Excursion Policy (QA2) ✅

Woodlands - Excursion Policy 

Excursions enhance children’s learning by providing them the opportunity to participate in curriculum planned activities and experiences to extend on their skills and knowledge in a current interest topic. Our Service recognises that excursions provide opportunities for children to explore the wider community as a group and extend on the educational program provided.  

National Quality Standard (NQS)

Quality Area 2: Children’s Health and Safety
2.2	Safety	Each child is protected
2.2.1	Supervision	At all times, reasonable precautions and adequate supervision ensure children are protected from harm and hazard
2.2.2	Incident and emergency management	Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practiced and implemented

National Education and Care Regulations 

89	First Aid Kids
90	Medical Conditions
99	Children leaving the education and care service premises
100	Risk assessment must be conducted before excursion.
101	Conduct of risk assessment for excursion.
102	Authorisation for excursion.
122	Educator must be working directly with children to be included in ratios
123	Educator to child ratios - centre-based services
136	First Aid Qualifications
168	Policies and Procedures are required
170	Policies and procedures to be followed
171	Policies and procedures to be kept
172	Notification of change to policies and procedures

Related Policies               

• Incident, injury, trauma & illness policy
• Dealing with Medical Conditions Policy
• Emergency and Evacuation Policy
• Safe transportation of children Policy
• Providing children with a safe environment Policy
• Nutrition, food & beverages Policy
• Dietary requirements Policy
• Sun Protection Policy
• Water Safety Policy
• Sleep & Rest for Children Policy
• Acceptance & Refusal of Authorisations Policy
• Delivery and Collection of Children Policy

Purpose

To ensure that all excursions undertaken by the Service are planned and conducted in a safe manner, maintaining children’s wellbeing at all times in accordance with National Legislation. We believe excursions provide children with the opportunity to expand and enhance their skills and knowledge gaining insight into their local community.  

Scope

This policy applies to children, families, staff, management and visitors of the Service.

Implementation 

Excursions will be conducted with the children’s safety and wellbeing in mind at all times. We will regularly schedule incursions and visitors to our Service, however, if we feel an excursion will benefit the children we will adhere to the National Regulations and Service policies and procedures. 

Regular Outings

Regular outings means a walk, drive or trip to and from a destination:

• That the service visits regularly as part of its educational program; and
• Where the circumstances to the risk assessment are the same on each outing
• A new Risk Assessment for regular outings must be conducted periodically
• If the excursion is a regular outing, the authorisation is only required to be obtained once in a 12 month period.

Excursion Risk Assessment 

• Management must conduct a risk assessment that reflects national regulation 101 before an authorisation is required under regulation 102 to determine the safety and appropriateness of the excursion/incursion.
• A Risk Assessment must be conducted before each excursion to identify any risks that might affect the safety, health and wellbeing of children, as well as how the risks will be managed, with the exception of regular outings where a risk assessment is required to be completed once every 12 months.
• The Service will use an Excursion Risk Assessment.
• The Service will notify families about the excursion using an Excursion Authorisation Agreement.
• Families have a right to view the risk assessment prior to the excursion upon request in which the Service must comply with ensuring all information is available.

A risk assessment must 

• Identify and assess risks that the excursion may pose to the safety, health, and wellbeing of any child being taken on the excursion 
• Specify how the identified risks will be managed and minimised 
• Consider the proposed route and destination for the excursion and any water hazards 
• Consider any water hazards and include any risks associated with water-based activities.
• Consider the transport to and from the proposed destination for the excursion 
• Consider the number of adults and children involved in the excursion 
• Consider the given risks posed by the excursion, the number of educators or other responsible adults that is appropriate to provide supervision and whether any adults with specialised skills are required, for example life-saving skills, supporting children with additional needs
• Consider the proposed activities 
• Determine the duration of the excursion 
• Consider items that should be taken on the excursion, including but not limited to, mobile phone, emergency contacts, first aid kit, medical plans.
• Be updated when there is a change in circumstances relevant to the risk assessment for a regular outing. Changes include, but not limited to, route taken or location.

Parent Authorisation 

• Authorisation must be obtained from families or authorised nominees.
• The Nominated Supervisor must ensure that a child is not taken outside the Service premises on an excursion unless written authorisation has been provided.
• The authorisation must be given by a parent or other authorised person named in the child’s enrolment record as having authority to authorise the taking of the children outside the education and care service premises by an educator.
• Must be updated when there is a change in the circumstances relevant to a risk assessment for a regular outing.

The authorisation form must state:

1. The child’s name
2. The reason the child is to be taken outside the premises; 
3. The date the child is to be taken on the excursion (unless the authorisation is for a regular outing); 
4. A description of the proposed destination for the excursion; 
5. The method of transport to be used for the excursion; 
6. The proposed activities to be undertaken by the child during the excursion; 
7. The period the child will be away from the premises; 
8. The anticipated number of children likely to be attending the excursion; 
9. The anticipated ratio of educators attending the excursion to the anticipated number of children attending the excursion
10. The anticipated number of staff members and any other adults who will accompany and supervise the children on the excursion; 
11. That a risk assessment has been prepared and is available at the Service.

Transportation for Excursion 

• The means of transport must be stated on the risk assessment record and parent authorisation record. 
• The means of transport may mean: bus, train or car

If an excursion involves transporting children, the risk assessment must now also consider:

• The means of transport.
• Any requirements for seatbelts or safety restraints under a law of each jurisdiction in which the children are being transported.
• The process for entering and exiting the education and care service premises and the pick-up location or destination.
• Procedures for embarking and disembarking the means of transport, including how each children is to be accounted for.

Source

• The Business of Childcare, Karen Kearns 2004
• Education and Care Services National Regulation 
• National Quality Standard
• Early Years Learning Framework 
• Revised National Quality Standard
• ACECQA

Review

Policy Reviewed	Modifications	Next Review Date
May 2017	Minor terminology changes made	May 2018
October 2017	Updated the references to comply with revised National Quality Standard	May 2018
May 2018	Minor changes made to include ‘Incursions’ as the same process of risk assessment would apply.	May 2019
January 2020	Branding and formatting updated Policy links added Service-specific information amended not affecting the delivery of policy	May 2020
November 2023	Regular Outings added Regulations and Related Policies Updated Transportation section updated