Woodlands - Enrolment Policy
Enrolment and orientation is 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 the Service. Such partnerships enable the Service and families to work toward the common goal of promoting consistent quality outcomes for individual children and the Service.
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 process that meets their individual needs. We strive to establish respectful and supportive relationships between families and the Service to promote positive outcomes for children whilst adhering to legislative requirements.
Scope
This policy applies to children, families, staff, management, and visitors of the Service.
Implementation
Our Service accepts enrolments of children aged between 6weeks- 6years of age.
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
The 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.
Enrolment
When a family has indicated their interest in enrolling their child in our Service, the following will occur:
- Families will be invited to come on a tour of the Service.
- Families will be provided with a range of information about the Service which will include: programming methods, menu, incursions, excursions, inclusion, fees, policies, procedures, sun-smart requirements, regulations for our State and the licensing and assessment process, signing in and out procedure, the National Quality Framework, room routines, educator qualifications, the introduction of educator in the room the child will be starting in and educator and parent communication.
- Families are invited to ask questions and seek any further information they require.
- Families are given a copy of the Parent Handbook, which outlines the Service operation and philosophy.
- Families will be provided with vacancies, start date, and a suitable time for the child to be orientated to the Service.
- Families are informed of the Priority of Access guidelines and have their position assessed as to how they place within this system. Any matters that are sensitive to nature, such as discussing a child’s medical needs, Court Orders, parenting plans, or parenting orders, will be discussed privately with management. Families will be required to bring any corresponding documents in relation to court orders, medical needs, or plans.
- Families will need to complete the enrolment form informing the management of their child’s interests, strengths, and individual needs.
- If a family or child uses English as a second language, or speak another language at home, we request that families provide us with some keywords in the languages the child speaks at this time so that educators can learn the words. Educators will furthermore use visuals to assist the child to understand and be able to communicate with others.
- Families will need to complete a Child Care Subsidy assessment online to check eligibility and entitlements to CCS which needs to be done through myGov website.
- Families will be invited to bring their child into the Service at a time that is convenient to familiarise themselves with the environment and educators.
- It is a legal requirement that prior to the child starting at the Service we have all corresponding documents including enrolment form, medical plans, birth certificate or passport, immunisation status, and any court orders.
- It is a requirement from the Family Assistance Office that immunisation information is continuous. Parents are reminded mid-way through the year to provide any immunisation updates to the Service in order to continue receiving childcare benefits.
- Parents must notify the Service 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.
- Families are required to provide current Australian Childhood Immunisation Register (ACIR) History Statement which shows that the child is up to date with their scheduled immunisations. The ACIR is a national register administered by Medicare that records details of vaccinations given to children. Please note that children’s ‘blue books’ are not accepted.
- Unborn children may be placed on the waiting list to avoid the unfair allocation of places that would occur if children could only be placed onto the list once born. If an unborn child is placed on the waiting list, then it is the responsibility of the parent to inform Management of the name and date of birth of the child within three months after the expected birth date. If this information is not provided then the child and family details will be removed from the list.
- It is the family’s responsibility to keep the Service informed of any changes to the information recorded on the application form.
Families will be asked to provide the following information:
- The full name, residential address, place of employment, and contact telephone number of a parent.
- The full name, residential address, place of employment, and contact telephone number of a person who may be contacted in case of an emergency concerning the child if a parent is unable to be contacted. Parents must nominate who can be contacted in the case of an emergency or for the collection of the child.
- The full name, residential address, place of employment, and contact telephone number of any person authorised to collect the child from the Service. Parents must nominate who can be contacted for the collection of the child.
- The gender of the child.
- Provision of care – if care will be a routine and/or casual etc
- Session start and end times
- Agreement on Fee information
- Any court orders or parenting agreements regarding the child.
- The primary language is spoken by the child; if the child has not learned to speak, the child’s family’s language.
- The cultural background of the child.
- Any special requirements notified by the family, including for example cultural or religious requirements.
- The needs of a child with a disability or with other additional needs.
- A statement indicating parental permission for any medications to be administered to the child whilst at the Service. Only a parent on the enrolment form can authorise the administration of medication.
- A statement indicating parental permission for any emergency medical hospital and ambulance services.
- The name and address and telephone number of the child’s doctor and the nearest public hospital.
- Excursion permission for regular occurring outings.
- The child's Medicare number.
- Specific healthcare needs of the child, including any medical condition including allergies, including whether the child has been diagnosed as at risk of anaphylaxis.
- Any medical management plan, anaphylaxis Medical Management Plan or Risk Minimisation Plan to be followed with respect to a specific healthcare need, medical condition, or allergy.
- Details of any dietary restrictions for the child.
- The immunisation status of the child.
- CRN for child and claimant.
- Birth Certificate.
- Child Care Subsidy Assessment confirmation
- Confirmation of enrolment
Enrolment Pack
Once the enrolment fee and bond have been paid, families will be provided with an enrolment pack which consists of:
- Current fee structure and payment details
- Parent Handbook
- Information on the National Quality Framework, National Quality Standards, and the Early Years Learning Framework
- ECA Code of Ethics brochure
- Lunchbox and Snack ideas
- Munch and Move Fact Sheets
The orientation of the Service
During the orientation of the Service, families will be:
- Given the Service enrolment form to be completed
- Provided with an outline of the Service policies which will include fees payment, sun safety, illness and accident, and medical authorisation
- Spoken to about the enrolment fee and bond
- Shown the signing in/out process
- Spoken to about appropriate clothing worn to the Service, including shoes
- Informed about children bring in toys from home
- Introduced to child's Educators
- Taken on a tour around the Service
- Discuss medical management plan and allergies completed on file (if applicable)
- Advised about the daily report and how parents can view this
- Introduced to the room routine and Service program. This included portfolios and the observation cycle.
- Informed about Service communication – meetings, interviews, newsletters, emails, etc.
- About Hats and Sunscreen
- Able to set Family Goal’s for their child
- Confirm the preferred method of communication
Management will ensure:
- The enrolment form is completed accurately and in its entirety
- Inform the Room leader of the new child who will be in the room, highlighting any medical conditions, interests, needs, and strengths
- Immunisation certificate and birth certificate have been sighted and photocopied
- The child is added to the Observation cycle
- The child is added to Service’s medical characteristics sheet and distribute (if necessary)
- Enrolment lodged with DEEWR
- File for Child’s information created
- Families are provided with an orientation survey to complete within the first 6 weeks of starting to gain feedback about the orientation and enrolment process.
- Child Care Subsidies explained to families
Child Care Subsidy
- Child Care Subsidy (CCS) replaces the Child Care Benefit (CCB) and Child Care Rebate (CCR) with a single, means-tested subsidy
- Families will need to complete the ‘Child Care Subsidy Assessment’ Task online through the myGov website.
- Child Care Subsidy is paid directly to providers to be passed on to families as a fee reduction
- Families will contribute to their child care fees and pay to the Service the difference between the fee charged and the subsidy amount
Enrolment Record Keeping
Our Record Keeping Policy outlines the information and authorisations that we will include in all child enrolment records
On the child’s first day:
- The child and their family will be welcomed into their room for the first day.
- They will be greeted by one of the educators who will show them where to sign in and out, discuss what is happening in the room, and show where the child’s locker is located.
- Management will ensure the orientation checklist has been completed and all required documents and information have been received from families.
Source
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Review
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Date Reviewed |
Modifications |
Next Policy Review Date |
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October 2017 |
Updated the references to comply with the revised National Quality Standard
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September 2018 |
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May 2018 |
Updated to comply with Child Care Subsidy changes. (Related changes highlighted in blue)
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September 2018
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January 2020 |
Branding and formatting updated Policy links added Service-specific information amended not affecting the delivery of policy |
September 2020 |
