Moreland City Council Family Day Care Policy Manual 2016
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FAMILY DAY CARE
POLICY MANUAL
2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.0GENERAL POLICIES
1.1INTRODUCTION TO MORELAND FAMILY DAY CARE
1.2FAMILY DAY CARE VISION STATEMENT (PHILOSOPHY) AND VALUES
1.3GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
1.4ADVISORY GROUP
1.5MORELAND family day care POLICY REVIEW PROCESS
1.6PUBLICITY AND MEDIA STATEMENTS
1.7QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM
1.8PARENT, EDUCATOR AND STAFF PARTICIPATION
2.0ADMINISTRATION
2.1RECORD KEEPING, STORAGE AND DESTRUCTION OF DOCUMENTS
2.2FEES AND CHARGES
2.3CONFIDENTIALITY
3.0STAFFING PROCEDURES
3.1GRIEVANCE AND COMPLAINTS
3.2CODE OF ETHICS
3.3SERIOUS BREACH OF THE AGREEMENT OBLIGATIONS
3.4BREACHES OF THE EDUCATOR AGREEMENT OBLIGATIONS
3.5SELECTION OF EDUCATORS
3.6RECRUITMENT OF FDC CoordinationUnit STAFF
3.7EDUCATOR ASSISTANT
3.8DETERMINING THE RESPONSIBLE PERSON
3.9VOLUNTEERS AND STUDENTS
3.10NATIONAL POLICE RECORD CHECK
3.11WORKING WITH CHILDREN CHECK
3.12RELIEF CARE
3.13EDUCATOR VISITOR POLICY
3.14EDUCATOR PERSONAL DUTIES AND ACTIVITIES
3.15EDUCATOR TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
3.16OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
3.17HOME VISITING PROCEDURE
4.0PLACEMENTS
4.1PRIORITY OF ACCESS GUIDELINES
4.2.CARE PLACEMENT/enrolment
4.3PLACEMENT CRITERIA GUIDELINES
4.4ENTRY AGE OF CHILDREN
4.5ARRIVAL, DEPARTURE AND COLLECTION OF CHILDREN IN CARE
4.6ACCEPTANCE AND REFUSAL OF AUTHORISATIONS
4.7RIGHT OF ACCESS
4.8NON CUSTODIAL ACCESS
4.9PROVISION OF CARE TO NEAR RELATIVES
4.10PROVISION OF CARE FOR CHILDREN OF EDUCATORS
4.11EMERGENCY PLACEMENT
4.12SUPERVISION OF CHILDREN – EDUCATOR RESPONSIBILITIES
4.13OVERNIGHT AND 24 HOUR CARE
4.14IMMUNISATION
5.0CHILDCARE PROVISION
5.1AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN’S EDUCATION AND CARE QUALITY AUTHORITY (ACECQA) NATIONAL QUALITY FRAMEWORK
5.2CHILD PROTECTION
5.3INTERACTIONS WITH CHILDREN
5.4BEHAVIOUR GUIDANCE
5.5MONITORING AND SUPPORT
5.6DIVERSITY AND EQUITY
5.7SCREEN BASED ACTIVITIES
5.8EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCES
5.9PROGRAM PLANNING
6.0NUTRITION
6.1NUTRITION AND FOOD
6.2FOOD HANDLING
7.0MEDICAL
7.1OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
7.2CHILD ACCIDENT/INJURY/Trauma
7.3EDUCATOR ACCIDENT, INJURY OR ILLNESS
7.4DEALING WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS
7.5UNWELL CHILDREN/ILLNESS
7.6MEDICATION
7.7MEDICAL CONDITIONS AND INVASIVE, COMPLEX OR INJECTED MEDICATIONS OR PROCEDURES
7.8ASTHMA
7.9ANAPHYLAXIS AND ALLERGIES
8.0HEALTH AND HOME SAFETY
8.1OUTINGS AND EXCURSIONS
8.2VEHICLE SAFETY
8.3EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
8.4 EVACUATION PLANS AND FIRE SAFETY
8.5MISSING CHILD
8.6ABANDONED or UNCOLLECTED CHILD
8.7HEALTH AND HOME SAFETY
8.8MANUAL HANDLING AND SAFE LIFTING PRACTICES
8.9INDOOR SAFETY
8.10OUTDOOR SAFETY
8.11RENOVATIONS AND OR CHANGES IN HOME
8.12HEATING AND COOLING
8.13CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR
8.14SUNSMART
8.15KEEPING OF ANIMALS
8.16CRITICAL INCIDENT
8.17POST IMMEDIATE STAGES OF CRITICAL INCIDENT
9.0HEALTH AND HYGIENE
9.1CARING FOR A BREAST FED BABY
9.2CHILDREN’S SLEEP, REST, SLEEPING FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
9.3BATHING
9.4NAPPY CHANGING
9.5TOILETING
9.6INFECTION CONTROL AND HYGIENE
9.7DRUG AND ALCOHOL
9.8TOBACCO SMOKE FREE ENVIRONMENT
10APPENDICES
10.1APPENDIX ONE – FAMILY DAY CARE ADVISORY meeting TERMS OF REFERENCE
10.2APPENDIX TWO – IT’S YOUR INFORMATION, IT’S PRIVATE
1.0GENERAL POLICIES
1.1INTRODUCTION TO MORELAND FAMILY DAY CARE
Family Day Care (FDC) is a community home based child care service funded through the Commonwealth Government ChildCare Services Support Programmeand sponsored by the Moreland City Council. FDC provides care for children in a safe family environment, with individual attention in a small group setting. The service is primarily available to people that live, work or study within Moreland.
The range of care options available within the FDC services includes:
full time care /- care for children with additional needs
- part-time care
- roster care
- casual care
- overnight care
- before school care
- 24 hour care
- after school care
- weekend care
- school holiday care
- evening care
- respite care
Educators are selected for their qualifications and their ability to care and provide for the emotional, social and developmental needs of children in their care.
Council’s FDC Coordination Unit staff make regular home visits, including unannounced home visits and undertake annual safety checks at registered Educators’ homes. Educators are trained in First Aid and attend professional development training provided by Council.
All Educators sign an Educator Agreement with Council and abide by policies, standards and procedures for the Moreland City Council Family Day Care service that are described in this document, and are available upon request.
All Educators, their household members living at home and frequent visitors over eighteen years of age, have a Criminal History Record Check conducted annually and a Working With Children Check. All FDC Coordination Unit staff members also have a Criminal History Record Check and Working With Children Check conducted in line with Council policy.
The service meets Education and Care Services National Regulations and the Education and Care Service National Law 2010, and also works within the guidelines of the National Quality Framework.
Section 1.1
1.2FAMILY DAY CARE VISION STATEMENT (PHILOSOPHY) AND VALUES
Vision
FDC is a team of Families, Educators and the FDC Coordination Unit. The focus of our efforts in FDC is the child’s wellbeing. We work in partnership based on cooperation, respect and open communication to encourage the child to reach their full potential. We strive for an environment that is safe, happy and nurturing.
Children in their formative years thrive in a small group with a primary Educator who is aware of and responsive to the individual child’s developmental needs, assisting each child to reach their potential.
We believe:
- Every family has the right to quality children’s services.
- All children are individuals and have the right to a safe and secure environment which acknowledges the Child Safe Standards.
- Services should respond to the needs of families from all social, cultural and economic backgrounds.
- In encouraging children to learn through play, inspiring fun, security in a stimulating and sustainably aware environment.
- All children have the right to encouragement, support, understanding and acceptance.
- In a team approach.
Values
Quality Children’s Services enhance our community.
We promote the development and enjoyment of:
effective communicationwellbeing
community contributionconfident learning
mutual respect and trustidentity
cultural competence and diversityreflective practice
community connectionpartnerships
within a sensitive, responsible and confidential environment.
Section 1.2
1.3GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT
Moreland City Council is committed to maintaining administrative processes that enable FDC to provide effective management of this high quality service.
Procedure
Records and information are managed to comply with Council Policies, which includes compliance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) and the Health Records Act 2001 and the FDCAdministration Policy Section 2.1 and 2.3.
Administrative systems are established and managed as outlined in FDCPolicy Section 1 and Section 2.
When required the Regulatory Authority will be notified of any relevant changes to the operation of the service, of serious incidents or complaints, as outlined in FDC Policies 1.6, 2.2, 3.2, 5.4, 6.2 and 7.2.
The policy and procedure manual will be available at all Educators homes, FDC office and copies will be made available to parents/guardians/approved persons upon request. The manual will also be available on Moreland City Council website.
Program policies will be reviewed on a regular basis.
All reviewed or new policies will be circulated through the Advisory Group, Staff meetings and FDC newsletters for feedback and comment.
Any incident that occurs in FDC will be reviewed based on the policy it is associated with and policies may be evaluated based on outcomes of the incident.
Sources:
- Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010
- Education and Care Services National Regulations, Regulation 168 (2) (l)
- National Quality Standard 7.3
- Department of EducationSection 1.3
1.4ADVISORY GROUP
The FDC Advisory Group consists of Educators, parents, guardians and FDC Coordination Unit staff. The Advisory group meets regularly to review and develop the service.
The Advisory Group meets a minimum of three times per year, however extra meetings may be required depending on the needs of the service. Please refer to Appendix 1 for a copy of the Terms of Reference.
All parents, guardians and Educators are encouraged to participate in the Advisory Group meetings.
Source:
Appendix 1: Moreland City Council, Family Day Care Advisory Group Terms of ReferenceSection 1.4
1.5MORELAND family day care POLICY REVIEW PROCESS
The updating of this policy manual will occur as required. Individual sections or sub sections will be addressed regularly or when there are changes to research, legislation or other relevant circumstances.
Section 1.5
1.6PUBLICITY AND MEDIA STATEMENTS
Policy
The Moreland Family Day Care Coordination Unit will actively advertise the service to the wider community:
- for the recruitment of new Educators, and
- to inform families of the child care service provided.
- Any statements made to the media about the operation of the service, or the provision of child care, must be authorised by the Moreland City Council Communications Department.
Practices
To recruit Educators and promote the service to families, the FDC Coordination Unit will:
- Advertise to recruit Educators in a range of media.
- Network with the local kindergartens, schools, child care centres, playgroups and other community groups.
- Provide information for new parent groups, held at Maternal and Child Health Centres across the municipality.
- The production of promotional materials will be approved by the appropriate Council officer prior to distribution, according to the Moreland City Council’s Communications Department.
- The recruitment of Educators and families to the service is an ongoing process that is continuously reviewed.
- Educators may market themselves throughout the community. However, all recruited families must be referred to the FDC Coordination Unit to follow the process of registration prior to commencing care with an Educator.
Media Statements
Enquiries from the media (newspaper, television or radio) about the operation of the service or the provision of child care made to FDC Coordination Unit staff is to be referred directly to the Moreland City Council Communications Department for clarification.
All Educators are required to direct any media enquiries to the FDC Coordination Unit.
Media releases can only be made by the Moreland City Council Communications Department, in consultation with the Children’s ServicesUnit Manager.
Section 1.6
1.7QUALITY ASSURANCE SYSTEM
Policy
The National Quality Framework is linked to the Commonwealth Government ChildCare Services Support Programmefor all FDC services. This program aims to provide children in FDC throughout Australia with high quality care that best promotes their learning and development in the early years.
Moreland Family Day Care is committed to participating in this continuous self-study and improvement cycle, and all efforts are made to achieve accreditation through the Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. (ACECQA)
Practices
The FDC Coordination Unitand Educators will use the ACECQA National Quality Framework to inform and describe the work of the FDC service.
Each registered and working Educator will participate in the National Quality Framework and meet with the requirements.
An Educator who takes a leave of absence from the service must ensure that upon their return they meet with the service requirements of the National Quality Framework.
New Educators entering the service will be supported into the National Quality Framework with direct FDC Coordination Unit staff support and mentoring by an established Educator.
For Educators to provide a quality service they must draw on their knowledge about how children learn and develop, and what experiences and expectations are appropriate for children of different ages. Educators must also be aware of, and sensitive to, the way culture and environment impacts on a child’s development, working within the guidelines of the Child Safe Standards.
The ACECQA National Quality Framework, or any current certificate of accreditation, will be displayed at each Educator’s home, and the FDC Coordination Unit office.
Source:
ACECQA National Quality Framework and Standards
Education and Care Service National Law Act 2010
Education and Care Services National Regulations.
Moreland City Council, Family Day Care Educator’s Service Agreement
Child Safe StandardsSection 1.7
1.8PARENT, EDUCATOR AND STAFF PARTICIPATION
Parents, guardians, Educators and staff will be consulted in planning and reviewing service provision. Consultation may include, but is not limited to, focus groups, letters, surveys and meetings. The service seeks to develop a collaborative approach and encourages parents, guardians, Educators and staff comments on any aspect of FDC operations.
Section 1.8
2.0ADMINISTRATION
2.1RECORD KEEPING, STORAGE AND DESTRUCTION OFDOCUMENTS
Policy
All records and documents relating to children who have been in care with Moreland Family Day Care will be stored according to practices described by the Privacy and Data Protection Action 2014 (Vic) and the Health Records Act 2001.
To ensure that Educator and family records are stored in a safe and secure manner, prohibiting unauthorised access by others.
Practices
Child records are kept by Moreland City Council for 25 years after the last contact with the child.
Educator and family records are stored in a secure manner preventing unauthorised access by others. These records are kept in locked areas, and are accessed only by FDC Coordination Unit staff.
Educators and families may have access to their records through the process described in the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic). Any requests for records to be released are to be made through the appropriate Council Department.
Educator and family records remain confidential and are only used for the purpose of providing the service that is required. The information may be released only where required by law, for example, to State or Federal authorities, or Child Protection agencies.
Health information remains confidential through the Health Records Act 2001 and will not be released to any other person without the person’s permission.
Records are securely archived according to the Moreland City Council’s policies and are retained for the period of time as required by law.
Educators are to forward any family or child records to the FDC Coordination Unit once a family leaves care. These records will be stored according to Council policy and legal requirements.
Educators are to forward any family or child records to the FDC Coordination Unit once they cease to be a registered Educator with Moreland Family Day Care. These records will be stored according to Council policy and legal requirements.
Any records due for destruction are to be destroyed according to Council policy and legal requirements.
Section 2.1
Source
Education and Care Services National Law Act 2010
Education and Care Services National Regulations. Regulations 168(2)(l),179,181&182
Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic).
Health Records Act 2001
Relevant Council Policies
Section 2.1
2.2FEES AND CHARGES
Policy
As the licensee of Moreland Family Day Care, Moreland City Council is required by the Department of Human Services to have a signed Care Agreement with all families using the service.
Fees are based on the signed Care Agreement families have with Moreland Family Day Care.
The Care Agreement specifies the booked days and hours required for each child’s care. This ensures that all parties are fully aware of their commitment and obligations with regard to fees and charges and responsibilities in relation to payment.
Moreland Family Day Care sets and reviews annually the Service Fees and Charges specifying the fee range for each hour of care, each type of care and other charges.
Educators set their fees within the fee range specified in the Service Fees and Charges based on the Educators qualifications, experience and performance.
Moreland Family Day Care must have a signed Moreland Family Day Care, Care and Payment Agreement with each family prior to a child starting care.
Council authorises the Educator as their agent to collect part of the fees owing to the service. All payments collected by the Educator will be receipted.
Policy
Moreland FDC Coordination Unit will determine where in the fee range an Educator may charge, based on the criteria and discussion with the Educator.
Educators are not to add any other additional charges or differ from the signed fee schedule.
As part of the enrolment process with Moreland Family Day Care, booked hours are established and agreed between the Coordination Unit, Parent/Guardian and Educators prior to care starting.
Coordination Unit staff will provide parents with a written estimate of fees. This estimated fee will be based on the hours stated in the Care Agreement and any meals or travel charges required by the family. Moreland City Council will pass each family’s Centrelink entitlements directly to the Educator. The gap fee is to be paid by parent/guardians directly to their FDC Educator. This gap fee is the difference between the total costs of care (Educator total plus Service Levy) less any Centrelink entitlements.
Full fee will be charged until Centrelink information for entitlements is approved.
Fees will be paid to the Educator, as the Council’s agent.
It is a requirement of Moreland Family Day Care that the gap fee is to be paid in advance to the Educator on the first day of care each week or on the first day of care each fortnight.
Fees are to be paid either in cash or directly to the Educator’s bank account.
Section 2.2
Fees are due and payable for booked hours of care regardless of whether or not the child attends. This includes sick days or any holidays.
Educators cannot accept children into care if there are any outstanding payments.
Educators are required to advise the Co-ordination Unit if fees are not paid in accordance with the terms in the Educator’s Care and Payment Agreement.
FDC Attendance Record
The information recorded on the attendance record is required for the service to meet compliance requirements with both the Commonwealth Department of Education and Training as the funding body, and the Victorian Department of Education and Training, as the licensing body.
Attendance
By documenting the correct time and signing the attendance record at the time of your child’s arrival into and collection from care, you are agreeing that it is an accurate record of your child's attendance.
Educators are to be informed immediately if a child is going to be absent from care.
Kindergarten Attendance
If an Educator is required to transport a child to and from kindergarten a usual fee is payable for the time the child attends the kindergarten session. In this instance the Educator needs to be available for the child during this kindergarten session time.