Focus of the Month | QA1 Educational program and practice | QA5 Relationships with children | QA6 Collaborative partnerships with families and communities

1.1.3 | PROGRAM LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES

All aspects of the program, including routines, are organised in ways that maximise opportunities for each child’s learning.

1.3 | ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING

Educators and co-ordinators take a planned and reflective approach to implementing the program for each child.

The Department of Education, on their two-day visit to our service, recommended ongoing support of educator’s implementation and documentation of a thoughtful, deliberate, and meaningful program.

QA2 Children’s health and safety | QA3 Physical environment

2.2.2 | INCIDENT AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Plans to effectively manage incidents and emergencies are developed in consultation with relevant authorities, practiced, and implemented

Emergency Management and Communication Plan (EMCP) – blank copy attached

It is important that FDC Services identify potential emergencies that may be specific to their location and environment. Severe heat or heatwaves, also pose an immediate risk to babies and young children and require risk mitigation strategies to be implemented

– Emergency Evacuation Policy

Please ensure that you review your EMCP to ensure compliance with our policy.

Outings and Transport Permissions

The Approved Provider/Nominated Supervisor will ensure:

•  that a child is not taken outside the FDC residence/venue on an excursion unless written authorisation has been provided 

 If the excursion is a regular outing, the authorisation is only required to be obtained once in a 12-month period

 – Excursion and Outings Policy

 Reminder:

If your service operates:

•  5 days per week – 3 outings permitted
•  4 days per week – 2 outings permitted
•  3 or less days per week – 1 outing permitted

Focus of the Month | QA2 Children’s health and safety | QA3 Physical environment

3.1.2 | UPKEEP

Premises, furniture, and equipment are safe, clean, and well-maintained

Car Seat Safety Checks

THE EDUCATOR WILL:

• ensure child restraints, booster seats and seat belts are properly fitted and adjusted
• ensure child restraints, booster seats are safe, clean and in good condition

 - Road Safety Policy

• children up to the age of six months must be secured in an approved rearward facing restraint.
• children aged from six months old but under four years old must be secured in either a rear or forward-facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness

 Excursions and Outings Policy

QA4 Staffing arrangements | QA7 Governance and leadership

Focus of the Month | QA4 Staffing arrangements | QA7 Governance and leadership

Critical Reflection

7.2.1 | CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

There is an effective self-assessment and quality improvement process in place

Critical Reflection

The NQS promotes an outcomes focused approach.

As such, many of the elements and standards require education and care professionals to critically reflect on the decisions being made at a service level.

Exceeding Theme of the National Quality Framework:

Practice is informed by Critical Reflection across all Quality Areas

Key Questions when critically reflecting:

• What happened?
• Why did it happen? Contributing factors from all stakeholder positions considered. Include the environment if applicable.
•  Consider the policies and procedures, philosophy, code of
• ethics, guiding principles of the NQF, UNCRC etc.
•  What strategies am I able to implement to either replicate a positive outcome, or avoid repeating a negative outcome?

 Areas covered in the Critical Reflection format attached:

• Children
• Families
• Program – including your environment
• Community Involvement
• Business/Administration

7.2.3 | DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONALS

Educators, coordinators, and staff members’ performance is regularly evaluated, and individual plans are in place to support learning and development

Professional Development Session – Tuesday, 7^th May 2024

Topic: Critical Reflection Across The Seven Quality Areas

Time: 6pm

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89100391986?pwd=NE5JUEQrYlhkclVmKzh0ZHVHOXl4QT09

Meeting ID: 891 0039 1986

Passcode: 312472

7.2.3 | DEVELOPMENT OF PROFESSIONALS

Educators, coordinators, and staff members’ performance is regularly evaluated, and individual plans are in place to support learning and development

Learning and Development Plans  

They are to be displayed in your service as evidence of continuous improvement.

Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) - Key Improvement Area

1. Embedding the Revised Frameworks into our program and practice
2. Embedding sustainable practices driven by the children
3. Embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Perspectives