Volunteers and students policy.

Aim: Visitors to care and education settings are a regular occurrence. Family members or potential families want to visit a service when deciding on care for their children. Students attend practicum periods, volunteers may choose to spend time in the service along with maintenance personnel, educators and staff from other services and other authorised volunteers.

The presence of visitors at the service must be monitored and documented.

The service encourages student and volunteer participations as we are committed to assisting students gain valuable experience in early childhood settings.

Goals

• Records relating to visitors and students to our service will be maintained.

• Educators and staff will abide by regulatory protocol when visitors are in the service.

Strategies

The Approved Provider, Nominated Supervisor, or Responsible Person will:

• Maintain a visitors’ log and request sign in of all visitors to the service though the centre’s App.

• Ensure educators and staff understand the regulatory and ethical guidelines relating to visitors at the centre and will provide an induction protocol for all staff to use with visitors.

• Keep a record of all volunteers and students who spend time in the service. The record will include: full name, address; date of birth; date and hours of each volunteer or student who participates in the program.

• Be aware of protocols and guidance supplied by universities, TAFEs or RTOs in relation to participating students.

• Information packs will be provided to all students and volunteers.

• Working with Children Checks (WWCC) will be kept on file and clearance checked.

Educators and staff will:

• Welcome visitors to the service and seek information on their reason for visiting.

• Direct visitors appropriately and make the Nominated Supervisor or Responsible Person aware of a visitor presence in the service.

• Welcome family and friends to visit and participate at any time.

• Volunteers and students on practicum placement are not to be considered as part of the educator to child ratios and are never to be left alone with a child or group of children for any time period.

Families will:

• Be aware of who they are providing access to the service for when they enter themselves and are requested to be aware of unknown visitors and to direct them accordingly.

Evaluation

All educators will maintain a safe and secure environment for other educators, the children, families, and visitors to the service.

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