From ACECQA and the NQF
Starting Blocks
ACECQA announced the launch of a new website Starting Blocks
to help families, particularly new parents, make decisions about quality children’s education and care. Starting Blocks gives new parents and families trusted information on early childhood education and care, all in one place and highlights research that shows that children who experience quality education and care in the first five years, have improved brain function and health outcomes as well as better education and employment opportunities. Parents will find helpful tips on the Starting Blocks website for things to do at home and to encourage their child’s development. The website also provides helpful resources and translated fact sheets about the NQF. This includes fact sheets about educator to child ratios, managing children’s health needs in child care and nutrition in child care.
Regulation Reminder – OSHC Excursions
This reminder is in relation to a CCB compliance issue. Many services are now including excursion/incursion costs as part of their daily vacation care fee which allows families to be able to claim the CCR on the gap fee. However, services must be aware that there are some specific guidelines relating to this practice. According to the Child Care Services Handbook Section 15.5 –The total fee may include the cost of excursions or entertainment where they are not optional and form part of the standard care service provided in that week. Therefore, all children attending vacation care on the day an excursion/ incursion is planned, all families may be charged the additional cost as part of their fee for that day (e.g. $60 instead of the usual $40 daily fee). The practice of including the additional cost onto the daily fee does not apply if the excursion or incursion is optional for the
child attending on that day.
Record Keeping
Keeping accurate records of educators and children at a service is essential for transparency and accountability and a requirement of the NQF. But what is a record, how long does a service need to keep it and in what form? A record is an account kept in writing, or some other permanent form, that a service holds for a specific period of time. Records can be kept in hard or soft copies but need to be accessible by management and authorised officers if required. Child records must also be available to parents on request. More details can be found on pages 116 to 119 of the Guide to the National Law and Regulations. The ACECQA guide for keeping staff and children’s records, is attached at the end of this newsletter. Records are private and must be kept in a secure place. Requirements for confidential storage of records are at Regulations 181 – 184.
ACECQA Workshops
Educators and providers are invited to attend the 2015 Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority’s (ACECQA) National Workshops held throughout Queensland from 27 July-18 August. The free, practical, hands-on sessions are open to all educators and providers but are particularly targeted at services that have received a rating of Working Towards National Quality Standard or have not yet been rated. For more information, including locations, dates and how to book, visit the ACECQA website.
New Podcast Series on Documentation
National Education Leader, Rhonda Livingstone unpacks documentation in the new NQF podcast series. Documentation is an area many services are finding challenging. It is the key to assessing and monitoring children’s learning and is a powerful tool to make the process of learning visible to children, parents, educators and other professionals. Information can be found on why educators document, the relevant requirements, tips for improving your service’s approach and what authorised officers are looking for. Download each episode and share them with educators at your service – great PD tool!
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