CHCECE041 Maintain A Safe and Healthy Environment For Children

Learning Guide
CHCECE041 Maintain a Safe and Healthy

Environment for Children
This unit learning guide relates to the

following National Qualifications:
CHC30121Certificate III in Early

Childhood Education and Care
Designed by
Childcare Resources Australia

This unit learning guide relates to the following National Qualifications:
CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care
CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care
Delivered by
Kool Kids Training College (RTO 40636)
(2021)
© Childcare Resources Australia

2
CHCECE041 Maintain a safe and healthy environment for children
Table of Contents
How To Use This Learning Guide ............................................................................................. 7
Learning Guide Icons..............................................................................................................................8
Tips for Successful Study! ........................................................................................................................9
Welcome to CHCECE041 Maintain a safe and healthy environment for children.......................10
Learning Outcomes ..............................................................................................................................12
1. Identify Health and Safety Policies and Procedures of the Service ............................... 14
Access Health and Safety Policies and Procedures .........................................................................14
What is a Policy? ...................................................................................................................................14
Why Is It Important to Have Policies? ..................................................................................................15
What is a Procedure? ...........................................................................................................................15
What Is the Difference Between A Policy and A Procedure? .........................................................15
How are Policies and Procedures developed? ................................................................................16
What should Policies and Procedures include ..................................................................................16
Health and Safety Policies and Procedures ......................................................................................17
Established and authoritative sources of information including regulatory requirements and
government health guidelines and advice about health and safety issues that should be used
in informing service practice ...............................................................................................................27
Establish scope of own role and responsibilities in maintaining health and safety from policies
and procedures. ...................................................................................................................................29
Health and safety roles, responsibilities and interrelationships of different personnel in children’s
education and care services ..............................................................................................................29
WHS Representative ..............................................................................................................................30
Terminology Related to Work Health and Safety ..............................................................................31
Work Health and Safety Legislation ....................................................................................................33
2. Monitor and Implement Health and Safety Policies and Procedures ........................... 36
Model and monitor compliance with service health and safety policies and procedures. .......36
What does Compliance Mean? .........................................................................................................36
How to Model Compliance .................................................................................................................36
How to Monitor Compliance ...............................................................................................................37
Encourage and assist colleagues to meet health and safety requirements through regular
communication and provision of up to date information. ..............................................................39
How to find up to date information ....................................................................................................40
Identify and respond to issues according to service policies and procedures. ...........................41
What happens if policies are ignored by Stakeholders? .................................................................41
What does non-compliance look like? ..............................................................................................41
What do you do if you see something that is non-compliance?....................................................42
Who do you notify about non compliances? ...................................................................................42
What if you speak with your direct supervisor and they do not rectify the non-compliance?...43
Identify and report health and safety training needs to relevant supervisors. ..............................44

3
Professional Development ...................................................................................................................44
Staff Meetings ........................................................................................................................................45
Complete and maintain accurate health and safety records according to service policies
and procedures. ...................................................................................................................................46
Types of Documentation ......................................................................................................................46
Incidents, Injury, Trauma and Illness ....................................................................................................48
Medical Conditions ...............................................................................................................................50
Asthma Care Plans................................................................................................................................51
Action Plans for Anaphylaxis and Allergic Reactions .......................................................................52
Administration of Medication ..............................................................................................................53
Excursion documentation ....................................................................................................................55
Transportation Risk Assessment Template ..........................................................................................56
Drop of and Collection of Children from premises and excursions ................................................57
3. Monitor Risk ........................................................................................................................ 62
Identify potential or actual hazards based on monitoring of children, activities and physical
areas. ......................................................................................................................................................62
WHS requirements in Early Childhood Education and Care Services ............................................62
ACECQA’s Principles of Risk Management .......................................................................................63
What is a Hazard? .................................................................................................................................65
How to Find Hazards .............................................................................................................................67
Pest/Vermin Inspections and/or Eradications....................................................................................68
Simple Warning Signs in Children’s Services .......................................................................................69
Assess the safety risk associated with the hazard according to service risk management
procedures. ............................................................................................................................................70
Providing a safe environment ..............................................................................................................70
Ensure tools, equipment, the age of the toys and games are appropriate to the child ............71
Select, check and maintain equipment to ensure safety ...............................................................72
What is a Risk Assessment? ...................................................................................................................72
How to use the matrix to find the risk rating .......................................................................................74
Using a Risk assessment table .............................................................................................................76
Safety Checklists ....................................................................................................................................76
Children’s Activities ...............................................................................................................................78
Supervision Planning .............................................................................................................................79
Risk Assessments and Supervision ........................................................................................................80
Supervision Plans ...................................................................................................................................80
Set up and implementation requirements .........................................................................................81
Inform relevant parties according to service procedures ...............................................................84
Who is responsible for reporting hazards? ..........................................................................................84
Documentation/Reporting Hazards in a Childcare Centre or Service ..........................................87
Take action to eliminate or control the risk based on completed risk assessment. ......................88
Following Up from Findings of Safety Checklists and audits ............................................................88

4
4. Contribute to Health and Safety Policies and Procedures ............................................. 89
Identify and use opportunities to maintain currency of knowledge about health and safety
issues. ......................................................................................................................................................89
How to keep up to date and maintain currency .............................................................................90
Identify and access information from credible and authoritative sources. ..................................91
What does credible and authoritative sources mean? ...................................................................91
COVID-19 and Early Education ...........................................................................................................93
Seek feedback from colleagues on health and safety practices and potential issues through
formal and informal communication. ................................................................................................95
Self-Assessment Tool and Quality Improvement Plan .......................................................................96
Use feedback and own critical reflection to contribute to the improvement of health and
safety policies and procedures. ..........................................................................................................97
Using Feedback to contribute to improvements ..............................................................................97
What is Critical Reflection? ..................................................................................................................97
How can you use your own critical reflections?................................................................................98
Critical reflection questions to consider in regards to health and safety ......................................99
Implementing change ...................................................................................................................... 100
Monitoring changes ........................................................................................................................... 101
5. Manage Risk for Excursions............................................................................................. 102
Complete excursion risk management plan according to service policies and procedures . 102
Excursion Organisation ...................................................................................................................... 102
Excursion Risk Management Form.................................................................................................... 103
Template: Sample Risk Management Form adapted to suit the needs of a centre ................ 106
Identify staffing requirements and allocation of resources according to service policies and
procedures and legislative requirements. ...................................................................................... 109
Communicating Responsibilities ....................................................................................................... 109
Supervision on Excursions .................................................................................................................. 109
Policies and Procedures .................................................................................................................... 110
Resources needed for an excursion ................................................................................................ 111
Assess location, facilities and activities and identify potential hazards. ..................................... 112
Assessing excursion location ............................................................................................................. 112
Assessing excursion facilities ............................................................................................................. 113
Planning activities on the excursions ............................................................................................... 113
Obtain permission from families and communicate expectations for the child’s involvement.
.............................................................................................................................................................. 115
Provide Detailed Information to Families Regarding Excursions to Be Undertaken ................... 115
Expectations for child’s involvement ............................................................................................... 116
Confirm insurance, volunteer credentials and transport requirements according to service
policies and procedures and legislative requirements ................................................................. 117
Confirm Insurance .............................................................................................................................. 117
Confirm Volunteer credentials ......................................................................................................... 118
Regulations and Requirements associated with the transport of children in vehicles. ............. 119

5
Coach Requirements ........................................................................................................................ 122
Use intentional teaching techniques to prepare children for the excursion. ............................. 123
What Is ‘Intentional Teaching’? ........................................................................................................ 123
Minimise and manage risk by planning communication and collaboration between educators
and volunteers during excursion ...................................................................................................... 124
Resources Guide.................................................................................................................. 126
Recommended Reading .................................................................................................... 127
References ........................................................................................................................... 128

6
How To Use This Learning Guide
In this Learning Guide, you will find the information you need to develop the skills and
knowledge to become a confident, professional Educator. To help you transfer your skills
into practice, we have provided a range of links to videos and other website resources
and recommend you take time to look at these. All CRA Learning Guides link to the
National Quality Frameworks (NQF) for each unit. This includes the National Regulations,
Standards and Approved Frameworks you will need to use as an Educator working in
regulated Children’s Services in Australia. We recommend you have these available on
your computer or print out a copy so they are available at all times.
On the following page, are a list of icons you will see throughout the Learning Guides to
direct you to important and additional information. They will help support your
understanding of the topic.
Learning Guides contain all the information you need to complete this unit of study.
Additional videos and documents have been included to support your learning. Links to
websites are included in this guide for your convenience. Organisations at times may
move or change website locations. If a link does not work please Google or search the
name of the document or video you are looking for. If it is available you will be able to
access it using this method.

7
Learning Guide Icons
Reading Time!
When you see our reading icon, go to the document specified

and read to expand your knowledge of the topic.
Recommended Videos
When you see our video icon, you can watch great resources
online. If the link does not work, (as website links will change
over time) we have provided the full name of the video and
location so you can do a web or YouTube search.
Reflection
Our reflection icon gives you a chance to think about your own
experiences or about a question posed. This information will
help you to link new knowledge to your past experiences and
encourage reflection of your current practice.
Helpful Websites
When you see our computer icon, you will be asked to go to

the specified link for additional information.
Your Turn!
When you see our pencil icon, you can write in your Learning
Guide or on another piece of paper. The exercises are for your
learning only and are not part of the assessment.
Check Your Ideas!
When you see our memo icon, you can compare your ideas,
from completing activities, with ours. These provide some
feedback to you help assess your understanding of the topic.

8
Tips for Successful Study!
1. Active Reading
Don’t just read - you will fall asleep: it’s very relaxing, you know!
a) Read the Learning Outcomes first
b) Read “Welcome to the unit” second
c) Read the assessment task.
These will tell you what you need to learn and why it’s important. As you
read, your brain will notice what you need. You may even think “hey,
that’s the answer to question 4!” or “this is the type of Educator I want to
be!”
2. Set yourself goals

“Today by 11am, I will have read up to Chapter 2” or “I will have
completed the first two questions in my assessment!” Set a clear, realistic
goal for the time you have to study. Write down your goal. Tell everyone
you are unavailable and turn off your phone and social media! Try and
finish each session on a positive.
3. Reward yourself
Reward yourself for reaching a goal. This does not need to involve cake
as we are going to reward ourselves a lot! It could be a walk to the park, a break for a cuppa, going
shopping or just time off. Whatever says to you: “Well done! You have achieved”.
4. I’m not getting this!

If you aren’t understanding something or finding something frustrating
Good!
It means you are learning something new! Sometimes your views of
life may be challenged! It means you are moving out of your comfort
zone, growing and stretching in your knowledge and skills. At times
this may even feel scary. It can sometimes feel easier to run away,
however this is only a temporary solution! It’s ok. Think back to a time
when you didn’t know how to do something and then you achieved
it i.e. riding a bike, driving a car etc. How great did you feel when you
could do it? You can do this.
Here are some ideas to help:

• Ease up on yourself. It’s ok not to know everything – you are
learning! Particularly if you are changing careers and you were
an expert in your past field. Remember, you will be learning and
building on your past skills but the information may be new to you.
• Watch a video related to the topic whilst having a cuppa - this can help your understanding. Relaxing
helps you learn.
• Leave that bit and move to another bit! This is particularly important if stuck on a question. You can
always come back to that one.
• Sleep on it. We process information at night whilst we sleep. You may find when you wake up the next
day, it will all make sense!
• Contact your trainer for help. You are not alone and they are there to help.
5. I should be spending time with others

If you have enrolled in a course it’s because you have a bigger goal and made a decision. How will
achieving your goal benefit others in your life? Achieving your goals will contribute to the happiness of
yourself and others. Most of all, studying in front of others, including children, models lifelong learning,
resilience and provides a positive role model for their own learning.
Happy Learning

9
Welcome to CHCECE041 Maintain a safe and healthy
environment for children
In this unit you will develop the skills and knowledge to monitor and maintain health
and safety in the areas of:
• Individual health
• Hygiene and Infectious Disease
• Supervision
• Risk Management
• Incident and Emergency Management
You will:
• Determine health and safety policies and procedures of the service
• Monitor the implementation of health and safety policies and procedures
• Monitor Risk
• Contribute to health and safety policies and procedures
• Manage Risks for Excursions
Reading Time!
Please read these helpful documents throughout this unit,

these will guide your practices and principles:
• National Quality Standards
• National Quality Framework
• Education And Care Services National Regulations
(National Regulations)
• Early Years Learning Framework For Australia (EYLF)
• Educator’s Guide To The Early Years Learning Framework
• Staying Healthy: Preventing Infectious Diseases In Early
Childhood Education And Care Services (5thed)
• Code Of Ethics (ECA)

10
• NQF Standards
•Quality Area 1: Educational Program and Practice
•Quality Area 2: Children’s Health and Safety
•Quality Area 3: Physical environment
•Quality Area 4: Staffing arrangements
Links to NQF •Quality Area 5: Relationships with children
•Quality Area 6: Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
•Quality Area 7: Governance and Leadership
•Education and Care services National Regulations
•Part 4.2 Children’s health and safety
• Links to Frameworks
•Learning Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

•Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing
Links to •Learning Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identify
•Children feel safe, secure and supported
Frameworks •Children develop their emerging authonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and sense
of agency
•Accident and emergency

•Health and wellbeing
•Emergency, Evacuation and lockdown
Links to •Incident, injury, tramua, and illness
Policies •Excursions
•Dealing with medical conditions
•Risk management
•Article 6
•Children have the right to live a full life.
UN Rights of •Governments should ensure that children
•survive and develop healthily.
the Child

11
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this unit you will be able to do the following:
Unit: CHCECE041 Maintain a safe and healthy environment for children
Identify health and safety policies and procedures of the service.
1.1. Access health and safety policies and procedures.

1.2. Establish scope of own role and responsibilities in maintaining health and
safety from policies and procedures.
Monitor and implement health and safety policies and procedures.

2.1 Model and monitor compliance with service health and safety policies and
procedures.
2.2 Encourage and assist colleagues to meet health and safety requirements
through regular communication and provision of up to date information.
2.3 Identify and respond to issues according to service policies and procedures.
2.4 Identify and report health and safety training needs to relevant supervisors.
2.5 Complete and maintain accurate health and safety records according to
service policies and procedures.
Monitor risk.
3.1 Identify potential or actual hazards based on monitoring of children, activities
and physical areas.
3.2 Assess the safety risk associated with the hazard according to service risk
management procedures.
3.3 Inform relevant parties according to service procedures
3.4 Take action to eliminate or control the risk based on completed risk
assessment.

12
Contribute to health and safety policies and procedures.
4.1 Identify and use opportunities to maintain currency of knowledge about
health and safety issues.
4.2 Identify and access information from credible and authoritative sources.
4.3 Seek feedback from colleagues on health and safety practices and potential
issues through formal and informal communication.
4.4 Use feedback and own critical reflection to contribute to the improvement of
health and safety policies and procedures.
Manage risk for excursions.

5.1. Complete excursion risk management plan according to service policies and
procedures.
5.2. Identify staffing requirements and allocation of resources according to
service policies and procedures and legislative requirements.
5.3. Assess location, facilities and activities and identify potential hazards.
5.4. Obtain permission from families and communicate expectations for the
child’s involvement.
5.5. Confirm insurance, volunteer credentials and transport requirements
according to service policies and procedures and legislative requirements.
5.6. Use intentional teaching techniques to prepare children for the excursion.
5.7. Minimise and manage risk by planning communication and collaboration
between educators and volunteers during excursion.

13
Identify Health
and Safety
Policies and
Procedures of the
Service
Access Health and Safety Policies and Procedures
What is a Policy?
In simply terms, a Policy states what a centre will,

or will not do. It describes the guideline or rule that
will be followed. It states what you agree to follow
based on your beliefs, relating to a variety of
different topics based on the centre’s needs.
Policies are documents that, in order for them to
be effective, need to be tailored to meet the needs and address the issues of each
service as an individual. For policies to be effective they need to be regularly reviewed
and updated to ensure that they reflect upon current research and best practice. The
regulations state that policies must be reviewed annually, or as new information,
recommendations or guidelines are introduced.
ACECQA outlines the minimum policies that each Early Childhood Service is required to
follow to comply with legislation and ensure that each quality area in the National
Quality Framework is meet. Individual services can then have more or fewer policies
and procedures, depending on where their service is located and the needs of their
children, families and wider community.

14
Why Is It Important to Have Policies?
Policies are 'living' documents that should be

regularly reviewed to respond to the individual
needs of those working with them, to reflect new
knowledge and to meet changing trends in your
service and the wider community. There should be
a policy for every aspect of the organisation.
Effective policies clearly define what procedures must occur in relation to a particular
issue or practice. They should provide ‘step-by-step' instructions about what procedures
should occur and when they should happen.
Having clear and accessible policies can also assist new staff or relief staff to familiarise
themselves with the practices of the service. Written, accessible policies also provide all
stakeholders with information about what to expect from a service.
What is a Procedure?
A Procedure is a more detailed document that addresses the Policy. It outlines the
implementation process of how you are going to follow the guideline or rule agreed to
in the Policy. It states the actions you are going to take and gives detailed instructions
of the steps necessary to meet the policy objective.
Example – Your centre will have a Policy outlining Children’s Health and this will include
Nappy Changing. Your centre will then have an individual Nappy Changing Procedure
that shows all the individual steps on how to correct change a nappy. This will be in
detail and educators can see exactly what steps to complete.
What Is the Difference Between A Policy and A Procedure?
• A policy is a written statement of intent.
• The day-to-day implementation of a policy is the 'practice' or 'procedure'.
• A policy has no value if it is not practiced or implemented.
• Policies should reflect your service's daily practice.

15
How are Policies and Procedures developed?
When developing a policy or procedure

there are multiple factors that need to
be taken into consideration. This
includes:
• The Legal Requirements based on

the National Quality Framework.
What is needed based on the
National Laws, Regulations and
Standards?
• What is your services philosophy? What are the needs of your centre based on your
children, educators, families and community?
• What will be your Stakeholder Involvement in policy development – Educators,

families, community member, children.
• Does this policy sit with the values and beliefs of the Early Years Learning Framework.
Does it value equity and inclusion? Does it value play-based learning?
• Was research conducted in best practice? What is current best practice e.g.
Uninterrupted time, progressive mealtimes etc.
• Was research conducted from recognised authorities E.g. Kidsafe, Cancer Council.
• Policies and procedures must be written simply and be easy to understand by

educators and families
What should Policies and Procedures include
When writing a policy or procedure, there are different elements that must be included.
These include:
• Document Title – Name of the policy or procedure
• Policy/Procedure Statement/Objective/Aim – What is the aim of the

policy/Procedure
• Policy – How will this policy be implemented (procedures)
• Procedure – Details about procedure, expectations (How will the policy be carried
out).
• Links to relevant legislation – Regulations, ACT

16
• References and resources – Links to websites, books, articles
• Date the document was created - Date the Policy/Procedure was

endorsed/approved
• Version number – E.g. Version 2.0
• A date of when the policy/procedure will be reviewed
Health and Safety Policies and Procedures
Education and Care Service National Regulation (NSW)

Regulations relating to Policies and Procedures
Division 2 Policies and procedures

168 Education and care service must have policies and procedures
170 Policies and procedures to be followed
171 Policies and procedures to be kept available
172 Notification of change to policies or procedures
https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2011-0653#ch.4-
pt.4.2-div.1
National Quality Standards

Quality Area 2 – Children's health and safety
Element 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3,
Element 2.2.1, 2.2.2. 2.2.3
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-quality-standard/quality-area-2-
childrens-health-and-safety
The Education and Care Service National Regulation states that Policies and
Procedures are required in relation to the following.
Health and Safety – Including Matters relating to
• Nutrition, Food and Beverage, Dietary Requirements
• Sun Protection

17
• Water Safety, including safety during any water-based activity
• The administration of first aid
• Sleep and rest for children
• Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness (reg

85)
• Dealing with infectious diseases (reg 88)
• Dealing with medical conditions in

children (reg 90)
• Emergency and evacuation (reg 97)
• Delivery of children to, and collection of

children from, education and care
service premises (reg 99)
• Excursions (reg 100-102)
• Providing a child safe environment
• Interactions with children
Mandatory children’s health and safety policies might look like the following:
• Providing a Child-safe Environment Policy
• Sun Protection Policy
• Emergency Evacuation Policy
• Administering First Aid Policy
• Dealing with Infectious Diseases Policy
• Code of Conduct for Staff Members
• Dealing with Complaints Policy
• Incident, Injury, Trauma, Illness Procedures
In Early Childhood Education and Care, you will notice that there are multiple policies
relating to Health and Safety. These policies have been put in place, to ensure the
safety of all children, staff, families and community members who enters the service.
Below is a list of common Health and Safety Policies that you may see in centres
• Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Policy

18
• Administration of First Aid Policy
• Handling, Use and Disposal of Needles and Sharps Policy
• Dealing with Infectious Diseases Policy
• Dealing with Complaints Policy
• Infection Control Policy
• Cleaning Policy
• Storage and Use of Chemicals Policy
• Emergency Evacuation and Lockdown Policy
• Communication Policy
• Sun Protection Policy
• Facilities Policy
• Staff/Uniform Policy
• Staff Illness Policy
• Manual Handling Policy
• Professional Development and

Supervision Policy
• Protective Behaviours Policy
• Conflict Resolution Policy
• Stress-Management Policy
• Safe Food-Handling Policy

19
Your Turn!
Take some time to access your centre’s Health, Safety and

Wellbeing Policies and Procedures. Have a look over this
document to see what is included.
If you are not currently in a centre, take some time to

research a Health and Safety Policy online.
Check your ideas
Have a look at this Children’s Health and Safety Policy:

https://www.goodstart.org.au/policies-and-procedures
https://www.goodstart.org.au/getmedia/70acbef4-c058-4c73-a6cc-
a498c8e10fa2/NQS2-Childrens-Health-and-Safety-
POLICY_1.pdf;.aspx;.jpg
http://www.trikkikidz.com.au/trikki01/wp-
content/uploads/2018/06/Work-Health-Safety-Policy-2018-06.pdf
In an early education and care setting you will notice that there are different areas within
maintaining a safe and healthy environment for children. These areas include:
• incident, injury, trauma and illness;
• infection control;
• medical conditions;
• administration of medication;
• emergencies and evacuations;
• collection of children from premises and excursions; and
• health safety and wellbeing.
Each area will have a collection of policies relating to the specific area, as well as
supporting documentation which can be used to reinforce or guide the policy.

20
For each area, we have provided you with an example of some policies relating to the
area, as well as some supporting documentation. Remember this may change
depending on your specific centre’s policies and documentation.
Area: Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness

Some related Policies:
• Administering First Aid Policy
• Incident Management Policy
• Infectious Disease Control and Unwell Children Policy
Some supporting documentation
• Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Form
• Completion of Regulatory Authority Form
• Illness Observation and Emergency Panadol Record
• Staying Healthy: Preventing Infectious Diseases in Early Childhood Education and Care
Services (5th)
Area: Infection Control

• Infectious Disease Control and Unwell Children Policy
• Infection Control Policy
• Health and Safety Policy
Services (5th)
• Emergency Management Plan
• Infectious Control Manual/Plan
• Illness Register
• Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Report
• Workplace Health and Safety Legislation

21
Area: Medical Conditions
• Anaphylaxis Risk Minimisation Policy
• Asthma Management Policy
• Diabetes Management Policy
• Epilepsy and Seizures Management Policy
• Medical Management Policy
• Medication Centre Policy
• Incident Management Policy
Services (5th)
• Medical Management Plan
• Medical Conditions Management Plan
• ASCIA Action plan
Area: Administration of Medication

• Administration of Medication Policy
The following policy may have links to administration of medication based to the individual
medical conditions of the child:
• Anaphylaxis Risk Minimisation Policy
• Asthma Management Policy
• Diabetes Management Policy
• Epilepsy and Seizures Management Policy
• Medical Management Policy
Some supporting documentation:
Services (5th)
• Medication Record
• Medical Conditions Management Plan
• Illness Observation and Emergency Paracetamol Administration Record

22
Area: Emergencies and Evacuation
• Emergency Evacuation Policy
• Lock Down Policy
• Dangerous Hazard Policy
• Incident Injury Trauma and Illness Form
• Evacuation Drill Report and Action Plan
• Lockdown Drill Report and Action Plan
• Notification of Incident, Illness or Circumstance
• Individual Emergency Evacuation Plan
Area: Collection of Children from Premises and Excursions

• Child Protection Policy
• Enrolment and Orientation Policy
• Excursions Policy
• Refusal and Acceptance of Authorization Policy
• Notification of incident, illness, injury or circumstance
• Enrolment records/form
• Collection authorisation forms

23
Area: Health, Safety and Wellbeing (anything not covered above)
• Supervision Centre Policy
• Working Directly with Children Policy
• Child Protection Policy
• Health and Safety Policy
• Working Directly with Children Logs
• Ratio Monitoring sheets/plans
• Supervision Plans
• Active Supervision Posters

24
Reflection
When developing a policy or procedure for a centre it can be

beneficial to think about everything that could possibly go
wrong. Think about the worst-case scenario! Think about your
centre’s fire evacuation policy as you read the following.
Write a list of situations that could go wrong and create
solutions for these. You never know if they could happen!
Eg. when updating your centre’s Fire Evacuation Policy, the

following should be considered:
1. What happened if it rains?

Is your centres evacuation point in an open grass patch at
the front of your centre? Is it in a car park with no shelter
from the rain? Do you have an alternative arranged?
2. What happens in extreme weather conditions?
Eg. Extreme Heat. Where do your children evacuate to? Is
it at the front of the centre near the road with no shelter?
You cannot expect to keep children in the direct sun on a
30-degree day. Evacuating to the front of the centre may
be a good initial response to group all the children, but
where will you go next? What if the centre is on fire and
you cannot go back inside? Is there an alternative
evacuation option?
3. Is your fire evacuation point at the front of the centre?
Do you really want the children to watch their preschool
burn down? How will this affect their emotional and
psychological development? Evacuating to the front of
your centre is a good first response, but you should plan to
evacuate the children further from the centre and have this
in your centre’s policy.
4. Does your evacuation point have toilet facilities for the
children and staff and access to clean drinking water?
Could your evacuation policy include evacuating all children

to the local RSL or Workers Club? Could you arrange for the
local OSHC to lend you their bus to transport all the children in
cases of an emergency?

25
Communication During an Emergency
As mentioned above in the following reflection, there are multiple worst-case

scenarios, but it is better to be prepared and have a plan, then be faced with
making one in the heat of the moment.
Think about your communication plan during a fire evacuation. You need to be
clear about who you will talk to, who you will tell and how parents/caregivers will
be informed promptly. Is every parent going to be called one by one on a mobile
device? What if you were a 150 place Early Education Centre, and you have
multiple families to call and inform about the evacuation. Some families will not find
out till an hour later.
Does your centre have an online system which they can use to instead send out a
universal message to parents, informing them of the evacuation and the
evacuation location? Does your centre use online learning programs such as Kindy
hub, Xplor, Story park etc, that could message families?
Does your centre have a Facebook Page? This can be a useful resource to inform
parents of the evacuation and to settle any worries or fears, that their child/ren are
safe. It can be a simple message such as
“Dear Families. As you may have seen, our centre has currently been evacuated
due to a fire in the bush next to our centre. All children and educators are well and
safe. Thanks to the quick response of our educators and emergency services we
were able to safely evacuate. We are currently contacting families as we speak to
inform them of our evacuation location. Thank you”.
Remember!
We live in a digital World and everyone seems to have a Smart phone. We do not
want families to see photos of the Preschool burning down before parents have
been informed. Therefore, it is important to have in your policies and procedures,
explicitly how you will inform families of the emergency.
Especially in School Aged Education and Care, most children will have their own
mobile phones and the abilities to text or call their parents. It is important that we
inform parents/caregivers of these emergencies before their children do.

26
Your Turn!
Take some time to look at these Emergency Evacuation

Policies and Procedures from different services.
The first Emergency Evacuation Policy and Procedure was

written in January 2014. Use your background knowledge
and research to explore what is missing, what information is
needed that cannot be seen in this policy and procedure?
https://www.therumpusroom.com.au/wp-
content/uploads/2014/01/Emergency-Evac-and-
Lockdown.pdf
The second Emergency Evacuation and Lockdown Policy

and Procedure is from the same centre; however, it was
updated in June 2017?
Are some of the missing elements that you identified in the

first policy and procedure now here in the updated version?
Can you identify anything else that needs to be changed or
added?
content/uploads/2014/01/Emergency-Evac-and-
Lockdown.pdf
Lastly this is the centre’s current Emergency Evacuation and

Lockdown policy and procedure.
content/uploads/2020/09/Emergency-Lockdown-and-
Evacuation-Policy.pdf
Can you see in these examples why it is so important that

policies and procedures are kept current and reflected on
best practice and current recommendations from
authoritative sources?
Is there anything else missing from this policy/procedure?
Check your ideas
You may have identified that:

- Does not have a review date of when the
policy/procedure will be reviewed;
- No clear version numbers;
- The centre may have another policy document that has
more sufficient detail about the policies;
- statement/objective/aim, but it is not on this document;
- No clear links to references/resources.

27
Established and authoritative sources of information including regulatory
requirements and government health guidelines and advice about health and
safety issues that should be used in informing service practice
Educators working in early education need to ensure that they access to authoritative
sources and regulatory requirements relating to guidelines abut health and safety issues.
Sources of current recommendations and legislation would include consulting:
• Education and Care Services National Law and

Regulations;
• Education and Care Services National Quality

Standards;
• ‘Staying healthy: Preventing infectious diseases

in education and care services 5th edition was
released in 2013 – please ensure you are using
the latest version. It is best practice for services
to use this resource to guide the policies,
procedures and practices in relation to health
and hygiene for children;
• Current standards and regulations in relation to

Safe Food Handling;
• WHS legislation and practice;
• Department for Health (state specific);
• Australian Food Safety Standards;
• Current MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets); and
• Centre’s Policies and Procedures.

28
Establish scope of own role and responsibilities in maintaining health and safety
from policies and procedures.
It is the responsibility of all workers to follow

health and safety policies and procedures in
the workplace. There are also policies and
procedures in place that guide and support
workers. Services are required to develop and
implement an alcohol and drug policy, return
to work policy and procedure and worker’s
compensation policy. Clear and relevant information regarding work health and safety
matters are required to be available to all workers at work at all times in various ways and
it is your responsibility to read and keep up to date. For example, via newsletters,
noticeboards in staff rooms, memos and formally during staff meetings.
Each individual Policy and Procedure will describe educators involvement in the
implementation process (eg. Staff at CRA will promote the importance of healthy eating
and physical activity by ensuring ….). Educators must therefore ensure that they take the
time to read individual policies and procedures, so they understand their roles and
responsibilities in maintaining health and safety.
Health and safety roles, responsibilities and interrelationships of different

personnel in children’s education and care services
All educators are responsible for ensuring that they are following all health and safety
policies and procedures. It is every educator’s responsibility to identify and inform the
Nominated Supervisor if any policies have been breached.
Nominated Supervisors/Approved Providers must ensure that educators have access to

policies and procedures that they can refer to during their daily practice. This can be in
the form of a folder on an information stand, an online program where all policies and
procedures can be located, or policies and procedures being located in relevant areas
eg. Nappy change policy/procedure located at the nappy change area. It is the

29
Nominated Supervisor’s responsibility to ensure that all
policies and procedures are reviewed annually and
updated when necessary. As mentioned above this
must be in collaboration with educators, staff, and
families.
Nominated Supervisors have a legal responsibility to

ensure that all policies and procedures are being followed by all staff in the education
and care service. If there are any breaches to these policies and procedures, the
Nominated Person can be heavily fined, incur loss of employment or even incarceration.
When the Nominated Person is not attending the centre, it is the Responsible Person’s
responsibility to ensure all staff are adhering to all health and safety policies and
procedures.
WHS Representative
As an educator you are required to identify, report/document and eliminate (where

possible) or minimise hazards. Depending on the number of staff employed by a centre,
you may have a WHS Representative (Work Health and Safety) and/or this may be the
responsibility of the Nominated Supervisor. The WHS Representative will be appointed to
an educator/staff member who has knowledge in Workplace Health and Safety and is
familiar with the service’s policies and procedures and current legislation. A WHS Formatted: Not Highlight
Formatted: Not Highlight
Representative for a service does not need any formal training, however they should
have adequate knowledge in WHS and principles of Risk Management. It is your
responsibility to ensure that any harms or hazards are bought to the attention of your
Service’s WHS Representative or Nominated Supervisor.
In the following chapter, we will be discussing in more detail how you as an educator
can ensure compliance and that all policies and procedures are being followed. We will
discuss the importance of encouraging and assisting colleagues to meet health and
safety requirements.

30
Terminology Related to Work Health and Safety
• PCBU: Person Conducting a Business or

Undertaking includes employers, sole traders,
associations, partnerships and corporations.
• Worker: any person employed, volunteer, labour

hire staff, apprentice, work experience student,
trainee, outworker, sub-contractor or contractor
working for a PCBU.
• HSR: Health and Safety Representative
• COP’s: Codes of Practice- provide guidance to assist eliminate or control risks under the
WHS legislation.
• Hazard: a situation or thing that has the potential to harm a person and may include
chemicals, slips, trips, falls, bullying, harassment and violence in the workplace.
• Risk: is the possibility that harm (death, injury or illness) might occur when exposed to a
hazard.
• Risk control: means taking action to eliminate health and safety risks so far as is reasonably
practicable, and if that is not possible, minimising the risks so far as is reasonably
practicable. Eliminating a hazard will also eliminate any risks associated by that hazard.
• Reasonably practicable: means that which is, or was at a particular time, reasonably able
to be done to ensure health and safety, taking into account and weighing up all relevant
matters.

31
Reading Time!
Please go to Safe Work Australia for more information about

work health and safety terms located at:
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/
NSW
https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/
ACT
https://www.worksafe.act.gov.au/
QLD
https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/
VIC
https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/
SA
https://www.safework.sa.gov.au/
NT
https://worksafe.nt.gov.au/
WA
https://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/worksafe
TAS
https://www.worksafe.tas.gov.au/

32
Work Health and Safety Legislation
WHS is governed by Acts, Regulations and Codes of Practice. Each level supports the
one above.
Act
Regulations
Code of Practice
The Act
The Model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Act came into effect on 1 January 2012. The
laws for each state and territory differ slightly but must follow the conditions set out in the
Act. The Act primarily outlines the work health and safety responsibilities.
Helpful Websites
Please follow the link for the Work Health and Safety Act for
more information located at:
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/law-and-
regulation/model-whs-laws
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-work-
health-and-safety-act

33
Reading Time!
Please follow the links to the WHS Regulations for information

on how to implement in an early childhood service located
at:
www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
regulation/model-whs-laws#model-whs-act
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/doc/model-work-
health-and-safety-regulations
Recommended Videos
Visit YouTube to watch the following videos on Workplace

Health and Safety
Workplace health and safety in Australia
The Regulations
The WHS Regulations provided further detail and expand on how sections of the Act are
to be implemented for daily operations at an early childhood service. The WHS
Regulations provide clear and specific direction on how to meet the requirements and
obligations of the WHS Act.
Code of Practice
The Codes of Practice are industry/trade/profession specific. Codes of Practice
contained detailed information on particular areas of an act or regulation. They outline
the activities, actions, technical requirements, responsibilities, and response to events or
conditions within the workplace.
Examples of codes of practice include:
• First Aid in the Workplace;
• How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks;
• Work Health and Safety Consultation Cooperation and Coordination;

34
• Hazardous Manual Tasks;
• Managing the Work Environment and Facilities;
• Labelling of Workplace Hazardous Chemicals;
• Preparation of Safety Data Sheets for Hazardous Chemical; and
• Managing Noise and Preventing Hearing Loss at Work.
Reading Time!
Please take a moment to read the above documents

relevant to your workplace located at:
regulation/model-whs-laws#model-whs-act
https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/resources-
publications/model-codes-of-practice

35
2. Monitor and
Implement Health
and Safety
Policies and
Procedures
Model and monitor compliance with service health and safety policies and
procedures.
What does Compliance Mean?
Compliance means following all the rules as

outlined in the legislation. Any actions which
break these rules are called ‘breaches’ or ‘non-
compliance’. As an educator it is your
responsibility to ensure you are always
compliant with the NQF. This includes the
National Standards, National Law and
Regulations and Approved Framework.
It is important that educators have an understanding of compliance and how it relates

to the National Quality Framework (NQF). Educators should develop the understanding
on how to identify potential non-compliance issues and report them according to the
service policies and procedures. Breaches in compliancy can relate to centres policies
and procedures. If an educator does not follow a policy or procedure, they are in breach
and therefore may be breaching legislation.
How to Model Compliance
As a leader, it is your responsibility to lead by example (eg. always emptying out water
play equipment when it will not be directly supervised). It is important to model a high
level of appropriate workplace behaviour including:

36
• demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement and lifelong learning;
• positive attitude to work tasks;
• respectful attitude towards management, even when you do not agree with
decisions made;
• ensure that all policies and procedures are implemented appropriately; and
• codes of conduct and ethics are upheld in the service.
As an educator in early education and care, it is important that all policies and
procedures are correctly followed to ensure the health and safety of all educators,
children, families and community members who enter the centre. As a leader, it is
important that you model to other staff how the consistently following these policies and
procedures on a daily basis.
This can be done by:
• be a good role model – model to educators

how to be compliant and follow all services
policies and procedures (eg. if your centre’s
nappy changing procedure says to wash your
hands before putting on gloves, then at the
completion, it is important that you follow all
these steps correctly);
• provide clear verbal direction to educators – engage in discussion about policies and
procedures (eg. “I noticed that you forgot to wash your hands before putting on your
gloves. I just wanted to remind you that it is a step in the procedure.”);
• provide them with clear, concise instructions;
• give constructive feedback using positive communication; and
• provide positive feedback.
How to Monitor Compliance
As mentioned above, you now have an understanding of what compliance means and
what non-compliance may look like in early education and care. It is important that as

37
a leader, you know what breaches in policies and procedures look like and the skills
necessary to monitor them.
The following strategies can be used to monitor educators/staff to see if they are
compliant with the services health and safety policies and procedures:
• Observation: Observe educators/staff and examine their practices. Are they

completing the steps correctly based on policies and procedures. It is extremely
important that when observing educators/staff and their practices, that if you
notice that they are not correctly completing something, that you are respectful
and provide them with constructive feedback. It is not always necessary to
approach your Director and notify them if it is not a server breach.
• Discussions: Engage in discussions with educators/staff about the centres policies

and procedures. Make this a part of your rooms daily practice – eg. complete a
daily trivia question based on the policies and procedures “Can you tell me all the
steps, in the correct order of our nappy changing procedure?”. Communication
with staff is extremely important and is a great leadership quality to have. If you
notice something that they are not doing correctly, don’t stew over it for a few
days, tell them right then and there and show them to correct way.
• Checklists: Checklists are a wonderful way to demonstrate to educators the correct

way of completing a task. Many daily practices can be made into checklists
(eg. hand washing, applying sunscreen to children,
nappy changing etc). These checklists don’t need to be
completed every time but can be wonderful for new
educators/staff that are unfamiliar with the centres
policies and procedures. Checklists can also be very
effective when policies and procedures have been
updated and educators need to learn any changes.

38
Encourage and assist colleagues to meet health and safety requirements through
regular communication and provision of up to date information.
Communication between colleagues is essential in ensuring that health and safety

requirements are met throughout the day. As a leader, you
can assist colleagues in meeting these requirements, by
engaging in discussions and providing them with
constructive feedback when you have observed that
something is not being completed correctly.
An example of using communication with colleagues to

ensure health and safety requirements are being followed, can be related to supervision.
Communicating and working as a team is crucial for effective supervision. It may be as
simple as a brief conversation, eg. during outdoor play, “I need to change Meeka’s
nappy; I will be inside can you please stand at the door”. This may be all the
communication needed. In the example provided, as a supervisor you would need to
determine what impact an educator leaving the outdoor supervision area could have
on the children outdoors.
Educators have a duty to exchange information about supervision with colleagues,

particularly to:
• ensure that there are no areas being accessed by children who are unsupervised
eg. sheds and storerooms;
• inform new and/or relief educators of the service’s supervision arrangements and
plans, explaining what they are required to do in relation to supervising children;
and
• ensure that supervision arrangements are flexible to allow supervision of individual

children or small groups eg. children who are sleeping while both indoor and
outdoor experiences are offered to children.
It is best practice for services to plan for the supervision of children in indoor and outdoor
areas, including supervision of nappy changing/toileting, and meal and sleep routines.
Supervision plans can be displayed indoors and outdoors to guide supervision
responsibilities, especially of new Educators and less experienced staff. Plans also
encourage Educators to use supervision as opportunities for interaction with children,

39
capitalising on teachable moments and collaborating with children rather than simply
watching children. Being aware of the position of other colleagues within the
environment is critical and is a practice for an educator that is required to be developed
quite quickly.
How to find up to date information
When policies or procedures are updated, it is the responsibility of the approved

providers or Director/Nominated Supervisor, to inform all staff of the changes.
Approved providers must ensure that all current policies and procedures are available
for inspection at any time when in operation. This generally looks like - all policies and
procedures being displayed in a display folder on an information stand in the centre,
that educators and families have access too.
Up to date information on health and safety requirements may also be communicated

in the following ways:
• informal discussions ie. one-to-one conversation;
• during staff meetings;
• through email or memos;
• newsletters or web/email updates;
• parent/staff/stakeholder information
meetings;
• brochures;
• enrolment booklets;
• displays/signage in a high traffic areas; and
• updated handbooks.

40
Identify and respond to issues according to service policies and procedures.
What happens if policies are ignored by Stakeholders?
As an educator, it is your responsibility to read and follow the relevant policies of the
service. Breaches in policies can have major implications for an organisation. Often staff
may be unaware of a policy. At other times, it may be deliberately ignored. The main
factor in both cases is communication. It is the managers/directors’ responsibility to make
staff aware of the policy and the potential consequences that could occur if it is not
followed. Consequences could be that someone could get hurt or documents could go
missing which would be inconvenient. More serious consequences could be injury or
death to a stakeholder.
If you have a concern regarding a centres’ policies and procedures, it is important that
you notify your supervisor immediately to discuss and remedy any breaches or
misunderstandings. If you do not feel you are being heard by your supervisor, you have
the right to escalate the issue to higher management.
What does non-compliance look like?
Non-compliance is the failure or refusal to comply with a rule

as outlined in the regulation. By not following these, you are
breaching or being non-compliant.
In the list below are some examples of what non-compliance

may look like in children’s services:
• leaving children unattended (breaching – providing a child safe environment);
• leaving water unattended (breaching – water safety);
• allowing children to use broken/unsafe equipment (breaching – providing a child

safe environment);
• not following sun safe practices (breaching – sun protection);
• not completing an accident repot when a child was injured at the centre
(breaching – incident, injury, trauma and illness);
• multiple cases of hand, foot and mouth are at the centre and parents and
authorities are not informed (Breaching – Dealing with Infectious Diseases);

41
• failed to check the ID of a new family member picking up a child that you have
not meet before (Breaching – Delivery of children to, and collecting of children
from the education and care service premises); and
• not providing children with access to clean, fresh drinking water (Breaching –
Nutrition, food and beverage, dietary requirements).
What do you do if you see something that is non-compliance?
If you notice a non-compliant issue, it is important that it is rectified immediately.

For example, you notice that some equipment is too close to the fence line (Breaching
– Providing a child safe environment). This should be
rectified immediately by moving the equipment to a
safer location. For non-compliance issues that cannot
be rectified immediately, you should report to your
Centre Manger, Director or Supervisor.
Who do you notify about non compliances?
For non-compliant issues, that do not require external services, they should be rectified
immediately by the educator. E.g. if you notice electrical cords that are accessible to
children, remove these cords and ensure that children cannot access these cords.
If you notice something that is non-compliant and you cannot rectify this immediately, it
is important to report this to your Centre Manger/Director/Supervisor. Your Centre
Manger can assist in rectifying this issue or organising
external services. A risk assessment of the non-
compliance needs to be completed if it cannot be
fixed immediately. If this issue it ignored by your
Centre Manger, it is important that it is taken to higher
management so the non-compliant issue can be
rectified immediately.
For any serious incidents that pose a risk to the health,

safety or wellbeing of a child, you must notify the regulatory authority within 24 hours of
becoming aware of a circumstance (Regulation 175(2), Regulation 176(2). e.g. Death of
a child.

42
For serious complaints in regard to a serious incident has occurred you must notify the
regulatory authority within 24 hours of any complaint alleging that a serious incident has
occurred while the child is educated and cared for or complaints alleging that the
National Law has been contravened. Eg. a child was locked in the outdoor toy shed for
5 minutes and has told the parent about this happening. The parent then made a
complaint.
What if you speak with your direct supervisor and they do not rectify the non-
compliance?
If this issue it ignored by your Centre

Manger, it is important that it is taken to
higher management so the non-compliant
issue can be rectified immediately.
The approved provider must take this issue
seriously as it is a breach of the National
Laws and Regulations.
If this issue is still not rectified, it is important that you make an official report to your
Regulatory Authority for your state or territory. It is recommended that management is
made aware of all non-compliances in writing to ensure that these are actioned and
protect yourself as an educator.
Helpful Websites
Visit the ACECQA for more information your Regulatory

Authority for your State and Territory:
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/help/contact-your-regulatory-
authority

43
Identify and report health and safety training needs to relevant supervisors.
As an educator, you are on the floor daily with the children and other educators and
you may notice gaps in training, that Centre Directors may not recognise. If you notice
gaps in training, it is important that you bring these to the attention of your Director, along
with some suggested training.
Professional Development
In early education, professional development is considered vital to the continuous

improvement of any service. Principle 5: Ongoing learning and reflective practice has
been incorporated into both the Early Years Learning Framework and My time and Our
Place and recognises the importance of educators staying up do date with knowledge
and skills.
Incorporating Principle 5 into the services’ policies and procedures and ensuring all staff
have access to ongoing training and professional development means that the service:
• maintains high quality;
• implements the latest research and

information;
• ensures all policies are up to date based

on latest information and regulations; and
• improves the safety for all children.
Failure to undertake ongoing professional develop may result in:
• staff being out of date with professional knowledge and teaching techniques;
• educators not being responsive to the learning needs of children; and
• services’ policies and practices being out of date and resulting in a possible
breach of regulations.
It is extremely important for educators and management to realise when knowledge

gaps need to be filled in. If an educator can identify a gap in their training that needs to
be filled, it is important that they bring this to the attention of their Centre

44
Director/Management team. The educator can then be provided with further training to
fill in this gap.
Some centres perform appraisals where an educator and Centre Manager sit together
and creates a Development Plan (Dev Plan). Here they brainstorm ideas on what types
of training the educator would like to complete to increase their professional
development. They identify these needs and create a road map on how to get there.
Staff Meetings
Staff Meetings are a great way to engage staff in Professional Development and to fill in
their knowledge gaps. Directors can provide their Educational Leader or Workplace
Health and Safety Officer with time to find information relevant to the training needs of
staff and to create a presentation that can be presented at the staff meeting.
Your Turn!
You noticed in the playground that with the warmer weather,
educators have been setting up water play, but have not
been directly supervising these areas. You have also noticed
educators not raking the sandpit.
Before approaching your Director, you discussed these

breaches with the educators, however you Director thinks it
will be great to talk about this during the staff meeting with
some other possible scenarios.
Your Director asks you to lead this discussion and to create a

PowerPoint presentation. What information would you
include?
Check your ideas

National Law and Regulations about water play.
Staying Healthy in Childcare information about Sandpit

https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/rep
orts/clinical%20guidelines/ch55-staying-healthy.pdf
Discussion points may include:

- Supervision Points
- Safety Checklists
- Risk Assessment for risky play
- Setting up equipment too close to fence lines
- Setting up balancing equipment

45
Complete and maintain accurate health and safety records according to service
policies and procedures.
In a policy, there is a procedure. Procedures often involves the completion of relevant

documentation. For example – in an Administering Medication Procedure, educators will
be required to fill out an Administration of Medication record (see below an example of
a Medication Record). This is an example of a piece of documentation that must be
completed relating to that policy and procedure.
Types of Documentation
There are different health and safety records that are compulsory and must be
completed relating to the National Law and Regulations. It is important that as an
educator you have an understanding of these records and ensure that they are filled out
correctly. Other health and safety records can include:
• Incident, Injury, Illness and Trauma Record;
• Medication Record;
• Administration of Medication record;
• Long-term/short term medical records;
• Asthma/Anaphylaxis Management Plan;
• Risk Assessments of play space (Supervision);
• Risk Assessments before excursions;
• Cleaning checklists – Room/kitchen/bathroom etc;
• Opening/closing safety checklists;
• Outdoor checklists;
• Nappy changing/toileting records;
• Food/beverage record;
• Sleeping record (cot room checklists);
• Sunscreen register;
• Working Directly with Children Log;
• Enrolment Form – Drop off and collection of children; and
• Emergencies and Evacuation Logs.

46
Each individual centre may have different health and safety records depending on their
individual policies and procedures. It is important that you have clearly read all policies
and procedures and have a clear understanding of what records are needed for your
centre.
Division 2 Incidents, injury, trauma and illness

87 Incident, injury, trauma and illness record
Division 4 Administration of medication

92 Medication record
Division 6 Collection of children from premises and excursions

100 Risk assessment must be conducted before excursion
Division 7 Transportation of children other than as part of an excursion

102B Transport risk assessment must be conducted before service transports child
102C Conduct of risk assessment for transporting of children by the education and
care service
pt.4.2-div.1
National Quality Standards

Quality Area 2 – Children's health and safety
Element 2.1.1, 2.1.2, 2.1.3,
Element 2.2.1, 2.2.2. 2.2.3
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/national-quality-standard/quality-area-2-
childrens-health-and-safety

47
Incidents, Injury, Trauma and Illness
Centres are required to have a written policy outlining the procedure for Administering
first aid and handling incidences, injuries, trauma and illnesses.
Below is an example of a record that can be used to record incidences, injuries, trauma,
or illness. This is available from the ACECQA website. It is important to remember that
each service may have a different record template, however all required information
must be present.
Helpful Websites
Take some time to review these centres policies on incident, injury, trauma and illness.
You can see in the policies why the above piece of documentation is needed.
http://thekindergarden.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Incident-Injury-Trauma-
and-Illness-Policy-2018.pdf
https://nidoearlyschool.com.au/docs/Incident-Injury-Trauma-and-Illness-Policy.pdf
https://teamkids.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/First-Aid-Incident-Injury-
Trauma-Illness-Policy.pdf

48
Helpful Websites
Take some time to review these centres policies on incident,

injury, trauma and illness. You can see in the policies why the
above piece of documentation is needed.
http://thekindergarden.com.au/wp-
content/uploads/2018/07/Incident-Injury-Trauma-and-Illness-Policy-
2018.pdf
https://nidoearlyschool.com.au/docs/Incident-Injury-Trauma-and-
Illness-Policy.pdf
https://teamkids.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/First-Aid-
Incident-Injury-Trauma-Illness-Policy.pdf
Helpful Websites
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/media/32166
Visit ACECQA’s website for a range of Risk Assessment

templates:
Risk Assessment and Management template- Excursions
Risk Assessment and Management template- Transporting

children
Risk Assessment and Management template- indoor and

outdoor environment safety checklist
Risk Assessment and Management template- Learning

Experiences plan – educators/teachers
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/media/22736https://www.acec
qa.gov.au/media/22736

49
Medical Conditions
Every centre must have a Medical Conditions policy (Reg 168) that provides for the
management of any medical condition that an enrolled child may have. The Medical
Conditions Policy must be followed (Reg 170) and be available for inspection upon
request (Reg 171).
Part 4.2 Children’s Health and Safety

Division 3 Medical conditions policy
90 Medical conditions policy
91 Medical conditions policy to be provided to parents
Division 4 Administration of medication

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
https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-2011-0653#ch.4-pt.4.2-div.1
In early education, you may come across children who may have long-
term medical conditions. These may include allergies, anaphylaxis
and asthma. It is extremely important that all educators and staff
members are made aware of these medical conditions and
individual medication plans are in place. Please refer to your previous
units on more information about long-term medical conditions.
Every child requiring the ongoing administration of medication or requiring emergency

administration of medication is required to have a plan written by their doctor, outlining
the steps to be taken in order to correctly administer their required medication.
These plans are required to display a clear and current photograph of the child; be

50
reviewed, as a minimum, every 12 months or as the child’s health needs change. Best
practice methods are to review the plans every three months to make sure the
information is relevant and up to date. It is also a consideration to respect the dignity
and privacy of the child and their family when displaying allergy/health information.
You may come across the following documentation in regards to your centre’s medical
conditions policy.
Asthma Care Plans
An Asthma Management Plan is a document usually completed by the child’s doctor

outlining the treatment and control of asthma. Centre’s will then complete their own
documentation, including the Centre’s Asthma Management Plan and a log for when
any medication has been given.

51
Helpful Websites
Visit National Asthma Council – Australia:
https://www.nationalasthma.org.au/health-
professionals/asthma-action-plans/asthma-action-plan-library
Action Plans for Anaphylaxis and Allergic Reactions
ASCIA Action Plans are medical documents that are completed by the child doctors. It
provides easy to follow steps for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including
anaphylaxis. Every child attending a centre who has Anaphylaxis must have an up to
date action plan. Centres will then fill out their own additional documentation with
regard to the child’s medical condition and administering medication.

52
Helpful Websites
Visit Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology

and Allergy (ASCIA):
https://www.allergy.org.au/hp/anaphylaxis/ascia-action-
plan-for-anaphylaxis
Administration of Medication
The administering of medication is governed by legislative requirements and policies.

In early childhood education and care, centres are required to have a written policy
outlining the procedure for receiving, administering and dispersing medication.
Please refer to your previous units for more details on different medication conditions.
Reading Time!
Please read the Education and Care Services National

Regulations Part 4.2, 92 - 96, 178, 181 – 184 Administration of
medication located at:
http://www.acecqa.gov.au/

53
Centres use medication forms to collect the information needed from the parent or
consenting adult (as listed on the child’s enrolment form) as well as the details required
to safely administer the medication. Below is an example of a Medication Record taken
from the ACECQA website. This template can be used by centres and adapted to suit
their individual situation.
Helpful Websites
ACECQA:
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/resources/applications/sample-
forms-and-templates

54
Helpful Websites
Take some time to review these centres policies on

Administration of Medication.
You can see in the policies why the above piece of
documentation is needed:
https://www.owfc.com.au/Childcare.asp?_=Administration+of+Medi
cation
content/uploads/2018/01/Administration-of-Medication-Policy-2017-
10.pdf
https://erinakindergarten.com.au/wp-
content/uploads/2020/02/Administration-of-Authorised-Medication-
Policy-2020-102.pdf
https://www.ecms.org.au/sites/default/files/ECMS%20policies%20an
d%20procedures/2.10%20Medication.pdf
Excursion documentation
Below is an example of an Excursion Risk Assessment Template taken from the ACECQA
website. This template can be used by centres and adapted to suit their individual. This is
another example of a piece of documentation that is necessary in regards to policies
and procedures. In chapter 5, we will be discussing excursion in further detail.

55
Transportation Risk Assessment Template
Below is an example of a Transportation Risk Assessment Template taken from the

ACECQA website. This template can be used by centres and adapted to suit their
individual needs. This is based on centre’s individual policies and procedures in relations
to transport of children.
Helpful Websites
ACECQA:
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/resources/applications/sample-
forms-and-templates

56
Drop of and Collection of Children from premises and excursions
All children’s services are required to have policies

and procedures in place to sure the collection of
children by authorised people.
Centre policies and procedures need to be

enforced to ensure the safety of children. Enrolment
forms need to be kept up to date with
parent/guardians contact details as well as those of emergency contacts. Only people
authorised by the child’s parents and/or legal guardians may give written permission as
to who can collect their child/children. Verbal permission is not an acceptable method
as it is hard to verify the authority of the person making the phone call or to determine if
the parent is making the phone call of their own free will or under duress.
If a person is unknown to centre staff but their name is on the collection authorisation list,
educators can verify their identity through photo identification eg. license or passport.
If there are any concerns or the centre was unaware of a change of routine, then it is
always a good idea to contact the parent/guardian to ensure the safety of the child.
Prohibited people- court orders prohibiting a person from collecting their child from care
need to be sited and copy kept confidentially on premises. If a prohibited person tries to
access a child, then the centre is required to follow the Lock-Down policy and procedure
to protect the safety of the children within their care.

99 Children leaving the education and care service premises
pt.4.2-div.1

57
Helpful Websites
See below an example of an enrolment form for an Early

Education Centre. Have a look at the information about
authorised people who can collect the child.
It is very important that all enrolment forms are filled out

correctly and are up to date so educators can clearly see
who is authorised to collect the children
https://bluebirdelc.com/wp-
content/uploads/2019/03/BLUEBIRD-enrolment-form.pdf
http://www.montessoriearlylearning.com.au/forms/Enrolment
_Form_2011.pdf
As you can see from the above enrolment forms, it is important that centres receive the
following information of people who are authorised to collect the child:
• full name;
• address;
• telephone – home, mobile and work; and
• relationship to child.
Helpful Websites
Take some time to look at the following Delivery and

Collection of children policies:
https://erinakindergarten.com.au/wp-
content/uploads/2019/03/Delivery-and-collection-Policy-
updated-100_2018.pdf
https://ecka.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Delivery-
and-Collection-of-Children-Policy-2019.pdf
http://www.loxtonpre.sa.edu.au/files/Policies/Delivery_and_C
ollection_of_Children_Policy.pdf

58
What happens when it all goes wrong?
As you have read in this chapter, there
are many different policies and
procedures with relevant documentation
that needs to be followed every day.
Below you will see a chart, with an
example of when a policy was not
followed. It is very important that policies
are followed, because when they are
not, there can be serious repercussions.
Have a look at the following scenario:

59
2.
1. Parents/Caregivers will be notified
Regulatory Authorities will be notified
A child (5 years) has left the premises of an
(You must notify the regulatory authority within
early childhood education and care service 24 hours of becoming aware of a serious
unattended and has been found by incident (Section 174 (2) (a) and Regulation 176
construction workers on a building site, 2 streets (2) (a).
away. Notify the regulatory authority of serious
incident online through the NQA IT System.
4.
3. An Investigation will be conducted.
All relevant documents must be completed: All relevant policies and procedures will be
(a) Serious Incident Form; and examined. All policies and procedures will be
(b) Statements from all educators checked to see if educators followed required
All relevant documentation must be collected. procedures.
Examples can include: eg. Regular head counting during the day.
(i) Working Directly with Children’s Logs; Counting children during transitions (from
(ii) Supervision plans/points; (iii) Educators outdoor to indoor). Ensure all doors are closed
qualifications;and behind them and handles cannot be assessed
(iv) Children’s Rolls – Educator to children ratio. by children. Ensuring no play equipment are
near fence lines that can be scaled by children.
5.
Checking Documentation
All documentation will be checked to ensure
that educators have completed all necessary 6.
paperwork and safety checklists. They will Educators will be interviewed to see if they
check signatures, dates, times etc. understand all policies and procedures and if
eg. Was the playground safety checklist they were followed.
completed to ensure that no play equipment Educators will be asked to explain ‘Why did this
was placed near the fence line for children to happen?’, ‘How did this child leave the
scale? Who signed this playground safety premises and was unnoticed?’
checklist?
Were all Working Directly with Children’s Logs
completed? Were ratios always maintained?
7.
Any breaches of policies and procedures will
have serious rectification
This can include but not limited to:
*Loss of employment;
*Sanctions and fines for the centre; and
*Criminal Charges and imprisonment including
manslaughter in the case of a death of a child.

60
Can you see why it is so important that you as an educator, following policies.
It is important that you protect yourself by ensuring that you are following all the centre’s
policies and procedures including completing relevant documentation. Sometimes you
might think that completing another piece of documentation is excessive, however,
documentation is designed for accountability purposes, to say that something has been
completed. This is why it is important that documents are signed and dated when
completed.

61
. Monitor Risk
Identify potential or actual hazards based on monitoring of children, activities and

physical areas.
During this chapter we will be discussing Risk Management and how to ensure the health,
safety and wellbeing of all children, educators, staff, families and community members
in the service.
WHS requirements in Early Childhood Education and Care

Services
Before reading chapter 3 please take time to read ACECQA’s 2021

Risk Assessment and Management tool. This is a new tool which
outlines WHS requirements for children services we will be
implementing in this unit.
Helpful Websites
Visit ACECQA’s website for a range of Risk Assessment

templates:
Risk Assessment and Management template- Excursions
Risk Assessment and Management template- Transporting children
Risk Assessment and Management template- indoor and outdoor
environment safety checklist
Risk Assessment and Management template- Learning Experiences
plan – educators/teachers
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/media/22736https://www.acecqa.gov
.au/media/22736

62
ACECQA’s Principles of Risk Management

63
64
What is a Hazard?
‘A situation or thing that has the potential to harm the health,

safety, welfare of people or a person at work’.
Biological causes such as infection, illness and disease are commonly spread through:
• Airborne droplets from sneezing or coughing;
• Body fluids such as faecal, throat and nose discharge; and
• Illness and infection.
Skin Contact
• With blood and body fluids; and
• With chemicals.
Ergonomics
• Sitting or standing for long periods of time;
• Equipment that is not fit for the task, eg. chairs that are too small;
• Manual Handling eg. repetitive bending, turning, twisting and lifting;
• Slips eg. slipping over on floor spills and wet floors such as bathrooms; and
• Trips eg. tripping over equipment on the floor.
Lifting – Hazardous Manual Tasks
• Incorrect manual handling techniques; and
• Repetitive lifting.
Bullying and Harassment
• Persistent ill treatment of an individual at work by one or

more people; and
• Threats, humiliation, stalking, sabotaging, insults, excluding colleagues and

unreasonable expectations beyond duty statement etc.
Chemicals
• Allergic reactions;

65
• Burns; and
• Flammability of substances.
Stress – Stress and fatigue will be discussed in more detail in chapter 5.
Temperature
Rubbish
Noise
/Waste
Environmental Slips/Falls/
eg. Weather Trips
Potential Hazards
in a Children's
Service
Lifting eg.
Chemical Manual
Handling
Building and
Equipment Stress and
Ergonomics/ Fatigue
Lighting Biological
eg. Illness,
Germs and
Infection

66
As an educator, you are required to look at your
environment from a child’s perspective. You have a
duty of care to each child attending your service.
WHS legislation, regulations and licensing standards
outline clear requirements to ensure the health and
safety of all by including building and operating
guidelines. As an educator you need to be vigilant
and aware that situations and factors within the
environment can change at any time. Even if you are
employed as a casual staff member for a couple of hours you still have a duty of care to
meet and need to be aware of your responsibilities, centre policies and procedures.
As an educator, you are required to identify, report/document and eliminate (where

possible) or minimise the hazard. Depending on the number of staff employed by a
centre, you may have a WHS Representative (Work Health and Safety) and/or this may
be the responsibility of the nominated supervisor. You also have a duty of care to ensure
that the report/risk assessment you have completed is followed up on and the hazard is
eliminated, or appropriate precautions have been implemented to prevent harm.
How to Find Hazards
Inspecting the workplace is a good place to start, take

notice of your surroundings at work. Regularly walking
around the workplace and observing how things are done
can help you predict what could or might go wrong. Look at
how people work, how equipment is used, what chemicals
are around and what they are used for, what safe and
unsafe work practices are happening as well as the state of
general housekeeping.
Hazards are not always obvious. Educators need to ensure that they are actively looking
for hazards or potential hazards in children’s activities and physical areas.
Risk assessments is one method used by educators to identify potential hazards and how
to minimise these hazards by putting protective measures in place.

67
Types or hazards found in children’s activities and physical areas:
• broken equipment – equipment is checked regularly;
• small equipment (not age-appropriate/choking hazard);
• equipment set up too high (falling hazard);
• hard surfaces under equipment (concrete under

balance balls);
• inadequate falling space around equipment;
• equipment set up too close to fence line;
• sharp objects found in play area/sharp edges;
• allergic reactions to food-based resources (lavender

playdough etc);
• spiders/vermin/pests found in play area;
• water hazards found in play area/children’s

bathrooms (spills are cleaned immediately);
• chemical hazards not stored correctly;
• all doors/gates are closed behind educators;
• all unused power points have safety plugs inserted and cords are not in reach of
children;
• inadequate supervision;
• equipment that children can potentially become tangled in/strangulation

hazards;
• tripping hazards;
• play areas with too many children (overcrowding);
• sandpits/garden beds/fence lines have dangerous equipment in them (broken

glass, syringes etc).
Pest/Vermin Inspections and/or Eradications
Every premises providing care for children needs to maintain records about the
inspection, treatment of pests and removal of vermin within the centre. Every service is
also required to have a ‘Pest/ Vermin Register’ in which staff would list any indicators of
pests such as: chewed packages, faeces, webs, sightings etc.

68
Strategies to prevent pests:
• keep kitchen and surrounds clean;
• put lids on containers;
• remove waste and rubbish regularly;
• remove all cardboard from food storage

area;
• check all incoming stock for vermin;
• store all items off the floor;
• report any pest sightings;
• only use a certified pest control agent;
• have a pest control schedule in place; and
• manage waste appropriately.
Simple Warning Signs in Children’s Services
To maintain a safe and healthy environment it is important that all within the environment
are aware of where potentially dangerous products are stored. Please see below a
number of signs common to children’s services and be aware that every chemical
used/stored within a workplace requires a MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) which
contains the correct storage details, usage directions
and treatment if required.
All areas where chemicals are stored should be clearly

labelled, locked and not accessible to children. Staff
rooms where educators’ personal belongings and
handbags are stored must also be inaccessible. Wet floor signs should also be used in
children’s services to ensure the safety of all and prevent slips and trips.

69
Potentially dangerous substances in children’s services could include:
• Poisons (eg. Mineral turpentine, weed killer, eucalyptus oil);
• Garden Fertilisers;
• Cleaning chemicals;
• Medication;
• Insect repellent;
• Sunscreen (if ingested);
• Hand sanitizer;
• Fly spray; and
• Matches/firelighter.
Assess the safety risk associated with the hazard according to service risk
management procedures.
Every individual centre will have a policy and procedure relating to safety risks and how
to manage them. This may be called a Service Risk Management Procedure, or it may
be called a different name. The Education and Care Service National Law requires
centres to ensure that every reasonable precaution is taken to protect children
(Section 167). Risk assessments are carried out to assess risks and to plan how they will be
managed.
Reading Time!
Please take some time to read the following

https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-
04/QA2_Risk_Assessment_Resource.pdf
Providing a safe environment
When caring for children in a childcare service/centre, the identification of possible

hazards in an environment is a great starting point in preventing injuries. It is essential that
educators are able to identify hazards and have the skills to control risks.

70
When creating an environment, it is important
to keep in mind:
• The environment is safe, secure and

friendly; and
• The children and families feel

comfortable and secure in the
environment.
Children, particularly young children, are prone to injuries for many reasons; these
include, but are not limited to:
• their lack of experience and knowledge about what is dangerous;
• their curiosity;
• their experimentation and desire for a challenge;
• an immature sense of some taste and smell;
• younger children’s, developing concepts and skills eg. spatial awareness, physical
skills, ability to judge and estimate and assess danger for positive risk taking; and
• their developing independence and self-help skills.
Ensure tools, equipment, the age of the toys and games are appropriate to the
child
It is very important for childcare educators to ensure that all equipment provided is age
appropriate and safe and secure for the children
within their care.
As childcare educators we can do this by:
• providing a range of activities that are safe

and secure for children in their age group;
• providing open ended resources and

materials to help children develop and grow;
• providing a wide range of resources, equipment and materials for the children to
use;

71
• making sure there is enough space, indoors and outdoors, for the children to
develop and grow; and
• communicating with the family in regard to the child’s interest, needs and
development.
Select, check and maintain equipment to ensure safety
Educators have a duty of care to protect children. Regularly checking equipment and
conducting risk assessments will help educators to determine what equipment needs to
be fixed and/or removed for safety reasons.
Once you have identified a potential or actual hazard,

it is important that the risk is assessed to determine its
severity eg. an educator set up the climbing frame too
close to the fence line. Can this be easily rectified or do
you need to complete a Hazard Identification Form?
In the above scenario, the educator can easily move

the climbing frame away from the fence line to the correct requirements. They can then
engage in a professional conversation with the educator and discuss the legal
requirements and safety precautions about fence lines and play equipment.
What is a Risk Assessment?
Below is a copy of a risk assessment grid. This grid is used to determine the level of severity
of harm, injury and illness. As a worker you may be asked to participate in a risk
assessment because you as a worker would have a greater understanding of hazards in
your work role.

72
Example: Risk Assessment Grid
When using the risk assessment grid, you need to consider the likelihood of an incident
and then the severity of the consequence if the incident occurred. The incident is then
given a ranking indicating the severity of the hazard, the higher the ranking, the higher
the risk.
A risk assessment involves making decisions about probability and consequences of

identified hazards.
Risk assessment involves determining the level of risk associated with each task so that
the actions to control the risk can be prioritised. The method of assessing risk involves
considering the likelihood and consequences of an incident occurring.
Likelihood
You can estimate the likelihood of an incident occurring if you consider the following
aspects:
• how often the action is undertaken;
• the number of people performing the same or

a similar action;
• the duration of time for which the action is

performed;
• distractions;

73
• the environment;
• the availability and use of equipment;
• the capacity and characteristics of the people in the environment; and
• the characteristics of the child.
Consequences
To be able to estimate the consequences of an incident, the severity of a potential injury
or illness that could result from performing a task can be considered. The grid below can
be used to help prioritise the risks.
How to use the matrix to find the risk rating
You can identify the risk rating by moving across the top of the matrix and down to the
likely hood. Please see video below.
Recommended Videos
Check out our quick video on

how to read and use the matrix:
How to use the matrix?
This is a general video which explains what a matrix is:

Risk and How to use a risk Matrix

74
What are control measures?
Control measures are the actions you can put in place to minimise or eliminate the hazard.
Below are some examples from ACECQA of control measures which are referred to as Hierarchy
of control measures.

75
Using a Risk assessment table
Below we have adapted ACECQA’s Risk management table to include a WHS risk rating
using the Risk Matrix. Have a look at the example of a hazard and how to use.
Risk Assessment Template

Consequence: Major (Fatality); Significant (Serious Injury/Illness); Moderate (Medical
treatment); Minor (First Aid;) Insignificant (No injury/illness)
Likelihood: Rare; Unlikely; Possible; Likely; Almost Certain
Risk Rating: Very Low (VL); Low (L); Moderate (M); High (H); Critical (C)
Risk Assessment
Area of Hazard Risk Assessment Control Measures/ Who When
Hazard/ Identified (use matrix) Hierarchy of Control
Activity Level 1: Elimination
Level 2: Substitution/
Consequence
Risk Rating
Likelihood
Isolation/Engineering
Level 3: Administrative/
Personal Protective
Equipment
Lego Toddlers Possible Major High Level 1: Toddler do not All Morning
choking on have access to Lego educators safety
Lego Families of Pre-schoolers check and
brought asked not to bring Lego afternoon
from home from home into toddler between
room in the morning rooms
Level 2: Substitution Duplo
CRA Template adapted from ACECQA (2021)
Safety Checklists
Most centres have created safety checklists which they complete prior to opening the
centre for the day to minimise the risk of injury occurring. Safety Checklists are a
wonderful tool that is used to assess risks and to minimise potential danger to others. If a
risk has been identified when completing the checklist and cannot be easily rectified,
then a Hazard Identification Form must be completed.

76
Helpful Websites
Please follow the link for ACECQA Indoor and outdoor

Templates:
Safety checklists form a guide to assist less experienced staff or to act as a reminder for
areas to be mindful of. The environment and items within it change over time and it is
important to observe any changes. Items and equipment deteriorate so we need to
check before use that they are still safe and will not cause harm.
As well as day to day hazards, we also need

to be concerned with those in the wider
environment which we may have more
limited control over. These include
drainage, parking, surrounding businesses.
Also, things like the height of fences
(min height of 1.2 metres required),
adequate soft fall and appropriate floor space to accommodate the number of children
in your care.
When examining the environment, as well as the

safety aspects we need to ensure that the
environment meets the children’s needs. Think about
the questions below which may help you evaluate
your environment:
• is there a balance between active and passive areas and activities?
• does the environment allow for the development of each category of play?
• is there adequate supervision to cover the whole environment and the number and
type of activities offered?
• are there a range of textures to explore?

77
• are all the dimensions of play included?
• is the environment stimulating?
• does the environment encourage exploration and independence?
• is there appropriate shade and shelter?
• is each area easy to access?
Children’s Activities
There are some activities which carry more risk than

others. As an educator you do not need to undertake
a risk assessment on all activities. Only those which
may provide an additional risk such as:
• water play;
• woodwork;
• cooking; and
• gardening/compost.
ACECQA have provided some reflective questions in their Risk Assessment and
Management Tool in relation to the physical environment and areas of practice.
Helpful Websites
Read the reflective questions related to areas of

practice and the physical environment in the
ACECQA Risk Assessment and Management Tool:
ACECQA Learning Experiences Plan:

78
Supervision Planning
Regulation 101 (2)(f): Supervision during excursions.

Regulation 115: Premises designed to facilitate supervision.
Regulation 168(2)(h): Policies and procedures are required in relation to providing
a child safe environment.
Regulation 176: Timeframes for notifying certain information to the Regulatory
Authority.
pt.4.2-div.1
As mentioned above in previous chapters, supervision is key in providing safe learning

environments for children. As educators we accept the responsibility of maintaining the
children’s safety. At all times we need to be able to see and/or hear children in our care.
To ensure we meet our responsibility to supervise children there are a number of methods
we can use to ensure this occurs. Individual centres will have policies and procedures
that addresses supervision.
Active supervision is all about:
• Being aware of the environment – do you know where the children’s hiding places
are? Do you know where the children like to play? Do you know where the high risk
play spaces are?
• Positioning – know where to place yourself for active supervision. Where can I best
position myself so I can supervise the children?
• Interaction with children and adults – how can you effectively interact with children,
while still using active supervision? Communicate with your team members if you
are leaving your supervision point for any reason.
• Scanning and Listening – using the methods of supervision (listed below) to engage
in active supervision)

79
• Awareness of group and individual dynamics – what age group are your
supervising? Do they need more direct supervision? Are there certain children in
your group, that requires shadowing or more direct supervision?
Risk Assessments and Supervision
To effectively supervise, educators need to complete risk assessments of the play

environments, so they can see which
areas, have more risks (eg. climbing frame
with a high balance beam will need more
direct supervision then the sandpit).
Educators must consider their
environment, the group of children in their
environment and the types of experiences
that are being planned for the children.
Risk assessments provides educators with

an understanding of the level of supervision required when completing experiences that
involves risk (eg. a high risk experience may be a woodwork experience where the
children are using hammers and nails. This experience will require higher levels of
supervision, compared to other low-risk experiences).
Supervision Plans
Some centres policies and procedures have implemented

supervision plans. Supervision plans are a map of the room or
yard with designated areas where educators must be at all
time. Supervision plans can be effective when used correctly.
Some centres, however, don’t allow for flexibility (eg. If no
children are in the area, the educator must stay there, even
though they have all moved to another area). If supervision
plans are used, it is important that educators use their
common sense and actively communicate with each other
and move to the areas where they are needed. It is

80
important that you are aware of where the children are at all times, and if they move,
you move with them.
When developing supervision plans, you should consider:
• what areas are considered high-risk and needs direct supervision (eg. waterplay);
• are bathrooms being supervised at all times;
• are there areas in the yard that the children can hide in and this needs monitoring
(eg. secluded areas);
• what experiences are being planned and set up (eg. woodwork etc);
• what is the age of the children using this play space? (eg. 0-2 years will need more
direct supervision in areas such as sandpits, where older children will not).
Set up and implementation requirements
Age groups
Children of different ages and abilities will need different levels of supervision.
Children from 0-3 years will need more direct supervision from educators then children
from 3-5 years. It is important when planning experiences, that you consider the age of
the children and the level of supervision needed (eg. if you were to set up a balance
area in the 0-2 years yard, you may require more than one educator to assist with the
children manipulating this equipment).
Areas
The approved provider of a centre-based service must
ensure that the education and care service premises
(including toilets and nappy change facilities) are designed
and maintained in a way that facilitates supervision of
children at all times that they are being educated and cared
for by the service, having regard to the need to maintain the
rights and dignity of the children.
Adjust levels of supervision depending upon the area of the

service and the skill, age mix, dynamics and size of the group
of children, and the level of risk involved in activities.

81
Reading Time!

Regulations for information about educator to child ratios
located at:
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/nqf/educator-to-child-ratios
The level of supervision offered must always meet regulations and legislative
requirements but at times extra educators may be required to meet the needs of the
children in your care. When supervising a childcare environment, we need to consider a
number of factors such as:
• consider the space – the required amount of area required for the number of
children;
• the number and type of activities available;
• the type of activities available- Are children able to complete the activity
independently? eg. digging in the sandpit; or will they require an educator to assist
eg. finger painting or high risk activities eg. water play, cooking;
• the ages/stages of the children in your care;
• ensure ratios are met and maintained – correct

numbers of educators are located in each area,
indoors and outdoors;
• meeting the requirements and ratios for mixed

age groupings;
• toileting and bathroom facilities supervised at all

times;
• ensure the correct ratios of qualified educators are on the premises during the hours
the service is open, and children are on the premises; and
• ensure educators with the appropriate first aid qualifications are on the premises at
all times during opening hours and when children are in attendance.

82
Activities
When supervising children, it is important to ensure that equipment, resources and
materials are age and stage appropriate. This will minimise the potential risk of injury,
hazards and emergencies. Being physically able to reach or be available to provide
physical support to a child may assist in reducing the risk of injury to children.
When planning experiences educators need to consider the safety and required level of
supervision for the activity/experience in relation to all the children within their care.
The equipment educators provide in an environment needs to be appropriate for all the
children accessing it. Thought needs to be given to how many activities require an
educator present for the children to participate in and an appropriate schedule needs
to be designed for the best educator ratios. Equipment needs to be arranged to
encourage supervision and to also be a practical and functional design which
encourages children’s independence and exploration.
When arranging your environment sit, lay or kneel on the floor and see how things look
from the height of the children in the room. Look at how stimulating and inviting
everything looks from that vantage point.
Reading Time!
Take some time to read the following documents

ACECQA – Active Supervision: Ensuring Safety and Promoting
Learning:
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-04/QA2-
ActiveSupervisionEnsuringSafetyAndPromotingLearning_1.pdf

83
Reading Time!
Take some time to read the following

Supervision of Children Policies:
content/uploads/2018/01/Supervision-Policy-2017-10.pdf
https://adventurepatch.org.au/wp-
content/uploads/2019/10/Supervision-Policy-Procedure.pdf
https://www.collardfamilykindergarten.com.au/uploads/POLICIES/S
upervision_Policy_LDC_V5.4.18.pdf
Inform relevant parties according to service procedures
Who is responsible for reporting hazards?
Anyone who identifies a hazard is responsible for the reporting of that hazard to the
nominated supervisor or Director.
How to Report a Hazard

As a worker it is your responsibility to
follow the early childhood or school age
care service policies and procedures for
reporting the hazard:
• learn as much as we can about

the hazard;
• observe;
• ask questions;
• examine documentation in order to identify the extent of the risk and hazards;
• talking to WHS representatives or workplace superior/director;
• liaising with others;
• completing appropriate reports;
• be realistic and use common sense! Assess the situation based on the facts and the
situation at hand. Is it realistic for you to deal with the situation? eg. if a cup of water
has been spilt would you mop up the spill and display a ‘wet floor’ sign or cordon
off and evacuate the area?

84
• ensure the health and safety of all involved and implement any immediate actions
for this to occur eg. displaying wet floor signs, evacuating an area, removing faulty
materials.
It is the reporter’s responsibility to complete relevant reports and pass them onto the
relevant person. It is then that person’s duty to determine the best course of action.
Once this is determined they need to communicate with all staff and people involved.
People involved may include staff, emergency services personnel, licensed professionals
eg. electricians, plumbers and/or families. The National Quality Standards state that
“the Regulatory Authority is notified of any relevant changes to the operation of the
service, of serious incident and any complaints which allege a breach of legislation”.
If your supervisor does not act to rectify the hazard remind them of their obligation,
ensure the hazard identification form is completed accurately, and notify the regulatory
authority in your state or territory.
A hazard identification form is only required when the hazard cannot be eliminated
immediately eg. wasp nest, spilled water on floor.
Here is an example of a Hazard Identification Form:

85
Template: Example Hazard Identification Form
Please report any potential risks or hazards using this form
Name of person
completing form Mandy Miller Date 2.3.2022
Signature
Name of person Time Date

identifying risk Mandy Miller 1.35pm 2.3.2022
Person reporting risk  Participant X Staff  visitor  other

________________________________
Nature of risk/hazard
There is a wasp infestation under eaves outside the outdoor storeroom. When
staff walk past to access the storeroom they may be stung by wasps.
Investigation (WHS or Training Manager - trainers if urgent)
Person Responsible Dili Marange Date

for investigation Received 2.3.2022
Position Director Date 2.3.2022

Investigated
Action taken to ▪ Make staff aware of hazard, verbally, written notice in communication
investigate the book and note in staff pigeonholes in staff room.
hazard/ risk ▪ Area visited and examined from a safe distance to see the level of
infestation
▪ Area roped off to prevent anyone accessing the storeroom
Outcome of Investigation
Action taken Date Actioned Signature
Area closed off until pest control arrives tomorrow 2.3.2022 at 4pm
to remove nest
Signage added to area around storeroom 2.3.2022 at 4.15pm
Pest control agent contacted to remove/ 2.3.2022 at 4.30 pm

exterminate nest after service is closed to workers,
children and families
Further action X Yes  No
required
Details of further action required Date Actioned Signature
Regular daily inspections of the outdoor area for 3.3.2022

insect nests or infestations to be recorded on
outdoor safety checklist before the service opens
each day and signed off by staff
Was hazard/ risk recorded in non-conformance

register? X Yes  No
Has this hazard caused an injury?  Yes X No

Has an Accident and injury report form been  Yes  No X Not applicable
completed?

86
Hazard identification provides us with information that MUST be recorded using:
• Internal Audit Information – Workplace Audit; and
• Workplace Hazard Checklist.
Once you have completed your risk assessment then the hazard needs to be addressed
in relation to the risk indicator scale. The report needs to be given directly to your
supervisor and to your health and safety representative (HSR). You have a responsibility
(duty of care) to eliminate or reduce the chance of harm to yourself or anyone else
entering the environment. If you identify a hazard you need to determine the best course
of action and seek guidance and advice from your representative.
Each workplace is required to have policies, procedures and guidelines for workers to
follow to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of all entering their work environment.
Documentation/Reporting Hazards in a Childcare Centre or Service
When reporting hazards, it is important to use common

sense and if it’s not a serious hazard then try rectifying
it yourself. Remember it all depends on the hazard!
For example, re-positioning equipment in the storeroom
to ensure that it will remain on the shelf safely or
cleaning up water spills as they occur, ensuring water
play is on the grass rather than a slippery surface such
as tiles.
Reporting hazards within the environment is a protection method that will help in
providing a safe workplace for all. There should always be a risk assessment form
available for workers to be able to clearly identify risks. When you complete the risk
assessment form, you then give this to your supervisor, and they are used by
management to rectify risks and ensure an ongoing safe environment for everyone.

87
Take action to eliminate or control the risk based on completed risk assessment.
Following Up from Findings of Safety Checklists and audits
If you, as an educator, are undertaking a safety checklist and you identify a risk or hazard;
you have a duty of care to act upon this. If the risk identified is easily managed, then you
are required to act to rectify the situation immediately.
If not, then you are required to conduct a risk
assessment to determine the impact that such risk may
have upon anyone entering the centre.
If the risk is a major hazard, then appropriate action

must be taken. For example, the centre is closed until appropriate action has been taken
to address the risk. For example, if the educator conducting the safety checklist identified
that a power point cover was missing, they would document this on the checklist and
comment that a replacement was found therefore eliminating the hazard. If, however
the educator noted that the toilets were not working and the bathroom was flooding
then appropriate documentation would be completed and the centre would not be
able to operate until the problem had been rectified.
Remember to use ACECQA’s Hierarchy of control measures to eliminate or minimise the

risk.

88
Contribute to
Health and Safety
Policies and
Procedures
Identify and use opportunities to maintain currency of knowledge about health

and safety issues.
In early childhood education and care, it is important that educators are aware of
current safe work practices in regards to health and safety. As leaders, Approved
Providers and Nominated Supervisors are responsible for ensuring that policies and
procedures are updated regularly to reflect current safe work practices and standards.
Currency can be maintained by ensuring that the most current version of Workplace
Health and Safety documentation is followed. This includes the most relevant:
• acts;
• standards;
• regulations; and
• best practice.
Approved Providers and Nominated Supervisor must inform educators, as well as families
and external agencies of any changes to health and safety policies and procedures.
These can include:
• sending out an email identifying the changes in the policy or procedure;
• having the new policy/procedure on display for educators/families to view,

highlighting the changes; and
• having a staff meeting with educators to discuss the changes in

policy/procedure.

89
How to keep up to date and maintain currency
As an educator you can maintain currency about health and safety issues, by using the
following opportunities to expand your
knowledge:
• attend training/conferences
provided by organisation;
• read information on work cover

website for latest health and safety
practices;
• use websites as a resource eg. kids

safe, cancer council etc;
• undertake accredited training;
• network with other organisations; and
• reading relevant journals and newsletters.
When checking on the most current information it is important to be aware of the content
and what information has changed/been adapted. When researching what
information is current you should look at:
• what are the current trends in the sector?
• have there been any changes to legislation and regulations? these must be
reflected in your policies
• what is the current recommendations/guidelines/advice that is coming from

recognised authoritative sources?
• how effective is the centres current practice? does it match all of the above?
Look through family/educator feedback, staff meeting minutes, relevant
documentation.
• has there been any changes to the centre, since the policy/procedure was last
written/reviewed (eg. change to the environment).

90
Identify and access information from credible and authoritative sources.
When conducting research into current guidelines and recommendations on health and
safety, it is important that you receive this information from credible and authoritative
sources.
What does credible and authoritative sources mean?
This means that the information is reliable and trustworthy because it is widely recognised
by experts in the field. A credible and authoritative source is a highly trusted place
(website)/person where people can collect information about a topic, due to the
extensive research involved in finding and collecting the information/data.
Below is a list of some credible and authoritative sources relating to health and safety.
Take some time to go through each of these websites and see what information they are
discussing to expand on your professional knowledge.

91
Reading Time!
Please read about the National Recommendations for

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviours for Infants &
Toddlers, Children, Young People and Adults
Located at www.health.gov.au
Please read Staying Healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in

early childhood care services located at
https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/reports/cli
nical%20guidelines/ch55-staying-healthy.pdf

Regulations
https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-
2011-0653#ch.4-pt.4.2-div.1
Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy.

Take some time to watch a video on how to administer
an EpiPen.
Located at: www.allergy.org.au
Visit Anaphylaxis Australia at: www.allergyfacts.org.au for more

information on allergies and creating safe environment
Visit also for information on plantings
www.raisingchildren.net.au
Visit National Asthma Council – Australia

https://www.nationalasthma.org.au/health-professionals/asthma-
action-plans/asthma-action-plan-library
Please visit these websites to support your practice and

knowledge about physical activity and sedentary guidelines
for strategies for children and adolescents (Please ensure you
check for your State or Territory)
located at:
www.goodforkids.nsw.gov.au
www.health.gov.au
https://healthykids.nsw.gov.au/
Please take some time to access information regarding

nutrition, healthy eating, physical activity, food allergies and
intolerances, religious and dietary requirements
located at:
Get Up and Grow: Healthy Eating and Physical Activity for Early
Childhood resources children’s nutrition requirements
Food standards ANZ
www.eatforhealth.gov.au
Code Of Ethics (ECA)

92
Reading Time!
Please visit the following websites for safe sleep

recommendations:
Red Nose.org.au
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/sids.html
Mandatory Reporting (please ensure you check

for your State or Territory):
https://reporter.childstory.nsw.gov.au/s/
https://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/
Australian Standards for Playgrounds:

https://www.standards.org.au/standards-catalogue/sa-
snz/consumer/cs-005
https://www.kidsafensw.org/playground-safety/playground-
standards/
Cancer Council – Sun Smart information:

https://www.cancer.org.au/cancer-information/causes-and-
prevention/sun-safety/be-sunsmart
http://www.sunsmartnsw.com.au/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAkuP9BRCkARIsAK
GLE8WEliWIl6w8ox9hihBC5ijKMIcjjrL33FfFaQBzEAqXslwt_Kxxn80aAgRF
EALw_wcB
Road Safety – Kids and Traffic:

http://www.kidsandtraffic.mq.edu.au/for-educators/
Body Safety:
https://www.bodysafetyaustralia.com.au/elc-service
COVID-19 and Early Education
Since the outbreak of Coronavirus (Covid-19) in 2019, early childhood education and
care services have had to update and add in additional policies and procedures to help
reduce the risk of infection and to keep children, families
and educators safe.
The Australian Government has brought in guidelines to

help early childhood education and care services.
These guidelines can differ depending on which State or
Territory you reside but have all been developed to
prevent and manage and outbreak our Covid-19. An increase in hygiene practices and
social distancing within services, are encouraged to prevent the spread. It is important

93
that educators receive their information from credible and authoritative sources in
regards to COVID-19 recommendations.
Reading Time!
Take some time to look at your relevant State

or Territory and the current Covid-19 Guidelines:
NSW
https://education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-
education/coronavirus/advice-for-services-and-
providers#Policies1
QLD
https://earlychildhood.qld.gov.au/news/covid-19-
information/service-information
Victoria
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/Pages/c
oronavirus-advice-early-childhood.aspx
Tasmania
https://coronavirus.tas.gov.au/families-
community/schools-and-childcare
SA
https://www.education.sa.gov.au/supporting-
students/health-e-safety-and-wellbeing/covid-19-
coronavirus/advice-schools-preschools-and-child-care-
services/oshc-and-child-care-services-covid-19-advice
WA
https://www.education.wa.edu.au/coronavirus-school-
update
NT
https://nt.gov.au/learning/early-childhood/early-
childhood-support-for-remote-children-and-families

94
Seek feedback from colleagues on health and safety practices and potential
issues through formal and informal communication.
Effective and continued communication

between colleagues will allow for information
to be shared and discussed, to benefit the
child/ren. In previous units we have discussed
different communication styles and methods
including a number of verbal and non-verbal
communication as well as formal and informal
strategies.
Seeking feedback from colleagues in regards to health and safety practices is extremely
important because they are on the floor with the children everyday performing these
practices. Educators perform these practices multiple times per day; therefore, they
have an excellent knowledge database on if the practice works successfully or if there
might be room for improvement. You can seek feedback by:
• engaging in informal discussions – discussion on the floor why engaging in the

practice;
• engaging in formal discussions – formal meetings, policies and procedures

development days;
• policies and procedure reviews – send out the document in an email and ask for
improvements;
• discuss the practices during staff meeting – ask for improvements;
• improvement jars – these can be from both staff and families; and
• adding improvement to your centre’s QIP.
Remember when seeking feedback to use effective communication skills. This sets the
foundation for a successful team because all staff feel valued and that their input in
important. When engaging in discussions with others remember to:
• use effective receptive and expressive communication skills;
• value differences in opinion and be respectful of these differences;
• be committed for achieving a positive outcome at the end of the conversation.

Listen to all points of view;

95
• work collaboratively together to solve problems and to create solutions;
• remember that body language is a big factor in a successful conversation;
• be mindful of the types of language used and your tone; and
• use active listening and respond appropriately in the conversation. Let them know
that you were actively listening to their thoughts and ideas.
Self-Assessment Tool and Quality Improvement Plan
The ACECQA Self-Assessment Tool and your centre’s

Quality Improvement Plan are two documents that
can be used to identify areas with your centre,
particularly in health and safety that needs
improvement. By using these documents to identify
these areas, you can then review and update your
centres policies and procedures to cater for these improvements. Educators and other
staff members are involved in creating these documents and identifying the services
strengths and areas for improvement. It is important that your colleagues are asked to
provide their feedback when creating these documents, so an authentic understanding
of the centre as a whole is created.
Reading Time!
Take some time to read the following documents

ACECAQ Self-Assessment Tool:
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/latest-news/acecqas-new-service-self-
assessment-tool
Quality Improvement Plan (QIP):

https://www.acecqa.gov.au/assessment/quality-improvement-plans

96
Use feedback and own critical reflection to contribute to the improvement of
health and safety policies and procedures.
Using Feedback to contribute to improvements
Once you have received feedback from staff, families and community members, it is
important that their thoughts and opinions are taken into consideration when making
improvements to health and safety policies and procedures. There is no point asking
someone for their feedback, if you are not going to take it into consideration, when
updating policies and procedures. Take time to go through the collected feedback and
organise the information. Look for patterns in suggestions for change and see if they can
be implemented.
When reviewing feedback from families and community members remember they
don’t have training in early childhood education and care. They might make a
suggestion that will breach Laws and Regulations and that does not reflect best
practice. Therefore, their suggestions for improvements might not be able to be
implemented (eg. Policy update on Behaviour Management – a parent suggests
that the centre brings in time outs, or a corner where children sit when they are
doing the wrong thing).
What is Critical Reflection?
Critical Reflection plays an important role in Early Childhood Education and in our
professional practices as educators. The National Quality Standards and the Approved
Learning Frameworks all require educators to engage in critical reflective practices.
Critically reflection is the process of making sense and meaning of everyday professional
practices and using skills such as higher order thinking to get there. It involves:
• thinking outside the square;
• using latest research and information to reflect on current practices;
• everyone collaborating their knowledge and experiences to promote change and

continuous improvement; and
• considering and creating new ways which support quality practices.

97
Reading Time!
Please refer to the learning guide called ‘What is reflection

and critical reflection’ for more information about why and
how educators use critical reflection and what makes for
meaningful critical reflection. Please ask your RTO for this
learning guide if you have not already received this booklet.
How can you use your own critical reflections?
Using your own critical reflections is a wonderful way to notice any areas in health and
safety within the centre that may need to be reviewed and updated. When critically
reflecting on health and safety policies and procedures it is important to consider the
following:
1) identify an area for improvement – the centre’s Sun Safety Policy;
2) gather evidence – why does this need to be improved?
3) engage in professional conversations with other educators – “Do you think our Sun
Safety policy needs to be updated?”
4) engage in research (credible sources) to see current recommendations and best
practice;
5) question and analyse the new information being collected;
6) ask yourself the questions – “Who will these changes benefit? Would anyone be
disadvantaged? Why are these changes needed? How do I feel about these
changes? Is this change significant or is it easy to implement?”
7) based on the information collected, ask yourself “Is the change necessary?”
8) take this information to your Director/Supervisor and discuss your suggestions for
change.

98
Critical reflection questions to consider in regards to health and safety
In regards to the National Quality Standards –

Quality Area 2 – Children’s Health and Safety
you may ask yourself the following questions.
These questions can be a starting point for
development/review of policies and
procedures:
• how do educators find out information

from families about children’s routine
experiences (eg. sleeping, toileting etc);
• how do educators collect, organise and

keep up to date information about
children’s medical health needs –
immunisation, allergies, anaphylaxis,
food safety etc;
• how do lead educators inform staff members of children’s individual health needs;
• how do educators maintain appropriate levels of hygiene in line with requirements

from Staying Healthy in Childcare;
• how do lead educators communicate with families if there is a disease outbreak at

the centre;
• how do educators ensure that they are familiar with guidelines and best practice
in regards to physical activity, sleep and rest and healthy eating;
• how do educators support mothers who wish to breastfeed while at the centre?
• how do educators identify potential

risks at the centre;
• how do educators identify, assess,

report and mange hazards that may
have a potential risk for the children;
• how do educators plan for and

supervise high-risk activities;
• how do educators conduct risk

assessments; and

99
• how do educators keep current in child protection and ensure that all staff know
their responsibility as a mandatory reporter.
These are just a few examples of reflective questions that you may participate in to see
if there are any improvements to be made in your centres policies and procedures
regarding health and safety.
Reflection
Think about what other types of questions you could ask

yourself and critically reflect upon in regards to health
and safety?
Implementing change
How you contribute to changes in

policies and procedures is very
important. You may notice that some
people are resistant to change.
This may be because they dislike the
idea of change, or they think that what
they are currently doing is working, so
why change it.
When suggesting changes to policies
and procedures, consider the
following:
• discuss your suggestions with your Director/Supervisor first. Let them know about
your ideas and suggestions;
• ask if you could discuss these changes in a staff meeting, where you can see if other
team members agree with the changes or if they have any other suggestions for
improvements;

100
• if a change has been identified, then it is important that it is acted upon. Ensure
that someone is assigned to adapting the policy/procedure;
• ensure your centre’s families/community members have the opportunity to also

have their voices heard before any official change is conducted; and
• once a decision has been made, ensure the policy/procedure is updated and all
staff and family members are notified when the new policy/procedure is released.
Monitoring changes
Once you have used feedback and your own critical reflections to contribute to the
improvements of health and safety policies and procedures, it is important that you
monitor any changes that have been made. When policies and procedures change, it
may take some time for educators and families to adapt to the changes. It is important
that they are supported during this process. Monitor the changes and reflect to see if
they are working. Sometimes a change in policy/procedure might look good on paper,
but once it is in practice, it may not work.

101
5. Manage Risk
for Excursions
Complete excursion risk management plan according to service policies and

procedures
Excursion Organisation
Excursions can be very exciting for children and Educators, but they can also be very
stressful. To act as an effective team Educators, need to clearly communicate with each
other as well as any volunteers they may have attending to help out. Maintaining
supervision of all children can be difficult in a new environment that may not be fenced
or secure. When conducting your risk assessment, it is crucial to give realistic scenarios to
possible risks and work out the adult: child ratio from this.
All Educators, staff and adult volunteers need to be aware of:
• who is in the leadership role/Nominated Supervisor;
• the route;
• the mode of transport;
• supervision requirements;
• what to do in an emergency/if there is an accident;
• who has the first aid kit; and
• the centre’s policies and procedures for excursions.
While on the excursion we need to monitor:
• children’s behaviour;
• adult to child ratios;
• hazards and potential hazards; and
• children’s safety harnesses/seatbelts.

102
Excursion Risk Management Form
An example of an Excursion Risk Management Form can be found on the ACECQA

website. This is a template that educators can use when planning excursions. Centre’s
can adapt this template and change it to suit their individual centre, however all
essential information must be included.
Helpful Websites
Please take some time to look at the Excursion Risk

Management Form on the ACECQA website
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/resources/applications/sample-forms-
and-templates

103
104
105
Your Turn!
Below is an example of an Excursion Risk Management

Form. This is an example of the Excursion Risk
Management Form that has been adapted to suit the
needs of a centre.
What information based on the ACECQA excursion

template is missing on this Excursion Risk Management
Form or is confusing to find?
Template: Sample Risk Management Form adapted to suit the needs of a centre
Excursions Risk Management Form

Name of person making Date
request
Position Date of excursion Age of
children
Excursion Requested and
details Where are you going and how will you get there. Details should be
provided
Reason for Excursion

This may be linked to children, family or community interests and
reflected in programming documentation.
Legal requirements for You need to check regulations for this section
excursion
Items required to be taken

on excursion List all items here
Excursion Risk Assessment (use Matrix provided)

Please give a rating for the likelihood of occurrence: Low(L), Moderate (M), High (H), Extreme(E)
Consequences: Insignificant(I), Minor (MI), Moderate (MO), Major (MA), Catastrophic (C)
Potential risks Strategies to minimise risk
Consider :
People—leadership, skills, experience, qualifications, physical fitness, tiredness, professional development.
Equipment and resources—clothing, quality, availability, PPE (personal protective equipment), vehicles
Environment—weather, height of cliff, nature of terrain, depth of river, width of road, amount of traffic, stairs at
venue, space for prams and wheelchair access, bathroom facilities
Activity Hazard Likelihood Consequences Elimination and control Who When

Identified measures

106
This section should clearly state each aspect of your excursion in the activity column e.g.- Catching
a bus, Walking, eating lunch, exploring museum and associated hazards.
Use the matrix below to clearly identify the likelihood and consequences
You will then list the control measures – What will you do to ensure the hazard is eliminated or
controlled- e.g. crossing at lights, walking on footpath, using an alternate low traffic route.
Who is responsible and when is important for accountability and ensuring that measures are
implemented.
Risk assessed This is signed by the person completing the form Date Current Date
by
Suggested
amendments to Recommendations by supervisor approving the excursion
excursion
Amendments implement by Name of person who implemented and date this Date
occurred
Signature
Excursion Approved  Yes  No Date

Approved by Signature This is signed by person
Name approving the excursion
Required  Yes  No
Documentation
List Documentation This is documentation you will need to take for example:
Plan and route
Children’s contacts
Allergies and medication forms
Post-Excursion Evaluation:
Recommendations This is completed after the excursion and used next time of planning.
for future excursions:
Recommendations Date
by:

107
Check your ideas
You might have identified the following:

• Pick up location and destination. This is included in
the same box as proposed activity and is not very
clear. Should have its own box and be clearer;
• Estimated departure and arrival times and duration
of excursion. his is included in the same box as
proposed activity and is not very clear. Should have
its own box and be clearer;
• Proposed route should be clearer and not listed in
documentation section;
• Means of transport – no clear identification place;
• No requirements of seatbelts/safety restraints;
• No number and full names of each adult involved in
the excursion;
• No number of educators and responsible adults;
• No number of children involved in excursion and
ration requirements (educator); and
• No mention of water hazards.

100 Risk assessment must be conducted before excursion
101 Conduct of risk assessment for excursion

108
Identify staffing requirements and allocation of resources according to service
policies and procedures and legislative requirements.
Communicating Responsibilities
Excursions can extend children’s involvement and experiences in the program. They can
expose children to new environments, ideas and experiences. For an excursion to run
smoothly it is important for all Educators to be aware of their responsibilities.
Reading Time!
Please read about the requirements for excursions and

excursion policy and procedure in the Education and Care
Services National Regulations (2011)
Located at ACECQA:
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/
https://www.legislation.nsw.gov.au/view/html/inforce/current/sl-
2011-0653#sec.102
Supervision on Excursions
When undertaking an excursion, it is important that all educators, staff and adult
volunteers assisting with the excursion are aware of their role and responsibilities
throughout the excursion. An effective strategy for ensuring this happens is to conduct
an excursion risk assessment and to hold a
meeting before the excursion to ensure that
everyone is aware of the possible risks and
strategies to implement to reduce such risks.
Please refer to the above Excursion Risk
Assessment.
There are no specific ratios for children while

attending excursions, regulations state that
minimum ratios must be met, and ratios are to be determined based on the risk
assessment. (eg. higher ratios will be needed if the excursion involved going near water
hazards).

109
Excursions must be conducted in a way that guarantees the health, safety and wellbeing
of all children. This means that there must be an adequate number of educators, and
where possible responsible adults. Generally, on excursions, educator to child ratios will
be higher to ensure adequate supervision of the children during the excursion.
It is important to remember, that supervision is not just confined to children.

Educators must ensure adult volunteers are also being adequately supervised during the
excursion. The number of educators on the excursion, must be adequate to also
supervise responsible adults on the excursions.
Policies and Procedures
A centre is required to have policies and procedures in place in relations to excursions

(Regulation 168 (2) – Education and Care Service must have policies and procedures in
relations to excursions, including procedures complying with regulations 100-102).
The policies and procedures must be followed by all educators, staff and volunteers.
These policies and procedures must include strategies for monitoring children and
accounting for them on the excursion. Regular monitoring must occur during the
excursion to ensure that all children are accounted for at all times.
The lead educator of the excursion must ensure that they hold the following qualifications
• current first aid qualification;
• current anaphylaxis management

training (this is usually embedded in first
aid, depending on your state or territory);
• current asthma management training

(this is usually embedded in first aid,
depending on your state or territory); and
• current CPR.

110
Resources needed for an excursion
Educators must ensure that they have carefully planned and organised for all resources
that may be needed on the excursion. This includes:
• fully equipped first aid kits (Regulation 89);
• mobile telephone with appropriate

network coverage (Regulation 98);
• emergency contact information of

parents/caregivers;
• emergency contact information of

emergency services or medical
practitioner - In case of incident, injury,
trauma or illness (Regulation 162);
• ensuring all children’s medication is bought in a locked box for children who
require this during the excursion. The child’s medical condition must also be
considered in the risk management plan (eg. asthma medication);
• completed risk assessment (Identified risks) – for transport and excursion;
• signed and dated permission notes from all parents;
• timeline/plan for the day – what activities will be complete at what time;
• information on transport – number for the bus/coach/train timetable;
• sun protection equipment – hats, sunscreen;
• children’s belongings (spare clothes, drink bottles, lunches, shoes);
• identification tags (centre’s name - do not include the child’s name for safety
reasons) for the children or a safety vest with the centre’s name;
• educator bag – personal equipment; and
• additional bag with additional resources – walking rope, baby wipes, story books,
tissues, plastic bags, spare bottled water.

111
Assess location, facilities and activities and identify potential hazards.
Assessing excursion location
Before going on an excursion, it is essential for the lead educator of the excursion to
assess the location and any potential hazards in the facilities or activities that will be
conducted.
This may include:
• going to the excursion destination prior to the excursion and assessing risks eg. if you
are going to a local park for a picnic, physically go to the park and record any
potential hazards you might see.
You may notice – a pond that you didn’t know was there. The park may be near a
road with no fencing. The park may have limited shade. It may have a playground
with high climbing equipment etc.
• ensure all of this information is in your risk assessment and you plan for these hazards;
• ring up the excursion venue and talk to a staff member about potential hazards.
Let them know you are planning an excursion as some venues have risk assessments
already made up for school excursions; and
• talk to other educators about the excursion. Maybe they went on this excursion
previously and have some suggestions. Just remember not to use their risk
management plan, as risks may have changed over time.
Educator Reflection
When I was planning an excursion to the Newcastle Museum with my Preschool
Children, I started my researching by looking on their webpage. Their webpage
already had a lot of information such as ‘School Programs and Tours’ and ‘Planning
your visit’. By looking at this webpage I already gathered a lot of valuable
information such as information on transport, lunch areas, bag storage and
photography. I had a talk to their Audience Engagement Staff and was sent the
Museums Risk Management Plan. I was able to see all potential risks and planned
for them accordingly.

112
Assessing excursion facilities
• assess facilities such as toilets and hand washing facilities. When planning an
excursion, consideration must be given on how the children will use toilet facilities
and where they are located. Educators must ensure adequate supervision of
toileting facilities and that they are safe (Regulation 109);
• educators must ensure that children have access to safe drinking water while on
the excursion (Regulation 78). This may include every child brining a drink bottle and
having access to filling bottles when they become empty;
• educators must ensure children have access to food and are offered this during
the excursion. Does the excursion venue have somewhere for the children to safety
have lunch/consume food (eg. lunch area);
• during the excursion health and hygiene

practices must be ensured when handling,
preparing and storing food (regulation 77).
Does the venue have somewhere for
educators to prepare food if needed
(kitchen). Most time it is important for educator to only bring food on excursions
that do not require refrigeration and are already prepared (e.g. Fruit salad already
made);
• does the excursion venue have somewhere for the transport to drop the educators,
children and volunteers off safety. Is there a coach/bus drop off and pick up zone?
• Does the venue have somewhere for the children to store their bags safety
(eg. bag cages).
Planning activities on the excursions
When planning an excursion, an important element is thinking, “What are the children
going to be doing when they are on the excursion”. Educators must carefully reflect on
what experiences and activities the children will be conducting and ensure that this is
reflected in the risk management plan.
Educators should take time to research the venue and look at what they have
available.

113
Educator Reflection
When I planned an excursion for my Toddler children to the Reptile Park, I ensured
that I carefully planned what we were going to be doing. I worked out a timetable
with how the day will be organised. I ensured that all educators and responsible
adult volunteers had this timetable, so they knew how the day was going to be
structured.
I started by looking at the Australian Reptile Parks showtime timetable to see what
time the shows and animal feeding will be on. I planned for these, as well as time
for morning tea and lunch. This way, we all had an understanding of how the day
would be structured and the day ran much smoother.

114
Obtain permission from families and communicate expectations for the child’s
involvement.

102 Authorisation for excursions
Before any child can attend an excursion, permission must be granted from families.
An excursion note must be provided to all
families of the children who may be attending
the excursion, and this must be signed, dated
and returned back to educators.
The excursion note must be very detailed and
outline to parents/caregivers the proposed
activities for the children and the
expectations of their involvement.
Provide Detailed Information to Families Regarding Excursions to Be Undertaken
The regulations state the following in regards to what information educators must provide
to families in relation to excursions. These include:
• Authorisations for excursions

The approved provider of an education and care service, including school age
care and family day care service must ensure that a child being educated and
cared for by the service is not taken outside the education and care service
premises on an excursion unless written authorisation has been provided

115
• The authorisation must be given by a parent or other person named in the child's
enrolment record as having authority to authorise the taking of the child outside
the education and care service premises, including family day care service, by an
educator and must state:
(a) the child's name;
(b) the reason the child is to be taken outside the premises;
(c) the date the child is to be taken on the excursion (unless the authorisation is
for a regular outing);
(d) a description of the proposed destination for the excursion;
(e) the method of transport to be used for the excursion (any requirements for
seatbelts or safety restraints under a law of each jurisdiction in which the
children are being transported);
(f) the proposed activities to be undertaken by the child during the excursion;
(g) the period the child will be away from the premises;
(h) the anticipated number of children likely to be attending the excursion;
(i) the anticipated ratio of educators attending the excursion to the
anticipated number of children attending the excursion;
(j) the anticipated number of staff members and any other adults who will
accompany and supervise the children on the excursion; and
(k) that a risk assessment has been prepared and is available at the service in
the days prior to the excursion taking place.
• If the excursion is a regular outing, the authorisation is only required to be

obtained once in a 12 month period.
Expectations for child’s involvement
Families must be informed about their child’s involvement on the excursion. This can
include informing them about:
• When the children must be at the centre

eg. ‘Children must arrive at the centre at 8.30am to prepare for the excursion, as
the bus will be leaving at 9.00am’
• What the children must bring (lists are really helpful here)
eg. ‘If your child is in nappies, please pack two additional nappies’
‘Please ensure they all have a hat, spare clothes, lunch and a water bottle’

116
• Informing families about collecting children
eg. ‘All families to collect children at the centre at the end of the day. Please do
not arrive at the excursion venue to pick up your child
unless it has been previously arranged’.
• All children are required to sit when on the bus.

eg. ‘No walking around and changing seats for safety
purposes’
• Inform parents about child restraints if necessary.
• No mobile phones or electrical devices (this is mainly

seen in school-aged care)
• All children will be required to listen to the instructions

from educators and volunteers.
Confirm insurance, volunteer credentials and transport requirements according

to service policies and procedures and legislative requirements
Confirm Insurance
You must be aware of your centre’s insurance policies in regards to excursions. Centre’s
must hold the following insurance in respect of the Education and Care Service
(Regulation 29):
• a current policy of insurance providing adequate cover for the education and care
service against public liability with a minimum cover of $10 000 000;
or
• a policy of insurance or an indemnity against public liability provided by the

Government of a State or Territory in respect of the education and care service.
Some insurances may not include when children, educators and volunteers are not on
the premises. Ensure that the centres insurance, covers for excursions when you are off
the early education and care services premises. Excursion venues will also have their own
form of insurance when you are in their venue.

117
Confirm Volunteer credentials
In New South Wales (NSW) volunteers should apply for a volunteer Working with Children’s
Check. Alternatively, if they hold a current paid Working with Children’s Check, this will
be accepted. All volunteers for excursions must be over 18 years of age. For requirements
in your State or Territory see the following websites:
Working with children’s checks and Police Checks

Requirements for each state or territory in Australia
Website for information and to apply for a working

State or Territory
with children’s check and/or your Police check
Australian Capital Territory Working with Vulnerable People Check

Access Canberra
Ph: (02) 6207 3000
Email: wwvp@act.gov.au (link sends e-mail)
National Police Check

Australian Federal Police
Ph: (02) 6140 6502
New South Wales Working with Children Check Office of the Children's
Guardian
Ph: (02) 9286 7219
Email: check@kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au
Northern Territory Northern Territory Government Working with Children

Clearance
Ph: 1800 72 33 68
Email: safent.police@pfes.nt.gov.au
Queensland Blue Card Services
Freecall: 1800 113 611
Ph: (07) 3211 6999
South Australia Department for Communities and Social Inclusion

Ph: 1300 32 15 92
Email: screening@dcsi.sa.gov.au (link sends e-mail)

South Australia Police
Ph: (08) 7322 3347

118
Tasmania Department of Justice
Ph: 1300 13 55 13
Tasmanian Police
Ph: (03) 6173 2928
Email: workingwithchildren@justice.tas.gov.au
Victoria Department of Justice and Regulation

Ph: 1300 652 879
Email: workingwithchildren@justice.vic.gov.au
(link sends e-mail)
National Police Certificate

Victoria Police
Ph: 1300 88 15 96
Western Australia Department of Child Protection

Freecall: 1800 883 979
Ph: (08) 6217 8100
Email: checkquery@cpfs.wa.gov.au
National Police Certificate

Western Australia Police
Regulations and Requirements associated with the transport of children in

vehicles.

102 Authorisation for excursions
pt.4.2-div.1

119
Before any child can be transported the
education and care service must ensure
the following under the Education and
Care Services National Regulations are
met. These requirements relate to:
• Policy and Procedures – centres

must ensure that their policies and
procedures relating to excursions,
clearly address transportation;
• Risk Assessments – a risk assessment must be completed, and any risks of the
transportation must be identified. This must include the safety, health and wellbeing
of the child. It will identify how risks will be managed and minimised. The following
must be considered:
- proposed route and duration of transport;
- proposed pick up location and destination;
- the means of transport;
- any requirements for seatbelts or safety restraints under a law of each
jurisdiction;
- any water hazards;
- the number of adults and children involved in the transportation;
- given the risks posed by transportation, the number of educators or other
responsible adults that is appropriate to provide supervision;
- where any items should be readily available during transportation (eg. mobile
phone, list of emergency contacts etc);
- the process of entering and exiting the education and care service premises
and the pick-up location or destination; and
- the procedures for embarking and disembarking the mean of transport (how
each child will be accounted for).
• Written Authorisations – as mentioned above, the centre must gain full written
permission from each family of the children attending the excursion. The families
must have a detailed understanding of how their child will be getting transported
to the excursion venue.

120
As an educator you may have access to a centre mini-bus that could be used for an
excursion. Mini-buses are generally used to transport children in family day care or
vocation care school age care services. It is important to stay up to date with the latest
legislative requirements to ensure the
safety of children.
All child restraints used in vehicles

need to meet the Australian
Standards. The RMS Roads and
Maritime Services offer a number of
training, information sessions,
pamphlets, posters and resources free
to children’s services and families.
National Child Restraint Laws

Age Requirement
Up to 6 Months • approved rearward facing restraint.
6 Months – 4 Years • must be secured in either a rear or forward-facing approved

child restraint with an inbuilt harness.
• Cannot be seated in front seat in a car with 2 or more rows.
4 – 7 Years • secured in a forward-facing approved child restraint with an

inbuilt harness or an approved booster seat.
• 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.
7 – 16 years • children aged from seven years old but under 16 years old who
are too small to be restrained by a seatbelt properly adjusted
are strongly recommended to use an approved booster seat.
• If the child is too small for the child restraint specified for their age, they should be kept in
their current 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.

121
Helpful Websites
Please check with the Roads and Maritime Services in your

state for the required restraints for each age group and
training.
• www.kidsafe.com.au
• Centre for Road Safety (Gov Dept)
• https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/
Coach Requirements
In NSW children under the age of 16, do not have to use

a child restraint or booster seat when travelling on a
coach. It is, however recommended that where a
restraint is available, that it should be worn by children.
Children are encouraged to wear seatbelts and to ride in
the rear of the coach.
Children age 1-7 years are recommended to bring their

own booster seat for their children, however buses over
12 seats do no have fixed anchor points or fixed child
restraints, unless it has been installed after-market by the
bus company.
Reading Time!
Please take some time to read

Kids and Traffic – Transporting Children Safely:
https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/early-
childhood-education/whats-happening-in-the-early-childhood-
education-sector/media/ece-resources/transporting-children-
safely/guidance-on-understanding-safe-transport-and-travel-
requirements-for-education-and-care-service-providers.PDF

122
Use intentional teaching techniques to prepare children for the excursion.
Planning an excursion is such an exciting time for both children and educators.
Excursions are a rich and meaningful way to extend on your educational program and
to create strong links with the community. When planning an excursion, it is great to
consider, ‘How does this excursion support the educational program?’, ‘What outcomes
might we achieve by planning this excursion?’
What Is ‘Intentional Teaching’?
Intentional Teaching is one way to get the children prepared for the excursion.
Intentional teaching is “deliberate, purposeful and thoughtful actions we take as
educators to support children’s learning”. Intentional teaching includes:
• planned experiences;
• spontaneous learning
opportunities;
• strategies such as physical and

verbal support;
• scaffolding;
• reciprocal scaffolding; and
• open-ended questions.
You can prepare the children by:
• planning a group experience about the excursion with important information on

what the children need to know:
- discuss how to exit the centre and the excursion venue safety – holding our
safety rope. Practice walking with the safety rope. Does everyone know how to
hold it correctly?
- discuss transport safety - how to sit safely in the coach e.g. we don’t take off
our seatbelt or walk around;
- how to safely enter and exit the coach – talk about walking up and down the
stairs and waiting on the grass area before holding onto the rope and walking;
- discuss with the children what they will be doing at the excursion venue.
Look at their website. Look at photos or videos. Get the children excited;

123
- if you are going to walk around in small group at the venue, organise the
children into their groups and get them comfortable with their peers.
- talk about what they would need to bring on the excursion – bags, hat, drink
bottle, lunch box and spare clothes.
• Spontaneous experience
A child started a conversation with you outside about the excursion venue and
asked a question about what you might see there. Use this as a learning opportunity
and research together what you might see (e.g. use your laptop to research what
types of animals the Reptile Park has – we might see spiders, snakes etc).
Minimise and manage risk by planning communication and collaboration

between educators and volunteers during excursion
Before going on the excursion, it is important that all educators and volunteers
understanding their roles and responsibilities on the excursion. This is essential so they are
aware of all risks and how to minimise and manage them. This can be done by:
• holding an excursion information meeting;
• sending each educator and volunteer an email outlining their roles and
responsibilities;
• talking to each educator and volunteer individually (e.g. talking to the family
member of pick up);
• arrange for a meeting 20 minutes before leaving for the excursion with the
educators and volunteers; and
• providing them with a copy of the risk management plan and discuss all risks and
how to minimise and manage them.
When planning an excursion, you must work collaboratively with other educators and
volunteers to ensure they are fully aware of their roles and responsibilities. This might
involve preparing them a little information pack on the day, or a lanyard that they will
wear on the excursion with any hazards they might need to be aware off.
Another strategy would be to get the other educators and volunteers involved in
preparing the risk management plan and identifying hazards. You might have a
volunteer you only went to the excursion venue a few weeks ago and they noticed

124
something that may pose a risk to the children. Work collaboratively with educators and
volunteers and be transparent in all the risks that may be associated with the venue.
Educator Reflection
When I was planning our excursion to Newcastle Museum, I was going to organise it,
so we walked around the excursion venue as a group. We had 20 children going
and I thought this could easily be achieved. After having a discussion with a parent
who went to the Museum recently, she informed me that they have heaps of
interactive games and it may be a bit hard completing these in a large group of 20.
Together we came up with an idea, that we were going to organise the excursion in
4 groups of 5 children. Each group was going to have 1 educator and 2 responsible
adult volunteers. Each educator and volunteer was provided with a lanyard, of
which children were in their group, so they could easily identify the children.
This made the excursion run very smooth, as the children were more calm walking
around the exhibits in a smaller group.
We hope you enjoyed this Learning Guide

and are now ready to implement your new
ideas and understandings into practice!
Want to know more?

Please see our recommended reading list for
additional readings on this topic.

125
Resources Guide
Resources related to the topic:

Early Childhood Australia E Videos:
Early Childhood Australia Association

www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au
Reading:
Education and Care Services National Law, Regulations and Standards

www.acecqa.gov.au
Websites:
ACECQA Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority. If links do not
open please google each organisation
www.acecqa.gov.au
www.allergy.org.au
www.asthma.org.au
www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au
www.epilepsyaustralia.net
www.foodstandards.gov.au
www.kidsafe.com.au
www.health.nsw.gov.au
www.immunise.health.gov.au
www.nhmrc.gov.au
www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
www.vicroads.vic.gov.au
https://roadsafety.transport.nsw.gov.au
http://www.sunsmartnsw.com.au/
Risk Assessment Resource – Control Management (page 72) taken from the ACECQA website
https://www.acecqa.gov.au/sites/default/files/2020-04/QA2_Risk_Assessment_Resource.pdf

126
Recommended Reading
Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) (2011). Guide to
the National Quality Standard. Canberra: ACECQA.
the Education and Care Services National Law and the Education and Care Services
National Regulations 2011. Canberra: ACECQA.
Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace

Relations for the council of Australian Governments (2009) Being, Belonging &
Becoming. The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Canberra: Commonwealth
of Australia

Becoming. Educators Guide. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia

127
References
the National Quality Standard. Canberra: ACECQA.
Australian Government- National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)

(2013), Staying Healthy: Preventing infectious diseases in Early Childhood and care
services (5th ed) 2013. Canberra: NHMRC

Becoming. The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Canberra: Commonwealth
of Australia

Becoming. Educators Guide. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia

Relations for the council of Australian Governments (2009) My Time Our Place:
Framework for school age care in Australia. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia
the Education and Care Services National Law and the Education and Care Services
National Regulations 2011. Canberra: ACECQA.

128

CHCECE041 Maintain A Safe and Healthy Environment For Children

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

CHCECE041 Maintain A Safe and Healthy Environment For Children

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Learning Guide

CHCECE041 Maintain a Safe and Healthy

This unit learning guide relates to the

CHC30121Certificate III in Early

Childcare Resources Australia

CHC30121 Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

CHC50121 Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care

Kool Kids Training College (RTO 40636)

© Childcare Resources Australia

© Childcare Resources Australia

© Childcare Resources Australia

© Childcare Resources Australia

© Childcare Resources Australia

© Childcare Resources Australia

When you see our reading icon, go to the document specified

When you see our computer icon, you will be asked to go to

Check Your Ideas!

© Childcare Resources Australia

2. Set yourself goals

4. I’m not getting this!

Here are some ideas to help:

5. I should be spending time with others

© Childcare Resources Australia

• Hygiene and Infectious Disease

• Incident and Emergency Management

• Determine health and safety policies and procedures of the service

• Monitor the implementation of health and safety policies and procedures

• Contribute to health and safety policies and procedures

• Manage Risks for Excursions

Please read these helpful documents throughout this unit,

© Childcare Resources Australia

•Learning Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

•Accident and emergency

© Childcare Resources Australia

On completion of this unit you will be able to do the following:

Unit: CHCECE041 Maintain a safe and healthy environment for children

Identify health and safety policies and procedures of the service.

1.1. Access health and safety policies and procedures.

Monitor and implement health and safety policies and procedures.

© Childcare Resources Australia

Manage risk for excursions.

© Childcare Resources Australia

Access Health and Safety Policies and Procedures

In simply terms, a Policy states what a centre will,

© Childcare Resources Australia

Policies are 'living' documents that should be

What Is the Difference Between A Policy and A Procedure?

• A policy is a written statement of intent.

• The day-to-day implementation of a policy is the 'practice' or 'procedure'.

• A policy has no value if it is not practiced or implemented.

• Policies should reflect your service's daily practice.

© Childcare Resources Australia

When developing a policy or procedure

• The Legal Requirements based on

• What will be your Stakeholder Involvement in policy development – Educators,

• Policies and procedures must be written simply and be easy to understand by

What should Policies and Procedures include

• Document Title – Name of the policy or procedure

• Policy/Procedure Statement/Objective/Aim – What is the aim of the

• Policy – How will this policy be implemented (procedures)

• Links to relevant legislation – Regulations, ACT

© Childcare Resources Australia

• Date the document was created - Date the Policy/Procedure was