Policies & Procedures
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
Quality Area2: Children's Health and Safety
2.2 Safety: Each child is protected.
2.2.1 Supervision at all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazards.
2.2.2 Incident and Emergency Management Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practiced, and implemented.
2.2.3 Child Protection Management, educators, and staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities to identify and respond to every child at risk of abuse or neglect.
Education and Care Services National Regulations
92 Medication record
93 Administration of medication
94 Exception to authorisation requirement- anaphylaxis or asthma emergency
99 Children leaving the education and care service
102 Authorisation for excursions
102D Authorisation for service to transport children
157 Access for parents
160 Child enrolment records to be kept by an approved provider
161 Authorisation to be kept in the enrolment record
168 Education and care services must have policies and procedures
170 Policies and procedures must be followed
Related Policies
Administration of Medication Policy
Anaphylaxis Management Policy
Arrival and Departure Policy
Asthma Management Policy
Child Protection Policy
Child Safe Environment Policy
Diabetes Management Policy
Enrolment Policy
Epilepsy Management Policy
Excursion Policy
Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Policy
Orientation of Families Policy
Safe Transportation Policy
Sun Safe Policy
Water Safety Policy
PURPOSE
We aim to ensure that all educators, staff, and volunteers are consistent in how authorisations are managed and understand what does or does not constitute a correct authorisation, which consequently may lead to a refusal. Decisions around refusing an authorisation will be made on a case-by-case basis by the service in discussion with the Nominated Supervisor, Police, or other authorities.
SCOPE
This policy applies to families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Our Service will ensure we comply with the current Education and Care Services National Regulations, which require parent or guardian written authorisation to be provided in matters including:
Administration of medication to children
Administration of medical treatment, dental treatment, and general first aid treatment
Emergency Ambulance transportation
Transportation- including regular outings and regular transportation
Excursions, including regular outings
Incursion attendance
Taking of photographs by people other than educators
Water based activities
Enrolment of children, including providing details of persons nominated to authorise consent for medical treatment, to collect children from the service, or to provide authority for the child to be taken outside the service
Children leaving the premises in the care of someone other than a parent or guardian
MANAGEMENT WILL ENSURE THAT
The Acceptance and Refusal Authorisation Policy is reviewed and maintained by Service management and adhered to at all times by educators and staff all staff understand circumstances that may lead to the refusal of authorisation all educators and staff follow the policies and procedures of our Service all parents/guardians have completed the authorised person's section of their child's enrolment form including authorised nominees (refer to Enrolment Policy), and that the form is signed and dated before the child commences at the Service) parents/guardians are provided with a copy of relevant policies for our attendance records are maintained for all children attending the Service Service or are aware of how they can be accessed a written record of all visitors to the Service, including time of arrival and departure and reasons for visit is documented where a child requires medication to be administered by educators/staff, that an Administration of Medication Record is completed and authorisation provided by the parent/guardian or authorised nominee and included within the child's record (Refer to Administration of Medication Policy) educators/staff do not administer medication without the written authorisation of parent/guardian or authorised nominee named in the enrolment record as authorised to consent to the medical treatment of the child, except in the case of an emergency, including an asthma or anaphylaxis emergency (refer to Enrolment Form, Administration of Medication Policy, Incident, Injury, Accident and Trauma Policy, Emergency Evacuation Policy, Asthma Management Policy, Anaphylaxis Management Policy, Diabetes Management Policy, and Epilepsy Management Policy). educators and staff only allow a child to participate in regular outings and regular transportation with the written authorisation of a parent/guardian or authorised nominee name in the child’s enrolment record educators and staff allow a child to participate in excursions only with the written authorisation of a parent/guardian or authorised nominee named in the child’s enrolment record is received and documented educators/staff allow a child to depart the Service only with: a person who is the parent/guardian or authorised nominee named in the child’s enrolment record; or with a person authorised by a parent or authorised nominee; or leaves under the written authorisation of the parent; or authorised nominee; or is taken on an excursion; or in the case of a medical emergency or another emergency (Refer to Arrival and Departure Policy and Emergency Evacuation Policy). there are procedures in place if an inappropriate person, or a person who does not appear to be fit to take care of the child attempts to collect the child from the Service or poses a risk to the safety of children or staff (refer to Arrival and Departure Policy).
A NOMINATED SUPERVISOR / RESPONSIBLE PERSON WILL
follow the policies and procedures of the Service ensure documentation relating to authorisations contains: the name of the child enrolled in the service date
signature of the child’s parent/guardian and authorised nominee as named on the enrolment form keep all authorisations relating to each child in their enrolment record and exercise the right of refusal if written or verbal authorisations do not comply with National Regulations or Child Protection Legislation. If an authorisation is refused by the Service, it is best practice to document: the details of the authorisation why the authorisation was refused, and actions taken by the service. For example: if the service refused an authorised nominee named in the child’s enrolment record to collect the child from the service as they were under the influence of alcohol, the action taken to ensure that the child was collected (Refer to Refusal of Authorisation Record). waive compliance where a child requires emergency medical treatment for conditions such as anaphylaxis or asthma. Following National Regulations (R. 93) the Service can administer medication in these circumstances without authorisation. If these situations occur Management will be required to contact the parent/guardian as soon as practicable after the medication has been administered and emergency services. Notification to the Regulatory Authority is required within 24 hours of a serious incident to ensure that medication is not administered to a child without the authorisation of a parent/guardian or authorised person, except in the case of an emergency, including asthma or anaphylaxis emergency (refer to Administration of Medication Policy, Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Policy, Emergency and Evacuation Policy, Management of Asthma Policy, Management of Anaphylaxis Policy, Management of Diabetes Policy and Management of Epilepsy Policy). ensure a child only departs from the Service with a person who is the parent/guardian or authorised nominee named in the child’s enrolment record; or with a person authorised by a parent or authorised nominee; or leaves in accordance with the written authorisation of the parent; or authorised nominee; or is taken on an excursion; or in the case of a medical emergency or another emergency (Refer toArrival and Departure Policy and Emergency Evacuation Policy). ensure that written authorisation is provided by the parent or other person named in the child’s enrolment record for a regular outing or regular transportation ensure a child is not taken outside the Service premises on an excursion except with the written authorisation of a parent/guardian or authorised nominee inform the Approved Provider when a written authorisation does not meet the required
EDUCATORS WILL
Follow the policies and procedures of the Service ensure that written authorisation is provided by the parent or other person named in the child’s enrolment record for a regular outing or regular transportation ensure that parents/guardians sign and date permission forms for excursions before the excursion being implemented allow a child to participate in an excursion only with the written authorisation of a parent/guardian or authorised nominee check that parents/guardians or an authorised nominee sign the attendance record as their child arrives and departs from the Service administer medication only with the written authorisation of a parent/guardian or authorised nominee as per the Administration of Medication Record, except in the case of an emergency, including asthma, anaphylaxis. allow a child to depart from the Service only with: with a person authorised by a parent or authorised nominee; or leaves in accordance with the written authorisation of the parent; or authorised nominee; or is taken on an excursion; or in the case of a medical emergency or another emergency (Refer to Arrival and Departure Policy and Emergency Evacuation Policy). follow procedures if an inappropriate person attempts to collect a child from the Service and poses a risk to the safety of the children and staff (for example, an intoxicated person) inform the Approved Provider when a written authorisation does not meet the requirements outlined in Service’s policies.
FAMILIES WILL
read and comply with the policies and procedures of the Service complete and sign the authorised nominee section of their child's enrolment form before their child commences at the Service ensure that changes to nominated authorised persons are provided to the Service in a timely manner advise nominated authorised persons that they will require photo identification (such as a driver’s licence) in order to collect their child from the Service sign and date permission forms for regular transportation and regular outings sign and date permission forms for excursions sign the attendance record as their child arrives and departs from the Service provide written authorisation on the Administration of Medication Form when their child requires medication to be administered by educators/staff, including signing and dating it for inclusion in the child's medication records provide completed Medical Management Plans and Action Plans where relevant for their child
AUTHORISATION REQUIREMENTS
Authorisation documents are required for the following situations and must have details recorded as specified:
Administration of Medication
Name of the child
Administration of Medication Record is signed by a parent or a person named in the child's enrolment record as authorised to consent to the administration of medication
Name of the medication to be administered
Clearly indicate the time and date the medication is to be administered
Dosage of the medication to be administered
Method of dosage (eg: oral or inhaled)
Period of authorisation (actual days and dates: from and to)
Date the authorisation is signed
Medication must be in its original container and bearing the correct child’s name
Medication is not past its expiry or use-by dateMedication is administered in accordance with any instructions attached to the medication or provided by a registered medical practitioner. A second person checks the dosage of the medication, and witnesses its administration The educator administering medication and the witness must write their full name and sign the medication record Details of the administration must be recorded in the medication record Medical treatment of the child including transportation by an ambulance service (Included and authorised initially as part of the child’s enrolment record): Name of the child Authorisation to seek medical treatment for the child from a registered medical practitioner, hospital or ambulance service Authorisation for the transportation of the child by an ambulance service Name, address and telephone number of the child's registered medical practitioner or medical service Child's Medicare number Name of the parent or guardian providing authorisation Relationship to the child
Emergency Medical Treatment
(included and authorised initially as part of the child’s enrolment record or as updates during enrolment): The Service is able to seek emergency medical assistance for a child as required (i.e. medical practitioner, ambulance or hospital) without seeking further authorisation from a parent or guardian in the case of an emergency, including for emergencies relating to medical conditions noted on the enrolment form. Transportation (other than as part of an excursion) If the transportation is ‘regular transportation’ the authorisation is only required to be obtained once in a 12-month period Name of the child the reason the child is to be transported if the authorisation is for regular transportation, a description of when the child is to be transported and the date the child is to be transported a description of the proposed pick-up location and destination the means of transport the period of time during which the child is to be transported the anticipated number of children likely to be transported the anticipated number of staff members and any other adults who will accompany and supervise the children during the transportation any requirements for seatbelts or safety restraints under a law of each jurisdiction in which the children are being transported that a risk assessment has been prepared and is available at the education and care service that written policies and procedures for transporting children are available at the education and care service
Excursions
Name of the child
Date of the excursion
Reason for the excursion
Proposed destination for the excursion
Method of transport to be used
Route to be taken to and from the excursion
Period of time away from premise- include time leaving premise and time returning to premise
Proposed activities to be undertaken by the child during the excursion
Anticipated number of children likely to be attending the excursion
Ratio of Educators attending the excursion to the number of children attending the excursion
Number of staff members and any other adults who will accompany and supervise the children on the excursion (including parents, students, volunteers)
Statement that a risk assessment has been prepared and is available at the service
Name of the parent or guardian-providing authorisation
Relationship to the child
Signature of the person providing authorisation and date of authorisation
Details of any water hazards and risks associated with water-based activities (to be included in risk assessment).
Items that should be taken on the excursion
Collection of Children
(included and authorised initially as part of the child’s enrolment record or as updated during enrolment) Name of the child
Name of the parent or the guardian of the child or the authorised nominee on the enrolment form providing authorisation
Name of the person/s authorised by a parent or authorised nominee named in the child's enrolment record to collect the child from the premises
State relationship to the child of the persons authorised to collect the child from the premises
Signature of the person providing authorisation and date of authorisation
Sunscreen and Insect Repellent application
Name of child
Permission authorised for staff to apply SPF 30+ or higher broad spectrum, water resistant sunscreen supplied by the service or Permission authorised for staff to apply SPF 30+ or higher broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen supplied by parent/guardian Parent signature and date Material Safety Data Sheet required for all products Permission authorised for staff to apply insect repellent supplied by the service or Permission authorised for staff to apply insect repellent supplied by the parent/guardian Note: the use of sunscreen on babies under 6 months is not recommended due to their sensitive skin.Confirmation of Authorisation All authorisation forms received (including the initial enrolment form) are to be checked for completion All authorisations (excluding the initial enrolment form) are checked to ensure that the authoriser (name and signature) is the nominated parent or guardian a person named on the enrolment form as having authority to authorise If incomplete or inappropriately signed, the authorisation form should be returned to the parent or guardian for correction Children will be suspended from any activity requiring authorisation until the appropriate form has been correctly completed and signed Sources Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority. (2014). Cancer Council. Preventing cancer: Sun protections: https://www.cancer.org.au/preventing-cancer/sun-protection/ Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics. (2016). Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010. (Amended 2018). Education and Care Services National Regulations. (2011). Guide to the Education and Care Services National Law and the Education and Care Services National Regulations. (2017). Guide to the National Quality Standard. (2020).
ADMINISTRATION OF FIRST AID POLICY
First aid can save lives and prevent minor injuries or illnesses from becoming major. The ability to provide prompt basic first aid is particularly important in the context of an early childhood service where Educators have a duty of care and obligation to assist children who are injured, become ill, or require support with administration of medication.It is important to understand that first aid has its limitations and does not take the place of professional medical treatment. In the event, that a severe injury or illness should occur at the centre, 000 should be called by team members as a first response.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY 2.1.1 Wellbeing and comfort Each child’s wellbeing and comfort is provided for, including appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s needs for sleep, rest and relaxation.
2.1.2 Health practices and procedures Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented.
2.2 Safety:Each child is protected.
2.2.1 Supervision At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.
2.2.2 Incident and emergency management Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practiced and implemented.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS
12 Meaning of serious incident
85 Incident, injury, trauma and illness policies and procedures
86 Notification to parents of incident, injury, trauma and illness
87 Incident, injury, trauma and illness record
88 Infectious diseases
89 First aid kits
97 Emergency and evacuation procedures
136 First aid qualifications
161 Authorisations to be kept in enrolment record
162 Health information to be kept in enrolment record
168 Education and care service must have policies and procedures
174 Prescribed information to be notified to Regulatory Authority
176 Time to notify certain information to Regulatory Authority
Related Policies
Administration of Medication Policy
Anaphylaxis Management Policy
Asthma Management Policy
Diabetes Management Policy
Epilepsy Policy
Family Communication Policy Health and Safety Policy
Incident, Illness, Accident and Trauma Policy
Responsible Person Policy
Sick Child Policy
Supervision Policy
Work Health and Safety Policy
PURPOSE
Our Service has a duty of care to provide and protect the health and safety of children, educators, and visitors of the Service. This policy aims to support educators to:
Preserve life
Ensure the environment is safe and other people are not in danger of becoming ill or injured
Ensure that ill or injured persons are stabilised and comforted until medical assistance intervenes
Relieve pain if possible
Monitor ill or injured persons and promote recovery
Provide immediate and effective first aid to children or adults
Apply additional first aid if the condition does not improve
‘First aid can reduce the severity of an injury or illness and in extreme cases, could mean the difference between life and death.’ (Safe Work Australia).
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
First aid is the emergency aid or treatment given to persons suffering illness or injury following an accident and prior to obtaining professional medical services if required. It includes emergency treatment, maintenance of records, dressing of minor injuries, recognition and reporting of health hazards, and participation in safety programs. Legislation that governs the operation of approved children’s services is based on the health, safety and welfare of children, and requires that children are protected from hazards and harm.Every accident that occurs at the centre, regardless of severity, MUST be documented. Documentation may include one or more of the following:
Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record
IO1- Notification of Incident, Illness & Circumstance Form, for instances where urgent medical attention from a registered medical practitioner is required; or the child attended or should have attended hospital.
Team Member, Contractor and Visitor Incident Report Form
Team members must call 000 in the event that the illness requires immediate medical attention.
Management is responsible for:
taking every reasonable precaution to protect children at the Service from harm and/or hazards that can cause injury
ensuring that the following qualified people are in attendance at all times the service is providing education and care to children
at least one staff member or one nominated supervisor who holds a current ACECQA approved first aid qualifications
at least one staff member or one nominated supervisor of the service who has undertaken current approved anaphylaxis management training
at least one staff member or one nominated supervisor of the service who has undertaken current approved emergency asthma management training
(one staff member may hold one or more of the three qualifications)
appointing a nominated first aid officer
ensuring a risk assessment is conducted prior to an excursion to identify risks to health, safety, or wellbeing and specifying how these risks will be managed and minimised
ensuring that first aid training details are recorded and kept up to date on each staff member’s record
ensuring there is an induction process for all new staff, including casual and relief staff, that includes providing information on the location of first
aid kits and specific first aid requirements and individual children’s allergies and individual medical management plans
ensuring that parents are notified when practicable or within 24 hours if their child is involved in an incident, injury, trauma or illness
at the Service and that details are recorded on the Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record.
ensuring the Regulatory Authorities are notified within 24 hours if a child is involved in a serious incident, injury, trauma or illness at the Service.
ensuring that staff members are offered support and debriefing subsequent to a serious incident requiring the administration of first aid
ensuring a resuscitation flow chart is displayed in a prominent position in the indoor and outdoor environments of the Service
keeping up to date with any changes in procedures for administration of first aid and ensuring that all educators are informed of these changes.
A Nominated Supervisor/ Responsible Person will:
Team members must call 000 in the event that the illness requires immediate medical attention.
maintain a current approved first aid qualification
support staff when dealing with a serious incident and/or trauma
provide and maintain an appropriate number of up-to-date, fully equipped first aid kits that meet Australian Standards.
provide and maintain a transportable first aid kit/s that can be taken to excursions and other activities
monitor the contents of all first aid kits and arrange replacement of stock, including when the use-by date has been reached
dispose of out-of-date materials and supplies appropriately
ensure safety signs showing the location of first aid kits are clearly displayed
ensure that all educators approved first aid qualifications, anaphylaxis management training and emergency asthma management training are current and meet the requirements of the National Act and National Regulations and are approved by ACECQA.
provide training for the administration of an auto-injector device annually and document on staff files
keep up to date with any changes in the procedures for the administration of first aid
contact families immediately if a child has had a head injury whilst at the Service
ensure that appropriate documentation is being recorded by the Nominated Supervisor / Responsible Person regarding incidents, injury, trauma, and illnesses and the administration of first aid. Documentation of the following must be recorded:
name and age of the child
circumstances leading to the incident, injury, trauma, or illness (including any symptoms)
time and date
details of action taken by the service including any medication administered, first aid provided or
medical personnel contacted
details of any witnesses
names of any person the service notified or attempted to notify, and the time and date of this
signature of the person making the entry, and time and date of this.
Team members must call 000 in the event that the illness requires immediate medical attention.
Educators will:
implement appropriate first aid procedures when necessary
maintain current approved first aid qualifications, and qualifications in anaphylaxis management and emergency asthma management as required (Safe Work Australia recommends first aid qualifications should be renewed every three years)
refresh their CPR and administration of an auto-injector device training at least annually
ensure that all children are adequately supervised while providing first aid and comfort for a child involved in an incident or suffering trauma
ensure that the details of any incident requiring the administration of first aid are recorded on the Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record accurately.
conduct a risk assessment prior to an excursion to identify risks to health, safety, or wellbeing and specifying how these risks will be managed and minimised.
Parents will:
sign Service records of accidents or injuries that have occurred, acknowledging they have been made aware of the incident and the first aid that treatment that was given to the child • provide the required information for the Service’s medication record provide written consent (via the enrolment record) for service staff to administer first aid and call an ambulance if required
be contactable, either directly or through emergency contacts listed on the child’s enrolment record.
First Aid Kit
The Approved Provider of the Service will ensure that first aid kits are kept in accordance with National Education and Care Service Regulations (regulation 89).
All First Aid Kits at the Service must:
be suitably equipped
not be locked
not contain paracetamol
be suitable for the number of employees and children and sufficient for the immediate treatment of injuries at the Service
be easily accessible to staff and educators
be constructed of resistant material, be dustproof and of sufficient size to adequately store the required contents
be capable of being sealed and preferably be fitted with a carrying handle as well as have internal compartments
contain a list of the contents of the kit
be regularly checked using the First Aid Kit Checklist to ensure the contents are as listed and have not degraded or expired
have a white cross on a green background with the words 'First Aid' prominently displayed on the outside
be easily recognisable
be easy to access and if applicable, located where there is a risk of injury occurring
include emergency telephone numbers, and location of the nearest first aid trained educators
display a photograph of the first aid trained educators, along with contact details to assist in the identification process
be provided on each floor of a multi-level workplace
be provided in each work vehicle
be stocked with precautionary items such as sunscreen and water if using outdoors.
be taken on excursions
be maintained in proper condition and the contents restocked as required.
Our First Aid delegated individual responsible for maintaining all First Aid kits at the Service is:
FIRST AID OFFICER
Name: Minakshi Devi
Role: Director
Number of first aid kits responsible for at the service: 10
These individuals are responsible for conducting and maintaining each first aid kit by complying with the First Aid Checklist,
certifying each kit has the required quantities, items are within their expiry dates, and sterile products are sealed. This will occur after each use or if unused, at least annually.
Individuals along with the Nominated Supervisor will also consider whether the first aid kits and components are appropriate and effective for the Service’s hazards and the injuries that have occurred. If the kit requires additional resources, these individuals will advise and follow up with the Nominated Supervisor.
Our Service will display a well-recognised, standardised first aid sign to assist in easily locating first aid kits. Signage will comply with AS 1319:1994 – Safety Signs for the Occupational Environment. First Aid Kit Checklist
Our Service will use the Checklist provided by the Childcare Centre Desktop. Safe Work Australia’s
First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice also provides a guide to what to include in a First Aid Kit. https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-code-practice-first-aid-workplace We will determine the need for additional items to those in the checklist, or whether some items
are unnecessary, after analysing the number of children at our Service and what injuries children or adults may incur. We will review our incident, injury, trauma and illness records to assist us in making an informed decision about what to include.
For further advice on first aid in the workplace, refer to the following website for state and territory specifications. https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/first-aidChild safe environment policy (Victoria)
Our Service is committed to the safety, wellbeing and support of all children and young people. Management, staff and volunteers take every reasonable precaution to protect children in our care and treat all children with the utmost respect and understanding at all times. To protect children from abuse, our Service embeds strategies to ensure a culture of child safety by providing a safe environment for the children in our care. We acknowledge that staff within an early childhood service are in a unique position to monitor behavioural and emotional changes, physical injuries, and the general wellbeing of a child due to the development of safe environments and trusting relationships with children and families. Our staff are trained to identify signs and behaviours that may indicate child abuse and thoroughly understand their obligations and responsibilities to respond to incidents, disclosures or suspicions of child abuse as mandated reporters. We are dedicated in promoting cultural safety for Aboriginal children, cultural safety for children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and to providing a safe environment for children with a disability. Our Service takes every reasonable effort to accommodate the diversity of all children in implementing the Child Safe Standards. Our Service takes a ‘zero’ tolerance approach to child abuse and are committed to raise awareness about the importance of child safety in our environment and the community.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY
2.2 Safety Each child is respected
2.2.1 Supervision At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.
2.2.2 Incident and emergency management Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practiced and implemented.
2.2.3 Child Protection Management, educators and staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities to identify and respond to every child at risk of abuse or neglect.
QUALITY AREA 5: RELATIONSHIPS WITH CHILDREN
5.1.1 Positive educator to child interactions, Responsive and meaningful interactions build trusting relationships which engage and support each child to feel secure, confident and included.
QUALITY AREA 7: GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP
7.1 Governance supports the operation of a quality service
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS and NATIONAL LAW
84 Awareness of child protection law
155 Interactions with children
168 Education and care service must have policies and procedures
S162(A) Persons in day to day charge and nominated supervisors to have child protection training
358 Working with children check to be read
OTHER RELEVANT LAW
Education and Training Reform Act 2006- Child safe standards- Managing the risk of child abuse in schools. Ministerial Order No. 870 The Commission for Children and Young People Act 2012
Failure to Disclose 2014
Failure to Protect 2015
The Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic)
Working with Children Act 2005 (Vic)
Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 2005 (Vic)
Family Law Act 1975
Child Wellbeing and Safety Amendment (Child Safe Standards) Act 2015
Children Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic)
RELATED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES RELATED TO CHILD SAFE ENVIRONMENT
Interactions with children Policy Human Resources Policy
Dealing with complaints Policy Code of Conduct Policy
Physical Environment Policy Governance Policy
Child Safe Environment Definitions
PURPOSE
The Child Safe Environment policy requires all staff within our Service to create and maintain a child safe organisation where children are safe and feel safe. Our policy framework incorporates the seven Child Safe Standards and Reportable Conduct Scheme. We are committed to identify possible and significant risks of harm to children and young people within our Service. We understand our duty of care to protect children from all types of abuse and adhere to our legislative obligations at all times. We aim to implement effective strategies to assist in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children. Our Service will act in the best interest of the child, assisting them to develop to their full potential in a secure and safe environment.
SCOPE
This policy applies to families, staff, management and visitors of the Service.
OUR COMMITMENT TO CHILD SAFETY
Our Service is committed to safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. We understand our responsibilities and statutory duty of care to comply with both the Child Safe Standards and the Reportable Conduct Scheme to build our capacity as an organisation to prevent and respond to allegations of child abuse. In our planning, development and implementation of our Child Safe Environment Policy we will:
create and maintain a child safe environment and comply with the Ministerial Order No. 870- Child Safe Standards and Child Wellbeing and Safety Amendment (Child Safe Standards) Act 201
complete a self-audit to assess our progress in meeting the requirements of the Child Safe Standards (see Further information and support
develop a Child Safety Code of Conduct specific to our Service
include child safety as a regular agenda item at staff meeting
adhere to a zero tolerance for child abuse
value the input of and communicate regularly with families and carers regarding our Child Safe police
embed the seven Child Safety Standards into our policy and procedure
promote the safety of children at all time
foster a culture of openness and respect where children and adults feel safe to disclose risk of harm to children
listen to and act decisively on any child safety concerns or allegations of abuse that are made
recognise, respect and foster children’s rights where their voices and views are listened to and value
assess and manage the risk of abuse to children as part of our daily practice
recognise the vulnerability of particular groups of children including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children with a disability, children in out of home care (OOHC) and children from a culturally and/or linguistically diverse background
ensure effective processes are in place to respond to and report allegations of child abuse to the appropriate authorities
read and ensure that the approved provider or nominated supervisor, or person in day-to-day charge of the service has read a person’s Working with Children Check before the person is engaged as an educator, volunteer or staff member at the Service
the approved provider has read a person’s Working with Children Check before nominating that person as a nominated supervisor or person in day-to-day charge of the service. (This does not apply to a person who is a registered teacher under the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 and has current registration). ensure visitors to our Service implementing professional development are suitable and approved to work with children
IMPLEMENTATION
Our Service strongly opposes any type of abuse against a child and endorses high quality practices in relation to protecting children. All staff understand their roles and responsibilities in protecting children from abuse and neglect and maintain up-to-date knowledge of child protection law (Reg 84). Staff will undertake child protection awareness training every 12-24 months, and whenever significant changes are made to the child protection law or reporting requirements. Staff will comply with our Code of Conduct at all times.
Reportable Conduct Scheme
The Reportable Conduct Scheme seeks to improve organisation’s responses to allegations of child abuse and neglect by their employees
and volunteers. The Approved Provider must notify the Commission for Children and Young People (the Commission) about any allegations of misconduct involving a child. Reportable conduct applies to all employees, volunteers, students (over the age of 18) and contractors at our Service
The Approved Provider is obligated to implement the requirements of the Reportable Conduct Scheme which include
ensuring our Service has systems in place to prevent reportable conduct from being committed by a staff member or volunteer within the course of their employment
enable any person to notify the Approved Provider of a reportable allegation
respond to a reportable allegation made against a worker or volunteer from our Service, by ensuring that allegations are appropriately investigate
report allegations which may involve criminal conduct to the police
notify the Commission for Children and Young People within 3 business days of becoming aware of a reportable allegation https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/reportable-conduct-scheme/notify-and-update
investigate an allegation (subject to police clearance on criminal matters or matters involving family violence
advise the Commission who is undertaking the investigation
manage risks to children
provide the Commission with detailed information about the reportable allegation and any action that has taken place within 30 calendar day
notify the Commission of the investigation findings and any disciplinary action the head of entity has taken (or the reasons no action was taken)
Reportable conduct
There are five types of ‘reportable conduct’ listed in the Child Wellbeing and Safety Act 200
sexual offences (against, with or in the presence of a child
sexual misconduct (against, with or in the presence of a child
physical violence (against, with or in the presence of a child
behaviour that causes significant emotional or psychological harm
significant neglect
A reportable allegation is made where a person makes on allegation, based on a reasonable belief that an employee, volunteer or contractor has
committed reportable conduct or misconduct that may involve reportable conduct. A person is likely to have a reasonable belief if they
observed the conduct themselves
heard directly from a child that the conduct occurred or
received information form another credible source (including another witness). (Commission for Children and Young People
Standard 1: Governance and leadership
Standard 2: Clear commitment to child safety
Standard 3: Code of conduct
Standard 4: Human resource practice
Standard 5: Responding and reporting
Standard 6: Risk management and mitigation
Standard 7: Empowering children
Child Protection
All educators, staff and volunteers are committed to identifying possible risk and significant risk of harm to children and young people at the Service. We comprehend our duty of care and responsibilities to protect children from all types of abuse and neglect.
Nominated Supervisor will ensure that:
staff have completed approved child protection training
they have read each person’s Working with Children Check before engaging educators, staff or volunteers in the Service
all staff members at the Service maintain up-to-date knowledge of child protection law and any obligations that they may have under that law
all staff members and volunteers are familiar with the Reportable Conduct Scheme and the types of reportable conduct
human resource procedures within our Service ensure all employees and volunteers recruited display the right personal qualities, skills and experience to provide high quality supervision and care to children in addition to holding a validated Working with Children Check (WWCC)
all staff members who work with children
understand and are confident implementing our Child Safe Environment Policy
know how to identify, assess and minimise risks of child abus
are aware of their role as mandated reporters to immediately report cases where they believe a child is at risk of significant harm promote the cultural safety of Aboriginal children, the cultural safety of children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and safety for children with a disability educators understand the reporting procedures and professional standards to safeguard children and protect the integrity of educators, staff and volunteers
access to relevant acts, regulations, standards and other resources are provided to help educators, staff and volunteers meet their obligation
Child Protection is contacted as soon as practicable of any incident reasonably believed that physical and/or sexual abuse of a child has occurred or is occurring while the child is being educated and cared for by the Service
Child Protection is notified as soon as practicable of any allegation that sexual or physical abuse of a child has occurred or is occurring while the child is being educated and cared for by the Service
the Quality Assessment and Regulation Division (QARD) are notified of any serious incidents or concerns about the wellbeing of a child within our Service
clear and comprehensive documentation related to actions taken in response to incidents, disclosures and allegations of child abuse are kept securely and confidentially in line with our Privacy and Confidentiality policy
Educators will:
comprehend their legal obligation as mandated reporters under the legislation (effective March 2019
report any situation where they believe on reasonable grounds a child is at risk of significant harm to Child Protection and/or local Child Protection office (see end of policy for contact details) as appropriate
contact the Victorian Police on 000 if there is an immediate danger to a child and intervene instantly if it is safe to do so
understand their duty of care to take reasonable steps to protect children at all time
be able to recognise indicators of abuse
be aware of the Four Critical Actions for responding to Incidents, Disclosures and suspicions of child abuse - Early Childhood - Four Critical Action
respect a child’s disclosure, taking it seriously and respond to their disclosure immediately
document any incident, disclosure or suspicion that a child has been, or is at risk of being abused using the PROTECT template - PROTECT - Responding to Suspected Child Abuse Template School
understand that allegations of abuse or suspected abuse against them are treated in the same way as allegations of abuse against other people
associate families with referral agencies where concerns of harm do not meet the threshold of significant harm. These services may be located through Child FIRST. Family consent will be sought before making referrals
Mandatory Reporting
Mandatory Reporting is the legislative requirement for selected classes of people to report suspected child abuse and neglect to government authorities. In Victoria, mandatory reporting is regulated by the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) ss. 162, 182, 184 (CYFA). Effective from March 1, 2019 all early childhood educators and other persons employed or engaged in an education and care service or a children’s service are mandatory reporters. This also includes all proprietors, nominees of a children’s service, approved providers and nominated supervisors of an education and care service
According to the CYFA, mandated reporters must respond to an emergency immediately if the child is at immediate risk of harm or has just been abused. Mandated reporters must respond to an incident, disclosure or suspicion of child abuse as soon as they witness or form a belief based on reasonable grounds that a child is in need of protection because:
the child’s basic physical or psychological needs are not being met or are at risk of not being met
the parents or other caregivers have not arranged and are unable or unwilling to arrange for the child to receive necessary medical care
the parents or other caregivers have not arranged and are unable or unwilling to arrange for a school age child to receive an education
the child has been or is at risk of being physically or sexually abused or ill-treated
the child is living in a household where there have been incidents of domestic violence and they are at risk of serious physical or psychological harm
the parent’s or other caregiver’s behaviour means the child has suffered or is at risk of suffering serious psychological harm
the child has stated they have been abused
the child has evidence of abuse
To form a belief on reasonable grounds, the reporter may have witnessed behaviour, have a suspicion or received a disclosure of child abuse
Responding to a parent, carer or guardian of a child
If a parent, carer or guardian says their child has been abused in our Service or raises concern we will:
ensure all abuse allegations are taken very seriously
explain our procedures as mandatory reporters
allow the parent, carer or guardian to talk through the incident in their own words
ask about the safety and wellbeing of the child
explain that an educator will be taking notes during the discussion to capture all details
provide them with any incident report
explain our Service’s reporting processes which include informing Victoria Police, Child Protection office
report and provide ongoing support as per our procedure of child abuse allegation
DEFINITIONS
Maltreatment refers to non-accidental behaviour towards another person, which is outside the norms of conduct and entails a substantial risk of causing physical or emotional harm. Behaviours may be intentional or unintentional and include acts of omission and commission. Specifically abuse refers to acts of commission while neglect refers to acts of omission. Note that in practice the terms child abuse and child neglect are used more frequently than the term child maltreatment.
Significant Harm refers to circumstances causing concern for the safety, welfare and wellbeing a child or young person present to a significant extent. This means it is sufficiently serious to warrant a response by a statutory authority irrespective of the family’s consent.
What is significant is not minor or trivial and may reasonably be expected to produce a substantial and demonstrably adverse impact on the child's or young person's safety, welfare, or wellbeing. In the case of an unborn child, what is significant is not minor or trivial and may reasonably be expected to produce a substantial and demonstrably adverse impact on the child.
Reasonable grounds refer to the need to have an objective basis for suspecting that a child may be at risk of abuse and neglect based on:
first hand observation of the child or family
what the child, parent, or other person has disclosed
what can reasonably be inferred based on observation, professional training and/or experience that causes the mandated reporter to believe the child has been abused or is likely to be abused or, signs of physical or sexual abuse leading to the belief that the child has been abused
Failure to disclose refers to the failure of a mandated reporter who has reasonable belief that a child under 16 has had a sexual offence committed to them by an adult to make a report to the police.
Failure to protect refers to a person of authority in the organisation who has the power or responsibility, but who negligently fails to reduce or remove the threat of substantial risk of child sexual abuse.
POLICY EVALUATION AND REVIEW
To ensure ongoing relevance and continuous improvement, this policy will be reviewed as part of our cycle of self-evaluation each year. Our Service welcomes input from staff, children, families/carers and community.
RELEVANT AUTHORITIES CONTACT DETAILS
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Child Protection Crisis Line (after hours) Ph. 13 12 78
Victoria Police Sexual offences and child abuse Investigation Team 000
National Child Abuse Helpline: 1800 99 10 99 (9am-5pm AEST)
DET Quality Assessment and Regulation Division (QARD) 1300 307 415
JURISDICTIONAL CONTACTS CONTACT DETAILS
Business hours 8.45-5.00pm (Monday-Friday)
North Division
Banyule, Buloke, Darebin, Campaspe, Central Goldfield, Gannawarra, Greater Bendigo, Hume, Loddon, Macedon Ranges, Mildura, Moreland, Mount Alexander, Nillumbik, Swan Hill, Whittlesea, Yarra.
1300 664 977
South Division
Bass Coast, Baw Baw, Bayside, Cardinia, Casey, East Gippsland, Frankston, Glen Eira, Greater Dandenong, Kingston, Latrobe, Mornington Peninsula, Port Phillip, South Gippsland, Stonnington, Wellington.
1300 655 795
East Division
Alpine, Benalla, Boroondara, Greater Shepparton, Indigo, Knox, Manningham, Mansfield, Maroondah, Mitchell, Moira, Monash, Murrindindi, Strathbogie, Towong, Wangaratta, Whitehorse, Wodonga, Yarra Ranges.
1300 360 391
West Division - Rural and regional only
Ararat, Ballarat, Colac-Otway, Corangamite, Glenelg, Golden Plains, Greater Geelong, Hepburn, Hindmarsh, Horsham, Moorabool, Moyne, Northern Grampians, Pyrenees, Queenscliffe, Southern Grampians, Surf Coast, Warrnambool West Wimmera, Yarriambiack.
1800 075 599
West Division – Metropolitan only
Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Maribyrnong, Melbourne, Melton, Moonee Valley, Wyndham.
1300 664 977We believe in maintaining an inclusive and welcoming environment and workplace that motivates and facilitates personal growth and development for staff and educators. The values that underpin our work ethic include equality, respect, integrity, and responsibility. Our Service is committed to adhere to the ECA Code of Ethics (2016) which is based on the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1991) and provides a framework for the reflection about the ethical responsibilities of early childhood professionals. Our Service is committed to creating and maintaining an environment that promotes the safety of all children and embeds the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. All staff and volunteers are responsible for promoting a culture of safety and wellbeing to minimise the risk of child abuse or harm to children whilst promoting children’s sense of security and belonging.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 4: STAFFING ARRANGEMENTS
Respect for People and the Service4.1 Staffing arrangements Staffing arrangements enhance children's learning and development.
4.1.2 Continuity of staff Every effort is made for children to experience continuity of educators at the service.
4.2 Professionalism Management, educators and staff are collaborative, respectful and ethical.
4.2.1 Professional collaboration Management, educators and staff work with mutual respect and collaboratively, and challenge and learn from each other, recognising each other’s strengths and skills.
4.2.2 Professional Standards Professional standards guide practice, interactions and relationships.
QUALITY AREA 7: GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP7.1.1 Service philosophy and purpose A statement of philosophy guides all aspects of the service’s operations.
7.1.3 Roles and responsibilities Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, and understood, and support effective decision-making and operation of the service.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS82 Tobacco, drug and alcohol-free environment
84 Awareness of child protection law
155 Interactions with children
168 Education and care services must have policies and procedures
Related PoliciesChild Protection Policy
Child Safe Environment Policy
Grievance Policy (staff)
Interactions with Children, Family and Staff Policy
Out of hours babysitting Policy
Photograph Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Professional Development Policy
Record Keeping and Retention Policy
Respect for Children Policy
Responsible Person Policy
Social Media Policy
Work Health and Safety PolicyPURPOSE
We aim to establish a common understanding of workplace standards and ethics expected of all employees of the Service. We aim to ensure positive working relationships are formed between all educators and management, promoting dignity and respect by avoiding behaviour which is or may be perceived as harassing, bullying or intimidating. Educators and management will at all times conduct themselves in an ethical manner and strive to ensure that all interactions are positive and respectful and are in accordance with the Service’s philosophy.
Our Service takes every reasonable effort to accommodate the diversity of all children in implementing the Child Safe Standards. We are committed to the safety and wellbeing of children and young people. We recognise the importance of and responsibility for, ensuring our Service provides a safe and supportive environment which respects and fosters the rights and wellbeing of children in our care. We are dedicated in promoting cultural safety for Aboriginal children, cultural safety for children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds and to providing a safe environment for children with a disability.SCOPE
This policy applies to staff, management and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
The Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor, educators and staff, volunteers, and students will adhere to the Early Childhood Australian Code of Ethics, Education and Care Services National Regulations and National Quality Standard, and Service policies and procedures at all times, promoting positive interactions both within the Service and the local community.
Respect for People and the ServiceEmployees and Management are committed to the Service philosophy and values, inclusive of best practice in early childhood education and building positive partnership with children, families and staff
Employees and management adhere to our Child Safe Environment Policy and Child Protection Policy at all times and take all reasonable steps to protect children from abuse and harm
Employees and management understand that child safety is everyone’s responsibility
Employees are committed to valuing and promoting the safety, health, and wellbeing of employees, volunteers, children, and families
Effective, open, and respectful reciprocal communication and feedback between employees, children, families, and management is conveyed
It is important to treat colleagues, children, and families with respect. Bullying or insulting behaviour, including verbal and non-verbal aggression, abusive, threatening, or derogatory language or intimidation towards other employees, children, visitors, or families is unacceptable and will not be tolerated
Employees are committed to an Equal Opportunity workplace and culture which values the knowledge, experience, and professionalism of all employees, team members, and managers, and the diverse heritage of our families and children
Employees and management respect the privacy of children and their families by keeping all information about child protection concerns confidential
Expectations of Employees
Employees will-ensure their work is carried out proficiently, harmoniously, and effectively. They will act in a professional and respectful manner at all times whilst at work, giving their full attention to their responsibilities and adhering to all Service policies, procedures, Child Safe Standards, Education and Care Services Nationa l Law and National Regulations, and the National Quality Standard
act honestly and exercise attentiveness in all Service operations. They will carry out all lawful directions, retaining the right to question any direction which they consider to be unethical. If uncertain they can seek advice from the Nominated Supervisor, Approved Provider or the Ombudsman
uphold the rights of children and always prioritise their needs
treat all children and young people with respect
promote the safety of children and take all reasonable steps to protect children from abuse
provide adequate supervision of children at all times
understand their legislative responsibility as mandatory reporters to report any allegation of child abuse, neglect or possible risk of harm to management
understand their legislative responsibility to report any inappropriate action of any other employee that involves children or young people to management as part of the Reportable Conduct Scheme
participate in all compulsory training
report any instances of suspected corrupt conduct, mismanagement of government funds or other serious allegation to the appropriate agency (tipoffline@dese.gov.au)
have a solid understanding of the Service’s policies and procedures and the ECA Code of Ethics. If uncertain about the content of any policy or procedure with which they must comply, employees should seek clarification from the Nominated Supervisor or Approved Provider
be courteous and responsive when dealing with colleagues, students, visitors, children and families
work collaboratively with colleagues and recognise and value diversity
be mindful of their duty of care towards themselves and others
be positive role models for children at all times
respect the confidential nature of information gained about each child enrolled in our Service
engage in critical reflection to inform individual and collective decision making and ensure continual improvement.
Employees will not-condone or participate in illegal, unsafe or abusive behaviour towards children, including physical, sexual or psychological abuse, ill-treatment, neglect or grooming exaggerate or trivialise child abuse issues
fail to report information to the approved provider if they know a child has been abused
engage in unwarranted and inappropriate touching involving a child
persistently criticise and/or denigrate a child
verbally assault a child or create a climate of fear
encourage a child to communicate with me in a private setting
share details of sexual experiences with a child
use sexual language or gestures in the presence of children
discriminate against any child, because of culture, race, ethnicity or disability
put children at risk of abuse- refusing food/play, making threats, exposing children to inappropriate language or material (movies, internet, photos)
source: NSW Children’s Guardian Codes of Conduct resource (2020).
Expectations of Leaders and ManagementIn addition to the above responsibilities, leaders and management are expected to: promote a collaborative and interconnected workplace by developing a positive working environment where all employees can contribute to the ongoing continuous improvement of the Service
promote leadership by working with employees and providing opportunities for professional development and growth
provide flexible opportunities to ensure all employees can participate in staff meetings and professional development
provide ongoing support and feedback to employees
keep employees informed about essential information and any relevant changes and make all documents readily accessible to them
ensure copies of the ECA Code of Ethics is available to staff and families
model professional behaviour at all times whilst at the Service
implement supportive and effective communication systems, consulting employees in appropriate decision making
take appropriate action if a breach of the code of conduct occurs
share skills and knowledge with employees
give encouragement and constructive feedback to employees, respecting the value of different professional approaches
Reporting a breach of the Code of Conduct
all employees are required by law to undergo a Working with Children Check (WWCC) which is verified by the employer to ensure it is valid and current
if employees become aware of a serious crime committed by another employee, they are required to report it to management as per the Reportable Conduct Scheme
as mandatory reporters, all employees must report possible risk of harm to children or young persons to management employees will report any concerns they may have about inappropriate actions of any other employee that involves children or young people to management as per the Reportable Conduct Scheme
management will report any allegations or child related misconduct as per their legislative requirements (this may include reporting the matter to the Police, Department of Communities and Justice and the Office of the Children’s Guardian in NSW) Managing conflict in the workplace
MANAGEMENT WILL:remain objective and impartial when managing conflict in the workplace
be responsive and address a possible breach of the code of conduct by any employee as soon as they aware of the breach
investigate all allegations which may result in remedial action, or disciplinary action ranging from a caution to dismissal
consider all relevant facts and make decisions or take actions fairly, ethically, consistently, and with transparency. If they are uncertain about the appropriateness of a decision or action they will consider:
whether the decision or conduct is lawful
whether the decision or conduct is consistent with Service policies and objectives
whether there will be an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest involving obligations that could influence the business relationship or conflict with business duties.
Adhering to Service confidentialityUnless authorised to do so by legislation, employees must not disclose or use any confidential information without appropriate approval
All employees are to ensure that confidential information is not accessed by unauthorised people
Employees will adhere to the Service’s Privacy and Confidentiality Policy.
BabysittingAdhering to Service confidentiality
We do not provide babysitting services outside normal operating hours
Should employees undertake private babysitting arrangements with families, our Service takes no responsibility for any private arrangements between staff members and the family. However, we do expect staff to inform the Service if they are babysitting or caring for a child that attends the Service.
Should employees undertake private babysitting arrangements we require employees and families to sign a copy of the Code of Conduct and complete a ‘Out of Hours Babysitting Agreement Waiver’which will we keep in the child and staff member’s file (see Out of Hours Babysitting Policy)
All staff are bound by contract to the Service’s Privacy and Confidentiality Policy, where they are unable to discuss any issues regarding the Service, other
staff members, parents/families, or other children. Record keeping
Record keepingEmployees and Management will maintain full, accurate, and honest records as required by the Education and Care Services National regulations
Managers have a responsibility to ensure that employees comply with their record keeping obligation outlined in the Record Keeping and Retention Policy
Employees must not destroy records without permission from management
Records must be retained and stored securely as per our Record Keeping and Retention Policy
Duty of careManagement and employees have a responsibility to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others at the workplace to enable compliance with the work health and safety legislation outlined in the Work Health and Safety Policy
Duty of Care relates to both physical and psychological wellbeing of individuals
Management and employees must provide adequate supervision of children at all times and ensure the health, safety and welfare of children and young people in their care . This includes taking all reasonable action to protect children and young people from risk of harm that can be reasonably predicted.
Appropriate use of electronic communication and social networking sites Social media
Appropriate use of electronic communication and social networking sites Social mediaAs a Child Safe Organisation, our Service has the responsibility to ensure children and educators are protected from harm when they engage in with digital technology including social media
Strict guidelines for the use of social media are outlined in our Social Media Policy
The Service offers its current enrolled families and staff members a Facebook page as a communication tool. The administrator of the account is the Service’s Nominated Supervisor
The Administrator controls the content on the page and ensures that the postings are relevant and respectful of the Service, the children, the staff, families, and greater community.
Staff members who have a personal Facebook account are not permitted to post any negative comments relating to the Service, children, colleagues, or families. Staff members are to use their own personal discretion when adding a family of the Service as a ‘friend’ on Facebook. The Service does not recommend staff to add families of the Service as
they will be seen still as a representative of the Service and held to the Service’s Code of Conduct on all posts on their private ‘wall’ if families have access.
Families are asked in our Social Media Policy to respect that staff may have a personal policy on adding families due to their professional philosophy and that the Service does not recommend staff to have families as friends on their private account. Staff members are not permitted to request the ‘friendship’ of families from the Service.
Personal phone calls/mobile phones/smart watchesWe are mindful that educators have a duty of care to ensure children are protected from potential risk of harm. It is imperative that all employees of the Service provide children with their full attention, ensuring supervision is maintained and remains on the children at all times.
employees are not authorised to use the Service’s phones for personal reasons unless in the case of an emergency or with permission from management
no personal mobile phones are to be used, checked or brought on the floor during working hours .
mobile phones are to be kept inside employee’s bags which will be placed in a designated, secure location for safe keeping.
employees are not permitted to use smartwatches to access emails and social media during working hours. Smart watches are only to be used for viewing the time.
if it becomes apparent that educators are using their Smart watches to check and respond to messages during shifts, they will be asked to either leave them at home or place in a designated locker / secure location until the end of their shift.
personal mobile phones and Smart watches may be used during shift breaks when employees are free from work and supervision duties. They are not to be used in general sight of children, unless a situation arises where there is an emergency.
personal mobile phones are not to be used to take photos of children as this is a breach of children’s privacy. (Service mobile phones or iPads may be used if it’s for the purposes of ‘observations’ etc.)
children are at no time to be given access to staff mobile phones
no personal mail or deliveries should be directed to the Service unless prior approval has been granted by the Nominated Supervisor/management
educators and staff are not to contact families or children of the Service for personal reasons
if, for personal reasons a staff member needs to remain contactable from someone outside the Service they should ensure that the situation is explained to management and that the service’s primary contact details are passed on to the persons/family outside the Service.
Service emailEmail is to be used only for company usage, not for private communications
Passwords and access privileges are strictly confidential and to be used only by the educator issued with that access, or persons delegated to know and use that access in the normal course of operation
It is the responsibility of the authorised use/r to take fair and reasonable steps to ensure the passwords and other forms of access are held safe
Employees are to be aware that their Service email account may be accessed by Management at any time.
Use of alcohol, drugs and tobaccoSmoking is NOT permitted in or on surrounding areas of the Service
It is expected that the odour of cigarette smoke will not be detected on an employee’s clothing. If an employee is found smoking on the premises, that employee may be terminated. Our Service supports the Smoke Free Environment Act 2000. The company and its employees will follow all conditions outlined in this act.
Our Service is bound by the Education and Care Services National Regulations. Alcohol, drugs, or other substance abuse by employees can have serious adverse effects on their own health and the safety of others. As such, all employees must not:
consume alcohol nor be under the influence of alcohol while working
use or possess illegal drugs at any workplace
drive a vehicle, having consumed alcohol or suffering from the effects of illegal substances, or bring alcohol or any illegal drugs onto the premises. If a co-worker suspects a colleague to be affected by drugs or alcohol, they must inform the Nominated Supervisor immediately. No employee will be allowed to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Employees undergoing prescribed medical treatment with a controlled substance that may affect the safe performance of their duties are required to report this to the Nominated Supervisor.
All issues pertaining to these matters shall be kept strictly confidential. A breach of this policy may initiate appropriate action including the termination of employment.
Dress codeAll employees must adhere to our uniform/dress code supplied during induction including the display of their name badge whilst on shift.
Enclosed shoes must be worn at all times (strictly no high heels, thongs, or wedges).
Clothes must be suitable for free movement, active play, and messy play.
No offensive logos or political statements are to be displayed on clothing.
Jewellery – one (1) earring per ear (small studs).
Personal HygieneAll employees are to adhere to the following standards:
long hair is to be clean and neatly tied back. Ensure hair does not hang in your eyes
makeup is to be light and natural
fingernails are to be clean and well groomed
nail polish (if worn) cannot be chipped
employees will follow appropriate oral hygiene practices
an appropriate deodorant/antiperspirant will be worn
strong perfumes will not be worn as they may cause allergic reactions in children.
Breach of the Code of ConductAll staff members are made fully aware that the following breaches of the Code of Conduct and role responsibilities may lead to termination of employment:
reporting to work under the influence of alcohol or drugs
refusal to complete mandated professional training
possessing or selling drugs at the Service
immoral, immature, or indecent conduct while at the Service
inappropriate use of company equipment and/or resources
refusing to work as reasonable directed
possessing a dangerous weapon whilst at the Service
bringing disrepute to the Service causing disruption or discontent in the relationship between a family and the Service
disclosure of confidential information
falsifying documentation
associating with families without disclosing this information with management
stealing, abusing, defacing, or destroying company property
interfering with work schedules
falsification of reports, documents, or wages information
failure to report for work without notice
walking off the job
failure to follow policies and procedures
vulgarity or disrespectful conduct to families, management or colleagues
making or publishing false, vicious, or malicious statements about any employee of the Service, or the Service itself
failure to hand in lost property (this is regarded as stealing): Lost property is to be handed to the Nominated Supervisor.
Disciplinary ActionAll staff members are made fully aware that continued abuse of the following may result in disciplinary action. These include, but are not limited to the following:
unauthorised absence
having personal visitors whilst on shift
continued personal phone calls unauthorised solicitation or distribution of money or materials
poor work standard
carelessness
low level of enthusiasm
lack of personal cleanliness
taking excessive breaks
failure to report health, fire or safety hazards
repeated tardinessWe believe in maintaining an inclusive and welcoming environment and workplace that motivates and facilitates personal growth and development for staff and educators. The values that underpin our work ethic include equality, respect, integrity, and responsibility. Our Service is committed to adhere to the ECA Code of Ethics (2016) which is based on the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1991) and provides a framework for the reflection about the ethical responsibilities of early childhood professionals. Our Service is committed to creating and maintaining an environment that promotes the safety of all children and embeds the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. All staff and volunteers are responsible for promoting a culture of safety and wellbeing to minimise the risk of child abuse or harm to children whilst promoting children’s sense of security and belonging.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY
2.1.1 Wellbeing and comfort Each child’s wellbeing and comfort is provided for, including appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s needs for sleep, rest and relaxation.
2.1.2 Health practices and procedures Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented.
2.2 Safety Each child is protected.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS77 Health, hygiene and safe food practices
85 Incident, injury, trauma and illness policies and procedures
86 Notification to parents of incident, injury, trauma and illness
87 Incident, injury, trauma and illness record
88 Infectious diseases
90 Medical conditions policy
93 Administration of medication
162 Health information to be kept in enrolment record
168 Education and care service must have policies and procedures
Related PoliciesAdministration of Medication Policy
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Management Policy
Dental Health Policy
Family Communication Policy
Hand Washing Policy
Health and Safety Policy
Immunisation Policy
Incident, Illness, Accident & Trauma Policy
Infant Bottle Safety & Preparation Policy
Medical Conditions Policy
Nappy Change & Toileting Policy
Physical Environment Policy
Pregnancy in Early Childhood Policy
Sick Children Policy
Sleeping & Rest Requirement Policy
Sterilising Bottles & Teats Policy
Work Health and Safety PolicyPURPOSE
Children encounter many other children and adults within the Service environment which can result in the contraction of infectious illnesses. Our Service has a duty of care to ensure that children, families, educators, and visitors of the Service are provided with a high level of protection during the hours of the Service’s operation. We aim to manage illnesses and prevent the spread of infectious diseases throughout the Service.
Immunisation is a simple, safe, and effective way of protecting people against harmful diseases before they come into contact with them in the community. Immunisation not only protects individuals, but also others within the community, by reducing the spread of disease and illnesses.SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Our Service is committed to minimise the spread of infectious diseases and viruses by implementing recommendations as stated in the Staying healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services (Fifth Edition) developed by the Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council and advice provided from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC). We are guided by decisions regarding exclusion periods and notification of infectious diseases by the Australian Government- Department of Health and local Public Health Units in our jurisdiction as per the Public Health Act. The need for exclusion and the length of time a person is excluded from the Service depends on:
how easily the infection can spread
how long the person is likely to be infectious and
the severity of the infectious disease or illness.
This policy must be read in conjunction with our other Quality Area 2 policies:Immunisation Policy
Sick Children Policy
Incident, Illness, Accident and Trauma Policy and
Medical Conditions Policy and
Handwashing Policy
INFORMATION WEBSITE PHONE NUMBER
The National Immunisation Program (NIP) Service https://beta.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/national-immunisation-program 1800 020 103
The VIC Immunisation Schedule (March 2020) http://www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation/Pages/vic-immunisation-schedule.aspx
VIC Health
(Local VIC Public Health Unit Contact Details)
https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/contact-us 1300 650 172
Department of Health In the event of a community spread virus- (COVID-19) publications from Government agencies will be displayed
https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-campaign-resources
1800 020 080
NOTE: Homeopathic immunisation is not recognisedPREVENTING INFECTIOUS DISEASES
Children enter education and care services when their immune systems are still developing. They have not been exposed to many common germs and therefore are susceptible to bacteria that may cause infections. Given the close physical contact children have with other children in early childhood and care, it is very easy for infectious diseases and illnesses to spread through normal daily activities.
Our Service implements rigorous hygienic practices to limit the spread of illness and infectious diseases including:effective hand washing hygiene
cough and sneeze etiquette
appropriate use of gloves
exclusion of children, educators or staff when they are unwell or displaying symptoms of an infectious disease or virus
effective environmental cleaning including toys and resources (including bedding)
requesting parents and visitors to wash their hands with soap and water or hand sanitizer upon arrival and departure at the Service
physical distancing (if recommended)
Immunisation requirementsImmunisation is a reliable way to prevent many childhood infectious diseases. As of January 2018, unvaccinated children due to their parent’s conscientious objection are no longer able to be enrolled in childcare. Children who cannot be fully vaccinated due to a medical condition or who are on a recognised catch-up schedule may still be enrolled upon presentation of the appropriate form signed by a medical practitioner who meets the criteria stated by the Australian Government.
Only parents of children (less than 20 years of age) who are fully immunised or are on a recognised catch-up schedule can receive Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and the Family Tax Benefit Part A end of year supplement.
The relevant vaccinations are those under the National Immunisation Program (NIP), which covers the vaccines usually administered before age five. These vaccinations must be recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR).
Educators and other staff at our Service are highly recommended to keep up to date with all immunisations including yearly influenza vaccinations. These include vaccinations recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
Refer to Immunisation Policy for more information
Reporting Outbreaks to the Public Health Unit
MANAGEMENT WILL ENSURE:Outbreaks of communicable diseases and contagious viruses represent a threat to public health. To help prevent outbreaks, the Department of Health monitors the number of people who contract certain infectious diseases and their characteristics, the recent travel or attendance of infected people in a public place or on public transport, and works with health specialists and doctors to help prevent the transmission of diseases to other people.
The Public Health Act 2010 lawfully requires and authorises doctors, hospitals, laboratories, school principals and childcare centre directors to confidentially notify Vic Health of patients with certain conditions, and to provide the required information on the notification forms. Specialist trained public health staff review this information and if necessary, contact the patient’s doctor, and sometimes the patient, to provide advice about disease control and to complete the collection of information.
All information is held confidentially in order to protect the patient’s privacy. Both the VIC and Commonwealth Privacy Acts only release/disclose patient information where it is lawfully required or authorised.
Management is required to notify the local Public Health Unit (PHU) by phone (call 1300 066 055) as soon as possible after they are made aware that a child enrolled at the Service is suffering from one of the following vaccine preventable diseases or any confirmed case of COVID-19
Diphtheria
Mumps
Poliomyelitis
Haemophilus influenzae Type b (Hib)
Meningococcal disease
Rubella (‘German measles’)
Measles
Pertussis (‘whooping cough’)
Tetanus
An outbreak of 2 or more people with gastrointestinal or respiratory illness
Management will closely monitor health alerts and guidelines from Public Health Units and the Australian Government- Department of Health for any advice and emergency health management in the event of a contagious illness outbreak- eg (COVID-19). The Approved Provider must also notify the Regulatory Authority of any incidence of a notifiable Infectious disease or illness. acecqa contact regulatory authority
MANAGEMENT WILL ENSURE:that all information regarding the prevention and transmission of infectious diseases is sourced from a recognised Government Health authority Australian Government Department of Health
exclusion periods for people with infectious diseases recommended by Government Authorities are implemented for all staff, children, parents, families and visitors
the Service implements recommendations from Staying healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services to maintain a healthy environment
advice and recommendations from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) and Safe Work Australia will be implemented where reasonably possible
children are protected from harm by ensuring relevant policies and procedures are followed regarding health and safety within the Service
required enrolment information, including health and immunisation records of enrolled children is collected, maintained and appropriately and securely stored
a staff immunisation record that documents each staff member’s previous infection or immunisations (including dates) is developed and maintained
the Public Health Unit is notified in the event of an outbreak of viral gastroenteritis. Management must document the number of cases, dates of onset, duration of symptoms. An outbreak is when two or more children or staff have a sudden onset of diarrhoea or vomiting in a 2-day period. VIC Government- Health 2019) In the event of a confirmed COVID-19 case the Public Health Unit and Regulatory Authority will be notified and advice followed to ensure the safety of children, educators and visitors to the service. (NQA ITS)
the Department of Education, Skills and Employment in [state/territory] is notified of a positive COVID-19
directions from the PHU are followed to close the service and an industrial/deep clean of the service is conducted
all families and staff are notified of the closure of the service if advised to do so by the PHU privacy and confidentiality laws are adhered to- the person who has the confirmed case of COVID-19 will be on a ‘need to know’ basis only
information is provided to the PHU for contact tracing
COVID-19 testing will be conducted for educators and staff at the Service
COVID-19 testing will be required for all children and families as advised by PHU
re-opening dates will be confirmed to the Regulatory Authority, DESE and families when advised by the PHU
A NOMINATED SUPERVISOR/ RESPONSIBLE PERSON WILL ENSURE:a hygienic environment is promoted and maintained
children are supported in their understanding of health and hygiene practices throughout the daily program and routine (hand washing, hand drying, cough and sneeze etiquette)
educators and staff are aware of relevant immunisation guidelines for children and themselves
wall charts about immunisation are displayed .
an Immunisation History Statement for each child is collected on enrolment and maintained/updated regarding the child’s immunisation status (AIR) and any medical conditions
families are provided with relevant sourced materials and information on infectious diseases, health, and hygiene including:
the current VIC Immunisation Schedule
exclusion guidelines in the event of a vaccine preventable illness at the Service for children that are not immunised or have not yet received all their immunisations
advice and information regarding any infectious diseases in general and information regarding any specific infectious illnesses that are suspected/present in the Service.
families are provided with information about an infectious disease by displaying and emailing the Infectious Diseases Notification Form and details
information or factsheets related to the disease/infection and the necessary precautions/exclusions required should be provided to families
families are advised that they must alert the Service if their child is diagnosed with an Infectious Illness
all educators are mindful and maintain confidentiality of individual children’s medical circumstances
that opportunities for educators to source pertinent up to date information from trusted sources on the prevention of infectious diseases and maintaining health and hygiene are provided
that opportunities for staff, children, and families to have access to health professionals by organising visits/guest speakers to attend the service to confirm best practice are provided
families are advised to keep children at home if they are unwell. If a child has been sick, they must be well for 24hrs before returning to the Service. For example, if a child is absent due to illness or is sent home due to illness, they will be unable to attend the next day as a minimum. The Nominated Supervisor may approve the child’s return to the Service if families provide a doctor’s certificate/clearance certifying that the child is no longer contagious and is in good health. Please note; it is not always possible to obtain a doctor’s certificate or clearance for suspected cases of an illness. The decision to approve a child’s return is up to the Approved Provider/Nominated supervisor to complete the register of Incident, Injury, Trauma of Illness and/or document incidents of infectious diseases no later than 24 hours of an illness or infectious disease occurring in the Service.
educators or staff who have diarrhoea or an infectious disease do not handle food for others and are not to return to work until they have been symptom free for 48 hours
any risk to a child or adult with complex medical needs is minimised in the event of an outbreak of an infectious disease or virus. This may require a risk assessment and decision-making regarding the suitability of attendance of the child or staff member during this time
EDUCATORS WILL ENSURE:that any child suspected of having an infectious illness is responded to and their health and emotional needs supported at all times
any child suspected of having an infectious illness is isolated from other children and supervised whilst waiting for collection by parents or guardian
that appropriate health and safety procedures are implemented when treating ill children
families are aware of the need to collect their unwell child/ children as soon as practicable from the Service
all resources or items touched by a child with a suspected illness are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected- (cushions, pillows, toys)
their own immunisation status is maintained, and the Approved Provider/Nominated Supervisor is advised of any updates to their immunisation status
opportunities are provided for children to participate in hygiene practices, including routine opportunities, and intentional practice such as hand washing, sneezing and cough etiquette
consideration is given to the combination of children to decrease the risk of attaining an infectious illness when planning the routines/program of the day
they adhere to the Service’s health and hygiene policy including:
hand washing
daily cleaning of the Service
wearing gloves (particularly when in direct contact with bodily fluids- nappy changing and toileting)
appropriate and hygienic handling and preparation of food
they maintain up-to-date knowledge with respect to Health and Safety through on-going professional development opportunities
that children rest ‘head to toe’ to avoid cross infection while resting or sleeping
that cots or mattresses are placed at least 1.5m away from each other if physical distancing measures are required to be implemented
children do not to share beds at the same time
paper towel and disinfectant is used to clean beds after each use
that all play dough is freshly made every week. If there is an outbreak of vomiting and/or diarrhoea, or any other contagious communicable disease,
play dough is to be discarded at the end of each day and a new batch made each day for the duration of the outbreak .
children wash their hands before and after using play dough.
Prevention strategies for minimising the spread of disease within our Service include all staff ensuring:full adherence to the NHMRC childcare cleaning guidelines
to clean surfaces first with detergent and water before using disinfectants. Disinfectants cannot kill germs unless areas are clean
mops used for toilet accidents are to be soaked in disinfectant in a bucket in the laundry sink and then air-dried
that a daily clean is carried out on other surfaces that may transmit germs such as high touch objects including doorknobs, tables, light switches, handles, remotes, play gyms, low shelving, etc. This will be increased to several times a day if an outbreak of an infectious disease/virus has been recorded in the Service or to minimise the risk of transmission of a virus such as COVID-19 that if a child has a toileting accident, the items are placed in a plastic bag with the child’s name on it. The plastic bag will be stored in a sealed container labelled ‘soiled/wet clothing’ for parents to take home cloths are colour coded so that a separate cloth is used to clean floors, bathroom, art and craft, and meal surfaces
that any toy that is mouthed by a child is placed immediately in the ‘toys to be washed’ basket located on the top shelf in the nappy change area and washed with warm soapy water at the end of the day. All washable toys out on display for the children are to be washed on a weekly basis to decrease the risk of cross contamination and recorded with the date and a signature as evidence. toys and equipment (that are difficult to wash) will be washed with detergent (or soap and water) and air-dried in sunlight
washable toys and equipment will be washed in detergent and hot water or the dishwasher and aired to dry (toys will not be washed in the dishwasher at the same time as dishes). All toys and equipment that have been cleaned will be recorded on the toy cleaning register. a ‘Dummy Basket’ is located by the sign in sheet that requires all children that use a dummy to place the dummy in the basket in an individual container, small zip locked plastic bag, or a protector with the child’s name clearly stated to reduce the risk of cross contamination all cleaning procedures will be recorded on the Service’s Cleaning Checklist
furnishings, fabric tablecloths and pillowcases will be laundered at the end of each week and hung out to dry. This will be increased to every Monday, Wednesday and Friday during winter months or daily during an outbreak of illness in the Service. floor surfaces will be cleaned on a daily basis after each meal and at the end of each day
toilets/bathrooms will be cleaned in the middle of the day, the end of the day and whenever needed throughout the day using disinfectant and paper towel.
disposable paper towel and disinfectant are used to clean bodily fluids off beds, floors, bathrooms, etc.
when cleaning up spills of faeces, vomit or urine off beds, floors, bathrooms etc. educators will use disinfectant on the surface after cleaning it with detergent and warm water pregnant staff members should not change nappies or assist in toileting or cleaning up toileting accidents to prevent unexpected cross contamination and risk of contracting Cytomegalovirus (CMV). (see Pregnancy in Early Childhood Policy) FAMILIES WILL:
FAMILIES WILL:adhere to the Service’s policy regarding Sick Children and exclusion requirements
adhere to the Service’s restrictions of entry into the Service in the event of an outbreak of an infectious disease or virus
adhere to the Service’s policy regarding Hand Washing
exclude their child from care if they display symptoms of an infectious illness or disease or in the event of a vaccine preventable disease occurs in the Service and their child is not immunised fully
advise the Service of their child’s immunisation status, by providing a current Immunisation History Statement recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) for the Service to copy and place in the child’s file.
advise the Service when their child’s medical action plan is updated
provide sufficient spare clothing, particularly if the child is toilet training
adhere to the Service’s risk minimisation strategies if their child has complex medical needs in the event of an outbreak of an infectious disease or virus
Supporting Documents
Infection Control Practice Manual
Emergency Management Plan
Health and Safety Policy
Gastro Outbreak Kit
Illness Observation / Emergency Paracetamol Record
Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record
Team Member, Visitor, Contractor Incident Report Form
Illness Register
IO1 Notification of Incident Illness or Circumstance
Centre specific Food Safety Programs(Effective from 3 January 2021)
COVID-19 is a new strain of coronavirus that was originally identified in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in December 2019. The World Health Organization (WHO), has declared that COVID-19 outbreak as a ‘pandemic’- a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (effective 11 March 2020). This is mainly due to the speed and scale of transmission of the virus in countries around the world, including Australia. COVID-19 is transmitted from someone who is infected with the virus to others in close contact through contaminated droplets spread by coughing or sneezing or by contact with contaminated hands or surfaces. According to Department of Health, the time of exposure to the virus and when symptoms first occur is anywhere from 2-14 days.
Symptoms can range from a mild illness, similar to a cold or flu, to pneumonia. People with COVID-19 may experience:fever
flu-like symptoms such as coughing, sore throat and fatigue
shortness of breath
The Australian Government is constantly updating the current status of COVID-19 including health recommendations, travel restrictions, and a vast collection of resources and information to help people make informed decisions.
As this information is changing rapidly, our Service is monitoring health alerts and implementing measures suggested by key health experts to minimise the transmission of COVID-19.
Our Service has a range of comprehensive policies in place to guide best practice in relation to health and safety, dealing with infectious diseases and maintaining a child safe environment. Our duty of care and responsibilities to children, parents, families and all staff to provide a safe environment is of utmost importance.
The evolving nature of COVID-19 and the unprecedented steps required to protect our community as recommended by the Australian Government, has resulted in the development of a specific policy to assist our Service manage this pandemic.
This policy will change as required to ensure the protective measures against COVID-19 as advised by our Government are implemented by our Service.
January 2021- Restrictions in various jurisdictions have been implemented from 21 December 2020. Please ensure updates are noted as they become available- COVID-19 restrictions and early childhood.NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY
Infection Control Training2.1.1 Wellbeing and comfort Each child’s wellbeing and comfort is provided for, including appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s needs for sleep, rest and relaxation.
2.1.2 Health practices and procedures Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented.
2.2 Safety Each child is protected.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS77 Health, hygiene and safe food practices
85 Incident, injury, trauma and illness policies and procedures
86 Notification to parents of incident, injury, trauma and illness
87 Incident, injury, trauma and illness record
88 Infectious diseases
90 Medical conditions policy
93 Administration of medication
162 Health information to be kept in enrolment record
168 Education and care service must have policies and procedures
173 (2)(g) Prescribed information to be displayed - centre based service and family day care service, a notice stating that there has been an occurrence of an infectious disease at the premises or venue
Related PoliciesControl of Infectious Diseases Policy
Family Communication Policy
Hand Washing Policy
Health and Safety Policy
Immunisation Policy
Incident, Illness, Accident & Trauma Policy
Interactions with Children, Families and Staff Policy
Medical Conditions Policy
Nappy Change & Toileting Policy
Payment of Fees Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Physical Environment Policy
Sick Children Policy
Work Health and Safety PolicyPURPOSE
Our Service will minimise our staff and children’s exposure to COVID-19 by adhering to all recommended guidelines from the Australian Government- Department of Health and local Public Health Units to slow the spread of the virus. We will implement practices that help to reduce the transmission of the virus including the exclusion of any person (child, educator, staff, parent, visitor or volunteer) that is suspected or has tested positive to having COVID-19. Our Service will implement effective hygiene practices as per our existing policies and procedures and increase the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting high touch areas as per SafeWork Australia recommendations.
Our Service will provide up-to-date information and advice to parents, families and educators sourced from the Australian Government, Department of Health and state Ministry of Health about COVID-19 as it becomes available. Recommendations and health measures mandated by the Federal Government Department of Health will be strictly adhered to at all times.
As recommended, our Service has a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place and a copy is available on our premises at all times. We are a COVID Safe business and are registered with BUSINESS VICTORIA.SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Our Service is committed to minimise the spread of the COVID-19 virus by implementing recommendations provided by the Australian Government- Department of Health and Safe Work Australia.
Our Service implements procedures as stated in the Staying healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services (Fifth Edition) developed by the Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council as part of our day-to-day operation of the Service.
We are guided by explicit decisions regarding exclusion periods and notification of any infectious disease by the Australian Government- Department of Health and local Public Health Units in our jurisdiction under the Public Health Act. COVID-19 is a notifiable condition in all states and territories of Australia.
The Public Health Unit may contact the Approved Provider in the event of any child, educator, staff member or visitor who has attended our Service, and has tested positive to COVID-19. Contact tracing will be conducted by the PHU and further advice provided.
National Coronavirus (COVID-19) Health Information Line
1800 020 080
Call 131 450 for translating and interpreting service
Health Direct
1800 022 222
Public Health Unit- Local state and territory health departments
This policy must be read in conjunction with our other Service policies:Sick Children Policy
Incident, Illness, Accident and Trauma Policy and
Medical Conditions Policy
Handwashing Policy
Health and Safety Policy
Interactions with Children, Families and staff Policy
Payment of Fees Policy
Minimising the transmission of COVID-19
Risk Management
VIC Services
Effective Monday 23 November 2020, it is mandatory for all businesses in Vic, including educational facilities (services), to provide electronic check-in for customers/parents to help efficient contract tracing to slow or stop the spread of COVID-19 in the community. Our Service will use our electronic check-in system provided by our Software provider OR use the Service Vic COVID Safe Check-in QR Code. (If parents/families do not have access to a smartphone or other electronic device, we will provide a sign in template for their use). Records must be kept for a minimum of 28 days. see: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/covid-safe/customer-record-keeping/qr-codes#qr-codes and https://www.nsw.gov.au/news/mandatory-customer-check-for-nsw-venues Our Service has effective and systematic risk management processes in place to identify any possible risks and hazards to our learning environment and practices related to COVID-19. Where possible, we have eliminated or minimised these risks as is reasonably practicable. Control measures are reviewed in consultation with staff members. Due to the constant changes in managing our Service during the pandemic, our approach to risk management is ongoing and fluid.
Effective 6 April 2020 the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee made recommendations to the general public to help manage the spread of COVID-19. These measures include implementing good hygiene, self-isolation and social distancing.
Amendments to this statement have been updated regularly and include recommendations for risk mitigation measures such as:
exclusion of unwell staff, children and visitors
reducing mixing of children by separating cohorts
enhanced personal hygiene for children, staff and parents
full adherence to the NHMRC childcare cleaning guidelines and cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces at least twice daily, washing and laundering play items and toys
discouraging excursions to local parks, public playgrounds and recommending influenza vaccination for children, staff and parents.
Parents of children with a current Asthma Action Plan are advised to update this if needed in consultation with their child’s health care professional. Updated plans should be provided to management for distribution to relevant staff members. (Asthma Australia).
Staff with compromised immune systems are also requested to seek medical advice whilst working in early education and care during the pandemic. The AHPPC reiterates the need to practise physical distancing, practise good cough and hygiene and consider downloading the COVIDSafe app.(AHPPC Statement 6 July 2020)
Infection Control TrainingOur staff are committed to assist in infection prevention controls and have completed COVID-19 infection control training.
Whilst there is no vaccination for COVID-19, we strongly recommend that all staff, children and families receive the seasonal influenza vaccination.
Hygiene practicesOur Service will ensure signs and posters remind employees and visitors of the risks of COVID-19 and the measures that are necessary to stop its spread including hand washing and hand rub procedures and information about COVID-19.
Coronavirus (COVID-19)- Help stop the spread- resource for early childhood education and care providers and services
These will also be communicated to families through email, newsletters and social media. Alcohol-based hand sanitiser will be kept out of reach of young children and only available for adults to use. If parents decide to apply this to their child, they must supervise the child to avoid rubbing it into their eyes or a child swallowing the gel/liquid. Our Service will supply disposable tissues and have bins available with plastic liners available in several locations for disposing used items.
Information provided to families may include:symptoms of COVID-19
transmission of the virus
self-isolation and exclusion
prevention strategies- including hand hygiene and self-isolation
contact details for health assistance
CCS and ACCS information
Public Health Orders (if required)
Wearing of face coverings
The Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor, educators, staff, families and visitors will comply with the following:Exclusion/ Self-isolation/ Self-quarantine
Our Service has an obligation to ensure the health and safety of employees, children and visitors in our workplace, so far as reasonably practicable. We may therefore collect information from visitors about their potential exposure to COVID-19 in order to identify, assess and control risks of infection in line with Department of Health guidelines. Information collected will only be viewed by designated staff members [Nominated Supervisor and Centre manager] and will be stored securely. To comply with privacy laws, personal information will only be disclosed on a ‘need to know’ basis to the Public Health Unit to prevent and manage COVID-19 if required. (ACTU Privacy at work)
any person visiting our Service- including families ‘dropping off’ children, must sign the Parent/Visitor Health Declaration confirming that they have not come into close contact with anyone with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis in the past 14 days [Please note: interstate self-isolation only applies to some states and territories. Some people may be exempt from this restriction]
effective 28 March 2020, any person entering Australia from any destination will be required to undertake 14-day quarantine at designated facilities (Australian Government)
parents to agree to have their child’s temperature taken by a staff member prior to entry to the Service.
parents agree to have their child excluded if their child’s temperature is equal to or above 37.5°C
any person who has been in close contact with someone who has a positive diagnosis must self-isolate for 14 days and follow the instructions of Vic Health department and authorised contact tracers. (see: Quarantine for coronavirus (COVID-19)
household members of a person who has a confirmed case (including children) of COVID-19 must also be isolated from the childcare Service and general public and follow instructions by Public Health
the Public Health Unit will provide further information on a case-by-case basis as to the length and place of isolation (see: COVID-19 self-isolation)
in the event of a staff member, parent, child or visitor being diagnosed with COVID-19 the Public Health Unit will conduct contact tracing and provide further advice to our Service as required
any person (employee, enrolled child, parent, caregiver, visitor or contractor) who is displaying symptoms such as: fever, coughing, sore throat, fatigue and shortness of breath, should be tested either by visiting a free COVID-19 respiratory clinic to arrange a test for COVID- 19 and not attend our Service under any circumstance until they receive a negative test result Temperature reading Required Action
Less than 37.5º Child able to attend service.
Equal to or greater than 37.5º on first reading The child should be asked to wait in a separate room and have their temperature re-checked in 15 minutes.
If the child is wearing outerwear, the educator should suggest the child remove this once they are indoors.
Equal to or greater than 37.5º on second reading The child should return home with their parent/carer.
If their parent/carer is not present, the child will need to be isolated and the parent/carer contacted to collect them from the service as soon as possible.
Families should be encouraged to seek the advice of their healthcare professional who can advise on next steps and coronavirus (COVID-19) testing.
Source: Victoria State Government Education and Training
Implement effective hygiene measures
The national campaign Help Stop The Spread and Stay Healthy, launched by the Australian Government has emphasised that effective handwashing is a vital strategy to help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Handwashing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds whenever you cough, sneeze or blow your nose, prepare food or eat, touch your face or use the toilet is recommended.
Our Service will adhere to National Regulation requirements and Government guidelines to ensure all educators, children, families and visitors to the Service implement best practice.
Our Service will ensure:all employees, parents, children and visitors must wash their hands with soap and water or use the alcohol-based hand sanitiser provided upon arrival to the Service
a workplace attendance register is maintained for all staff, parents, visitors at all times (including contact phone numbers)
hands must be thoroughly dried using disposal paper and disposed of in the bin provided
disposable tissues must be used to wipe noses, eyes or mouths and disposed of in the bin provided immediately after use
hands must be washed following the use of tissues
hands must be washed thoroughly using soap and water before and after using the toilet
cough and sneeze etiquette must be used- cover your cough and sneeze with your hand or elbow
educators and staff must adhere to our Handwashing Policy at all times
children are supervised when washing hands
educators and staff must adhere to effective food preparation and food handling procedures
educators will wash their hands or use alcohol-based sanitiser, before wearing gloves and wash their hands after wearing gloves
educators and staff must adhere to our Health and Safety Policy for cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and equipment (such as toys, puzzles, outdoor toys, bedding, playdough etc) as per Staying healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services recommendations staff will maintain a cleaning register of all surfaces and equipment conducted
equipment, resources and surfaces including high-touch surfaces- taps, door handles, light switches, nappy change areas, toys, keyboards and laptops/iPads will be cleaned more frequently as required using detergent and water followed by disinfectant
cleaning contractors hygienically clean the Service to ensure risk of contamination is removed as per Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection Principles for COVID-19 or Cleaning and disinfecting after a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) factsheet
washroom facilities for employees have adequate supplies of soap, toilet paper and alcohol-based sanitiser
all persons over the age of 12 use a face covering if mandated by the Public Health Unit
temperature screening of adults and child is conducted as they enter the service
Social/Physical distancing in childcareSocial or physical distancing is important because COVID-19 is most likely spread from person-to-person through close contact with a person while they are infectious, close contact with a person with a confirmed infection who coughs or sneezes or from touching objects or surfaces (such as door handles or tables) contaminated from a cough or sneeze from a person with a confirmed infection and then touching your nose or mouth. (source: Australian Government Department of Health. Coronavirus disease)
Social or physical distancing in early childhood education and care is not feasible for educators to perform their job, however we will implement measures to minimise the risk of exposure as reasonably practicable.
Early Childhood Education and Care services are not subject to restrictions on how many people (adults or children) can be on the premises at one time. Our Service will encourage educators to apply physical distancing measures where possible and not gather in groups or encourage groups of parents to congregate. (SafeWork NSW, AHPPC)
To reduce the spread of COVID-19 parents are reminded of the following:if your child is sick, do not send them to our Service
do not visit our Service if you or another family member is unwell
sanitise your hands at regular intervals throughout the day
avoid physical contact with other people who may be sick- such as older people and people with existing health conditions
clean and disinfect high touch surfaces regularly (door handles, car seats, mobile phone, toys, dummies)
promote strictest hygiene measures when preparing food at home and at the Service
To minimise the risk of exposure to COVID-19 our Service will:undertake a risk assessment to identify potential risks and mitigate with consideration risks to children and staff
revisit the risk assessment whenever new risks or potential risks are identified and adjust our management plan
restrict the number of visitors to our Service (including students, delivery of goods)
restrict the number of family members visiting our Service for example:
parents not coming into the Service at all.
parents use their own pen/pencil (or one provided by the Service to sign in/out)
install signage and markings on the floor near the front entry indicating a 1.5 metre mark for parents/families to use
provide a separate area for families who need to complete additional paperwork such as medication forms
require all staff to wear face coverings when not working directly with children in areas of the service
restrict the number of educators using the staff room at any one time
reduce mixing of children by separating cohorts (including staggering meals and play times)
where possible, outdoor play will be promoted within our Service to provide children with additional personal space
large groups will be monitored to provide flexible learning to ensure groups are smaller in both the indoor and outdoor environment
mixing of staff and children between rooms should be avoided where possible
office staff should, where reasonable practical use separate areas or separate themselves as much as possible from one another
increase ventilation within the Service
ensure cots, mats, cushions, highchairs etc are positioned at least 1.5 metres apart
seat children at opposite ends of a table when playing and eating
staff should serve children food and avoid children to self-serve from a shared plate
avoid any situation when children are required to queue- waiting their turn to use bathroom for handwashing or toileting, waiting their turn to use a piece of equipment etc.
contact parents of children who have chronic medical conditions or immunosuppression as they may be at an increased risk of disease and require additional support/care
conduct COVID-safe risk assessments for any group outings to public places (excursions to local shops, schools, libraries) conduct COVID-safe risk assessments for any large group celebrations and abide by your state/territory restrictions for groups size, square metre allowance and other measures
communicate with parents and families the risk mitigation strategies to be adhered to during any group celebrations
discourage use of public transport by staff if possible and recommend that staff:
travel directly from home to work (avoid stopping at shops or petrol station)
wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or sanitise hands with alcohol-based sanitiser before and after travelling to work
if using public transport, maintain physical distancing measures during any trip
request staff to wear face coverings whilst travelling on public transport
Suspected cases of COVID-19 at our ServiceAs per our Sick Child Policy we reserve the right to refuse a child into care if they:
are unwell and unable to participate in normal activities or require additional attention
have had a temperature/fever, or vomiting in the last 24 hours have had diarrhoea in the last 48 hours
have been given medication for a temperature prior to arriving at the Service
have started a course of anti-biotics in the last 24 hours or
if we have reasonable grounds to believe that a child has a contagious or infectious disease (this includes COVID-19)
If a child becomes ill whilst at the Service, educators/staff will respond to their individual symptoms of illness and provide comfort and care. The child will be cared for in an area that is separated from other children in the service to await pick up from their parent/carer.
Educators will take the child’s temperature. If the temperature is above 37.5°C parents will be contacted immediately and required to collect their child within 30 minutes. If they are unable to collect their child, an emergency contact person/authorised nominee will be contacted, and they must collect your child within 30 minutes. [ NSW Health recommends anyone with a temperature above 37.5°C or reports any symptoms, should be tested for COVID-19 and self-isolate until they receive their results June 2020 December 2020] Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) CDNA National Guidelines for Public Health Units
Educators will attempt to lower the child’s temperature by:removing excessive clothing (shoes, socks, jumpers)
encourage the child to take small sips of water
move the child to a quiet area where they can rest whilst being supervised
Educators will wear disposable gloves and a face mask to avoid possible contamination. All items/resources touched by the child will be cleaned and disinfected to avoid possible cross contamination.
Educators will keep accurate records of the child’s temperature, time taken, time parent/s were contacted, staff member’s name and time of collection.
All information will be recorded in our Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record. Parents will be required to sign this record upon collection of their child.
Parents are reminded to ensure their contact details are current and emergency contact details are updated if required.
Our Service also reserves the right to prevent employees, parents, family members or visitors to enter our premises if the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor suspects instances of COVID-19 due to symptoms being displayed.
NotificationThe Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor is mandated by law to notify the Public Health Unit or Health Information hotline on 1800 020 080 of any confirmed case of COVID-19. In addition, the Approved Provider must also notify the Regulatory Authority in their state or territory within 24 hours.
Management reserves the right to request employees to self-isolate if they suspect they have come into contact with someone who has a confirmed COVID-19 infection.
At all times, privacy laws must be adhered to and information about individuals must not be shared without permission.
Talking to children about COVID-19As per our Interactions with Children, Families and Staff Policy, our Service is committed to maintaining positive interactions and relationships with children and their families. Information provided to children about COVID-19 will be age appropriate and sensitive to their emotional wellbeing. Educators will both acknowledge children’s concerns and be open to discussions about COVID-19.
Educators will inform children about the virus and emphasise preventative measures such as handwashing, use of tissues, cough and sneeze techniques and limiting touching other children’s faces.
Posters to demonstrate correct handwashing methods will be referred to and educators will model techniques.
Children’s emotional well-being will be closely monitored by all educators and staff and any concerns communicated with parents and families. Children’s questions will be respected and supported.
Staff will be supported in professional learning to help children deal with trauma related to COVID-19 through resources, webinars and online modules. (Emerging Minds, beYou)
In the event of the Service being closed as a precaution to limit the spread of the virus, information will be provided to parents/families to help explain the situation to young children.
Payment of FeesAs per our Payment of Fees Policy, fees are payable in advance of your child’s attendance.
CCS hourly rate caps will be adjusted from 13 July 2020. see: Child Care Subsidy rates
Children must continue to meet immunisation requirements.
From 13 July 2020 until 4 April 2021, changes to the activity test have been made to assist families who can no longer engage in the same hours of work, training, study or other activity prior to the COVID-19 crisis.
Child Care Safety NetThe Child Care Safety Net gives families and services extra support if they are vulnerable or disadvantaged or located in a regional or remote community. Families may be eligible for Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) due to temporary financial hardship and be entitled to access up to 100 hours of subsidised childcare per fortnight for up to 12 weeks. Families will need to update their activity levels through myGov.
Children considered at risk
Where a child is enrolled and is considered ‘at risk’ of serious abuse or neglect, our Service will refer the child or family to the appropriate support agency in order to comply with the legislative requirements.
Allowable Absences from childcare- Local Area Emergency Declaration
Families can access 42 allowable absence days per child each financial year however, if a Local Area Emergency Declaration is made, additional absence days may be available to families if their child has used their 42 absence days. https://www.dese.gov.au/child-care-package/ccp-resources-providers/help-emergency
Allowable Absences Provisions will also take effect on 13 July 2020. This allows families to receive CCS for absences up to seven (7) days before a child’s first physical attendance at a service and seven (7) days after a child’s last physical appearance where they have been booked in for care for a set of predetermined reasons. Further information can be found at: additional absence reasons
What happens if our Service is forced to close?
Infection Control TrainingThe decision to close our Service will be made, and advised, by relevant state and territory governments PHU or the Regulatory Authority. This may be due to a confirmed case of COVID-19 in our Service community.
Should this occur, all families will be notified immediately via email and/or phone.
The Approved Provider must notify the Regulatory Authority within 24 hours of any closure via the NQA IT System the Regulatory Authority for Work Health and Safety in their state/territory (Safe Work Australia) and the Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE) in their state or territory. In addition, Services that need to temporarily close for COVID-19 related reasons must now also report closures (and re-openings) via your third party software or the Provider Entry Point (PEP).
Victoria: CCSAssessments-VIC@dese.gov.au
Our Service will receive a ‘deep clean’ to ensure all areas are cleaned and disinfected as per Safe Work cleaning guidance.
We will continue to keep families informed as to when we are expected to re-open as advised by the Public Health Unit.
If our Service is forced to close on public health advice as a result of COVID-19, out of pocket fees will be waived until[enter date].childcareintegrity@dese.gov.au
From 13 July 2020, should our Service be directed to shut down due to COVID-19, or a fire, flood or other local emergency, our standard local emergency procedures will be followed. Activating a period of local emergency will allow families access to additional absences if the initial 42 absence days per child per financial year have been used. Additional absences days claimed due to COVID-19 related reasons, do not require a medical certificate.
Staff entitlements if sick or suspected to have COVID-19Under workplace health and safety laws, our Service must ensure the health and safety of all employees.
Confirmed COVID-19If an educator or staff member is confirmed to have COVID-19, they are unable to attend the workplace and cannot return to work until they have completed a period of self-isolation of at least 14 days and receive a negative test result. Employees must make a declaration that they are fit for work and have no symptoms of COVID-19 for the past 72 hours (3 days). A doctor’s certificate or clearance is not required. Full and part-time employees who cannot attend work due to illness can take paid sick leave.
As per our privacy obligations under the Privacy Act, the identity of a person with a confirmed case of COVID-19 will only be shared with Public Health and/or on a strictly ‘need to know’ basis. Access to personal or medical information can only be shared with the consent of the employee.
Caring for a family member or emergencyIf an employee cannot attend work due to caring for a family member due to COVID-19, they are entitled to take paid carer’s leave. Casual employees are eligible to have 2 days unpaid carer’s leave per occasion. See Fair Work Act for entitlements for casual, part time and full-time employees. Reasonable evidence is required to justify the absence. Self-isolation due to travel or returning from interstate where borders are closed
As per Australian Government’s new measures for COVID-19 effective 28 March 2020, any person returning from overseas will be mandated to isolate in a designated facility. The employee is not entitled to be paid (unless they use paid leave entitlements- annual leave.) Employees are not entitled to use personal sick leave as they are not ‘sick’. Employers may choose to adopt an option to satisfy both parties. (See: Australian Business Lawyers and Advisors for further information) Similarly, any person required to self-isolate due to travel restrictions within Australia are not entitled to be paid. Employees can assess up to 2 weeks of unpaid pandemic leave if they can’t work. (until 30 September 2020) see below.
Self-Isolation Unpaid Pandemic LeaveEffective 8 April 2020, employees who are required to self-isolate by government or medical authorities or acting on advice of a medical practitioner may access unpaid pandemic leave. (effective 8 April to 29 March 2021). The agreement has to be in writing and the employer needs to keep it as a record.
This leave provides employees with:
2 weeks of unpaid pandemic leave the ability to take twice as much annual leave at half their normal pay if their employer agrees.
Self-Isolation directed by Service
Where an employee is directed by the Approved Provider to stay home and self-isolate as they have shown symptoms of a flu-like illness, and the employee is not sick and able to work, our Service will continue to pay the employee as per their contract. The employee will be requested to complete work from home negotiated with the Approved Provider.
Self-isolation as a precautionIf an employee wants to stay home as a precaution of contracting COVID-19 they may negotiate to take unpaid leave, annual leave or long service leave with Management.
WaiversIn the event of staff members requiring to self-isolate due to possible infection of COVID-19, the Approved Provider will apply to the Regulatory Authority for waivers for qualifications and/or ratios to minimise disruptions to our provision of care. (Payment for waivers must be paid, however will be reimbursed by the regulatory authority)
Communicating with familiesOur Service will establish continue regular communication channels with families and share information about COVID-19 as required.
Due to the fluid nature of COVID-19 and the necessity of self-isolation for some staff members, our Service will endeavour to inform parents and families of any staff changes on a daily basis.
Staff who have approved leave will be replaced with casual staff and families will be informed as per our usual practices to ensure continuity of care where possible.
As restrictions continue to be lifted across all states and territories, our risk mitigation measures may also be eased. Any changes to our current organisational plans will be communicated clearly with families
Caring for our communityWe understand that the outbreak of COVID-19 and the constant amount of information received through the media may be very stressful to young children and parents. The anxiety about this virus may be overwhelming and cause fear and anxiety to some people, especially children.
Our Service is committed to continue to provide quality education and care to all children and support families responsibly during this unprecedented challenge with the COVID-19 outbreak.
Knowing how to look after yourself, and others is very important during this crisis.
We will promote a safe and supportive environment by:
reassuring children they are safe
acknowledging and listening to children’s questions
promoting and implementing hygiene routines for handwashing and cough and sneezing
keeping regular and familiar routines within our Service
ensuring children eat well throughout the day
engaging children in play, games and other physical activities
being alert to children’s level of anxiety and provide quiet and relaxing activities
ensuring children are provided with rest and sleep when needed
providing information to families and support services as required
Dr Michelle Dickinson- Video for kids about COVID-19
Emerging Minds- Talking to Children about Natural Disasters, Traumatic Events or Worries About the Future
Play School- Hello Friends! (A COVID-19 Special)
UNICEF- How to talk to your child about COVID-19
In Home Care Support Agency resources – Talking to children about COVID-19
Asthma Australia- What does Coronavirus (COVID-19) mean for people with Asthma
Disclaimer
The information contained in this ‘draft’ policy is based on current information from the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment, Australian Government Department of Health, Australian Government- The Treasury, Family Assistance Law and Fairwork Ombudsmen (3 January 2021)
More information and resources
Australian Business Lawyers & Advisors
Australian Government Department of Education Skills and Employment- Coronavirus (COV-19) information sheet regarding periods of local emergency and absences for child care providers and services
Australian Government Department of Health Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) Children in early childhood and learning centres
Australian Government Department of Health Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) Recommendations for managing of health risk as COVID-19 measures lift
Beyond Blue Coronavirius (COVID-19) Supporting educators, children and young people
CCS Helpdesk 1300 667 276
Coronavirus (COVID-19) resources Australian Government
COVID-19 Infection control training
Emerging Minds Community Trauma Toolkit
Fairwork Australia- Coronavirus and Ausralian workplace laws
Healthdirect Coronavirus hub
Home Isolation Information
Information for people with a suspected case
Information for employers
Information on Social distancing
Local state and territory health departments
NSW Department of Education Managing a confirmed case of COVID 19
Raising Children
Safe Work Australia
Victoria State Government Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice for early childhood services
Victoria Department of Education and Training Health and safety advice for early childhood education and care services in the context of coronavirus (COVID-19)
Victoria Department of Education and Training Coronavirus: Early Childhood Education and Care Services Initial Closure Communications Communication Pack
Posters and VisualsCOVID-19 coronavirus in pictures
Manuela Moina- Children's book- "Hello! I am the Coronavirus"
Simple Steps To Help Stop The Spread Poster
Posters for Temperature ScreeningDelivery and collection times are planned to promote a smooth transition between home and our Service. The opportunity to build secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships between children and families is promoted during arrival and departure times where educators have the opportunity to engage in conversations with families and support each child’s well-being. To ensure the health and safety of children at our Service our Delivery and collection policy is strictly adhered to, allowing only nominated authorised persons to collect children at any time throughout the day. The daily sign in and out register is not only a legally required document to record children’s attendance as per National Law and Regulations but also used as a record of the children on the premises should an emergency evacuation be required to be implemented.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND2.1.1 Wellbeing and comfort Each child’s wellbeing and comfort is provided for, including appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s needs for sleep, rest and relaxation.
2.2 Safety Each child is protected.
2.2.1 Supervision At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.
2.2.2 Incident and emergency management Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practiced and implemented.
2.2.3 Child Protection Management, educators and staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities to identify and respond to every child at risk of abuse or neglect.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS84 Awareness of child protection law
99 Children leaving the education and care service premises
157 Access for parents
158 Children’s attendance record to be kept by approved provider
160 Child enrolment records to be kept by approved provider and family day care educator
173 Prescribed information to be displayed
176 Time to notify certain information to Regulatory Authority
177 Prescribed enrolment and other documents to be kept by approved provider
S162 (A) Persons in day to day charge and nominated supervisors to have child protection training
Related PoliciesAcceptance and Refusal Authorisation Policy Administration of Medication Policy
Child Protection Policy
Child Safe Environment Policy
Code of Conduct Policy
Control of Infectious Diseases Policy
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Management Policy
Emergency Evacuation Policy
Enrolment Policy
Handwashing Policy
Orientation of New Families Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Sick Children Policy
Termination of Enrolment Policy
Work Health and Safety PolicyPURPOSE
We aim to ensure the protection and safety of all children, staff members, and families accessing the Service. Educators and Staff will only release children to an authorised person as named by the parent/guardian on the individual child’s enrolment form.
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Guidelines for delivery and collection of children are put in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of each individual child.
As part of our Risk Management process, our Service may introduce explicit control measures to minimise the risk of spreading infectious diseases/viruses such as coronavirus (COVID-19). Our risk assessment may result in changes to our Delivery and collection Policy and are based on mitigating risks following the recommendations made by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), Safe Work Australia and the Department of Health. Control measures and changes to policies are reviewed in consultation with staff members and communicated clearly to parents, families and visitors.
Arrival at ServiceOur Service has an obligation to ensure the health and safety of employees, children and visitors in our workplace, so far
any person who is displaying symptoms such as: fever, coughing, sore throat, fatigue and shortness of breath should not attend our Service under any circumstance
parents and visitors are currently NOT permitted to enter our Service unless this is prearranged with the Approved Provider/Nominate Supervisor (collection of a sick child, interview for enrolment) a designated area for drop off/ pick up will be clearly indicated
signage clearly indicates the requirement of all adults to adhere to physical distancing requirements (1.5 metres)
children will be pre-screened upon arrival by having their temperature taken by an infrared thermometer
any child who has a temperature over 37.5°C will not be permitted entry to care (unless there is another logical explanation for their higher-than-normal temperature reading)
children will be welcomed outside our Service by an educator and a non-contact device used to sign their child into the Service or parents are asked to bring their own pen to sign their child into the service the device will be disinfected between use
all children need to be signed in by an authorised person. Note: the signing in of a child is verification of the accuracy of the record. Information required on the register includes the time and the signature of the person dropping off the child the parent/authorised nominee must also advise staff who will be collecting the child/children
children are required to wash their hands upon arrival or use the hand sanitiser provided
families will be reminded to sign their child/children into the Service and will be encouraged to do so immediately upon arrival to avoid forgetting
should families forget to sign their child/children in, National Regulations require the Nominated Supervisor to sign the child in
sign in sheets are to be used as a record in the case of an emergency to account for all children present at the Service
children are to be sighted by an educator before the parent or person responsible for the child leaves. This ensures that the educator is aware that the child has arrived and is in the building a child’s medication needs, or any other important or relevant information should be passed on to one of the child’s educators by the person delivering the child.
the educator will check that the family has completed an Administration of Medication Record and store the medication appropriately, away from children’s reach
in order for children to feel secure and safe, it is important that children and families are greeted upon arrival by a member of staff and have the chance to say goodbye to the person dropping them off. Saying goodbye helps to build trust, while parents/guardians leaving without saying goodbye could cause the child to think they have been left behind. due to enhanced safety and hygiene measures to mitigate the risk of COVID-19, interactions with any educators or service staff will be limited and physical distancing will be adhered to at all times between adults should families require longer conversations regarding their child’s care, these should be conducted via phone or email where possible
in the case of a separated family, either biological parent is able to add a contact in writing unless a court order is provided to the Director stating that one parent has sole custody and responsibility.
Departure from the ServiceChildren may only leave the service premises if the child leaves;
in accordance to the written authorisation of the child’s parent or authorised nominee named in the enrolment record; or
taken on an excursion; or
given into the care of a person or taken outside the premises; or
because the child requires medical, hospital or ambulance care or treatment; or
because of another emergency (evacuation due to bush fire, flood)
in the case of an emergency, (because the child requires medical, hospital or ambulance care or treatment), where the parent or a previously authorised nominee (as indicated in the child’s enrolment form) is unable to collect the child, the parent or person responsible for the child (as listed on enrolment form as having a parenting role) may telephone the service and arrange an alternative person to pick up the child. This contact must then be confirmed in writing to the Service (email, text or letter) parents are to advise their child’s educator if someone different is picking up their child, both verbally and on the sign in/out sheet. This person is to be named on the enrolment form or added in writing to management as an authorised nominee or authorised person for the child. photo identification must be sighted by a Primary Contact Educator before the child is released. If educators cannot verify the person’s identity, they may be unable to release the child into that person’s care, even if the person is named on the enrolment form all children must be signed out by their parent (or a person authorised by the parent) when the child is collected from our Service. If the parent or other person forgets to sign the child out, they will be signed out by the Nominated Supervisor. tablets used to sign children out of the service must be disinfected between use/ pens must be wiped with a disinfectant wipe between uses or parents are requested to use their own pen children must be signed out on the same sheet that they were signed in on
parents/authorised person are requested to arrive to collect their child/children by 6.30pm.
no child will be withheld from an authorised contact or biological parent named on the enrolment form unless a current court order is on file at the Service
in the case of a particular person (including a biological parent) being denied access to a child, the service requires a written notice (court order) from a court of law.
educators will attempt to prevent that person from entering the service and taking the child however, the safety of other children and educators must be considered.
educators will not be expected to physically prevent any person from leaving the service
in such cases, the parent with custody will be contacted along with the local police and appropriate authorities
where possible the educator will provide police with the make, colour, and registration number of the vehicle being driven by the unauthorised person, and the direction of travel when they left the service. a court order overrules any requests made by parents to adapt or make changes. For the protection of the children and educators, parents are asked not to give our front door code to anyone other than those absolutely necessary. in the case of a serious incident occurring, as described above, the regulatory authority must be notified within 24 hours through the NQA IT System
nominated Supervisors will ensure that the authorised nominee pick-up list for each child is kept up to date. It is our policy that we do not allow anyone under the age of 16 to collect children if the person collecting the child appears to be intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, and educators feel that the person is unfit to take responsibility for the child, educators will: discuss their concerns with the person, without the child being present if possible,
suggest they contact another parent or authorised nominee to collect the child
follow procedures to protect the safety of children and staff of the education and care service as per Child Protection Law and Child Protection Policy
contact the Police and other regulatory authorities (Child Protection Hotline 132 111)
if an authorisation to collect a child is refused by the Service, it is best practice to document the actions for evidence to authorities (refer to Refusal of Authorisation Record).
at the end of each day educators will check indoor and outdoor premises including all rooms and storage rooms, beds and cots, and storage sheds to ensure that no child remains on the premises after the service closes. children may leave the premises in the event of an emergency, including medical emergencies as outlined in our Emergency Evacuation Policy.
details of absences during the day will be recorded.
Visitorsto ensure we meet Work Health and Safety requirements and ensure a child safe environment, individuals visiting our Service must sign in when they arrive at the service and sign out when they leave.
to minimise the risk of exposure to COVID-19, our service may restrict the number of visitors to our service including students on work placements, volunteers, additional family members, delivery of goods or contractors signage will clearly indicate who is permitted to enter the service
signage will alert all adults to adhere to physical distancing requirements
all visitors must adhere to our Handwashing Policy and wash their hands upon arrival and departure of the service
Late Collection of Children:if there are children still present at the Service upon closing, it is best practice to ensure a minimum of two educators remain until all children are collected.
instruction to parents; “Please remember that our educators have families to go home to and their own children to collect by a designated time. If you are late to collect your child two educators have to stay behind and therefore both have to be paid overtime. To cover this, a late fee of $15 per 15 minutes or part thereof will be charged (e.g. if you are 5 minutes late you will be charged for a 15-minute block. If you are 20 minutes late you will be charged for two 15-minute blocks, etc.)”. if parents/guardians know that they are going to be late, they must notify the Service. If possible, they should make arrangements for someone else to collect their child.
if they have not arrived by 6:00pm the service will attempt to contact them via phone. If parents/authorised persons are unable to be contacted the Nominated Supervisor will call alternative contacts as listed on the enrolment form to organise collection of the child. due to licensing and insurance purposes, if by 6pm neither the parent or any of the authorised nominee are available or contactable, the Service may need to contact the police and other relevant authorities if the child is taken to an alternative safe location for example: Police Station, a sign will be displayed at the Service notifying parents/guardian of the child’s whereabouts. If this occurs, the Service will be obligated to contact relevant Child Protection Agencies and notify the Regulatory Authority. where families are continually late to collect children, a Late Collection of Children letter will be presented to parents/guardians
should this non-compliance continue, the service reserves the right to terminate a child’s enrolment.Emergency Contact Details Regulatory Contacts:
VIC Child Protection After Hours Service Tel: 13 12 78
Emergency and evacuation situations in early education and care services may arise for a variety of reasons, often suddenly and unexpectantly. It is vital that if an emergency situation arises, staff are confident to manage the situation effectively and efficiently, maintaining the safety and wellbeing of children, families and visitors.
Ensuring that educators and children know what to do in an emergency situation requires vigilant planning and practice. Regularly practicing the drills for emergency situations also provides an opportunity to help support and build on children’s coping mechanisms and resilience.NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY2.2 Safety Each child is protected.
2.2.1 At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.
2.2.2 Incident and emergency management Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practiced and implemented.
QUALITY AREA 7: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY7.1.2 Management Systems Systems are in place to manage risk and enable the effective management and operation of a quality service.
7.1.3 Roles and responsibilities Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, and understood, and support effective decision-making and operation of the service.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS12(d) Meaning of a serious incident- any emergency for which emergency services attended
97 Emergency and evacuation procedures
98 Telephone or other communication equipment
99 Children leaving the education and care service premises
168 Education and Care Services must have policies and procedures
170/td> Policies and procedures are to be followed
Related PoliciesAcceptance and Refusal Authorisation Policy
Administration of First Aid Policy
Arrival and Departure Policy
Bush Fire Policy
Child Safe Environment Policy
Family Communication Policy
Health and Safety Policy
Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Policy
Lockdown Policy
Retention of Records Policy
Supervision PolicyPURPOSE
Our Service has a duty of care to maintain the safety and wellbeing of each child, educator, and all persons using or visiting the Service during an emergency or evacuation situation. We are committed to identifying risks and potential hazards of emergency and evacuation situations by conducting thorough risk assessments on an annual basis and continually plan for further risk minimisation and improvement to our policy and procedures.
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
We define an emergency as an unplanned, sudden or unexpected event or situation that requires immediate action to prevent harm, injury, or illness to persons, or damage to the Service’s premises. Emergency situations may pose a risk to an individual’s health and safety. It is important that Services identify potential emergencies that may be specific to their location and environment. An emergency is any event, situation or event where there is an imminent or severe risk to the health, safety or wellbeing of children at the service. (Guide to the NQF)
Circumstances under which an emergency evacuation will occur may include:Fire within the building or playground
Fire in the surrounding area where the Service may be in danger
Flood
Cyclone, severe storm or dust storm or other natural weather event
dangerous animal, insect or reptile
Terrorist threat
Other circumstances may include:
gas explosion
traffic accident
or any event which could render the building unsafe (eg: earthquake).
[Our Bushfire Policy contains specific information about Bushfire Risk Management Plans and evacuation plans for Bush Fires.]
To ensure compliance with National Regulations and National Law, our Service will ensure that:emergency and evacuation policies and procedures are available for inspection at the Service’s premises at all times
the Approved Provider will conduct an annual risk assessment to identify potential emergencies that are relevant to the Service
relevant stakeholders/authorities are consulted for advice and guidance to improve risk mitigation strategies as part of our emergency and evacuation plan (police, fire, parents/families) consideration is made to evacuate infant/s and non-ambulant children evacuating the premises resulting in enhanced ratios
emergency evacuation plans are displayed in prominent positions near each exit at the Service premises including both the indoor and outdoor learning areas
emergency evacuation plans include a floor plan for ease of reference with clearly defined assembly points and clearly marked exit routes from all locations within the Service
all exits have exit signs clearly visible
there are no obstructions in hallways, stairways or emergency exits
all educators, including casual/relief educators and staff members, are familiar with our Emergency Evacuation Policy, procedures and regulatory requirements
new staff, volunteers and students are provided with information and training about our Emergency Evacuation Policy and procedures during induction
all staff, visitors and students are aware of emergency evacuation points and assembly areas
staff are trained how to use emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers, fire blankets, hoses etc.
National Regulations state that emergency evacuation rehearsals (drills) are to be practiced and reviewed every three months by the responsible person, all staff members, volunteers, and children present on the day. However, to ensure best practice our Service will conduct emergency evacuation drills in a weekly block once a term so that all children and staff experience an evacuation on a regular basis. spontaneous rehearsals also take place during the year to assist in refining risk management procedures and evacuation procedures
a record will be kept ensuring that all children participate in the emergency evacuation rehearsal at least 3 times per year.
each time a planned or spontaneous emergency evacuation drill is performed it is to be timed and documented in the Emergency Evacuation Rehearsal Record.
after reflection, notes on any areas that need improving or revising are to be documented in the Emergency Evacuation \Rehearsal Record. Educators will discuss and implement strategies to make continuous improvement to procedures which will be documented in the Service’s Staff Meeting minutes and Quality Improvement Plan (QIP). in the event of limited educators (e.g. early morning or late afternoon), staff members are to work together to perform the duties as per the evacuation plan (the roster must include a Responsible Person being on the premises at all times to take responsibility and delegate duties). This scenario will be discussed and documented in the Service’s Staff Meeting Minutes (WHS). children are provided with age-appropriate support and information before, during and after emergency and evacuation rehearsals (drills)
all staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities in event of an emergency situation
regular communication with families includes information about emergency and evacuation procedures
families are informed when a rehearsal or drill has occurred
each room has an Emergency Evacuation Bag located in a prominent position
Emergency Evacuation Bags are regularly audited and restocked as required
an up-to-date register of emergency telephone numbers for children is maintained. A copy of the current list will always be available in the Emergency Evacuation Bag
portable First Aid Kits are readily available in case of an emergency evacuation
Medical Management Plans for children are able to be accessed easily
children’s medication is collected during an evacuation
all staff have annual first aid response training in case of an emergency
all fire extinguishers, fire blankets, fire hoses, and other emergency equipment located throughout the Service will be inspected and tested at six monthly intervals by an authorised company as per the Australian Safety Standard AS 1851-2012: Maintenance of Fire Protection Systems and Equipment. extinguishers will be emptied, pressure tested, and refilled every five years
all tests performed on emergency equipment and the date on which it was tested will be recorded on a label or metal tag attached to the unit. Certificates to verify testing will be filed.
ensure smoke detectors are regularly tested and batteries replaced annually
staff and educators have access to an operating telephone or other means of communication at all times (mobile phone)
emergency telephone numbers will be displayed prominently throughout the Service in the kitchen, office, staff room and each area where children are educated and cared for.
our emergency telephone list (located next to the telephone) includes the numbers for:
Police
Local fire station
Rural Fire Service
State Emergency Services (SES)
Emergency and Evacuation Procedure Guidelines(include who is responsible for the implementation of each step)
the Nominated Supervisor/Approved Provider will make the final call to whether to evacuate the premises due to an emergency situation
contact 000 for local emergencies- provide name, address and nearest cross street, reason for evacuation, phone contact number, number of children and adults evacuating
guidance will be provided by the relevant emergency service (Fire service, SES, Police)
move all children and visitors to identified evacuation/emergency assembly area as indicated on the Emergency and Evacuation Plan
collect Emergency Evacuation Bag, Medical Management Plans and associated children’s medication
collect First Aid Kit
check daily attendance record and visitor record
once children are safely evacuated, administer first aid if required
remain calm and reassure children
once emergency services arrive, contact parents/emergency contacts
await instructions from relevant emergency services for re-entering premises or alternative evacuation procedure
Important:Following the emergency evacuation, the educator will complete an Emergency Evacuation Incident Report and an Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record. The approved provider will make a notification of a serious incident to a regulatory authority (within 24 hours) through the NQA IT System when emergency services have attended an education and care service in response to an emergency, rather than as a precaution or for any other reason.
Dealing with TraumaEmergencies and natural disasters are extremely stressful, and it is normal for children and adults to feel overwhelmed and distressed. People cope with trauma in many different ways. Children look to adults for reassurance, care and opportunities to share their feelings. It is important for educators to understand the impact of disasters and seek help when needed.
The Approved Provider/Nominated Supervisor will support educators to provide information to parents and families following any emergency or natural disaster including:
will the service be open in the days and weeks ahead?
how to find alternative care and education
how to contact services for support with dealing with trauma
Several organisations offer support for educators in these situations:
Emerging MindsBeYou- Trauma informed practice
Preparing for an emergencyAustralian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment Resources
https://www.dese.gov.au/child-care-package/ccp-resources-providers/help-emergency
Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology http://www.bom.gov.au/
JURISDICTION SPECIFICATIONS FOR EACH STATE
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY (ACT)ACT Police: www.police.act.gov.au
ACT Rural Fire Service: es.act.gov.au/actrfs/
ACT State Emergency Service: esa.act.gov.au/actses
NEW SOUTH WALES (NSW)NSW Police: www.police.nsw.gov.au
NSW Rural Fire Service: www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
NSW State Emergency Services: www.ses.nsw.gov.au
NORTHERN TERRITORY (NT)Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services: www.pfes.nt.gov.au
QUEENSLAND (QLD)Queensland Police: www.police.qld.gov.au
Queensland State Emergency Service: www.ses.qld.gov.au
Rural Fire Service: www.ruralfire.qld.gov.au
TASMANIA (TAS)State Emergency Service Tasmania: www.ses.tas.gov.au
Tasmanian Fire Service: www.fire.tas.gov.au
Tasmanian Police: www.police.tas.gov.au
VICTORIA (VIC)Country Fire Authority Victoria: www.cfa.vic.gov.au
Victoria Police: www.police.vic.gov.au
Victoria State Emergency Service: www.ses.vic.gov.au
WESTERN AUSTRALIA (WA)Department of Fire and Emergency Services: www.dfes.wa.gov.au
State Emergency Service: https://www.dfes.wa.gov.au/aboutus/operationalinformation/Pages/stateemergencyservice.aspx
WA Police: www.police.wa.gov.au
SOUTH AUSTRALIA (SA)Country Fire Service: www.cfs.sa.gov.au
South Australia Police: www.police.sa.gov.au
South Australian State Emergency Service: www.ses.sa.gov.auEnrolment and orientation are an exciting and emotional time for children and families. It is important to manage this time with sensitivity and support, building partnerships between families and the Service. Such partnerships enable the Service and families to work toward the common goal of promoting consistent quality outcomes for individual children and the Service.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 6: COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS6.1 Supportive relationships with families Respectful relationships with families are developed and maintained and families are supported in their parenting role.
6.1 Engagement with the service Families are supported from enrolment to be involved in their service and contribute to service decisions.
6.1 Parent views are respected The expertise, culture, values and beliefs of families are respected, and families share in decision-making about their child’s learning and wellbeing.
6.1 Families are supported Current information is available to families about the service and relevant community services and resources to support parenting and family wellbeing.
6.1 Collaborative partnerships Collaborative partnerships enhance children’s inclusion, learning and wellbeing.
6.1 Community and engagement The service builds relationships and engages with its community.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS77 Health, hygiene and safe food practices
78 Food and beverages
79 Service providing food and beverages
80 Weekly menu
88 Infectious diseases
90 Medical conditions policy
92 Medication record
93 Administration of medication
97 Emergency and evacuation procedures
99 Children leaving the education and care service premises
100 Risk assessment must be conducted before excursion
101 Conduct of risk assessment for excursion
102 Authorisation for excursions
157 Access for parents
160 Child enrolment records to be kept by approved provider
161 Authorisations to be kept in enrolment record
162 Health information to be kept in enrolment record
168 Education and care service must have policies and procedures
173 Prescribed information is to be displayed
177 Prescribed enrolment and other documents to be kept by approved provider
181 Confidentiality of records kept by approved provider
183 Storage of records and other documents
Related PoliciesAcceptance and Refusal Authorisation Policy Additional Needs Policy
Arrival and Departure Policy
Children’s Belongings Policy
Control of Infectious Disease Policy
Family Communication Policy
Immunisation Policy
Orientation of New Families Policy
Payment of Fees Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Record Keeping and Retention Policy
Sick Children Policy
Sun Safe Policy
Withdrawal of a Child PolicyPURPOSE
We aim to ensure children and families receive a positive and informative enrolment and orientation process that meets their individual needs. We strive to establish respectful and supportive relationships between families and the Service to promote positive outcomes for children whilst adhering to legislative requirements.
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
ENROLMENT
According to the Child Care Provider Handbook (June 2019) ‘enrolling children is a requirement under Family Assistance Law for all children who attend childcare regardless of their parent’s or guardian’s eligibility for Child Care Subsidy. An enrolment links the child, the individual claiming the subsidy and the childcare service.’ An enrolment notice is required for each child attending the service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Our Service accepts enrolments of children aged between 6 weeks - 6 years of age.
Enrolments will be accepted providing:
the maximum daily attendance does not exceed the licensed capacity of the Service
a vacancy is available for the booking required
the adult to child ratio is maintained in each room
priority of access guidelines are adhered to.
PRIORITY OF ACCESSOur Service aims to assist families who are most in need and may prioritise filling vacancies with children who are:
at risk of serious abuse or neglect
a child of a sole parent who satisfies, or parents who both satisfy, the activity test through paid employment.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Children
To secure a child’s position families are required to pay an enrolment fee and two-week bond which is calculated at full fee to secure the position. When 2 weeks’ notice of withdrawal is given, the bond will be refunded.
Children with disabilities will be enrolled, if in the opinion of management, the Service can meet the child's needs. Additional resources and funding may be required through disability and inclusion programs.
ENROLMENTWhen a family has indicated their interest in enrolling their child in our Service, we will organise an enrolment meeting to share information and build relationships.
Families will be provided with a range of information about the Service which may include:
the service philosophy, inclusion, programming methods, menu, incursions, excursions, fees, policies, procedures, SunSmart requirements, regulations and the licensing and assessment process for our State, signing in and out procedure, the National Quality Framework, room routines, educator qualifications, introduction of educator in the room the child will be starting in, and educator and parent communication strategies. Families will be invited to ask questions and seek any further information they may require.
Families will be provided with possible vacancies and start date.
Families will be invited to bring their child into the Service at a time that is mutually convenient to familiarise themselves with the environment and educators as part of the Orientation process.
Any matters that are of a sensitive nature, such as discussing a child’s medical needs, Court Orders, parenting plans or parenting orders, will be discussed privately with management. Families will be required to bring any documents required in relation to court orders, medical needs or plans. Families will complete the enrolment form informing management of their child’s interests, strengths and individual needs.
If a family or child uses English as a second language or speak another language at home, we request that families provide us with some key words in the language/s the child speaks so that educators can learn these words. Educators may use visuals to assist the child’s understanding and be able to communicate with others. Families must complete a Child Care Subsidy activity test to check eligibility and entitlements for CCS and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS). This can be completed online through myGov website.
The Complying Written Arrangement (CWA) will be discussed with families which states the fees charged in exchange for care sessions.
Information about gap fees and absences will be discussed.
Where there are certain changes to the individual Complying Written Arrangements (CWA) for care between the provider and an individual, the provider must update the arrangement in writing, and the families are required to confirm the changes through myGov. It is a legal requirement that prior to the child starting at the Service we have all required documents including :
the completed enrolment form.
medical management plans (if relevant) completed by the child’s general practitioner.
birth certificate or passport
a current Immunisation History Statement from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) showing the child is up to date with immunisations for their age and
details of any court orders, parenting orders or parenting plans
It is a requirement of the Family Assistance Office that immunisation information held by the Service is kept current. Parents are reminded mid-way through the year to provide any immunisation updates to the Service in order to continue receiving childcare subsidy. Parents must notify the Service if their child is not up to date with their immunisations for their age via the enrolment form and attach the required documentation on their AIR immunisation History Statement.
Families are advised that since January 2018 children who have not been immunised due to parent’s conscientious objection cannot be enrolled at the Service.
If a child cannot be immunised due to a medical condition they may still be enrolled at the Service with supporting documentation (Medical Exemption Form).
If a child is on a ‘catch-up’ schedule for immunisations they may still be enrolled at the Service. The child’s immunisation history statement will indicate that the child is on a catch-up schedule.
Unborn children may be placed on the waiting list to avoid the unfair allocation of places that may occur if children can only be placed on the list after birth. If an unborn child is placed on the waiting list, the family must advise the Service of the expected birth date. It is the responsibility of the parent to inform Management of the name and date of birth of the child within three months after the expected birth date. If this information is not provided, then the child and family details will be removed from the list. It is the family’s responsibility to keep the Service informed of any changes to the information recorded on the application form.
FAMILIES WILL BE ASKED TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:Full name/s of parent/s (or the person legally responsible for the care of the child) residential address, place of employment and contact telephone number
Each parent’s occupation, work hours and educational qualifications [delete if not required in your state/territory]
The full name, address and contact telephone number of a person or persons, authorised by the parent who may be contacted in case of an emergency concerning the child if a parent is unable to be contacted (authorised nominee) The full name, address and contact telephone number of any person authorised by the parent to collect the child from the Service (authorised nominee)
Full name of the child
Child’s date of birth
Child’s birth certificate or passport
Child’s residency status
Child’s address
Gender of the child
Cultural background of the child
Provision of care – if care will be a routine and/or casual etc.
Session start and end times
Complying Written Agreement on fee information
Immunisation History Statement
Any court orders or parenting agreements regarding the child
The primary language spoken by the child; if the child has not learnt to speak, the child’s family’s language.
Any special requirements of the family, including for example cultural or religious requirements.
The individual needs of a child with a disability or with other additional needs
A statement indicating parental permission for any medications to be administered to the child whilst at the Service. [Only a parent on the enrolment form can authorise the administration of medication.]
21. Authorisation and signature by parent/authorised person for the approved provider, nominated supervisor or educator to seek:
medical treatment for the child from a registered practitioner, hospital or ambulance service
transportation of the child by an ambulance service
Child's Medicare number (if available)
Specific healthcare needs of the child, including allergies and intolerances.
Any medical management plan for a specific severe healthcare need, medical condition, or allergy, such as an Anaphylaxis Emergency Management Plan or Risk Minimisation Plan.
Details of any dietary restrictions for the child
The name, address and telephone number of the child’s doctor
Authorisation for regular occurring outings/excursions
CRN for child and claimant
Child Care Subsidy Assessment confirmation
ORIENTATION OF THE SERVICEThe centre’s aim is to ensure that orientation programs are tailored to meet individual needs of children and families. We consider how best it can provide a number or orientation options for new families and children without compromising the current educational programs, children, families or team members. During the orientation of the Service, families will be: provided with the enrolment form to be completed or shown how to complete this through an online platform.
Child Care Subsidy is explained to families and assistance may be offered to assist with the application process.
provided with an outline of the Service policies which will include key policies such as: Payment of fees, Sun Safe, Incident, Illness, Injury and Trauma, Control of infectious diseases, Sick child policy and Administration of Medication. shown the signing in/out process.
advised of appropriate clothing for children to wear to the Service, including shoes, hats, and sunscreen.
informed about policies regarding children bringing in toys from home.
introduced to their child's educators.
taken on a tour around the Service.
invited to visit the service at different times during the day.
provided with suggestions for developing and maintaining a routine for saying goodbye to their child.
asked to share information on any medical management plan or specific healthcare needs of their child (if applicable)
informed of the daily report and how parents can view this or informed about the online platform/App the Service may use.
introduced to the room routine and Service program, including portfolios and the observation cycle.
informed about Service communication strategies including meetings, interviews, newsletters, emails, etc.
given the opportunity to set goals for their child.
confirm preferred method of communication.
ENROLMENT PACKOnce the enrolment fee and bond has been paid, families will be provided with an enrolment pack which consists of:
Parent Handbook, which outlines the Service’s operation and philosophy.
current fee structure and payment details
Child Care Subsidy information
Information about the online App or platform (if applicable)
Information on the National Quality Framework, National Quality Standards and the Early Years Learning Framework
ECA Code of Ethics brochure
Lunchbox and Snack ideas
Munch and Move Fact Sheets MANAGEMENT WILL ENSURE:the enrolment form is completed accurately and, in its entirety.
authorisations are signed by both parents/guardians.
a child with medical needs does not begin at the service unless a medical management plan is received, and medication is brought to the service each day
the child’s Medical Management Plan is recorded, and this information is shared/distributed to Educators.
Action Plans are completed in full (if relevant)
Administration of Medication forms are completed (if relevant)
Risk Minimisation Plans and Communication Plans are requested/completed with parents for children with medical needs.
the appropriate Room leader is informed of the new child including any medical conditions, interests, developmental needs, and strengths.
immunisation history statement and birth certificate have been sighted and photocopied.
the child is added to the Observation cycle.
the enrolment is lodged through [enter childcare software provider] or PEP with Department of Education, Skills and Employment (DESE)
a file for the Child’s information is created.
families are provided with an orientation survey to complete within the first 6 weeks of starting to gain feedback about the orientation and enrolment process.
CHILD CARE SUBSIDYChild Care Subsidy (CCS) offers assistance to families to help with the cost of childcare for children aged 0-13 years. The number of hours of Child Care Subsidy a family is entitled to per fortnight is determined by an activity test. The more hours of activity parents do, the more subsidised care they can access, up to a maximum of 100 hours per fortnight for each child.
Child Care Subsidy activity testChild Care Subsidy and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) will start again from 13 July 2020. Some families affected by COVID-19 may be able to access more CCS. Activity test requirements will be eased from 13 July 2020 to 4 October 2020.
CCS is based on the combined family income, activity test and the type of early childhood education and care service.
Families must complete the Child Care Subsidy activity test online through the myGov website.
Documentation may be required such as Australian driver licence, Australian passport, Foreign passport, Australian birth certificate, Australian Marriage certificate, Australian citizenship certificate.
Families are provided with a Customer Reference Number (CRN)
Child Care Subsidy is paid directly to providers to be passed on to families as a fee reduction.
Families will contribute to their childcare fees and pay the Service the difference between the fee charged and the subsidy amount- generally called the ‘gap fee’.
Families may also be eligible for Additional Child Care Subsidy depending upon their circumstance.
ENROLMENT RECORD KEEPINGOur Record Keeping and Retention Policy outlines the information and authorisations that we will include in all child enrolment records.
ON THE CHILD’S FIRST DAYConsideration will be made to each family regarding the initial settling in period and strategies may be offered to assist both parents and the child. Parents will be reassured that they are able to stay with their child for as long as they choose in the early days; speak to their child’s educator at any time; contact the service during the day to ‘check’ in on their child and request help with separation if this is a problem for their child.
On the first day, the child and their family will be welcomed by the Director or Nominated Supervisor and shown where or how to sign their child in/out of the service. They will be greeted by an educator and walked to their room.
The educator will discuss what is happening in the room and show where the child’s locker is located or child will be assisted to choose a locker.
Information about collecting their child at the end of the day will be discussed.
Educators will ensure information about the child’s first day is shared with parents (through online APP or daybook)
Management will ensure the orientation checklist has been completed and all required documents and information has been received from families.PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to support the health, safety, security and wellbeing of children during any excursion, centre event or transportation which includes travel to and from planned activities
SCOPE
This policy provides a framework for Operational Leaders, Centre Managers, Team Members and Parents to guide risk management actions relevant to the health, safety, security and wellbeing of children during centre events, excursions and transport.
Whilst the context of this policy applies to the centre, the event risk management obligations is applicable to the events to protect the health and safety of team members.
Team member travel and attendance at external events is excluded from this policy.BACKGROUND
To ensure children’s learning is authentic and challenging, they will have the opportunity to be connected to and contribute to their world and develop a sense of identity when offered experiences to engage and explore their community through excursions.
Ormond Childcare and Preschool acknowledges excursions and centre events are two-fold in their significant value by allowing children to be exposed to people and places that offer new perspectives, actual real-life ideas and exposure to a variety of situations. Children are also being seen by the wider community and expressing their right to be part of the community.LEGISLATION
NATIONAL QUALITY FRAMEWORK
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL LAW
S161 Nominated Supervisor
S162 Responsible Person
S165 Supervision of Children
S167 Protecting Children from harm and hazard
S169 Staffing Arrangements
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS
R85 Incident, injury, trauma and illness>
R99 Children leaving the education and care premises>
R100-101 Conducting risk assessments>
R102 Authorisation for excursions>
R123, 298, 300, 301 Educator: Child Ratio>
R151 Staffing Arrangements
R158 Attendance Records
R167 Record of service’s compliance
R168-172 Policies and ProceduresNATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 1: EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM AND PRACTICE1.1 Program The educational program enhances each child’s learning and development
1.2 Practice Educators facilitate and extend each child’s learning and development.
1.3 Assessment & Planning Educators and co-ordinators take a planned and reflective approach to
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY2.2 Safety Each child is protected
2.2.1 Supervision At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensures children
2.2.2 Incident & emergency Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in
QUALITY AREA 3: PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT3.1.2 Upkeep Premises, furniture and equipment are safe, clean and well-maintained
QUALITY AREA 7: GOVERNANCE & LEADERSHIP7.1.2 Management systems Systems are in place to manage risk and enable the effective management and operation of the service
TRANSPORT OPERATIONS (ROAD USE MANAGEMENT ACT)
Road Transport Act 2013
Heavy Vehicle National Law Act 2013DEFINITIONS
For the purpose of the policy the following terms are used:
Term Definition
Centre Event Planned experiences that occur within the Early Education and Care Centre as part of the education and care services curriculum planning (e.g. Movie Nights, Tooth Fairy Show).
Excursion Planned experiences where children are taken out of the approved centre as part of the education and care services curriculum planning on a one-off basis.
Regular Outing Planned experiences that occur on a regular basis, outside the approved centre, as a part of the education and care services curriculum planning (e.g. weekly visit to the local library).
Transportation The action of transporting someone from one location to another. For the purpose of this policy, transportation covers use of a Fleet Vehicle (centre bus), pedestrian journeys or public buses, trains, trams or ferries.POLICY STATEMENT
Ormond Childcare and Preschool understands the important role the community plays in children’s lives. One of the fundamental areas of community development is that children are respected, empowered citizens who have a voice and who make conscious decisions about their own learning. This is reflected through many of the different experiences we offer the children with some of these life experiences best supported through excursions, outings and centre events.
Our onsibility as an Approved Provider is mindful of additional risks that may be present when hosting centre events, undertaking excursions and regular outings or during transportation. Our centre is committed to ensuring these excursions, outings, events and transportation, are conducted in a way that:
Protects the safety, health, security and wellbeing of the children being educated and cared for by the service.
legislative obligations including the Early Education and Care Services National Law, Regulation and National Quality Framework.
With the information, instruction and guidelines outlined in:
Excursion and Centre Events Practice Manual, and
The Transportation Practice Manual.
Events, excursions, regular outings and transport must only be undertaken:
Once a thorough risk assessment has been completed, detailed planning undertaken, and relevant documentation and records collated.
Following approval by Management and the Insurance Department.
When a parent or other authorised person/s written consent is held for all children participating in events, excursions, transport and regular outings.
Where adequate supervision is provided and child to educator ratio requirements are met that considers appropriate first aid and any particular skills or necessary qualifications.
In accordance with processes outlined in the Excursion and Centre Events Practice Manual and Transportation Practice Manual.
When it comes to the transportation of children, our centre takes every reasonable precaution to protect children from harm or hazard that is likely to cause injury by:
Ensuring the safety, cleanliness and maintenance of vehicles used for the transport of children.
Complying with Road Transport legislation including:
Vehicle registration and driver license obligations.
Vehicle and transport inspections and timely rectification of issues identified.
The installation and use of appropriate child safety restraints particular to the individual needs of the child.RESPONSIBILITIES
To comply with this policy the Centre Manager will:Encourage learning and community engagement opportunities to be clearly defined during the planning process, and where applicable, learning outcomes include the child’s voice, are recorded and shared.
Undertake necessary risk assessments, in consultation with team members, to identify and effectively manage any health, safety, wellbeing and security aspects to protect children and team members from hazard and harm during excursions, outings, transport and centre events. This includes planning for any likely emergency, including first aid.
Ensure each child’s medical and individual wellbeing needs are considered.
Ensure written permission has been granted for participation and records maintained.
Designate and support a licensed and capable bus driver in accordance with the Transport Practice Manual where transport is provided.
Require team members to understand the Transportation Practice Manual prior to being involved in transportation of children.
Monitor the completion of all pre and post transportation vehicle inspections and address any issues identified.
Team Members will ensure:They understand the documented risk assessments and their responsibility for supervision and protection of children from hazard and harm during any excursion, outing, centre event or transport.
Children are never to be left alone in a bus.
Children are never to be locked inside a bus, without a team member, for any reason.
Children are always seated in the required restraints as per National Child Restraint Guidelines while on the bus unless entering and exiting.
Conduct physical inspections to ensure each child is accounted for at all times, particularly when entering and exiting the bus.
Children’s learning experiences are recorded.Excursions/incursions enhance children’s learning by providing them the opportunity to participate in curriculum planned activities and experiences to extend on their skills and knowledge in the current interest topic. Our Service recognises that excursions provide opportunities for children to explore the wider community as a group and extend on the educational program provided.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY2.2 Safety Each child is protected. 2.2.1 Supervision At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.
2.2.2 Incident and emergency management Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practiced and implemented.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS4(1) Definition regular outing
89 First Aid Kits
97 Emergency and evacuation procedures
98 Telephone or other communication equipment
99 Children leaving the education and care service premises
100 Risk assessment must be conducted before excursion
101 Conduct of risk assessment for excursion
102 Authorisation for excursion
123 Educator to child ratios-centre-based services
136 First Aid qualifications
161 Authorisations to be kept in enrolment record
168 Education and care service must have policies and procedures
170 Policies and procedures to be followed
Related PoliciesAdministration of Medication Policy
Administration of First Aid Policy
Code of Conduct Policy
Educational Program Policy
Emergency Evacuation Policy
Family Communication Policy
Incident, Illness, Accident and Trauma
Interaction with Children, Family and Staff Policy
Orientation of New Families Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Respect for Children Policy
Safe Transportation Policy
Supervision Policy
Water Safety PolicyPURPOSE
To ensure that all excursions and incursions undertaken by the Service are carefully planned and conducted in a safe manner, maintaining children’s health, safety and wellbeing at all times in accordance with National Regulations. We believe excursions/incursions provide the children with the opportunity to expand and enhance their skills and knowledge gaining insight into their local and the wider community.
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Excursions will be conducted with the children’s safety and wellbeing in mind at all times. We will regularly schedule incursions and visitors to our Service however, if we feel an excursion will benefit the children and offer a valuable experience, we will adhere to the National Regulations and Service policies and procedures to plan and manage an experience that is enjoyable and educational for children. This policy relates to excursions that may be a ‘regular outing’ or a one-off excursion for a particular purpose. Definition (effective 1 October 2020) Excursion: means an outing organised by an education and care service but does not include an outing organsied by an education and care service provided on a school site if-
a child or children leave the education and care service premises in the company of an educator and
the child or children do not leave the school site
Regular outing: in relation to an education and care service, means a walk, drive or trip to and from a destination
that the service visits regularly as part of its educational program; and where the circumstances relevant to the risk assessment are substantially the same on each
Considerations for excursionsThe purpose of the excursion should be clearly identified by staff providing information on how the excursion or incursion supports the educational program and contributes to the outcomes for children. Excursions/incursions should be planned in advance and consideration given to the: time away from the service
availability of toilet and washing facilities
access to safe drinking water
adequate health and hygiene practices
possible risk to children (identified in risk assessment)
accessibility for all children
transportation
cost
weather- wet weather arrangements
Risk Assessment documentation provided by the excursion venue
teaching children safety procedures and responsibilities whilst on an excursion
Excursion Risk AssessmentThe Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor must conduct a detailed risk assessment which reflects Regulation 101 before an authorisation is scheduled under Regulation 102 to determine the safety and appropriateness of the excursion/incursion. If the excursion involves transporting children, the risk assessment must adhere to all components of regulations 101 and 102 (effective 1 October 2020).
The Nominated Supervisor will ensure:
an Excursion/Incursion Risk Assessment and management plan is developed prior to any excursion or incursion
a responsible person (or coordinator) is appointed to oversee the organisation of the excursion
families are notified about the excursion using an Excursion Permission Letter and written authorisation must be provide by a parent or other person named in the child’s enrolment record
families have a right to view the risk assessment prior to the excursion/incursion upon request in which the Service must comply with ensuring all information is available
the risk assessment must
identify and assess possible risks that the excursion/incursion may pose to the health, safety and wellbeing of any child being taken on the excursion
specify how the identified risks will be managed and minimised
consider the proposed route and destination for the excursion and
identify any water hazards
reflect on any risks associated with water-based activities
consider the transport to and from the proposed destination for the excursion
consider the duration of the transportation
consider any requirements for seatbelts or safety restraints under a law for our state/territory jurisdiction
the process for entering and exiting the education and care service premises and the pick-up location or destination (as required)
procedures for embarking and disembarking the means of transport, including how each child is to be accounted for on embarking and disembarking
consider the ratio of adults to children involved in the excursion
consider the risks posed by the excursion/incursion, the number of educators or other responsible adults required to provide supervision, and whether any adults with specialised skills are required to ensure children’s safety (eg: lifesaving skills) consider the planned activities
determine the duration of the excursion
consider items that should be taken on the excursion (mobile phone, emergency contacts, first aid kit, medical plans, etc.).
consider strategies to ensure supervision is consistent at all times during the excursion- transitions, toileting, departure from the service and conclusion of the excursion
If the excursion is a regular excursion, or ‘regular outing’ a risk assessment authorisation is only required to be carried out once in a 12-month period, however, must be regularly reviewed. If circumstances around the excursion change, a new risk assessment is required.
Parent AuthorisationThe Nominated Supervisor must ensure: that a child is not taken outside the Service premises on an excursion unless written authorisation has been provided
the authorisation must be given by a parent or other authorised person named in the child’s enrolment record as having authority to authorise transportation of a child.
the authorisation form must state:
the child’s name
the reason the child is to be taken outside the premises
the reason the child is to be transported (if transportation is included in the excursion)
if the authorisation is for a regular outing, a description of when the child is to be taken on the regular outing
the date the child is to be taken on the excursion and transported
a description of the proposed pick-up location and destination for the excursion
the method of transport to be used for the excursion
the proposed activities to be undertaken by the child during the excursion
the period the child will be away from the premises
the period of time during which the child is to be transported
the anticipated number of children likely to be attending the excursion
the anticipated educator to child ratio attending the excursion to the anticipated number of children attending the excursion
the anticipated number of staff members and any other adults who will accompany and supervise the children on the excursion
any requirements for seatbelts or safety restraints under a law of each jurisdiction in which the children are being transported
that a risk assessment has been prepared and is available at the Service
that written policies and procedures for transporting children are available at the Service
if the excursion is a regular outing, the written authorisation is only required to be obtained once in a 12-month period.
Staffing ArrangementsThe Nominated Supervisor will ensure that: educator to child ratios are no less than the prescribed ratios as per National Regulations
additional educators/staff are engaged to provide care and support to children with additional needs
educators are aware of their responsibility to provide supervision to other responsible adults or volunteers assisting on the excursion
educators are aware the procedures to follow in the event of an emergency
at least one educator or the nominated supervisor must hold current First Aid qualification, approved emergency Asthma management and approved anaphylaxis management training
Parent and Volunteer Participation
The Nominated Supervisor will ensure parents and volunteers:
are encouraged to participate in excursions where possible
cannot be counted as part of the educator to child ratio
cannot be left alone with a child/children and must be supervised by an educator at all times
are briefed prior to participating on an excursion about the risk assessment, emergency procedures, supervision, photograph policy for privacy and confidentiality and use of mobile phone are aware that smoking is not permitted
are aware of need to wear appropriate clothing and footwear.
Items to be taken on an Excursion
The Nominated Supervisor must ensure that the following items are taken on all excursions, as per the risk assessment:
appropriate number of suitably equipped first aid kits
fully charged and operating mobile phone
emergency contact information details for all children participating on the excursion
medication for children requiring medical and relevant medical management plans
items required for excursion circumstances- such as sunscreen, hats, other equipment
Transportation for Excursion It is a requirement of National Regulations that the means of transport is stated on the risk assessment record and parent authorisation record. Information must be included in the risk assessment about the process for embarking and disembarking the means of transport, including how each child is to be accounted for. The means of transport may mean:
WalkingEducators must ensure children and adults use the safest footpaths and safe crossings where possible, such as pedestrian crossings and traffic lights
Educators will ensure all children and adults obey road rules
Educators will ensure children follow the ‘stop, look, listen and think’ process when walking near roads
Educators will remain vigilant that no child runs ahead or lags behind the group
Busthe Nominated Supervisor must ensure that the seating capacity as displayed on the compliance registration is not exceeded. All children must sit on seats, preferably with, or close to an adult. Any requirements for seat belts or safety restraints under law must be followed depending on the vehicle used. If the bus has seat belts, they must be worn at all times.
Trainthe Nominated Supervisor will be required to contact the local station prior to the excursion to inform them of the time you will be travelling, the destination, and the number of children and adults who will be travelling. Provisions should be made to ensure children have ample time to board the train safely and in an unhurried way. This will allow the station to inform the train guard so that they can hold the train for the period of time for safe boarding and disembarkment. All children should be seated at all times, with an adult close by. All children should be seated in the one carriage if possible- and not in a Quiet Carriage.
CarAny motor vehicle that is used to transport children on an excursion (other than a motor vehicle seating more than nine persons) must be fitted with child restraints and/or seatbelts that are appropriate for the age and weight of each child, that conform to the Australian Standards, and are professionally installed or checked by an authorised restraint fitter.
The vehicle must be registered and free of any defects that could put any passenger at harm.
All children must be fastened in the vehicle according to National Child Restraint Laws for Vehicles (below). The educator or staff member driving the vehicle must hold a current Australian driver’s licence.
The process for entering and exiting the Service premises safely must be considered at all times.
National Child Restraint Laws for Vehicles
children up to the age of six months must be secured in an approved rear facing restraint children aged from six months old but under four years old must be secured in either a rear or forward-facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness
children under four years old cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows
children aged from four years old but under seven years old must be secured in a forward-facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness or an approved booster seat
children aged from four years old but under seven years old cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows, unless all other back seats are occupied by children younger than seven years in an approved child restraint or booster seat
children in booster seats must be restrained by a suitable lap and sash type approved seatbelt that is properly adjusted and fastened, or by a suitable approved child safety harness that is properly adjusted and fastened. If the child is too small for the child restraint specified for their age, they should be kept in their current-sized child restraint until it is safe for them to move to the next level.
If the child is too large for the child restraint specified for their age, they may move to the next level of child restraint.
Source: NSW Government Centre for Road Safety, 2017
InsuranceThe Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor must review the insurance policy prior to the excursion/incursion to ensure liability is protected by the Service. A copy of the insurance policy should be kept within the service’s vehicle (if applicable) at all times.
The Governance Policy provides the overall direction, effectiveness, supervision and accountability of a Service. Management are responsible for guiding the direction of the service, ensuring that its goals and objectives are met in line with the philosophy, and all legal and regulatory requirements governing the operation of the service.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 7: GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP7.1 Governance Governance supports the operation of a quality service.
7.1.2 Management Systems Systems are in place to manage risk and enable the effective management and operation of a quality service.
7.1.3 Roles and Responsibilities
7.2 Leadership Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and understood and support effective decision-making and operation of the service.
7.2.1 Continuous improvement There is an effective self-assessment and quality improvement process In place.
7.2.2 Educational leadership The educational leader is supported and leads the development and implementation of the educational program and assessment and planning cycle.
7.2.3 Development of professionals Educators, co-ordinations and staff members performance is regularly evaluated and individual plans are in place to support learning and development.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS73 Educational program
74 Record of child assessments or evaluations for delivery of educational program
168 Education and care services must have policies and procedures
177 Prescribed enrolment and other documents to be kept by approved provider
181 Confidentiality of records kept by approved provider
181-184 Confidentiality and storage of records
Related Policies
Code of Conduct Policy
CCS Governance Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Record Keeping and Retention PolicyPURPOSE
Our Service aims to ensure all legal and financial requirements are implemented and recognised through appropriate governance practices, providing quality education and care, meeting the principles, practices and elements of the Early Years Learning Framework and the National Quality Standard.
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Governance is the process that directs and controls our Service, ensuring accountability, and supporting decision making.
The Approved Provider and Nominated Supervisor of the Service accept the legal responsibilities associated with establishing, administering, and maintaining the Service. Our Service has the following established positions:
Approved Provider [Name]
Nominated Supervisor [Name]
Educational Leader [Name]
Responsible Persons [Name]
Room Leaders [Name]
THE APPROVED PROVIDER IS LEGALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR:ensuring compliance with the Education and Care Services National Law and Education and Care Services National Regulations
complying with Family Assistance Law
appointing a Nominated Supervisor, an Educational Leader and a Director/coordinator for the Service
ensuring background checks, including criminal history and working with children checks, are completed for all staff and educators
determining whether or not a person working in the service is a ‘fit and proper person’
supporting the Nominated Supervisor [Responsible Persons] in their role, providing adequate resources to ensure effective administration of the Service
developing a clear and agreed philosophy, which guides business decisions and the work of management and staff
acting honestly and with due diligence
ensuring there is a sound foundation of policies and procedures that complies with all legislative and regulatory requirements, and that enables the daily operation of the Service to be in line with the Service’s philosophy and goals
maintaining up to date and current policies and procedures for compliance by all educators
confirming incident, injury, illness or trauma records are stored in a kept in a safe and secure place until the child is 25 years of age. In the event of a death of child while being cared for by the service or may have occurred as a result of an incident, the records must be kept until 7 (seven) years after the death.
being an employer, including all legal and ethical responsibilities that this entails
appointing staff and monitoring their performance
ensuring educator qualification requirements are current
ensuring all educators and staff have a clear understanding of the hierarchy of management.
providing clear and direct written and verbal feedback and instruction that is suitable and appropriate to the task
ensuring the Service remains financially viable and can meet its debts and other obligations as they fall due
managing control and accountability systems
reviewing the Service’s budget and monitoring financial performance and management to ensure the Service is solvent at all times and has sound financial strength
approving annual financial statements and providing required reports to government bodies and maintaining appropriate delegations and internal controls
complying with funding agreements where appropriate
reviewing the work process regularly
completing a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) for the Service and updating it at least annually
developing coherent aims and goals that reflect the interests, values and beliefs of all stakeholders of the Service
establishing clearly defined roles and responsibilities for the members of the Management Committee and staff, individually and as a collective, and clearly articulating the relationship between all stakeholders
evaluating and improving the performance of the Management Committee.
ensuring the educational program is based on an approved learning framework (EYLF) and contributes to each child’s sense of identity and wellbeing
complying with all other[ VIC] and Australian governments’ legislation that impacts upon the management and operations of a Service.
THE NOMINATED SUPERVISOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR:adhering to the Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations
developing ethical standards and a code of conduct which guide actions and decisions in a way that is consistent and reflective of the Service’s expectations
undertaking periodical planning and risk assessments and having appropriate risk management strategies in place to manage risks faced by the Service
ensuring that actions taken, and decisions made are clear and consistent and will help build confidence in all stakeholders
the day to day management of the Service
the effectiveness of the Service’s well-defined partnership between the Management Committee and the Nominated Supervisor. The partnership requires clear understanding of roles and responsibilities, and regular and open communication.
producing outcomes together with educators and staff. Educators must agree on their responsibilities and work according to current policies and procedures.
providing educators with training, resources and support
identifying and reporting if something significant occurs (for example: Work Health and Safety; Fraud Prevention; Complaint handling)
identifying work required for completion and delegate to the appropriate educator/staff
ensuring educators and staff do not delegate responsibilities for which they are accountable for or have been delegated to them by Management
delegate all tasks in writing with a clear due date
ensuring educators are adhering to service policies and procedures.
SERVICE PHILOSOPHYThe development and review of the philosophy and policies will be a continuous process on an annual basis or when required.
The philosophy and associated statement of purpose will reinforce all other documentation and the practices of the Service. The philosophy will reflect the principles of the approved national framework “Belonging, Being and Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia.
There will be a collaborative and consultative process to support the development and maintenance of the philosophy that will include children, parents and educators.
All documents will be dated and include nominated review dates.
CODE OF CONDUCTThe standards of behaviour outlined in our Code of Conduct Policy provide guidance for all staff to make personal and ethical decisions related to confidentiality, recruitment, duty of care, record keeping, professional relationships and appropriate use of resources within the Service.
CONFIDENTIALITYAll members of the Management Committee along with the Nominated Supervisor, Responsible Person, educators, and staff who gain access to confidential information, whether in the course of their work or otherwise, shall not disclose information to anyone unless the disclosure of such information is required by law and will respect the confidentiality of all documents and meetings that occur. This also includes:
using information acquired for their personal or financial benefit, or for the benefit of any other person.
permitting any unauthorised person to inspect or have access to any confidential documents or other information.
any information received or transmitted via mobile telephone (including text/SMS) or any other electronic device (e.g. email) shall be treated with the same confidentiality as any other written form of communication and must be stored confidentially.
This obligation, placed on a member of the Committee of Management, Nominated Supervisor, Responsible Person, educator, and staff shall continue even after the individual has completed their term and is no longer on the Management Committee or employed by the Service. The obligation to maintain confidentiality also applies to any person who is invited to any meetings of the Management Committee.
ETHICAL DECISION-MAKINGOur Service will make decisions which are consistent with our policies and procedures and that work in conjunction with the Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations, our approved learning framework (EYLF), and the ethical standards within the ECA Code of Ethics.
REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF THE SERVICE
Ongoing review and evaluation will support the continuing development of the Service. We will ensure that the evaluation involves all stakeholders.
The development of a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) will form part of the reflection procedure. Reflection on what works within the Service and what needs additional development will be included in the QIP.
MAINTENANCE OF RECORDSThe Service will adhere to record keeping requirements outlined in the National Regulations (177).
The Service will adhere to the storage of confidential records outlined in the National Regulations (181-184).
The Service has a responsibility to keep sufficient records about staff, families, and children in order to operate dependably and lawfully.
The Service will safeguard the interests of all children, their families, and the staff, using procedures to ensure appropriate privacy and confidentiality practices are upheld.
The Approved Provider assists in determining the process, storage location, and time line for storage of records, using the National Regulations as a minimum standard.
The Service's orientation and induction processes will include the provision of significant information to managers, educators, children, and families to comply with National Regulations and Standards.
The Approved Provider will ensure that the record retention procedure meets the requirements of the following government departments and laws:
Australian Tax Office (ATO)
Family Assistance Office (FAO)
Family Assistance Law
National Law and Regulations
MANAGING CONFLICTS OF INTERESTConflict of interest, whether actual, potential or perceived, must be declared by all members of the Management Committee/Nominated Supervisor, Senior Staff and managed effectively to ensure integrity.
Every stakeholder that is in a position of management has a responsibility to ensure their transactions, external business interests and relationships will not cause potential conflicts and to make such disclosures in a timely manner as they arise.
The following process will be followed to manage any conflicts of interest:
Whenever there is a conflict of interest, the member concerned must notify the Approved Provider about the conflict.
The member with a conflict of interest must not be present during the meeting of the Management Committee or Management meeting where the matter is being discussed, or participate in any decisions made on that matter. The member concerned must provide the committee / Licensee with any and all relevant information they possess on the particular matter.
The minutes of the meeting must reflect that the conflict of interest was disclosed and appropriate processes followed to manage the conflict.
A Conflict of interest disclosure statement must be completed by each member of the Management Committee / Staff member upon his or her appointment and annually thereafter. If the information in this statement changes during the year, the member shall disclose the change to the Approved Provider/ and revise the disclosure statement accordingly.Feedback from families, educators, staff and the wider community is fundamental in creating an evolving Childcare Service working towards the highest standard of care and education. It is foreseeable that feedback will include divergent views, which may result in complaints. This Policy details our Service’s procedures for receiving and managing informal and formal complaints. Parents can lodge a grievance with management in the understanding that it will be managed conscientiously and confidentially.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 6: COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS6.1 Supportive relationships with families Respectful relationships with families are developed and maintained and families are supported in their parenting role.
6.1.2 Parent views are respected The expertise, culture, values and beliefs of families are respected and families share in decision-making about their child’s learning and wellbeing.
6.2 Collaborative partnerships Collaborative partnerships enhance children’s inclusion, learning and wellbeing.
QUALITY AREA 7: GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIPS7.1.2 Management Systems Systems are in place to manage risk and enable the effective management and operation of a quality Service.
7.2.1 Continuous Improvement There is an effective self-assessment and quality improvement process in place.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS
168 Education and care service must have policies and procedure
173 Prescribed information to be displayed
176 Time to notify certain information to Regulatory Authority
183 Storage of records and other documents
Related Policies
Child Protection Policy
Code of Conduct Policy
Family Communication Policy
Grievance Policy (General)
Grievance Policy (Staff)
Interactions with Children, Family and Staff Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Record Keeping and Retention Policy
Respect for Children Policy
Responsible Person Policy
Student and Volunteer Workers PolicyPURPOSE
We aim to investigate all complaints and grievances with a high standard of equity and fairness. We will ensure that all persons making a complaint are guided by the following policy values:
Procedural fairness and natural justice
Code of ethics and conduct
Culture free from discrimination and harassment
Transparent policies and procedures
Opportunities for further investigation
Adhering to our Service philosophy
Our Service believes in procedural fairness and natural justice that govern the strategies and practices, which include:
The right to be heard fairly
The right to an unbiased decision made by an objective decision maker
The right to have the decision based on relevant evidence.SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grievances can transpire in any workplace. Handling them appropriately is imperative for sustaining a safe, healthy, harmonious and productive work environment. The Grievance Policy ensures that all persons are presented with procedures that:
Value the opportunity to be heard
Promote conflict resolution
Encourage the development of harmonious partnerships
Ensure that conflicts and grievances are mediated fairly and
Are transparent and equitable.DEFINITIONS
Complaint: An issue of a negligible nature that can be resolved within 24 hours, and does not require a comprehensive investigation. Complaints include a manifestation of discontentment, such as poor service, and any verbal or written complaint directly related to the Service (including general and notifiable complaints). Complaints do not include staff, industrial or employment matters, occupational health and safety matters (unless associated with the safety of children).
Grievances Management Forms/File: Records information about complaints and grievances received at the Service, along with the outcomes. These documents must be securely stored, accessible only to educators and the Regulatory Authority. They can provide valuable information to the Approved Provider and Nominated Supervisor of the Service to ensure children and family’s needs are being met.
Grievance: A grievance is a formal statement of complaint that cannot be addressed immediately and involves matters of a more serious nature. For example: If the service is in breach of a regulation causing injury or possible harm to a child.
Mediator: A person who attempts to assist and support people involved in a conflict come to an agreement.
Mediation: An attempt to bring about a peaceful settlement or compromise between disputants through the objective intervention of a neutral party.
Notifiable complaint: A complaint that alleges a breach of the Regulation and Law, National Quality Standard or alleges that the health, safety or wellbeing of a child at the Service may have been compromised. Any complaint of this nature must be reported by the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor to the Regulatory Authority within 24 hours of the complaint being made – (Section 174[2] [b], Regulation 176[2][b]).
If the Director is unsure whether the matter is a notifiable complaint, it is good practice to contact the Regulatory Authority for confirmation. Written reports must include:
details of the event or incident
the name of the person who initially made the complaint
if appropriate, the name of the child concerned and the condition of the child, including a medical or incident report (where relevant)
contact details of a nominated member of the Grievances Subcommittee (or Nominated Supervisor)
any other relevant information
Written notification of complaints must be submitted using the appropriate forms, which can be found on the ACECQA website: www.acecqa.gov.au and logged using NQA ITS (National Quality Agenda IT System).
Serious Incident: incident resulting in the death of a child, or an injury, trauma or illness for which the attention of a registered medical practitioner, emergency services or hospital is sought or should have been sought. This also includes an incident in which a child appears to be missing, cannot be accounted for, is removed from the Service in contravention of the Regulations or is mistakenly locked in/out of the Service premises (Regulation 12).
A serious incident should be documented in an Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record as soon as possible and within 24 hours of the incident. The Regulatory Authority must be notified within 24 hours of a serious incident occurring at the Service (Regulation 176(2)(a)). These records are required to be retained for the periods specified in Regulation 183.
PRIVACY AND CONFIDENTIALITYManagement and Educators will adhere to our Privacy and Confidentiality Policy when dealing with grievances. However, if a grievance involves a staff member or child protection issues, a government agency may need to be informed. (see: Reportable Conduct Scheme in our Child Protection Policy).
CONFLICT OF INTERESTIt is important for the complainant to feel confident in: being heard fairly an unbiased decision-making process Should a conflict of interest arise during a grievance or complaint that involves the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor, other Management will be nominated as an alternative mediator. Our Service may also engage the resources of an Independent Conflict Resolution Service to assist with the mediation of a dispute. We will ensure that throughout the conflict resolution process the Services Code of Conduct is be adhered to.
The Approved Provider/ Nominated Supervisor will:ensure the name and telephone number of the person to whom complaints can be made is clearly visible at the service
ensure information about our Grievance Policy is easily accessible to all families
treat all grievances seriously and as a priority
ensure grievances remain confidential
ensure grievances reflect procedural fairness and natural justice
discuss the issue with the complainant within 24 hours of receiving the verbal or written complaint
investigate and document the grievance fairly and impartially. The investigation will consist of:
reviewing the circumstances and facts of the complaint (or breach) and inviting all affected parties to provide information where appropriate and pertinent.
discussing the nature of the complaint (or breach) and giving he accused educator, staff member, volunteer or visitor an opportunity to respond.
permitting the accused person to have a support person present during the consultation (for example: Union Representative or family member; however, this does not include a lawyer acting in a professional capacity).
providing the employee with a clear written statement outlining the outcome of the investigation.
advise the complainant and all affected parties of the outcome within 7 working days of receiving the verbal or written complaint.
Management will provide a written response outlining the outcome and provide a copy to all parties involved.
If a written agreement about the resolution of the complaint is prepared, all parties will ensure the outcomes accurately reflect the resolution.
should management decide not to proceed with the investigation after initial enquiries, a written notification outlining the reasoning will be provided to the complainant.
keep appropriate records of the investigation and outcome and store these records in accordance with our Privacy and Confidentiality Policy and Record Keeping and Retention Policy.
monitor ongoing behaviour and provide support as required
ensure the parties are protected from victimisation and bullying
request feedback on the grievance process using a feedback form
track complaints to identify recurring issues within the Service.
notify the Regulatory Authority within 24 hours if a complaint alleges the safety, health or wellbeing of a child is being compromised.
Educators will:listen to the family’s view of what has happened
clarify and confirm the grievance, documenting all the facts prior to the investigation
encourage and support the family to seek a balanced understanding of the issue
discuss possible resolutions available to the family. These would include external support options
encourage and assist the family to determine a preferred way of solving the issue
record the meeting, confirming the details with the family at the end of the meeting
maintain confidentiality at all times
refer families (as necessary) to Service policies that may assist in resolving the grievance.
If the grievance cannot be resolved, it is to be referred to the Nominated Supervisor who will investigate further:
if appropriate, collect relevant written evidence. This evidence will be treated in strict confidence and will be held in a secure place
involve the Approved Provider or Licensee in the conflict resolution as required
should it be necessary to interview relevant people concerning the grievance, their involvement should be kept to the minimum necessary to establish the facts
third parties providing evidence must also be made aware that the matter is to be kept confidential.
Should the grievance be lodged against another person(s), these person(s) will be interviewed separately and impartially. Individuals must be given the opportunity to respond fully to the allegations and may have another person present, as a support person, if they wish. If after investigation, it is concluded that the grievance is substantiated:
both parties will be told of the decision and the reason for it
immediate and appropriate steps will be taken to prevent the grievance from recurring
if after investigation, it is concluded that the grievance is not substantiated both parties will be notified of the decision and the reason
the family will be informed that if they are not satisfied with any decision relating to the grievance procedure that they should consult with an external body for further advice such as the Regulatory Authority.
if the grievance is of a serious nature, the Nominated Supervisor is responsible to inform the Regulatory Authority. [insert details of your state/territory contact]
Families will:be informed of our duty of care to ensure that all persons are provided with a high level of equity and fairness in relation to the management of grievances. The grievance procedure for families ensures a fair opportunity for all stakeholders to be heard and promotes effective conflict resolution within our Service.
attempt to discuss their grievances with the relevant Educator associated with a particular child and/or family as the first step to resolving the issue
communicate (preferably in writing) any concerns they may have
raise any unresolved concerns with the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor
maintain confidentiality at all times.EVALUATION
To ensure complaints and grievances are handled appropriately, the Nominated Supervisor will:
evaluate each individual complaint and grievance as recorded in the Complaints and Grievance Register to assess that a satisfactory resolution that has been achieved
review complaints and grievances as recorded in the Complaints and Grievance Register to ensure a pattern of similar grievances is not occurring.
review the effectiveness of the service policy and procedures to ensure all complaints and grievances have been handled fairly and professionally
Consider feedback from staff, educators and families regarding the policy and procedure.Feedback from families, educators, staff and the wider community is fundamental in creating an evolving Childcare Service working towards the highest standard of care and education. It is foreseeable that feedback will include divergent views, which may result in complaints. This Policy details our Service’s procedures for receiving and managing informal and formal complaints. Parents, Educators, Visitors, Students and the community can lodge a grievance, with the understanding that it will be managed conscientiously and confidentially.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 6: COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS6.1 Supportive relationships with families Respectful relationships with families are developed and maintained and families are supported in their parenting role.
6.1.2 Parent views are respected The expertise, culture, values and beliefs of families are respected and families share in decision-making about their child’s learning and wellbeing.
6.2 Collaborative partnerships Collaborative partnerships enhance children’s inclusion, learning and wellbeing.
QUALITY AREA 7: GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP7.1.2 Management Systems Systems are in place to manage risk and enable the effective management and operation of a quality Service
7.2.1 Continuous Improvement There is an effective self-assessment and quality improvement process in place.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS
168 Education and care service must have policies and procedure
173 Prescribed information to be displayed
176 Time to notify certain information to Regulatory Authority
183 Storage of records and other documents
Related Policies
Code of Conduct Policy
Family Communication Policy
Grievance Policy (Families)
Grievance Policy (Staff)
Interactions with Children, Family and Staff Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Record Keeping and Retention Policy
Respect for Children Policy
Responsible Person Policy
Student and Volunteer Workers PolicyPURPOSE
We aim to investigate all complaints and grievances with a high standard of equity and fairness. We will ensure that all persons making a complaint are guided by the following policy values:
Procedural fairness and natural justice
Code of ethics and conduct
Culture free from discrimination and harassment
Transparent policies and procedures
Opportunities for further investigation
Adhering to our Service philosophy
PROCEDURAL FAIRNESS AND NATURAL JUSTICEOur Service believes in procedural fairness and natural justice that govern the strategies and practices which include:
The right to be heard fairly
The right to an unbiased decision made by an objective decision maker
The right to have the decision based on relevant evidenceSCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grievances can transpire in any workplace. Handling them appropriately is imperative for sustaining a safe, healthy, harmonious, and productive work environment. The Grievance Policy ensures that all persons are presented with procedures that:
Value the opportunity to be heard
Promote conflict resolution
Encourage the development of harmonious partnerships
Ensure that conflicts and grievances are mediated fairly
Are transparent and equitable.DEFINITIONS
Complaint: An issue of a negligible nature that can be resolved within 24 hours and does not require a comprehensive investigation. Complaints include a manifestation of discontentment, such as poor service, and any verbal or written complaint directly related to the Service (including general and notifiable complaints). Complaints do not include staff, industrial or employment matters, occupational health and safety matters (unless associated with the safety of children).
Complaints and Grievances Register: Records information about complaints and grievances received at the Service, along with the outcomes. This register must be kept in a secure file, accessible only to educators and Department of Early Childhood Education and Care. The register can provide valuable information to the Approved Provider and Nominated Supervisor of the service to ensure children and family’s needs are being met.
Grievance: A grievance is a formal statement of complaint that cannot be addressed immediately and involves matters of a more serious nature. For example: If the service is in breach of a regulation causing injury or possible harm to a child.
Mediator: A person who attempts to assist and support people involved in a conflict come to an agreement.
Mediation: An attempt to bring about a peaceful settlement or compromise between disputants through the objective intervention of a neutral party.
Notifiable complaint: A complaint that alleges a breach of the Regulation and Law, National Quality Standard or alleges that the health, safety, or wellbeing of a child at the service may have been compromised. Any complaint of this nature must be reported by the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor to the Department of Early Childhood Education and Care within 24 hours of the complaint being made (Section 174(2)(b), Regulation 176(2)(b)).
If the Director is unsure whether the matter is a notifiable complaint, it is good practice to contact the Regulatory Authority for confirmation. Written reports must include:
details of the event or incident
the name of the person who initially made the complaint
if appropriate, the name of the child concerned and the condition of the child, including a medical or incident report (where relevant)
contact details of a nominated member of the Grievances Subcommittee (or Nominated Supervisor)
any other relevant information
Written notification of complaints must be submitted using the appropriate forms, which can be found on the ACECQA website: www.acecqa.gov.au and logged using NQA ITS (National Quality Agenda IT System).
Serious incident: An incident resulting in the death of a child, or an injury, trauma, or illness for which the attention of a registered medical practitioner, emergency services, or hospital is sought or should have been sought. This also includes an incident in which a child appears to be missing, cannot be accounted for, is removed from the centre in contravention of the Regulations, or is mistakenly locked in/out of the centre premises (Regulation 12).
A serious incident should be documented in an Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record as soon as possible and within 24 hours of the incident. The Regulatory Authority must be notified within 24 hours of a serious incident occurring at the centre (Regulation 176(2)(a)). These records are required to be retained for the periods specified in Regulation 183.
Privacy and Confidentiality: Management and Educators will adhere to our Privacy and Confidentiality Policy when dealing with grievances. However, if a grievance involves a staff member or child protection issues, a government agency may need to be informed. (see: Reportable Conduct Scheme in Child Protection Policy)
Conflict of InterestIt is important for the complainant to feel confident in:
being heard fairly
an unbiased decision-making process.
Should a conflict of interest arise during a grievance or complaint that involves the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor, other Management will be nominated as an alternative mediator.
Our Service may also engage the resources of an Independent Conflict Resolution Service to assist with the mediation of a dispute. We will ensure that throughout the conflict resolution process the Services Code of Conduct is be adhered to.
The Approved Provider/ Nominated Supervisor will:ensure the name and telephone number of the person to whom complaints can be made is clearly visible at the service
ensure information about our Grievance Policy is easily accessible to all families, visitors and volunteers
treat all grievances seriously and as a priority
ensure grievances remain confidential
ensure grievances reflect procedural fairness and natural justice
discuss the issue with the complainant within 24 hours of receiving the verbal or written complaint
investigate and document the grievance fairly and impartially
The investigation will consist of:reviewing the circumstances and facts of the complaint (or breach) and inviting all affected parties to provide information where appropriate and pertinent
discussing the nature of the complaint (or breach) and giving the accused educator, staff member, volunteer, or visitor an opportunity to respond
permitting the accused person to have a support person present during the consultation (for example: Union Representative or family member; however, this does not include a lawyer acting in a professional capacity).
providing the employee with a clear written statement outlining the outcome of the investigation.
Advise the complainant and all affected parties of the outcome within 7 working days of receiving the verbal or written complaint.
management will provide a written response outlining the outcome and provide a copy to all parties involved.
if a written agreement about the resolution of the complaint is prepared, all parties will ensure the outcomes accurately reflects the resolution and sign in agreeance.
should management decide not to proceed with the investigation after initial enquiries, a written notification outlining the reasoning will be provided to the complainant.
keep appropriate records of the investigation and outcome and store these records in accordance with our Privacy and Confidentiality Policy and Record Keeping and Retention Policy.
monitor ongoing behaviour and provide support as required
ensure the parties are protected from victimisation and bullying
request feedback on the grievance process using a feedback form
review the effectiveness of the Service policy and procedures to ensure all complaints and grievances have been handled fairly and professionally
track complaints to identify recurring issues within the Service.
notify the Regulatory Authority within 24 hours if a complaint alleges the safety, health or wellbeing of a child is being compromised.Feedback from families, educators, staff and the wider community is fundamental in creating an evolving Childcare Service working towards the highest standard of care and education.
It is foreseeable that feedback will include divergent views, which may result in complaints. This Policy details our Service’s procedures for receiving and managing informal and formal complaints from staff. Educators can lodge a grievance with management with the understanding that it will be managed conscientiously and confidentially.NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 4: STAFFING ARRANGEMENTS4.1.1 Organisation of educators The organisation of educators across the service supports children's learning and development.
4.1.2 Continuity of Staff Every effort is made for children to experience continuity of educators at the service.
4.2 Professionalism Management, educators and staff are collaborative, respectful and ethical.
4.2.1 Professional collaboration Management, educators and staff work with mutual respect and collaboratively, and challenge and learn from each other, recognising each other’s strengths and skills.
4.2.2 Professional standards Professional standards guide practice, interactions and relationships.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS168 Education and care service must have policies and procedure
173 Prescribed information to be displayed
176 Time to notify certain information to Regulatory Authority
183 Storage of records and other documents
Related PoliciesChild Protection Policy
Code of Conduct Policy
Family Communication Policy
Grievance Policy (Families)
Interactions with Children, Family and Staff Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Record Keeping and Retention Policy
Respect for Children Policy
Responsible Person Policy
Student and Volunteer Workers PolicyPURPOSE
We aim to investigate all complaints and grievances with a high standard of equity and fairness. We believe in team collaboration to ensure a safe, healthy and harmonious work environment.
We will ensure that all persons making a complaint are guided by the following policy values:Procedural fairness and natural justice
Code of ethics and conduct
Culture free from discrimination and harassment
Transparent policies and procedures
Opportunities for further investigation
Adhering to our service philosophy
Procedural fairness and natural justice
Our Service believes in procedural fairness and natural justice that govern the strategies and practices, which include:
The right to be heard fairly
The right to an unbiased decision made by an objective decision maker
The right to have the decision based on relevant evidenceSCOPE
This policy applies to educators, staff, and management of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Grievances can transpire in any workplace. Handling them appropriately is imperative for sustaining a safe, healthy, harmonious and productive work environment. The Grievance Policy ensures that all persons are presented with procedures that:
Value the opportunity to be heard
Promote conflict resolution
Encourage the development of harmonious partnerships
Ensure that conflicts and grievances are mediated fairly
Are transparent and equitableDEFINITIONS
Complaint: issue of a negligible nature that can be resolved within 24 hours and does not require a comprehensive investigation. Complaints include a manifestation of discontentment, such as poor service, and any verbal or written complaint directly related to the Service (including general and notifiable complaints). Complaints do not include staff, industrial or employment matters, occupational health and safety matters (unless associated with the safety of children).
Complaints and Grievances Register: Records information about complaints and grievances received at the centre, along with the outcomes. This register must be kept in a secure file, accessible only to educators and Regulatory Authority. The register can provide valuable information to the Approved Provider and Nominated Supervisor of the service to ensure children and family’s needs are being met.
Grievance: A grievance is a formal statement of complaint that cannot be addressed immediately and involves matters of a more serious nature. For example: If the service is in breach of a regulation causing injury or possible harm to a child.
Mediator: A person who attempts to assist and support people involved in a conflict come to an agreement.
Mediation: attempt to bring about a peaceful settlement or compromise between disputants through the objective intervention of a neutral party.
Notifiable complaint: A complaint that alleges a breach of the Regulation and Law, National Quality Standard or alleges that the health, safety or wellbeing of a child at the service may have been compromised. Any complaint of this nature must be reported by the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor to the Regulatory Authority within 24 hours of the complaint being made (Section 174(2)(b), Regulation 176(2)(b)).
If the Director is unsure whether the matter is a notifiable complaint, it is good practice to contact the Regulatory Authority for confirmation. Written reports must include:
details of the event or incident
the name of the person who initially made the complaint
if appropriate, the name of the child concerned and the condition of the child, including a medical or incident report (where relevant)
contact details of a nominated member of the Grievances Subcommittee (or Nominated Supervisor)
any other relevant information.
Written notification of complaints must be submitted using the appropriate forms, which can be found on the ACECQA website: www.acecqa.gov.au and logged using NQA ITS (National Quality Agenda IT System).
Serious incident: incident resulting in the death of a child, or an injury, trauma or illness for which the attention of a registered medical practitioner, emergency services or hospital is sought or should have been sought. This also includes an incident in which a child appears to be missing, cannot be accounted for, is removed from the centre in contravention of the Regulations or is mistakenly locked in/out of the centre premises (Regulation 12).
A serious incident should be documented in an Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record as soon as possible and within 24 hours of the incident. The Regulatory Authority must be notified within 24 hours of a serious incident occurring at the centre (Regulation 176(2)(a)). These records are required to be retained for the periods specified in Regulation 183.
We acknowledge that conflict is a natural part of the work environment. It is important that all conflict is resolved as unresolved conflict can lead to tension; stress; low productivity; bitter relationships; excess time off; ill health; anxiety and many other destructive emotions. When conflict is addressed and handled constructively the outcomes are feelings of relaxation; openness; high productivity; vitality; good health, empowerment; a sense of achievement etc.
Positive communication between educators is vital to the smooth running of the Service and to ensure a positive environment for children. Educators are expected to treat other educators with respect, accept differences and share ideas. It is every staff member's responsibility to contribute to the development of an open, healthy and constructive work environment. All grievances, whether considered minor or not, are to be dealt with promptly, professionally and thoroughly.
The Service’s employees are expected to look at conflict in a positive way, ready to learn something new, reflect on good quality practice, improve work relationships and ultimately provide better care and education for children.
Employees are also to be aware of their responsibility to be a good role model for children, and appropriately and professionally handle conflict with work colleagues, children, parents, and other associates.
Employees should regularly reflect on Early Childhood Australia’s Code of Ethics for guidance of appropriate behaviour when dealing with conflict. The Code of Ethics states that all team members should “make every effort to use constructive methods to resolve differences of opinion in the spirit of collegiality.”
Privacy and Confidentiality: Management and Educators will adhere to our Privacy and Confidentiality Policy when dealing with grievances. However, if a grievance involves a staff member or child protection issues, a government agency may need to be informed. (see: Reportable Conduct Scheme in Child Protection Policy)
Conflict of InterestIt is important for the complainant to feel confident in
being heard fairly
an unbiased decision-making process
Should a conflict of interest arise during a grievance or complaint that involves the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor, other Management will be nominated as an alternative mediator.
Our Service may also engage the resources of an Independent Conflict Resolution Service to assist with the mediation of a dispute. We will ensure that throughout the conflict resolution process the Services Code of Conduct is be adhered to.
The Approved Provider/ Nominated Supervisor will:ensure staff and educators are aware of the person to whom complaints can be made and the processes required
treat all grievances seriously and as a priority
ensure grievances remain confidential
ensure grievances reflect procedural fairness and natural justice
discuss the issue with the complainant within 24 hours of receiving the verbal or written complaint
investigate and document the grievance fairly and impartially.
The investigation will consist of:reviewing the circumstances and facts of the complaint (or breach) and inviting all affected parties to provide information where appropriate and pertinent
discussing the nature of the complaint (or breach) and giving the accused educator, staff member, volunteer or visitor an opportunity to respond
permitting the accused person to have a support person present during the consultation (for example: Union Representative or family member; however, this does not include a lawyer acting in a professional capacity).
providing the employee with a clear written statement outlining the outcome of the investigation.
Advise the complainant and all affected parties of the outcome within 7 working days of receiving the verbal or written complaint.
management will provide a written response outlining the outcome and provide a copy to all parties involved
if a written agreement about the resolution of the complaint is prepared, all parties will ensure the outcomes accurately reflects the resolution and sign in agreeance
should management decide not to proceed with the investigation after initial enquiries, a written notification outlining the reasoning will be provided to the complainant.
keep appropriate records of the investigation and outcome and store these records in accordance with our Privacy and Confidentiality Policy and Record Keeping and Retention Policy
monitor ongoing behaviour and provide support as required
ensure the parties are protected from victimisation and bullying
request feedback on the grievance process using a feedback form
track complaints to identify recurring issues within the Service
notify the Regulatory Authority within 24 hours if a complaint alleges the safety, health or wellbeing of a child is being compromised. [insert details of your state/territory contact]
Educators and staff will:be aware of the possible ramifications of their actions when dealing with staff issues
raise the grievance or complaint directly with the person they have grievance with, in a professional manner and at an appropriate time. Both parties should try to resolve the issue and develop solutions to ensure the problem does not happen again. Discussions should be based on the principles of privacy, confidentiality, respect and open-mindedness, will not involve other educators, staff, volunteers or visitors (e.g. parents) and will take place away from children.
if the person is unable to resolve the issue or feels uncomfortable raising the matter directly with the person concerned, the grievance or complaint must be raised with the Approved Provider/Management or Nominated Supervisor. The Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor (or other manager) may ask for the issue to be put in writing.
provide all relevant information, outlining the issue, identifying any other person involved in the problem, and any suggested solution.
communicate openly about the issue with the relevant parties.
raise any grievance involving suspected or actual unlawful activity (including bullying) with the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor immediately and privately.
maintain confidentiality at all times.
maintain professionalism at all times.
When the persons involved cannot resolve the grievance between them in a constructive and professional way the following steps will be taken.
The aggrieved person is to contact their immediate supervisor (Room Leader, Nominated Supervisor or Licensee) who will act as Mediator.
The Mediator will have an interview with the persons involved and clarify the facts, work out whether advice is needed from other sources, discuss options available, and help to formulate a plan of action. If an employee does not feel comfortable in approaching their supervisor, or the conflict is with their immediate supervisor, they can contact the next level of management to act as Mediator.
If an amicable resolution does not occur at this meeting the Mediator is to present a report to the next level of management outlining:
the nature of the grievance
the procedures followed to date
the solution(s) sought
the recommended plan of action or resolution.
If an agreement is reached the mediator is to present a report to the next level of management outlining:
the nature of the grievance
the procedures followed to date
the solution(s) agreed upon
the plan of action to reach this solution and review time if warranted
a copy of this report is to be provided to all persons involved in the grievance, and a copy is to be retained at the workplace.
Grievance Procedures:
Harmonious staff relations within the Service largely depend on staff feeling satisfied that their professionalism is being acknowledged by their involvement in appropriate decision-making processes. The quality of industrial relations is likely to be substantially better in a workplace if the decision-making processes adopted permit staff to have input into decisions that affect the nature and quality of their professional work.
Management and staff within the organisation will work together to develop and implement appropriate strategies to facilitate consultative and collaborative decision-making processes within the workplace. Where staff feel these processes have failed and are in conflict with decisions made by Management, the following procedure is to be followed:
the aggrieved person(s) will discuss the grievance with their immediate supervisor
the supervisor is to report the grievance to the Nominated Supervisor/ Licensee
the Mediator will seek advice as necessary from other sources, (e.g.: unions, Work Cover and/or funding bodies).
the Mediator will then advise Management of the possible solutions.
Meetings are to be arranged with the aggrieved person(s) as necessary throughout the process. The outcome of the grievance must be reported to the aggrieved person within a week of the decision.
Resolution of GrievancesGrievances are considered resolved when all persons involved agree to a solution, when the cause of the grievance has been removed or resolved, and when arrangements have been made, if appropriate, to repair any damage and distress suffered by the persons involved. Strategies agreed upon by both parties are to be put in place to help avoid further conflict.
Unresolved ConflictIf resolution of the conflict is unsuccessful after all procedures in the Grievance Policy have been followed it may then be necessary to take disciplinary action.
ConfidentialityMediators are to use discretion and do their utmost to maintain confidentiality. Any breach of this confidentiality could result in a charge of misconduct. However, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed in the following situations: if it is considered that someone is in danger, if disciplinary action or criminal investigation might be necessary; or if employer liability might be involved.
No action will be taken against the person about whom a formal complaint is lodged until they are made aware of any allegations so that they may respond.
Support PersonA Staff member is able to nominate a support person to attend any meetings with them. This person may be a union representative, impartial friend, or family member. Educators and staff will not
become involved in complaints or grievances that do not concern them.
raise complaints with an external complaints body, such as a court or Tribunal, without exhausting the Services’ grievance procedures.The health and safety of all staff, children, families and visitors to our Service is of the utmost importance. We aim to reduce the likelihood of incidents, illness, accidents and trauma through implementing comprehensive risk management, effective hygiene practices and the ongoing professional development of all staff to respond quickly and effectively to any incident or accident.
We acknowledge that in early education and care services, illness and disease can spread easily from one child to another, even when implementing the recommended hygiene and infection control practices. Our Service aims to minimise illnesses by adhering to all recommended guidelines from relevant government authorities regarding the prevention of infectious diseases and adhere to exclusion periods recommended by public health units.
When groups of children play together and are in new surroundings accidents and illnesses may occur. Our Service is committed to effectively manage our physical environment to allow children to experience challenging situations whilst preventing serious injuries.
In the event of an incident, illness, accident or trauma, all staff will implement the guidelines set out in this policy to adhere to National Law and Regulations and inform the regulatory authority as required.NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY2.1.2 Health practices and procedures Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented.
2.2 Safety Each child is protected.
2.2.1 Supervision At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.
2.2.2 Incident and emergency management Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practiced and implemented.
2.2.3 Child Protection Management, educators and staff are aware of their roles and responsibilities to identify and respond to every child at risk of abuse or neglect.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS12 Meaning of serious incident
85 Incident, injury, trauma and illness policies and procedures
86 Notification to parents of incident, injury, trauma and illness
87 Incident, injury, trauma and illness record
88 Infectious diseases
89 First aid kits
97 Emergency and evacuation procedures
161 Authorisations to be kept in enrolment record
162 Health information to be kept in enrolment record
168 Education and care Service must have policies and procedures
174 Prescribed information to be notified to Regulatory Authority
176 Time to notify certain information to Regulatory Authority
Related PoliciesAdministration of First Aid Policy
Adventurous (Risky) Play Policy
Anaphylaxis Management Policy
Asthma Management Policy
Control of Infectious Disease Policy
COVID-19 Management Policy
Diabetes Management Policy
Epilepsy Policy
Family Communication Policy
Handwashing Policy
Health and Safety Policy
Immunisation Policy
Medical Conditions Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Record Keeping and Retention Policy
Road Safety Policy
Sick Children Policy
Work Health and Safety PolicyPURPOSE
Educators have a duty of care to respond to and manage illnesses, accidents, incidents, and trauma that may occur at the Service to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children, educators and visitors. This policy will guide educators to manage illness and prevent injury and the spread of infectious diseases.
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Our Service implements risk management planning to identify any possible risks and hazards to our learning environment and practices. Where possible, we have eliminated or minimised these risks as is reasonably practicable.
We are committed to minimise the spread of infectious diseases such as coronavirus (COVID-19) by implementing recommendations provided by the Australian Government- Department of Health and Safe Work Australia.
Our Service implements procedures as stated in the Staying healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in early childhood education and care services (Fifth Edition) developed by the Australian Government National Health and Medical Research Council as part of our day-to-day operation of the Service. We are guided by explicit decisions regarding exclusion periods and notification of any infectious disease by the Australian Government- Department of Health and local Public Health Units in our jurisdiction under the Public Health Act.
IDENTIFYING SIGNS AND SYPTOMS OF ILLNESSEarly Childhood Educators and Management are not doctors and are unable to diagnose an illness or infectious disease. To ensure the symptoms are not infectious and to minimise the spread of an infection, medical advice may be required to ensure a safe and healthy environment.
Recommendations from the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and Department of Health will be adhered to minimise risk where reasonably practicable.
During a pandemic, such as COVID-19, risk mitigation measures may be implemented within the service to manage the spread of the virus. These measures may include but are not limited to the following:
exclusion of unwell staff, children and visitors (symptoms may include fever, coughing, sore throat, fatigue or shortness of breath)
taking children’s temperature prior to entry into the Service and excluding anyone who has a temperature above 38°C
notifying vulnerable people within the workplace of the risks of the virus/illness including:
people with underlying medical needs
children with diagnosed asthma or compromised immune systems
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people over the age of 50 with chronic medical conditions
requesting any person visiting our service to sign a Health Declaration form confirming they have not been in close contact with anyone with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis or travelled overseas within the past 14 days
restrict the number of visitors entering the Service
request parents to drop off and collect children from designated points outside the service
reducing mixing of children by separating cohorts (staggering meals and play times)
enhanced personal hygiene for children, staff and parents (including frequent handwashing)
full adherence to the NHMRC childcare cleaning guidelines and cleaning and disinfecting high touch surfaces at least twice daily, washing and laundering play items and toys
avoid any situation when children are required to queue- using the bathroom for handwashing or toileting, waiting their turn to use a piece of equipment etc.
ensuring cots, mats, cushions, highchairs are positioned at least 1 metre apart
cancelling excursions to local parks, public playgrounds and incursions during a pandemic
recommending influenza vaccination for children, staff and parents
Children who appear unwell at the Service will be closely monitored and if any symptoms described below are noticed, or the child is not well enough to participate in normal activities, parents or an emergency contact person will be contacted to collect the child as soon as possible. A child who is displaying symptoms of a contagious illness or virus (vomiting, diarrhoea, fever) will be moved away from the rest of the group and supervised until he/she is collected by a parent or emergency contact person.
Symptoms indicating illness may include:behaviour that is unusual for the individual child
high temperature or fevers
loose bowels
faeces that are grey, pale or contains blood
vomiting
discharge from the eye or ear
skin that display rashes, blisters, spots, crusty or weeping sores
loss of appetite
dark urine
headaches
stiff muscles or joint pain
continuous scratching of scalp or skin
difficulty in swallowing or complaining of a sore throat
persistent, prolonged or severe coughing
difficulty breathing
a stiff neck or sensitivity to light
As per our Sick Child Policy we reserve the right to refuse a child into care if they:
are unwell and unable to participate in normal activities or require additional attention
have had a temperature/fever, or vomiting in the last 24 hours
have had diarrhoea in the last 48 hours
have been given medication for a temperature prior to arriving at the Service
have started a course of anti-biotics in the last 24 hours or
if we have reasonable grounds to believe that a child has a contagious or infectious disease (this includes COVID-19)
HIGH TEMPERATURES OR FEVERSChildren get fevers or temperatures for all kinds of reasons. Most fevers and the illnesses that cause them last only a few days. However sometimes a fever will last much longer and might be the sign of an underlying chronic or long-term illness or disease.
Recognised authorities suggest a child’s normal temperature will range between 36.0°C and 37.0°C, but this will often depend on the age of the child and the time of day.
Any child with a high fever or temperature reaching 38°C or higher will not be permitted to attend the Service until 24 hours after the temperature/fever has subsided.
WHEN A CHILD DEVELOPS A HIGH TEMPERATURE OR FEVER AT THE SERVICEIf your child becomes ill whilst at the Service, educators will respond to their individual symptoms of illness and provide comfort and care. Educators will closely monitor the child focusing on how the child looks and behaves and be alert to the possibility of vomiting, coughing or convulsions. The child will be cared for in an area that is separated from other children in the service to await pick up from their parent/carer.
For infants under 3 months old, parents will be notified immediately for any fever over 38°C for immediate medical assistance. If the parent cannot take the child to a GP immediately, permission will be required for the Service to arrange for urgent medical assistance.
Educators will notify parents when a child registers a temperature of 38°C or higher.
The child will need to be collected from the Service and will not permitted back for a further 24 hours
Emergency services will be contacted should the child have trouble breathing, becomes drowsy or unresponsive or suffers a convulsion lasting longer than five minutes.
Educators will complete an Illness, Accident & Trauma record and note down any other symptoms that may have developed along with the temperature (for example, a rash, vomiting, etc.).
METHODS TO REDUCE A CHILD’S TEMPERATURE OR FEVERencourage the child to drink plenty of water (small sips), unless there are reasons why the child is only allowed limited fluids.
remove excessive clothing (shoes, socks, jumpers, pants etc.) Educators will be mindful of cultural beliefs.
if requested by a parent or emergency contact person, staff may administer paracetamol or ibuprofen (Panadol or Nurofen) in an attempt to bring the temperature down. However, a parent or emergency contact person must still collect the child.
parental written permission to administer paracetamol or ibuprofen should be provided during enrolment and filed in the child’s individual record
before giving any medication to children, the medical history of the child must be checked for possible allergies
the child’s temperature, time, medication, dosage, and the staff member’s name will be recorded in the Illness Register. Parents will be requested to sign the Medication Authorisation Form for the administration of Panadol or Nurofen when collecting the child. <
DEALING WITH COLDS/FLU (RUNNY NOSE)It is very difficult to distinguish between the symptoms of COVID-19, influenza and a cold. If any child, employee or visitor has any infectious or respiratory symptoms (such as sore throat, headache, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches, cough or runny nose) they are requested to either stay at home or be assessed/tested for COVID-19. If a child, employee or visitor is tested for COVID-19, they are required to self-isolate until they receive notification from the Public Health Unit of their test results.
see: Australian Government Identifying the symptoms
Colds are the most common cause of illness in children and adults. There are more than 200 types of viruses that can cause the common cold. Symptoms include a runny or blocked nose, sneezing and coughing, watery eyes, headache, a mild sore throat, and possibly a slight fever.
Nasal discharge may start clear, but can become thicker and turn yellow or green over a day or so. Up to a quarter of young children with a cold may have an ear infection as well, but this happens less often as the child grows older. Watch for any new or more severe symptoms—these may indicate other, more serious infections. Infants are protected from colds for about the first 6 months of life by antibodies from their mothers. After this, infants and young children are very susceptible to colds because they are not immune, they have close contact with adults and other children, they cannot practice good personal hygiene, and their smaller nose and ear passages are easily blocked. It is not unusual for children to have five or more colds a year, and children in education and care services may have as many as 8–12 colds a year.
As children get older, and as they are exposed to greater numbers of children, they get fewer colds each year because of increased immunity. By 3 years of age, children who have been in group care since infancy have the same number of colds, or fewer, as children who are cared for only at home.
Children can become distressed and lethargic when unwell. Discharge coming from a child’s nose and coughing can lead to germs spreading to other children, educators, toys, and equipment.
Management has the right to send children home if they appear unwell due to a cold or general illness.
DIARRHOEA AND VOMITING (GASTROENTERITIS)Gastroenteritis (or ‘gastro’) is a general term for an illness of the digestive system. Typical symptoms include abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, and vomiting. In many cases, it does not need treatment, and symptoms disappear in a few days.
However, gastroenteritis can cause dehydration because of the large amount of fluid lost through vomiting and diarrhoea. Therefore, if a child does not receive enough fluids, he/she may require fluids intravenously.
If a child has diarrhoea and/or vomiting whilst at the Service, Management will notify parents or an emergency contact to collect the child immediately. In the event of an outbreak of viral gastroenteritis, management will contact the local Public Health Unit on
Tel. 1300 651 160 or Fax 1300 651 170
Email: infectious.diseases@dhhs.vic.gov.au
Public Health Unit- Local state and territory health departments
Management must document the number of cases, dates of onset, duration of symptoms. An outbreak is when two or more children or staff have a sudden onset of diarrhoea or vomiting in a 2-day period. (VIC Government- Health 2019). Children that have had diarrhoea and/or vomiting will be asked to stay away from the Service for 48 hours after symptoms have ceased to reduce infection transmission as symptoms can reappear after 24 hours in many instances.
INFECTIOUS CAUSES OF GASTROENTERITIS INCLUDE:Viruses such as rotavirus, adenoviruses and norovirus
Bacteria such as Campylobacter, Salmonella and Shigella
Bacterial toxins such as staphylococcal toxins
Parasites such as Giardia and Cryptosporidium
NON-INFECTIOUS CAUSES OF GASTROENTERITIS INCLUDE:
Medication such as antibiotics
Chemical exposure such as zinc poisoning
Introducing solid foods to a young child
Anxiety or emotional stress
The exact cause of infectious diarrhoea can only be diagnosed by laboratory tests of faecal specimens. In mild, uncomplicated cases of diarrhoea, doctors do not routinely conduct faecal testing.
Children with diarrhoea who also vomit or refuse extra fluids should see a doctor. In severe cases, hospitalisation may be needed. The parent and doctor will need to know the details of the child’s illness while the child was at the education and care Service.
Children, educators and staff with diarrhoea and/or vomiting will be excluded until the diarrhoea and/or vomiting has stopped for at least 48 hours.
Please note: If there is a gastroenteritis outbreak at the Service, children displaying the symptoms will be excluded from the Service until the diarrhoea and/or vomiting has stopped and the family are able to get a medical clearance from their doctor.
PREVENTING THE SPREAD OF ILLNESSTo reduce the transmission of infectious illness, our Service implements effective hygiene and infection control routines and procedures as per the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee guidelines.
If a child is unwell or displaying symptoms of a cold or flu virus, parents are requested to keep the child away from the Service. Infectious illnesses can be spread quickly from one person to another usually through respiratory droplets or from a child or person touching their own mouth or nose and then touching an object or surface.
PREVENTION STRATEGIESPractising effective hygiene helps to minimise the risk of cross infection within our Service.
Signs and posters remind employees and visitors of the risks of infectious diseases, including COVID-19 and the measures necessary to stop the spread.
Educators model good hygiene practices and remind children to cough or sneeze into their elbow or use a disposable tissue and wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after touching their mouth, eyes or nose.
Handwashing techniques are practised by all educators and children routinely using soap and water before and after eating and when using the toilet and drying hands thoroughly with paper towel. (See Handwashing Policy).
After wiping a child’s nose with a tissue, educators will dispose the tissue in a plastic-lined bin and wash their hands thoroughly with soap and water and dry using paper towel.
All surfaces including bedding (pillows, mat, cushion) used by a child who is unwell, will be cleaned with soap and water and then disinfected.
Cleaning contractors hygienically clean the service to ensure risk of contamination is removed as per Environmental Cleaning and Disinfection Principles for COVID-19
Parents, families and visitors are requested to wash their hands upon arrival and departure at the Service or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. (Note: alcohol-based sanitizers must be kept out of reach of children and used only with adult supervision.)
Parents will be notified of any outbreak of an infectious illness (eg: Gastroenteritis) within the Service via our notice board, online app or email to assist in reducing the spread of the illness.
The Public Health Unit (PHU) will notify the Approved Provider of the service in the event of a positive COVID-19 diagnosis of a child, employee, parent or visitor and conduct contact tracing. Any decision to close the Service and other directions will be provided by the PHU and regulatory body. The Approved Provider will notify the Regulatory Authority within 24 hours of any closure due to COVID-19 via the NQA IT System.
Exclusion periods for illness and infectious diseases are provided to parents and families and included in our Parent/Family Handbook and Sick Children Policy and Control of Infectious Disease Policy.
SERIOUS INJURY, INCIDENT OR TRAUMAIn the event of any child, educator, staff, volunteer or contractor having an accident at the Service, an educator who has a First Aid Certificate will attend to the person immediately. Adequate supervision will be provided to all children. Procedures as per our Administration of First Aid Policy will be adhered to by all staff.
DEFINITION OF SERIOUS INCIDENTRegulations require the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor to notify Regulatory Authorities within 24 hours of any serious incident at the Service through the NQA IT System
a) The death of a child:
(i) while being educated and cared for by an Education and Care Service or
(ii) following an incident while being educated and cared for by an Education and Care Service.
(b) Any incident involving serious injury or trauma to, or illness of, a child while being educated and cared for by an Education and Care Service, which:
(i) a reasonable person would consider required urgent medical attention from a registered medical practitioner or
(ii) for which the child attended, or ought reasonably to have attended, a hospital. For example: whooping cough, broken limb and anaphylaxis reaction
(c) Any incident or emergency where the attendance of emergency services at the Education and Care Service premises was sought, or ought reasonably to have been sought (eg: severe asthma attack, seizure or anaphylaxis)
(d) Any circumstance where a child being educated and cared for by an Education and Care Service
(i) appears to be missing or cannot be accounted for or
(ii) appears to have been taken or removed from the Education and Care Service premises in a manner that contravenes these regulations or
(iii) is mistakenly locked in or locked out of the Education and Care Service premises or any part of the premises.
A serious incident should be documented as an incident, injury, trauma and illness record as soon as possible and within 24 hours of the incident, with any evidence attached. Trauma is defined as the impact of an event or a series of events during which a child feels helpless and pushed beyond their ability to cope. There are a range of different events that might be traumatic to a child, including accidents, injuries, serious illness, natural disasters (bush fires), assault, and threats of violence, domestic violence, neglect or abuse and war or terrorist attacks. Parental or cultural trauma can also have a traumatising effect on children. This definition firmly places trauma into a developmental context:
“Trauma changes the way children understand their world, the people in it and where they belong.” (Australian Childhood Foundation, 2010).
Trauma can disrupt the relationships a child has with their parents, educators and staff who care for them. It can transform children’s language skills, physical and social development and the ability to manage their emotions and behaviour.
Behavioural response in babies and toddlers who have experienced trauma may include:Avoidance of eye contact
Loss of physical skills such as rolling over, sitting, crawling, and walking
Fear of going to sleep, especially when alone
Nightmares
Loss of appetite
Making very few sounds
Increased crying and general distress
Unusual aggression
Constantly on the move with no quiet times
Sensitivity to noises.
Behavioural responses for pre-school aged children who have experiences trauma may include:
new or increased clingy behaviour such as constantly following a parent, carer or staff around
anxiety when separated from parents or carers
new problems with skills like sleeping, eating, going to the toilet and paying attention
shutting down and withdrawing from everyday experiences
difficulties enjoying activities
being jumpier or easily frightened
physical complaints with no known cause such as stomach pains and headaches
blaming themselves and thinking the trauma was their fault.
Children who have experienced traumatic events often need help to adjust to the way they are feeling. When parents, educators and staff take the time to listen, talk, and play they may find children begin to say or show how they are feeling. Providing children with time and space lets them know you are available and care about them. It is important for educators to be patient when dealing with a child who has experienced a traumatic event. It may take time to understand how to respond to a child’s needs and new behaviours before parents, educators and staff are able to work out the best ways to support a child. It is imperative to realise that a child’s behaviour may be a response to the traumatic event rather than just ‘naughty’ or ‘difficult’ behaviour.
Educators can assist children dealing with trauma by:observing the behaviours and expressed feelings of a child and documenting responses that were most helpful in these situations
creating a ‘relaxation’ space with familiar and comforting toys and objects children can use when they are having a difficult time
having quiet time such as reading a story about feelings together
trying different types of play that focus on expressing feelings (e.g. drawing, playing with play dough, dress-ups and physical games such as trampolines)
helping children understand their feelings by using reflecting statements (e.g. ‘you look sad/angry right now, I wonder if you need some help?’).
There are a number of ways for parents, educators and staff to reduce their own stress and maintain awareness, so they continue to be effective when offering support to children who have experienced traumatic events.
Strategies to assist Families, Educators and Staff to cope with children’s stress or trauma may include:
taking time to calm yourself when you have a strong emotional response. This may mean walking away from a situation for a few minutes or handing over to another educator or staff member if possible
planning ahead with a range of possibilities in case difficult situations occur
remembering to find ways to look after yourself, even if it is hard to find time or you feel other things are more important. Taking time out helps adults be more available to children when they need support
using supports available to you within your relationships (e.g., family, friends, colleagues)
identifying a supportive person to talk to about your experiences. This might be your family doctor or another health professional
accessing support resources- BeYou, Emerging Minds.
Living or working with traumatised children can be demanding so it is important for all educators to be aware of their own responses and seek support from management when required.
Management/Nominated Supervisor/Responsible Person And Educators Will Ensure:
service policies and procedures are adhered to at all times
parents or guardians are notified as soon as practicable and no later than 24 hours of the illness, accident, or trauma occurring
an Illness, Accident or Trauma Record is completed accurately and in a timely manner as soon after the event as possible (within 24 hours)
parents are advised to keep the child home until they are feeling well, and they have not had any symptoms for at least 24-48 hours (depending upon the illness and exclusion periods)
first aid qualified educators are present at all times on the roster and in the Service
first aid kits are suitably equipped and checked on a monthly basis (see First Aid Kit Record).
first aid kits are easily accessible when children are present at the Service and during excursions.
first aid, emergency anaphylaxis management training, and asthma management training is current and updated as required
adults or children who are ill are excluded for the appropriate period (see Sick Children Policy)
children are excluded from the Service if staff feel the child is too unwell to attend or is a risk to other children
educators or staff who have diarrhoea or an infectious disease do not prepare food for others
cold food is kept cold (below 5 °C) and hot food, hot (above 60°C) to discourage the growth of bacteria
if the incident, situation or event presents imminent or severe risk to the health, safety and wellbeing of any person present at the Service, or if an ambulance was called in response to the emergency (not as a precaution) the regulatory authority will be notified within 24 hours of the incident.
parents are notified of any infectious diseases circulating the Service within 24 hours of detection
staff and children always practice appropriate hand hygiene and cough and sneezing etiquette
appropriate cleaning practices are followed
toys and equipment are cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis which is recorded in the toy cleaning register or immediately if a child who is unwell has mouthed or used these toys or resources
additional cleaning will be implemented during any outbreak of an infectious illness or virus
all illnesses are documented in the Service Incident Illness Accident and Trauma Record
FAMILIES WILL:provide up to date medical and contact information in case of an emergency
provide the Service with all relevant medical information, including Medicare and private health insurance
provide a copy of their child’s Medical Management Plans and update annually or whenever medication/medical needs change
adhere to recommended periods of exclusion if their child has a virus or infectious illness.To support children’s wellbeing and manage specific healthcare needs, allergy or relevant medical condition our Service will work in accordance with the Education and Care Services National Regulations to ensure health related policies and procedures are implemented. We aim to take every reasonable precaution to protect children’s health and safety by explicitly adhering to individual medical management and risk management plans and responding to any emergency situation should they arise.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY2.1 Health Each child’s health and physical activity is supported and promoted.
2.1.1 Wellbeing and comfort Each child’s wellbeing and comfort is provided for, including appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s needs for sleep, rest and relaxation.
2.2 Safety Each child is protected.
2.2.1 Supervision At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS90 Medical Conditions Policy
90(1)(iv) Medical Conditions Communication Plan
91 Medical conditions policy to be provided to parents
92 Medication record
93 Administration of medication
94 Exception to authorisation requirement—anaphylaxis or asthma emergency
95 Procedure for administration of medication
96 Self-administration of medication
136 First Aid qualifications
170 Policies and procedures are to be followed
Related PoliciesAdministration of Medication Policy
Administration of Medication Policy
Asthma Management Policy
Anaphylaxis Management Policy
Diabetes Management Policy
Epilepsy Policy
Health and Safety Policy
Incident, Illness, Accident and Trauma Policy
Privacy & Confidentiality Policy
Sick Children Policy
Work Health and Safety PolicyPURPOSE
We aim to efficiently respond to and manage the medical conditions, health care needs or allergies of children and staff ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children, staff, families, and visitors at our Service.
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Our Service is committed to adhering to privacy and confidentiality procedures when dealing with individual health care needs, allergies or relevant medical conditions. There are a number of concerns that must be considered when a child with a diagnosed health care need, allergy, or medical condition is enrolled at the service. Key procedures and strategies must be in place prior to the child commencing at the service to ensure their individual health, safety and wellbeing.
The Approved Provider / Management will ensure:all enrolment forms are reviewed to identify any specific health care need, allergy or medical condition
a child is not enrolled at, nor will attend the Service without a medical management plan and prescribed medication by their medical practitioner. In particular, medication for life-threatening conditions such as asthma inhalers, adrenaline auto injection devices and insulin.
educators, staff and volunteers have knowledge and access to this policy and relevant health management policies (asthma management policy/ anaphylaxis management policy/diabetes management policy)
educators, staff and volunteers have a clear understanding of children’s individual health care needs, allergy or relevant medical condition
all aspects of operation of the service must be considered to ensure inclusion of each child into the program
communication between families and educators is on-going and effective
educators receive appropriate professional development and training in managing specific medical conditions and meeting children’s individual needs
at least one staff member or nominated supervisor is in attendance at all times with a current accredited first aid certificate, emergency asthma management and emergency anaphylaxis management certificate
educators and staff have a clear understanding about their role and responsibilities when caring for children with a diagnosed health care need, allergy or relevant medical condition
families provide required information on their child’s health care need, allergy or relevant medical condition, including:
medication requirements
allergies
medical practitioner contact details
medical management plan
a medical management plan has been developed in consultation with parents and the child’s medical practitioner and provided to the service and/or
an individual Asthma or Anaphylaxis Action Plan is developed in consultation with parents and the child’s medical practitioner eg: (ASCIA) or National Asthma Council of Australia
an individual Diabetes Management Plan is developed in consultation with parents and the child’s medical practitioner
a risk minimisation plan has been developed in consultation with parents and management
record any prescribed health information and copies of medical management plan, anaphylaxis management plan or asthma management plan and risk minimisation plan in the child’s enrolment folder
educators have access to emergency contact information for the child
casual staff are informed of children and staff members who have specific medical conditions, food allergies, the type of condition or allergies they have, and the Service’s procedures for dealing with emergencies involving allergies and anaphylaxis
a copy of the child’s medical management plan is visibly displayed (in an area not generally available to families and visitors) but known to staff in the Service
In the event that a child suffers from a reaction, incident, situation, or event related to a medical condition the Service and staff will:
Follow the child’s emergency medical management planCall an ambulance immediately by dialing 000
Commence first aid measures/monitoring
Contact the parent/guardian when practicable, but as soon as possible
Contact the emergency contact if the parents or guardian can’t be contacted when practicable, but as soon as possible
Notify the regulatory authority (within 24 hours)
Families will ensure:
they provide management with accurate information about their child’s health needs, allergies, medical conditions and medication requirements on the enrolment form
they provide the Service with a medical management plan prior to enrolment of their child
they consult with management to develop a risk minimisation plan
the Service enrolment form is completed in its entirety providing specific details about the child’s medical condition
they notify the Service if any changes are to occur to the medical management plan through the communication plan and/or meetings with the nominated supervisor
they provide adequate supplies of the required medication and medical authorisation on the long-term medication record
they provide an updated copy of the child’s medical management plan every 6 months or evidence from a medical practitioner to confirm the plan remains unchanged
they provide enrolment documentation of any medical condition annually
Medical Management PlanAny medical management plan provided by a child’s parents and/or registered medical practitioner should include the following:
specific details of the diagnosed health care need, allergy or relevant medication condition
supporting documentation (if required)
a recent photo of the child
current medication and dosage prescribed for the child
if relevant, state what triggers the allergy or medical condition
first aid/emergency response that may be required
any medication that may be required to be administered in case of an emergency
further treatment or response if the child does not respond to the initial treatment
when to contact an ambulance for assistance
contact details of the medical practitioner who signed the plan
the date of when the plan should be reviewed
a copy of the medical management plan will be displayed for Educators and staff to see to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the child, whilst ensuring the child’s privacy by displaying only in an area generally only available to staff of the Service.
the Service must ensure the medical management plan remains current at all times.
Risk Minimisation PlanAll children with a diagnosed health care need, allergy or relevant medical condition must have a risk minimisation plan in place.
A meeting will be arranged with the parents/guardian as soon as the Service has been advised of the diagnosed health care need, allergy or medical condition. During this meeting, a risk minimisation plan will be developed in consultation with the parent/guardian to ensure:
that the risks relating to the child’s specific health care need, allergy, or medical condition are assessed and minimised
that practices and procedures in relation to the safe handling, preparation, serving and consumption of food are developed and implemented
that the parents/families are notified of any known allergens that pose a risk to a child and strategies for minimising the risk are developed and implemented
practices are developed and implemented to ensure that all staff members and volunteers can identify the child, the child’s medical management plan and the location of the child’s medication
that the child does not attend the Service without medication prescribed by the child’s medical practitioner in relation to the child’s specific health need, allergy or medical condition
plan(s) are reviewed at least annually and/or revised with each change in the medical management plan in conjunction with parents/guardians
all relevant information pertaining to the child’s health and medical condition is communicated to parents at the end of each day by educators
parents are notified by educators in advance of any special activities taking place such as celebrations, sporting events or excursions so plans of safe inclusion can be developed.
appropriate hygiene practices are followed by educators when managing medical conditions in accordance with the Control of Infectious Diseases Policy.
risk minimisation plans are reviewed in collaboration with families every 6 months.
Communucation PlanA communication plan will be created after the meeting with the parents/guardian to ensure: all relevant staff members and volunteers are informed about the Medical Conditions Policy, the medical management plan and risk minimisation plan for the child; and
an individual child communication book is created so that a parent can communicate any changes to the medical management plan and risk management plan for the child in writing.
At all times, families who have a child attending the Service who have a diagnosed healthcare need, allergy or medical condition will be provided with a copy of this policy and other relevant policies specific to their child’s health management and communication plans.Our Service recognises the importance of safe food handling and healthy eating to promote the growth and development of young children and is committed to supporting the healthy food and drink choices of children in our care. We acknowledge that the early childhood setting has an important role in supporting families in healthy eating. Our Service therefore recognises the importance of supporting families to provide healthy food and drink to their children. We are committed to implementing the healthy eating key messages outlined in the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. We support and promote the Health initiative Munch & Move and utilise the Australian Government’s Get Up & Grow-Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Early Childhood and Eat for Health resources.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY2.1 Health Each child’s health and physical activity is supported and promoted
2.1.2 Health practices and procedures Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented
2.1.3 Healthy lifestyles Healthy eating and physical activity are promoted and appropriate for each child
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS77 Health, hygiene and safe food practices
78 Food and beverages
79 Service providing food and beverages
80 Weekly menu
90 Medical conditions policy
91 Medical conditions policy to be provided to parents
162 Health information to be kept in enrolment record
168 Education and care service must have policies and procedures
Related PoliciesBreastfeeding Policy Bottle Safety and Preparation Policy Multicultural Policy Health and Safety Policy
PURPOSE
Early childhood education and care (ECEC) Services are required by legislation to ensure the provision of healthy foods and drinks that meet the requirements for children according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines. It is essential that our Service partners with families to provide education about nutrition and promote healthy eating habits for young children to positively influence their health and wellbeing. Dietary and healthy eating habits formed in the early years are shown to continue into adulthood and can reduce the risk factors associated with chronic adult conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Our Service recognises the importance of healthy eating for the growth, development, and wellbeing of young children and is committed to promoting and supporting healthy food and drink choices for children in our care. This policy affirms our position on the provision of healthy food and drink while children are in our care and the promotion and education of healthy choices for optimum nutrition.
We believe in providing a positive eating environment that reflects dietary requirements, cultural and family values, and promotes lifelong learning for children, as we commit to implementing and embedding the healthy eating key messages outlined in the Health’s Munch & Move program into our curriculum and to support the National Healthy Eating Guidelines for Early Childhood Settings outlined in the Get Up & Grow resources.
Our Service is also committed to ensuring consistently high standards of food preparation and food storage and transportation are adhered to.SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, visitors, and management of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Our Service has a responsibility to help children to develop good food practices and approaches, by working with families and educators.
All food prepared by the Service or families will endeavour to be consistent with the Australian Dietary Guidelines and provide children with 50% of the recommended dietary intake for all nutrients. Food will be served at various times throughout the day to cater for all children’s nutritional needs.
Mealtimes reflect a relaxed and pleasant environment where educators engage in meaningful conversations with children. This assists in creating a positive and enjoyable eating environment.
Food will be prepared in accordance with the Food Safety Program. All kitchens and food preparation areas will comply with Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ). All staff involved in the stages of food handling have the skills and knowledge to ensure food safety is a priority.NUTRITION
Encourage and support breastfeeding and appropriate introduction of solid foods
Our Service will:provide a suitable place within the Service where mothers can breastfeed their babies or express breast milk
support mothers to continue breastfeeding until babies are at least 12 months of age while offering appropriate complementary foods from around 6 months of age
ensure the safe handling of breast milk and infant formula including transporting, storing, thawing, warming, preparing, and bottle feeding
in consultation with families, offer cooled pre-boiled water as an additional drink from around 6 months of ag
where breastfeeding is discontinued before 12 months of age, substitute with a commercial infant formula
always bottle-feed babies by holding baby in a semi-upright position
ensure appropriate foods (type and texture) are introduced around 6 months of age
adjust the texture of foods offered between 6 and 12 months of age to match the baby’s developmental stage
offer a variety of foods to babies from all the food groups
always supervise babies while drinking and eating, ensuring safe bottle-feeding and eating practices at all times.
Promote healthy food and drinks based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and the Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents.
Our Service will:
Where food is provided by the Service:provide children with a wide variety of healthy and nutritious foods for meals and snacks including fruit and vegetables, wholegrain cereal products, dairy products, lean meats, and alternative foods high in protein
plan and display the Service menu (at least two weeks at a time) that is based on sound menu planning principles and meets 50% of the daily nutritional needs of children
plan healthy snacks on the menu to complement what is served at mealtimes and ensure the snacks are substantial enough to meet the energy and nutrient needs of children
vary the meals and snacks on the menu to keep children interested and to introduce children to a range of healthy food ideas
regularly review the menu to ensure it meets best practice guidelines
develop the menu in consultation with children, educators and families
consult with health professionals to support the menu development including Dietitians for children with special diets such as vegetarian and vegans, dentists and speech therapists
Where food is brought from home:provide information to families on the types of foods and drinks recommended for children and that are suitable for children’s lunch boxes
provide information to families on how to read the Nutritional Information Panel on food and drink labels
encourage children to eat the more nutritious foods provided in their lunchbox, such as sandwiches, fruit, cheese and yoghurt, before eating any less nutritious food provided
strongly discourage the provision of highly processed snack foods high in fat, salt, and/or sugar, and low in essential nutrients in children’s lunchboxes. Examples of these foods include sweet biscuits, some muesli bars, breakfast bars and fruit filled bars, and chips.
food items that should not be brought to the service include confectionary (lollies, sweets, chocolate, jelly), deep fried foods (chicken nuggets, fish fingers) and sugary drinks( cordial, energy drinks).
MANAGEMENT/NOMINATED SUPERVISOR/EDUCATORS WILL:ensure water is readily available for children to drink throughout the day in both the indoor and outdoor environment
be aware of children with food allergies, food intolerances, and special diets and consult with families to develop individual management plans
ensure young children do not have access to foods that may cause choking
ensure all children remain seated while eating and drinking
ensure all children are always supervised children whilst eating and drinking
encourage and provide opportunities for staff and educators to undertake regular professional development to maintain and enhance their knowledge about early childhood nutrition
follow the guidelines for serving different types of food and the serving sizes in the guidelines
use the Australian Government “eat for health” calculator- www.eatforhealth.gov.au
display nutritional information for families and keep them regularly updated
ensure the weekly menu is displayed in an accessible and prominent area for parents to view
ensure the weekly menu is accurate and describes the food and beverages provided each day of the week
consider the needs of various age groups at the service- meal times may be offered progressively or at different times
ensure food is presently attractively
ensure infants are fed individually by educators
ensure age and developmentally appropriately utensils and furniture are provided for each child
not allow food to be used as a form of punishment or to be used as a reward or bribe
not allow the children to be force fed or being required to eat food they do not like or more than they want to eat
encourage toddlers to be independent and develop social skills at meal-times.
establish healthy eating habits in the children by incorporating nutritional information into our program.
talk to families about their child’s food intake and voice any concerns about their child’s eating
encourage parents to the best of our ability to continue our healthy eating message in their homes
FOOD HYGIENEFood poisoning is caused by bacteria, viruses, or other toxins being present in food and can cause extremely unpleasant symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and fevers. Children under five years of age are considered a high-risk group as their immune systems are still developing and they produce less of the stomach acid required to kill harmful bacteria than older children or adults (Foodsafety.gov. 2019).
Our Service will strictly adhere to food hygiene standards to prevent the risk of food poisoning.
Buying and transporting food
always check labels for the ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates, understanding that ‘use by’ dates apply to perishable foods that could potentially cause food poisoning if out of date, whilst ‘best before’ dates refer to food items with long shelf life but quality could be compromised
avoid buying food items in damaged, swollen, leaking or dented packaging
always check eggs within cartons: Never buy dirty or cracked eggs.
never buy any food item if unsure about its quality
ensure fresh meat, chicken, or fish products cannot leak on to other food items
ensure chilled, frozen, and hot food items are kept out of the ‘danger zone’ (5 oC to 60 oC) on the trip back to the Service by:
not getting chilled frozen, or hot food items until the end of the shopping.
placing these items in an insulated shopping bag or cooler
immediately unpacking and storing these items upon the return to the Service
Online shoppingensure food items are delivered in packaging that keeps food out of ‘danger zones’ as described above and within delivery window as provided by the company
ensure products selected are high quality
ensure products are unpacked promptly upon receiving goods
use online service company with product and guarantee
Storing food
ensure the refrigerator and freezer has a thermometer and that the refrigerator is maintained at 5 oC or below and the freezer is maintained at -17 oC or below
ensure fridge and freezer temperatures are checked daily
store raw foods below cooked foods in the refrigerator to avoid cross contamination by foods dripping onto other foods
ensure that all foods stored in the refrigerator are stored in strong food-safe containers with either a tight-fitting lid, or tightly applied plastic wrap or foil
ensure that all foods not stored in their original packaging are labelled with:
the name of the food
the ‘use by’ date
the date the food was opened
details of any allergens present in the food
transfer the contents of opened cans into appropriate containers
ensure all bottles and jars are refrigerated after opening
place ‘left-over’ hot food in an appropriate sealed container in the refrigerator as soon as the steam has stopped rising. Food can be cooled quickly to this point by placing in smaller quantities in shallow containers, reducing the amount of time sitting in the ‘danger zone’.
not reuse disposable containers (e.g. Chinese food containers).
store dry foods in labelled and sealed, air-tight containers if not in original packaging.
store dry foods in cupboards or if in a walk-in pantry, on shelving no lower than 30cm from the floor
not place anything on the floor of a walk-in pantry (as containers of any type create easy access to shelves for mice and rats).
store bulk dry foods only in food-safe and airtight containers
use the FIFO (first in, first out) rule for all foods (dry, chilled, and frozen) to ensure rotation of stock so that older stock is used first
store cleaning supplies separate to food items.
Preparing and serving food
ensure that all cooked food is cooked through and reaches 75°C
ensure that cooked food is served promptly, or
use a thermometer to ensure that hot food is maintained at above 60°C until ready to serve.
ensure that prepared cold food is stored in the refrigerator maintained at below 5°C until ready to serve
discard any cooked food that has been left in the ‘danger zone’ for two or more hours. Do not reheat.
reheat cooked food (if required, for example for a child who was sleeping at lunch time) to a temperature of 70°C (but only ever reheat once. Discard if the food is not eaten after being reheated).
keep cooked and ready-to-eat foods separate from raw foods
wash fruit and vegetables thoroughly under clean running water before preparation
ensure unused washed fruit or vegetables are thoroughly dry before returning to storage
ensure food that has been dropped on the floor is immediately discarded
thoroughly clean kitchen utensils and equipment between using with different foods and/or between different tasks
avoid cross-contamination by ensuring that separate knives and utensils are used for different foods
avoid cross-contamination by ensuring that colour-coded cutting boards are used (note that it doesn’t matter which colour you use for which food providing signs are displayed to alert all staff). Common colours are:
Blue: raw fish/seafood
Green: fruit and vegetables
Red: raw meat
Brown: cooked meat
Yellow: raw poultry
White: bakery and dairy
ensure that gloves are changed between handling different foods or changing tasks
ensure that staff preparing food for children with food allergies or intolerances are proficient at reading ingredient labels
ensure that food allergies and intolerances are catered for by using separate easily identifiable cutting boards, utensils, and kitchen equipment (e.g. using a colour code, or food-safe permanent marker).
ensure all educators and staff are aware of children who have severe allergic reactions to certain foods as per ASCIA Action Plans
ensure that children with food allergies and/or intolerances are served their meals and snacks individually on an easily identifiable plate (e.g. different colour), and that food is securely covered with plastic wrap until received by the child to prevent possible cross-contamination.
ensure that unwell staff do not handle food.
Cleaning:
ensure that food preparation areas and surfaces are cleaned both before, after, and during any food preparation
ensure that all cooking and serving utensils are cleaned and sanitised before use
ensure that all dishwashing sponges, brushes, and scourers are cleaned after each use and allowed to air dry or placed in the dishwasher
ensure the food storage area is clean, ventilated, dry, pest free, and not in direct sunlight
ensure refrigerators and freezers are cleaned regularly and door seals checked and replaced if not in good repair
prevent pest infestations by cleaning spills as quickly as possible and ensuring rubbish and food scraps are disposed of frequently
ensure that floor mops are thoroughly cleaned and air dried after each use
replace any cleaning equipment that shows signs of wear or permanent soiling.
Personal hygiene for food handlers
Our Service will ensure:clean clothing is worn by food handlers (such as an apron or appropriate jacket)
long hair is tied back or covered with a net (hairspray may be used for fringes to secure hair).
hand and wrist jewellery is not worn while preparing food (e.g. rings and bracelets)
nails are kept short and clean and no nail polish is worn (as it can chip into food and hide dirt under the nails)
strict hand-washing hygiene is adhered to, including washing hands each time they return to the kitchen before continuing with food preparation duties
wounds or cuts are covered with a brightly coloured, waterproof dressing (that will easily be seen if it falls off), and gloves will be worn over any dressings
staff who are not well will not prepare or handle food.
All staff handling food will:
ensure children and staff wash and dry their hands (using soap, running water, and single use disposable towels or individual hand towels) before handling food or eating meals and snacks
ensure gloves (and food tongs) are used by all staff handling ‘ready to eat’ foods.
ensure food is stored and served at safe temperatures (below 5OC or above 60OC), with consideration to the safe eating temperature requirements of children
ensure separate cutting boards are used for raw meat and chicken, fruit and vegetables, and utensils and hands are washed before touching other foods
discourage children from handling other children’s food and utensils
ensure food-handling staff members attend relevant training courses and pass relevant information on to the rest of the staff.
Creating a positive learning environment
ensure that educators sit with the children at meal and snack times to role-model healthy food and drink choices and actively engage children in conversations about the food and drink provided
choose water as a preferred drink
endeavour to recognise, nurture and celebrate the dietary differences of children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
create a relaxed atmosphere at mealtimes where children have enough time to eat and enjoy their food as well as enjoying the social interactions with educators and other children
encourage older toddlers and pre-schoolers to assist to set and clear the table and serve their own food and drink, providing opportunities for them to develop independence and self-esteem
respect each child’s appetite. If a child is not hungry or is satisfied, do not insist he/she eats.
be patient with messy or slow eaters
encourage children to try different foods but do not force them to eat
not use food as a reward or withhold food from children for disciplinary purposes
role-model and discuss safe food handling with children
Service Program
foster awareness and understanding of healthy food and drink choices through including in the children’s program a range of learning experiences encouraging children’s healthy eating
encourage children to participate in a variety of ‘hands-on’ food preparation experiences
provide opportunities for children to engage in discovery learning and discussion about healthy food and drink choices
embed the importance of healthy eating and physical activity in everyday activities and experiences.
Cooking with children
Cooking can help develop children’s knowledge and skills regarding healthy eating habits. Cooking is a great, fun activity and provides opportunities for children to be exposed to new foods, sharing of recipes and cooking skills. On these occasions participating educators will be vigilant to ensure that the experience remains safe, and relevant food hygiene practices are adhered to.
Communicating with families
provide a copy of the Nutrition and Food Safety Policy to all families upon orientation at the Service
provide opportunities for families to contribute to the review and development of the policy
request that details of any food allergies or intolerances or specific dietary requirements be provided to the Service and work in partnership with families to develop an appropriate response so that children’s individual dietary needs are met
communicate regularly with families about food and nutrition related experiences within the Service and provide up to date information to assist families to provide healthy food choices at home
communicate regularly with families and provide information and advice on appropriate food and drink to be included in children’s lunchboxes. This information may be provided to families in a variety of ways including factsheets, newsletters, during orientation, information sessions and informal discussion.
discuss discretionary choices- (food and beverages which are not necessary as part of a balanced diet) with families and if necessary, remove items from children’s lunch boxes. Alternative healthy food will be offered to children.
Calibration of thermometersCalibration of thermometers should be done minimally on a yearly basis to ensure temperature accuracy (to an accuracy of at least +/- 1°C). Calibration of thermometers is best hand performed by the supplier of the thermometer or a laboratory that is accredited to perform this task. The supplier will be able to recommend how often the thermometer should be calibrated but electronic thermometers are typically calibrated annually. Only food businesses that have the necessary knowledge, skills and equipment should calibrate their own thermometers.
Enrolment and orientation to any Early Education and Care Service is an exciting and sometimes, and emotional time for children and families. It is important to manage this time with sensitivity and support, building partnerships between families and the Service and importantly, trust with the child. Such partnerships enable the Service and families to work toward the common goal of promoting consistent quality outcomes for individual children and the Service. NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
LEGISLATION
QUALITY AREA 6: COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS6.1 Supportive relationships with families Respectful relationships with families are developed and maintained and families are supported in their parenting role.
6.1.1 Engagement with the service Families are supported from enrolment to be involved in their service and contribute to service decisions.
6.1.2 Parent views are respected The expertise, culture, values and beliefs of families are respected and families share in decision-making about their child’s learning and wellbeing
6.1.3 Families are supported Current information is available to families about the service and relevant community services and resources to support parenting and family wellbeing
6.2 Collaborative partnerships Collaborative partnerships enhance children’s inclusion, learning and wellbeing
6.2.3 Community and engagement The service builds relationships and engages with its community
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS160 Child enrolment records to be kept by approved provider and family day care educator
161 Authorisations to be kept in enrolment record
162 Health information to be kept in enrolment record
177 Prescribed enrolment and other documents to be kept by approved provider
181 Confidentiality of records kept by approved provider
183 Storage of records and other documents
Related PoliciesArrival and Departure Policy
Administration of Medication Policy
Anaphylaxis Management Policy
Asthma Management Policy
Child Safe Environment Policy
Code of Conduct Policy
Enrolment Policy
Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Policy
Payment of Fees Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Sick Children PolicyPURPOSE
We aim to ensure children and families are provided with an orientation procedure that allows the family to transition into the Service positively and well-informed, meeting the children and families’ individual needs. We strive to establish respectful and supportive relationships between families and the Service to promote positive outcomes for children whilst adhering to legislative requirements.
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Orientation is an important process for children, families and educators to gain vital information about the individual child’s needs, interests and strengths. To enable children to feel safe and secure, and to set the foundations for a trusting partnership, we feel that it is necessary for the family to attend an orientation visit. This visit, or visits, assist the child to adjust to a new setting and helps to make the transition from home to the Service a smooth and positive experience.
During orientation, educators will discuss the following in order to gain a better understanding in supporting the family:
the cultural and/or linguistic background for families from non-English speaking backgrounds (external support may be required)
the family’s needs in relation to work or other commitments
days and times child care is required
the family’s previous knowledge or experience of other children’s services
any additional needs of the child and/or their family
any court orders, parenting orders that are applicable to the child
service philosophy and curriculum
the child’s interests
family goals and expectations
any allergies or dietary needs for the child
emergency or health care plans for the child if relevant
the Service and room routines.
MANAGEMENT WILL ENSURE:the orientation process is well organised, flexible, and informative
the child and family visit the Service and familiarise themselves with the environment. The child may participate in the activities and experiences if they feel comfortable.
the family and child/children are introduced to the educators in the room
to create a welcoming environment and interact positively with the child and family
the child and family are respected at all times, acknowledging the individuality of each parenting style
families are encouraged to ring, email, or visit the Service as often as they like when their child has commenced care
the child is allocated a focus educator
families are reassured that if the child is distressed over a long period of time the educators will contact them
support agencies are contacted for children with additional needs
families know how to provide feedback
families are informed that critical information from their child’s enrolment form is communicated with educators- (emergency contacts, authorised nominees, court orders, immunisation status, medical and health conditions where relevant)
EDUCATORS WILL:greet children and families upon arrival
create a welcoming and inviting environment
discuss with families the best transition process for their child
encourage families to stay as long as they need to in order to reassure their child
encourage families to say good-bye to the child when dropping off
phone families if the child remains distressed
seek information about the child and family throughout the orientation process
DURING THE ORIENTATION OF THE SERVICE, FAMILIES WILL BE:provided with the Service enrolment form to be completed (assistance to complete this form is available if required)
provided with an outline of the Service policies, which will include payment of fees, sun safety, incident, injury, trauma and illness and medical authorisation.
advised of the enrolment fee and bond (if applicable)
provided with information about Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and myGov website
provided with a Family Handbook.
asked to provide their child’s immunisation history statement when enrolling their child- Australian Childhood Immunisation Register
shown the signing in/out process
provided with information about the software app our Service uses for CCS, communication with parents [insert related information]
advised of appropriate clothing for the child to wear to the Service, including appropriate shoes
advised of what the child will be required to bring each day (water bottle, hat, change of clothes)
informed about policies regarding children bringing in toys from home
informed about wearing sun safe hats and application of sunscreen
introduced to the child's educators
taken on a tour around the Service
shown where children’s belongings will be kept each day
informed about meals, snacks and drinks provided by the Service
required to discuss medical management plans and allergies (if applicable)
advised about the daily report/journal and how parents can view this [include information about digital apps if applicable]
introduced to the room routine and Service program. This includes portfolios and the observation cycle.
informed about communication methods including meetings, interviews, newsletters, emails etc.
invited to set family goals for their child
asked to confirm their preferred method of communication.
ROOM TRANSITION- Moving up and moving on
When children transition to a new age group or room at the end of the year, our Service ensures we provide information to parents and families and opportunities for the child to become orientated to their new educators, environments and peers towards the end of the year.
We encourage parents and families to ask questions to support their child’s transition and overcome any potential anxiety.
Children will only be transitioned when they are ready in all aspects of their development and in accordance with their age
Room transitions will occur when there is a vacant position for the child
Management will consult with families when a child is transitioning to the next room, discussing their expectations and requirement to ensure the child settles into their new environment.
Management and educators aim to ensure the transition between rooms is positive and smooth, communicating with families about how the transition is progressing.
Management will invite families to information evenings/sessions to discuss room transitions at key times in the year.
EVALUATION AND FOLLOW UPOnce the child has attended the Service for a few days, educators will ensure they:
speak directly with the family to ask how their child and the family has settled into the routine of childcare
welcome any questions or concerns the family may have
provide information to the family of how their child has settled in these early days (interests, friends, songs they like to sing, craft activities etc.)
request families to offer suggestions of how the Service could improve the orientation process (provide families with an Orientation Survey to complete).Quality early education and care provides the foundation for children’s development and social engagement whilst supporting workforce participation of parents and carers. Our Service is committed to providing quality education and care to all children at an affordable fee for families.
As an approved childcare service, Child Care Subsidy (CCS) is available to reduce fees to eligible families. Our fee structure is based on our ability to provide the requirements of the Education and Care National Law and National Regulations, Family Assistance Law, the Australian Taxation Office and guidelines contained in the Child Care Provider Handbook.NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 7: GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP7.1 Governance Governance supports the operation of a quality service
7.1.1 Management Systems Systems are in place to manage risk and enable the effective management and operation of a quality service
7.1.2 Roles and Responsibilities Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, and understood and support effective decision making and operation of the service
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS168 Education and care services must have policies and procedures
Related PoliciesArrival and Departure Policy
Child Care Subsidy (CCS) Governance Policy
Enrolment Policy
Governance Policy
Orientation of New Families Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Termination of Enrolment PolicyPURPOSE
For parents to gain a clear understanding of the Service fee structure, payment requirements and Child Care Subsidy benefits prior to enrolment. This policy explains process of fee payment and the necessity of ensuring children’s fees are paid on time and consequences for failure to pay fees on time.
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Our Service aims to ensure families understand the fee schedule and payment process required for education and care to be provided for their child. We are committed to meet our obligations to maintain financial integrity and comply with all Child Care Subsidy legislative requirements. We have effective compliance systems in place to ensure childcare funding is administered appropriately. Our Service ensures the confidentiality and privacy of all personal information provided to the Service about the enrolled child and family.
Our fee structure includes:Enrolment Fee and Bond Payment
An enrolment fee of $0 is charged upon confirmation of enrolment. This fee must be paid prior to commencement at the Service.
A bond consisting of 2 weeks full fee is to be paid to hold a child’s position at the Service.
The bond payment will be refunded to families when the child leaves the Service.
General Fees
Fees are charged for each session of care and vary depending on the age of the child in care and the family’s eligibility for Child Care Subsidy (CCS)
CCS is paid directly to the Service and this is used as a fee reduction (visible on a family’s statement).
Families are required to pay the difference between the fee charged and the subsidy amount- the ‘gap’ amount>
Fees must be kept in advance of a child’s attendance.
A dated receipt will be provided for each payment [via email]
Fees are to be paid fortnightly through a direct debit system. If families wish to pay fees on a weekly or monthly basis, it is a requirement that the family pay in advance and are not in arrears.
Fees are payable in advance for every session that a child is enrolled at the Service. This includes pupil free days, sick days, and family holidays but excludes periods when the Service is closed. The Service may be directed to close due to periods of local emergency such as bushfire or flood or a pandemic.
If a session of care falls on a public holiday, families are required to pay normal fees. CCS will be paid for sessions that fall on public holidays.
Fees are charged for full sessions only (regardless of the actual attendance hours any day).
Casual days may be offered to families if available within the Service’s license.
Child Care Subsidy (CCS)CHILD CARE SUBSIDY (CCS)– is the main payment to assist families with the costs of childcare. It is generally paid directly to providers and passed onto families as a fee reduction. Families can access a range of more detailed information about their entitlements to Child Care Subsidy at https://www.education.gov.au/ChildCarePackage. The flexible nine-hour, ten-hour and full day options are available to all families under the one associated flat fee, enabling them to make the most out of the Child Care Subsidy. Designed to reduce out of pocket costs and increase access to subsidised hours, the new flexible model is part of our commitment to providing greater access to quality, education, and care.
Full Day Ten - Hour Nine - Hour
Flexible Care time frame Full day centre operating hours Any ten-hour period with-in the centre operating hours.
Parents choose to start and finish times.
Any Nine-hour period with-in the centre operating hours.
Parents choose to start and finish times.
Grace Period Not applicable One hour overall 30 minutes over all
Late fees and charges Only applicable outside of centre operating hours. Existing fee apply None, unless pick up or drop off falls outside of centre operating hours. None, unless pick up or drop off falls outside of centre operating hours.
Parents/guardians are required to register for CCS through their myGOV account linked to Centrelink and provide supporting documentation.
Basic requirements that must be satisfied for an individual to be eligible to receive Child Care Subsidy. The child must:
be a ‘Family Tax Benefit child’ or ‘regular care child’ and
be 13 or under and not attending secondary school and
meet immunisation requirements
The person claiming the Child Care Subsidy or their partner must:meet residency requirements and
be liable to pay for care provided under a Complying Written Arrangement (their written agreement) with their childcare provider
childcare must be provided by an approved provider
Families level of Child Care Subsidy will be determined by:
Combined family income
Activity test of parents
Type of early learning and childcare Service.
Child Care Subsidy will be provided directly to the Service and this amount deducted from the parent/family account.
Families must regularly check their details are correct and report a change in circumstance to Centrelink- (family income, activity levels, relationship changes or any other changes to their circumstances).
Any disputes with CCS payments is the responsibility of the family.
It is a parent/guardian’s responsibility to ensure that their Child Care Subsidy remains current. If CCS is cancelled, full fees will be charged until the parent/guardian rectifies the issue with the Department of Human Services.
Payment of feesFees are set up using the Service’s direct debit system.
Families will be issued with a fee statement on a fortnightly basis in accordance with the fee payment and Regulatory requirements.
A dishonour fee will apply for direct debit transactions where there are insufficient funds to cover the fees.
Absences from Service
Families are requested to contact the Service if their child is unable to attend a particular session
Families must still pay the ‘gap’ fee to the Service if their child is unable to attend.
Under the Child Care Subsidy families are allowed 42 absence days per child, per financial year and may be entitled to additional absence days in certain circumstances. (See Child Care Subsidy Handbook).
Allowable absences can be taken for any reason, including public holidays and when children are sick.
Records will be kept by the Service for each absence.
Families can view their absence count through their Centrelink online account via myGov.
In a period of local emergency, such as bushfire or pandemic, and our Service is temporarily shut down on public health advice, families may be provided with additional absence days as per Family Assistance Law legislation.
Financial DifficultiesIf a family is experiencing financial difficulties, a suitable payment plan may be arranged with authorisation of the Approved Provider.
Families can apply for Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS) through Centrelink is they are in temporary financial hardship. ACCS provides extra assistance for up to 13 weeks.
Failure to Pay
If a family fails to pay the required fees on time, a reminder letter will be issued after one week and then again, after two weeks if the fees are still outstanding.
A child’s position will be terminated if payment has not been made after three weeks, for which the family will receive a final letter terminating the child’s position. At this time the Service will initiate its debt collection process, following privacy and conditional requirements.
Late FeesOur Service is not licensed or insured to have children on the premises after hours. This is a breach in the Education and Care Regulations.
It is unacceptable to pick children up late from the Service. A late fee will apply where children are not picked up prior to closing time.
Currently, a fee of $15.00 per 10 minutes block or part thereof will be incurred by the family.
A review of the child’s enrolment will occur where families are consistently late with fee payment. Fees are subject to change at any time provided a minimum of four weeks written notice is given to all families.
Termination of EnrolmentParents are to provide two weeks written notice of their intention to withdraw a child from the centre.
If termination from the Service is required without notification, families may lose their Child Care Subsidy, resulting in the payment of requirement for full fees to be charged.
Responsibility of Management
The Nominated Supervisor is responsible for:ensuring all families are aware of our Payment of Fees Policy
ensuring enrolment information of includes the parent/guardian’s Customer Reference Number (CRN) and date of birth and the child’s CRN and date of birth
providing families with regular statement of fees payable
notifying families of any overdue fees
providing families with reminder letters as required
terminating enrolment of children should fees not be paid
discussing fee payment with families if required
Kindergarten FundingUniversal access ensures that a quality preschool program (also referred to as kindergarten in some states) is available for all children in the year before full-time school. For further information on funding to support children to access free or low-cost kindergarten refer to state specific guideline pages
Resources and information for families
New Child Care Package Information for Families Resources
Child Care Subsidy
Child Care Package Overview
Centrelink Customer Reference Number
Absences from childcare- Australian GovernmentEducation and Care Services rely on the fostering of positive relationships between adults, children and young people. We believe that our centre is a place where team members can have significant influence in the lives of children and young people because the relationship involves regular contact over relatively long periods of time. It is, therefore, extremely important that our team members understand how to foster positive relationships in ways that do not compromise children and young people’s welfare.
The team members in our centre will respond to children in a positive manner at all times. Positive body language and verbal interactions will be appropriate to the child’s developmental level. Team members will also encourage positive interactions between children and ensure that interactions between adults are also positive to provide a sound role model for appropriate interactions.
Our centre teams will also have regard to the size and the composition of the groups in which children are being educated and cared for by the centre. They will provide experiences that enable the children to make choices regarding participation in small group, large group or individual activities. By getting to know the children in their care, team members will support children to participate at a level that is comfortable to them and be mindful of the dynamics of a group that may influence the child’s participation both negatively and positively.In relation to supporting children’s interactions with others
Team members are aware of the importance of their interactions with the children, and the interaction of children with their peers, has in each child’s development. Team members will embed the importance of positive interactions into the curriculum through the experiences they provide and the expectation they have for the children in their care. All team members have a responsibility of positive role modelling for the children and will lead by example.
Team Members will encourage children to:
Express themselves and their opinions;
Become self-reliant and to develop self-esteem;
Have positive relationships with each other;
Verbalise feelings and ideas;
Be self-reliant and develop self-esteem;
Listen to other children;
Show respect for others;
Develop appropriate social skills;
Accept others of different culture, race and religion;
Be co-operative;
Share experiences;
Show acceptance of routines;
Seek help when frustrated;
Be relaxed and happy with each other;
Encourage to participate and contribute to group activities;
Accept guidance in behaviour and respond;
Feel comfortable with themselves;
Respect other children’s space and privacy.
Our centre follows the Early Years Learning Framework and all components of the National Quality Framework to guide them.In relation to adult’s language interactions with children and other adults
All team members and adult visitors to the centre are required to use appropriate, respectful language at all times. Inappropriate language examples may include but are not limited to:
Swearing;
Name Calling;
Yelling (in anger/frustration etc. not as part of play and fun);
Gossiping about others including; team members, parents and children;
Biased or racist comments;
Speaking derogatorily (meaning; adjective tending to lessen the merit or reputation of a person or thing dictionary.reference.com) about families, team members in the service.
If any parent, team member, student or volunteer is heard using inappropriate language whilst at the centre, actions may include but are not limited to:
Being reminded by to use more appropriate language around the children;
Being asked to leave the immediate area of the children to a more appropriate space to discuss any issues they may have;
Performance Improvement and Disciplinary Action from the Nominated Supervisor and HR Department;
Being asked to leave the centre. This may jeopardise their child’s enrolment or the Team Member’s employment at the centre.
Team members are to use positive language at all times when communicating with children. For example – instead of saying “stop running inside”, the team member should say “please walk inside”. It is best to ask the child what you would like them to do, not what you don’t want them to do.
Team members will discuss children in a professional manner at all times with respect for their culture, socio economic status, family structure, developmental level etc. This will be conducted out of the hearing range of children.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to discuss their child’s development with their child’s educator at any time but will be encouraged to talk away from ear shot of the children if it is something they do not wish for their child or other children to hear.
Team members must walk over to a child and bend down to their level to talk to them and not yell across the room or raise their voice. They should also encourage parents, students and volunteers to do the same.
Team Members should actively listen, ask open ended questions, show acceptance and respect for what children are saying and model and assist where necessary.
The Delivery and Collection of Children Policy contains the procedure for instances where a parent/guardian becomes angry and abusive.
For more information regarding expected and unacceptable behaviours see the Communication and Respectful Conduct Policy, the Families and Visitors Code of Conduct or the Ormond Childcare & Pre-School Education Team Member Code of Conduct.In relation to providing comfort and support to children
Team members working in education and care settings are often involved in toileting children, changing their clothes and comforting them for a range of distresses normal in the preschool age group.
In providing such care, team member should be aware of the following good practice:
When children indicate they want comfort, ensure that it is provided in a public setting and that it is in keeping with the guidelines provided above.
Signs of discomfort in children such as stiffening, pulling away or walking away must be respected. In these situations the child must continue to be supervised until his/her distress is managed.
Children must not be left in states of high distress for long periods. Parents need to be contacted under these circumstances.
Team members should follow the Infection Control Posters for guidance on and individual toileting and nappy changing procedures.
It is important that formalised plans for responding to critical toileting situations and other challenging behaviours are understood by team members and parents. For more information regarding toileting please refer to the Toilet Learning Support Plan.
In relation to interactions with children during instances of challenging behaviourIn relation to interactions with children during instances of challenging behaviour
Non-physical intervention is the recognised means of managing the behaviour of children and young people. Where a problem with a child or young person’s behaviour becomes apparent, non-physical interventions include:
Directing other children and young people to move away from the situation;
Talking with the individual child or young person (asking the child or young person to stop the behaviour and telling the child or young person what will happen if he/she does not stop);
Directing the child or young person to a s.afe place;
Directing other children and young people to a safe place;
Following the Behaviour Guidance Plan for the child and/or sending for assistance from other team members, or in extreme cases, the police;
Use of verbal directions is always preferred to physical intervention;
It is not appropriate to make physical contact with a child or young person (e.g. pushing, grabbing, poking, pulling, blocking) in order to ensure they comply with directions;
Team members must not hold children against their will (e.g. on their laps, between their legs or on the floor) to ensure attention at group time;
Under no circumstances should team members engage in any form of conduct which might cause physical or emotional harm to children and young people.
Team members will actively encourage children to make choices regarding their behaviour in a positive manner and acknowledge and guide children’s attempts to resolve conflict in a nonphysical manner.
Team members will establish, with the children, room limits that allow children to have ownership and encourage self-regulation of behaviour.
Team members will look at the child’s strengths and interests as a means of positively influencing a child’s behaviour and teaching them strategies to enter into social play in a manner that is age and developmentally appropriate.
For more information regarding acceptable behaviours of team members refer to the Child Protection Policy and Child Protection Statement of Commitment. For behaviour guidance please refer to the Guiding Children’s Behaviour Policy and Individual Behaviour Guidance Plan.
In relation to professional boundaries and displays of warmth and affection
The following examples will assist team members in establishing and maintaining expected boundaries for their interactions with children and ensure that displays of warmth and affection are appropriate and welcome.
Team members must also take into consideration specific culturally appropriate methods of displaying affection for each individual child as this will impact on the interactions that have with them.
Acceptable ways of displaying warmth and affection to children include, but are not limited to:
Encouraging
Validating
Holding
Stroking e.g. arm or hair in comfort of distressed child
Facial expressions
Laughter
Tone of voice
Rocking
Terms of endearment (not derogatory or mean spirited)
Special hand shake
Playful physical contact- such as brief tickling game.
For more information regarding acceptable behaviours of team members refer to the Child Protection Policy and Child Protection Statement of Commitment.
Please note - kissing children is generally not recommended due to health and hygiene considerations. Kisses should never be on the child’s mouth.A Responsible Person must be physically in attendance at all times that the Service is educating and caring for children. Approved Providers are responsible for appointing a responsible person who is aged 18 years or older, has adequate knowledge and understanding of the provision of education and care to children, and have the ability to effectively supervise and manage an education and care service (ACECQA, 2017).
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 4: STAFFING ARRANGEMENTS4.1 Staffing Arrangements Staffing arrangements enhance children's learning and development
4.1.1 Organisation of educators The organisation of educators across the service supports children's learning and development
4.1.2 Continuity of staff Every effort is made for children to experience continuity of educators at the service
4.2 Professionalism Management, educators and staff are collaborative, respectful and ethical.
4.2.1 Professional collaboration Management, educators and staff work with mutual respect and collaboratively, and challenge and learn from each other, recognising each other’s strengths and skills
4.2.2 Professional standards Professional standards guide practice, interactions and relationships.
QUALITY AREA 4: STAFFING ARRANGEMENTS7.1 Governance Governance supports the operation of a quality service 7.1.3 Roles and responsibilities Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, and understood, and support effective decision making and operation of the service.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL LAW & REGULATIONSSection 162 Offence to operate education and care service unless responsible person is present
Section 169 Offence relating to staffing arrangements
117A Placing a person in day-to-day charge
117B Minimum requirements for a person in day-to-day charge
117C Minimum requirements for a nominated supervisor
150 Responsible Person
168 Policies and Procedures
173 Prescribed information to be displayed
177 Prescribed enrolment and other documents to be kept by approved provider
Related PoliciesCode of Conduct Policy
Health and Safety Policy
Interactions with Children, Family and Staff Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Respect for Children Policy
Staffing Arrangements Policy
Supervision Policy
Work Health and Safety PolicyPURPOSE
Our Service is committed to meeting our duty of care obligations under the National Law & Regulations to ensure a Responsible Person is physically on the premises at all times children are being educated and cared for.
SCOPE
This policy applies to Management, Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor, Responsible Person and educators of the Service.
DEFINITIONS for RESPONSIBLE PERSON NAME DEFINITION
Nominated Supervisor A person with responsibility for the day-to-day management of an approved service. The Nominated Supervisor has a range of responsibilities under the Law and Regulations that govern the operation of education and care services.
Person in day-to-day charge (PIDTDC) A person who is physically at the service and has the role of Nominated Supervisor or duly appointed person. The Responsible Person has consented to be placed in day-to-day charge of the service but does not take on the responsibilities of the Nominated Supervisor rather, they ensure the consistency and continuity in practices.IMPLEMENTATION
A Responsible Person will be on the premises at all times, and the details of the Responsible Person will be clearly visible to families and visitors at the main entry of the Service.
If the Responsible Person leaves the premises, they will ‘hand over’ obligations for the role to another duly appointed person at the Service. It is vital that all handovers to a designated Responsible Person are documented when commencing this position throughout the day. The process for determining the Responsible Person will be clear to all educators and staff, and procedures will be followed at all times. Both the outgoing and incoming Responsible Persons will ensure the displayed name of the current Responsible Person at the Service correctly reflects who presently holds the position.
Our Service will have one Responsible Person present at all times when caring for and educating children.
A Responsible Person can be:the Approved Provider or a person with management or control a Nominated Supervisor or a person in day-to-day charge of the service (PIDTDC)
The Approved Provider/Management will ensure a Responsible Person:is appointed and physically on the premise at all times children are being educated and cared for
is over the age of 18 years
meets the minimum requirements for qualifications, experiences and management capabilities
holds a valid and current Working With Children Check and Australian National Police Check
has completed child protection training and is aware of the reportable conduct scheme
has knowledge and a commitment to the National Child Safe Standards
has adequate knowledge and understanding of the provision of education and care to children, the Education and Care National Law and Regulations and National Quality Standard, the approved learning framework (EYLF), Family Assistance Law and administration of CCS
has the ability to effectively supervise and manage an education and care service
is a fit and proper person (as per regulatory authority conditions)
has evidence of completing an approved diploma level education and care qualification or higher is considered as a requirement or ‘actively working towards’ an ACECQA approved qualification
provides references including their current and previous employers. These will be checked, and records kept on file
Thorough checks of the nominated person’s references including their current and previous employers are made and kept on file
provides written consent for the position of Responsible Person and this is filed in staff records (not required if the approved provider is the responsible person)
The Approved Provider/Management will ensure:the regulatory authority is notified 7 days prior to a Nominated Supervisor starting at the Service or within 14 days after the person has commenced the role through NQA IT System
the regulatory authority is notified if the Nominated Supervisor changes their name or contact details; is no longer employed by the Service, has been removed from the role or withdraws their nomination.
a Responsible Person will be removed from the position should management become aware of a matter or incident which affects the ability of the person to meet the minimum requirements of the position.
the staff register has the name of the Responsible Person at the Service for each time children are being educated and cared for by the Service
a Responsible Person is on duty from the time the Service opens each day until the time the Service closes
the PIDTDC interchanges with the Nominated Supervisor in their absence
Responsible Persons are aware that they have to sign off when they have finished their duty and will ensure the Nominated Supervisor or appointed Responsible Person (PIDTIC) will sign on and take on the role
a staff record is kept recording
the full name, address and date of birth of the responsible person/nominated supervisor;
evidence of relevant qualifications
if applicable, evidence that the nominated supervisor is actively working towards that qualification
evidence of any approved training (including first aid training)
Working with Children Check – identifying number and expiry date
A Nominated Supervisor/ appointed Responsible Person will:provide written consent to accept the role of Responsible Person
sign their name and hours of responsibility on the staff register
ensure that the identity of the Responsible Person on duty is displayed in the main entrance of the Service and is easily visible for families and visitors
inform the director in a timely manner in the event of absence from the Service due to leave or illness so they can be replaced by another Responsible Person
ensure they have a sound understanding of the role of Responsible Person
abide by any conditions placed on the Responsible Person
understand that a Responsible Person placed in day-to-day charge (PIDTIC) of the Service does not have the same responsibilities under the National Law as the Nominated Supervisor
in the case of Nominated Supervisor, notify the Regulatory Authority within 7 days of any changes to their personal situation, including a change in mailing address, circumstances that affect their status as fit and proper (such as the suspension or cancellation of a Working with Children Check card or teacher registration), or if they are subject to disciplinary proceedings.
notify management at the Service in writing, if they wish to withdraw their consent to be a Responsible PersonAll children have individual sleep and rest requirements. Our objective is to meet these needs by providing a comfortable, relaxing and safe space to enable their bodies to rest. This environment will also be well supervised ensuring all children feel secure and safe at our service.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY2.1 Health Each child’s health and physical activity is supported and promoted
2.1.1 Wellbeing and comfort Each child’s wellbeing and comfort is provided for, including appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s needs for sleep, rest and relaxation.
2.2 Safety Each child is protected.
2.2.1 Supervision At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS81 Sleep and Rest
103 Premises, furniture and equipment to be safe, clean and in good repair
105 Furniture, materials and equipment
110 Ventilation and natural light
115 Premises designed to facilitate supervision
168 Education and care service must have policies and procedures
176 Time to notify certain information to Regulatory Authority
QUALITY AREA 3: PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT3.1 Design The design of the facilities is appropriate for the operation of a service. 3.1.2 Upkeep Premises, furniture and equipment are safe, clean and well maintained.
Related PoliciesWork Health and Safety
Health and Safety
Nursery Furniture and Equipment Safety PolicyPURPOSE
Our Service will ensure that all children have appropriate opportunities to sleep, rest and relax in accordance with their individual needs. The risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) for infants will be minimised by following practices and guidelines set out by health authorities.
If a family’s beliefs and requests are against current recommended evidence-based guidelines, our Service will need to determine if there are exceptional circumstances that allow for alternate practices.
Our Service will only approve an alternative practice if the Service is provided with written advice from, and the contact details of a registered medical practitioner accompanied by a risk assessment and risk minimisation plan for individual children. We have a duty of care to ensure children are provided with a high level of safety when sleeping and resting and every reasonable precaution is taken to protect them from harm and hazard. In meeting the Service’s duty of care, it is a requirement that all Educators implement and adhere to this policy to ensure we respect and cater for each child’s specific needs.SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
‘Children have different sleep, rest and relaxation needs. Children of the same age can have different sleep patterns that Nominated Supervisors and Educators need to consider within the Service. As per Standard 2.1 (Element 2.1.1) of the National Quality Standard, each child’s comfort must be provided for and there must be appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s sleep, rest and relaxation needs.’ (ACECQA)
Our Service defines ‘rest’ as a period of inactivity, solitude, calmness, or tranquillity, and can include a child being in a state of sleep. Considering the busy and energetic nature of children’s day, we feel that it is important for children to participate in a quiet/rest period during the day in order to rest, relax, and recharge their body. Effective rest strategies are important factors in ensuring a child feels secure and safe in an early childhood environment.
Our Service will consult with families about their child’s individual needs, ensuring all parties are aware of the different values, cultural, and parenting beliefs and practices, or opinions associated with sleep requirements.
Management will ensure:Reasonable steps are taken to ensure that the needs for sleep and rest of children being educated and cared for by the Service are met, having regard to the ages, developmental stages and individual needs of each child.
There are adequate numbers of cots and bedding available to children that meet Australian Standards.
All cots used in our Service will meet the current mandatory Australian Standard for Cots (AS/NZS 2172) and will carry a label to indicate this.
All portable cots used in our Service will meet the current mandatory Australian Standard for children’s portable folding cots, AS/NZS 2195, and will carry a label to indicate this.
Sleep and rest environments will be safe and free from hazards.
Areas for sleep and rest are well ventilated and have natural lighting.
The supervision window (or similar) will be kept clear to ensure safe supervision of sleeping infants.
Safe sleep practices are documented and shared with families. Nominated Supervisors and Educators are not expected to endorse practices requested by a family, if they differ from Red Nose safe (formerly SIDS and Kids) sleeping recommendations.
A Nominated Supervisor/ Responsible Person will:Take reasonable steps to ensure that the needs for sleep and rest of children being educated and cared for by the Service are met, having regard to the ages, development stages and individual needs of the children.
Maintain up to date knowledge regarding safe sleeping practice and communicate this information to Educators and families.
Ensure that sleeping infants are closely monitored and that all sleeping children are within hearing range and observed. This involves checking/inspecting sleeping children at regular intervals 10 minutes and ensuring that they are always within sight and hearing distance of sleeping and resting children so they can easily monitor a child’s breathing and the colour of their skin.
Negotiate sleep and rest routines and practices with families to reach agreement on how these occur for each child at the Service.
Ensure they receive information and training to fulfil their role effectively, including being made aware of the sleep and rest policies, their responsibilities in implementing these, and any changes that are made over time.
Ensure the child’s safety is always the first priority.
Ensure children who are sleeping or resting have their face uncovered at all times.
Ensure the sleep and rest environment is free from cigarette or tobacco smoke.
Provide information to parents and families about Safe Sleep practices. (see Red Nose)
Educators will:Consult with families about children’s sleep and rest needs.
Be sensitive to each child’s needs so that sleep and rest times are a positive experience.
Ensure that beds/mattresses are clean and in good repair.
Ensure beds and mattresses are wiped over with warm water and neutral detergent or vinegar solution between each use.
Ensure that bed linen is clean and in good repair.
Ensure bed linen is used by an individual child and is washed before use by another child.
Arrange children’s beds and cots to allow easy access for children and staff.
Create a relaxing environment for sleeping children by playing relaxation music, reading stories, cultural reflection, turning off lights, and ensuring children are comfortably clothed.
Ensure the environment is tranquil and calm for both Educators and children.
Sit near children who are resting and encourage them to relax and/or listen to music.
Remember that children do not need to be “patted” to sleep. By providing a quiet, tranquil environment, children will choose to sleep if their body needs it.
Maintain adequate supervision and maintain Educator ratios throughout the sleep period.
Ensure sleeping infants are closely monitored and that all sleeping children are within hearing range and observed.
Assess each child’s circumstances and current health to determine whether higher supervision levels and checks may be required.
Communicate with families about their child’s sleeping or rest times and the Service policy regarding sleep and rest times.
Respect family preferences regarding sleep and rest and consider these daily while ensuring children feel safe and secure in the environment. Conversations with families may be necessary to remind families that children will neither be forced to sleep nor prevented from sleeping. Sleep and rest patterns will be recorded daily for families.
Encourage children to dress appropriately for the room temperature when resting or sleeping. Lighter clothing is preferable, with children encouraged to remove shoes, jumpers, jackets and bulky clothing.
Ensure children rest/sleep with their beds/mattresses head to toe to minimise the risk of cross infection.
Monitor the room temperature to ensure maximum comfort for the children.
Ensure that each child’s comfort is provided for.
Ensure there are appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s need for sleep, rest and relaxation.
Ensure that children who do not wish to sleep are provided with alternative quiet activities and experiences, whilst those children who do wish to sleep are allowed to do so, without being disrupted. If a child requests a rest, or if they are showing clear signs of tiredness, regardless of the time of day, there should be a comfortable, safe area available for them to rest. It is important that opportunities for rest and relaxation, as well as sleep, are provided.
Consider a vast range of strategies to meet children’s individual sleep and rest needs.
Respond to children’s individual cues for sleep (yawning, rubbing eyes, disengagement from activities, crying etc).
Acknowledge children’s emotions, feelings and fears in regard to sleep/rest time.
Develop positive relationships with children to assist in settling children confidently when sleeping and resting.
CHILDREN OF ALL AGES
Educators will:Give bottle-fed children their bottles before going to bed.
Ensure children are not be put in cots or in beds with bottles as per the Dental Health Policy.
Ensure that cot rooms and sleep rooms have operational baby monitors on at all times.
Observe children at 10-minute intervals while they sleep in these rooms. Educators must go into the rooms and physically observe babies breathing and check the colour of their skin. The Educator will then officially record this on a Sleep Check Form.
Encourage the use of sleeping bags with fitted neck and armholes for babies as there is no risk of the infant’s face being covered.
Securely lock cots sides into place to ensure children’s safety.
Turn off wall-mounted heaters before children use the room for sleeping. Cot rooms may be air conditioned and maintained at an appropriate temperature.
Be aware of manual handling practices when lifting babies in and out of cots.
Participate in staff development about safe sleeping practices.
Understand that bassinets, hammocks and prams/strollers do not carry safety codes for sleep. Babies should not be left in a bassinet, hammock, or pram/stroller to sleep, as these are not safe substitutes for a cot.
Ensure mattresses are kept in good condition; they should be clean, firm and flat, and fit the cot base with not more than a 20mm gap between the mattress sides and ends. A firm sleep surface that is compliant with the new AS/NZS Voluntary Standard (AS/NZS 8811.1:2013 Methods of testing infant products – Sleep surfaces – Test for firmness) should be used.
Not elevate or tilt mattresses.
Remove any plastic packaging from mattresses.
Ensure that waterproof mattress protectors are strong, not torn, and a tight fit.
Use firm, clean, and well-fitting mattresses on portable cots.
Remove pillows, doonas, loose bedding or fabric, lamb’s wool, bumpers and soft toys from cots.
BABIES AND TODDLERS Recommendations sourced from ACECQA Babies should be placed on their back to sleep when first being settled. Once a baby has been observed to repeatedly roll from back to front and back again on their own, they can be left to find their own preferred sleep or rest position (this is usually around 5–6 months of age). Babies aged younger than 5–6 months, and who have not been observed to repeatedly roll from back to front and back again on their own, should be re-positioned onto their back when they roll onto their front or side.
If a medical condition exists that prevents a baby from being placed on their back, the alternative practice should be confirmed in writing with the Service, by the child’s medical practitioner.
Babies over four months of age can generally turn over in a cot but may not always be able to roll back again. When a baby is placed to sleep, Educators should check that any bedding is tucked in securely and is not loose. Babies of this age may be placed in a safe baby sleeping bag (i.e. with fitted neck and arm holes, but no hood). At no time should a baby’s face or head be covered (i.e. with linen). To prevent a baby from wriggling down under bed linen, they should be positioned with their feet at the bottom of the cot.
Ensure any bed linen is securely tucked underneath the mattress so it cannot ride up and cover the baby’s chest of cover his/her head.
If a baby is wrapped when sleeping, consider the baby’s stage of development. Leave their arms free once the startle reflex disappears at around three months of age and discontinue the use of a wrap when the baby can roll from back to tummy to back again (usually four to six months of age). Use only lightweight wraps such as cotton or muslin. https://rednose.org.au/section/safe-wrapping.
Ensure there is no soft bedding in baby’s sleep environment. (pillows, doonas, loose bedding, lambswool or soft toys).
If being used, a dummy should be offered for all sleep periods. Dummy use should be phased out by the end of the first year of a baby’s life (in consultation with parents). If a dummy falls out of a baby’s mouth during sleep, it should not be re-inserted.
Babies or young children should not be moved out of a cot into a bed too early; they should also not be kept in a cot for too long. When a young child is observed attempting to climb out of a cot, and looking like they might succeed, it is time to move them out of a cot. This usually occurs when a toddler is between 2 and 3 ½ years of age but could be as early as 18 months.
Supporting Documents
Maintenance Checklist for cots and mattresses
Sleep and Rest Practice Manual
Sleep Checks - Nursery Sleep Room Check \ Sleep Rest Record
I01 - Notification of Incident, injury, illness and circumstance
Crisis Management Plan and Incident Classification and Escalation Guideline
Take 15 Toy Box Talk – Safe Sleep PracticesOur Service values the participation of students and volunteers. Having students and voluntary workers within the Service helps to inform the community about our program and the value of the work we do. Students and voluntary workers are welcome at the Service; however, the children’s care and safety are our first priority.
NUTRITION
QUALITY AREA 7: GOVERNANCE AND LEADERSHIP7.1.0 Governance Governance supports the operation of a quality service.
7.1.1 Service philosophy and purposes A statement of philosophy guides all aspects of the service’s operations.
7.1.2 Management Systems Systems are in place to manage risk and enable the effective management and operation of a quality service.
7.1.3 Roles and Responsibilities Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined and understood and support effective decision-making and operation of the service.
7.2.0 Leadership Effective leadership builds and promotes a positive organisational culture and professional learning community.
7.2.2 Educational leadership The educational leader is supported and leads the development and implementation of the educational program and assessment and planning cycle.
7.2.3 Development of professionals Educators, co-ordinations and staff members’’ performance is regularly evaluated and individual plans are in place to support learning and development.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS120 Educators who are under the age of 18 to be supervised
145 Staff Records
149 Volunteers and Students
168 Policies and Procedures
Related PoliciesCode of Conduct Policy
Child Protection Policy
Child Safe Environment Policy
Grievance Policy
Staffing Arrangements Policy
Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Family Communication Policy
Interactions with Children, Families and Staff Policy
Work, Health and Safety Policy
Bullying, Discrimination and Harassment policy
Respect for Children Policy
Supervision PolicyPURPOSE
Our Service supports participation of work placement students (including work experience students) and volunteers wanting to develop professional skills and knowledge in their effort to become Early Childhood Professionals. We aim to build relationships with community members, providing appropriate learning opportunities for students and volunteers to contribute to our program. To ensure a professional and pleasurable learning experience, students and volunteers will be encouraged to participate in the centre’s daily routine and assist in accordance with their qualification level to work with children under the National Quality Framework requirements.
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
MANAGEMENT/NOMINATED SUPERVISOR/ RESPONSIBLE PERSON WILL:appoint an educator to be the Student Supervisor/mentor for the duration of the placement
conduct an orientation for the student or volunteer including taking the student or volunteer on a tour of the Service, showing emergency exits, staff room and bathroom facilities.
provide the student/volunteer with a Student and Volunteer Handbook
negotiate with the student or volunteer the times/hours to be worked, and dates of the placement.
advise students or volunteer to bring in a poster with a photo introducing themselves and outlining the reason for their placement
inform families, children, and educators when work experience students and volunteers are present at the Service, including their role and hours they will be attending the Service
ensure work placement students or volunteers are never left alone with children or included in the ratio of adult to children
ensure students are aware that they must not discuss concerns, issues or complaints with parents, guardians and/or visitors
introduce the student or volunteer to educators and their Room Leader.
assist the student or volunteer to complete the Educator Acknowledgement Checklist (see Appendix 1)
show the student or volunteer where they can access the Service policies
ensure the student has signed a confidentiality agreement prior to commencing their placement.
discuss any relevant important information about specific children to the student or volunteer (i.e. court orders, additional needs, dietary needs) so that the student or volunteer is aware of potential issues
liaise with learning institutions and accept suitable student placements under the institution’s supervision
assist learning institutions to place suitable students with individual educators
ensure student’s/volunteer’s paperwork and insurances are current.
EDUCATORS WILLmaintain open communication with work experience students and volunteers along with their practicum teachers about their performance
support all student’s and volunteer’s practicum requirements to the best of their ability during the placement
work as a team sharing appropriate skills and knowledge with each student and volunteer
ensure all colleagues are provided with relevant information about tasks the student is required to complete in the service as part of their practicum
be aware of student and volunteer expectations
have the time and proficiencies to support each student and volunteer in their placement
encourage students to seek help and advice as required
be positive role model, showing appropriate behaviour and conduct themselves in a professional manner
guide the students throughout the day
make the student or volunteer feel welcome and a valued member of the team.
THE ROOM LEADER WILLdiscuss the progress of written work and performance with the student or volunteer
discuss any concerns raised by the student with the Student Supervisor
ensure students or volunteers are directly supervised at all times during children’s nappy change times
encourage students to use their initiative
ensure the student/volunteer remains up to date with their assessments/tasks to be completed
discuss concerns with student/volunteer with management
never leave the student alone with a child or children
provide honest and accurate feedback to the student’s training institution supervisor as required
WORK EXPERIENCE STUDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS WILL
learn about the children through interaction and practical experience
develop the skills and knowledge needed to care for and educate children
learn about the importance of working as part of a team in the Early Childhood profession
learn strategies for working in a team environment
learn and accommodate the expectations of qualified educators in the Service
inform their room leader in writing of what will be expected of them by their training body, University or School, or any other training organisation, and provide time sheets and evaluation forms
keep up to date with all written work requirements
work a variety of shifts to gain knowledge of different aspects of Service operations
bring in a poster introducing themselves that will include:Name
Photo
Course they are studying
RTO/university/school they are studying with
Dates and times they will be at the Servi
The focus of their study.
discuss any problems the student may be experiencing with their room leader.
adhere to all Service policies and procedures
never remove a child from direct staff supervision.
PROBITY CHECKS
All students will supply identity details to the Nominated Supervisor
All students will complete a Working with Children Check.
All students will have a meeting with the Nominated Supervisor to receive information regarding the following service policies:
Child protection
Privacy and Confidentiality
Grievance
Work, Health and Safety
Code of conduct
STUDENTS AT RISK
If educators feel that the student is at risk of failing their practicum, the following steps will be taken: the Room Leader will alert the Student’s training institution Supervisor of any concerns regarding the student. both the Student Supervisor and the Room Leader will discuss concerns with the student. the Room Leader will arrange for the student’s supervisor/assessor to visit the Service and discuss concerns that have ascended. the student’s educational institution and Nominated Supervisor will govern the outcome of the practicum. TERMINATION OF PRACTICUM
Termination of student’s placement will occur if the student:harms or is at risk of harming a child in their care is under the influence of drugs or alcohol fails to notify the Service if they will not be attending the Service does not adhere to starting times or break times is observed using repeated inappropriate behaviour at the Service does not comply with all policies and procedures addressed in the student package does not provide the photo with an introduction on commencement does not keep up to date with their work placement tasks removes any child or children from the direct supervision of an educator.
Australia has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world with two in three Australians developing some form of skin cancer before the age of 70. Too much of the sun’s UV radiation can cause sunburn, skin and eye damage and skin cancer. Infants and toddlers up to four years of age are particularly vulnerable to UV damage due to lower levels of melanin and a thinner stratum corneum (the outermost layer of skin). UV damage accumulated during childhood and adolescence is strongly associated with an increased risk of skin cancer later in life (Cancer Council Australia).
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY2.1 Health Each child’s health and physical activity is supported and promoted 2.1.1 Wellbeing and comfort Each child’s wellbeing and comfort is provided for, including appropriate opportunities to meet each child’s needs for sleep, rest and relaxation 2.1.3 Healthy lifestyle Healthy eating and physical activity are promoted and appropriate for each child 2.2 Safety Each child is protected 2.2.1 Supervision At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard
QUALITY AREA 3: PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT3.1.1 Fit for Purpose Outdoor and indoor spaces, buildings, fixtures and fittings are suitable for their purpose, including supporting the access of every child
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL LAW167 Protection from harm and hazards
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS100 Risk assessment must be conducted before excursions 113 Outdoor space natural environment 114 Outdoor space shade 168 Education and care service must have policies and procedures 168(2)(a)(ii) Sun Protection
Related PoliciesClothing Policy Enrolment Policy Excursion Policy Health and Safety Policy Physical Environment Policy Supervision Policy Work Health and Safety Policy PURPOSE
LEGISLATION
To protect all children and staff from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. To ensure the outdoor environment provides shade for children, educators and staff to minimise unsafe UV exposure.
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
IMPLEMENTATION
Our Service will work in compliance with the National SunSmart Early Childhood Program to ensure children’s health and safety is maintained at all times whilst at the Service. This policy applies to all activities on and off site.
MONITORING UV LEVELSSun protection is required when UV levels reach level 3 or above. Our Service will monitor the UV levels daily through one or more of the following methods:
using the smartphone SunSmart app available at iTunes App Store and Google Play store
using the SunSmart widget on the Service’s website available at www.cancer.org.au
viewing the Bureau of Meteorology website http://www.bom.gov.au/
visiting www.myuv.com.au
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIESThe sun protection measures listed are used for all outdoor activities during the daily local sun protection times, when the UV Index is 3 or above. The sun protection times are a forecast from the Bureau of Meteorology for the time of day UV levels are forecast to reach 3 or higher. At these levels, a combination of sun protection is recommended for all skin types.
The Service will use a combination of sun protection measures (see below) whenever UV Index levels reach 3 and above. Care is taken during the peak UV radiation times and outdoor activities are scheduled outside of these times where possible.
We will follow the advice from Cancer Council in our state/territory and if recommended, cease outdoor play if UV levels reach certain levels- usually 8.
Management will ensure: Servicesufficient natural, portable, or man-made shade will be is provided, particularly in high use areas
shaded areas will be used for play experiences
play experiences will be monitored throughout the day and moved as required to remain in the shade
regular risk assessments and reviews will be made of the outdoor area to assist in planning for further shade requirements
children who do not have appropriate hats or outdoor clothing are required to choose a shady play space or a suitable area protected from the sun and not move into unshaded areas of the playground
children will still be required to wear hats, protective clothing, and sunscreen when playing under natural or portable shade.
HATSEducators, children, and visitors are required to wear sun safe hats at all times they are outdoors. Cancer Council Australia describes sun safe hats as:
hats that protect a person’s face, neck, and ears, which include:
a legionnaire hat – the flap should cover the neck
a bucket hat with a deep crown and brim size of at least 5cm for children and at least 6cm for adults and must shade the face, neck, and ears
a broad brimmed hat with a brim size of at least 6cm for children or 7.5cm for adults. The brim should provide shade for the whole face
Please note: Baseball caps or visors do not provide enough sun protection and therefore are not recommended. Children without a sun safe hat will be asked required to play in an area protected from the sun. They may be provided with a spare hat by the Service if available.
CLOTHINGWhen outdoors, staff and children will wear sun safe clothing that covers as much of the skin as possible. Cancer Council Australia recommends clothing that:
covers the shoulders, back and stomach
is loose fitting such as loose-fitting shirts and dresses with sleeves and collars or covered neckline, or longer style skirts, shorts and trousers.
Children who are not wearing sun safe clothing can be provided with spare clothing or will be required to play under shade or in an area protected from the sun or provided with spare clothing.
Please note: Midriff, crop or singlet tops do not provide enough sun protection and therefore are not recommended.
SUNSCREENAs per Cancer Council Australia recommendations:
staff and children will apply SPF30 or higher broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen 20 minutes before going outdoors and reapply every 2 hours or more frequently if washed or wiped off
permission to apply sunscreen is included in the Service enrolment form (see Enrolment Policy)
where children have allergies or sensitivity to the sunscreen, parents are asked to provide an alternative sunscreen. A record of any allergy must be provided in writing from the parent/guardian and recorded on the child’s enrolment record. Cancer Council Australia recommends usage tests before applying a new sunscreen.
to help develop independent skills ready for school, children from three years of age are given opportunities to apply their own sunscreen under supervision of staff, and are encouraged to do so
sunscreen is stored in a cool, dry place and the use-by-date monitored.
BABIESRecommendations for babies from the Cancer Council Australia include:
babies under 12 months will not be exposed to direct sun when the UV Index levels is 3 or above
physical protection such as shade, clothing and broad-brimmed hats are the best sun protection measures.
If babies are kept out of the sun or well protected from UV radiation by clothing, hats and shade, then sunscreen need only be used occasionally on very small areas of a baby’s skin. The widespread use of sunscreen on babies under 6 months old is not recommended.
RISKS OF SUMMER PLAYAustralia has a hot climate and inevitably playground equipment and surfacing can heat up rapidly and retain heat. Many playground surfaces and equipment can exceed temperatures greater than 50°C and if young children come into contact with these surfaces, they can be burned severely within seconds.
The Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor and educators will:
ensure risk assessments are conducted to identify any potential hazards to children during summer months that could cause harm or injury to children. Risk minimisation control measures will be put in place to protect children. Potential hazards could include:
hot equipment- slides, poles, guardrails, any metal surfaces
hot surfaces- rubber and synthetic grass, walkways, concrete surfaces
sun burn
access to bodies of water (filled water troughs/containers/trays/pools)
complete a Daily Playground Surface Temperature Check during summer months or extreme hot weather
use a thermometer or their hand to test surface temperature and make an informed decision about permitting children to play on equipment or in the outdoor space. If the surface temperature is determined to be too hot or is recorded as at or above 50°C it is recommended by Kidsafe Australia that children do NOT play on the surface
ensure children wear shoes when playing in the outdoor area- [children may remove shoes when playing in sand or mud pit]
MODELLING AND WORK HEALTH AND SAFETYCancer Council Australia acknowledges that children are more likely to develop sun-safe habits if they are role-modelled and demonstrated by adults around them. Occupational UV exposure is also a WH&S issue. All educators, staff at the Service will therefore be required to role model appropriate sun protection behaviours by:
wearing a sun safe hat (see Hats)
wearing sun safe clothing (see Clothing)
applying SPF30+ broad-spectrum water-resistant sunscreen 20 minutes before going outdoors
using and promoting shade
wearing sunglasses that meet the Australian Standard 1067:2003 (optional)
families and visitors are encouraged to role model positive sun safe behaviour
monitoring the UV Index Levels and Daily Sun Protection times throughout the day
regularly monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of the Sun Safety Policy
submitting the Sun Safety Policy to the Cancer Council every three years to maintain SunSmart status (optional).
EDUCATION AND INFORMATIONSun protection will be incorporated regularly into learning programs
Sun protection information will be promoted to staff, families and visitors
Educators and staff are encouraged to complete free Cancer Council Generation SunSmart online PL learning modules
Further information is available from the Cancer Council website www.cancer.org.au/preventing-cancer/sun-protection/
The Sun Safety Policy will be made available to all educators, staff, families, and visitors of the Service to ensure a comprehensive understanding about keeping sun safe
When enrolling their child/ren to our Service, parents will be required to give permission for educators to apply sunscreen to their child
Information about Sun Safety will be included in our Family HandbookThe safety and supervision of children is paramount when in or around water. This relates to water play, excursions near water, hot water, drinking water and hygiene practices with water in the Service environment. Children will be supervised at all times during water play experiences.
NATIONAL QUALITY STANDARD (NQS)
QUALITY AREA 2: CHILDREN’S HEALTH AND SAFETY2.1.2 Health practices and procedures Effective illness and injury management and hygiene practices are promoted and implemented.
2.2.0 Safety Each child is protected.
2.2.1 Supervision At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard.
2.2.2 Incident and emergency management Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practised and implemented.
EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICES NATIONAL REGULATIONS101 Conduct of risk assessment for excursions
115 Premises designed to facilitate supervision
122 Educators must be working directly with children to be included in ratios
126 Centre based services-general educator qualifications
168 Education and care service must have policies and procedures
Related PoliciesEducational Program Policy
Health and Safety Policy
Physical Environment Policy
Supervision PolicyPURPOSE
To ensure the safety and supervision of children in and around water. This includes water play, excursions near water, hot water, drinking water and hygiene practices with water in the Service environment.
SCOPE
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management and visitors of the Service.
WATER HAZARDS
The National Regulations make reference to ‘water hazards’ however the term is not expressly defined. In this policy, a water hazard is defined as anything that can hold 5cm of water and fit a child’s nose and mouth and a ‘water hazard’ may include: swimming pools, portable pools, spas
fishponds
sinks, basins
water feature, such as a wishing well
containers for feeding animals
water troughs, containers for paddling- clam shells
dams, creeks, river or pooling water
beachIMPLEMENTATION
MANAGEMENT/NOMINATED SUPERVISOR/ RESPONSIBLE PERSON WILL:complete risk assessments that identify and assess risks associated with any water hazards and water-based activities
ensure water hazards and water play are always highly supervised including:
direct and constant monitoring of children
careful and intentional positioning of educators
scanning and moving around the environment
observing play and anticipating behaviour
ensuring higher adult to child ratios
provide direction and education to educators, staff and families on the importance of children’s safety and supervision in and around water.
ensure health and safety practices incorporate approaches to safe storage of water and water play.
ensure premises adjacent to or providing access to any water hazards that are not able to be adequately supervised at all times (e.g. dams, swimming pool) are to be isolated from children by a child resistant barrier or fence
ensure there are no items near fencing that children could climb up onto to gain access to a water hazard (pot plants, boxes, chairs)
conduct a risk assessment in accordance with the requirements prior to taking children on an excursion which is near water
ensure at least one Educator who holds a current approved first aid qualification is in attendance at all times
display a Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) guide near any swimming pool, wading pool, or body of water
ensure water hazards and water play are always highly supervised
ensure hot water is inaccessible to children.
EDUCATORS WILL:supervise children near water at all times
never leave children alone near any water
ensure children in a bath (if required) are directly supervised at all times
ensure fish / frog ponds and water features that are not able to be adequately supervised at all times and/or pose an unacceptable risk to children are guarded or effective barriers are in place
complete a daily Safety Inspection of premises to ensure that all hazards are known and minimised. When a hazard or potential hazard is detected, Educators will complete a risk assessment to address any concerns and children will be excluded from the area until the hazard has been rectified.
utilise water activities in appropriate weather as part of the planned program
allow the children the opportunity to experiment with water, sand, and mixing materials
monitor all taps on the premises that children have access to and ensure they are turned off securely when not in use
safely cover or make inaccessible to children all water containers, e.g. nappy buckets.
empty wading pools immediately after every use and store to prevent the collection of water, e.g. upright
check for and empty any water that has collected in holes or containers after rainfall or watering gardens
ensure water troughs are not used without a stand to keep it off the ground
ensure children remain standing on the ground whilst using the water trough
ensure buckets of water for soaking toys or clothing are inaccessible to children
ensure water troughs or containers for water play are filled to a safe level and emptied into the garden areas after each use
children will be discouraged from drinking from these water activities
ensure laundry, storerooms and Educator areas are to have Staff only signs on doors to remind adults to close doors behind them
teach children about staying safe in and around water
ensure wading pools are hygienically cleaned, disinfected and chlorinated appropriately:
on a daily basis remove leaves and debris, hose away surface dirt and scrub inside with disinfectant.
wash away disinfectant before filling pool
add Chlorine to pool before children used the pool
check chlorine levels frequently
children with diarrhoea, upset stomach, open sores or nasal infections should not use the pool
all children should wear appropriate swimwear / bathers, go to the toilet before entering the pool, and follow correct toilet hygiene practices while in the pool
remove all children immediately, empty and disinfect the pool should a child pass a bowel motion whilst in the pool
OPERATIONAL SAFETYWater tanks will be labelled with “Do Not Drink” signage and the children will be supervised in this area to make sure they are not accessing this water for drinking.
Educators will discuss with the children the use of water tank water and how it differs from drinking water.
Hot water accessible to children will be maintained at the temperature of 45.C° which will be tested annually. Australian standard AS 3498
Water for pets at the Service must be changed daily and only be accessible to children when educators are present.
Important: Parents will be notified as soon as practicable but within 24 hours if their child is involved in an incident/accident at the Service or while under Service care. Details of the incident/accident will be recorded on an Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Record. Important: If the incident/accident, situation or event presents imminent or severe risk to the health, safety and wellbeing of the child or if an ambulance was called in response to the emergency (not as a precaution) the regulatory authority will be notified within 24 hours.
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of this land, and their connections to land, sea, and community. We pay respect to elders, past and present, and extend the respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander peoples today.