Armidale and District Family Day Care Ltd

Armidale and District Family Day Care

169 Miller Street, (P O Box 951)

Armidale NSW 2350

Ph: 6772 5300 Fax: 6771 3202

Email:

Armidale and District Family Day Care Ltd.

(Updated March 2011)

Educator Contract & Code of Conduct

Armidale & District Family Day Care aims to provide high quality, accredited, flexible education and care in the premises of Registered Educators in the districts of Armidale, Guyra, Uralla and Walcha.

All Educators, Co-Educators and Relief Educators within the Armidale and District Family Day Care Scheme are obliged to work according to the guidelines set down by:

· The Armidale and District Family Day Care Scheme (AFDC) Policies and Procedures

· The NSW Department of Community Services (DoCS)

· Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR).

· All Australian & NSW Government Legislation

· National Quality Framework

o National Quality Standards

o Early Years Learning Framework

o My time Our Place

A breach of any of the following conditions may result in the Educator,

Co-Educator or Relief Educator being de-registered from

Armidale & District Family Day Care.

Note: The definition of Educator is applicable to all Co-Educators and Relief Educators in this document and all AFDC policies, procedures and correspondence.

Educators Premises:

An Educator must ensure that the grounds and buildings of his/her premises and any equipment and amenities used at the premises in providing the service comply with the following standards:

(a ) The premises must be properly ventilated, lit and heated and must have heating and cooling systems that maintain the temperature for the children at all times.

(1) Any buildings and grounds must be kept free of vermin

(b) The premises must be equipped:

(1) To provide independent access for children to books and equipment that is suitable to the children’s developmental needs and that is representative of a wide range of cultures.

(2) To ensure that adequate provision is made to give children with a disability access to such books and equipment.

(3) To provide each child with access and space for storage of each child’s personal belongings.

(3) KITCHEN:

(a) The premises must have safe, hygienic facilities for the preparation, storage, heating and cooking of food for children, including a sink, refrigerator, suitable disposal facilities and hot water supply.

(b) Food scraps must be swept up from the floor, and bench tops/tables/sink must be wiped down after every meal.

(c) Dishes/utensils must be either washed up after each meal or packed in the dishwasher/sink (and covered with a tea-towel to deter flies).

(d) Floors must be mopped on a regular basis.

(e) All appliances involved in food preparation or storage are to be cleaned on a regular basis.

(4) LOUNGEROOM / FAMILY ROOM / INDOOR PLAYROOM:

Carpets and floor coverings are to be vacuumed, shampooed and or washed on a regular basis and when necessary.

(5) TELEPHONE:

The premises must be equipped with an operating telephone, or a mobile phone which is in active range of its server.

(6) FENCING:

(a) That part of the premises designated as outdoor play space must be fenced on all sides

(b) The design height of any fence must prevent children from scaling or crawling under or through it, and must inhibit or impede intruders from entering the premises.

(c) If the premises is adjacent to/has access to any hazards (e.g water, roads), the home must be isolated from the hazards by barrier or fence that is designed, constructed, installed and maintained in accordance with the standards prescribed under the Swimming pools Act 1992 for child restraint barriers.

(d) All gates leading to the premises must be designed to prevent children from entering or leaving the premises unsupervised.

(e) Any side of the stairway, ramp, corridor, hallway or external balcony which is not abutting a wall must be enclosed to prevent a child from falling through.

(f) Age appropriate child-proof barriers must be provided at that top and bottom of stairs, if deemed necessary by the Service Manager.

(7) BATHROOM AREAS:

(a) The premises must have a toilet, hand washing and bathing facilities that are safe and appropriate to the ages of the children in care.

(b) All bathroom/toilet areas must be appropriately cleaned.

(d) Liquid soap must be used.

(8) LAUNDRY:

(a) The premises must have laundry arrangements either on the premises or through another facility or source.

(b) The premises must have safe, sanitary facilities for the storage of soiled clothes, linen and nappies before laundering or disposal.

(d) A bath or washtub.

(e) Hand washing facilities in the immediate vicinity of the nappy change area (this cannot be the same sink used for food preparation or craft).

(9) FLYSCREENS:

Exterior windows and doorways which are open while children are in care must be fitted with flyscreens.

(10) SLEEPING FACILITIES:

(a) The premises must be equipped with beds or mattress or other age and culturally appropriate form of bedding for each child sleeping at the home on any day.

(b) Mattresses and other bedding must be clean and comfortable.

(d) There must be individual bed linen and blankets for each child.

(e) Bed linen used by one child must be washed before it is used by another child.

(f) No child who is of or above 7 years of age may sleep in the same room as another child, other than a relative, of the opposite sex.

(g) No child above 2 years of age may sleep in the same room in which an adult is sleeping.

(h) Beds, cots, stretchers or mattresses used by children must be arranged so that there is easy access to each child and ease of exit is maintained.

(i) Sleeping facilities must be in an area that has natural light and must be arranged so as to reduce the risk of cross infection.

(j) Educators must keep a sleep chart as per the AFDC Sleeping Children Policy.

(11) STORAGE FACILITIES:

The premises must have storage facilities that are secure and inaccessible to children for cleaning materials, disinfectants, poisonous and other dangerous substances, tools equipment, toiletries, medications and first aid equipment.

(12) POOLS:

Any swimming pool at the home must be fenced in accordance with the Swimming Pools Act 1992. Pool filters must be inaccessible to children.

(13) VENTILATION, LIGHT & HEATING:

(a) All heating and cooling units at the premises must be adequately secured and guarded to prevent injury to children through contact with hot surfaces or moving parts or emission of any sparks or flames.

(b) The controls of all equipment which may be hazardous to children must be guarded to prevent access.

(d) The premises must have access to natural light and must be properly ventilated, lit & heated when children are being provided with the service.

(14) DEVELOPMENTAL & PLAY EQUIPMENT:

The outdoor play equipment must not constitute a hazard to children due to:

(a) The height from which the children can fall,

(b) The likelihood that a child can be trapped, pinched or crushed in the equipment,

(d) Lack of stability

(e) Inappropriate surfacing underneath the equipment if over 50 cm (i.e. lack of soft grass or mats etc. under baby swings/cubby houses etc).

(f) All broken equipment & broken toys must immediately be removed from play area.

(g) The premises must have independent access for children to books & equipment that are suitable to the children’s development and needs and that are representative of a diverse range of cultures.

(15) HOT WATER:

Children under school age must not have unsupervised access to any hot water supply. School aged children must not have access to any hot water supply unless the hot water supply is regulated and keep below scalding temperature.

(16) PLANTS:

(a) Any poisonous vegetation must be identified and provision made to ensure that the vegetation is not accessible to children.

(b) Any vegetation that can lead to injury or severe discomfort (e.g prickles and thorns) must be identified and provision made to ensure that the vegetation is not accessible to children.

ARMIDALE AND DISTRICT FAMILY DAY CARE

CERTIFICATE OF REGISTRATION:

The certificate of registration must be displayed at all times in a prominent place which is accessible to parents of children for whom services are provided.

CARE OF CHILDREN:

A registered educator must, in relation to each child in his/her care, ensure that:

(a) The health, welfare and progress of the child are promoted.

(b) The child is provided with a range of activities designed to promote social, emotional, cognitive, cultural and physical development.

(c) The child is (where appropriate) provided with regular and varied meals and refreshments, having regard to the child’s age and community practices.

EQUIPMENT & PROGRAMME:

(a) The premises must be equipped with equipment that is:

· Adequate and sufficient to meet the individual interests and capabilities of each child provided with the service, and

· Readily available for use by children and the educator.

(b) In determining the adequacy and sufficiency of equipment, the age, number and interests of children must be taken into account.

INTERACTIONS WITH CHILDREN:

An educator must ensure that all children in his/her care:

(a) Are given positive guidance towards socially acceptable behavior through the use of positive guidance techniques such as:

· Establishment of reasonable limits

· Encouragement and attention to keeping within these limits.

· Avoiding the behavior by diverting the child’s attention, and making efforts to provide another situation or activity.

(b) Are not subjected to or threatened with:

· Any form of corporal punishment

· Any punishment that takes the form of immobilization or force feeding

· Any punishment that is intended to humiliate or frighten the child.

SUPERVISION OF CHILDREN:

An educator must ensure that the children in his/her care are under Supervision at all times. When outside, educators must be with children or have close visual access to them.

FIRST AID:

(a) The educator must hold a current approved First Aid qualification which is approved by the WorkCover Authority of NSW:

· HLTFA 301B Apply First Aid

· HLTFA402B Apply Advanced First Aid

(b) The educators premises must be equipped with a suitable and fully stocked First-Aid Kit (approved by NSW WorkCover).

(d) A First Aid kit (approved by NSW WorkCover) must be taken on ALL excursions.

(e) A Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Chart must be displayed in a prominent position in the part of the premises used to provide the service.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND FIRE SAFETY:

All fire protection equipment must be tested annually and after every use.

The premises must be equipped with:

(a) Appropriately placed smoke detectors (two or more).

(b) A fire blanket (kept adjacent to cooking facilities).

For the safety of the children in care, the educator and all other persons, the educator must:

(a) Develop and implement a written Fire and Emergency Evacuation Plan specifically for their premises.

(b) Display this plan in a prominent area of the premises.

(c) Practice Evacuation Procedures with the children at least once every three months, to ensure they are prepared for emergencies.

(d) Record the dates of each practice that includes an evaluation of the procedures followed and keep for 2 years.

WORKING WITH CHILDREN CHECKS /CRIMINAL RECORDS:

(a) It is an offence for a Prohibited Person to work within the Family Day Care environment, this stipulation also applies to adult members (18 years and above) living at the educators premises.

(b) All educators and adult household members complete a Working with Child Check (WWCC)

and sign a criminal record statutory declaration.

(c) An educator must immediately notify the Service Manager if they, or an adult member of their household, is charged with or convicted of an offense for which penalty or penal servitude or imprisonment for 12 months or more may be imposed.

(d) The Service Manager must be notified immediately should more adult household start living at the premises. This includes the educators own children when they turn 18 years of age.

PRESCHOOL:

If an educator delivers a child to pre-school (or another children’s service), the child must be left in the care of an authorised adult before the educator leaves the grounds. Delivery/pickup of children must be covered by a written agreement between the Educator and Parent.

PLAY SESSIONS:

Play sessions are an integral part of Family Day Care because of the opportunities they provide for children to mix in a larger group and the support offered to educators through contact with other educators and coordination unit staff.

Educators are strongly encouraged to attend play session fortnightly, however, weekly is preferable.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT OFFICER - HOME VISITS:

Home visits will be conducted approximately fortnightly by a coordination unit staff members. The purpose of these visits is to monitor the progress of the children in care, assess the safety and hygiene of the care environment and provide support to the educator on an individual basis.

CHILD PROTECTION:

All Educators are Mandatory Reporters and therefore MUST report current concerns of ‘significant risk of harm’:

a) the child or young person's: basic physical or psychological needs are not being met or
are at risk of not being met,

b) the parents or other carers have not arranged and are unable or unwilling to arrange for the child or young person to receive necessary medical care OR (b1) parents or other carers unwilling to arrange for the child or young person to receive an education

c) the child or young person has been, or is at risk of being, physically or sexually abused
or ill-treated,