COLLECTION OF CHILDREN POLICY

Rationale

“To ensure that a child is collected from a children’s service by people who have the legal responsibility for caring for the child, it is important that child carers are aware of the different responsibilities that adults may have regarding a child..”

DHS & Victorian Legal Aid (1999)

Policy Statement

All parents and authorised persons have access to City of Greater Geelong School Holiday Program and their children at all times, unless relevant Court Orders are held by the service that specify otherwise or permitting the parents entry would pose a risk to the safety of the children and staff

Procedures

The staff have the responsibility to ensure that:

  • A copy of all court orders in relation to residence and specific issues orders must be provided to the service upon enrolment or as obtained by the parent/guardian. These documents will be attached to the child’s records and treated confidentially.
  • Parents need to notify the service of any changes to these documents as soon as they occur.
  • All parents/ Guardians need to show photo ID to staff upon collecting their children. All parents/Guardians must make sure ID is on them at all times, and must be prepared to show ID to collect there child.
  • On enrolment parents are to provide the names of people who are allowed to have contact with their children, and who can collect them from the service. This is done to ensure the safety of all children.
  • Staff members are to check the name on the photo ID against the list of approved persons to collect a child and sign the roll in completion. A person is not allowed to collect a child if they do not have ID, or if the ID does not match the authorisation list.
  • If the supervisor cannot confirm that the person trying to collect the child is allowed to have access to the child, then the Team Leader will be notified immediately, and under the Team Leaders discretion the police may be contacted.
  • A parent/guardian must be over 16 years of age to sign a child out. Older siblings who are not 16 years or over are not able to sign a child out.
  • Regulations allow a child to sign themselves out with written parental permission. City of Greater Geelong policy is that all guardians that sign a child out of a service must be over the age of 16 years. No child is able to sign themselves out, even with parental permission.

Parents have a responsibility to ensure that:

  • The service is provided with a copy of all current court orders in relation to their child.
  • The Program Team Leader is notified if there are any changes to these orders as soon as they occur.

References:

ACECQA National Quality Framework Resource Kit (2012)

– Quality Area 1 – Educational Program and Practice.

- Quality Area 2 – Children’s health and safety

- Quality Area 6 – Collaborative partnerships with families and communities

Education and Care Services National Regulations (2012).

DHS & Victorian Legal Aid, January 1999, Legal Aspects of Child Care. – can be obtained on DHS web site

Date of last review: February 2014To be reviewed: February 2015

ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DELIEVERY AND COLLECTION OF CHILDREN

Policy Statement

The personal safety and security of children while at the service is of primary importance. To ensure this safety, the service will provide a safe and secure environment for the delivery and collection of children.

Procedures

The Program Team Leader has a responsibility to ensure that:

  • All children being dropped off at a venue are greeted by a staff member and that a staff member informs the parent(s)/guardian(s) aware of any new developments in the daily program that they need to be aware of, including the reminding of excursion days coming up.
  • The staff member needs to make sure parent(s)/guardian(s) are aware of the correct method in which they need to sign their child/children in using the School Holiday Program daily sign in sheet.
  • All parent(s)/guardian(s) will need to be able to provide photo identification when asked, upon collection of the child. Without photo identification the child cannot be collected from the program.
  • All children upon collection, will be signed out using the School Holiday Program daily sign in sheet. Staff will witness this and initial they have witnessed the parent/guardian signing the child out.
  • At any time, a parent(s)/guardian(s) is unable to collect a child, and an emergency contact is called to come and collect. The emergency contact must show photo proof of identity to staff upon request.
  • Routine head counts will be carried out throughout the day and rolls will be called and marked on at least two occasions over the day.
  • The Program Team Leader will notify supervisors if Administration has made them aware of any changes to an enrolment or if a child is ill or has changed a day that they are attending.

References:

ACECQA National Quality Framework Resource Kit (2012)

- Quality Area 2 – Children’s health and safety

- Quality Area 6 – Collaborative partnerships with families and communities

Education and Care Services National Regulations (2012)

Date of last review: February 2014To be reviewed: February 2015