Elements and Performance Criteria
- Elements define the essential outcomes.
- Support each child’s health needs
- Discuss individual children’s health requirements and routines with families at enrolment and then on a regular basis
- Ensure that any concerns or questions about a child’s health needs are conveyed to their family
- Consult with relevant authorities to ensure that health information is current
- Ensure that individual medical management plans for children with a specific health care need are in place and readily available at the service
- Provide for each child’s comfort
- Ensure that groupings of children are configured to provide for each child’s comfort and to minimise the risk of overcrowding
- Make sure physical spaces are available for children to engage in rest and quiet activities
- Offer a range of active and restful experiences to children and support them to make appropriate decisions regarding participation
- Promote and implement effective hygiene practices
- Ensure that the service accesses information on current hygiene practices
- Maintain written procedures and schedules to ensure a regular regime of washing children’s toys and equipment
- Provide families with information and support that helps them to follow the service’s hygiene procedures
- Ensure that information about correct hand washing procedures are displayed in relevant areas of the service
- Take steps to control the spread of infectious diseases
- Configure groupings of children to minimise the risk of illness and injuries
- Source information about recognised health and safety guidelines
- Ensure that service procedures are followed, in relation to notifying families of illness or injuries that affect children while in education and care
- Advise families and public health authorities where necessary of cases of infectious diseases at the service and provide them with relevant information
- Ensure current records of children’s immunisation status are up-to-date and a procedure is in place to maintain the currency
- Provide information to families and educators about child and adult immunisation recommendations
- Ensure adequate supervision of children
- Arrange equipment, furniture and activities to ensure effective supervision while also allowing children to access private and quiet spaces
- Ensure new or relief educators are informed of supervision arrangements and of what they are required to do in relation to supervising children
- Undertake a risk assessment for each excursion including implications for supervision
- Take precaution to protect children from harm
- Ensure safety checks are consistently implemented and action is taken as a result of the checks
- Check risk minimisation plans are in place for children enrolled at the service who have a specific health care need, allergy or relevant medical condition
- Ensure simple warning signs are located where potentially dangerous products are stored
- Confirm safety of any drinks, food and cooking utensils and appliances used as part of the program
- Ensure that basic training and testing on how to move and fit car seats, restraints and booster seats (applicable to the age of relevant child) is available to all educators
- Keep records of pest/vermin inspections and/or eradications
- Develop and maintain a written process for monitoring who enters and leaves the premises at all times
- Provide detailed information to families regarding any excursion being undertaken
- Develop plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies
- Ensure emergency procedures are displayed prominently throughout the premises
- Make certain that all educators have ready access to a phone or similar means of communication
- Ensure emergency numbers are located near telephones
- Communicate information to families about the service’s emergency procedures and incident management plans
- Discuss and practise emergency drills with children, educators and any other people on the premises
- Ensure that emergency equipment is available and tested and staff are trained in the use of it
- Maintain a portable record of children’s emergency contacts in case of emergencies
- Support each child’s health needs
- Discuss individual children’s health requirements and routines with families at enrolment and then on a regular basis
- Ensure that any concerns or questions about a child’s health needs are conveyed to their family
- Consult with relevant authorities to ensure that health information is current
- Ensure that individual medical management plans for children with a specific health care need are in place and readily available at the service
- Provide for each child’s comfort
- Ensure that groupings of children are configured to provide for each child’s comfort and to minimise the risk of overcrowding
- Make sure physical spaces are available for children to engage in rest and quiet activities
- Offer a range of active and restful experiences to children and support them to make appropriate decisions regarding participation