Access to children policy.

Aims

• To ensure the safety of all children in the care of the centre.

• To ensure that appropriate access is granted to parents/carers of children enrolled at the centre.

Implementation

Both parents have full responsibility for their children until they reach 18, unless a Court orders otherwise. This is not changed in any way as a result of a change in the parents’ relationship, for example, separation or remarriage. If the relationship breaks down parental responsibility may be documented to clarify responsibilities in relation to the child.

• The Nominated Supervisor of the centre must ensure that any parent/carer of a child enrolled at the centre can contact the child at any time during the hours the child is at the service except where access to the child is prohibited by court order.

• Parents will be able to exchange information about their child with primary contact staff at convenient times for both staff and families on an ongoing basis.

• The Approved Provider of the centre must ensure that any video monitoring or surveillance equipment on the premises of the centre is not used to enable staff and children at the centre to be viewed from a place other than that centre.

• Any person that has been forbidden by court order from having contact with a child attending the centre must not be given any information concerning the child, must not be allowed to enter the centre while the child is attending the service and must not be permitted to collect the child from the centre at any time.

• If any person that has been forbidden by court order from having any contact with a child in attendance at the centre comes into the centre, the police and the child’s primary carer will be contacted immediately, followed by the Nominated Supervisor and Approved Provider.

Parenting Orders – are orders that the Family Court (or the Federal Circuit Court) will make when parents’ relationships break down and they cannot agree on the arrangements for their child. They change parenting responsibilities and stipulate which parent has what responsibilities. Parenting Orders may cover:

1. a child’s residence – who the child will live with (who has custody of the child). This person is responsible for day-to-day matters like discipline, going out, clothes and pocket money. Residency can be a shared arrangement.

2. A child’s contact arrangements - when a child may have contact with a non-custodial parent or anyone else who plays an important part in their life eg grandparents (contact can either be face to face, or by phone, letters)

3. Child Maintenance – who provides financial support for a child

4. Specific Issues –any other aspect of parental responsibility (this may include the day-to-day care, welfare and development of a child, issues relating to religion, education, sport, or other specific issue)

Parenting Orders by Consent/Parenting Plans – Where parents agree on the arrangements for their child despite their relationship breaking down, they can apply to the Court for a “parenting order by consent” or they can enter into a written Parenting Plan which records the agreed arrangement.

The Approved Provider and Nominated Supervisor will:

• ensure parents provide copies of any parenting orders or plans during the child’s enrolment

• request/remind parents to provide copies of any new or revised orders or plans

• ensure educators, staff and volunteers understand and comply with any parenting orders or parenting plans, in particular know with whom the child lives, who they may have contact with and any other specific legal rights and responsibilities set out in the documents. Services have a legal responsibility to ensure children only leave the Service with the permission of the custodial parent (or in accordance with the orders/plans)

• contact the custodial parent and if necessary the Police if a person who is not authorised to collect the child wishes to take the child and will not leave. The child will remain at the Service

The Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor and educators will not allow a parent to enter the service premises if they reasonably believe this would contravene a court order.

Source: National Quality Standard

Family Law Act 1975

Education & Care Services Regulation

Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia

This policy is the property of Eikoh Seminar Australia Pty Limited and must not be reproduced without the consent of management.