Educator and management policy.
Roles, responsibilities, and expectations of educators and management at Eikoh Seminar Australia.
EDUCATOR AND MANAGEMENT POLICY
Including Educator Code of Conduct and Ethical Conduct
Aim
Our Service aims to ensure that positive working relationships are formed between all educators and management. Educators and management will at all times conduct themselves in an ethical manner and strive to make all interactions positive and compliant with the Service’s philosophy.
Ethical conduct guides the behaviour and decisions within the care and education setting and is founded in respect for and the valuing of children, families, educators, and the extended service community.
As providers of an Early Childhood Service, we aim to ensure that all staff show respect, honesty, integrity, inclusivity, social and cultural responsiveness while providing education and a safe and nurturing environment for the children in their care.
The centre community will uphold the highest standards in ethical conduct in accordance with the ECA Code of Ethics (2016) The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1991) (See attached at the back of this policy) and service philosophy and policy.
Educators will be familiar with the legislation and statutory documents that apply to their role with children, families, and other educators in the centre.
Educators will be familiar with the ECA Code of Ethics, service philosophy and centre policies. This will guide conduct and decision making within the centre.
Ethical conduct and decision making will occur with reference to legislation and statutory documents and through a process of critical reflection. Decision making processes will be clear and the service director/co-ordinator will be accountable for decisions and able to demonstrate how those decisions are made.
The Approved Provider and Nominated Supervisor of the service will ensure all Educators are made aware of their obligations through personal discussions, staff meeting activities and opportunities to critically reflect upon ethical practice.
The service community will work together in the best interests of the children and families and will act in a manner which will enhance the standing of the early childhood sector. This involves a full understanding of role responsibilities and obligations combined with collegial practice and collaborative decision making.
All staff will be expected to conduct themselves in an ethical manner as outlined in the Early Childhood Australia Code of Ethics (2016) (see attached at back of policy)
Code of Conduct
The Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor, educators, staff members, volunteers and students will uphold the following ethical conduct principles at all times, and promote positive interactions within the Service and the local community.
Commitment to our Service philosophy and values, including the promotion of a meaningful connection to the NQF and best practice in early childhood education in partnership with our families.
Effective, open, and respectful two-way communication and feedback between employees, children, families, and management.
Honesty and integrity in all interactions between children, families, employees, and managers.
Consistency and reliability in all exchanges with children, families, employees, and managers.
Commitment to a workplace which values and promotes the safety, health and wellbeing of employees, volunteers, children, and families.
Commitment to an Equal Opportunity workplace and culture which values the knowledge, experience and professionalism of all employees, team members and managers, and the diverse heritage of our families and children.
The Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor, educators, staff members and volunteers will
ensure their work is carried out efficiently, economically, and effectively. They will act in a professional and respectful manner at all times while at work, giving their full attention to the Service responsibilities and adhering to all Service policies, procedures, laws, and regulations.
act honestly and exercise diligence in all Service operations. They will carry out all lawful directions, retaining the right to question any direction which they consider to be unethical. If uncertain they can seek advice from the Nominated Supervisor, Approved Provider, or the Office of the Children’s Guardian.
consider all relevant facts and make decisions or take actions fairly, ethically, consistently and with appropriate transparency. If they are uncertain about the appropriateness of a decision or action they will consider:
whether the decision or conduct is lawful.
whether the decision or conduct is consistent with our policies and objectives.
whether there will be an actual, potential, or perceived conflict of interest involving obligations that could influence the business relationship or conflict with business duties.
comply with our Privacy and Confidentiality Policy when dealing with confidential information and records.
report (suspected) breaches of the code of conduct to a manager, preferably in writing.
include children and families in the decision-making process.
refrain from developing close personal relationships with children outside work.
refrain from using abusive, derogatory, or offensive language.
Comply with all service policies, including those which ensure our activities and environment are safe for children and protect children from harm, abuse, and neglect.
Examples of Appropriate Educator Interactions
positive, trustworthy, and co-operative relationships with team members.
respectful, courteous, and empathetic communications and behaviours.
complying with Service grievance procedures and resolving workplace conflicts where possible directly with the person concerned, and never through gossip or by including people who are not involved in the issue.
valuing cultural differences, diverse viewpoints, and unique contributions.
looking for and supporting educators’ strengths not weaknesses.
sharing professional resources, knowledge, and information.
supporting others to meet their professional development goals and needs.
recognising the professional achievements of others.
sharing information, experiences and expertise about children and families at the Service with team members to enhance children’s learning and development.
actively participating in regular meetings at the Service to discuss professional issues and problems.
updating team members about meeting outcomes or workplace issues if they have been absent.
sharing the workload equitably with team members.
using the Educator’s Communication Diaries or the centres App (staff message board) to communicate messages where shifts make it difficult to convey information face-to-face. These means will ensure all educators are informed on important matters. It is the educator’s responsibility to check the Diaries/ App.
The Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor, educators, staff members and volunteers will not
engage in conduct that is detrimental to the professional standing of our Service, is improper or unethical, is an abuse of power, or harasses, discriminates against, victimises, humiliates, intimidates, or threatens other educators, staff members, volunteers, or visitors at the Service, either directly or indirectly via information technology such as email, text, or social media. Additionally, they will not support those who do this.
accept gifts which exceed $30 in value. If this occurs in circumstances where the gift cannot reasonably be refused or returned, the gift will be immediately disclosed to the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor. Modest gifts or benefits valued less than $30 may be accepted if they do not create a sense of obligation, are conducted transparently and there are no conflicts of interest.
accept an offer of money, regardless of the amount.
seek or accept a bribe.
acquire personal profit or advantage because of their position (e.g., through the use of Service information).
convert any property of the Service to their own use unless properly authorised.
approach other employees, managers, or visitors directly on individual matters that do not concern them.
engage in any action in breach of our Privacy and Confidentiality Policy, including but not limited to disclosure of confidential Service or customer information, or the improper or illegal use of that confidential information. Confidential information will only be accessed by authorised persons for the purpose intended.
engage in or support any action in breach of our Digital Technology, Social Media and EIKOH Child Care Centre App Policy, including the use of communication media to search for, download, access, transmit or store any material of an offensive, obscene, pornographic, threatening, or abusive nature.
drink alcohol or use illicit substances on the Service’s premises or come to the Service under their influence.
smoke on the Service’s premises including in the car park.
show favouritism towards any child.
Families, visitors, and children will
treat all children at the service equally and respectfully.
report any suspicious behaviour to the Nominated Supervisor or Approved Provider and encourage a safe and supportive Service environment.
respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person, regardless of their abilities, gender, religion, or cultural background.
refrain from bullying, harassing, or discriminating against any child or adult at the Service.
respect the decisions of educators and staff members and teach children (if adults) to do likewise.
tell an educator (if a child) or the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor if we see any instances of bullying, harassment, or discrimination at the Service.
cooperate and follow classroom rules.
listen to educators’ instructions and follow them.
control our emotions and talk to an educator (if a child) if we are feeling upset.
speak to an educator (if a child) or the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor if we are worried, concerned or have a grievance about something.
Families and visitors will not
drink alcohol or use illicit substances while on the service’s premises or come to the Service under their influence.
smoke on the service’s premises including in the car park.
have physical contact with children at the service that are not their own unless a staff member is present.
Babysitting
To ensure private babysitting arrangements do not adversely affect the reputation of the service or affect an employee’s ability to implement their responsibilities in a professional manner in line with our Code of Conduct, employees must obtain the Nominated Supervisor’s approval before caring for other people’s children outside the service. Babysitting is discouraged by the service.
Management Responsibilities
In our service the Approved Provider and the Nominated Supervisor are responsible for:
supporting the Nominated Supervisor or Approved Provider, Responsible Persons, Educational Leader, Room Leaders, and educators in their role.
keeping all service families up to date with relevant issues.
recruiting and selecting educators and other staff members.
ensuring educators and staff members have the correct qualifications.
ensuring educator ratio and qualification requirements are met.
ensuring all educators and staff understand their responsibilities under the education and care law and regulations, the National Quality Framework, the Early Years Learning Framework.
developing the service policies and ensuring all educators follow our policies and procedures.
ensuring all educators, staff, visitors, and volunteers are aware of and comply with our Code of Conduct.
investigating and managing grievances from educators, staff members, families, or volunteers (including incidents of workplace bullying) in accordance with our Grievance Guidelines.
implementing effective communication and consultation procedures with educators and staff members about workplace issues.
promoting the diverse skills and achievements of educators and staff (e.g., at educator meetings, through regular feedback, by sharing information with families and the community through notices and newsletters.)
providing or organising appropriate information, instruction, training or supervision to educators and staff.
maintaining the financial viability of the Service.
Visitors
The Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor will ensure the safety, health, and wellbeing of all children by:
ensuring visitors are only allowed entry to the service if they can be adequately identified. Tradespeople, business representatives and early intervention specialists or professionals, or support workers provided by early childhood agencies, must carry appropriate identification. Family members and family friends who, for example, attend service events or assist with learning activities may be identified by the parents of children at the service.
requiring all visitors to sign in and out of the service for work health and safety and child protection reasons.
ensuring visitors, including long term visitors, are never left alone with any children being educated and care for. Visitors will be supervised by educators or staff members at all times.
ensuring visitors have or obtain a child protection clearance if required by the child protection law before being allowed entry to the service https://ocg.nsw.gov.au
ensuring specialists or professionals engaged to support a child are only allowed to visit and engage with the child if written authorisation has first been obtained from the child’s parents. Authorisation may form part of an education or support plan.
Communication Procedures
To allow effective communication and consultation to take place with educators/staff the Approved Provider / Nominated Supervisor will use various methods of communication including:
direct conversations.
phone communication including SMS messaging if appropriate.
a communication diary.
educator meetings.
other forms of written communication e.g., letters, notices, emails.
educator appraisals and reviews.
Educator Meetings
The service will hold regular educator meetings at a time convenient for all educators. This will take place after hours so all educators can attend and educator to childcare ratios are not jeopardised.
Meetings will follow this structure:
they will run for approximately 1hr but can run longer if more issues need to be discussed.
the Nominated Supervisor or Approved Provider will chair the meeting and give a report.
the format of the meeting will be made available in the educator diary/ agenda displayed and any educator who wishes to speak can add their name.
in the meeting educators may:
raise concerns.
negotiate solutions for any grievances.
receive, share, and discuss new information.
with regard to the decision-making process:
if a decision cannot be reached about an issue the Nominated Supervisor will make an informed decision; or
if there is insufficient information an educator will be chosen by the Nominated Supervisor to research the issue.
all decisions made will be made on a trial basis and their effectiveness will be discussed at the next meeting.
minutes will be taken at all meetings.
Professional Development and Performance Management
We employ caring, loyal, and capable educators who bring a high skill level, appropriate qualifications, and a wide and varying number of experiences to help implement our curriculum and philosophy. To maintain our commitment to quality education and care, we will implement a performance appraisal process.
Performance Management/Appraisal
The Nominated Supervisor will complete a performance appraisal for all educators and staff every 12 months. In addition, the Nominated Supervisor will complete a performance appraisal for new educators and staff after they have completed 3 months at the service. The educator or staff member and the Nominated Supervisor will agree on a mutually acceptable date at least 2 weeks prior to the appraisal meeting.
The appraisal process will be used as a tool:
to ensure educators and staff are aware of their duties and responsibilities.
to discuss the level of performance expected. (The appraisal process is the best way to show evidence of continued poor work performance and allows formal written warnings to occur if necessary.)
for identifying professional development and training needs.
The appraisal meeting will be linked to the educator’s job description and will include:
an appraisal of the educator’s performance in relation to their job description.
review and if necessary, clarification of the job role and its expectations.
self-assessment of performance by the educator or staff member.
two-way feedback between the Nominated Supervisor and educator or staff member.
discussion of future opportunities within the position.
discussion on an action plan for further training.
feedback about how the appraisal process could be improved.
Training
The Nominated Supervisor and General Manager will ensure that funds are set aside for training and development needs in the annual budget. Training will be provided on an equitable basis to all permanent educators and staff and may include:
mentoring by appropriate educators/staff.
in-house workshops run by an external trainer.
external workshops, seminars etc.
formal TAFE, college of University courses.
on-the-job training (e.g., through changes in role or through exchange of information between educators/staff).
educator and management exchanges between services.
provision of appropriate resources (books, movies, documentaries etc).
Work, Health and Safety Issues
Bullying, Discrimination and Harassment
Discrimination occurs when someone is treated less favourably than others because they have a particular characteristic or belong to a particular group of people, such as age, race, or gender. Harassment involves unwelcome behaviour that intimidates, offends, or humiliates a person because of a particular personal characteristic such as race, age, gender, disability, religion, or sexuality. It is possible for a person to be bullied, harassed, and discriminated against at the same time.
Various anti-discrimination, equal employment opportunity, workplace relations, and human rights laws make it illegal to discriminate or harass a person in the workplace. Work Health and Safety laws include protections against discriminatory conduct for workers raising health and safety concerns.
Bullying is repeated and unreasonable behaviour towards a worker or a group of workers. Our service will not tolerate bullying in any form because it may have a detrimental effect on the psychological, emotional and/or physical wellbeing, health and safety of our educators and staff. Amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 make it illegal to bully a person in the workplace from 1 January 2014.
Unreasonable behaviour includes actions that victimise, humiliate, intimidate, or threaten and may be intentional or unintentional. It can occur directly and by using information technology such as email, texting, and social media. While one incident of unreasonable behaviour is not considered to be workplace bullying, it may escalate, and it will not be ignored. Examples include:
abusive, insulting, or offensive language or comments.
unjustified criticism or complaints.
continuously and deliberately excluding someone from workplace activities.
withholding information that is vital for effective work performance.
setting unreasonable timelines or constantly changing deadlines.
setting tasks that are unreasonably below or beyond a person’s skill level.
denying access to information, supervision, consultation, or resources that adversely affects a worker.
spreading misinformation or malicious rumours.
changing work arrangements, such as rosters and leave, to deliberately inconvenience a particular worker or workers.
excessive scrutiny at work.
Reasonable actions taken by the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor to direct or control the way work is carried out is not bullying behaviour. Examples of reasonable behaviour include:
setting reasonable performance goals, standards, and deadlines.
rostering and allocating working hours where the requirements are reasonable.
transferring a worker for operational reasons.
deciding not to select a worker for promotion where a reasonable process is followed and documented.
informing a worker about unsatisfactory work performance when undertaken in accordance with any workplace policies or agreements such as performance management guidelines.
informing a worker about inappropriate behaviour in an objective and confidential way.
implementing organisational changes or restructuring.
termination of employment.
The Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor will
ensure all educators, staff, visitors, and volunteers are aware of and comply with our Code of Conduct.
investigate and manage incidents of workplace bullying, harassment, and discrimination in accordance with our Grievance Guidelines located in our Staff and Educator Grievance Policy (MPOL 9).
consult with educators, staff, and volunteers during staff meetings when:
identifying the risk of workplace bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
making decisions about procedures to monitor and address workplace bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
making decisions about information and training on workplace bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
proposing changes to the way work is performed or rosters managed as this may give rise to the risk of workplace bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
provide appropriate information, instruction, training or supervision to educators, staff, visitors, and volunteers to minimise the risks to their health and safety from workplace bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
contact the Police if there are incidents of workplace bullying, harassment and discrimination that involve physical assault or the threat of physical assault, or a visitor engages in bullying behaviour, harassment and discrimination and refuses to leave the Service.
Educators, staff, visitors, and volunteers will
consider whether something they do or do not do will adversely affect the health and safety of others.
comply with any reasonable instruction, policy and procedure given by the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor in relation to workplace bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
report all incidents of workplace bullying, harassment and discrimination using our Grievance Guidelines (MPOL 9).
talk to the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor if they have any questions about workplace bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
Identifying Workplace Bullying, Harassment and Discrimination
The Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor will minimise the risk of workplace bullying, harassment and discrimination occurring by:
Identifying the risk of workplace bullying, harassment, and discrimination
talking to educators, staff, and volunteers (or conduct an anonymous survey) to find out if bullying is occurring or if there are unreasonable behaviours or situations likely to increase the risk of bullying, harassment, and discrimination.
monitoring patterns of absenteeism, sick leave, staff turnover, grievances, injury reports, workers compensation claims and other such records to establish any regular patterns or sudden unexplained changes.
watching for any changes in workplace relationships between educators, staff, volunteers, visitors and/or managers.
seeking feedback on the professionalism of workplace behaviours in exit interviews and from supervisors and where relevant families.
Implementing measures to prevent and respond to workplace bullying, harassment and discrimination
implementing a Code of Conduct.
providing educators, staff, volunteers, and visitors with information about our bullying, harassment and discrimination policy and relevant procedures at staff meetings, via email and by displaying relevant information.
implementing grievance procedures which deal with bullying complaints in a confidential, reliable, and timely way (see Staff and Educator Grievance Policy - MPOL 9).
implementing effective performance management processes.
clearly defining jobs and seeking regular feedback from educators and staff about their role and responsibilities.
reviewing and monitoring workloads and staffing levels.
including educators and staff in decision making which affects their roles and responsibilities.
consulting with educators and staff as early as possible about any changes that affect their roles and responsibilities.
promoting and modelling positive leadership styles e.g., communicating effectively and providing constructive feedback both formally and informally.
organising relevant leadership training for managers and supervisors e.g., on performance management.
mentoring and supporting new and poor performing leaders, educators, or staff.
facilitating teamwork and cooperation.
ensuring supervisors act in a timely manner on any unreasonable behaviour.
Reviewing measures to prevent and respond to workplace bullying, harassment and discrimination
The Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor will implement a review of bullying, harassment and discrimination in the workplace and the Staff and Educator Grievance policy if there is an incident of workplace bullying, when new or additional information about bullying becomes available or at the scheduled review date. Information will be obtained from recognised authority agencies i.e., Fair Work, confidential surveys, exit interviews and records of sick leave and workers compensation claims.
The Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor, and other educators and staff who may be involved in resolving workplace bullying, harassment and discrimination will be familiar with conflict resolution skills and undertake training in that area if required.
Employee Support
To ensure children are exposed to a safe and supportive environment at all times, the Approved Provider/Nominated Supervisor will assist educators and staff members who are adversely affected by issues that happen at home or work to access appropriate support services. They may include internal or external mentoring, medication, conflict resolution, coaching or training and counselling services. Employees may also be offered flexibility in their working arrangements where this can be accommodated to meet service needs.
Stress Management Guidelines
If an educator feels stressed in any way they should:
approach the Nominated Supervisor and talk together to see if the situation can be remedied in any way.
approach their team leader, the Approved Provider, General Manager or if relevant a Union official if the educator feels unable to approach the Nominated Supervisor.
accept opportunities to have stress alleviated (including counselling if recommended).
The Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor will
discuss the cause of the stress with the educator or staff member and discuss viable options to alleviate it.
refer educator/staff member to counselling if required.
monitor and review the effectiveness of educator stress management procedures.
monitor workloads to ensure educator is not overloaded or overwhelmed.
monitor overtime hours and regular working hours to ensure educator is not overworked.
monitor holidays to ensure educator is taking, or at least aware of, their entitlements.
ensure that bullying and harassment is not taking place.
be aware that educators may be suffering personal stress e.g., a death in the family or separation and offer additional support.
raise any issues in a sensitive manner.
support an educator or staff member on stress leave.
work with the educator or staff member on stress leave to set up a return-to-work plan.
monitor and discuss with the educator /staff member their stress levels in the workplace after they return to work.
Managing Breaches and Complaints/Grievances
All breaches of our Code of Conduct (including corruption, maladministration, and waste of resources) and complaints or grievances from educators, staff members, families, visitors, and volunteers associated with the workplace will be managed in line with our Grievance Guidelines.
This includes incidents of bullying, discrimination, and harassment at the Service. Our Service takes any incident of (alleged) bullying, discrimination, or harassment very seriously because it can cause significant health and wellbeing issues for employees.
Grievances can occur in all workplaces and handling them properly is important for maintaining a safe, healthy, harmonious, and productive work environment. Documented grievance procedures are important because:
staff and visitors need to know a process exists for receiving and managing grievances and complaints fairly, impartially, promptly, and thoroughly.
they help to ensure small issues or problems do not escalate.
supervisors and managers need to be aware of issues causing conflict.
documentation provides evidence and a record of the grievance and the outcome.
complaints facilitate continuous improvement of Service operations.
Grievance Guidelines
These procedures explain the procedure for reporting and managing grievances, the roles and responsibilities of educators, staff and managers and the potential consequences of breaching our policies and procedures and Code of Conduct.
Educators, staff, volunteers, and visitors will
raise the grievance or complaint directly with the person they have grievance with. Both parties should try to resolve the issue and develop solutions to ensure the problem does not happen again. Discussions should be based on the principles of privacy, confidentiality, respect, and open-mindedness, will not involve other educators, staff, volunteers, or visitors (e.g., parents) and will take place away from children.
raise the grievance or complaint with the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor (or another manager/supervisor if the grievance involves the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor) if they are unable to resolve the concern or feel uncomfortable raising the matter directly with the person concerned. The Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor (or other manager) may ask for the issue to be put in writing. Employees should provide all relevant information, including what the problem is, any other person involved in the problem and any suggested solution. Educators are encouraged to communicate openly about the issue.
raise any grievance involving suspected or actual unlawful activity (including bullying) with the Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor immediately and privately.
be confident that their concerns will be thoroughly investigated, but aware that the outcome may not result in the action requested.
Union members may seek assistance or support from their trade union at any time.
Educators, staff, volunteers, and visitors will not
become involved in complaints or grievances that do not concern them. This is neither ethical nor likely to advance the grievance process or outcome.
raise complaints with an external complaints body, such as a court or Tribunal, without exhausting our grievance procedures.
The Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor will
treat the complaint seriously and deal with it as a matter of priority in a confidential and impartial manner.
properly investigate and fairly and impartially consider the issue. This will include:
reviewing the circumstances and facts of the complaint (or breach) and inviting all affected parties to provide information where appropriate and relevant.
discussing the nature of the complaint (or breach) and giving an educator, staff member, volunteer, or visitor an opportunity to respond. To encourage teamwork and respect, the issue may be discussed at an educator meeting if the privacy of the people involved can be protected.
allowing them to have a support person present during an interview (e.g., health and safety representative, however this does not include a lawyer acting in a professional capacity, to maintain confidentiality the support person should not be another staff member at the centre). The support person is not able to advocate or answer on the employee’s behalf.
As a part of the investigation, appropriate records of the investigation and outcome will be kept, and those records will be stored in accordance with our Privacy and Confidentiality Policy and Record Keeping and Retention Policy. Unsubstantiated complaints against educators/staff may be retained on file if the person has been given the opportunity to record a comment on the documentation.
Grievances involving suspected or actual unlawful activity (including discrimination against or bullying of employees, and alleged/ suspected child abuse) will be raised immediately and privately with the Centre Director, Senior Director, General Manager or Approved Provider.
Educators and staff members will not raise complaints/ grievances with an external complaints body, such as a court or Tribunal, without using our grievance policy, procedures and appeal process first. (Please note that a person may report alleged/ suspected child abuse by the Approved Provider directly with the Children’s Guardian).
Once the investigation is complete, recommendations to resolve the matter and avoid further issues will be given to the relevant parties. This may be through a letter or email. If the resolution of the complaint involves a written agreement, all parties must agree of the wording etc. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken if required against relevant parties. Educators should be confident that their concerns will be thoroughly investigated, but aware that the outcome may not result in the action requested.
Outcomes may include
an apology and a commitment that certain behaviour will not be repeated (monitoring this over time)
education and training in relevant laws, policies or procedures (e.g., bullying awareness, leadership skills)
assistance in locating relevant counselling services
disciplinary procedures including a verbal or written warning, termination of employment or transfer to a different position at the Service
ensuring any inequality or inequity is remedied
providing closer supervision
modifying Service policies and procedures
developing new policies and procedures.
When resolving grievances, consideration will be made of our service’s policies and procedures as well as the Education and Care Services Regulations, Education and Care Services National Law and relevant workplace regulations.
Outcomes will take into consideration relevant industrial relations principles and guidelines and make provision for procedural fairness. The Centre Director, Senior Director, General Manager or Approved Provider will consider:
the number of complaints (or breaches)
the opportunities given to adhere to a policy or procedure and/or change behaviour.
the opportunities given to respond to the allegations.
the seriousness of the complaint (or breach), and whether it impacted the safety and welfare of other employees, volunteers or visitors.
whether a policy, procedure or complaint is reasonable.
Following on from the outcome of the investigation the Centre Director, Senior Director, General Manager or Approved Provider will:
monitor ongoing behaviour and provide support as required
ensure the parties are protected from victimisation
Consider an external review by a Tribunal or alternate organisation where employees, visitors and volunteers are unhappy with the outcome of the grievance procedure, if this is deemed appropriate by Senior Management. Workplace bullying matters may be referred to the Fair Work Commission which can direct employers to take specific actions against workplace bullies or the Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulator which may investigate whether WHS duties have been contravened
track complaints to identify recurring issues within the Service
notify the regulatory authority within 24 hours if a complaint alleges the safety, health or wellbeing of a child is being compromised. Refer to the Incident, Injury, Trauma and Illness Policy (HSPOL 26).
New and Returning/Staff
Orientation
Before a new educator or staff member commences their employment, the Nominated Supervisor will:
show them around the service, allow them to spend some time in their designated room, introduce them to other educators and staff, children, and families.
Ensure they know where we store the First Aid Kit(s), emergency asthma kits, Epi-pens and children’s medication, which educators hold first aid qualifications, and who has undertaken asthma and anaphylaxis training.
Give them a copy of their contract which outlines code of conduct, job description, requirements etc.
Highlight all policies, procedures, our Code of Conduct, and the Service philosophy, and ensure they know where the Policy and Procedures Manual is and how to access it at all times.
Highlight relevant legislation including the Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations, Child Protection, Work Health and Safety (WHS), Anti-Discrimination, Bullying and Privacy and Confidentiality.
Ensure they know under which industrial award/ agreement they are employed and how to access it.
Ensure they are familiar with Work Health and Safety (WHS) principles and child protection principles, particularly the procedures and safeguards that apply in the Service.
Provide them with necessary forms for taxation, superannuation, and payment of salary.
Advise them about the Service’s management structure.
Clarify any questions they have.
The Nominated Supervisor will meet with the new educator or staff member at the end of their first week to clarify any questions they may have or resolve any issues that may have arisen including any training needs they have identified.
Return from Extended Leave
The Approved Provider or Nominated Supervisor will work with both the educator who has been on leave and educators at the Service to ensure a smooth return to work by:
encouraging the educator to visit a few days before they return to work to reacquaint themselves with the environment and take in any changes.
notifying the educator of any policy changes.
notifying families of the educator’s return.
offering training and development if necessary.
discussing any special conditions or considerations and drawing up an appropriate plan to manage these.
If the period is due to an illness the educator must produce a medical certificate stating, they are fit to return to work.
Work Experience Students and Volunteers
The Service is happy to support Work Experience Students and Volunteers in their efforts to become Early Childhood Professionals. They will be encouraged to complete
the qualifications necessary to work with children under the National Quality Framework.
Work Experience Students and Volunteers MUST follow all policies and procedures at the service.
Educators will:
maintain open communication with Work Experience Students and Volunteers along with their practicum teachers.
support all students and volunteers undertaking work experience needs during their placement.
pass relevant skills and knowledge onto each student and volunteer.
ensure all educators are provided with relevant feedback about tasks that the student is required to complete in the service as part of their practicum.
be aware of student and volunteer expectations.
have the time and capabilities to support each student and volunteer in their placement.
Work Experience Students and Volunteers will: -
provide the centre with their WWCC
learn about the children through observation and practical experience.
develop skills and abilities needed to care for and educate children.
learn about working as part of a team in the Early Childhood Profession.
learn strategies employed when working in a team environment.
learn skills already acquired by qualified educators in the Service.
become familiar with families and children in the Service.
keep educators aware of all written work requirements.
METHOD
The Nominated Supervisor or Approved Provider will appoint an educator to be ‘Student Supervisor,’ arrange a pre-placement visit for the student or volunteer and inform those at the Service when this will occur. Families will also be informed when Work Experience Students and Volunteers are present at the service and about their role and hours they will be spending at the Service.
During the visit the Supervisor will:
give the student or volunteer times/hours and dates of the placement.
give the student a student package.
take the student or volunteer on a tour of the Service.
introduce the student or volunteer to educators and their Room Leader.
Work Experience Students and Volunteers will:
inform the Student Supervisor in writing of what will be expected of them by their training body, University or School, or any other training organisation, and provide time sheets and evaluation forms. If this has not happened during the pre-placement visit it will occur on the Student’s first day.
work different shifts to gain knowledge of different aspects of Service operations.
bring in a photo and a short statement with:
name
time they will be at the Service.
what it is they are studying.
discuss with the Student Supervisor any problems they may be experiencing.
The Room Leader will:
discuss progress of written work and performance with the student and volunteer.
discuss any issues raised by the student with the Student Supervisor.
Fail Procedure:
If educators feel that the student is at risk of failing their practicum, the following steps will be taken:
Room Leader will alert the Student Supervisor of any concerns with the student.
Both the Student Supervisor and the Room Leader will discuss these issues with the Student.
The Student Supervisor will arrange for the student’s teacher to visit the Service and discuss issues that have arisen.
The student’s educational institution will ultimately determine the outcome of the practicum.
Termination of Practicum:
Termination of student’s placement will occur if the student:
harms or is at risk of harming a child in their care.
is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
has disregard for the Service and fails to notify the Service if unable to attend.
is observed using repeated inappropriate behaviour at the Service.
does not comply with all policies and procedures addressed in the student package.
does not provide the photo with an introduction on commencement.
Attachment to Policy: ECA Code of Ethics Document
United Nations Convention On The Rights Of The Child
Dealing with Employee Work-related Concerns and Grievances Policy and Guidelines: NSW DPC
Preventing and Responding to Workplace Bullying: Safe Work Australia Draft Code of Practice
Anti-bullying jurisdiction: Fair Work Commission
Centre Support
Dated: February 2025
Sources
- Education and Care Services National RegulationsEducation and Care Services National Law
- National Quality StandardEarly Years Learning Framework V2.0 2022
- Work Health and Safety Act
- Fair Work ActBryant, L. (2009). Managing a Child Care Service: A Hands-On Guide forService Providers. Sydney, Community Child Care Co-Operative.
*This policy is the property of Eikoh Seminar Australia Pty Limited and must not be reproduced without the consent of management.