In Focus

Regulatory Spotlight

Updated Guidance on the Use of Portacots  

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) recently updated its guidance on the safe use of portable/folding cots (also known as ‘portacots’). The updated guidance moves away from ‘short-term, temporary use’ as the guiding safety principle and instead emphasises the importance of setting up portacots properly, checking for signs of damage before each use and ensuring a safe sleeping environment.

ACECQA has now updated their sleep and rest legislative requirements web page and published the Policy and Procedure Guidelines to reflect the amended ACCC guidance.

All services using portacots should review their current safe sleep and rest policy and their procedures to ensure they align with these updates.

The Education and Care Regulatory Unit (ECRU) will continue to monitor sleep and rest practices to ensure the safety of children. This includes assessing the suitability of furniture to ensure practices are consistent with current guidelines.

First Aid Qualification Requirements

The Education and Care Services National Regulations 2012 (the National Regulations) outline the mandatory requirements for services in relation to first aid qualifications, anaphylaxis management training and emergency asthma management training.

From 1 June 2024, changes to the National Regulations in Western Australia will prescribe currency periods for first aid qualifications. The following information has been taken from the ACECQA website.

What does this mean?

The following qualifications are taken to be current if the qualification was attained or the training was undertaken within the previous three years:

• Approved first aid qualifications (except in the case of emergency life support training and cardio-pulmonary resuscitation training, which must be completed within the previous year to be taken as current)
• Approved anaphylaxis management training
• Approved emergency asthma management training

The certificate should state the date when the person completed the course and may also include information on recommendations for refresher training. The certificate may include multiple units of competency; however, currency periods apply to each individual unit of competency.

The industry standard is that first aid qualifications, anaphylaxis management training and emergency asthma management training should be renewed every three years and refresher training in CPR should be undertaken annually.

The Safe Work Australia First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice recommends that persons required to maintain first aid qualifications should attend training on a regular basis to refresh their first aid knowledge and skills, and to confirm their competence to provide first aid. 

Immunisation requirements at enrolment

In WA, all families must provide their child’s Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) immunisation history statement, dated within 2 months of enrolling at a child care service.

Services may only enrol a child who:

• has an up-to-date AIR immunisation history statement
• is following an approved catch-up schedule as indicated on the statement
• has a valid immunisation certificate issued or declared by the Chief Health Officer

or

• they are satisfied is exempt because of particular family circumstances (complete the Exemption Eligibility Form).

Services must report to the Department of Health, at the time of enrolling, a child who:

• is following an approved catch-up schedule
• has a valid immunisation certificate issued or declared by the Chief Health Officer

or

• is exempt because of particular family circumstances.

The Department of Health provides all child care services with a unique reporting link. If you are unsure of your service’s unique link or you are a new service provider, contact immunisation@health.wa.gov.au for support.

Families of children reported to the Department of Health are offered support to catch up on missed vaccines.

These requirements are governed by the Public Health Act 2016 (WA), the School Education Act 1999 (WA), and the Education and Care Services National Law (WA) Act 2012.

More information can be found here:

• Guidelines for persons in charge of child care services
• Childhood immunisation schedule (healthywa.wa.gov.au)
• Families can be directed to HealthyWA or their doctor (GP) for support
• Services can contact immunisation@health.wa.gov.au or 9222 2486

Upcoming Events

Did you know that you can access WA Child Safe Organisations Knowledge Hub for further information and free e-learning modules are available from the National Office for Child Safety.

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