers etc, therefore we don’t have “Sole Use”, although we are the main user. We are located in the grounds of Springfield Primary School in Scartho, Grimsby, and situated on the Stagecoach 9X Bus Route.

The Club and Company officially started to trade in January 2004.

We benefit from 2 permanent fully qualified staff with relevant post experience and a bank of relief staff, consisting of “Playworkers”. All staff go through a robust and vigorous check for their employment/character suitability, and have been cleared by OFSTED (where applicable) and have obtained an – Enhanced Disclosure Check from the Criminal Records Bureau. All staff are motivated, committed and enthusiastic and all dedicated to their careers, professional and personal development. All Staff are passionate about furthering their experiences, knowledge, refining their skills and currently attend training courses as identified in their continuing Personnel Development Plans. All permanent staff have appraisals each school term.

We currently provide opportunities for life and work, by providing ‘work based’ placements for adults who have learning disabilities, through MENCAP. This enables people with a learning disabilities to achieve their goals, whilst embedding lifelong skills and gaining essential experience. These adults are ‘volunteers’ and seen as additional help and don’t count as part of our ‘ratio’.

We have continued to grow steadily since we opened and we thrive on our positive relationships we have with our children, parents/carers and also that of our local primary school and local community.

We are currently establishing links with local companies to provide services and equipment to benefit the company, club and children to progress into providing a consistent and reliable childcare.

We currently have built up our ‘Network’ with other Out of School Club providers within the county and provide support and assistance.