Woodlands - Enrolment Policy
Enrolment and orientation is both an exciting and emotional time for children and families. It is important to manage this time with sensitivity and support, building partnerships between families and Woodlands. These partnerships enable the Service and families to work toward the common goal of providing quality care and early education to individual children.
National Quality Standard (NQS)
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Quality Area 6: Collaborative Partnerships |
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6.1 |
Supportive relationships with families |
Respectful relationships with families are developed and maintained and families are supported in their parenting role |
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6.1.1 |
Engagement with the service |
Families are supported from enrolment to be involved in their service and contribute to service decisions |
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6.1.2 |
Parent views are respected |
The expertise, culture, values and beliefs of families are respected and families share in decision-making about their child’s learning and wellbeing. |
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6.1.3 |
Families are supported |
Current information is available to families about the service and relevant community services and resources to support parenting and family wellbeing. |
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6.2 |
Collaborative partnerships |
Collaborative partnerships enhance children’s inclusion, learning and wellbeing. |
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6.2.3 |
Community and engagement |
The service builds relationships and engages with its community |
Education and Care Services National Regulations
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Children (Education and Care Services) National Law NSW |
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77 |
Health, hygiene and safe food practices |
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78 |
Food and beverages |
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79 |
Service providing food and beverages |
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80 |
Weekly menu |
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88 |
Infectious diseases |
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90 |
Medical conditions policy |
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92 |
Medication record |
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93 |
Administration of medication |
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96 |
Self-administration of medication |
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97 |
Emergency and evacuation procedures |
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99 |
Children leaving the education and care service premises |
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100 |
Risk assessment must be conducted before excursion |
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101 |
Conduct of risk assessment for excursion |
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102 |
Authorisation for excursions |
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157 |
Access for parents |
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160 |
Child enrolment records to be kept by approved provider and family day care educator |
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161 |
Authorisations to be kept in enrolment record |
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162 |
Health information to be kept in enrolment record |
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168 |
Education and care service must have policies and procedures |
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173 |
Prescribed information is to be displayed |
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177 |
Prescribed enrolment and other documents to be kept by approved provider |
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181 |
Confidentiality of records kept by approved provider |
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183 |
Storage of records and other documents |
Related Policies
Purpose
We aim to ensure children and families receive a positive and informative enrolment and orientation experience that meets their individual needs. We strive to establish respectful and supportive relationships between families and Woodlands to promote positive outcomes for children whilst adhering to legislative requirements.
Scope
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of Woodlands.
Implementation
Woodlands accepts enrolments of children aged between 6 weeks- 6 years of age.
In the absence of a birth certificate, the following can be used as acceptable evidence of a child’s full name and date of birth.
- Statement from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)
- Medicare card
- Letter from the doctor or midwife who attended the birth
- Doctor’s note attesting to a child’s age
- Passport
- Citizenship documents or Australia visa documents or Immicard.
In instances where foster carers don’t have immediate access to the birth certificate or alternative documentation, carers can use a copy of the court order relating to the child, or can request a letter from Child Protection as alternative identification evidence
Enrolments will be accepted providing:
- The maximum daily attendance does not exceed the licensed capacity of the service.
- A vacancy is available both for the booking required and the agreed number of children is in accordance with the licensing requirements.
- The adult to child ratio is maintained in each room.
Priority Of Access Guidelines:
The Department of Family and Community Services and Indigenous Affairs has set the priority of access guidelines for all children’s services eligible for child care subsidy. Every child care subsidy approved childcare service is required to abide by the guidelines that families will be informed of during the enrolment process.
The priority lists are used when there is a waiting list for the service or when a number of parents are applying for a limited number of vacant places. When families apply to join the list they are asked a series of questions to determine their particular circumstances. A scoring system is applied based on their responses. This determines their child’s place on the waiting list. As places become available they are offered to those highest on the list as stated in the guidelines above.
For children with a disability and/or developmental delay accessing the program, we request that parents provide us with contacts of professionals involved with the child to support their inclusion, full participation, and engagement in the program. Additional funding and resources may also be available to support your child.
As part of the enrolment process, we encourage a face to face meeting with you and your child to understand the needs of your child/children. We may request your consent to liaise with professionals involved with your child to plan appropriate support to enable their full participation and engagement in the program to support their learning and development.
The 'Priority Of Access Levels', which the Service must follow when filling vacancies, include:
- A child at risk of serious abuse or neglect.
- A child of a single parent/guardian who satisfies, or of parents/guardians who both satisfy the work/training/study test under Section 14 of the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Child Care) Act 2010.
- Any other child.
Within these three categories priority is also given to:
- Children in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families
- Children in families, which include a disabled person
- Children in families on low income
- Children in families from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
- Children in socially isolated families
- Children of single parents/guardian
Upon enrolment families will be informed of their priority and directed that if the Service has no vacancies and their child’s position is a priority 3 under the Priority of Access Guidelines, it may be required that their child leave or reduce their days in order to make a place for a higher priority child.
Woodlands Child Enrolment
When a family has indicated their interest in enrolling their child at Woodlands, the following will occur:
- Each family will be encouraged to complete our online enquiry form which can be found on our website www.woodlandelc.com or alternatively can be completed at the chosen Woodlands Campus.
- Each family will then be redirected to a link/booking page to book a tour of the chosen Woodlands Campus.
- On the tour families will be provided with a range of information about Woodlands and followed up with an email which will include our online enrolment form, orientation link and further information on: programming/curriculum, fees/payments, policies/procedures and each services team.
- During the tour each family is encouraged to ask questions and seek any further information they require.
- Each family are informed of the 'Priority Of Access Guidelines'. Any matters that are sensitive to nature, such as discussing a child’s medical needs, court orders, parenting plans, or parenting orders can be discussed privately if applicable. Each family will be required to bring any corresponding documents in relation to court orders, medical needs, or plans.
- Prior to commencing their child's first day families will need to complete a child care subsidy (CCS) assessment online to check eligibility and entitlements which can be completed online via the myGov app through to the Centrelink app.
- Each family is encouraged to book in two sessions of orientation (1 hour per session) where they are invited to bring their child to familiarise themselves with the environment and educators.
- It is a legal requirement that prior to the child starting at Woodlands we have all corresponding documents which include a completed online enrolment form, medical plans (if applicable), birth certificate or passport, immunisation history statement (from the Medicare app) and any court orders (if applicable).
- It is a requirement from the 'Family Assistance Office' that immunisation information is continuous. As a child receives a new immunisation an updated copy of of the immunisation history statement from the Medicare app will need to be emailed to the campus to update the child's enrolment record. Please note that children’s ‘green books’ are not accepted.
- Parents must notify the campus if their child has not been immunised via the enrolment form.
- Parents must complete the ‘Immunisation Exemption - Conscientious Objection Form’ as part of the Australian Childhood Immunisation Register process.
- It is the family’s responsibility to keep the campus informed of any changes to the information recorded on the enrolment record.
Woodlands Child Orientation
In collaboration with families during orientation at Woodlands we will:
- Review the online enrolment form information.
- Complete our 'parent partnership form' which outlines your child's individual educational and developmental goals.
- Set up each parent/guardian on our parent app (Xplor Home) on your mobile device which includes an explanation of each feature of the app.
- Set up direct debit details on the Xplor Home app.
- Share door pin access.
- Show parent/guardian how to sign in/out.
- Discuss any specific questions you may have.
Woodlands Management Responsibilities
- Each online enrolment form is completed accurately.
- Ensure that children's partnership information is uploaded on their enrolment form and each staff member is aware of where to locate each child's partnership information.
- Immunisation history statements are kept up to date.
- Ensure a CWA/RA agreement is arranged, child care subsidy (CCS) is confirmed and parent bank details are added.
Enrolment Record Keeping
Our Record Keeping Policy outlines the information and authorisations that we will include in all child enrolment records
Termination Of Enrolment:
All families are required to give four weeks written notice via email to cease their child’s enrolment. Once the notice has been sent a family will receive an email reply with 'End Woodlands Enrolment Information & Tasks' that will need to be completed by the family to end an enrolment.
Children are required to attend the notice period, or they will forfeit their Centrelink incentives and will be required to pay the full fee.
Source
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Review
| Policy Date Reviewed | Modifications/Updates |
| October 2017 |
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| May 2018 |
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| January 2020 |
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| June 2024 |
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